This guide was written by SeaUnicorn, an endgame healer and raider in The Elder Scrolls Online who creates content and provides answers for healers of all backgrounds on her YouTube, Twitch streams and Discord server.
Introduction
Do you like to support your team members? Do you take pride in providing the best conditions possible for your team members to succeed. Do you think that sharing is caring? Well then, healing is for you!
To start with let us define what Healer Role means in Elder Scrolls Online.
The Healer is responsible for:
- Healing team members.
- Providing Defensive Buffs and De-buffs.
- Providing Offensive Buffs and De-buffs.
- Performing mechanics that would result in a loss of damage, when performed by a Damage Dealer or a Tank.
- Dealing Damage in a low threat scenarios.
As you can see the list of responsibilities is quite longer than what you might have seen in other games. In the Elder Scrolls Online, the healer is a hybrid between a healer, utility provider, and sometimes even damage dealer.
Visual Guide
How Does Healing Work?
ESO has a Global Cooldown of 1 second, meaning you can only cast 1 skill ability per second, whereas incoming damage may come from multiple sources and within 1 second your team member may receive multiple hits of various damage ticking at different fractions of that 1s.
Because of it it is very important to have means of pre-emptive healing, since by the time you react to what is going on and your next GCD window opens - your team member might be already dead.
Luckily for us, the majority of ESO healing abilities have smart targeting that prioritizes team members that are in need of healing. Common approach to healing would be to lay down your AOE HOTs and alternate between utility Direct Healing abilities while HOTs are active.
Wait, wait, wait, direct? AOE? HOTs? So many new words! Lets us describe what kind of healing skills we have access to first.
Types of Healing Abilities
Direct Healing vs Healing Over Time
Direct healing - abilities that provide 1-time burst of healing. In some cases those type of healing skills require you to face the target(s), in others any target within a certain distance around you can be healed.
Examples: Combat Prayer, Hasty Prayer, Twilight Matriarch heal,
Healing over time (HOT) - abilities that leave a lingering effect that heals your team members over a period of time with a set frequency. Commonly HOTs tick at 1s or 2s frequency, with some skills having 0.5s, 3s and 5s frequencies.
Examples: Illustrious Healing, Echoing Vigor
Hybrid - abilities that have both Direct and HOT components, such as Renewing Undeath.
Single Target vs Area of Effect
Single Target (ST) - healing abilities that apply to 1 (and in some cases 2 or 3) team members and remain with them in case they are also a HOT.
Examples: Bursting Vines, Radiating Regeneration, Breath of Life
Area of Effect (AOE) - healing abilities that apply to 6 members at the time. AOE HOTs can also dynamically change targets every tick to heal up group members that are in need of heals.
Examples: Illustrious Healing, Combat Prayer, Renewing Undeath
Ground vs Targeted
Ground - healing abilities that leave lingering effect on the ground that applies to the allies who step into them.
Examples: Illustrious Healing, Extended Ritual
Targeted - healing abilities that apply to the individual targets who meet the condition of the ability at the time of casting
Examples: Echoing Vigor, Combat Prayer, Radiating Regeneration
Each healing ability can be classified against all 3 of the classifications, for example Combat Prayer is a Direct AOE Targeted ability, Illustrious Healing is a Ground AOE HOT.
Healing Abilities Available to You
Restoration Staff Skills
Primary weapon designed for Healer in Elder Scrolls Online is a Restoration Staff.
Restoration Staff skill line has some of the strongest healing abilities in game and passives that serve healers well:
- Increased healing in various scenarios
- Improved Magicka sustain
Class Healing and Utility
Each class will have at least one of each:
- Class HOT
- Single Target Burst Heal
- AOE Burst Heal
In addition each class will have skills and passives that provide group utility or help with healing:
- Class Minor/Major buffs for the group
- Ultimate generation passive(s)
- Sustain passive(s)
- Set of passives that improve healing
Other Skill Lines
Progression in Guilds and Alliance War grants access to additional skill lines that provide more options for healing and group utility:
- Undaunted
- Mages Guild
- Fighters Guild
- Psijic Order
- Assault
- Support
Building Your Healer
Race
In ESO any race can perform well as a healer, with some races making it easier and more effective. Key race passive to be on a lookout for are sustain, offensive stats, such as Maximum Magicka, Spell and Weapon Damage.
Some races make it easier for you:
- Breton - Offers excellent sustain and survivability along with a large Magicka pool. Great option for primary healer.
- Altmer / Dunmer - Both races provide excellent offensive stats that boost healing output, great for Healer/DD hybrids
- Argonian / Khajiit / Imperial - Boast sustain (less potent than Breton) and healing output passives. All 3 sacrifice some or all offensive resource pools for Maximum Health.
Class
While meta healer classes change depending on the patch, âPlay as you wantâ mantra of ESO applies - any class has access to healing and group utility abilities.
Warden - Strongest defensive utility of all classes.
Templar - Great offensive utility and unparalleled healing output.
Sorcerer - Great offensive utility and mobility.
Necromancer - All around utility and very high ulti gen in trash fight.
Nightblade - Great offensive utility, mobility, and ultimate generation. Lacks class synergies.
Dragonknight - Has most offensive utility of all classes. In organized raids DK is commonly a tank, hence low demand for DK healers.
Attributes
Commonly Healers utilize Magicka abilities more than Stamina, hence healers would commonly put all 64 Attribute Points into their Magicka.
Some classes have capacity to use Stamina as a primary pool, for example Stagger Dragonknight or Warden Hybrid. Those would not be considered as beginner builds and we will leave them out for now.
Mundus Stones
Due to the variety of roles that healer can perform in ESO, from primary healer, to kiter of various mechanics and hybrid Damage Dealer, we benefit from a variety of Mundus Stones:
Ritual provides outright top healing potential. It will result in the highest healing tooltip as compared to any other mundus stone. Good for HPS races such as vCR, vHOF, vKA last boss.
Thief results in higher critical chance making heals crit more often. Synergizes well with Off-Healing on hybrid heal/dps roles and Hollowfang. HPS Potential slightly below Ritual
Steed good for fights that require mobility. It has both speed and health recovery that comes in handy in vCR on KH role and vAS on GH role. It is however not enough speed for vAS TH role. No HPS Boost.
Gearing Up
Beginner (Below CP160)
As gear cap in Elder Scroll Online is 160 Champion Points it really does not make much sense to invest into sets until then.
In the meantime you could opt for crafted sets. There are plenty beginner guilds where Master Crafters help new players to craft the gear.
As a beginner healer you are looking a combo of sustain and offensive stats sets, such as:
5pc Seducer Body Armor
5pc Julianos Helmet, Shoulders, Weapons & Necklace
If you plan to upgrade the items, start with weapons as they have the highest impact when upgraded.
Do not waste gold upgrade materials and jewelry upgrade materials on low level sets.
Weights, Traits and Enchantments
Armor
Have at least one of each weight on the body armor to unlock and level respective armor skill lines.
To maximize armor resistances heavier weights should be on larger pieces:
5 Light Gloves, Belt, Boots, Shoulders, Pants
1 Medium Helmet
1 Heavy Cuirass
Traits should be Training to help level faster.
Enchantments should be Maximum Magicka for a bigger magicka pool, increasing your damage and healing output.
Jewelry
Jewelry is expensive to craft, hence just 1 crafted jewelry piece. Pick up remaining jewelry pieces from Dolmen completion chests.
Traits Arcane to further increase you Maximum Magicka pool
Enchants Magicka Recovery to help with sustain.
Weapons
Main weapon should Restoration Staff in the Training trait with the Absorb Magicka Enchantment.
Secondary weapon should be a Destruction Staff in the Training trait with the Berserker Enchantment.
Intermediate (160 - 300 CP)
Once you reach gear cap it is a good time to start collecting sets that healers commonly use. Start with Dungeon, Overland and PVP sets such as:
- Spell Power Cure from White Gold Tower
- Worm Raiment from Vaults of Madness
- Jorvuld's Guidance from Scalecaller Peak
- Martial Knowledge from Craglorn Overland or Guild Vendors
- Powerful Assault from Imperial City PVP or Guild Vendors
- Symphony of Blades from Vet Depths of Malatar
- Magma Incarnate from The Dread Cellar
- Spaulder of Ruin Mythic
Weights, Traits and Enchantments
Armor
With all armor lines leveled you can now reap benefits of armor passives. You have few options:
7 Light no brainer option for great sustain, critical chance (both healing and damage abilities can crit), as well as spell resistance and offensive penetration.
6 Light 1 Medium reduced benefits from light, but better mobility, Stamina Sustain, increased Weapon & Spell damage, and Critical Damage /Healing.
Traits Divines to maximize benefits of Mundus Stones.
Enchants Maximum Magicka for a bigger magicka pool, increasing your damage and healing output.
Jewelry
Traits: Arcane to further increase your Maximum Magicka pool.
Enchants: as many Magicka Recovery glyphs as you need to comfortably sustain with the rest Spell Damage to increase your healing and damage output.
Weapons
Main Restoration Staff in Powered with Absorb Magicka or Berserker Enchant.
Secondary Destruction Staff in Infused with Weakening or Crusher Enchant.
Advanced
When you are ready to push yourself further you can start working on harder achievements and learning harder content. The great grind begins. Supports, and healers in particular, are usually tasked with running all sorts of different combinations of support sets and items depending on the occasion, making the arsenal of the healer very big.
Many of the staple sets are found in trials or through Antiquities:
- Roaring Opportunist (combine with Jorvuld's Guidance) from Kyneâs Aegis
- Vestment of Olorime from Cloudrest
- Saxhleel Champion from Rockgrove
- Master Architect from Halls of Fabrication
- Pillagerâs Profit from Dread Sail Reef
- Pearls of Ehlnofey Mythic
- Nazaray from Shipwrightâs Regret
- Encratisâs Behemoth from Black Drake Villa
Weights, Traits and Enchantments
Armor
Same rules apply here, use armor passives to your advantage. In some cases you might end up with a Heavy armor piece on your body, so unlock key armor passive from all 3 lines.
Jewelry
Trait options: Arcane, Infused, or even Bloodthirsty will be in your arsenal.
In addition to Magicka Recovery and Spell Damage glyphs for your Jewelry you may have Stamina Recovery on your Powerful Assault Jewelry, or Weapon Damage glyphs for groups that do not have a Templar.
Weapons
Your weapon arsenal will not only be limited to traditional Restoration and Destruction staff combinations. For Hybrid Damage Dealer roles you might opt for Dual Wield and 2-hander, and even a Bow for places where you need Stamina sustain along with increased range.
Decisive Restoration staves for better ultimate generation in fights that do not requires absolute highest healing output.
Charged Ice staves with Frost Enchant to maintain Minor Brittle.
Some Damage oriented weapons, look up DPS guides to learn more.
Healing for Beginners
Now that we know what kind of abilities and build options we have at our disposal, how do we maximize our healing potential?
- Strategically place Ground AOE HOTs such that they cover majority of your team members.
- If you have any - refresh ST HOTs to cover each team member
- Fill the rest of the free time with Direct Heals, also called Burst Heals.
HOTs will provide healing on demand, as they will top up the health of your team members when they take damage, while burst heals will allow you to react to bigger blows. In addition burst heels of choice on the sample rotation come with auxiliary buffs, more about them later.
To help yourself to keep up with the HOT timers you could design a rotation - pre-defined order in which you will be casting your skills. Note the durations of each skill and order them in a way where they would be re-applied as close to expiry as possible while also being conveniently placed on your skill bar.
Beginner Rotation
Heavy attacks are incorporated into beginner rotation, as sustain might be tough when you are low CP and using low level gear and consumables. Eventually you will be able to balance your sustain and minimize heavy attacks.
Incorporating Buffs and Debuffs
Along with keeping team members alive, healers in ESO are responsible for maintaining buffs and de-buffs, making the role unique and fun.
Start incorporating buffs-and de-buffs into your rotation few skills at at a time, ensure you are able to keep up before taking on more responsibility.
Some skills, like Combat Prayer and Enchanted Growth have both healing and buff components, they are a good candidates to start with.
Some of the skills have 6 player cap, so you might need to cast them twice to cover whole group in 12-man content
Incorporate those buffs and de-buffs into your rotation in a way where you can maintain good uptimes without thinking about it too much, so that you have some attention span for mechanics.
It helps to conveniently group skills on the bars, where consecutive steps of your rotation take place on the same bar and you do not need to swap bars too much.
Healer Champion Points
You can follow the below charts in terms of both ingame progression and Champion Points priority as a healer:
Healer Classes
It is important to understand strength and weaknesses of your class, and learn what kind of support you can offer for your team on the class you plan to play. Learning about your class instead of using cookie cutter builds allows you to be more self-sufficient and adjust for the situation.
Templar
This class does not have too many active skills that provide group utility, but is packed with passive utility. Templar healer outputs extremely high HPS while having a lot of skill bar slots for various non-class utility skills.
Raid Utility
Minor Sorcery - 10% Spell Damage
Power of the Light (Minor Breach) - 2974 Offensive Penetration
Aedric Spear
Blazing Spear & Luminous Shards
Source of sustain synergy. Strong spammable for AOE fights, as it procs Burning Light passive.
Dawn's Wrath
Purifying Light & Power of the Light
Depending on the morph a HOT or a source of Single Target Minor Breach for 9s.
Procs Minor Sorcery on all team members. Duration of the delayed damage component is 6s making it nicely aligned with the Prism Passive.
Restoring Light
One of the largest area and strongest class HOT in game. Also procs purifying synergy for group members. Procs Sacred Ground passive, granting you Minor Mending while standing in it.
Breath of Life & Honor the Dead
Single Target heal that may be used for Lokkestiiz Tomb Healing, in vAS, or Bahsei HM.
Channeled Focus & Restoring Focus
Depending on the Morph offers Magicka or Stamina sustain, as well as selfish source of Major Resolve and self-heal. Procs Sacred Ground passive, granting you Minor Mending while standing in it.
Passives
Passives
Class utility:
Ultimate Generation:
Sustain & Resources:
Healing & Damage Output:
Helps with Uptimes:
Warden
This class has strong defensive utility that applies to entire group, increasing health pool and applying Major Resolve for all group members. This makes Warden Supports welcome in any group composition.
This is a 2-edged blade as healers often find themselves shoehorned into Warden Class since every group needs at least 1 Warden support. Find a Warden tank friend to be able to play other healer classes maybe.
Raid Utility
Minor Toughness - 10% Health
Expansive Frost Cloak (Major Resolve) - 5948 Resistance
Swarm (Minor Vulnerability) - 5% Damage Taken
Enchanted Growth (Minor Intellect & Endurance) - 15% Mag & Stam Recovery
Animal Companions
Fetcher Infection & Growing Swarm
Source of Single Target Minor Vulnerability, procs Savage beast and Flourish passives, and a Zâen DOT. Growing Swarm morph can be used as a stamina dump for MK or to help with magicka sustain.
Minor Vuln applied by Growing swarm only applies to the target is its casted on, but it can be active on multiple targets if you cast it multiple times within 10s
Flex slot. Source of Major Sorcery, purge and small amount of Magicka or Stamina sustain depending on the morph. Procs Savage Beast and Flourish passives.
Deceptive Predator & Bird of Prey
Flex slot. Source of Major Expedition. Depending on the morph source of Minor Berserk or Minor Evasion. Also procs Savage Beast and Flourish passives.
Green Balance
Class HOT and source of healing synergy. Procs Accelerated Growth and Maturation passives.
Burst AOE heal and a source of Minor Intellect and Endurance for 6 group members per cast, making it a must to slot and upkeep. Procs Accelerated Growth and Maturation passives.
Powerful Single Target heal that may be used for Tomb Healing on Lokke HM. Since U33 the tooltip was reduced and it might require aid of Mend Wounds. A source of endless fun.
Single Target on demand heal useful for encounters that are particularly dangerous for tanks, such as pre-Lokke trash pack in vSS
Winter's Embrace
Source of AOE Minor Brittle for Off-DPS setups (requires Ice staff to be your primary bar weapon)
Source of AOE Major Resolve for all team members. Must have for a Warden support.
Passives
Class utility:
Ultimate Generation:
Sustain & Resources:
Healing & Damage Output:
Helps with Uptimes:
Necromancer
This class is packed with active group utility skills and often has to make decisions on what group priorities are and pick and choose the utility skills that are suitable for a given group in a given fight.
Due to maintaining multiple vital, and often short duration buffs/de-buffs, Necromancer healers often do not have too many free casts for over-healing or out of class utility.
Raid Utility
Empowering Grasp (Empower) - 5% LA/HA Damage
Colossus (Major Vulnerability) - 10% Damage Taken
Necrotic Potency - Ultimate generation in fights with lots of adds
Grave Lord
Source of AOE Major Breach and among the highest damage output synergies in the game.
When summoned, triggers Undead Confederate passive that improves sustain. Generates a corpse. Arcanist has a chance to proc concussion and minor vulnerability with its primary attack, while Archer has a chance to proc sundered and minor breach with its primary attack.
Source of AOE Major Vulnerability. A go to ultimate for a Necromancer Support.
Bone Tyrant
Dramatically increases the ultimate generation in trash and fights with lots of ads.
A must have skill for Necromancer Support, as Light Attack damage comprises ~20% of a DD parse.
Flex slot, used as a source of AOE minor vuln, extra Synergy, and as a defensive option for more dangerous encounters.
Living Death
High HPS class HOT that works well in stack and burn fights. It tends to heal Necro supports more than anyone else in mobile and loose stack fights. 3% healing done passive is very useful too.
Nice survival tool that comes with smart heals and a corpse when re-cast at 7s or less of its duration. Triggers Undead Confederate passive.
Strong AOE spammable heal that turns into HOT when corpse is available. Auxiliary cleanse makes it a good option for places where Purge is needed, such as vHOF Chickens & vBRP netch rounds.
Necro Healer would use this for its 3% Ultimate cost reduction passive.
Passives
Ultimate Generation:
Sustain & Resources:
Healing & Damage Output:
Sorcerer
This class has very high mobility, source of unique Penetration, one of the strongest âSingleâ Target burst heal along with unique survivability tools at their disposal. Sorcerer is a perfect class for various kite roles.
Raid Utility
Minor Prophecy - 1314 Spell Critical
Crystal Weapon - 1000 Armor reduction
Empowered Ward (Minor Intellect) - 15% Magicka Recovery
Dark Magic
Applies Minor Prophecy and unique 1000 penetration. Great option to use as a source of class passive. Might be tricky to maintain 100% uptime on the penetration de-buff due to short duration.
If your group does not require Penetration from Crystal Weapon and you loathe cast times - use Restraining Prison to proc Minor Prophecy.
Can be used as a source of Minor Prophecy and additional sustain.
Can be used as a source of Minor Prophecy and great amount of damage in AOE fights.
Daedric Summoning
One of the strongest âsingleâ target heals in game, as it heals 2 targets for the full tooltip value in quite a large range without the need to aim it.
Great option for Cage Healing in vSS Lokke HM and Tank Healing in vRG Bahsei HM.
Takes 2 skills slots.
Source of Minor Intellect for the team members
Provides large amount of Max Magicka as a passive skill slot and a situational block mitigation, though Sorc healers rarely have skill slots for it.
Storm Calling
Source of mobility and Major Resolve for various kite roles.
Source of synergy for maintenance of Alkosh and a nice DOT for trash packs.
Class HOT. Rather low frequency, but it applies around the caster on substantial radius and does not need to be reapplied in mobile fights.
Source of mobility that could be used for the roles that require quick re-positioning, for example Ballista shooting in vKA or Oaxiltso kiting in vRG.
Passives
Class Utility:
Ultimate Generation:
Sustain & Resources:
Healing & Damage Output:
Nightblade
This class has potential for very high ultimate generation, its class HOT has high HPS and provides mobility for the group, while class minor does not require a skill to be slotted or casted, making space for out of class utility skills.
Raid Utility
Minor Savagery - 1314 Weapon Critical
Lotus Fan (AOE Minor Vulnerability) - 5% Damage Taken
Refreshing Path (Minor Endurance & Intellect) - 15% Mag & Stam Recovery
Assassination
Long lasting source of a Single Target Major Breach in case you do not have access to other sources of it.
A very fun source of AOE Minor Vulnerability. Great for trash and AOE fights. Be careful with the targeting as it is also a gap closer, so it moves you to the target.
This skill has passive Weapon and Spell damage to it that does not reset during the fight even if the skill expires, so you can cast it at the start of the fight, gain the stacks and never refresh it again while retaining the buff.
Can be used as a passive source of Magicka and Stamina sustain and condition to proc Minor Savagery in case you are short on skill slots.
Shadow
A strong AOE HOT and source of Minor Endurance and Intellect, providing sustain for the group. In addition it provides Major Expedition to all team members making it a great group mobility tool.
Situational survival tool as it provides Major Protection, increased mobility and large amount of healing.
Siphoning
Strong single target burst heal that doubles up as a source of Minor Mending. In an organized group the health drain is not noticeable, as you will be in the HOTs and get healed right back up.
A DOT that can be used for Zâen. It synergizes well with Force of Nature CP, as it provides 100% uptime on Overcharged status effect while active.
AOE source of Minor Cowardice that reduces Enemy Weapon and Spell Damage by 215 and a source Major Sorcery and Brutality. Great for daunting AOE fights.
Passives
Class Utility:
Ultimate Generation:
Helps with Uptimes:
Sustain & Resources:
Healing & Damage output:
Dragonknight
Dragon Knight is packed with group utility that boosts group damage, along with great crowd management and control skills, AOE interrupt. On the downside, its class HOT is the smallest size HOT in the game, and it lacks burst heal that does not require enemy target, making it a rather challenging, but very fun Healer class.
Raid Utility
Minor Brutality - 10% Weapon Damage
Stone Giant - 195 Damage Taken from any attack
Engulfing Flames - 10% Flame Damage Taken
Igneous Weapons (Major Sorcery / Brutality) - 20% Weapon and Spell Damage
Ardent Flame
Source of 6% damage increase with all flame abilities, including Flame enchants, burning status effect and any flame based skills and set procs.
Burning Embers & Venomous Claw
Both morphs serve as a Zâen DOT. Burning Embers is flame damage with a self-healing component. Venomous Claw is poison based and yields more DPS.
Pulls non-elite targets to you, making it a perfect tool for stacking ads. Doubles up as a source of Major Expedition.
A HOT that doubles up as a source of Major Prophecy and Savagery.
Draconic Power
Zâen DOT, strong AOE damage skill and Crowd Control for non-elite mobs. Great for AOE and Trash fights.
Source of AOE interrupt and strong AOE semi-spammable. Great for places like vKA and vBRP where timely interrupts on multiple targets are vital.
Earthen Heart
When maintained at 3 stacks adds 195 damage to all attacks, including every DOT tick, making it a very potent offensive de-buff.
Source of Major Sorcery and Brutality for all team members, enabling builds that allow to utilize Ultimate Potions on DDs.
Source of Major Mending that increases your healing output. In addition shields your group members giving them extra safety net.
AOE ground HOT that has unique cost - consumes Magicka/s making it very easy on resources when you relocate it in mobile fights. It has a very small radius, so aim it well.
Passives
Class Utility:
Ultimate Generation:
Helps with uptimes:
Sustain & Resources:
Healing Damage & Output:
Other Skill Lines
Elder Scrolls Online offers a number of skill lines that are available to any class. Those can be unlocked by equipping weapons and armor, completing guild quests, participating in the Alliance wars and so on. Those skill lines offer a lot of utility and additional healing skills that healers can use to their advantage.
Restoration Staff
The Restoration Staff skill line is tied to the usage of Restoration Staves. Skills only can be used when you have Restoration Staff slotted. Some of the key healing abilities can be found here.
Healer bread-n-butter. Ground Healing Over Time (HOT) ability that should be layered to cover group members at all times. This will usually be highest source of HPS
Healing Over Time (HOT) ability that applies as a buff to the target, i.e. they keep it wherever they do. Hits 3 targets per cast. Has smart targeting, when cast multiple times will pick new targets to eventually cover the whole team. Stacks when applied by multiple players making it a very strong HOT for mobile fights
Combination of a burst heal, defensive and offensive buff. It applies to 6 people in the stack but does not prioritize people with lower duration of the buff, so it gets tricky to upkeep when DDs clump up together, hence the common practice of CP stacks.
When combined with Black Rose Prison ability altering restoration staff, this skill applies Major Vitality and serves as a tool for Single Target healing challenges, such as Lokkestiiz HM cage healing
When combined with Black Rose Prison ability altering restoration staff, this skill applies Major Vitality and serves as a tool for Single Healing challenges where you need some healing on yourself, for example Bahsei HM.
This may be used on a class that has another source of major breach to apply minor magicka steal. Note that in current meta minor magicka steal procs automatically, so people rarely run it.
This is a utility skill that helps in mobile fights where higher speed helps with better survival, such as vAS or vRockgrove
Restoration Staff Passives
During the healing checks healer can plan a heavy attack to proc Major Mending and output bursts of healing for a short period of time.
Increases healing on the allies who are at low health, serving as emergency heal passive.
Tremendously helps with sustain and synergizes with Essence Drain Passive.
Another passive that helps with sustain. During heavy incoming damage you usually block and burst heal your allies. This passive helps to sustain during that time.
Flat increase to your primary healing abilities.
Destruction Staff
Destruction Staff skill line is tied to the usage of flame, lightning, and ice staves.One of the primary purposes of the offensive weapon on a support if ability to reliably maintain weapon enchantments, as ground weapon abilities proc enchants even when you swap off the bar. Additional utility of the destruction staff abilities make it the perfect option for a support weapon.
Ground DOT that procs enchants even if you swap bars. Each type of blockade has its auxiliary effects:
Blockade of Fire deals additional damage to Burning Enemies making it a great option for Off-DPS tasks. It also can be a tool to proc Encratis Behemoth
Blockade of Storms sets concussed enemies Off Balance, synergizing with Exploiter CP.
Blockade of Frost applies shield against projectiles on group members. When this shield absorbs damage - group members that have Destruction Expert passive receive 1800 magicka making Ice Staff great Magicka sustain boost in trials with a lot of projectiles (Cloudrest, Rockgrove).
Elemental Susceptibility & Elemental Drain
Source of Major Breach. Elemental Susceptibility procs random auxiliary elemental status effects, while Elemental Drain procs Minor Magickasteal.
Used on non-primary targets in places like vAS on Protectors, vCR on Orbs and Minis (when tank is in Ice/Ice and therefore can not puncture the target)
Destructive Reach can be used as a Zâen DOT and a source of guaranteed status effect proc, incl. Minor Maim & Minor Brittle, Concussed & Minor Vulnerability, Burning.
Be careful, as the other morph is not a DOT and Ice version of it taunts the enemies.
Interrupts enemies. Used situationally to help with interrupts.
Pulsar has triple the base chance to proc status effects. Is an AOE Direct Damage skill, making it 15% base chance. When combined with Charged trait, Destruction Staff passive, and Flawless Rotial CP passive it gives close to 90% chance to proc status effects AOE, including Brittle (Ice staff) and Minor Vulnerability (Lightning Staff). This makes it a perfect spammable for an Off Healer in trash fights.
Destruction Staff Passives
This passive makes you block with Magicka when using Ice Staff. If you wish to use stamina for block - take skill point out of this passive.
DPS passive that helps to reach penetration cap.
Must have passive when you are performing Zâen or Brittle Duty.
This passive makes you extra tanky when you are using Ice Staff and increases your damage with Flame and Lightning staves.
Destruction Staff damage shield can be applied by you on your team members with Ice Blockade. When that shield is broken by projectiles they get 1800 Magicka. Because of this passive Ice staff is a staff of choice in vCR and Rockgrove Oaxiltso fight.
Undaunted Skills
Undaunted skill line is unlocked in the Undaunted Enclaves in the capital cities of each Alliance and can be progressed by completing daily undaunted pledges in the 4-man dungeons and delves. It offers some of the strongest group support abilities.
Source of Minor Lifesteal that serves as additional Healing Over Time. Provides a strong healing synergy. 1 altar provides the synergy for all you group members, but not yourself.
Source of a shield and Major Vitality for your team members. Heps in the fights that have heal checks, such as the Execute phase of vCR.Also can be used as a stamina dump for MK builds.
Strong mobile Healing Over Time ability. Must have for a healer build. Can be tactically aimed in mobile fight to follow the group, for example vCR transition, vKA Conga line.
In some trials healers are tasked with stacking the ads. Inner rage is a taunt ability that allows you to stack the mobs.Examples: vSS Nahviintas HM Fate stacking or vKA pre-Falgravn trash pack Infuser stacking.
Undaunted Passives
Provides resources when using a synergy. This encourages healers to synergize with Orbs when available. Try not to steal damage synergies from the DDs, since the majority of the damage synergies are only available to a single person.
Provides additional stats, including Health, Magicka and Stamina. Encourages to wear at least 1 piece of each weight. This passive is the reason why healers go for 5 light, 1 Medium, 1 heavy setups in some situations.
Alliance War (Assault)
The Alliance war skill lines are unlocked by participating in Alliance Wars, primarily PVP, but some of the PVE and quests can be used to process it.Assault skill line ultimate is widely used in all group PVE content. That ultimate alone makes it worth participating in PVP and unlock Alliance War skill lines.
Primary ultimate for all supports other than Necromancer. Source of Major Force and increased maximum resources for all group members. Most groups want to maximize Major Force uptime.
Optional skill to boost movement speed of the group members. It may be used for mobility between trash packs and for transition phases, such as Conga Line in vKA, stairs on Xalvakka, HRC Bridge run. Due to high stamina cost it is put on tanks more often than healers.
A powerful healing over time skill that can be used to proc Powerful Assault or drain stamina for Martial Knowledge. HPS potential of Echoing Vigor rivals that of Budding Seed.
Serves as a source of AOE Major Breach (for the classes that do not have access to it) and procs Powerful Assault, making it a great option for Powerful Assault maintenance in trash packs.
Alliance War (Support)
The Alliance Support Skill line levels along with Alliance Assault skill line and offers more of a support oriented skills. Some of the best defensive utility skills can be found here.
Source of a powerful group shield, and a lingering heal over time that lasts even if the shield was broken. Can be used as a safety net for progression teams or a strategic tool for harder content, such as dangerous trash packs in vKA and vRG and Oaxiltso HM.
Removes multiple de-buffs from the group members. Commonly used to purge dangerous poison de-buffs in vBRP, vHOF, vKA, and burning in vAS.
Mitigates damage and provides minor vitality to a teammate that you bond with. Commonly used to take pressure off tanks in dangerous fights such as vSS HM, vRG Bahsei HM, vDSR HM.
Provides Minor Force to both you and a team member you bond with.
In highly optimized groups, supports bond with DDs to provide Minor Force and free up a skill slot.
Alliance War Passives
Barrier is often slotted on Restoration Bar to benefit from this Magicka Recovery passive.
Mages Guild
The Mages guild is an optional skill line that can be unlocked by completing Mages Guild quests and hunting Mages Guild lore books. It offers offensive utility skills that can be used for Hybrid Healer/DD builds. It also has some sustain passives that healers can take advantage of.
If you have a flexible spot on a restoration bar - inner light passively increases your healing output. It is very helpful on classes that have short uptimes, such as Empowering Grasp, as it does not require GCDs to proc.
Zâen DOT that also provides some self-healing. Great option for vAS HM tank healer role.
Zâen DOT and a source of Major Sorcery. When combined with Vampire Bane/Reflective light on a Templar, opens up an opportunity to use potions other than Spell Power.
Zâen DOT and a source of flame damage for EC or Encratis. Cast it 2 seconds before the duration runs out as it has initiation time
Mages Guild Passives
When using Entropy and morphs or Scalding Rune for Zâen and EC this passives helps with sustain.
When using Entropy and morphs or Scalding Rune for Zâen and EC this passives helps with the duration of DOTs.
This passive helps with sustain and increases power of your healing / DPS as it increases Max Magicka pool. If you do not have any Mages Guild abilities slotted - passively slotted Meteor Ultimate could be used to benefit from this passive.
When performing Off-Healer roles that utilize Entropy or Scalding Rune - this passive will increase your damage output.
Fighters Guild
The Fighters guild skill line can be unlocked by completing Fighters Guild skills and hunting undead, daedra, vampires, and werewolves. Just like Mages Guild, it is an optional skill line that offers great offensive utility and passives for hybrid Healer/DD builds. In addition, it has great defensive and crowd control utility skills, and stamina sustain passives.
Long lasting source of Minor Protection and Crowd Control for non-elite adds
Pulls non-elite adds toward the caster, helping to stack adds in trash and AOE fights, for example Frogs on Oaxiltso or Archers on Bahsei.
Source of Major Prophecy / Savagery and Minor Berserk, making it a good passive slottable skill for hybrid Damage Dealer / Healer builds.
Can be used as a Zâen DOT while providing Minor Force. Good option for Damage Healer / Healer hybrid builds.
Fighters Guild
Primary passive of interest in Fighters Guild skill line. Increases Spell Damage and therefore healing and damage output.Flawless Dawnbreaker Ultimate could be used to enable this passive.
If you are using a lot of Silver Leash (for example Oaxiltso HM or helping to chain during trash) unlock this passive to help with Stamina sustain.
Requires killing blow, but can be a nice extra Ultimate Generation in trash fights or in 4-man content.
If you are using Barbed Trap for Healer / DD hybrid builds unlock this passive to get extra damage output.
Psijic Order
The Psijic Order skill line is unlocked by completing the Psijic Order quest line. It is least required of all the skill lines and offers utility skills that are used in very specific fights.
A Crowd Control skill that can be used to manage dangerous adds in large trash packs. It is not used very often, but may be helpful against charged spiders in vHOF HM Archchstodian trash.
Un-morphed version has 2s cast time, but takes effect faster than instant cast version.
Toggle ability that turns your Light and Heavy attack into heals. This can be used to helps with single target healing tasks such as Lokkestiiz HM cage healing.Does not Proc Pearls of Ehlnofey.
A source of Major Expedition for various kiting jobs. Snare removal is a useful auxiliary effect as well, but it is mostly used by Off-Tanks rather than healers, since healers do not face too many snares. A source of Major Expedition for various kiting jobs. Snare removal is a useful auxiliary effect as well, but it is mostly used by Off-Tanks rather than healers, since healers do not face too many snares.
Psijic Order Passives
If you happen to have a Psijic ability slotted, this passive provides extra shield while holding block.
If you happen to use a channeled Psijic ability, this passive provides extra survivability.
What Now?
It's time to waid! Or do dungeons! Best thing to do after or as you keep consulting this healer guide is to actually do the content, don't be intimidated and embark on your journey, meet some great friends, groups or guilds then heal them!
SeaUnicorn would like to give a special shoutout to:
- CamTheSimp for their help with skill trees and descriptions
- SkinnyCheeks for the visual guides format and idea to make ones for healers
- Medi, a Dragonknight healer expert
- Sowana, for proof reading
And of course all endgame theorycrafters who helped with understanding the significance of the skills from: ESO University, Sempiternal, The Sweaty Casuals, Wipes on Trash, Primrose and Healers Haven.
This guide was written by SeaUnicorn, an endgame healer and raider in The Elder Scrolls Online who creates content and provides answers for healers of all backgrounds on her YouTube, Twitch streams and Discord server.