Glide and Gallop: ESO's December 2023 Crown Store Mounts and Pets Revealed

As a MMORPG with more than a decade of game history, there must be a reason why Elder Scrolls Online is still popular with players. Whether it is its stunning scenery or immersive soundtrack, it is an important factor that makes players linger here. But after all, more than 10 years have passed since ESO was first released, and many players want to know whether it is still worth playing in 2025, and whether it can still catch up with the old players who have been here and really enjoy it. But to know the answer to this question, you still have to ask yourself what you are pursuing. Let's discuss it from all aspects. Diverse Gameplay First of all, ESO has achieved a good balance between single-player games in Elder Scrolls series of games and more traditional MMO elements, allowing you to play games continuously. If you don’t like typical MMO gameplay, you will be happy to know that the world of Elder Scrolls Online is very large and single-player and casual games are very welcome, although there are some parts of the game that you need to bring others to play with you. That being said, the main contributor to ESO’s success is the game’s engaging and helpful community, but it also encourages you to find your own rhythm and interact with others when you want to. However, ESO is an MMO, so there is no way to turn off viewing other players, but you can choose to ignore social activities. Contradictions Caused By Level Scaling Unlike many MMOs, ESO has level scaling, and equipment will always drop with your level. Combat is the same as enemies, and even your own damage numbers scale with your level. And since there are no level restrictions, you can go anywhere and play with friends from the beginning, regardless of level differences. Combat in ESO does not have the feel of a single-player Elder Scrolls series game, but instead utilizes traditional MMORPG elements such as combat timers, ideal rotations for using skills, and global cooldowns before using other skills. It also utilizes the typical tank, healer, and damage dealer group dynamic. To be honest, ESO does offer a lot of freedom, but because of the freedom the game offers it is easy to accidentally get equipment or skills that don’t match what you want for your character. Therefore, most players have very extreme attitudes towards the combat system, either loving it or hating it. Another common complaint from players is that combat throughout the land area content feels too easy. While this provides a better initial game experience for new players, if you only complete the land content, your character may start to feel weak or unable to cope with the team content. Character Customization There are many options for customization in ESO, such as housing and designing character clothing. For many people, fashion is the real end goal! Of course, you can customize your character at the beginning of the game, but after the character creation is over, you need to spend ESO Gold to change their physical characteristics, such as eye color, height or face shape. However, you can add items to your collection, such as hairstyles and skins that can be applied directly from Collection menu. You can add items to your collection through Crown Store, or by completing achievements, participating in monthly or seasonal events, and simply logging in. These features all provide a foundation for players who like to customize their characters and show their own style and charm. Huge Content For pure lore lovers, ESO has a lot to offer. There are peaks and valleys in the storytelling, and some areas really stand out in that regard. However, the game is massive, and if you like to play games in the order they were written or intended, ESO might be hard to navigate, as there are 10 years of content to explore, and there’s still a lot to do! And while Elder Scrolls Online lets you join 5 player guilds at once, and there’s a player trading system, it doesn’t offer a traditional auction house, instead requiring guilds to bid for control of physical trader locations around the world. As a result, shopping in the game often requires traveling to different towns to find what you want. While PC players currently have the option of using add-ons to improve the user experience in various aspects, console players don’t have add-on options. So you need to consider whether your device is suitable for this. Pay-To-Win? Finally, let’s look at the paid elements in ESO. First, its base game is a good deal, usually given away for free, but only includes hundreds of hours of base content. But you can also choose to get a collection version of expansions, which includes the base game, the current expansion, and all previous expansions. If you hold off on using these expansions, you’ll essentially get a ton of content as a reward when you finally make up your mind to get them, a payment model that’s very new to the game. However, expansions and DLC are different, and these smaller DLCs aren’t included in the collection version, but they’re included in the optional subscription, which can cause confusion when players are deciding what to order. And, as mentioned before, ESO also has an in-game store with a special currency available for use called Crowns. You can use them to unlock more content for permanent access after your subscription ends, or redeem them for cosmetics, horses, houses, furniture to decorate your house, and other timesaving extras. But the game doesn’t force a real-world economy on you, and it’s completely optional. Some players aren’t happy with the amount of cosmetics that end up being sold for Crowns versus the amount of rewards you get, but the game is definitely not pay-to-win, it’s just pay-to-win for convenience and to look particularly fancy. While the timesaving crowns option does include things like upgrading skill trees, it’s important to point out that you do need to organically upgrade those skill trees once before the option is unlocked for your account. Some players will notice that there are also Experience Scrolls for sale in the store, which may fall into the “pay to win” category, but ESO also offers free XP boosts, usually in items you can earn when you log in each day, as well as craftable drinks. So do your research before you use crowns, should you do it? If you don’t need them, don’t waste crowns! Will ESO Continue To Be Updated? As for how long the game will be updated, only the developers know the proper answer. However, with a new class added last year, the game is still making money, and this live service game is still rolling out updates. Therefore, I think this game will still be around for a few years to come. Also, the game currently has no cross-platform play or cross-platform progression, and any in-game items are locked to the server you choose. Although the number of console players is considerable, the number of PC players is even greater. So think carefully when choosing a device to start the game. Final Thoughts In summary, ESO is very friendly to new players, the play style is very flexible, and there is still a lot of content to come. If you are interested, it is definitely worth continuing to try it in 2025, no matter which platform you choose. However, ESO’s biggest problem right now is player retention. While there are tons of new players, the end-game community struggles to maintain player numbers, because of severe nerfs, skill gaps, large meta changes, or an inability to find and form a group of like-minded players. If you do give the game a try, don’t burn yourself out by rushing to level up just to catch up with the old players. If you want to speed up your game progress, you can keep an eye on the giveaway channel in iGMeet Discord, where there are often some sweepstakes. As long as you are lucky enough, you can get some coveted game resources for free. Regardless, focus on the adventure, lore, and world building in the game, and relax, because in the end it’s all about your journey and exploration!

September seems to be an eventful month for Elder Scrolls Online, not only because console players can finally enjoy the latest feature of Update 43, Home Tours, but more importantly, there are several exciting contents to be introduced during September. From free DLC, Arms Pack, several new activities, to the return of Undaunted and noteworthy 4-Group Dungeons, here we will detail everything you will be interested in this month! Without further ado, let’s get straight to it! Home Tours Contest To celebrate Home Tours feature added in Update 43, all players will be able to submit your house to Home Tours Contest from September 4th to win prizes. For all the decorators who enjoy decorating their own houses, this is definitely an excellent opportunity for you to get ESO Gold and rare decorations! Is Seabloom Villa Worth Trying? In order to get to the top of the competition, many players want to try to get a new house, and Seabloom Villa is one of their wish lists. But don’t worry, let’s talk about all the pros, cons, cool features, size, furniture, and build a space of this house to help you decide if this house is worth your investment. Seabloom Villa is a medium-sized house that can hold 200 or 400 pieces of furniture (depending on whether you have ESO Plus) and is located atop a seaside cliff on the coast of Auridon. However, the surrounding neighbors are not very good, not only because there is a World Boss outside, but more importantly there are no Wayshrines nearby, but it does have some very beautiful views, and a hidden secret! This house and the furniture inside are all Alinor style, but the interior of the house itself is quite dark, with only a few low-light windows and a few lights. The yard around the house has 50 different plants and rocks, which you can choose to remove. The building perimeter is far from the cliff, so there is room for you to build outside the island as well. The coolest part of this house, though, is the little Soul Gem Stand that you can’t move, but it is interactive! As you use it, flowers and vines will grow or disappear from the front wall of the house, giving it a very magical feel, which is another factor to consider when decorating. So, is this home worth your investment? To be honest, the house is actually very small, there is nothing special inside, and it is a bit dark considering the bright and colorful surroundings outside. However, if you like decorating yards, then it is simply a wise move. And first-time decorators will find it less daunting because of its size, and the ratio between empty space and furniture capacity is perfect! Update 44 Live Preview With the release of Update 43, we can also expect a preview of Update 44 and the upcoming PvP changes, all of which you can find out during Bethesda live broadcast on September 10! Undaunted Celebration Event This month also ushered in Undaunted Celebration, a fun event centered on 4-man dungeons that can drop wonderful cosmetic items. Aside from all the shiny styles you can get, the biggest bonus of this event is that after defeating the last boss, you’ll get an event coffer, which grants you a second curated set piece for each dungeon you complete. So get ready to complete some dungeon set collections! Curated Shoulder Update 43 also brings Curated Shoulder Set Pieces, but having enough Undaunted Keys is essential if you want to unlock it. And in September, you’ll have even more ways to get Undaunted Keys. During this month, you’ll receive Daily Seals besides Keys for completing tasks! Thurvokun Arms Pack To further incentivize dungeon crawling, ESO is also offering players Thurvokun Arms Pack as a reward. If you unlock the achievement “Returned Undaunted” by completing 10 Undaunted Pledges from Undaunted NPC here, you can claim this nifty Weapon Style Set for free from Crown Store! Daily Rewards The daily rewards this month are pretty good too! Furniture & Festive Headdresses Players will be able to get a ton of different furniture, including a flock of Animated Blue Butterfly Flocks and a bunch of Alinor Pieces, some Luminous Ink, and some Seals of Endeavor. There should also be a festive headdress to get you into West Weald spirit in mid-September, giving you more opportunities to dress up your character. Dragon Bones DLC Dragon Bones DLC will also be given away for free in the daily rewards, giving you a couple of more difficult dungeons to enjoy during Undaunted event. This is great news for those who don’t have ESO Plus, because on the 3rd day of logging in this month you can get Fang Lair Dungeon, and on the 4th day you can fight for Scalecaller Peak Dungeon. Dungeon Explorer Costume You can also get the 2 Vanquisher achievements associated with both Dungeons by completing them, and unlock Dungeon Explorer Costume for free! These achievements can be unlocked in Normal mode, but if you do complete the dungeon in Veteran mode, they will still unlock! Gold Road Celebration While there is no confirmed date yet, sometime towards the end of this month, a celebration centered on the latest expansion, Gold Road, will begin, giving players the chance to head to West Weald to enjoy beautiful fall foliage, double drops, and rewards. Note, however, that you’ll need to own Gold Road Chapter to participate, but historically, expansions have been discounted during the celebration! So don’t miss out! Final Thoughts Anyway, let’s have some fun with dungeons this month! The two free DLC dungeons that come with Undaunted Celebration not only offer a higher challenge but also increase the chances of earning extra rewards. So if you haven’t tried them yet, you’ll want to try them this time. In addition, the extra rewards in this month’s Arms Pack are also very popular, so be sure to unlock and claim all the free cosmetics and dungeon rewards before they’re gone! I wish you an exciting adventure in September exploring the dungeons of Tamriel!

Group content in Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is a dynamic and engaging aspect of the game that offers immense challenges and rewards. Whether you're new to ESO or looking to sharpen your skills, this comprehensive guide will delve into the world of group content, providing invaluable tips and insights. From understanding roles to mastering buff food and debuffs, we've got you covered with everything you need to succeed in group adventures. Roles in Group Content In ESO, roles are pivotal in group content. Understanding these roles and their unique contributions is essential for efficient teamwork. Here's a breakdown of the primary roles: - Tanks: Tanks are responsible for taunting enemies, aggregating additional foes, and supporting teammates through buffs and debuffs. Their role involves maintaining the boss's attention and protecting the group. - Healers: Healers are tasked with keeping the team's health pools topped off. Additionally, they play a critical role in buffing allies and debuffing enemies to enhance group survivability. - Damage Dealers (DPS): DPS players focus on dealing damage to enemies. Their primary responsibility is to bring down foes swiftly and effectively. Swapping Roles in Group Content In ESO, players can easily swap roles in group content to adapt to the situation. The game's Group and Activity Finder provides a simple interface to switch roles between tank, healer, and DPS. Changing roles can be done without a cooldown, but it's crucial to understand the responsibilities associated with each role when participating in group activities. Resurrection Etiquette An unspoken rule in ESO group content is who should perform character resurrections. Generally, the order of preference starts with DPS players, followed by healers, and finally tanks. This hierarchy is based on the distinct responsibilities of each role. DPS players are the safest choice for resurrecting, as healers can focus on keeping them protected, and tanks can control enemy aggression effectively. Positioning in Group Content Understanding positioning is vital in group content. In most situations, tanks should engage enemies by taunting and positioning themselves between the group and the boss. DPS players usually stand behind the boss, while healers take a position behind the DPS but close enough to support the tank. This formation optimizes buffs and points the boss away from the group. Keep in mind that this is a general guideline and that specific encounters may require different formations. Tank First: Group Content Etiquette In ESO, it's essential to observe proper etiquette in group content. When initiating combat with a group of enemies, whether in boss fights or encounters with smaller foes, the tank should be the first to engage. This unwritten rule ensures smoother pulls and enhances group safety. Allowing anyone other than the tank to initiate combat can lead to random targeting by enemies, which can disrupt the flow of the battle. Letting the tank dictate the pace of engagement is crucial in ensuring everyone's survival. Chest Etiquette in ESO Dungeons and Trials in ESO are filled with treasure chests, and understanding how to handle them is important. Unlike overland chests, group content chests can be looted by every group member, and each player receives their unique loot. It's customary to inform your group when you discover a chest by typing "chest" in the group chat and waiting for your teammates to arrive. Even if not everyone decides to loot the chest, standing by it and attacking it occasionally to indicate its location is a considerate practice. Handling Dungeon Quests Every ESO dungeon features an associated quest that offers skill points and gear upon completion. If you're in a pickup group (PUG) and wish to explore a dungeon's story at a leisurely pace, it's advisable not to pick up the quest right away. This is because, with a PUG, the group might be more inclined to complete the dungeon quickly rather than focusing on the storyline. However, if you're only interested in the skill points, it's better to grab the quest and inform your group by typing "doing quest" in the group chat. Some dungeons contain additional bosses related to the quest, so letting your teammates know your intentions is a considerate gesture. "Baby Character" and Group Content In ESO, players often encounter terms like "baby random normals" or "easy random normals." These phrases typically refer to characters below level 45, commonly known as "baby characters." Experienced players frequently offer their services for easy random normal dungeons to lower-level players, even if they're playing with a "baby character." This is because ESO's dungeon queue system selects dungeons that all players in the group can participate in. Base-game dungeons are generally perceived as easier, making them ideal for beginners. As such, new players at level 10 should feel encouraged to participate in group content with the assistance of veteran players. The Importance of Buff Food Using buff food is paramount when engaging in group content in ESO. Buff food can significantly enhance your character's abilities by increasing maximum resource pools, regeneration rates, and more. It's essential to select the right type of buff food to match your character's class and role. Players can choose from a vast array of recipes, so seeking guidance from class-specific builds or content creators is a wise move. In doubt, selecting food that boosts maximum health, maximum resources, and resource regeneration is a safe and reliable choice. Potions: A Key Asset in Group Content Potions play a crucial role in ESO group content. They offer both instant resource replenishment and ongoing resource regeneration. Equipping potions to your quickslots ensures you can access them quickly during combat. The free Crown Tri-Restoration Potion offered for login is an excellent choice for players who are just starting with potions. Learning how and when to use potions is a fundamental aspect of successful group content play. Passives: Enhancing Buff and Debuff Durations Certain passives in ESO can prolong the duration of buff and debuff effects from food and potions: - Gourmand and Connoisseur (Provisioning Skill Line): These passives can add up to 20 minutes to the duration of food and drink buffs. - Rationer (Craft CP Tree): This passive can extend the duration of buffs from food and drink that enhance your character's stats by up to 30 minutes. - Medicinal Use (Alchemy Skill Line): This passive increases the duration of the potion you're using by 30%. These passives are vital for maximizing the benefits of buff food and potions, contributing to better group performance. Buffs and Debuffs in Group Content Buffs and debuffs are temporary character effects applied by abilities, gear sets, or potions. Understanding how these effects interact is crucial for group optimization. It's important to note that two buffs or debuffs with the same name won't stack. However, Major and Minor buffs or debuffs of the same type can stack, offering additional advantages. Group members should collaborate to ensure the most efficient use of these effects, maximizing the group's potential. Stacking Buffs in ESO Group members can stack multiple buffs to achieve a common goal, significantly enhancing their abilities. By carefully coordinating these effects, players can improve their damage output, survivability, and overall group performance. Here is an example: Spell Power Cure: + 430 Weapon and Spell Damage Claw of Yolnahkriin: + 215 Weapon and Spell Damage Powerful Assault: + 289 Weapon and Spell Damage Pearlescent Ward: + 170 Weapon and Spell Damage Spaulder of Ruin: + 260 Weapon and Spell Damage Total Weapon and Spell Damage: 1364 And Spaulder of Ruin can yield a substantial increase in weapon and spell damage. In conclusion, mastering group content in ESO is a rewarding endeavor. Understanding the roles, following group content etiquette, and optimizing your character's capabilities with buff food and potions are all critical components of success. By cooperating effectively with your group, you can conquer challenging dungeons, trials, and other group activities in Elder Scrolls Online.

Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is gearing up for an exciting update, known as Update 40, with a host of new features and content to offer. During a recent Twitch live stream, ESO announced the first public details of this update, which promises to continue the Shadow Over Morrowind storyline for 2023. Update 40 is scheduled to be released for PC/Mac on October 30, with Xbox and PlayStation players gaining access on November 14. Here's a sneak peek into what's in store: Endless Archive: One of the major highlights of Update 40 is the introduction of the Endless Archive, an endless dungeon experience. What sets this dungeon apart is its accessibility, as it will be available to all players as a base game update. ESO Plus members will enjoy additional bonuses in this dungeon. The Endless Archive can be tackled solo, with a friend, or alongside a companion. With over 60 unique bosses drawn from various corners of Tamriel, each run promises a different challenge. Importantly, there are no normal or veteran versions of the Endless Archive, and it's not a timed event. Leaderboards will be available for both solo and duo players. Grand Master Crafting Stations: Crafting in ESO is getting a significant quality-of-life upgrade with Update 40. Grand Master Crafting Stations will make their debut, simplifying the crafting station system. These stations can be acquired using Writs and will consolidate the crafting process. For instance, the woodworking station can be attuned to include specific armor sets. This change aims to declutter guild halls, reducing the number of crafting stations to just four: woodworking, blacksmithing, jewelry, and clothing, in addition to the essential alchemy and enchanting stations. Jewelry System Revamp: The jewelry crafting system is due for an overhaul in Update 40 to bring it in line with other crafting skills. While more details are yet to be revealed, grains will be converted to platings, eliminating grains altogether. Existing inventory will be converted to the new system. Crafting writs for jewelry will also be adjusted to align with other crafting systems. Group Finder: ESO is introducing a new tool called the Group Finder, which will facilitate group creation. Players can post group requests for various activities, including dungeons, trials, zones, and even customizable areas. This feature aims to assist console players who lack access to certain PC addons. Additionally, it may help reduce the volume of zone chat discussions in places like Craglorn. Archival Fortunes: Update 40 brings a new monetary system called Archival Fortunes, integrated with the Endless Archive content. These Archival Fortunes can be earned and used alongside gold to purchase rewards from specialized vendors. The rewards may include armor sets, Tales of Tribute clues, and other enticing items. More details on these rewards are expected soon. New Armor Sets: While the information on new armor sets is limited to the PTS (Public Test Server) at this stage, there's a glimpse of what's to come: - Wrathsun (Templar class): This set boosts weapon and spell damage, critical chance, and provides unique bonuses related to Dawn's Wrath abilities, adding magicka recovery and bonus damage. - Reawakened Hierophant (Arcanist class): With a focus on maximum magicka, this set offers beneficial effects to allies based on the number of Crux you possess, including damage shields, Minor Heroism, and Major Protection. - Soulcleaver (Nightblade class): This set enhances weapon and spell damage, maximum magicka, and significantly augments Siphoning abilities by consuming Ultimate and reducing their cost. Tales of Tribute - Academ’s Mora: A sneak peek reveals the name of the new Tales of Tribute deck: Academ’s Mora. While the details are scarce, players can earn fragments for this deck within the Endless Archive and purchase clues from specialized vendors using Archival Fortunes. Elder Scrolls Online's Update 40 promises a wealth of exciting changes and additions. From the Endless Archive dungeon to simplified crafting stations, the revamp of the jewelry system, and the introduction of the Group Finder, players have much to look forward to. Additionally, the new Archival Fortunes currency and enticing armor sets will add depth to the ESO experience. As the update approaches, players can prepare for a fresh adventure in Tamriel, filled with challenges and rewards.