Summary
After a decade of existence, one would think that a massively multiplayer online game likeThe Elder Scrolls Onlinewould celebrate its anniversary with an event with massive storyline drops and rewards. It did so, with a roadmap of various in-game and in-person events lined up forESO’s anniversary year, but that’s not all it has in store for players. Zenimax Online Studios, the developer ofESO, is shaking up the game’s meta by introducing subclasses, which opens a plethora of roleplaying and combat opportunities for all players.
TheElder Scrolls Onlinewas released in April 2014 with a class system that remained relatively the same for over 10 years. When players select a class, they have access to three skill trees. Each tree has specialized abilities that players can activate. For example, one of Nightblade’s skill trees is Siphoning, which has abilities that usually focus on draining an enemy’s life force to heal oneself and/or teammates. ESO’s subclass update will let players go beyond their chosen class' skill tree choices, which opens the floodgates for character customization.
What Players Should Know About the Elder Scrolls Online’s Subclass Update
ESO’s subclass feature will be released with the Seasons of the Worm Cult Part 1 patch, coming to PC and Mac on July 21, 2025. Meanwhile, consoles will get this update around June 18. There are a few key things that players should know before diving into this feature.
How Subclasses Work in ESO
TheElder Scrolls Online’s subclass systemallows players to use skill trees from other classes than their character’s. Rich Lambert,ESO’s game director, stated in an interview that this feature allows for over 3,000 unique ability combinations that players can experiment with. That’s a big jump from the three narrow skill lines from each of the seven classes that the game currently has. This feature is an upgrade to the base game, so F2P players don’t need to buy the latest DLC to access it. All they need to do is keep their copy ofESOupdated.
This feature is account-wide, so players can access the skill lines from their other characters. Even the skill line rank can be inherited. This way, players don’t have to grind too much if they want to use subclassing for different characters. Those who have always wanted to play a Spellblade can now integrate Sorcerer andArcanist skill linesto their Nightblade and vice versa to get their preferred mix of physical and magical power. Meanwhile, players can mix the Warden and Necromancer skill trees to access a variety of summon units.
The Requirements and Tradeoffs of ESO’s Subclasses
The possibilities are abundant forESO’s subclassing, but not limitless, as the mechanic does have some boundaries. These are as follows:
The new subclass update gives players more liberty to truly customize their hero the way they want. Plus, having account-wide skill line rank progression makes this endeavor accessible, especially for players who have various characters in differentclasses inESO. Meanwhile, its limitations, like only selecting one skill line per subclass and the two SP tradeoffs for subclass abilities, reassure players that the new system will have some semblance of balance amidst the myriad of possibilities it opens up.
The Elder Scrolls Online
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience an ever-expanding story across all of Tamriel in The Elder Scrolls Online, an award-winning fantasy RPG. Explore a rich, living world with friends or embark upon a solo adventure.Ultimate freedom—Create your ultimate RPG character, play solo or adventure with friends, and determine your fate in an ever-expanding world. With no level restrictions, go anywhere at any time in a truly open world.Choose your adventure—Begin your adventure where you like: emerge from Coldharbour in the Base Game, battle Dragons in the Elsweyr Chapter, or get ready to face the Prince of Destruction, Mehrunes Dagon, in Blackwood. All content is accessible for new players, and you can switch adventures whenever you like.
