Summary
The latest The Elder Scrolls Online class changes bring a mix of buffs, nerfs, and adjustments that could significantly affect PvE and PvP builds. Dragonknight players have the biggest reason to pay attention, while Templars receive some of the most consistent improvements. Necromancers, Wardens, and several popular item sets also receive changes worth preparing for.
Because these adjustments are being evaluated during the PTS process, exact numbers and final balance can still change. Use the following guide to understand which skills and builds deserve the most attention. To test them effectively, buy The Elder Scrolls Online Gold and gear up quickly.
Dragonknight Changes
Dragonknight is one of the classes receiving particularly important adjustments. The main concern is the reduction to its Whip damage and burst potential.
The class is still intended to feel strong after its refresh, but some of the changes could significantly affect its PvE performance depending on the final numbers.
Whip and Power Lash
Whip's maximum bonus damage is being reduced from the previously discussed 100% maximum to 50%.
This is potentially a substantial reduction because Whip is a core part of Dragonknight's burst identity. The exact impact depends on the final implementation and the rest of the class changes.
Power Lash is also being adjusted to deal less direct damage while providing a smaller bonus against monsters after generating charges. Because the exact damage values were not yet available in the source, players should avoid rebuilding their entire character around the preliminary numbers.
What Dragonknight Players Should Do
For now, don't immediately replace your Dragonknight build.
Continue testing your existing rotation and pay particular attention to:
Whip burst damage
Power Lash performance
Sustained PvE damage
Charge generation
Overall rotation smoothness
The source specifically notes that the final patch numbers are important before making a definitive judgment.
Templar Gets Some of the Best Improvements
Templar appears to be one of the biggest winners from these changes.
The updated Balanced Warrior formula becomes more rewarding while removing its previous cap. It also scales with Armor and the number of Templar skills you have slotted.
This means pure Templar builds should benefit more than characters simply borrowing the Aedric Spear skill line.
Why Balanced Warrior Matters
The change gives Templar players a stronger incentive to commit to their class skills rather than using the line purely as a source of subclassing tools.
The source also notes that Judgment's Brand damage bonus has been increased from 1,400 to 1,600, adding another potential improvement for Templar damage builds.
If you're currently playing Templar, this is one of the class changes worth testing first.
Necromancer Gets More Accessible Ultimate Options
Necromancer receives changes designed to make some of its Ultimate options easier to use.
One notable change affects Goliath and its Bash interaction. Bash receives a one-second cooldown and significantly increased damage, making the Ultimate more accessible while reducing how frequently it can be used within the same global cooldown.
Frozen Colossus
Frozen Colossus also receives a damage increase of 12.5% while its Ultimate cost is reduced to 150.
These changes may not completely transform Necromancer PvE, but lower Ultimate costs and stronger hits should make the ability more comfortable to use.
The broader goal appears to be making these powerful abilities available to more players rather than requiring extremely specific setups.
Warden Changes Are More Limited
Warden players shouldn't expect a dramatic overhaul from these particular adjustments.
The class is still undergoing its larger refresh, which limits how much can be changed during this stage. The source explicitly warns that these changes aren't necessarily representative of the final direction for Warden.
Fetcher Infection
Fetcher Infection's secondary cast damage increases from 60% to 75%.
The first cast remains unchanged, while the subsequent cast receives the larger bonus.
This is a useful improvement, but by itself it probably won't completely change the class's position in the meta.
Arctic Blast
Arctic Blast also receives increased damage over time.
However, the practical impact depends on how the final damage increase is calculated. Since the DoT itself isn't necessarily the main source of the skill's effectiveness, the buff may be relatively modest unless the scaling works more favorably than the preliminary wording suggests.
Draugrkin Could Become a Strong PvE Set
One of the more interesting item-set changes involves Draugrkin.
Its PvP healing reduction is being reduced, while its two- and four-piece bonuses are being changed to Weapon and Spell Damage. The source highlights approximately 258 additional Weapon and Spell Damage from these changes.
Which Builds Should Test Draugrkin?
Draugrkin could become particularly interesting for builds that produce many individual damage ticks.
That includes certain Sorcerer and Warden setups where damage is distributed across numerous hits or DoT ticks. The added Weapon and Spell Damage can then contribute repeatedly across the build's damage profile.
The source suggests that Draugrkin could potentially become best-in-slot for some PvE builds, although this remains something to verify once the PTS settles.
Ice Comet Becomes More Competitive
Ice Comet, the Mages Guild Ultimate, receives a 21% increase to its damage over time.
Its upfront burst remains unchanged, but the lingering damage becomes stronger. More importantly, the ability now snares enemies whenever it deals damage rather than only applying the effect on the initial hit.
Ice Comet vs. Shooting Star
For PvE, Shooting Star can still be preferable when you're hitting multiple targets and generating Ultimate cost reductions.
However, Ice Comet becomes more attractive for situations where you're primarily using the Ultimate against a single target or as an opener. The stronger lingering damage gives it a clearer niche than before.
How to Prepare Your Build
Because these changes are still being evaluated, avoid spending large amounts of gold or resources rebuilding your character immediately.
Instead, test your current setup and compare it against the revised skills and item sets.
Prioritize These Changes
If you want to test the most important changes first, focus on:
1. Dragonknight: Whip and Power Lash damage
2. Templar: Balanced Warrior and Judgment's Brand
3. Necromancer: Goliath and Frozen Colossus
4. Warden: Fetcher Infection and Arctic Blast
5. Draugrkin: PvE damage potential
6. Ice Comet: DoT and crowd-control improvements
Remember that PTS numbers can change before the final update.
Final Thoughts
The current changes don't affect every class equally. Templar looks like one of the clearest winners, while Dragonknight players have the most reason to monitor their damage rotation closely.
Necromancer gains more accessible Ultimate options, Warden receives smaller improvements while its larger refresh continues, and Draugrkin could become a particularly interesting option for high-tick PvE builds.
For now, the best strategy is to test rather than overreact. The final numbers will determine whether these changes create genuine meta shifts or simply fine-tune existing builds. To test effectively, having The Elder Scrolls Online Gold on hand will let you quickly respec and acquire the gear needed to evaluate each change firsthand.
