The Elder Scrolls Online Armor Passives & Abilities
Armor Skill Lines In The Elder Scrolls Online
Armor skill lines offer a few active abilities but more importantly offer excellent passives you don’t want to miss. Each armor type (heavy, medium, and light) has one active ability and a list of passives. Light and heavy armor also have bonuses AND penalties.
Light Amor Abilities & Passives
The Light Armor skill line is one of three armor skills. To begin the Light Armor skill line, you need to equip 3 pieces of light armor. Your experience in the skill line will increase during combat. The more light armor pieces you are wearing during combat increases the speed at which the skill line’s experience will be gained.
To fully understand light armor, it’s important that you understand the reasoning BEHIND the passives and not just the stats they provide. Light armor is typically comprised of robes and items made of cloth. It feels light, thin, and weak against physical (martial) threats BUT it is capable of deflecting magical attacks. Wearing light armor provides you the ability to be fast on your feet with improved accuracy. This is evidenced by the increase in the Weapon and Spell Critical rating AND the Physical and Spell Penetration bonuses.
Important Note: The numbers given in this information are based on base values. There are many other factors that affect these numbers such as your current rank in this skill line, weapons and armor you have equipped, other skills, other passives, enchantments, race passives, and class passives. Your character’s values may vary.
Active Ability For Light Armor
Annulment
This ability converts a portion of your Magicka into a protective ward, gaining a damage shield that absorbs 3718 damage for 6 seconds. The damage shield strength is capped at 50% of your Max Health.
Annulment Morphs
Dampen Magic
This morph converts a portion of your Magicka into a protective ward, gaining a damage shield that absorbs 2718 damage for 6 seconds. The Damage shield strength is capped at 60% of your Max Health.
Each piece of Light Armor worn increases the amount of damage absorbed by 6%. Each piece of Light Amor worn increases the damage absorbed.
It also increases the shield cap value.
Harness Magicka
This morph converts a portion of your Magicka into a protective ward, gaining a damage shield that absorbs 2718 damage for 6 seconds. The Damage shield strength is capped at 50% of your Max Health.
While active, whenever the shield absorbs damage, you restore 229 Magicka. Each piece of Light Armor worn increases the Magicka restored by 33%. This effect can occur up to 3 times.
It also restores Magicka whenever you absorb damage.
Light Armor Passives
Light Armor Bonuses
Each piece of Light Armor equipped does the following:
- reduces damage taken from magical attacks by 1%
- reduces the cost of Roll Dodge by 3%
- reduces the Movement Speed penalty of Sneak by 5%
- reduces the cost of Break Free by 5%
- reduces the cost of Bash by 3%
Light Armor Penalties
Each piece of Light Armor equipped does the following:
- increases damage taken from Martial attacks by 1%
- increases the cost of Block by 3%
- decreases damage done with Bash by 1%
Grace
This passive does each of the following:
- Reduces the effectiveness of snares applied to you by 4% for each piece of Light Armor equipped.
- Reduces the Cost of Sprint by 3% for each piece of Light Armor equipped.
Evocation
This passive does each of the following:
- increases your Magicka Recovery by 4% for each piece of Light Armor equipped.
- reduces the Magicka cost of your abilities by 2% for each piece of Light Armor equipped.
Spell Warding
This passive increases your Spell Resistance by 726 for each piece of Light Armor equipped.
Prodigy
This passive increases your Weapon and Spell Critical rating by 219 for each piece of Light Armor equipped.
Concentration
This passive increases your Physical and Spell Penetration by 939 for each piece of Light Armor equipped.
Medium Armor Abilities & Passives
The Medium Armor skill line is one of three armor skills. To begin the Medium Armor skill line, you need to equip 3 pieces of medium armor. Your experience in the skill line will increase during combat. The more medium armor pieces you are wearing during combat increases the speed at which the skill line’s experience will be gained.
To fully understand medium armor, it’s important that you understand the reasoning BEHIND the passives and not just the stats they provide. Medium armor is typically comprised of leathers and hides. While they are still relatively light in weight, they are heavier than the cloth used in light armor and offer a bit more protection.
It is a common mistake to assume since medium armor offers no resistance passives that it is the weaker armor type. While medium armor appears to have no penalties, there is actually a clever twist on the skill line. If you stand still when you get hit medium armor provides no help at all BUT you are rewarded with the ability to stay agile and mobile in a fight. Your penalty is NOT moving. Medium armor is about dexterity. It is mobility driven, not stat driven.
Important Note: The numbers given in this information are based on base values. There are many other factors that affect these numbers such as your current rank in this skill line, weapons and armor you have equipped, other skills, other passives, enchantments, race passives, and class passives. Your character’s values may vary.
Active Ability For Medium Armor
Evasion
This ability shrouds you in a mist to gain Major Evasion, reducing damage from area attacks by 20% for 20 seconds.
Evasion Morphs
Elude
This morph shrouds yourself in mist to gain Major Evasion, reducing damage from area attacks by 20% for 20 seconds.
While this effect is active, when you take damage from a direct area of effect attack you gain Major Expedition for 1 second increasing your Movement Speed by 30%.
Each piece of Medium Armor equipped increases the duration of this ability.
Shuffle
This morph shrouds yourself in mist to gain Major Evasion, decreasing damage from area attacks by 20% for 20 seconds.
Each piece of Medium Armor equipped removes and grants immunity to snares and immobilization for 1 second.
Medium Armor Passives
Medium Armor Bonuses
Each piece of Medium Armor equipped does the following:
- Reduces the cost of Sprint by 1%
- Reduces the cost of Sneak by 5%
- Reduces the cost of Block by 3%
- Reduces damage taken from Area of Effect attacks by 2% for 2 seconds after you use Roll Dodge
- Increases Movement Speed by 2% while immune to crowd control
Dexterity
This passive increases your Critical Damage and Healing done rating by 2% for every piece of Medium Armor equipped.
Wind Walker
This passive does each of the following:
- Increases your Stamina Recovery by 4% per piece of Medium Armor equipped.
- Reduces the cost of your abilities by 2% per piece of Medium Armor equipped.
Improved Sneak
This passive does each of the following:
- Reduces the cost of Sneak by 7 % for each piece of Medium Armor equipped.
- Reduces the size of your detection area while Sneaking by 5% for each piece of Medium Armor equipped.
Agility
This passive increases your Weapon and Spell Damages by 2% for each piece of Medium Armor equipped.
Athletics
This passive does each of the following:
- Increases the Movement Speed bonus of Sprint by 3% for each piece of Medium Armor equipped.
- Reduces the cost of Roll Dodge by 4% for each piece of Medium Armor equipped.
Heavy Armor Abilities & Passives
The Heavy Armor skill line is one of three armor skills. To begin the Heavy Armor skill line, you need to equip 3 pieces of heavy armor. Your experience in the skill line will increase during combat. The more heavy armor pieces you are wearing during combat increases the speed at which the skill line’s experience will be gained.
To fully understand heavy armor, it’s important that you understand the reasoning BEHIND the passives and not just the stats they provide. Heavy armor is typically comprised of ores and metals. Heavy armor is big, slow, and chunky. Heavy armorer characters are hardened battle warriors who stand their ground, take hits, and reap rewards for doing so.
Heavy armor is literally focused on survival and resource management. While resistant to hard-hitting attacks, it is also weak to magical attacks. This is designed to make people have high health, high health recovery, high physical resistance, high resource return for being hit, and the reward for standing still is to receive the most resources back from any have attack skill. Unlike medium armor where you are rewarded for dodging and running, heavy armor is rewarded for standing still.
Important Note: The numbers given in this information are based on base values. There are many other factors that affect these numbers such as your current rank in this skill line, weapons and armor you have equipped, other skills, other passives, enchantments, race passives, and class passives. Your character’s values may vary.
Active Ability For Heavy Armor
Unstoppable
This skill will intensify your physical presence to gain Major Resolve, increasing your Physical and Spell Resistance by 5948 for 20 seconds. Also, this skill grants you immunity to knockback and disabling effects for 6 seconds, but reduces your Movement Speed by 65% for the duration.
Unstoppable Morphs
Immovable
This morph will intensity your physical presence to gain Major Resolve, increasing your Physical and Spell Resistance by 5948 for 23 seconds. Also, this skill grants you immunity to knockback and disabling effects for 6 seconds but reduces your Movement Speed by 65% for the duration.
Each piece of Heavy Armor worn increases the amount of damage you block and the potency of the snare by 5%.
Each piece of Heavy Armor worn increases the amount of damage you can block but also increases the snare strength. It also increases the duration of Major Resolve as the ability ranks up.
Unstoppable Brute
This morph will intensify your physical presence to gain Major Resolve, increasing your Physical and Spell Resistance by 5948 for 20 seconds. While this effect persists, each piece of Heavy Armor worn decreases the cost of Break Free by 5%. This skill also grants you immunity to knockback and disabling effects for 6 seconds but reduces your Movement Speed by 65% for the duration.
This skill decreases the cost as the ability ranks up. While active, each piece of Heavy Armor worn decreases the cost of Break Free.
Heavy Armor Passives
Heavy Armor Bonuses
Each piece of Heavy Armor equipped does the following:
- Reduces the damage taken from Martial attacks by 1%
- Increases the amount of damage blocked by 1%
- Increases damage done with Bash by 3%
- Reduces your damage taken while immune to Crowd Control by 1%
Heavy Armor Penalties
Each piece of Heavy Armor equipped does the following:
- Increases damage taken from Magical attacks by 1%
- Reduces the Movement Speed bonus of Spring by 1%
- Increases the cost of Roll Dodge by 3%
- Increases the size of your detection area while Sneaking by 10%
Resolve
This passive increases your Physical and Spell Resistance by 343 for each piece of Heavy Armor equipped.
Constitution
This passive does each of the following:
- Increases your Health Recovery by 4% for each piece of Heavy Armor equipped.
- Restores 108 Magicka and Stamina when you take damage for each piece of Heavy Armor equipped. This effect can occur once every 4 seconds.
Juggernaut
This passive increases your Max Health by 2% for each piece of Heavy Armor equipped.
Revitalize
This passive increases the Magicka or Stamina your Heavy Attacks restore by 4% for each piece of Heavy Armor worn.
Rapid Mending
This passive increases your healing received by 1% for each piece of Heavy Armor worn.
How To Get Good: Understanding Passive Skills
While passives are good to use, it’s better that you UNDERSTAND them. The more you understand, the better player you will become. I have an entire video in the How To Get Good Beginner Guide Series about Understanding Passive Skills. Check it out!
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