The Elder Scrolls Online will soon introduce a system that enhances the effectiveness of the original classes

The Elder Scrolls Online Will Soon Have a System That Enhances the Effectiveness of Original Classes

Last year, The Elder Scrolls Online added a subclass system that encouraged oddball and hybrid builds. ZeniMax Online Studios is taking another route now: a mastery system that pushes players back toward each class’s native tools.

The feature arrives with base update 50 of the zero season on June 8. Rather than widening subclass options, it hands bonuses to those who stick with the original skill set — a deliberate trade-off that will please some players and frustrate others.

Each of ESO’s seven classes gets its own mastery tree. Expect five distinct passive nodes per tree, with two selectable at a time. Important caveat: class masteries are mutually exclusive with subclasses. In practice that means choosing between hybrid freedom and a more focused class build.

Unlocking the mastery requires effort: max the three class skill lines to lvl 50 (i.e., each relevant line must be at 50).

Early reveals hint ZeniMax wants to re-emphasize class flavor rather than blur it. For example, Templar masteries lean into stronger healing interactions and adjustments to how ultimates behave; there’s at least one passive that alters Sacred Ground’s mechanics. Small changes like these can shift playstyles without rewriting the whole game.

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all fix. Some will return to dedicated class roles, others will keep mixing with subclasses — and that split is probably the point.