Best Tank Class in ESO

This Guide will focus on the Best Tank Class in ESO! Which one of the available Classes is the best for Tanking and what makes them unique to play! The Best Tank Class is not always the same, mainly because of the nature of the game. Classes in ESO are dynamic with changes happening to their skills and overall behavior quite often. However these changes do not affect their tanking capabilities as often as their DPS! If you would like to learn more about every Class in The Elder Scrolls Online, you can read my ESO Class Guide. For the Best Sets for Tanking in ESO, you can take a look at my Top 10 Tank Sets Guide! For the Best Race for the role of Tanking, you can take a look at my ESO Race Guide!

What is the Best Tank Class in ESO
Tank Class Tier List
More Guides to Read

What is the Best Tank Class in ESO

Classes in ESO are always changing! While this change affects their DPS capabilities greatly, it does not affect their Tanking potential often. Which makes Classes more reliable when you try to pick one for the role of Tanking! Changes do happen to Tank-important skills from time to time though and that can impact how well a Class can Tank or not! Below you can see how each Class fares at the moment and what makes them unique for the role of Tanking.

Dragonknight

The Dragonknight is a sturdy Class and one of the top options for Tanking! A popular and very beginner friendly class for the role of Tank. Skills like Hardened Armor, Fragmented Shield or Magma Shell protect the Dragonknight with a shield and provide additional effects! Dragonknight can pull enemies with Unrelenting Grip and crowd control them easily with Burning Talons or Choking Talons.

They can restore resources fast by simply using an Ultimate and provide their group with the Stagger debuff which increases damage done to enemies! Overall the Dragonknight is a great Tank Class for New and Veteran players!

Dragonknight Builds & Guides:

Arcanist

The Arcanist is an amazing support Class with access to several Buffs, Debuffs and Shields! It offers a unique Class Taunt. Runic Jolt and Morphs, shield skills that protect you and your group members and support skills to strengthen you or debuff enemies. It even offers a cool defensive skill that passively debuffs enemies when you take damage! Skills like Impervious Runeward, Fatewoven Armor and Morphs, Runeguard of Freedom, Chakram Shield and Morphs protect you, buff you, heal you and in Fatewoven Armor’s case also debuff enemies! The Arcanist’s Domain and its Morphs buff you and your group, while the Gibbering Shield and its Morphs are powerful defensive Ultimates that can deal massive damage as well.

They lack Crowd Control Class based capabilities however. Rune of Eldritch Horror offers a fear and strong debuffs while Abyssal Impact and its Morphs, as well as Rune of Displacement are more DPS oriented. An easy Class for Tanking that shines as pure Support!

Arcanist Builds & Guides:

Necromancer

The Necromancer is another potent Tank Class, however a more difficult to master! It has several offensive and support skills but requires practice before you can use them effectively. Beckoning Armor is a strong defensive ability that can pull enemies to you! Deaden Pain can generate Ultimate and provide Major Protection while Mortal Coil can restore resources reliably! Spirit Guardian is a strong minion that reduces damage and heals.

For crowd control a Necromancer can use Agony Totem or Ghostly Embrace. Both skills offer strong debuffs and can immobilize enemies. Finally you can always transform into a massive Goliath with the Ravenous Goliath Ultimate and survive even the hardest encounter.

Necromancer Builds & Guides:

Warden

The Warden is a strong but also very interesting Tank Class in ESO! Wardens can make reliable tanks but also very effective Frost Tanks in the game. Ice Fortress is a powerful defensive skill that protects the Tank! Frozen Device can pull enemies to you and debuff them but is not as easy to use as the equivalent skill of Dragonknight and Necromancer! Permafrost and Northern Storm are powerful Ultimates that can protect and deal damage. Finally Warden Tanks can heal themselves with Polar Wind or Lotus Blossom. Strong and easy to use, the Warden Tank is a nice option, especially if you enjoy playing with frost based skills!

Warden Builds & Guides:

Templar

It might not be the strongest Tank Class in ESO but Templar is the only Class that can create a Paladin-like Tank Build! Thanks to its many AOE support skills, the Templar can provide heals and other effects to your group! Blazing Shield offers a strong defensive shield that also deals damage. Ritual of Retribution or Extended Ritual are AOE skills that can heal or deal damage to enemies. Channeled Focus and Restoring Focus will help you restore resources and boost defense while Repentance will boost resources recovery, heal and replenish Stamina! A decent Class for Tanking, that is focusing more on AOE support skills!

Templar Builds & Guides:

Sorcerer

Sorcerer lacks good Class skills to be a strong Tank in ESO. Bound Aegis, Hurricane or Boundless Storm can provide defense while Negate Magic and Daedric Mines morphs offer some form of crowd control. Sorcerer Pets can be useful for the role of Tank but are harder to use since they take two slots each! The Dark Exchange morphs help with sustain. Not the best option for tanking that can however work for most content.

Sorcerer Builds & Guides:

Nightblade

Like the Sorcerer, the Nightblade is not the best option for Tanking but it can work for most content. Mirage is a strong defensive skill that you can combine with Dark Cloak for even better defense. Mass Hysteria and Soul Tether offer some crowd control capabilities while Swallow Soul and Siphoning Strikes morphs can assist with heals and sustain. Consuming Darkness morphs are great skills to provide extra defense and heals to your allies while Summon Shade morphs can debuff enemies.

Nightblade Builds & Guides:

Tank Class Tier List – Best Tank Class in ESO

This is the conclusion for the Tank Class Tier List in ESO right now.

S Rank – Best Tank Class in ESO

Dragonknight

A Rank – Best Tank Class in ESO

Arcanist(S Potential)
Necromancer(S Potential)
Warden

B Rank – Best Tank Class in ESO

Templar

C Rank – Best Tank Class in ESO

Nightblade
Sorcerer

The ranking can and will probably change the next time there are significant changes to ESO Combat and Classes. So make sure to keep an eye on this ESO Best Tank Class Guide!

FAQ – Best Tank Class in ESO

What is the Best Tank Class in ESO?

The Best Tank Class in ESO is the Dragonknight! A beginner friendly Class for Tanking with several support and defensive skills to choose from. The Dragonknight can hold its ground, boost its defense and crowd control enemies with ease. To find out more about the different Classes of ESO and how good they are in the role of Tank, you can take a look at this ESO Best Tank Class Guide!