Elder Scrolls Online’s New Class: Arcanist Guide

The Arcanist is the brand new class in ESO, coming in the Necrom Chapter of the game. With the power of the Apocrypha, Hermaeus Mora’s realm in Oblivion, they have an arsenal of spells for destruction, defense, or restoration.

That gives them the versatility to be in any role in a party, depending on how you build them. Take a break from farming ESO gold and read up on what we know about Arcanists!

Some Background Lore

The Daedric Princes (a.k.a. Daedra Lords or Old Gods) are the most powerful beings in Oblivion. They are considered gods by mortals and are worshipped (or reviled) by them. They can be summoned into Nirn (or Mundus) by various actions or spells, which doesn’t necessarily mean a boon for the summoner.

Though they may be summoned to strike a deal, studied, or worshipped, they are pretty erratic. Not all have a shred of mercy, even for their faithful servants.

Some reward their servants well, but others couldn’t care less and may actively hurt or torment them. Mortals who have encountered or served them have changed some aspect of their physical being. Examples of this are black dots in their sclera or having their eye color changed.

There are seventeen Princes, each presiding over a philosophical, physical, or metaphysical concept. We’ll focus on Hermaeus Mora, whose realm is where Arcanists draw power from.

Hermaeus Mora is the ruler and creator of Apocrypha, a realm of forbidden secrets in Oblivion. He presides over knowledge and memory and has a hand in scrying time through the stars. He doesn’t have a reputation that marks him as good or evil but considers anyone who seeks knowledge his servant.

Though all Daedra Lords are inherently genderless, some present as either gender, though Hermaeus Mora does not. He prefers the form of a mass of tentacles with some eyes scattered throughout. He may also show up as a misty floating black cloud with tendrils.

We can explore his realm in the Necrom Chapter of ESO, described as an endless library stacked with books with no titles. Ghosts scurry about, searching for the knowledge they sought in life. The library sits atop a sea of roiling black oil under a green-tinged sky, stretching across ruined, crumbling stone and iron cathedrals. Books, scrolls and ESO gold are everywhere, stuffed haphazardly on shelves or stacked in dizzying towers.

You can see it in the trailer for the expansion, as the Arcanist falls into a portal to Apocrypha and meets the Prince.

Arcanist Abilities (That We Know of So Far)

The Arcanist primarily focuses on magic, though they also have some physical abilities. They have three skill branches, each one focusing on a specific aspect:

• Herald of the Tome (Offense)
• Apocryphal Soldier (Defense)
• Curative Runeforms (Healing/Support)

It’s obvious which one to take for the role/s you want. Here are some of the techniques you can look forward to:

• Runeblades (Herald of the Tome): Hurls deadly projectiles toward your target. Generates Crux.
• Apocryphal Gate (Curative Runeforms): Opens a portal to a nearby location (line of sight only). It can be used by allies.
• Runespite Ward (Apocryphal Soldier): Creates a damage shield that explodes after some time, damaging enemies nearby. May be empowered using Crux.
• Abyssal Impact (TBA, likely from Herald of the Tome): Transforms your armor into a tentacular weapon using unstable magic.

This makes for exciting combat with the Arcanist. Mixing up abilities that generate and use up Crux allows you to weave destructive combos that can decimate your foes.

You can even have a mobility aid with the Apocryphal Gate! If you ever need a quick retreat or have an ally get to you faster, being able to open portals within your line of sight is a handy skill.

The Arcanist has it all, a well-rounded option for offense, defense, and healing in one single package. Still, it’s hard to say whether this is something too good to be true. As the class is yet to be released, we can’t see how it fits in the game’s meta. However, it does seem an interesting and promising class.

About Crux

You may have noticed some skill descriptions talk about Crux. It is a unique resource for the Arcanist. Some abilities generate it, while others can be empowered by it.

You can gather up to three during combat and use them at your discretion. They supercharge your skills, so you should think strategically about when to use them to boost a technique.

In the game, they appear as tiny green triangles floating around your character. Some sources imply that using them to boost a technique will use all your gathered stacks. As the class has yet to be released, this must be verified.

Release Date and Additional Information

ESO account holders must wait a couple of weeks to play this new class. It goes live with the new expansion, Necrom, to be released on June 5, 2023. Preorders and previews are available on the official site, and more than these two things come with the expansion.

For one, the new region Telvanni Peninsula will also become available to explore. It’s a land filled with multicolored fungi and towering spires. Necrom, the titular city, nestles itself among the forest of mushrooms and towers.

The expansion focuses on Hermaeus Mora and his realm because someone is close to discovering a secret that could jeopardize the world.

After all, he doesn’t discriminate in the type of knowledge he collects. Thus, there are many terrifying and unknowable (for mortals) secrets in his possession. If any of those gets into the wrong or unworthy hands, there could be catastrophic consequences.

More than that, a Redguard Arcanist or an Argonian Warden will be able to accompany you on your adventures. You can raise their favor to unlock personal quests like the other companions.

There is also a new Trial, Sanity’s Edge. Dive into a tormented mage’s mind to save him from his affliction, and be sure to bring all the help you need. It’s a 12-player trial filled with action and challenging bosses.

New World Events came with new areas to explore. Defend the Daedric Prince’s domain from invaders, including three challenging bosses. They want the forbidden secrets hidden in the realm, the knowledge that could spell the end of time. Players have to step up!

Lastly, new Apocrypha-themed rewards are up for grabs. There are item sets, collectibles, achievements, and a unique Tales of Tribute deck found only in the Necrom expansion.

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