Deciding which class to play in an MMO is never an easy task. This is especially true in one like Elder Scrolls Online where you can sculpt most classes into whatever you want. For casual fans, basically anything goes. The game is incredibly forgiving. If you’re looking for the most effective classes for high level content, however, we’ve put together this ESO tier list of the best tank classes for 2021.
This list was curated based on community perception, our own experiences with the game, and ESO Logs data from Veteran and Veteran Hard Mode Dungeons.
Guide last updated on July 29, 2021.
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ESO Best Tank Classes for July 2021
Once again, any class can technically be a tank, but there are a few of them which stand above the rest thanks to their abilities and passives.
Warden Tank
The Warden is currently one of the best overall tanks. This is largely due to the class’s built in support abilities. Any class can tank with a shield and a one-handed weapon, but not everyone has the same tools at their disposal.
With Ice Fortress, the Warden gives you and all nearby allies Major Resolve, increasing both physical and spell resistance by almost 6,000 for a full 24 seconds. But it also gives you Minor Protection, reducing your damage taken by five percent for the same duration.
The class also has a lot of sustain with Bull Netch to help restore Stamina and Leeching Vines to heal. Plus it has an emergency button in the form of Enchanted Forest which can burst heal you and all allies if things take a turn for the worse.
Dragonknight Tank
Due to a combination of its age and skill lines the Dragonknight Tank is the most popular tank class at the moment. Earthen Heart is one of the strongest offerings available. Magma Shell limits how much burst damage you can take and also shields nearby allies. Igneous Shield shields nearby allies while granting you an even stronger one, scaling off of your maximum health. Plus it increases the amount of healing done to you! Combined with its powerful passives, it’s hard to argue against this class combination.
Necromancer Tank
You may not associate the Necromancer class with tanking, but it certainly has the ability to be one. The consuming of corpses allows you to adjust to the situation you’re in. Doing fine on health and want to make a boss easier to defeat? Cast Unnerving Boneyard to reduce its Physical and Spell Resistance by a whole lot. Need health? Use Deaden Pain to gain Ultimate and heal yourself for every corpse consumed. You’ll also gain Major Protection, reducing damage taken. Then there’s Hungry Scythe which can heal you off of alive foes.
Combine that with your ability to conjure a Spirit Guardian which absorbs damage and heals the party and Beckoning Armor which pulls enemies towards you and further increases your resistances.
It’s one of the more underrated tank classes with built in sustain and enemy debuffing.
Sorcerer Tank
This is probably the least common tank class that is somewhat popular. Its highlight? The ability to summon an Unstable Clannfear which has a heal activation that scales off of your maximum health. With it, you can burst heal almost 40 percent of your health in one go. You also gain Boundless Storm which when active (which should be all the time) gives you 6000 Physical and Spell Resistance. Outside of that, it’s your run-of-the-mill tank class with sword and shield.
Less Effective Tanks
You can technically play a Nightblade or Templar tank, but they aren’t the best suited for the archetype and we advise picking a different role.
