ESO Best Races For Healers
Looking to build the best Healer possible in The Elder Scrolls Online? Picking the right race is a great place to start! In this article we will explore the best Races for Healer Builds in ESO.
Primary Attributes For Healing
Before we dive into discussing the best races for Healers in The Elder Scrolls Online, let’s briefly discuss what stats Healers tend to look for. In ESO, the primary attribute healers should specialize in are Magicka, Spell Damage, Magicka Recovery and Cost Reduction. The need for Magicka is pretty straight forward as this determines your total pool of Magicka to use when casting abilities. This is further supported by Magicka Recovery and Cost Reduction, which both let you cast those Magicka abilities more often. Finally, don’t forget Spell Damage as this stat along with your Maximum Magicka determines the power of your healing abilities, allowing you to heal for more.
And before you ask, yes Stamina builds can play as a healer as well, though it is far less optimal due to the limited amount of Stamina-based heals in The Elder Scrolls Online. For this reason, Healer builds are typically centered around Magicka.
The Best Races For Healers In ESO
The best race currently for Healing in The Elder Scrolls Online is Breton. This race is especially well-suited for healing due to having one of the best cost reduction passives in the game as well as bonus Maximum Magicka AND Magicka Recovery. The Breton essentially has every stat you need for healing non-stop.
Breton
The racial skills of the Bretons reflect their affinity for the arcane, increasing their base magicka, magicka recovery, light armor, alliance point gain, spell resistance, and cost reduction of spells, allowing them to cast spells with little pause.
Bretons have every passive you could ever need for healing in The Elder Scrolls Online, from Maximum Magicka to Cost Reduction to Magicka Recovery making them a fantastic all-around healer Race.
Bretons have the following Racial Passives in The Elder Scrolls Online.
| Opportunitist | Increases experience gain with the light armor skill line by 15%. Increases your alliance points gained by 1%. |
| Gift Of Magnus | Increases your Maximum Magicka by 2000. |
| Spell Attunement | Increases your Spell Resistance by 2310. This effect is doubled if you are afflicted with Burning, Chilled or Concussed. Increases your Magicka Recovery by 130. |
| Magicka Mastery | Reduces the Magicka cost of your abilities by 7%. |
Honorable Mentions For Healers In ESO
Many other races in The Elder Scrolls Online have some passives that will benefit healing, though not as many as Bretons. These races can still make strong healers if you know what you’re doing.
High Elf
The racial skills of the High Elves reflect their magical affinity by increasing their weapon and spell damage, resource recovery, base magicka and experience gain. These innate bonuses help define the race as proud and powerful spellcasters.
High Elves make good healers due to their increased Spell Damage and Maximum Magicka. The Spell Recharge passive is also one of my favorites in the game because it helps sustain either Magicka or Stamina depending on which is lower.
High Elves have the following Racial Passives in The Elder Scrolls Online.
| Highborn | Increases experience gain with the destruction staff skill line by 15%. Increases your experience gained by 1%. |
| Spell Recharge | When you activate an ability, you restore 625 Magicka and Stamina, based on whichever is lowest. This effect can occure once every 6 seconds. |
| Syrabane's Boon | Increases your Maximum Magicka by 2000. |
| Elemental Talent | Increases your Weapon and Spell Damage by 258. |
Dark Elf
The racial skills of the Dark Elves reflect their intellect and agility, giving them bonuses in dual wielding, flame and lava resistance, weapon and spell damage, and base magicka and stamina. These bonuses allow them to adapt to anything.
Dark Elves are very similar to High Elves in that their racial passives include both Magicka and Spell Damage, which are great for healing.
Dark Elves have the following Racial Passives in The Elder Scrolls Online.
| Ashlander | Increases experience gain with the Dual Wield skill line by 15%. Reduces the damage taken from environmental lava by 50%. |
| Dynamic | Increases your Maximum Magicka and Maximum Stamina by 1910. |
| Resist Flame | Increases your Flame Resistance by 4620. |
| Ruination | Increases your Weapon and Spell Damage by 258. |
Argonian
Argonian racial skills reflect their people’s perilous swamp environment, giving bonuses to healing done, restoration staves, disease and poison resistance, resources gained from consuming potions, swimming speed, plus base health, magicka and stamina.
Argonian passives can be great for healers including Life Mender and Resourceful.
Argonians have the following Racial Passives in The Elder Scrolls Online.
| Amphibian | Increases experience gain with the Restoration Staff skill line by 15%. Increases your Swimming Speed by 50%. |
| Life Mender | Increases your healing done by 6%. |
| Argonian Resistance | Increases your Maximum Health by 1000 and your Disease and Poison Resitance by 2310. |
| Resourceful | Increases your Maximum Magicka and Maximum Stamina by 1000. When you drink a potion you restore 3125 Health, Magicka and Stamina. |
Khajiit
The racial skills of the feline Khajiit reflect their natural versatility and guile, giving them bonuses to pickpocketing, stealth, resource recovery as well as base health, magicka and stamina. These bonuses help them thrive in many aspects of life.
Khajiits have decent passives when it comes to resources and sustain but also have a unique Critical Healing passive which can be very strong.
Khajiits have the following Racial Passives in The Elder Scrolls Online.
| Cutpurse | Increases experience gain with the medium armor skill line by 15%. Increases your chance to successfully pickpocket by 5%. |
| Robustness | Increases your Health Recovery by 100 and your Stamina and Magicka Recovery by 85. |
| Lunar Blessings | Increases your Maximum Health, Magicka and Stamina by 915. |
| Feline Ambush | Increases your Critical Damage and Critical Healing by 12%. Decreases your detection radius in Stealth by 3 meters. |
The Final Word
Keep in mind that Racial Passives account for a fairly small percentage of overall efficiency in The Elder Scrolls Online. If you want to completely min/max your character then the above recommendations will help, but remember that this is a GAME, and ultimately you need to play how you want in order to enjoy it.
More Race Guides For The Elder Scrolls Online
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Hack The Minotaur (HTM) is a professional Gaming Blogger and Youtube Creator with decades of experience in Gaming. Hack is the owner of HackTheMinotaur.com - an Elder Scrolls focused site for character builds and guides, and now RPGDOJO.com - your source for News, Builds And Guides for the latest and greatest Role Playing Games in the Universe.
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