How does the gameplay work in The Elder Scrolls Online?

The Elder Scrolls Online is an online, open-world RPG set in Tamriel where you can play solo or with millions of others. You start by creating a character: choose a race (with passive bonuses), a class, and one of three alliances (Aldmeri Dominion, Daggerfall Covenant, or Ebonheart Pact) that determines your starting area and your side in the Alliance War. For new players, the official guide notes how alliance, race, and class shape your early experience and abilities Character Creation guide. The world is designed for free exploration with no level caps, so you can roam between zones and tackle content at your own pace Getting Started Part 2: open-world exploration. Combat is action-based: you use weapon attacks and a broad range of class and weapon abilities drawn from your skill lines, each costing Magicka or Stamina and positioned on your action bar Combat Basics Questing & Exploration.

Progression centers on leveling up, then advancing via the Champion Points system once you hit Veteran rank 50. CP lets you customize your character across three constellations—Craft, Warfare, and Fitness—with a maximum pool of 3,600 points. You earn CP by questing, exploring, completing dungeons, PvP, and trials, and you spend them to tailor damage, defense, and utility Champion Points.

ESO also supports a wide range of group content. In addition to public and instanced group dungeons, the game offers larger-scale encounters like trials; players form groups via guilds or zone chat to tackle bosses and share loot. The Questing & Exploration guide highlights these social and collaborative activities, underscoring that Tamriel is filled with public and instanced group dungeons and many opportunities for cooperative play Questing & Exploration.