In this article, we’ll go over the top 10 most notorious builds in ESO history—builds that caused chaos, drama, and endless balance debates within the community.

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10. Magicka Sorcerer (MagSorc) – The Original Shield Stacker

Back in the day, MagSorc was a powerhouse. Sorcerer shields used to last 30 seconds, compared to the current 6 seconds, and they had no cap. This meant players could stack their shields infinitely, making them extremely difficult to kill. MagSorc also had one of the best burst combos in the game, utilizing Implosion, Inevitable Detonation, and Crystal Fragments to deal massive damage. Additionally, Overload granted a third bar, giving Sorcs unparalleled flexibility in combat. ZOS eventually nerfed shields by capping their strength and reducing their duration, bringing MagSorc back in line with other classes.

9. Heavy Attack Dragonknight (DK)

This build revolved around stacking heavy attack bonuses from gear sets, champion points, and skills. DKs had access to Empower, which increased their heavy attack damage by 70%. At its peak, this build could one-shot players with a single heavy attack, leading to frustration and balance issues. Eventually, ZOS changed Empower so it only works in PvE, preventing the abuse of heavy attack builds in PvP.

8. Fury Seventh Legion Health Recovery Meta

During this meta, health recovery in PvP had no cap, allowing players to stack thousands of health recovery points. With Fury and Seventh Legion, players not only had insane healing but also massive damage output. Some builds could survive entire zergs without needing burst heals. ZOS eventually nerfed health recovery to limit its effectiveness in PvP.

7. Viper, Valkyn Skoria, and Eternal Hunt Nightblade

This build utilized Viper’s Sting, Valkyn Skoria, and Eternal Hunt to create an extremely powerful proc-based setup. Nightblades could stack multiple proc effects and deal ridiculous burst damage without relying on active abilities. Fighting against this build was frustrating because players would die to random procs instead of skill-based combat. ZOS eventually nerfed these sets, reducing their damage output.

6. Blazing Shield Templar

Blazing Shield Templar, or “Bubble Plar,” was a tanky build that could reflect damage based on max health. Players would stack 60k+ health, activate Blazing Shield, and let enemies kill themselves by attacking them. This build was particularly effective against zergs, as it could wipe out entire groups simply by absorbing damage. Due to its overwhelming strength, ZOS nerfed the build by reducing the damage reflection of Blazing Shield.

5. Dark Convergence Harmony Meta

Dark Convergence was one of the most controversial sets in ESO history. When it first launched, it had a stronger pull effect and dealt high AoE damage. Combined with the Harmony trait, players could set up devastating bomb builds. Necromancers and Nightblades were particularly effective with this setup. ZOS eventually nerfed Dark Convergence and reworked the Harmony trait to provide resource sustain instead of a damage boost.

4. Caluurion’s Gank Build

Caluurion’s Legacy was a nightmare for PvP players. Gank builds using this set could one-shot even the tankiest players. Unlike other builds, it didn't matter how much health or mitigation you had—if you weren’t blocking, you were dead. ZOS eventually nerfed Caluurion’s damage and adjusted its proc conditions, making gank builds less oppressive.

3. Oakensoul DK (One-Bar DK)

When Oakensoul Ring was first introduced, it granted all major buffs, making it incredibly strong on Dragonknights. DKs could activate Corrosive Armor, which capped incoming damage at 3% of max health while providing 100% penetration. This allowed one-bar DKs to dominate PvP with massive damage and near-invincibility. ZOS later reworked Oakensoul, replacing major buffs with minor ones, significantly reducing its effectiveness in PvP.

2. Bash Necro (Bashcro)

Bashcro was one of the most ridiculous metas in ESO history. Necromancers could use their Goliath ultimate combined with bash-boosting sets to deal absurd amounts of damage. The build was nearly unavoidable—players couldn’t dodge or escape it. At its peak, Bashcro could wipe out entire groups in seconds. ZOS nerfed bash damage, making this playstyle much weaker.

1. Tarnished Nightmare – The Glass Shattering Set

At number one, we have Tarnished Nightmare, one of the most infamous sets in ESO history. When first released, there was an exploit that allowed it to deal uncapped damage when paired with Proximity Detonation. Bombers could hit players for 60k+ damage, making it impossible to survive. ZOS quickly patched the exploit and later nerfed the set further by adding a visual indicator before it procs. Even after multiple nerfs, Tarnished Nightmare remains one of the most used and controversial sets in PvP today.