ESO Battlegrounds — Every Common Question, Answered

How are battlegrounds organised after Update 44?

Are battlegrounds still three teams? No. Update 44 reworked them into two-team matches in two formats. The 4v4 competitive format has two teams of four, no power-ups, and three game types: TDM, Domination and Crazy King. The 8v8 casual format has two teams of eight, power-ups turned on, and five game types: the same three plus Capture the Relic and Chaos Ball.

Which format has a leaderboard? Only 4v4 competitive. Our data lists it as the only mode with a leaderboard, so if you care about rank, that is the queue that counts.

Can low-level characters queue? Yes. Players below level 50 are matched into their own 8v8 matches, so a new character is not dropped into a match full of max-level players.

What does each game mode ask you to do?community

What is TDM? The kill race: the first team to reach the kill target, or the team ahead when time runs out, wins. Burst and focus fire decide it.

How is Domination different from Crazy King? In Domination there are several fixed flags and your team scores while it holds them, so splitting the team between flags matters. In Crazy King one flag is live at a time and it moves, so the whole match turns into a fight over one point at a time.

What are Capture the Relic and Chaos Ball? Both are 8v8 casual only. In Capture the Relic you take the enemy relic back to your base while defending your own. In Chaos Ball one player carries the ball and the team scores while holding it, so the carrier is the target and the rest of the team protects them.

Which mode suits a tank or a healer? Objective modes reward players who survive on a point; TDM rewards damage and quick kills. That is how players describe it; the game does not lock roles.

Do Champion Points work in battlegrounds?

Do my Champion Points count in a battleground? No. Our data records Champion Points as disabled in battlegrounds. Every slottable star you rely on in Cyrodiil, such as Ironclad (up to 6% less direct damage taken), Resilience (up to 660 Critical Resistance) or Slippery (automatic break free), does nothing in a battleground.

What should I change because of that? Move what CP used to give you onto gear. If your crit resistance came from Resilience, the Impenetrable armor trait (+132 Critical Resistance per piece in our data) or a crit-resistance set has to replace it. If you relied on Slippery to break out of crowd control, you now have to break free yourself, which costs Stamina.

Is a build with no CP weaker? Everyone in the match has no CP, so it is even. Players with a strong gear setup notice it least.

Are proc sets allowed in battlegrounds?

Can I wear proc sets in battlegrounds? Yes. Our data lists all item sets as allowed, proc sets included. Vicious Death, Plaguebreak and the monster helms all work.

Which sets fit small matches best? In a four-player team, sets that reward a few players standing close together do well. Rallying Cry is built for that: it buffs you and group members within 12 meters when your heals crit under Battle Spirit, and its value is highest when few members share it.

Do kill-trigger sets work well in TDM? Vicious Death explodes a killed player for 3322 Flame Damage on every other enemy within 5 meters. In a kill race with tight team fights that can chain into the next kill. In a spread-out Domination match it fires less often.

Does Battle Spirit apply in battlegrounds?

Is damage reduced in battlegrounds too? Yes. Battle Spirit applies to all PvP combat, including battlegrounds and duels. You take 50% less damage, receive 55% less healing and get 50% less health recovery.

Does the +8 meter range bonus work there? No. Our data says abilities with a range of 28 meters or more gain +8 meters in Cyrodiil only.

Why does healing feel so weak in a battleground? The 55% cut to healing received hits every heal. That is why players ask for more Health and Resistance instead of more healing power when they lose fights they should have won.

What changes when I move from Cyrodiil to a battleground?

What carries over from Cyrodiil and what does not? Battle Spirit carries over: 50% less damage taken, 55% less healing received and 50% less health recovery. Three things do not. Champion Points are off. The +8 meter bonus for long-range abilities is off, because it is a Cyrodiil-only rule. And the fight is two teams of four or eight instead of an open map with three alliances.

Do I need a different gear setup? Usually a small one. Anything your Cyrodiil build got from Champion Points has to come from gear or skills instead. The common swaps are more Critical Resistance from armor traits, a heal that does not depend on crits, and a break-free plan that does not rely on Slippery.

Do power-ups change how I should play casual matches? In the 8v8 casual format power-ups are on, so taking them is part of the match. In 4v4 competitive they are off, and the result depends only on your builds and teamwork.

Is a battleground a good place to test a new PvP build? Players often use the casual queue for that. Matches are short, there is no ride back to a keep, and you see the same build fight many times in an hour.

How should I build and queue for battlegrounds?community

What is a good first battleground build? Pick one damage set, one sustain or defence set, and a monster helm, and keep a break-free plan because Slippery is off. Use one bar of damage and one bar of heals and shields if you are not on Oakensoul Ring.

Should I bring a healer to 4v4? Most teams that play the competitive queue together run one healer or a hybrid support. With only four players, one heal that crits and procs Rallying Cry reaches the whole team.

How does matchmaking decide who I play against? Matchmaking and rating details are not in our data, so we will not quote numbers here. The low-level 8v8 split is the one rule we can confirm.

Where do I see which sets battleground players talk about? The PvP meta page ranks sets by how often PvP players name them, with a trend for each.