Expansions, DLCs, and Chapters inThe Elder Scrolls Onlineoutnumber just about every other MMO’s offerings to date. Every year, theElder Scrolls Onlineteam releases a new major Chapter featuring a large zone, two DLCs that add dungeons, and a mini-expansion that adds another explorable area.
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It’s pretty amazing to be able to see most of Tamriel inThe Elder Scrolls Online, but not all expansions are exactly fan-favorites. Someadd useful Skill Linesor side content, while others shine because of their main story. Some, though, are considered a bit lackluster when compared to the game’s grander, more fleshed-out expansions.
Summerset Chapter
TheSummersetexpansion forThe Elder Scrolls Onlinewas one of the most highly-anticipated as it wasfinally a chance to seethe homeland of the High Elves in-person rather than through legends and second accounts. Even though there’s plenty of mystery and beauty ascribed to Summerset in theElder Scrollsseries, the actual DLC zone didn’t live up to expectations.
This expansion saw the eponymousSummersetchapter as well as theDragon BonesandWolfhunterdungeon DLCs and theMurkmiremini-expansion. The saving grace of this expansion is the Psijic Order skill line and the culmination of the story that began with theMorrowindexpansion. Ultimately, though, it’s not what it was hyped up to be.
Blackwood Chapter
TheBlackwoodexpansion came hot on the heels of theGreymoorexpansion, which was criticized particularly for its unoriginal narrative and is regarded by many as a bit of a nostalgia trip (in a bad way).Blackwoodis not much different, although it does havesome elements that make it worthchecking out.
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The companion system was introduced withBlackwood, adding Mirri and Bastian. TheDeadlandsmini-expansion was hailed as a success for its unique zone and Fargrave, but in general, fans thoughtBlackwoodwas lacking in content. It didn’t help that its overarching story was to save the world from Mehrunes Dagon once again.
The “Guilds and Glory Mega-Pack” DLCs
While it’s not technically an expansion on its own, the Guilds and Glory Pack contains theOrsinium,Thieves Guild, andDark BrotherhoodDLCs. Each of these DLCs works independently from the others, but they add engaging stories, powerful skill lines, and beautiful zones to experience.
OrsiniumaddsWrothgar and the home city of the Orsimer, Orsinium, toElder Scrolls Onlineand features one of the best-written storylines in the game.Thieves GuildandDark Brotherhoodalso have great stories that take place in Abah’s Landing near Hammerfell and the Gold Coast of Cyrodiil, respectively. They would rank higher if not for their relatively short questlines.
Greymoor Chapter
TheGreymoorchapter forThe Elder Scrolls Onlinebrought players back to a location that has become a household name across the world: Skyrim, specifically Western Skyrim. Players could see Solitude thousands of years beforeSkyrim, and it also introduced theextremely popular Antiquities activity, which grants relics for completing excavations across Tamriel.
The main complaint against theGreymoorchapter was the lack of originality, as many believe it leans too heavily on nostalgia forSkyrimto make a proper name for itself. However, theMarkarthmini-expansion bumps the entire expansion up a notch and is generally regarded byElder Scrolls Onlineplayers as one of the best expansions available.
Elsweyr Chapter
Where theSummersetchapter fell short of player expectations, theElsweyrDLC far exceeded them. Little was previously known about the Khajiit homeland save for passing tales and books throughout theElder Scrollsseries. Seeing it in-person for the first time inESOis a magical experience– and it features the return of Dragons to boot.
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TheElsweyrchapter also added theWrathstoneandScalebreakerdungeon DLCs and theDragonholdmini-expansion. On launch, it added the Necromancer class, too, which quickly has becomeone of the most-used classesinElder Scrolls Online. It’s held in such high regard by fans for its beautiful zone design, compelling characters, and for setting a high narrative benchmark for DLC to come.
Morrowind Chapter
TheMorrowindchapter forThe Elder Scrolls Onlineis bar none the best expansion thatthe MMO has seen to date, so much so that it now comes included with basic copies of the game. It takes players back to Vvardenfell to see the homeland of the Dunmer at the height of their civilization – It’s also a chance for players to see the Dark Elf Tribunal at their full power.
The storyline harkens back toMorrowindwith its own take on the reincarnation of the Nerevarine, and the zone of Vvardenfell is one of the most gorgeous (and alien) in all of Tamriel. TheClockwork CityDLC is the only place in the entireElder Scrollsseries where players can actually talk to the Living God Sotha Sil, who has more than a few things to say about his involvement at the Battle of Red Mountain and the… “meta”… aspects of being a God. It’s an incredibly well-designed expansion that set a high bar and has yet to be surpassed by anElder Scrolls OnlineDLC.
The Elder Scrolls Onlineis available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S
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