ESO: Scribes of Fate dungeon preview – There’s something for everyone

With the Scribes of Fate Elder Scrolls Online DLC fast approaching, we sat down to experience one of the two dungeons available in the upcoming DLC. It left us feeling challenged, yet extremely excited about the entirety of the DLC as well as what’s to come from ESO in 2023.

The Elder Scrolls Online is no stranger to dungeons that allow players to complete a unique storyline, all while defeating smaller enemies and large bosses at their leisure. Now, with over 130 dungeons to explore, Zenimax is introducing two new experiences to encompass the upcoming Necrom chapter and the new Arcanist class.

Now that we have played one of the aforementioned dungeons, we found ourselves left with anticipation not just for the Scribes of Fate DLC, but for the future of The Elder Scrolls Online as a whole.

Scribes of Fate dungeons: What are they and what’s the story?

Before sharing our thoughts, let’s explore the two available dungeons and which one we chose to experience.

The first is Bal Sunnar, a dungeon revolving around the Psijic Order as they head into a secluded village, located in the Hills of Stonefalls. They’re entering the dungeon to investigate the misuse of temporal magic and stop any dangerous forces at play.

The second available dungeon in the Scribes of Fate DLC is Scrivener’s Hall, otherwise known as the home of a group named the Scribes of Mora. They are a knowledge-searching group who’ve recently been taken over by a malevolent force, transforming them from studious worshippers to fanatical Zealots. It’s up to you, and their previous leader to bring the Scribes back to order.

We explored the Scrivener’s Hall dungeon and were certainly not disappointed with its combat, exploration, story, and more.

Combat with a challenging twist

As is instrumental with the best Elder Scrolls Online dungeons, combat must be a tight cocktail of chaotic, skill-based, and challenging engagements – especially when coming to the dungeon bosses.

Scrivener’s Hall achieves that. Each enemy provides just enough resistance to make you feel like a powerful hero, while the bosses introduce a new level of challenge. They feature immense health, tricky spells, and just enough difficulty to allow each player to sink their teeth into the gameplay without it getting boring.

One such boss, who occupies a vast library, was by far the most memorable battle of the dungeon. They had access to different spell effects that players had to attempt to stop, using eagle-eyed perception, and cunning communication – a tank to keep aggro off of you doesn’t hurt either. All these effects and abilities are influenced by the identity of the DLC, the pursuit of knowledge, and the Daedric Prince, Hermaeus Mora.

Ultimately, the Scrivener’s Hall dungeon embodies the perfect combination of challenge and power. It enables any player the ability to jump in, destroy some villains, and defeat a boss with enough resistance and reward to walk away accomplished rather than defeated.

A first look into the Arcanist

A subtle yet enticing addition to the Scrivener’s Hall dungeon was the sprinkling of enemies with the Arcanist class.

Recognized by the green spell effects, this was the first time we truly got to see the Arcanist in action throughout our gameplay. While smaller enemies were easy enough to dispatch, some of the animations and effects show an increasing promise for the new class. It was only a taste, but it proved to us that this will likely be an incredibly popular character choice.

Experiences for everyone

Sure, most dungeons are inherently similar in Elder Scrolls Online – but Scrivener’s Hall felt different. It felt meticulously crafted with every type of player in mind.

From hidden regions only found by those who love to explore every nook and cranny of a dungeon to thought-provoking battles for players who are looking for a bit more than just blindly attacking, Scrivener’s Hall has it all.

In fact, one of the primary elements of focus throughout this dungeon is the Tank role. From knowledge regarding blocking and interrupting, to elements only aided by this imperative class, it seems like Scrivener’s Hall is the place to be for any tank.

Overall, the exploration of Scrivener’s Hall has left us curious and excited for what ESO has to offer in the Scribes of Fate DLC.