[Top 15] ESO Best Warden Skills Every Player Should Use

Updated:

12 Oct 2022

The nature master class, The Warden.

The Warden is an incredibly versatile class in ESO, whether you wish to be a DPS, Tank, or a Healer. The skills and bonuses are well-rounded and work well with any build or even hybrid builds. The animations are visually stunning, and the skills powerful. If you enjoy role-playing or even giving your characters a bit of back story related to a hunter, druid, shaman, or a ranger you will love the skills offered. My personal favorite, and also my main character build. I have mixed and matched every style of skills and perks. This list will give you an overview of my favorite skills to use that you can apply to many character builds, depending on your play style.

15. Feral Guardian

A giant cuddly killing companion for all your questing needs.

Feral Guardian is the Ultimate ability found in the Animal Companion's sill line for the Warden. A powerful and widely used skill. Plus, who wouldn't want a giant bear fighting by their side? If your grizzly companion does manage to get taken down, you can resummon it as much as you want and get back in the fight! This is a great aesthetic for players looking to feel bound with nature. Role-playing as a hunter, druid, ranger, etc. This can get you feeling more connected to the world around you.

Feral Guardian is widely used, and for good reason. The summoned companion comes with high health, strong attacks, and you can incite it to attack something first, keeping the damage off of you.

The Health comes in at 20,000-25,000 meaning it won't be dying anytime soon.
The Attack strength ranges between 928-957, occasionally swiping all enemies for 3,715-3,835 damage.
To incite it to attack, first hold Y on your keyboard, then click the enemy with your mouse. This can add some fun to your game play.

Feral Guardian:

Rouse a grizzly to fight by your side. The grizzly swipes at an enemy, dealing [928 / 939 / 948 / 957] Magic Damage, and sometimes swipes all enemies in front of it, dealing [3715 / 3754 / 3796 / 3835] Magic Damage and stunning them for 2 seconds. Once summoned you can activate Guardian's Wrath for 75 Ultimate, causing the grizzly to maul an enemy for [4200 / 4247 / 4292 / 4339] Magic Damage. Deals 100% more damage to enemies below 25% Health.

14. Scorch

They surface to fight not once, but twice.

Scorch is always in my arsenal. Reason being you can use the ability, keep fighting, then once they resurface and attack a second time, press the ability again and continue. The animation is beautiful, and the damage seals the deal.

Scorch is found in almost all Warden builds because of the high damage, range of attack, and follow up attack when the shalk resurfaces. If you want to hit your enemies hard, add this into your build.

Dealing an impressive 2,509 damage on the first hit, it can be a huge blow right off the bat, taking low enemies down with ease.
With a range of 20 meters, these companions are a must in your skill line up.
The follow up attack when the shalk resurface deals more than the first, putting out 3,486 damage to your targets.

Scorch:

Stir a group of shalk that attack after 3 seconds, dealing 2509 Magic Damage to enemies in front of you. After the shalk complete their attack, they burrow underground for 6 seconds and then resurface again, dealing 3486 Magic Damage to enemies in front of you.

13. Swarm

Send in the fetcherflies to rip your foes a new one.

Swarm is a defense breaker. Releasing this swarm of fetcherflies upon your enemies will break their defense with minor vulnerability for 20 seconds, which is a long duration for a skill. During that time you will increase your damage to them by 5 percent. The damage done over 20 seconds is nothing to laugh at either.

With high damage, the ability to increase your damage while lowering your opponents, meaning you won't need to use as much of your resources to finish them off, Swarm is a great choice.

Swarm brings 4,631 damage to your enemies over twenty seconds.
Long duration of damage over time, while increasing damage output.
The long duration of vulnerability means you will need less resources to end the battle.

Swarm:

Unleash a swarm of fetcherflies to relentlessly attack an enemy, dealing 4631 Magic Damage over 20 seconds. The fetcherflies rip through the enemy's flesh, afflicting them with Minor Vulnerability for the duration, increasing their damage taken by 5%.

12. Betty Netch

The little healing resource giving buddy.

Betty Netch grants your player resources during battles which can be a life saver. The cost is free to use, and the long-lasting effect makes it a winner.

Betty Netch is one of the best skills in ESO. Granting you major brutality and sorcery while removing one negative effect from your character every 5 seconds. The netch will stay by your side for 22 seconds, and you can re summon it immediately at no cost.

Depending on your build in ESO, you can morph the Betty Netch to give you stamina, or Magicka back so you will be able to better manage your resources.
Gaining major brutality for 22 seconds will grant you a 20 percent increase in weapon or spell damage. That is a big buff.
There are a high amount of effects that can plague players as they battle which can limit your abilities, run you out of resources, or outright steal your health. Betty Netch removes one negative effect every 5 seconds which can alleviate some of that stress.

Betty Netch:

Call a betty netch to your side, which grants you Major Brutality and Sorcery, increasing your Weapon and Spell Damage by 20% for 22 seconds. Every 5 seconds, the netch removes 1 negative effect from you.

11. Falcons Swiftness

The speed of a falcon when you need it most.

Falcon's Swiftness is one of the most beautiful animations in the game. If you like to get around quickly on foot when you're unable to use a mount, this skill can deliver.

Useful for speed as well as granting you either a buff against area attacks, or an increase in your damage output depending on your choice in morphing the skill. This skill will also give your character immunity to snares and immobilization for the duration.

Falcon's Swiftness:

Grants an insane 30 percent increase in speed, but the duration is for a limited 6 seconds.
Immunity to snares and immobility is definitely a big help. Anyone who has played ESO knows how annoying constant snares can be.
Depending on your path for morphing this skill, an increase in damage by 5 percent, or a buff against area attacks by 10 percent, this makes up for the short duration.
Animations make a skill feel better to use, and with Falcon's Swiftness you will love casting it over and over. Brilliant wings, and a falcon's cry create the perfect skill animation.

Falcon's Swiftness:

Invoke the spirit of agility to gain Major Expedition for 6 seconds, increasing your Movement Speed by 30%. Gain immunity to snares and immobilization for 4 seconds.

10. Sleet Storm

Swirly icy death spikes that'll freeze your enemies.

Sleet storm being the ultimate for the Winter's Embrace skill line, creates a wide area blizzard that cuts through all enemies unlucky enough to be within your reach.

Dealing good damage, granting protection, and slowing your enemies all in one makes this ultimate a great add. One of my personal favorites as an ultimate in the game, I like being able to hit all enemies at once.

Sleet Storm deals 1,161 ice damage per second for an 8-second duration in a good sized area.
This skill will also grant major protection for you and all nearby allies, reducing damage taken by 10 percent. That is a big buff for you and your allies.
To top it off, Sleet Storm will also slow your enemies by 40 percent, making it easier to maneuver in the battle.

Sleet Storm:

Twist a violent storm around you, dealing 1161 Frost Damage every 1 second for 8 seconds to enemies around you and reducing their Movement Speed by 40%. You and nearby allies gain Major Protection, reducing your damage taken by 10%.

9. Frost Cloak

With an armor of ice you'll be unstoppable, so suit up!

Froast Cloak is a great defensive boost on your character and adds to the aesthetic of a Warden's abilities with ice magic.

Frost Cloak offers a long duration, a high defensive stat boost, great animation, and an instant application. This is always on my skill bar as a Warden and is a must have.

Duration of Frost Cloak is a whopping 20 seconds.
Once applied, your character gains major resolve, giving you a defensive boost of 5,948 for 20 seconds.
In battle, the last thing you want to worry about is a long animation. Instant application of this skill means great defense with no down time.

Frost Cloak:

Wrap a thick cloak of ice around you and nearby allies. The ice grants Major Resolve, increasing Physical and Spell Resistance, by 5948 for 20 seconds.

8. Impaling Shards

Impale your enemies with spikes of ice.

Impaling shards is a mix of damage and debuffs.

The higher your health, the higher the chance you will apply the chilled status effect. This skill will also slow down your enemies movement speed, while dealing damage every second. The potential for 3 effects at once with any skill makes it worth your time.

The chance of applying chilled, depends on your max health stats. The higher it is, the more likely it is to debuff your enemies.
Impaling Shards slows your enemies movement speed by 30 percent for a limited time.
Damage might seem minimal, but included with the other effects, it makes this skill a useful tool in your arsenal.

Impaling Shards:

Conjure icy shards around you to skewer enemies in the area, dealing 405 Frost Damage in the area every 1 second over 12 seconds and reducing Movement Speed by 30% for 3 seconds.

Damage done is based on your Max Health, and has a higher chance to apply the Chilled status effect.

7. Arctic Wind

Feel the cold healing wind as it surrounds you.

Arctic Wind is a powerful heal you can rely on in battles when things are going downhill fast.

This quick power heal is a must for any Warden build. The effects as you morph can turn it into a heal for you, and damage for opponents, or a heal for you and for your allies. Whether you play as a tank, dps, or a healer, you will have one that works for you.

The cast is instant and that means no long healing animations during a fight.
This skill will instantly heal you for 25 percent of your max health, and an added 990 every 2 seconds, for a ten-second duration. That is a lot of health coming back to you.
Once morphed, you can quickly keep your allies health sustained, or turn it into a nice add for damage output, depending on your desire.

Arctic Wind:

Envelop yourself in winter winds, healing for 25% of Max Health instantly and an added 990 Health every 2 seconds over 10 seconds. This ability scales with your Max Health.

6. Lotus Flower

Let the healing of the lotus envelop you.

Lotus Flower is a beautifully animated heal that will give you health the more you attack.

Activate this skill and start swinging, or casting to receive health for each light or heavy attack that will heal either you, or an ally. The heavy attacks grant more health, and the duration is quite nice.

Another instant cast skill, you do not want to have to perform a long animation in the midst of battle.
Once cast, each light attack you deal will grant you or an ally within 12 meters 1,320 health, while heavy attacks will grant you a big chunk at 3,960.
Duration cannot be overlooked, and this skill goes for a nice 20 seconds.

Lotus Flower:

Embrace the lotus blessing, causing Light Attack to restore 1320 Health and your fully charged Heavy Attack to restore 3960 Health to you or a nearby ally for 20 seconds.

5. Critical Charge

Surprise attack from across the field.

Critical Charge is like a blitz in the game. Aim at an enemy and you will be pulled across the distance between you and bring down a powerful swing of your two handed weapon. For a Warden build the two handed skill lines can be a big asset. What makes this skill even better is the morphs you can choose to upgrade to.

This skill is always a critical strike, depending on the perks you choose, that means there is potential for more damage to be done. Rushing at an enemy and landing a powerful strike on them feels amazing. The range of this skill is also impressive.

Simple and effective, surprise enemies from up to 22 meters away with a guaranteed critical strike.
Critical Charge will deal a decent amount of upfront damage.
With on morph you can add up to 50 percent more damage depending on the distance traveled, but with a higher cost from your resources, or you can choose to upgrade and have the strike become an area attack that damages all enemies in the area.

Critical Charge:

Launch across the earth and smash an enemy for 1392 Physical Damage.

This attack is always a Critical Strike.

4. Cleave

Mo' swing fo' mo' problems.

If you like an attack that can also protect you, then this is the skill for you.

I cannot say enough about this skill. Cleave hits all enemies in front of you and on top of that, grants you a damage shield. The shield might only last 6 seconds, but once you use Cleave again, it creates a new full damage shield. This can be spammed over and over while facing hordes of enemies which means the skill will do exactly what it says.

Cleave will deal 1,742 damage to all enemies before you.
You will receive a damage shield each time you swing, protecting you from 1,742 damage.
Morphing can make this a more powerful attack over time, or one that boosts the damage shield.

Cleave:

Swat enemies in front of you with a mighty swing, dealing 1742 Physical Damage to enemies in front of you. You also gain a damage shield that absorbs 1742 damage for 6 seconds.

3. Reverse Slash

Finish them!

Every character needs a finishing move, and Reverse Slash is a powerful one.

Once the enemy gets below half of their health, you can use this to finish them off quickly. This skill will do immensely more damage once their health drops.

Finish off an opponent quickly by using this executable skill. Once the health drops below 50 percent, Reverse Slash will do 300 percent more damage, yes 300.
This also has a generally low cost which makes it a nice end of battle skill.
Of course morphing will allow you to take advantage of more damage output, or deal out damage to enemies nearby as well.

Reverse Slash:

Spin around and strike an enemy down, dealing 409 Physical Damage.

Deals up to 300% more damage against enemies with less than 50% Health.

2. Wall of elements

A solid icy barrier between you, and your foes.

If you would rather use a destruction staff as a Warden, then you will need Wall of Elements. A powerful, multi-purpose skill that can give you an edge depending on which staff you wield.

Each element will give your skill a different ability when used. You get damage, a specialized effect, and a wide area of damage.

Instant cast, slam down your staff and create a wall of ice, fire, or lightning.
Damages enemies for 280 every second for 10 seconds. After being morphed, the effects become stronger.
Using an ice staff will grant you and your allies a damage shield. Using a fire staff can cause the burning effect and dish out extra damage. A lightning staff can concuss enemies, setting them off balance.

Wall of Elements:

Slam your staff down to create an elemental barrier in front of you, dealing 280 Magic Damage to enemies in the target area every 1 second.

Wall of Fire deals extra damage to burning enemies.

Wall of Frost costs more, but grants damage shields and immobilizes Chilled enemies.

Wall of Storms sets concussed enemies off balance.

1. Caltrops

Trip up your enemies with some spikey trops.

Caltrops is found in the Assault skill line. Toss a ball of spikes in a wide area, causing damage and slowing all enemies in the target area down significantly.

Throwing these down at your enemies feet before a fight can give you the upper hand. An instant cast, and a decent duration, you can continue slowing your targets down while you attack.

A decent sized area of effect, the Caltrops you throw will spread across an area of 8 meters.
A huge debuff, your targets will be slowed down by 50 percent, making it easy to take them down.
Dealing 280 damage every second for 10 seconds on top of the debuffs.

Caltrops:

Hurl an exploding ball of caltrops that scatter over the target area, dealing 280 Physical Damage every 1 second and reducing Movement Speed by 50%.