ESO: Level scaling - how does it work? ESO guide, tips

Last update: 26 May 2020

On this page of our guide we explain what actually is the so-called level scaling in The Elder Scrolls Online. This has a significant impact on the course of the gameplay, that is, on completing quests and on encounters with various enemies or monsters that wander through the world in ESO.

• Level scaling in ESO - how does it work?
• Level up system - what's the point if there is a level scaling in the game?
• Reaching 160 Champion Points - what happens next?
• Best way to play TESO - summary

Level scaling in ESO - how does it work?

1. The main idea of implementing the level scaling in The Elder Scrolls Online was to allow the player to perform those activities he or she wanted. After you pass the tutorial, the whole world will be open to you - you can explore the lands in any order and complete any quest. There are no top-down restrictions in the game, which would allow you, for example, to start a quest or enter a region only after you have reached a certain level of experience.
2. Level scaling in TESO works a little bit like cheats. The current experience level of the hero and his equipment is being appropriately scaled to the top-down level of the game world - it is level 50 with 160 Champion Points (as a reminder you start earning these points after you reach maximum level 50 and they allow you to continue developing your character).
3. The most important scaling effect is that the hero can have similar chances of completing a quest or winning a particular fight regardless of the level of experience. You don't have to wait to reach a certain level. You can take care of things that interest you (with some exceptions, which we have described in further part of this section).
4. Unlocked quests from your character's journal automatically update as you make progress in the game (and get new level ups). They will always be on the same level as the level of your hero. This will happen even if you get promoted after you've added them to your journal, so you don't have to start them right away. You also don't have to be afraid that their difficulty level may change or you may receive worse rewards (xp, items) for completing them.
5. The items of the inventory will be at the same level as the hero's current level when received or found. Unlike quests, their statistics do not automatically update in any way. In order to avoid the risk of decreased usefulness of these items, they need to be upgraded or regularly replaced with new items from higher levels. If you ignore this feature of the game, your character will find it increasingly difficult to kill enemies and he or she may die more often.
6. The game world can be successfully navigated by groups of players at different experience levels. You don't have to worry that by playing a character at level 10 you will be a useless member for a team consisting of heroes at level 40-50. There is also no risk that encountered monsters will pose a deadly threat to you or they may become a very easy target to kill for the stronger characters of your team. Each team member can be involved in eliminating opponents or completing mission objectives.

Level up system - what's the point if there is a level scaling in the game?

After reading the above information, you can ask yourself - Why should I advance my character to a higher level of experience if there is a level scaling feature in the game?. It's not exactly a reflection of the real situation. These are the main advantages of levelling up in ESO:

1. By advancing to higher levels, you gain skill points that allow you to unlock and improve active and passive abilities. Depending on the skills chosen, the character class and the preferred style of play, the new abilities can, for example, expand the range of attacks, make it easier to weaken enemies, or improve your healing abilities.
2. Level ups also allow you to earn attribute points and in this case you can successfully shape how the character is going to be developed - whether it has a large supply of health points, magicka or stamina.
3. For every level up in the range of 2-50 you will receive some kind of extra reward. These can be smaller rewards (like a set of healing potions) as well as more useful things (like scrolls to increase the acquisition of xp or one of several high-quality weapons to choose from). Some levels also allow to obtain unique treasures, such as the first mount or permanent expansion of your character's inventory. All this makes the game easier and/or more enjoyable.

1. Some Public Dungeons require a specific level of experience - in the example shown in the picture above level 39 is required to enter the dungeon. They are great locations for obtaining top quality equipment.
2. The level of experience plays an important role in PvP gameplay,that is, in Alliance Wars and Battlegrounds. In this case, there is no level scaling and if you want to win, then you need to have a strong character with a wide range of skills.

Reaching 160 Champion Points - what happens next?

After reaching 160 Champion Points (CP), your character can still develop, but the TESO world will stop scaling up at this point. What does that mean? You'll be able to feel that your character is beyond the challenges of the game. In other words, you'll find it easier to eliminate ordinary enemies you encounter. You will have a much stronger character than all the monsters you may come across in Tamriel. Luckily, the game is also full of content for highly developed players and it will take you a long time to obtain 160 Champion Points alone.

Best way to play TESO - summary

1. Participate in these quests and complete these quest lines that interest you and visit the regions you like the most. You don't have to stay in the starting region of the game or hold off from visiting other lands. In each region you will be able to manage and find numerous opportunities to level up your character.
2. Nevertheless, try to advance to higher experience levels on a regular basis in order to benefit from the associated advantages. You can earn skill and attribute points, as well as rewards for promoting your character up to level 50.
3. Regularly upgrade or replace equipment. This is particularly important in case of the used weapons and armor. If you use a weapon or armor from a much lower level for a very long time, your character will begin to deal significantly less damage or lose health points more easily as a result of successful enemy attacks.
4. Pay attention to rarity rates and statistics of items. First of all, aim to use the rarest (legendary) items to maximize the potential of the hero. Thanks to the unique statistics of these items, you will be able to have more control of your character's development (that is , your hero's health pool or your hero's resilience to individual elements).
5. Initially, refrain from visiting group dungeons and don't take part in PvP activities. In both cases, it is worth having a well-developed character who, in addition to a sufficiently high level, will also have a set of useful skills and higher quality weapons as well as armor pieces.
6. Start accumulating Champion Points once you reach the 50th level of experience. They will help you to develop your character further in terms of the above-mentioned difficult dungeons and PvP battles.