If you're new to The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO), one of the first things you'll notice is the abundance of customizable settings. Whether you're playing on console or PC, ESO offers a surprising level of control that can significantly enhance your gameplay experience. However, many players, even veterans, overlook key settings that could dramatically improve their performance and comfort.
To help you optimize your experience, here are the top 11 ESO settings you should change immediately (excluding visual and audio settings).
1. Quick Cast Ground Abilities: On
Navigate to: Settings > Gameplay > Quick Cast Ground Abilities
Set this to On so that ground-based abilities automatically cast where you aim—no need to press the button twice. This significantly speeds up your combat flow.
2. Auto Loot: On
Navigate to: Settings > Gameplay > Auto Loot
Turning this on lets you pick up all loot automatically, saving tons of time. If you have ESO Plus with a craft bag or sufficient inventory space, this is a must-have. Also enable Consolidate Area Loot to collect all nearby loot in one go.
3. First Person Field of View (FOV): Maxed Out
Navigate to: Settings > Camera > First Person FOV
Maxing this out gives you a wider field of view in first-person mode, reducing tunnel vision and improving spatial awareness.
4. Automatic Quest Tracking: On
Navigate to: Settings > Interface > Automatic Quest Tracking
This ensures any new quest you pick up is automatically tracked in your journal, eliminating the need to dig through your quest list every time.
5. Nameplates: On (But Filtered)
Navigate to: Settings > Nameplates
Turn nameplates on for players to easily distinguish between real players and NPCs. Then go to Neutral NPCs and set their nameplates to Never to reduce screen clutter.
6. Profanity Filter: Off
Navigate to: Settings > Social > Profanity Filter
Disable the profanity filter for a more authentic social experience. This setting is a personal preference but can improve immersion in player interactions.
7. Auto Decline Duels: On
Navigate to: Settings > Social > Auto Decline Duels
Avoid constant duel invites, especially in populated zones like Vulkhel Guard, by enabling this setting. You can always turn it off when you're in the mood for PvP.
8. Ability Bar Timers: On
Navigate to: Settings > Combat > Ability Bar Timers
This shows countdowns for your active abilities, helping you manage rotations more effectively—crucial for optimizing DPS or healing.
9. Show Resource Numbers and Percentages
Navigate to: Settings > Combat > Resource Numbers
Enable both Number and Percent for Health, Magicka, and Stamina. This dual display helps you make better real-time decisions in combat.
10. Show Ultimate Number: On
Navigate to: Settings > Combat > Ultimate Numbers
Seeing your exact Ultimate points lets you time your special abilities with precision. Particularly useful for classes with charged ultimates like Sorcerers.
11. Buffs and Debuffs: Automatic (Combat Only)
Navigate to: Settings > Combat > Buffs and Debuffs
Set to Automatic to view active buffs and debuffs only during combat. This helps monitor things like food buffs, XP potions, and class abilities.
While these are only 11 of the many available settings in ESO, changing these right away will greatly improve your quality of life and overall gameplay efficiency. It takes less than five minutes to apply all these tweaks, and the benefits are immediate.
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