The Elder Scrolls Online Update 33 Preview

The Ascending Tide dungeon DLC for Bethesda's MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online will be going live later this month, and with it, we'll be getting a new free update for the base game. According to this preview article on the game's website, this Update 33 will be introducing account-wide achievements, new PVP rewards, and more.

Here's what you can expect:

The Elder Scrolls Online’s Update 33 is approaching and will introduce changes to the achievements system, PvP rewards, and an all-new Assistant!

Update 33 (arriving for PC/Mac and Stadia* on March 14, and PlayStation and Xbox consoles March 29) will provide you with access to a bevy of new additions to ESO’s base game. Keep in mind that while this patch is tied to the upcoming Ascending Tide dungeon DLC, you won’t need to own the DLC to get access to any of the following additions and improvements.

ACCOUNT-WIDE ACHIEVEMENTS

To ensure that ESO’s performance can keep up and grow with the game’s new experiences, most achievements will become account-wide with Update 33. This means that an achievement that you’ve earned on any one of your characters may also be considered completed across all your characters. By consolidating achievements, we can retain and improve the way the game handles this type of data and the overall experience. With the database’s overall footprint reduced, it will more performant across the board, which may manifest itself in faster load screens and improved performance on other database-heavy operations. Most importantly, this change helps keep the game performant as we continue to add new content and achievements in the future.

This change also creates a whole new world of opportunities for your account and characters. For example, Titles rewarded via achievements will become account-wide, allowing you to use them on any character regardless of which one first earned it.

Finally, as part of account-wide achievements, we’re changing how the Undaunted skill line advances. After Update 33 is live, you can obtain Undaunted reputation as you complete quests within ESO’s four-player dungeons, and the amount of reputation you gain is increased for completing Undaunted dailies.

Be aware that while most achievements will be account-wide, there are a few that will remain tracked on a per-character basis. To ensure all your achievements are shared to all of your characters, make sure you log in at least once with each character after Update 33 launches.

For more on account-wide achievements, check out this Q&A on the official ESO forums.

NEW PVP REWARDS

If you enjoy clashing with your fellow players, Update 33 also introduces some exciting new items in the Rewards for the Worthy coffers as you prove your mettle within Battlegrounds, Cyrodiil, and the Imperial City. With this base-game patch, Rewards for the Worthy coffers now have a chance to include items from these three sets: Rallying Cry (Light), Hew and Sunder (Medium), and Enervating Aura (Heavy). These new sets help empower different types of PvP action. For example, when you critically heal yourself or an ally, the Rallying Cry set can provide a powerful boost to both your allies’ Weapon and Spell Damage plus Critical Resistance—perfect for a team player like yourself!

Additionally, we are giving you and your fellow PvP lovers an opportunity to show off your dedication to your deadly craft via a new armor style: the Dragonguard Berserker Armor. You can acquire style pages for this new look by reaching Alliance/PvP Rank 20 and trading in your Tel Var Stones to the Tel Var merchants located in the Imperial City Sewers. The Dragonguard Berserker styles will be bound to your character, so the only way to acquire this impressive armor is to earn it through battle.

DECONSTRUCTION ASSISTANT

Also coming as part of Update 33 and arriving after the base-game patch’s launch (this item is tentatively scheduled for March 29), the Deconstruction Assistant Giladil the Ragpicker will be available for purchase with crowns from the in-game Crown Store.

The Deconstruction Assistant allows you to deconstruct all manner of items on the fly, including weapons, armor, jewelry, and glyphs for materials, without needing to make a pit stop at a nearby town or your home. Easy!

BASE-GAME GOODNESS

These additions and more will all be available as part of Update 33, arriving for PC/Mac and Stadia* on March 14 and PlayStation and Xbox consoles March 29. To learn more about what is included in ESO’s Update 33, head on over to the official forums to check out the latest patch notes. Are you eager to get your hands on everything coming as part of the Update 33 base-game patch? Don’t forget, you don’t need access to the Ascending Tide DLC, part of the Legacy of the Breton adventure, to enjoy these new additions**. Let us know via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!