Quick Guide
- The Alliance War in ESO is a large-scale PvP mode set in Cyrodiil, accessible at level 10.
- Players join one of three factions to capture keeps, resources, and Elder Scrolls.
- Campaigns vary in duration and rulesets (e.g., CP vs. No-CP).
- Player experience often highlights population imbalances, lag, and the need for updated mechanics.
- Focus on personal objectives and group play to maximize enjoyment despite challenges.
Welcome to Cyrodiil: The Elder Scrolls Steam Alliance War
For players of The Elder Scrolls Online on Steam, the Alliance War offers a grand-scale Player-versus-Player (PvP) experience unlike any other in Tamriel. This epic conflict pits the three major factions – the Aldmeri Dominion, Daggerfall Covenant, and Ebonheart Pact – against each other in a relentless struggle for control over the province of Cyrodiil. Far from a simple skirmish, the Alliance War is a dynamic battlefield where strategic positioning, coordinated attacks, and individual prowess all contribute to your faction's dominance. It's where thousands of players converge, vying for keeps, resources, and the legendary Elder Scrolls themselves, shaping the fate of the empire with every victory and defeat.
Entering the Fray: How to Join the Alliance War
To participate in the heart-pounding action of The Elder Scrolls Steam Alliance War, your character must first reach level 10. Once you've met this requirement, you can access the Alliance War menu from your in-game UI. Here, you'll find a list of available campaigns, which are essentially different instances of Cyrodiil with varying rulesets and durations.
Campaigns can range from 7 to 30 days and often include distinctions like "Champion Points (CP) enabled" or "No-CP." Choosing a home campaign is crucial, as this is where your character will earn end-of-campaign rewards based on your alliance's performance. While you can visit other campaigns, your primary progress and rewards are tied to your home selection. After choosing, simply queue up, and you'll be transported to the battle-scarred lands of Cyrodiil, ready to join your allies.
Conquest and Strategy: Objectives in Cyrodiil
The core objective of the Alliance War is to secure and maintain control over Cyrodiil for your chosen alliance. This involves a multi-faceted approach to warfare:
- Capturing Keeps: These fortified strongholds are the primary control points on the map. Taking a keep requires breaching its defenses (walls and doors), defeating its NPC guards, and then battling enemy players for control of the flag. Holds generate Alliance Points (AP) for your faction over time.
- Securing Resources: Each keep is supported by three surrounding resources: a lumber mill, a farm, and a mine. Capturing these resources strengthens the keep, making its walls and doors more resilient and providing a buff to its defenders.
- Controlling Elder Scrolls: These powerful artifacts are housed in temples across Cyrodiil. Capturing an Elder Scroll requires a coordinated effort to raid the temple, steal the scroll, and transport it safely back to one of your alliance's home keeps. Holding Elder Scrolls provides significant buffs to your entire alliance.
- Killing Enemy Players: Engaging in PvP combat earns you Alliance Points, which are a form of currency used to purchase gear, repair items, and increase your PvP rank.
Success in Cyrodiil often hinges on communication and teamwork. Whether you're part of a large "zerg" group pushing objectives, a smaller strike team flanking enemies, or a solo player disrupting supply lines, every action contributes to the overall war effort.
Navigating the Frontlines: Player Experience and Challenges
While the concept of The Elder Scrolls Steam Alliance War promises epic battles, the actual player experience can sometimes be mixed. Community reports on official forums highlight several long-standing challenges that impact enjoyment:
- Population Imbalance: A recurring concern is the uneven distribution of players among the three alliances. As one player noted, "Everyone just flocks to one alliance to have control of cyrodiil to ensure to always have 1st place rewards." This can lead to lopsided fights where one faction consistently overruns the others, making it difficult for less populated alliances to compete and diminishing the fun for all.
- Performance Issues: Cyrodiil, particularly during large-scale engagements, is notorious for performance problems. Lag, rubberbanding, and skill delays are frequently cited issues, leading to frustration and players being "booted from the game religiously," as one veteran stated.
- Lack of Meaningful Rewards: Some players feel that the campaign rewards are not significant enough to incentivize sustained participation, especially when facing dominant factions.
- Suggestions for Improvement: Players have proposed various solutions, including removing alliance locks to allow characters to switch factions more freely, introducing shorter campaign durations (e.g., one week instead of one month), and implementing better population balancing mechanisms like "equal queues" or dynamic buffs for underpopulated factions. The ability to play all characters on a chosen alliance for a campaign, regardless of their original faction, is another popular idea to encourage participation across the board.
Despite these challenges, many players continue to engage with Cyrodiil, often by adjusting their mindset. As one player wisely suggested, "When you stop caring about campaign score, the game becomes more fun. Just login, look for fun fights and enjoy yourself the best you can."
Tips for Aspiring Warlords: Making Your Mark
If you're looking to dive into The Elder Scrolls Steam Alliance War, here are some tips to enhance your experience:
- Join a Guild: Playing with an organized group is often the most rewarding way to experience Cyrodiil. Guilds provide communication, coordination, and a sense of camaraderie that makes large-scale PvP more enjoyable and effective.
- Understand Your Role: Whether you're a damage dealer, healer, tank, or siege operator, knowing your build's strengths and weaknesses within a group is key.
- Learn the Map: Cyrodiil is vast. Familiarize yourself with keep locations, resource routes, and common choke points. An interactive map can be a great tool.
- Manage Expectations: While winning campaigns is the ultimate goal, sometimes the most fun comes from small victories, successful skirmishes, or defending a keep against overwhelming odds. Don't let the overall campaign score define your enjoyment.
- Experiment with Builds: PvP requires different gear and skill setups than PvE. Research popular PvP builds or experiment to find what works best for your playstyle.
- Utilize Siege Weapons: From trebuchets to ballistas, siege weapons are vital for attacking and defending keeps. Learn how to use them effectively.
- Don't Be Afraid to Solo or Small Group: While large zergs dominate, there's still fun to be had flipping resources, ganking unsuspecting enemies, or scouting in smaller groups.
Focus on Alliance Points (AP) for personal progression.
Even if your alliance isn't winning the campaign, earning AP through kills, capturing objectives, and healing allies contributes to your personal PvP rank and unlocks valuable gear. This can be a more consistent and rewarding goal than solely chasing campaign victories.
The Alliance War is a unique and often chaotic part of The Elder Scrolls Online experience. By understanding its mechanics, preparing for its challenges, and finding your own way to contribute, you can carve out your legend in the annals of Cyrodiil.
Alliance War FAQ
Q: What is the main goal of the Alliance War in The Elder Scrolls Online?
A: The main goal is for your chosen alliance (Aldmeri Dominion, Daggerfall Covenant, or Ebonheart Pact) to gain and maintain control over the province of Cyrodiil. This is achieved by capturing keeps, securing resources, and holding the Elder Scrolls.
Q: How do I enter Cyrodiil for The Elder Scrolls Steam Alliance War?
A: Your character must be at least level 10. Once you meet this requirement, open your main menu, navigate to "Alliance War," and select a campaign to join. You will then be queued to enter Cyrodiil.
Q: Are there different types of Alliance War campaigns?
A: Yes, there are different campaign types, most notably "Champion Points (CP) enabled" and "No-CP" campaigns. CP-enabled campaigns allow players to use their Champion Points for power boosts, while No-CP campaigns disable them, creating a more level playing field based on gear and skill.
Q: What are some common complaints about The Elder Scrolls Steam Alliance War?
A: Common complaints include population imbalances between the three factions, significant performance issues (lag and rubberbanding) during large battles, and a perceived lack of meaningful rewards for participating. Community members often suggest changes like shorter campaigns or better population balancing to improve the experience.