ESO has been out since April 2014 and there’s a lot of content in the base game and more has been added through DLCs and Chapters over the years.
As a new player coming into the world it’s been a bit daunting trying to work out the best way to see the content, and do the quests in an order that makes sense. ESO has level scaling which means I can quest anywhere I choose at any level, so I wanted to make a plan to work through the zones and stories in a way so they aren’t a jumbled mess by the end.
After having a bit of a read around the internet, I’ve come up with a plan that should show me the zones mostly in they order the released in, as well as making the most sense story-wise.
The Grand Questing Plan.
Aldmeri Dominion. My Warden’s an Altmer so she’s automatically part of the Aldmeri Dominion so that’s where she started. Their questing zones are: Khenarthi’s Roost, Auridon, Grahtwood, Greenshade, Malabal Tor, and Reaper’s Marsh.
Fighters Guild and Mage’s Guild quests concurrently with the Aldmeri zones as they take part in the same zones.
Main Story Quest. This one runs concurrently as well, as you get offered quests to progress the main story as you level up.
Coldharbor. The first DLC all about the Daedric Prince, Molag Bal trying to pull Tamriel down into his demonic realm in an event called the Planemeld. The Main story finishes in Coldharbor.
Cadwell’s silver – Ebonheart Pact. After you finish the Main Story, Cadwell (an NPC you meet in Coldharbor) offers you the chance to go back and see the other faction’s quests. You don’t loose any of your levels or skills, you just get to go and do all the other quests that you would have seen if you choose a different faction.
The Ebonheart Faction zones are: Bleakrock Isle, Bal Foyen, Stonefalls, Deshaan, Shadowfen, Eastmarch, The Rift.
Cadwell’s gold – Daggerfall Covenant – The final faction’s quests. Daggerfall Covenant’s zones are: Stros M’Kai, Betnikh, Glenumbra, Stormhaven, Rivenspire, Alik’r Desert, Bangkorai.
Orsinium – The 2nd DLC. The zone events are set after the Planemeld but before the events of next set of DLC’s which cover an event called the Daedric Wars. One of the guides I read said to do this DLC after you complete the Daggerfall Covenant Zones, which is why I decided to put Cadwell’s Silver and Gold in first.
Dark Brotherhood. The Dark Brotherhood are the assassins of the game and is a DLC set in Hew’s Bane zones. It has recurring characters that come into it from the 3 factions. I’ve put it after Cadwell’s so I know all the characters that come into it.
Thieves Guild. The Thieves Guild quests are in a DLC that is set in the Hews Bane Zone. It’s also set after the Planemeld but with stand alone characters.
Morrowind. This is a chapter, which has more content than a DLC and starts the Daedric Wars storyline.
Clockwork City. A DLC that continues the Daedric Wars story
Summerset Isles. A chapter that continues the Daedric Wars Story
Murkmire. Another DLC that seems to be a standalone story arc. It happens after the Planemeld as there aren’t references to it, and you meet some of the people from Morrowind in it so I’ve decided to place it last in the questing order.
And hopefully I’ll have worked through all of the above quests before June and just in time for the next chapter, Elsewyr (All about the home of the Khajiits) to release.
Whee, That’s a pretty ambitious list. So far I’ve completed the Aldmeri’s quests, Mages/Fighters Guild, Main Story and Coldharbor and just started on Ebonheart Pact. It’s going to take me a very long while to work through all the rest.
Can’t Wait!!
Z is for Zeirah 
It does get tough to keep the story cohesive yet expansive as a game extends out over years. I feel this is probably the hardest trick still facing game developers today. 🙂
It really seems to be. I really like ESO’s way of dealing with it in that all old hubs are kept relevant because of level scaling and you can find all the traders, crafting stations and necessary resources in every zone.
I’ve thought about doing that, but since I don’t have an ESO Plus account I’d have to spring for the extra DLC. Still, I’ve got some time on this as I’ve been contemplating working on blacksmithing and some other crafts for a while.
For the record, however, Bleakrock Isle is likely the most depressing of the three vanilla intro zones.
Bleakrock was so cold and grey but being up with the Nords made me remininisce about Skyrim so wasn’t too bad. I’m really loving the questing and some of the decisions you have to make during them, can be so difficult. I’m into Stonefalls now and the zone quest is really quite interesting and the scenery with the big volcanos and lava fields is simply stunning.