Hyperioxes
Hyperioxes

Templar Healer Build - ESO Guide

Healer Two Bar Magicka Pure Class Templar
Up to date for: Update 50 - 24th July 2026
Last changed: Update 50 - 24th July 2026

This Templar healer guide for Update 50 is designed for clearing and progressing through the hardest Veteran hard mode dungeons, arenas, and trials, as well as for safe trifecta runs. Templar is an excellent choice for a healer in Update 50 due to its low barrier to entry, ease of play, strong healing, and wide range of resource sustain and damage buffs, particularly thanks to the new Class Mastery passives introduced in Update 50.

As one of the two support roles, healers in Elder Scrolls Online are primarily going to spend time buffing the group, debuffing enemies, providing resources, and proactively healing. Proactive healing is done by maintaining heals over time and shields on allies. That way, when they take damage, you have already prepared everything to mitigate it and bring their HP back to full without having to reactively cast burst heal skills. That being said, burst heals still have their use, especially during mechanics where there is a large amount of incoming damage in a short amount of time, but they should not be your main way of continuously healing.

The main responsibility of a healer is still keeping people alive, followed by buffs, debuffs, and resources, but due to the balance of the game the time spent on buffs and debuffs is as much, if not more than healing. The main concept of healing is keeping 2-3 heal over time skills active at all times on all group members, followed by different buff and debuff skills which ultimately result in boosted group damage.

Disclaimer for 4 man content:

Due to the way veteran hardmode dungeons and arenas are balanced, in a good enough group a pure healer is not needed. All mechanics that require high healing can be bypassed with a hybrid healer-DPS or three damage dealers on + a or two situationally, while doing noticeably more damage overall. A pure healer cannot compete with that level of group damage output. In general, a lot of dungeons do not require a dedicated healer at all (all base game veteran HM dungeons as an example) and the group would be quicker with another damage dealer or a hybrid healer-DPS. The more advanced the group becomes, the less need there is for a dedicated healer. What a pure healer offers, however, is convenience and ease of use for the average player, especially for trifecta / no death runs of the hardest hardmodes or pugging Veteran dungeons.

Why Templar? Apart from the Class Masteries, Templars are an excellent choice for beginner healers thanks to the simplicity and straightforwardness of their toolkit. Their abilities provide clear, reliable buffs, have long durations, offer substantial innate healing, and bring valuable group utility. For example, not only heals allies in a large area but also provides a Purify synergy for the entire group, cleansing negative effects, healing allies, and restoring resources through the passive. Additionally, it activates several Templar passives, including and , and lasts 30 seconds.

Overall, the Templar arguably offers the best combination of simplicity, healing output, and group utility, making it one of the best choices for trifecta runs. It also fits easily into a wide variety of group compositions and does not require specific setups or gear to perform well, unlike classes such as the Warden.

Subclassing

This guide focuses on a pure Templar build, but as a healer, it is important to remain flexible and adapt to your group's composition. If another Templar in the group (DPS, healer, or tank) is already providing the buff, subclassing becomes a much more attractive option, allowing you to take advantage of its flexibility without sacrificing the Class Mastery passive.

For a subclassed Templar build, check out the Subclass Healer Guide and pair it with the Restoring Light skill line or whichever additional skill lines best complement your group's composition.

Unique or Rare Buffs a Templar Healer is Best Suited For Providing

  • Class Mastery: Grants 300 Weapon and Spell Damage to the whole group after casting a Dawn's Wrath ability (typically or ).
  • : Grants 10% Spell Damage after casting a Dawn's Wrath ability (typically or ).
  • , , and : Grants 15% Magicka, Stamina, and Health Recovery through .
  • Purify synergy: Available to all 11 other group members through , providing a cleanse and resource restoration via . This is also an important guaranteed synergy for maintaining uptime in trials.
  • (Situational) : Thanks to the Templar's high Ultimate generation, it can cast roughly every 25 seconds. lasts 30 seconds, making it an excellent candidate for duty to keep the whole group permanently shielded.
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Class Mastery

Class Masteries are a new U50 system where each class picks 2 of 5 passive bonuses (Class Mastery Points, not Skill Points). Activating subclassing disables Class Mastery, so it's a tradeoff between keeping your native skill lines or subclassing.

Situational

Templar Class Mastery

Devout Guardian

Radiant is the shield that pushes back the dark.

While is active, you gain a damage shield for 6 seconds, up to once every 6 seconds. The shield absorbs up to Damage Shield and provides 300 Health, Magicka, and Stamina Recovery while active. If the shield breaks, you gain 10 Ultimate.

Damage Shield

Coefficient20% Max Health
TagsDamage ShieldSingle TargetDirect

Notes

Could be situationally slotted in if another Templar is providing the buff for some additional tankiness, sustain, and Ultimate generation.

Not worth it

Templar Class Mastery

Judgment's Brand

Judgement follows in the wake of your radiance.

When rank 2 of deals damage, your Templar abilities gain 1400 damage done for 3.1 seconds. This bonus is halved against players.

Notes

Not useful for this setup.

Templar Class Mastery

Steadfast Candescence

Your conviction is unwavering. Light gives no quarter.

now activates and refreshes itself while Bracing. Increases the amount of damage you can block by 20% while stationary.

Notes

Not useful for this setup.

Skill Setups

Base Setup

A base setup that works in all content, and should be your starting point when creating situational setups.

Front Bar Back Bar
Slot 1: Radiating Regeneration Morph of Regeneration Slot 1: Overflowing Altar Morph of Blood Altar
Slot 2: Mystic Orb Morph of Necrotic Orb Slot 2: Extended Ritual Morph of Cleansing Ritual
Slot 3: Combat Prayer Morph of Blessing of Protection Slot 3: Elemental Blockade Morph of Wall of Elements
Slot 4: Purifying Light Morph of Backlash Slot 4: Echoing Vigor Morph of Vigor
Slot 5: Illustrious Healing Morph of Grand Healing Slot 5: Radiant Aura Morph of Restoring Aura
Ultimate: Reviving Barrier Morph of Barrier Ultimate: Aggressive Horn Morph of War Horn
  • - Generally the strongest and most reliable healing skill for mobile fights. It automatically targets the three lowest-Health allies within 28 meters, follows them wherever they move, and procs various effects such as the Champion Point, guaranteeing a large shield when a target drops below 25% Health. In dungeons, this is a staple skill that should be double-cast whenever possible to maximize coverage. In trials, however, its value is lower, as maintaining 100% uptime on all 12 group members would require four casts every 10 seconds, making it too resource and GCD intensive for most fights. That said, remains extremely valuable during mechanics where the group must leave the usual ground-based healing-over-time effects. Examples include Asylum Sanctorium, Lucent Citadel second boss Hard Mode, and numerous dungeon fights. It also excels during trial trash packs, where it can be spammed while moving between pulls, ensuring everyone has a heal-over-time effect active before combat begins.
  • - A core support skill thanks to its Combustion synergy, which restores a large amount of resources to allies who activate it. While you do not need to cast every 10 seconds, you should cast it at least once every 20 seconds, as Combustion has a 20-second synergy cooldown. Beyond its utility, also provides passive damage over its duration, and the synergy itself deals respectable damage when activated by group members.

    Why over ? has a lower Magicka cost, making it easier to sustain, and its synergy is particularly effective in short fights such as trial trash packs. When multiple DDs activate the Combustion synergy on a tightly stacked group of enemies, it contributes a significant amount of additional burst damage. While offers extra healing, that healing is generally less reliable, and its synergy is often consumed by players who are already at full Health, reducing its overall value. That said, remains a perfectly viable option, and you are not going to go wrong by using it if your group benefits from the additional healing.

  • - The main burst heal with additional utility. Provides an AoE burst heal, , and . Spam during heal checks, especially in fights where the group is not stacked such as Bal Sunnar's first boss, as covers a large area. Before spamming , ideally place your , , and other HoTs to be ticking on allies during the heal mechanic. If all DDs are running , as is often the case in dungeons, swap it to .
  • - Your primary source of the Class Mastery and passives. It should generally be the first ability you cast when combat begins and must be refreshed at least once every 20 seconds to maintain both buffs. While primarily used for its buffs, also creates a surprisingly strong healing-over-time effect after it explodes. Due to its relatively small radius, this healing is most beneficial for the tank or other melee players standing close to the target. Ideally, cast every 6 seconds. Doing so perfectly aligns with the skill's duration and allows you to consistently proc the passive, providing additional Ultimate generation throughout the fight.
  • / - The most reliable generic ground heal, useful for all heal checks where the group is remotely stacked. Either morph works. Since sustain is quite good in current builds, my personal recommendation is .
  • - The strongest defensive group Ultimate in the game for safe trifectas and progression groups for its combination of shield strength + cost + heal + affecting all 12 players. It is easily possible to maintain 100% uptime on with this build, recasting it before the previous shield expires. The value provided by a single cast can be very high, and will make countless fights significantly easier.
  • - A staple skill in trials, with at least one healer expected to slot it in virtually every fight. If the other healer is already providing , you should replace it with another skill, as only one is generally needed. provides one of the strongest defensive synergies in the game, allowing allies to instantly heal for 60% of their maximum Health when activated, while also applying to enemies within its area.

    In dungeons, however, is more of a luxury, as bar space is often limited and other skills typically provide greater overall value. It lost value with the release of the Arcanist and the shift towards the beam meta, as the DDs have to interrupt their beam in order to pick up the synergy. During a split-second decision when there is high incoming damage, the reaction time to consciously interrupt the beam + spam X to proc is noticeably longer than spamming X between normal casts. is a very strong synergy nonetheless, especially for the tank, and will save lives, but if your group includes beam-based builds, consider swapping this out for a more consistent heal.

  • - The defining multi-purpose skill of the Templar. It provides the Purify synergy to every other group member, cleansing negative effects, healing allies, and restoring resources through the passive. It is also one of the most valuable synergies in the game for maintaining uptime, as it is one of the few synergies that all 12 group members can activate independently without competing for it. heals all players inside of it over time, has a large radius, long duration, and a low cost for what it offers. Most importantly, activates the Class Mastery, one of the strongest Ultimate-generating passives available. This enables powerful strategies such as frequent casts and is a major reason why Templars excel as support healers. Overall, is by far the strongest ability in the Templar's toolkit and should be slotted in every fight. Keep it active at all times, and whenever possible, remain inside your own to benefit from . If you need to reposition, recast it at your new location to maintain the buffs.
  • - Your primary source of applying and maintaining 100% uptime on your back-bar weapon enchantment. Do not cast immediately upon entering combat; save for the third or fourth cast, once DDs have applied their DoTs. The exception is fully pre-buffed bosses, where pre-casting is better. is one of the most important debuffs you can provide, increasing group damage in several ways. Most notably, many damage dealers run the Champion Point passive, which increases their damage against enemies by 10%. This is especially impactful during trash packs, where fights are short and maximizing burst damage is critical. In addition, certain classes (most notably the Dragonknight) gain significant benefits when attacking targets. In trials, only one healer or tank needs to be responsible for maintaining on each boss or trash pack, so coordinate this role with your group.
  • - Your most reliable and versatile heal overall. is consistent and sticky, following targets regardless of positioning. Its large range also makes it easy to hit multiple allies. If on , cast it twice in trials (once in dungeons) every 15 seconds together with . 15 seconds is the timer of , despite lasting 16 seconds. Note that the uses smart target prioritization, meaning subsequent casts will search for members without the buff and give it to them. The same is not true for - it always heals the 6 closest allies to you. For this reason, you need to reposition yourself between casts if you want to catch all members with the heal.
  • - A 60 second buff providing , , and , affecting all 12 players. By far the cheapest, longest-lasting, most reliable source of providing these useful buffs in a trial setting, the Templar is usually responsible for all three. In dungeons this skill is generally not used as the fights are on-average shorter and the bar space is much tighter. If your group needs the recovery buffs, it is better suited for one of the scribed skills, such as , to provide this buff.
  • - The only offensive group ultimate available to the Templar. Provides a unique 10% resource buff, and . Since Update 50, any optimized group will have provided by an Arcanist through the Class Mastery. One group member still should ideally keep the 's resource buff, and the Templar can do a good job at that as well. The resource buff will not only boost damage by a decent amount, but also provide additional sustain. In dungeons this ultimate is far more common on the Templar simply because there is nothing better.

The best skills to replace with situational options are usually , , , , or .

  • - An alternative to in trash packs and fights where provides little value. The main advantage of is that it can be pre-cast before a fight for the Class Mastery and passive, ensuring other skills can be prioritized upon entering combat.
  • - A Templar class skill for Magicka sustain, healing, and resistances. Slot it when sustain is an issue. You do not have to stand inside the rune to benefit from the Magicka gain. In dungeons the skill has extra utility due to being a rarer buff. In some fights like vAS front kiting where you will be outside of the range of the Warden's , this skill gains high value survivability-wise.
  • - A resource-restoring skill that shares the same synergy and cooldown as 's Combustion, but restores both resources and can be cast at range. Useful for fights where one of the tanks is far from the group outside of the 's reach, and the tank is struggling with sustain.
  • - An AoE burst heal similar to that heals 6 allies per cast in an area around you. Generally inferior to the but it is easier to use due to not requiring any aiming. Also heals a single ally outside of the skill's radius.
  • (//) - A highly versatile Scribed skill that excels at proactive healing through shield spam. Each cast applies a large AoE damage shield and an aura buff to up to six nearby allies, with targets determined by proximity. It also has excellent synergy with the shield provided by . The third Script can be adjusted to supply whichever group buff your composition is missing. In dungeons, should be replaced with , as you will be catching all members with the buff anyway.

    Shield spam is one of the strongest forms of proactive healing. Rather than simply restoring Health after damage is taken, shields effectively increase an ally's Health pool, making them significantly more tanky against heavy burst damage and preventable one-shot mechanics. When maintained consistently, this approach often outperforms traditional healing-over-time effects in fights with frequent burst damage. The primary drawback is coverage. Outside of , there is no reliable spammable shield that instantly affects all 12 group members. Maintaining high shield uptime therefore requires frequent repositioning and repeated casts to keep nearby allies protected.

  • (, , /) - Another exceptional Scribed support skill that complements . It grants (or another flexible buff, depending on your chosen Scripts), applies a large AoE damage shield to up to six nearby allies, and provides additional Ultimate generation through . should be pre-cast before boss pulls and while moving between trash packs. Combined with pre-applied HoTs effects such as and , shield spam is often safer and more reliable than repeatedly casting in dungeon content, as a single shield cast immediately protects all nearby allies instead of only healing damage after it has already occurred. When used together, and can maintain consistent shields of around 20,000 strength on nearby group members. This makes them exceptionally powerful for progression, no-death, and trifecta runs. A good example is Blackrose Prison, where most deaths are caused by sudden bursts of damage rather than sustained pressure. In fights like these, shield spam directly counters that and is generally the recommended approach.
  • (, , ) - The most important skill for Ultimate generation in dungeons. Has low value in trials, where a Warden support will be providing via the Class Mastery. When is not provided from another source, aim for 100% uptime, as it is a crucial buff that directly improves either damage or survivability depending on the Ultimate used. In fights with many adds, including trash pulls, aim into the group to proc AoE , leading to AoE through , buffing the group damage by 10% via the champion point.
  • (, , ) - Another versatile way to use the skill in trials. The + variant is mostly used on trash packs for instant , rather than having to cast additionally. The immobilize part is a flex spot. Immobilizing enemies that the tanks chain will help keep everything stacked a little bit faster, and alleviate immobilize duty from them.
  • (, , ) - Provides a powerful passive buff to the entire group. Grants a 6% direct damage buff, 139 Magicka/Stamina Recovery, and as long as the allies stand within 8 meters of the holder. It affects up to 6 group members and needs to be slotted on both bars. Damage dealers are often the ones wearing in trials, but in dungeons it is often the case that none have it, making you the next best choice. In case is covered by other group members, feel free to remove yours as only one buff is active per player. Always make sure you have at least 1 per dungeon and 2 per trial. If your group has another source of , consider swapping it out for .
  • - When every source of healing matters, replace the with for extra healing. If timed right, the heal from the Combustion synergy can be very beneficial during certain mechanics. The heal over time part of the should not be relied upon, as the range is small and the Orb dynamically moves out of the group.
  • - Use this morph instead of when all DDs are running , as the portion is not needed anymore. More common in dungeons.
  • - A ranged interrupt required for certain fights, such as the second boss in Bal Sunnar, back kiter in Asylum Sanctorium, or Ansuul in Sanity's Edge.
  • - A powerful damage mitigating tool to combat some of the high pressure situations on tanks. In some trial fights, a healer might be on guard duty, such as Dreadsail Reef 2nd boss HM. Generally unnecessary, but it can help if the Tank is struggling on especially difficult bosses, such as Stone Garden HM. Overall, no fight absolutely requires , but if your tank is struggling, you'd be surprised how much of a difference a can make. It comes at a noticeable cost of 2 skill slots.
  • - A straightforward skill, removing 3 negative effects from group members. Useful for purging certain mechanics, such as the fire DoT from the second boss in Lep Seclusa, totems on the first boss in Kyne's Aegis, poison from Netches and Archers in Blackrose Prison, breath from the last boss in Lair of Maarselok, etc.
  • - Situationally useful when the group struggles with specific mechanics, such as the second boss in Bal Sunnar. The range on alone is not enough without stepping into darkness, but allows safe interrupts from within the protective circle. Generally unnecessary, as the healer can usually step into the darkness and survive while interrupting.
  • - Useful in highly mobile fights, such as the final boss in Castle Thorn.
  • - Same as , but a stronger buff for the whole group. Has a very high Stamina cost. In fights where being mobile in specific phases is important, such as Tideborn Taleria in Dreadsail Reef, Kazpian in Ossein Cage, or Xalvakka in Rockgrove, one support will usually be on duty. Always a useful skill in trash packs as well. Pairs well with to dump Stamina for better buff uptimes.
  • (// or ) - A chain ability useful in certain fights for grouping and soft taunting adds together. is the non-scribed alternative.
  • Travelling Knife ( / / ) - An alternative way to provide AoE on-demand, as well as a strong debuff on the boss, increasing the status effect chance of all allies by 100%. Since virtually every DD nowadays applies at the very minimum a few status effects such as and , it boosts group DPS by a non-negligible amount. It pairs well with on boss fights, as the knife allows the user to dump their stamina quickly and consistently.
  • - A selfish flex spot skill which gives , , and auto procs the dual wield enchantments on cooldown without having to light attack or swap bars. It provides a lot of tankiness and high mobility on-demand, but does not benefit the group directly.

As with all healer rotations, priorities are dynamic and depend entirely on the fight. During low-pressure situations, prioritize buffs over healing. During heavy incoming damage, prioritize healing instead. If someone is dying, cast on them and re-apply HoTs as soon as possible.

Example rotation

Similar to damage dealers, healers should maintain a rotation of buffs, debuffs, and heals. Try to cast one skill per second, with a light attack weaved in-between, though you will not be as punished for missing light attacks as a damage dealer. It is often said that healers "parse in reverse" compared to DDs - heals first, then buffs/debuffs (or buffs first if the fight has no incoming damage at the start), then resource-buffing skills - but the basic principle of casting one skill per second and maintaining a rotation does not change. Practice the rotation on a dummy to build muscle memory. While it will not perfectly replicate real gameplay, developing habits such as drinking potions on cooldown and maintaining 100% uptime on crucial buffs will significantly improve your performance in real content.

Other Setups

Front Bar Back Bar
Slot 1: Radiating Regeneration Morph of Regeneration Slot 1: Trample Frost Damage / Immobilizing Strike / Off Balance
Slot 2: Mystic Orb Morph of Necrotic Orb Slot 2: Extended Ritual Morph of Cleansing Ritual
Slot 3: Combat Prayer Morph of Blessing of Protection Slot 3: Elemental Blockade Morph of Wall of Elements
Slot 4: Solar Barrage Morph of Solar Flare Slot 4: Echoing Vigor Morph of Vigor
Slot 5: Ulfsild's Contingency Damage Shield / Growing Impact / Protection Slot 5: Soul Burst Damage Shield / Anchorite's Potency / Intellect and Endurance
Ultimate: Reviving Barrier Morph of Barrier Ultimate: Aggressive Horn Morph of War Horn

WHAT CHANGES

A setup for trash packs in trials, focused on short fights and constant movement. Skills that can be pre-cast before a trash pack gain significantly more value than abilities that can only be cast once combat begins. Additionally, proactively increasing the group's survivability with shields, alongside maintaining and , is generally more effective than stacking multiple healing-over-time skills. Most deaths during trash pulls are caused by sudden bursts of damage, and shields are the most reliable way to mitigate them.

Notes: - , ,

- , ,

- , ,

Rotation:

  1. Pre-buff , , , and while running. If not on an Ultimate-dependent set such as , pre-casting outside of combat is a viable option as well.
  2. Before entering the trash pack, pre-buff and .
  3. As the trash pack is being pulled, channel into the trash pack for AoE and a 10% damage boost via the CP. If your group has another person or source of AoE , such as the Travelling Knife, unslot this ability.
  4. Cast as close to the adds as possible for all 8 DDs to use the damage synergy on enemies. Note that the other healer should ideally be using the same Orb morph as you, to get the same desired effect.
  5. Cast for the extra synergy and Ultimate generation and spam shields until the trash pack is dead. If the trash pack is a longer one, start re-casting and other skills that are running out. Refresh shields as they drop.

Passives

Class

Weapon

Armor

Guild

Alliance War

Racial

Craft

Class - Aedric Spear

Piercing Spear - High Priority

Spear Wall - High Priority

Burning Light - High Priority

Balanced Warrior - High Priority

Gear

Beginner Setup

The recommended starting point for both trials and dungeons is a combination of the following sets:

  • on the five body pieces
  • on jewelry and the Lightning Staff
  • as the monster set
  • on the front bar

The monster set and arena weapon are not core parts of the build, so replace them with whatever alternatives you have available. For example, you can purchase the set or craft as an initial replacement. and are the two mandatory sets for healers. They are both available without DLC and are relatively easy to obtain. Do not worry about achieving perfect traits immediately if transmute crystals are limited; getting the correct sets and weapons is far more important than having ideal traits early on.

Gear Slot Set Weight/Type Trait Enchantment
Head Head Light / Heavy / /
Shoulders Shoulders Light / Medium
Chest Chest Light / /
Hands Hands Light
Belt Belt Light
Legs Legs Light / /
Boots Boots Light
Necklace Necklace Jewelry
Ring Ring Jewelry
Ring Ring Jewelry
Frontbar Main Hand Frontbar Main Hand Restoration Staff
Backbar Main Hand Backbar Main Hand Lightning Staff

Additional Explanations

As a healer, it is important to stay flexible and adapt to the teammates depending on your group composition and duties. There is no single build that will cover every trial fight, and in optimized groups, your setup will often change for each boss in every trial. Use this setup as a solid foundation, but be prepared to specialize when needed. A standard healer build consists of two five-piece sets, a monster set, and an arena weapon on the front bar. Alternatively, a mythic item can replace the monster set. Some builds also allow you to use both a mythic item and a monster set by skipping the arena weapon.

Below is a list of the most relevant meta sets for Update 50, ranked from highest to lowest priority.

Mandatory

  • 1. - Provides , one of the strongest buffs in the game. It is always a staple in dungeons and is still used in less optimized trial groups. In optimized trial groups, it is no longer used during boss fights, as the Werewolf provides the same buff through the skill. However, it often remains equipped by one healer for trash packs and fights where the group needs to split. It is very easy to farm on normal difficulty in White-Gold Tower.
  • 2. - Provides the group with flat 307 Weapon Damage. This is an extremely powerful unique buff and a staple in all group content, whether PvE or PvP, dungeons or trials. Its versatility as a proc set gives it additional value. In trials, it can be swapped between the group healer and the tank closer to the group, as requires the user to be within 12 meters of all group members to ensure everyone receives the proc. Remember to double cast it in trials to apply it to all 12 players. It can be purchased for gold from guild traders.

High Priority

  • 3. - is an essential buff in all PvE group content. When combined with , it provides a higher-maintenance but easier-to-execute method of applying . It performs better than in less optimized groups and pug environments. However, the more coordinated and optimized the group becomes, the less value this setup provides. Due to the increased Ultimate generation available in Update 50, has gained additional value, causing setups to fall further out of favor in optimized groups. By running , the responsibility of maintaining is placed on a single player, who can ensure that the entire group receives the buff. This contrasts with , where the responsibility is distributed across multiple players through Slayer stacks.
  • 4. - is an essential buff in all PvE group content. When combined with , it provides a higher-maintenance but easier-to-execute method of applying . It performs better than in less optimized groups and pug environments. However, the more coordinated and optimized the group becomes, the less value this setup provides. Due to the increased Ultimate generation available in Update 50, has gained additional value, causing setups to fall further out of favor in optimized groups. also provides additional utility by extending the duration of all named buffs. For example, it extends 's , 's , and many other important group buffs. It can be farmed on normal difficulty in Scalecaller Peak.
  • 5. - In dungeons, the tank will often wear while the healer wears (though the tank and the healer can swap the Slayer responsibility). In trials, however, healers or damage dealers will usually have an easier time positioning for Slayer stacks than the tank. Slayer stacking is a strategy where the group divides into two teams of five players, as and only apply their buff to the five players closest to the user. Typically, one group positions slightly behind and to the left of the boss, while the other positions slightly behind and to the right. The groups remain close enough to benefit from all healing and AoE buffs, while staying separated enough to receive their own instances of , ensuring that everyone benefits from the buff.

    The less coordinated the group is, the less effective becomes due to mistimed stacks or poorly timed ultimate usage. In these cases, the group should consider using a + () setup for instead. can be easily farmed on normal difficulty in Halls of Fabrication, as it does not have a perfected version.

  • 6. - Group-wide Ultimate generation is one of the strongest utility effects in the game, making a staple healer/tank set in optimized trial groups. When used correctly, it provides great value. However, be aware that loses effectiveness in less optimized groups. The less coordinated the group is with Ultimate dumps, and the more chaotic the fight becomes (such as frequent deaths, ignored mechanics, or missed calls), the more value from is wasted. In these situations, consider sets such as instead until the group reaches a level where it can properly utilize .

Medium Priority

  • 7. - A solid utility set that helps round out a group composition. will always provide value to all 12 players by increasing damage, improving healing output, and helping with sustain. It is flexible enough to be used by either the healer or the tank, making it a reliable choice in almost any situation. It provides even greater value in lower-end groups due to its ease of use and overall versatility.
  • 8. - A strong single-target debuff set and another staple in high-end optimized groups. It is usually worn by a damage dealer, but a healer can also utilize it effectively. The set requires some practice, as maintaining the required low Stamina threshold can feel awkward on a healer at first. However, with skills such as available to quickly drain Stamina, it is not as difficult to manage as it may initially seem. It can be purchased for gold from guild traders.

Low Priority

  • 9. - A situational buff set that gains value the more Necromancers a group has. If a trial group has three or more Necromancer damage dealers, someone should consider wearing it, whether that is a damage dealer, healer, or tank. can be purchased for gold from guild traders.
  • 10. - Primarily used in Ultimate-generation builds and usually paired with the mythic item by combining two five-piece sets with and . It is strong in dungeons for more advanced setups, while in trials it is generally only viable in specific fights. can be purchased for gold from guild traders. Note that this set only exists as jewelry or weapons.
  • 11. - A situational defensive set used when a group is struggling with a boss fight where heavy AoE damage is the main issue, such as Lord Falgravn in Kyne's Aegis or Ansuul in Sanity's Edge. When used correctly, it provides significant defensive value. However, it is only relevant for a small number of specific fights and is rarely used outside of those situations. remains one of the strongest defensive buffs in the game, but most groups and general content do not require . It gains more value in less optimized groups, where sets such as or may have poor timing or uptime, while can consistently prevent deaths across a fight. It can be farmed on normal difficulty in Cradle of Shadows.
  • 12. - An alternative set to . Nowadays it is not used on healers anymore due to being more reliable and quicker in applying the buff to all group members. can be used temporarily until you acquire . has one advantage over - in case your group members are using sets or skills that make them unable to be healed, such as or Simmering Frenzy, you can still give them through it. Unlike , which requires the target to be healed or overhealed, leaving them without the crucial buff.
  • 13. - A flexible set that is used as a one piece to finish the last free spot on a build. The extra health is mathematically the best choice, which is why wins over other similar sets. Remember that if your flex spot ends up being a shoulder or head piece, one-piece monster sets such as and will outperform .

High Priority

  • 1. - The most popular healer monster set in the game and the primary defensive option. It provides a unique Resistance buff when overhealing a target, as well as when that target begins taking damage. It offers extremely high value by preventing one-shots and also performs well during healing checks. Overall, it is an exceptional defensive monster set.
  • 2. - The primary offensive support mythic item. It provides a strong 260 Weapon Damage buff to six other group members at the cost of reducing your recoveries. Keep in mind that in trials, buffs the first six players who join the group rather than being proximity-based. Because of this, it is recommended to kick and re-invite all supports and support damage dealers before starting a trial to ensure the correct players receive the buff. is a must-have in highly optimized groups, but progression groups, lower-end groups, and trifecta groups can often skip it in favor of more defensive options. It is almost never seen in pugs due to the complexity of forcing the buff to specific players.
  • 3. - The primary offensive monster set for healers. It extends the duration of major debuffs, such as and , when activating your Ultimate. Make sure to wait until has been applied before using your Ultimate; otherwise, the proc will be wasted.

Medium Priority

  • 4. - A versatile monster set that provides a 3.1k shield with the Champion Point passive, as well as , to the group. Effectively, it gives each group member an additional 3.1k HP at all times, helping prevent deaths and protect against otherwise preventable one-shots. The value of is somewhat limited, as most damage dealers already provide it themselves through their builds, but it can help cover missing uptimes when needed. You do not need to invest heavily into Critical Chance to use this set; having / and / (from potions or passive skills) is more than enough to consistently proc with a few HoTs. It pairs exceptionally well with for safer clears and no-death runs.
  • 5. - The primary sustain-focused monster set. In Update 50, has fallen slightly out of favor due to the return of pure class setups, meaning damage dealers now gain additional sustain from their class passives that they previously lacked when subclassing. can still be used in specific situations, but it is generally no longer required, as sustain is usually better handled through other sources.
  • 6. - One of the most powerful healer and tank mythic items in the game. When used correctly, it provides exceptional value by enabling stronger group Ultimate generation. However, it is not recommended outside of high-end groups, as it requires proper coordination and well-timed Ultimate dumps from the entire group. Misusing not only wastes the potential Ultimate generation for the group but also sacrifices the Ultimate ability you would have cast instead, such as or .
  • 7. - A low-investment source of . It is more commonly worn by tanks, but healers can also use it to help cover missing uptime. is generally preferred for this purpose, but still has valuable applications. It remains a reliable and solid choice.

Low Priority

  • 8. - A selfish mythic item that is enabled on some builds using double proc sets on the front and back bar, particularly in dungeon setups. Increasing your maximum resources is always valuable, and the main benefit of this mythic is that it allows you to use recovery food without sacrificing too much Health. This directly improves sustain and can make resource management significantly easier.
  • 9. - A selfish mythic item that can be useful in encounters where mobility is especially important, such as the back kiter role in vAS. Outside of these situations, it provides limited value compared to other mythic options.
  • 10. - A once-powerful mythic item that has fallen out of favor in trial groups in Update 50 due to Warden supports providing to the group. Even in situations without a Warden support, such as dungeons, generally provides more value. cannot maintain 100% uptime, as healers spend time casting abilities other than heals. also provides additional benefits, such as AoE , while freeing up a mythic item slot. In many cases, a skill slot is less valuable than a mythic item slot, allowing alternatives such as to replace entirely.
  • 11. - An alternative to for players who do not own any DLCs.

Arena sets are not as strong as 5 piece sets, monster sets, or mythics, but they can help round out a build, and have situational benefits.

High Priority

  • - The primary recovery-focused group utility arena weapon. The proc requires actively re-casting every six seconds to gain its full benefit. When maintained on its 6 second cooldown, it provides a noticeable increase to group sustain. Sustain-focused sets have lost some value in Update 50 due to overall sustain being higher across the board, but considering the low opportunity cost, the remains a strong and reliable choice.

Medium Priority

  • - A situational option used when is not slotted, such as during trash packs where is constantly being cast. This is a selfish arena weapon that gives you extremely high sustain when is active on group members.

    Maelstrom Restoration Staff gives such high sustain that it is possible to replace all food, jewelry glyphs, and the Mundus Stone to provide other alternative buffs such as jewelry glyphs or more Health/Magicka. This indirectly buffs healing power because of a lack of need to get sustain from other sources, ultimately boosting group survivability.

Low Priority

  • - A selfish alternative to . Use it when sustain is an issue, when you are not running /, or when there are no higher-priority arena options available.
  • - A situational arena weapon that can help overcome certain heavy healing checks, such as tomb mechanics on first bosses in vSE Hard Mode or vSS Hard Mode. It is generally unnecessary, but if a specific single-target mechanic is overwhelming you, this set may provide the extra support needed to overcome it.
  • - If you are running a proc set on your front bar, such as , there aren't many great options for your back bar, leaving . It provides additional AoE damage.

Trials: Before deciding which sets to wear, consider what the goal of the group is. Is it a casual farm run, a first-time progression group attempting a Hard Mode trial, a no-death run, a clean and optimized clear, or a score-pushing group? The answer will determine which sets provide the most value and best support the group's needs.

There is no reason to run over , or over , in a group that is progressing veteran trials for the first time. Likewise, and become staples in score-pushing groups, where defensive options such as are less valuable. Choose between offensive, defensive, and ease-of-use setups based on the group's skill level, objectives, and available gear. Sets such as , , , and are generally "fire-and-forget" options that provide consistent value with minimal management. In contrast, sets such as , , and require active tracking, proper timing, or coordination to reach their full potential.

Dungeons: The three strongest healer sets for dungeons are , , and . Since is commonly worn by the tank, the standard healer setup will usually run + . If the group has a Werewolf providing , + becomes the preferred setup, allowing the tank to use something other than .

For monster sets, mythics, and three-piece combinations, some of the most optimized setups from a pure stat perspective are + or + + one piece of . + + is the safer option, providing additional survivability, sustain, and consistency for progression groups. + is the more offensive option, better suited for maximizing damage and achieving faster clears with well-executed strategies.

The default setup for healers in PvE content is a restoration staff front bar and a lightning staff back bar. Restoration staff is the obvious choice to get access to crucial restoration skills. Lightning staff is a flexible spot that can be replaced by other weapons. The only reason lightning is the default, is to have proc on cooldown on the target, which boosts group DPS via the CP. However, if another support is providing on cooldown, lightning staff is not mandatory anymore. Some other options include:

  • Ice staff - For better AoE + uptimes when is procced on the target, via . Bonus benefits of an ice staff is extra block mitigation and resistances, making the build tankier. Ice staff is especially popular on Warden healers in Update 50, meaning that the Templar often stays on a lightning staff. When back barring , ice staff will be better than a lightning staff as the heavy attack can be pre-cast before the boss is targetable, and cannot be interrupted mid-channeling.
  • Dual wield - For more advanced groups, dual wield allows healers to custom-tailor the with either or group buffs, while additionally providing AoE . This also allows for easier uptime, as the can be spammed to reduce Stamina under 50%.
  • Inferno staff - Rarely used, but allows for easier casts instead of a lightning staff. Ice is the recommendation for when used on the back bar, but if you did not acquire an ice staff yet, use inferno in the meantime.

Overall, the guide focuses on using the lightning staff at all times due to simplicity and clarity, but be flexible and ready to adapt to the group when needed.

The armor combination can be 7 Light for maximum Magicka recovery, 6 Light 1 Heavy/Medium for the middle ground, or 5 Light/1 Medium/1 Heavy for the passive granting extra max resources and tankiness. The default option is 7 Light Armor pieces for maximum sustain due to the healer's survivability usually not being the main issue.

Body

  • or on the three big pieces (head, chest, legs) and on the remaining four body pieces. is especially well-paired with enchantments for extra Health and Stamina.

Jewelry

  • The recommended jewelry traits are or . Most light armor sets will naturally drop with , and there is generally no reason to spend transmute crystals changing them. However, when reconstructing jewelry, is the more versatile and recommended option. This is especially useful for players who play multiple roles, as it performs well on tanks and damage dealers as well. Example sets that are shared between other roles: , , .

Weapons

  • For the Lightning Staff back bar, is the standard choice. Combined with , it ensures that the weapon enchantment remains active at all times and procs consistently on cooldown.
  • For the Restoration Staff, is recommended on Templar healers for additional Ultimate generation. is also a viable option, but due to the Templar's naturally strong healing output and excellent Ultimate generation, generally provides greater overall value.
  • For the Ice/Inferno staves, the same rules as for the Lightning Staff apply. Dual wield traits would ideally be double , though is also good.

Body

  • is the default body enchantment choice. enchantments on the three large pieces (head, chest, and legs) can provide additional survivability while also giving the highest total stat value overall, and can help manage Stamina more easily on setups with , , or .

Jewelry

  • Jewelry enchantments depend on your race and overall sustain needs. The main options are , , and . If sustain is not an issue, enchantments will increase your healing output. However, due to the Templar's naturally strong healing capabilities, the class can comfortably run full sustain setups. For that reason, the recommended setup is triple , or if you are a newer player. performs better in situations where abilities are being cast constantly, such as high-APM gameplay and boss encounters. tends to perform slightly better during trash packs or fights with longer downtime between casts.

Weapons

  • For the Lightning Staff back bar, there are three main options: , , and . is the standard choice, reducing the boss's overall damage output and combining well with sources of / and /. is used when stronger healing output is preferred or in encounters where provides little or no value, such as healing absorption mechanics or fixed Oblivion damage ticks. is typically used by tanks but can help cover missing penetration uptime when needed. As a default choice, is recommended.
  • For the Restoration Staff front bar, is the standard enchantment when paired with or on the back bar. If sustain is a concern, or if is already being used on the Lightning Staff, is the secondary option.
  • For the Ice/Inferno staves, the same rules as for the Lightning Staff apply. Dual wield enchantments can be , , , or . Keep in mind that the dual wield enchantments are weaker, therefore you still need someone in the group providing the full-strength main debuff (at least 1 Tank on an Ice Staff , at least one Healer on a Destruction Staff ).

Nothing in this section will make or break the build. Armor weights, enchantments, and traits are intended to optimize the final few percentages of performance rather than define the build itself. If you are limited on gold and unsure which upgrades to prioritize, focus on improving weapons and enchantments before armor and jewelry, as they generally provide better value for the cost.

Before heal-check mechanics, make sure to enter them with at least 50% Magicka, ideally more. A fully-charged Restoration Heavy Attack before a healing phase will give you for 4 seconds, increasing Healing Done by 16%.

Before each raid or fight, ask yourself - what are the most important buffs and debuffs I need to be providing? For example, as a healer you are responsible for the Combustion synergy, a mandatory buff in all content. As a Templar you are the main source of at all times. That means you need to cast or as your first skill, and cast it at least every 20 seconds.

Next is sets - if you are responsible for , make sure to practice it a bit on the dummy beforehand. At the start it might be overwhelming together with 10 other skills to maintain, which is perfectly fine. The primary job is still keeping people alive, so make sure you have underlying heals over time from skills like and always ticking on allies.

If you are having trouble remembering everything, writing a list of skills/sets/buffs and sorting them by priority in a text editor can be helpful.

Advertisement

Champion Points

Maximizing heals over time, AoE heals, a big shield on low HP allies, and Magicka/Stamina recovery.

Unlock Order

Warfare
10% Area of Effect Healing
10% Healing Over Time
Up to 150 recovery
11,000 Damage Shield
Fitness
15% stronger damage shields
90 Health, Magicka, and Stamina Recovery
10% Damage Shield cost reduction
1400 Max Health
If you need more movement speed in a fight
If your teammates are dying very often
Craft
20% Movement Speed out of combat

Race

The following four races are all top tier and choosing any of them will be good. Each has their own pros and cons, and the difference between them often comes down to changing an Enchantment or two.

High Elf
Best Overall
High Elf
High Elf, for the best combination of Spell Damage + sustain + potential hybrid Magicka DPS. High Elf maximizes Spell Damage (directly buffing healing power) and Magicka while also providing excellent Stamina sustain, which is especially valuable when running the and/or setups. Additionally, High Elves gain 5% damage reduction while channeling or casting abilities with cast times which directly increases survivability during skills such as , where you are the most vulnerable.
Spell Recharge 625 lowest resource every 6 seconds, 5% less damage taken while casting or channeling
Syrabane's Boon 2000 Max Magicka
Elemental Talent 258 Weapon and Spell Damage
Nord
Best for Ultimate
Nord
Nord for Ultimate generation + survivability. Nord is the best for maximizing Ultimate generation, though it requires actively taking damage to fully utilize the passive bonus.
Rugged 2600 Armor
Stalwart 1500 Max Stamina, 0.5 Ultimate per second
Resist Frost 1000 Max Health, 4620 Frost Resistance
Breton
Magicka Sustain
Breton
Breton for the excellent Magicka sustain and max Magicka as well as tankiness against magic attacks.
Gift of Magnus 2000 Max Magicka
Spell Attunement 2310 Spell Resistance, 130 Magicka Recovery
Magicka Mastery -7% Magicka Cost
Dark Elf
Damage Dealer
Dark Elf
Dark Elf for the Max Magicka and Stamina + Weapon Damage and an easy transition to a Magicka or Stamina damage dealer.
Dynamic 1910 Max Stamina and Magicka
Resist Flame 4620 Flame Resistance
Ruination 258 Weapon and Spell Damage

Overall, you cannot go wrong with any of the four. Khajiit and Argonian are okay healer choices, while the others are not recommended. Do not let that stop you. The total difference between the best and worst race is only around 5%, so any race is perfectly viable. Use the Mundus Stone to complement your race choice.

Mundus

  • Default

    8% Healing Done(13% with 7 )
    The default option. Stronger heals are the safest and most reliable way to keep everyone alive. This mundus coupled with a fully-charged Restoration Staff heavy attack will significantly boost healing during important mechanics.
  • Sustain

    310 Magicka Recovery(507 with 7 )
    Use instead of when you and the group are on a good enough level that provides no meaningful benefit anymore. It is better to try using recovery food first before changing your Mundus. also scales better with shield spamming, as will not be beneficial until the group takes damage to Health.
  • Situational

    5.53% Critical Chance(9.04% with 7 )
    An alternative to , providing less consistent but stronger heals. It is also a great choice for hybrid DPS-healing.
  • Movement Speed

    10% Movement Speed + 238 Health Recovery(16% + 389 with 7 )
    When neither sustain nor healing power is an issue, extra movement speed is always welcome.

Attributes

Health
0
Stamina
0
Magicka
64
Default

Food

We prioritize stat-heavy food over recovery-focused options due to sustain generally not being an issue.

  • Default

    Max Health +5,414 Max Magicka +4,938
    The best food for general content, providing a large amount of Health and Magicka.
  • Specific Fights

    Max Magicka +4,592 Magicka Recovery +459
    Use this if you are still getting accustomed to the builds and sustain remains an issue. It is especially strong on the safe dungeon build using , as you will already have more than enough Health. It can also be useful in fights where having lower Health is preferred due to percentage-based Health mechanics, such as the final boss of Bal Sunnar.
  • Sustain

    Max Health +4,620 Max Stamina +4,250 Max Magicka +4,250 Health Recovery +462
    A mandatory choice on the advanced dungeon build to help with Stamina sustain, and mathematically the most stat-dense food in the game. Whenever you need a lot of Stamina, such as when you are on + duty or there is a lot of roll dodging in a fight, do not hesitate to use . Ironically, it also helps with uptimes, as having a larger Stamina bar means that once you dump it to 0, it will take longer to reach over 50%.
  • Middle Ground

    Max Health +3,326 Max Magicka +3,080 Health Recovery +406 Magicka Recovery +338
    A middle ground between and , providing a moderate amount of Health, Magicka, and Magicka Recovery.
    Cheaper alternative
    Difference Max Health +3,094 −232 Max Magicka +2,856 −224 Health Recovery −406 Magicka Recovery +315 −23

Potions

  • Default

    Restore Magicka
    This is the default option as the build does not have a natural way to generate and .
  • Ultimate Generation

    Restore Magicka Restore Stamina
    For maximizing Ultimate generation, are an expensive but good choice in trials. Due to the Templar's already-high Ultimate generation, the will not be the difference between, for example, having a every 30 seconds or not (usually the Templar gets it every 25 seconds without ), but extra Ultimate generation always buffs sets like and , so you can never go wrong with it.
  • Difficult Fights

    Restore Health
    For maximizing survivability, can help get through some of the more difficult fights. You will take a substantial sustain and healing power loss however, unless you find another source of / or /.

Gameplay

Dawnbringer
Trial
Lep Seclusa
Dungeon
Black Gem Foundry
Dungeon
Naj-Caldeesh
Dungeon
vAS+2 Back Kiter Group Finder Pug
Trial
Lucent Citadel Group Finder Pug
Trial
Dawnbringer
Trial Veteran Hard Mode Trifecta
Lep Seclusa
Dungeon Veteran Hard Mode Trifecta
Black Gem Foundry
Dungeon Veteran Hard Mode Trifecta
Naj-Caldeesh
Dungeon Veteran Hard Mode
vAS+2 Back Kiter Group Finder Pug
Trial Veteran Hard Mode
Lucent Citadel Group Finder Pug
Trial

FAQ

Yes, a Templar Healer is good in ESO Update 50 because it has great innate healing power through , a strong unique buff through + , and is overall the easiest healer class to play.

Templar healer is the most beginner-friendly class possible due to its long-lasting skills, straightforwardness of the kit without gimmicks, good sustain and survivability, and strong innate healing.

Yes, Templar healer can clear veteran dungeons and trials, including hard content, when built and played correctly. The page includes setups for regular fights, trash packs, and situational swaps depending on the encounter.

There is no best race, it often comes down to changing jewelry glyphs or food. The 4 recommended races are: High Elf, Nord, Breton, and Dark Elf. Argonian and Khajiit are also okay. Any race works for clearing all content in the game however, regardless of difficulty.

Thank you for reading the guide. For feedback and any questions, be it healing, group composition, strategies, or similar, feel free to message me on discord. Username: Croat



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