Your ability will progress through the ranks automatically with XP gained while that ability is slotted on your Action Bar.

It is what reduces Health and forms the basis of all combat activities.

It is also quite a complex topic which is not helped by the range of contradictory information available.

This page will go through the mechanics of dealing and taking damage in ESO.

This is best illustrated by the fact that almost all of your ability tooltips will say does X damage and yet you will generally deal less actual damage to a target.

This is because the initial damage would first hit a damage shield (if one existed) and then would be reduced by the target mitigation (Armor or Spell Resistance) and then would deal damage to the target.

The amount of damage that you deal with Light Attacks is determined by your Max Magicka or Max Stamina and also by your Spell Damage or Weapon Damage.

Weapons that use Magicka (Destruction Staff Staff, Restoration Staff) use Max Magicka and Spell Damage.Weapons which use Stamina (One Hand and Shield, Bow, Dual Wield, Two Handed) use Max Stamina and Weapon Damage.

A Light Attack will always refresh this buff and allow you to continuously gain Ultimate for the duration of a fight.

When you are about to use an ability simply perform a Light Attack right before activating that ability.

This performs a Light Attack which is immediately followed by the ability which you activated with little to no delay.

This concept can add some damage to each of your abilities and does not cost anything and at the same time the Ultimate buff is refreshed.

This might not seem like much but it can add a lot to your damage over the duration of a fight.

It varies by weapon type, but Heavy Attacks need to wind up before they deal any damage.

Restoration Staffs and Lightning Staffs are the exception though these Heavy Attacks are channelled over a few seconds.

You must fully charge your Heavy Attack in order to restore any resources.

The amount of resources which is restored on a Heavy Attack depends on your Level.

Its also great for healers when they run out of Magicka and tanks when they run out of Stamina.

Abilities can also perform a range of other functions for offense and defense such as healing, damage shields, damage over time effects, crowd control (stuns, knockbacks, immobilizes, snares) and buffs to your damage and sustainability.

You can place up to 5 abilities, and 1 Ulitmate, on your Action Bar.

This effectivley gives you access to 10 different abilities and 2 Ultimates.

Some abilties are cast at the ground, and effect targets in that area, while others are cast on yourself.

You will learn a lot about abilities by using them and practising with them.

The actual damage dealt will vary, however, because different targets have different mitigation like Armor and Spell Resistance.

Eso Addon Boss Dmg Percent