Battlegrounds | Elder Scrolls Online Wiki

Battlegrounds in the Elder Scrolls Online are ESO’s first small-scale team-based PVP. They are originally introduced into the game with the Morrowind DLC, but are now available to all players. Battlegrounds provide competitive, fast-paced PVP matches for three 4-player teams in smaller, arena-like environments. 

Battlegrounds

Each battleground features a three-sided team setup with four players in each team, but you are only able to queue up individually (no pre made groups of 2-4 players). At launch, there were three battleground maps — a Foyada, a Dwemer ruin and a Daedric ruin — and three game types: Capture the Flag, Team Deathmatch, and Domination — but more were added in later updates. Battlegrounds feature leaderboards and have their own unique item set rewards.

Unlike in Cyrodiil, Battlegrounds are not Alliance-based. Instead, players can fight for the Fire Drakes (Orange), Pit Daemons (Green), or Storm Lords (Purple). Your team is assigned randomly on entering each Battleground.

How to Enter a Battleground

As of Update 18 for Summerset Chapter, Battlegrounds are part of the base game and no DLC or chapter is needed to access the battlegrounds.You can access Battlegrounds from the Activity Finder and run a random battleground to obtain a special reward and increased XP.

You may also travel to Vvardenfell and the city of Vivec, and find an area with the battlegound master, to the right of the Pyramid where Vivec resides, on ground level.

Talk to the battlegrounds master to begin.

Battleground Game Types & Arenas

There are five unique Battleground game types:

• Team Deathmatch: Team Deathmatch is perfect for those who don't want to worry too much about mundane things like “objectives" or “teamwork." Find and destroy enemy player characters with each kill granting your team points.
• Capture the Flag: Capture the Flag mode is a more structured attack-and-defend styled game type that will be most enjoyed by those who thrive as part of a team. Capture your enemies' flags and return them to your base while carefully defending your own.
• Domination: Domination will be favored by those who like capture-and-hold gameplay. Seek out, capture, and hold special locations on the map to earn your team points. A captured point will grant your team points for as long you have it.
• Chaosball: Added with Horns of the Reach DLC
• Crazy Kings: Added with Clockwork City DLC

In each game type, you'll win by either reaching the point limit or by having the highest total by the end of the match.

There are four unique arenas you'll fight in at launch:

• Ald Carac: A dilapidated ruin of an ancient Dwemer city
• Ularra: An old overgrown Daedric worshipping site
• Foyada Quarry: A quarry set in the shadow of Red Mountain
• Arcane University: Added with Horns of the Reach DLC

Battlegrounds Rewards

You earn points as you capture, defend, and kill, depending on the game mode. In addition to this, you can earn medals for unique actions depending on the game type:

• Dealing damage
• Healing
• Making killing blows
• Earning kill streaks
• Capturing or defending flags
• Taking damage
• Healing flag carriers or defenders

At the end the matches your points and medals contribute to end-game rewards, including Alliance Points, Experience Points, and items. There will also be new Achievements to earn based on how you play. Weekly leaderboards will let you earn further rewards.