Sunshine Daydream's Guide to ESO

Sunshine Daydream's Guide to Enchanting




Enchanting is the skill line which enables the creation of glyphs with which to place special effects on armor, weapons, or jewelry.

Enchanting is the only ESO craft skill line for which I would recommend a non-crafter not spend any points at all.

Runestone Extraction is the only skill that even might interest someone who does not dabble in enchanting. The white glyphs that drop from kills are nearly worthless, but some of their component runes if they can be extracted might have more value. However, the small potential increase in value is not worth the skill points in my opinion.

This guide to enchanting covers:



Skill Progression for the Enchanter

15 skill points are recommended to effectively train your enchanter.

Skill Level Skill Name Benefit
4 Aspect Extraction (1) increases the chances of extracting runestones from glyphs
5 Potency Improvement (2) allows use of potency runes which make glyhps for items of level 10-15+
6 Aspect Improvement (2) allows the use of Denata runes to create Superior (blue) glyphs
10 Potency Improvement (3) allows use of potency runes which make glyhps for items of level 20-25+
15 Potency Improvement (4) allows use of potency runes which make glyhps for items of level 30-35+
16 Aspect Improvement (3) allows the use of Rekuta runes to create Artifact (purple) glyphs
19 Aspect Extraction (2) further increases the chances of extracting runestones from glyphs
20 Potency Improvement (5) allows use of potency runes which make glyhps for items up to CP 10+
25 Potency Improvement (6) allows use of potency runes which make glyhps for items up to CP 30+
29 Aspect Extraction (3) significantly increases the chances of extracting runestones from glyphs
30 Potency Improvement (7) allows use of potency runes which make glyhps for items up to CP 50+
31 Aspect Improvement (3) allows the use of Kuta runes to create Legendary (gold) glyphs
35 Potency Improvement (8) allows use of potency runes which make glyhps for items up to CP 70+
40 Potency Improvement (9) allows use of potency runes which make glyhps for items up to CP 100+
45 Potency Improvement (10) allows use of all potency runes enabling glyhps for items of any level

This table does not include the Keen Eye skill which claims to make spotting runes easier. In reality, all runestones glow already and do not blend into the vegetation like many other collectible materials, so once you learn to recognize them they can be easily spotted from afar.

Nor does this table include the hireling. While sometimes useful, when skill points are at a premium I'd not spend any here.




Potency Runes

Potency runes determine the strength of an effect and is tied to the minimum level of an item upon which the resulting glyph can be applied. Each tier has potency runes that are classified as either additive or subtractive; this factor combines with the Essence Rune to determine the precise effect produced.

Every runestone has a 1/3 chance to drop a potency rune in addition to its aspect & essence runes and occasionally you will also find a Mundane Rune which is used in furniture crafting. When they are found, potency runes have a 50% chance to be based on character level and a 50% chance to be based the Potency Improvement skill. If you are unable to find the proper potency runes in the wild, you can purchase them from a vendor.


ADDITIVE

RUNES
SUBTRACTIVE

RUNES
Rune
Translation
Potency Glyph Prefix Item Level Rune
Translation
Jora
Develop
1 Trifling 1+ Jode
Reduce
Porade
Add
1 Inferior 5+ Notade
Subtract
Jera
Increase
2 Petty 10+ Ode
Shrink
Jejora
Raise
2 Slight 15+ Tade
Decrease
Odra
Gain
3 Minor 20+ Jayde
Deduct
Pojora
Supplement
3 Lesser 25+ Edode
Lower
Edora
Boost
4 Moderate 30+ Pojode
Diminish
Jaera
Advance
4 Average 35+ Rekude
Weaken
Pora
Augment
5 Strong 40+ Hade
Lessen
Denara
Strengthen
5 Major CP 10+ Idode
Impair
Rera
Exaggerate
6 Greater CP 30+ Pode
Remove
Derado
Empower
7 Grand CP 50+ Kedeko
Drain
Rekura
Magnify
8 Splendid CP 70+ Rede
Deprive
Kura
Intensify
9 Monumental CP 100+ Kude
Negate
Rejera
Amplify
10 Superb CP 150+ Jehade
Divest
Repora
Reinforce
10 Truly Superb CP 160 Itade
Plunder



Essence Runes

Essence runes determine the variety of effect a glyph produces. Each essence rune can produce one of two different effects; which of those two effects the glyph carries is determined by using an additive or subtractive potency rune.

Whether a glyph can be placed on armor, weapon, or jewelry is determined by its effect. There are 18 jewelry effects, 14 weapon effects, and 4 armor effects. If the resulting glyph is classed for armor placement, realize that only armor glyphs applied to head, chest, legs, or shield fully gain its stated benefit. Forty percent (40%) of a glyph's stated benefit is granted when a glyph is applied to shoulders, waist, hands, or feet.

Every runestone should contain an essence rune along with an aspect rune since the launch of Dark Brotherhood. Essence runes are random; which area you farm makes no difference to the rune you acquire.

Placement
Additive Effect(s)
Additive
Potency
Rune
Translation
Subtractive
Potency
Placement
Subtractive Effect(s)
Weapon
deals 3134-3395 Frost Damage
Frost Dekeipa

Frost
Frost Resist Jewelry
adds 3250-3520 Frost Resistance
Armor
adds 802-868 Maximum Stamina
Stamina Deni

Stamina
Absorb Stamina Weapon
deals 2227-2413 Physical Damage
and restores 327-354 Stamina
Jewelry
adds 157-169 Stamina Recovery
Stamina Recovery Denima

Stamina Regen
Reduce
Feat Cost
Jewelry
reduces the Stamina cost of abilities by 191-203
Weapon
grants a 3038-3290 point Damage Shield for 5 seconds
Hardening Deteri

Armor
Crushing Weapon
reduces the target's Physical Resistance & Spell Resistance by 1498-1622 for 5 seconds
Armor
adds 441-477 Maximum Health,
adds 401-434 Maximum Magicka,
& adds 401-434 Maximum Stamina
Prismatic Defense Hakeijo*

Prism
Prismatic Weapon
deals 6268-6791 Magic Damage to undead and to daedra
Weapon
deals 2853-3091 Disease Damage
Foulness Haoko

Disease
Disease Resist Jewelry
adds 3250-3520 Disease Resistance
Jewelry
adds 84 health recovery,
adds 84 magicka recovery,
adds 84 stamina recovery
Prismatic Recovery Indeko

Prismatic Regen
Reduce Skill Cost Jewelry
Reduce Health, Magicka, and Stamina cost of abilities by 126-133
Jewelry
increase the damage of your Bash attacks by 481-500 increases Weapon and Spell damage of bashing
Bashing Kaderi

Shield
Shielding Jewelry
reduces the cost of Bash & Blocking by 191-203
Weapon
deals 2853-3091 Poison Damage
Poison Kuoko

Poison
Poison Resist Jewelry
adds 3250-3520 Poison Resistance
Jewelry
adds 160-174 Spell Damage
Increase Magical Harm Makderi

Spell Harm
Decrease Spell Harm Jewelry
adds 856-927 Spell Resistance
Armor
adds 802-868 Maximum Magicka
Magicka Makko

Magicka
Absorb Magicka Weapon
deals 2350-2546 Magic Damage
and restores 327-354 Magicka
Jewelry
adds 157-169 Magicka Recovery
Magicka Recovery Makkoma

Magicka Regen
Reduce Spell Cost Jewelry
reduces the Magicka cost of spells by 191-203
Weapon
deals 3251-3522 Shock Damage
Shock Meip

Shock
Shock Resist Jewelry
adds 3250-3520 Shock Resistance
Armor
adds 882-954 Maximum Health
Health Oko

Health
Absorb Health Weapon
deals 2350-2546 Magic Damage
and restores 795-861 Health
Jewelry
adds 157-169 Health Recovery
Health Recovery Okoma

Health Regen
Decrease Health Weapon
deals up to 4500-4875 Oblivion (unresistable) Damage based on 3.75% of the target's Max Health
Weapon
increases Weapon Damage & Spell Damage by 320-348 for 5 seconds
Weapon Damage Okori

Power
Weakening Weapon
reduces target's Weapon & Spell Damage by 320-348 for 5 seconds
Jewelry
increases duration of potion effects by 3.5-3.6 seconds
Potion Boost Oru

Alchemist
Potion Speed Jewelry
reduces cooldowns of potions
below this item's level by 4-5 seconds
Weapon
deals 3134-3395 Flame Damage
Flame Rekeipa

Fire
Flame Resist Jewelry
adds 3250-3520 flame resistance
Jewelry
adds 160-174 Weapon Damage
Increase Physical Harm Taderi

Physical Harm
Decrease Physical Harm Jewelry
adds 856-927 Physical Resistance

* Hakeijo runes can only be found rarely in the Imperial City's sewers or from Psijic Portals.




Aspect Runes

Aspect runes determine the quality of the glyph created. Every runestone should contain an aspect rune since the changes to enchanting with Dark Brotherhood; aspect & essence runes are found together in all runestones when they spawn. Aspect runes are random; which area you farm makes no difference to the rune you acquire.

If you find Kutas while leveling, I suggest selling or saving them until you reach gear-level cap. For the short time you will use any particular tier of lower level gear, it's simply not worth enchanting with anything beyond artifact (purple) quality enchants. The 6k-8k gold price of each Kuta can be far better spent while leveling.

Rune Glyph Quality Aspect Improvement

Ta
Base
(white)
1

Jejota
Fine
(green)
1

Denata
Superior
(blue)
2

Rekuta
Artifact
(purple)
3

Kuta
Legendary
(gold)
4



Leveling Enchanting

Common sources of inspiration boost include joining ESO+ which grants a 10% boost to inspiration gain or spending thirty (30) Champion Points in The Tower for a passive 20% boost to inspiration gain. However as these bonuses are not available to all players, they are not reflected in the data below which displays base values without any inspiration bonus.

Translating a rune (the first time you use it in the creation of a glyph) grants a bonus to inspiration. Since this bonus increases as you level enchanting, it is wise to hold off on unnecessary translations until your enchanting level is in the mid-40s; waiting past level 46 will waste the translation bonus as you will max the craft with some runes still unknown. If you need a rune to create a glyph sooner then go ahead as needed (each translation bonus isn't that much inspiration), but saving unnecessary translations until enchanting level is in the mid-40s reaps the most rewards for this process.

Enchanting Level Translation Bonus
2 1060
5 1876
10 2646
15 3518
20 4610
25 5569
30 6762
35 7909
40 9310
45 11072

Despite costing rune materials, creation of a glyph only grants roughly half the inspiration as deconstruction of a glyph of the same tier/quality. Creating glyphs is not the best way to level; runes should be saved and used to create glyphs as you need them or translated late in the leveling process. Never deconstruct a glyph you created as doing so yields only about 10% of the inspiration otherwise obtained, instead trade/sell it (often through a guild store) to another enchanter.

Deconstruction inspiration is greater with higher level and higher quality glyphs, but does suffer from a cap to inspiration based on your enchanting level (more on that to follow in just a moment). Since typically only base (white) quality glyphs drop while adventuring, leveling enchanting can be a grueling & tedious process unless you spend a bit of gold on the right glyphs.

Prices are not the only variable that affect which glyphs are the right glyphs to purchase; your enchanting level matters due to the inspiration cap. The following table can help ensure you don't waste inspiration due to the cap. Note that the cap increases with inspiration boost, so 10% inspiration boost from ESO+ will raise the numbers shown below by 10% as well, making the same glyphs useful regardless of what amount of inspiration boost you do or do not have.

Any glyphs one is likely to deconstruct are no longer impeded by enchanting level 38.
Enchanting
Level
Inspiration
Cap
applied to
Extraction
When Glyphs Become Unimpeded by the Inspiration Cap
and Start to Receive Full Inspiration for Deconstruction

(Advice on Which Glyphs to Seek for Leveling)
1 427
2-3 2458 Lesser green glyphs or Greater white glyphs
4-5 3954 Average or Strong green glyphs or any white glyphs
6-7 4747 Moderate blue glyphs or Major green glyphs
8 5280 Average blue glyphs or Greater or Grand green glyphs
9 6336 Strong blue glyphs or Splendid green glyphs
10-11 7363 Monumental or Superb green glyphs
12-13 8725 Major, Greater, or Grand blue glyphs
14-15 9074
16-17 10502 Splendid blue glyphs
18-19 11154 Monumental blue glyphs
20-21 12829 Superb blue glyphs
22-23 13606
24-25 14319 Major purple glyphs
26-27 16672 Greater, Grand, or Splendid purple glyphs
28-29 17752
30-31 18816
32-33 19954 Monumental purple glyphs
34-35 21304
36-37 22707 Superb purple glyphs
38-39 24321 Truly Superb purple glyphs

All purple and blue glyphs and most green glyphs are made by crafters, although green glyphs can apparently be acquired from writ rewards and on rare occasions while questing in certain areas (Sentinel zombie strand has been mentioned by @helediron). The following table shows comparative inspiration for different tiers/qualities of glyph and may help you choose which glyphs to purchase based on your server's prices.

Inspiration data extracted from ESOwiki.
Glyph Name Inspiration from Creation Inspiration from Deconstruction
White Green Blue Purple White Green Blue Purple
Trifling 164 329 549 987 312 625 1043 1875
Inferior 232 464 774 1392 441 882 1472 2646
Petty 307 615 1027 1845 586 1172 1967 3516
Slight 403 807 1347 2421 768 1536 2565 4608
Minor 487 975 1628 2925 928 1857 3101 5571
Lesser 592 1184 1977 3552 1127 2254 3764 6762
Moderate 692 1385 2312 4155 1318 2636 4402 7908
Average 814 1629 2720 4887 1552 3104 5183 9312
Strong 969 1938 3236 5814 1845 3690 6162 11070
Major 1200 2400 4008 7200 2284 4568 7628 13704
Greater 1281 2562 4278 7686 2437 4875 8141 14625
Grand 1362 2724 4549 8172 2591 5182 8653 15546
Splendid 1483 2697 4954 8901 2744 5873 9166 16467
Monumental 1605 3210 5360 9630 3282 6564 10961 19692
Superb n/a n/a n/a n/a 3654 7308 12205 21926
Truly Superb n/a n/a n/a n/a 3807 7616 12720 22851

Daily writs provide a boost to inspiration upon delivery and sometimes provide enchanting surveys which help replenish supplies. However, I'm not assured that doing daily writs will even allow you to break even on average.

Potency
Improvement
Inspiration
as Reward
1 1,000
2 2,000
3 4,000
4 6,000
5 8,000
6 10,000
7 13,000
8 16,000
9 20,000
10 20,000


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Sunshine Daydream's Guide to ESO

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