#WelcomeToTamriel! In this guide, we discuss the how you can farm overland (AKA zone) gear in the Elder Scrolls Online for specific gear slots needed.
Note: This video does not include changes introduced in Update 39. Text below has been updated.
This guide is not a build video. If you are looking for gear ideas, check out some of the builds created by the Elder Scrolls Online Community.
Introduction
Gear is a quick way to improve your characters statistics. Sets unlock several bonuses when a character wear up to the maximum slots permitted by the set. Zone sets require five set items to unlock all of the set bonuses.
Methods
There are two methods to obtain overland gear.
- Kill stuff and loot the items
- Farm currencies (Gold or Alliance Points) and purchase gear from other players or NPC Regional Equipment vendors.
Overland Sets
Overland, also known as Zone, sets are some of the most common gear used by players. Most zones offer several kinds of gear. These include zone sets (light, medium, and heavy), crafted sets, group dungeon sets, and trial sets. Elder Scrolls Online attempts to offer a more risk / more reward loot system. Smaller armour pieces are found on easier mobs where the larger armour pieces and weapons are found on more difficult Public Dungeons and World Bosses.
Below is a a table that shows you were you can obtain different gear items for your character.
Source | Item |
---|---|
Delve Bosses | Standard Zones Waist, Feet, Unique Gold Coast / Hew’s Bane Hands, Waist and Feet |
Insurgency Events (Dolmens, Anomalies, Abyssal Geysers, and Harrowstorms) | Jewelry |
Public Dungeon Boss | Shoulders, Hand, Weapon, Unique |
World Bosses | Standard Zones Head, Chest, Legs, Weapon, Unique Gold Coast / Hew’s Bane Head, Chest, Leg, and Shoulder, Jewelry, Weapon |
Monsters | Any Set Piece |
Treasure Chests | Any Set Piece |
Delves
The easiest zone set items to farm are the waist and feet slots.
These items are found inside delves which are designed for solo gameplay.
Sometimes, these bosses will drop “unique” items which are overland items with a special name instead of the items generic name. Shown as yellow diamonds.
Insurgency Events
Insurgency events occur in certain zones and appear as hurricane-like icon on the map. They are the most reliable
place to farm jewelry.
These events include dolmens (base), anomalies (Craglorn), Abyssal Geysers (Summerset), Dragon Hunts (Elsweyr),
Harrowstorms (Greymoor), etc.
These events are designed for 2 or more players. DLC events are noticeable more challenging.
Public Dungeons
Public dungeons are encounters that occur in areas that are not instanced.
Public dungeons are a reliable source of Shoulders, Hand, Weapon, and Unique gear items.
These areas are designed for 2 or more players.
World Bosses
World Bosses appear as Skulls and Crossbones on the map.
These bosses reliably drop Head, Chest, Legs, Weapons, and Unique items (includes Shields).
These bosses often require two or more players. DLC World Bosses usually significantly harder.
Other Looting Options
There are two other methods to obtain
overland sets: Killing Zone mobs and looting
zone treasure chests.
Zone Mobs
While zone mobs usually drop lesser quality slot items
than the previously mentioned encounters.
Note:
In the base game zones, there is also a chance
for a rare provisioning recipe drop: Aetheric Cipher.
Treasure Chests
Treasure chests can provide any slot item.
The higher the difficulty of the chest the better the
quality of the rewards.
You can also increase the quality chest rewards by
maxing out the Legerdemain skill line (20) and spending
75 points in the Shadow Championship Point
tree to unlock Treasure Hunter Perk.
Currencies
If farming gear is not your preferred method, Overland gear can be obtained by other means.
Gold
Overland gear is bind on equip. This allows players to buy and
sell overland set items for gold.
If you need to raise gold to buy gear, I suggest unlocking crafting dailies (writs) on multiple characters for a simple reliable income source.
Cyrodiil / Imperial City
Source | Item |
---|---|
Delve Bosses | Delves will drop waist and feet item sets |
Dolmens | Jewelry |
Board Missions | Bounty and Scout – Armor Slots Battle and Warfront – Weapon Slots |
Town Daily Quests | Town Daily Quest and Town Merchants will be divided by Light, Medium and Heavy. All PvP sets are available as individual containers on both Town Merchants and Elite Gear Vendors. Town Merchants have a discount price of 12k AP Elite Gear Vendors have a higher price of 20k AP |
Rewards of the Worthy | Newest item sets |
Imperial City | Trove Scamps Black Rose Galerion’s Revenge Imperial Physique Meritorious Service Phoenix Powerful Assault Reactive Armor Shield Breaker Thews of the Harbinger Vicecanon of Venom |
PVP players can buy Regional boxes for 5,000AP. RNG applies.
The Regional Zone vendors can be found in the following locations
- AD – Eastern Elsweyr Gate – Zenira
- DC – Northern High Rock – Zenul
- EP – Southern Morrowind Gate – Leiddrod
Note:
On the map, the Regional Vendors are labelled Weaponsmiths.