The Elder Scrolls Online

Suggest trying one of the expansion areas, they’re more self-contained and generally higher quality.

Do I need to subscribe to get access? I have the base game and nothing else as far as I know.

Not a bad idea since I hear a lot of good things about it.

If you subscribe you get access to everything, but only while you subscribe. Or you can buy the game in its most recent omnibus edition and get all but the most recent expansion forever, or you can buy each expansion individually as DLC.

Pretty sure even subscribers have to pay for the most recent expansion. Maybe more than one. Just the $40 expansions, though, not the DLC zones.

You’re right, subscribers need to buy the most recent one too. Not previous ones, they turn into DLC as each new one is released.

That said, there is no reason to do that when you’re just trying out the game. It’s taken me hundreds of hours to approach being ready (in content release order) to get into Greymoor (the current expansion) and they’re already ramping up for another one. (I’m just about poised to dip into Southern Elsweyr, so, it could still be weeks.) I’ve been much more thorough in questing than you actually have to, but still. So much content under that subscription.

Right, while the newer zones are better than the older ones, even Morrowind is really excellent.

I would like to try a better zone. Is there a good newer zone for a level 13?

Your level doesn’t matter, you can go anywhere. I’d head to Morrowind if you have access, lots of nostalgia for the old game and it really feels different.

So the ESO store is confusing. Morrowind as a standalone product no longer seems to be for sale. It looks like I’d have to purchase the standard digital Greymoor for $50, which would then include all the expansions. Or I can purchase a Greymoor digital upgrade for $30 which only gives me Greymoor.

Likewise, I could purchase the upcoming Blackwood for $40 and get Blackwood and nothing else, or the Blackwood Collection for $60 and get Blackwood when it releases plus all the other expansions.

If I was all in I’d get the Blackwood Collection for $60 instead of the standard digital Greymoor for $50, but I am not all in. It looks like if I decide to keep playing ESO plus makes the most sense. That or continue with the base game and hope my interest is rekindled.

I agree, and ESO plus is definitely worth paying for if you actually play the game. The crafting bag is huge.

Another hint, join a big guild and get an addon that lets you teleport close to anyone else in your guild. That’s a huge improvement on travel.

Sounds like a good time to dip your feet into other MMOs first before spending money. FFXIV has a free trial that lasts for tons and tons of hours, and LOTRO has enough content that’s free that you’ll have a good idea if you want to invest there. You may get lucky and see a deal on the ESO complete edition in the meantime (I picked it up for $20 on sale I think - obviously it won’t have the newest stuff if it does go on sale, it would only be up to Greymoor. Pretty sure we’re a good ways away from a good sale on the latest expansion).

As stusser says, if you do stick with ESO then subscribing is probably worth it. Money making is heavily tied to crafting, and crafting is heavily tied to the crafting bag. It just isn’t worth the time investment to try and work around it.

I never got into crafting, but I hated having to mess around with my inventory all the dang time.

Actually it is. This week there is an event that’s happening for people who have Morrowind or Clockwork City DLC. So, these two DLCs are also on sale in the Crown Store for 50% off. I suspect you probably already have Morrowind. Look for a region called Vvardenfell with Vivec City. That’s Morrowind. The NPCs are mainly dark elves as it is a story about dark elves. If you are on PC-NA, add me as friend (@belfong) and I can help you around.

Right, it isn’t for sale directly for money, only for “crowns”, because it’s a DLC now.

Why would I have Morrowind? I bought the original game way back when and haven’t purchased anything since. I buy games. I don’t really play them!

I can still get the starters pack for $10. Maybe that has enough crowns to buy Morrowind. I’ll take a look. If I need more maybe I’ll sub for a month and check it out.

When you subscribe each month you get a bunch of “crowns” too. It isn’t the cheapest way to buy crowns but it’s probably the best.

A lot of people got in with a bundle that included Morrowind and the four earliest zone DLCs. If you bought in with the original release, that’s not you.

You get 1650 crowns when you subscribe for one month.
That’s probably the same price as buying just the crown by itself.

So, ideally, you should sub, if you are thinking of just getting the crowns.

To my surprise, Blackwood is part of Green Man Gaming’s current voucher sale. 20% off, so I got the upgrade version for $31. The code is ‘SPR21’.