The Elder Scrolls Online Endless Archive Explained

The next major content update for The Elder Scrolls Online is arriving soon on Mac and PC on 30th October 2023 and consoles on 14th November 2023. With the content already available to play on the Public Test Servers (PTS), players have spent ample time exploring and doing dungeon runs for the new PvE activity.

The Endless Archive is an arena-like experience where they’ll face countless enemies and bosses with buffs available to use and plenty of unique rewards to earn. We’ve broken down everything about the new PvE dungeon activity, the Endless Archive, including its gameplay details, rewards, and more for The Elder Scrolls Online.

What Is The Endless Archive In The Elder Scrolls Online?

With the new PvE dungeon activity, the Endless Archive, added in Update 40 for The Elder Scrolls Online, players can expect plenty of content to explore and rewards to earn. As developer ZeniMax Online Studios detailed, players will enter the dungeon either from the map or physically by heading to Apocrypha and locating it to enter the starting chamber.

We’re thrilled to announce that The Endless Archive, coming with Update 40, is a base game update and completely free for all existing #ESO players! 🙌🙌🙌 https://t.co/xUcStsC2ZVpic.twitter.com/P7gy2fpXPu

— The Elder Scrolls Online (@TESOnline) September 14, 2023

In this dungeon-like activity, players will embark on an endless combat experience, battling through unique stages and encounters with randomized bosses and enemies. Speaking of these randomized bosses and enemies, the developer has pulled all bosses and enemies players have encountered throughout Nirn.

It’s worth pointing out that no dungeon runs of the Endless Archive are the same as the next player due to the number of enemies and bosses you may come up against. When stepping into the Endless Archive, there are four Cycles, with each Cycle featuring three stages where you’ll go head-to-head with these randomized enemies and bosses.

After completing all four Cycles, the final Cycle will play host to a boss unique to the Endless Archive, which, after defeating it, will complete an Arc and, therefore, can progress to the next Arc. The first time doing the Endless Archive, the difficulty should be easy for all players to complete their first Arc; however, it will gradually increase as they continue exploring this dungeon.

Luckily, the Endless Archive can be done as a solo player, but with a catch, as it’s advised to bring along a Companion of your choosing. Going alone will make it harder to clear an Arc in the Endless Archive, as they have a limited number of deaths or team wipes before your run ends.

But they don’t just have to bring a Companion; they can bring a friend online, which can help prevent an untimely death or end your run prematurely. But there are unique types of buffs or boons, Visions, and Verses that can grant players additional support when embarking on a dungeon run.

Verses are temporary buffs that can be picked after the end of a Stage and expire at the end of the following Stage. Visions, however, are too available at the end of every Cycle, which lasts for the entirety of their dungeon run.

Aside from the Visions and Verses, there are unique mini-portals called the Portals of the Unknown, which players can enter for additional combat experience. When stepping into a portal, there are unique challenges to complete, which could prepare players for a forthcoming boss or enemy waves.

Therefore, players must strategize how to tackle the Endless Archive using the buffs gained from the collected Visions and Verses. Also, take into consideration the environment you’ll step into for each Stage and every Cycle, as larger arenas can provide cover from enemy attacks, allowing them to heal more effectively.

After completing these portal challenges, there are unique rewards to earn, which include Archival Fortunes, Furnishings, Verses, and card fragments for the new Hermaeus Mora Patron Deck. On top of the rewards gained from these portal challenges, clearing a Stage or a Cycle can also be rewarding as they can earn more Archival Fortunes and Collectibles, including a Mount, Pets, bonus cosmetics, and a new type of gear called Class Item Sets.

The Elder Scrolls Online is available for the PlayStation 4|5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Mac, PC via Epic Games Store and Steam and Xbox Game Pass. Players can install the game launcher detailed in this guide as Update 40 releases for Mac and PC on 30th October 2023.