Originally published October 10, 2023. The original article can be found here.
The all-new Infinite Archive PvE activity arrives on PC/Mac October 30 and November 14 for Xbox and PlayStation consoles. In this unique base-game challenge, you face near-endless waves of monsters and boss battles as you delve ever-deeper into one of Hermaeus Mora’s most secret libraries.
Such an expedition may appear daunting at first, so we reached out to the Dungeon Team Product Owner, Shane Slama, for his quick tips on surviving ESO’s latest PvE challenge.
Plan for Solo SuccessEdit
“When playing solo, survivability and resource regeneration are important things to keep in mind when suiting up for a fresh run,” says Slama. “Consider food and mundus stone options that provide maximum health and either stamina or magicka regeneration and item set bonuses that balance your offensive output with survivability.”
The Infinite Archive rewards those with a balanced build, and solo one-trick ponies might find their progress stymied earlier than expected.
“The main thing to watch out for is using a pure glass cannon build,” explains Slama. “Because while your damage output may be great, the maligraphies in the Archive may just shatter you before you shatter them.”
Seek Out PortalsEdit
When venturing into the Infinite Archive, keep an eye out for its unique portals.
“Always be on the lookout for Portals to the Unknown and make sure to enter them,” explains Slama. These mini challenges are rewarding and will not only help you with the next Stage or boss battle, but also ultimately unlock the ability to purchase powerful permanent account upgrades specific to Infinite Archive.”
By completing Portals to the Unknown as part of your expedition, you get an opportunity to earn additional Furnishings and Collectibles, Archival Fortunes, and most importantly, another Verse for the next challenge.
Use the EnvironmentEdit
While you never know which stage you’ll set foot in next, it’s important to recognize how to use them to your advantage.
“Larger areas with obstacles may be used to put a line-of-sight blocker between yourself and your enemies,” says Slama. “This is useful if you need time to recover some resources, avoid certain ranged attacks, or to cluster enemies for easier area effect damage dealing.”
Grab Mystery Verse ScrollsEdit
Sometimes it’s handy to have an ace in the hole, and keeping a Mystery Verse scroll might be the edge you need to clear an especially tricky stage or to battle a boss.
“Mystery Verse scrolls come in three varieties: Offensive, Defensive and Utility scrolls,” says Slama. “The scrolls may be purchased from filer merchants using Archival Fortunes. The scrolls provide a random Verse that you don’t currently possess, and that Verse will be active for the next Stage or boss battle. You can use one scroll per Cycle, so choosing the best time to use a scroll is important. A great moment to use a scroll is on the Cycle boss round, or perhaps the moment you see a Marauder on the field.”
To get your hands on a Mystery Verse scroll, you can trade with a filer merchant after clearing a stage (they appear next to the portal) or visit Filer Tezurs in the Infinite Archive Index.
Go DefensiveEdit
Don’t ignore the Visions that grant defensive buffs early—they might save you a lot of trouble later.
“Offensive Visions are tempting because everyone loves to deal more damage, but if you’re planning to push deeper into the Archive, selecting Defensive Visions early pays off in the later challenges where incoming damage isn’t easily shook off,” explains Slama.
“As you progress deeper into the Infinite Archive, maligraphies hit harder and being able to survive is critical since you have limited threads,” says Slama. “Sure, it’s possible to kill maligraphies before they damage you and to go all in on offense, but you won’t be able to avoid all incoming damage. So being able to tank that hit and keep your threads safe may be what separates an unceremonious end from a triumphant personal best.”
What strategies are you planning to take into your Infinite Archive expeditions? Don’t forget, this new arena-type activity can be tackled solo or with a fellow player, so if you’re struggling to clear an Arc, why not reach out to a friend for help? Alternatively, use Update 40’s new Group Finder to find the perfect partner and venture ever deeper into this infinite challenge! Let us know how you’re tackling the Infinite Archive via X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, or Facebook, and good luck!
The Infninte Archive is a new PvE activity free for all ESO players that arrives with the Update 40 base-game patch on October 30 for PC/Mac and November 14 for Xbox and PlayStation consoles.