Does cutting through hordes of enemies with nary a scratch to show for it sound appealing? Then playing as a "tank," in RPG parlance, is the obvious choice. The Elder Scrolls is a franchise that prides itself in its ability to give the player plenty of choices. In The Elder Scrolls Online one of the first choices that must be made is which race to select.

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There are ten playable races in Tamriel. Each of them possess a set of strengths and weaknesses. Their innate racial abilities make them more suited to a particular playstyle. A handful of them make perfect choices for playing as a tank-like character in The Elder Scrolls Online.

7 Argonian

Although it may seem unusual at first, Argonians actually make great tanks. More specifically, they serve quite a useful purpose acting as defensive tanks. Their main strength can be found in their healing abilities, making them good choices for newcomers and conservative players alike.

The Resourceful Racial Skill makes drinking potions even more beneficial as it restores a greater chunk of the player's attributes. Argonian Resistance increases Health and grants immunity to poisons and disease. Lastly, and most importantly, Life Mender makes healing progressively stronger. Undoubtedly, the Argonian is an excellent choice for a tank/healer combination.

6 Dark Elf

Many players assuredly subscribe to the belief that "a good offense is a good defense." The Dark Elf strikes a good balance between those two principles. Unlike the Argonian, the Dark Elf can play a more direct role in combat when tanking.

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Their racial skills reflect this balance perfectly. Resist Flame makes them extra durable when fighting enemies who enjoy using fire as part of their repertoire. At the same time, Ruination increases spell and weapon damage with each successive upgrade in rank. Players who like to dual-wield are aided by the Ashlander Skill, which grants a bonus to gaining experience points.

5 Khajiit

The Khajiit is a fairly well-rounded race that suits any number of playstyles. Although often thought of as thief characters, the Khajiit can play the role of a tank rather admirably. Their Racial Skills can make them rather hardy combatants on the battlefield.

The Robustness Skill increases the recovery speed of all three attributes. This allows the Khajiit to potentially stay in the fight for a longer period of time. Lunar Blessings extends the maximum amount of Health, Stamina, and Magicka as well. Combine with some heavy armor and the Khajiit can be a surprisingly durable force to be reckoned with in The Elder Scrolls Online.

4 Redguard

It's well-known that Redguards, inhabitants of Hammerfell, are pretty intimidating warriors according to Tamrielic lore. Thus, it's only natural that they excel in the role of tank as well. Their strength, in particular, lies in the Stamina Skill. Players can swing their weapons for a longer period of time and pull off more powerful moves as a result.

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The Conditioning and Martial Training Skills are a perfect "one-two punch" combination in this respect. Max Stamina is increased by the former while the latter reduces the cost of using weapon abilities. Adrenaline Rush can be extra useful for tank builds as scoring direct hits replenishes the Stamina pool, which allows for a continuous stream of deadly offensive maneuvers.

3 Imperial

Like Khajiit the Imperials are a good jack-of-all-trades type of character. Nevertheless, their prowess as warriors and even mages is unmistakable. Tanking as an Imperial is a wise proposition once their Racial Skills are taken into account.

The Tough skill, with each subsequent rank, dramatically increases the player's maximum Health. If encased in heavy armor, an Imperial can be extremely difficult to kill. Imperial Mettle and Red Diamond also increase the player's staying power in a fight. It beats the Redguard's Adrenaline Rush by partially replenishing all three attributes when direct hits are scored on an enemy.

2 Orc

It wouldn't be much of a stretch to assume that Orcs were tailor-made to be tanks. Their renown as heavy armor smiths is known throughout all the provinces of Tamriel. It's no mystery why the Imperial Legions contain so many Orcs in their ranks.

The Craftsman Skill makes wearing heavy armor even more attractive by boosting the rate by which experience is gained. Unflinching Rage grants extra maximum Health and also heals the player a bit whenever damage is scored by a weapon ability. Swift Warrior buffs weapon damage further with each successive rank. Finally, Brawny increases maximum Stamina. All three of these abilities typically make the Orc the last man standing on the battlefield.

1 Nord

Nords are what tank-builds aspire to be. The very essence of the Nord is to obliterate their enemies quickly and mercilessly. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, of course, gave fans of the series a highly detailed look at their culture. They are not a people to be trifled with lightly.

The Racial Skills of the Nord in The Elder Scrolls Online make them the quintessential choice for a tank. Resist Frost and Rugged make them incredibly resistant to both physical and magical attacks. The Stalwart Skill makes gaining Ultimates in battle easier than most other races. Finally, the Reveler Skill encourages the use of Two-Handed weapons, which tend to deal massive amounts of physical damage to an opponent.

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