General:Summerset and Update 18 Preview

Originally published March 28, 2018. The original article can be found here.

600px|thumb|centre|Explore the island home of the High Elves in The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset'', coming to Xbox One and PlayStation®4 June 5 with PC/Mac early access on May 21. Discover everything you need to know about ESO's latest Chapter as well as Update 18 in this preview article. Summerset awaits!

The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset is a brand new Chapter in The Elder Scrolls Online saga and brings a new zone, new story quest, the Psijic Order Skill Line, Jewelry Crafting, and much more. You can pre-purchase ESO: Summerset'' right now and earn bonus items including the Queen's Bounty Pack and other digital rewards. In addition to the new Chapter, Update 18 will bring a series of new features for all. Want to know more? Explore Summerset below.

 
 
 

The Borders Have Opened
By the Queen's decree, the Isle of Summerset has now opened to all the races of Tamriel. The ancestral home of the High Elves is a land of remarkable beauty and wealth, but should you make your way to its shores, be warned: an ancient evil conspires from the shadows, and not everyone welcomes newcomers to the island.

For the first time since The Elder Scrolls: Arena, you can visit the Isle of Summerset and explore an all-new land packed full of exciting adventures and stunning locations in a zone even larger than the one found in The Elder Scrolls Onlines last Chapter, Morrowind.
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However, the idyllic island is not without its dangers or challenges. Wild gryphons roam the wilderness, and monstrous yaghra stalk the unwary from beneath the ground. This new zone will contain six delves for you to explore, and, for those who enjoy travelling with friends, two new public dungeons and six World Bosses. Summerset also brings a new group activity not found on the larger continent of Tamriel: Abyssal Geysers. Scattered across the island, these new group activities spawn waves of fierce monsters and must be shut down before they overrun the surface.

From its shining towers to its white-sand beaches and radiant coral reefs, the Isle of Summerset is a paradise as beautiful as it is dangerous, and it now stands ready to be explored by you and your allies.

Shadows Rise on the Isle
As a newcomer to the land of the High Elves, you will take part in a battle for the very heart of Summerset and its people with an all new story quest. Hidden behind closed doors and shadows, mysterious agents plan a sinister threat to Summerset and its people. These conspirators do not work alone, however, as they draw strength and influence from powerful Daedric allies and an ancient foe of the High Elves.

Summerset continues the epic story that was first teased in The Elder Scrolls Online base game and began in The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind Chapter and the Clockwork City DLC game pack. The forces that worked against the Tribunal demigods Vivec and Sotha Sil now continue their schemes in Summerset, and it's up to you to identify those responsible and stop them.
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Of course, while the main story quest in ESO: Summerset continues a narrative found in previous releases, you can jump in and enjoy this epic adventure at any point, and you don't need to have played ESO: Morrowind or Clockwork City in order to enjoy and follow the story.

As you roam the new zone, you're bound to discover new and unique stand-alone adventures, too, so keep an eye out as you explore! 

Join the Psijic Order
In addition to the ESO: Summerset main quest, for the first time in the Elder Scrolls series you'll be able to join the enigmatic organization known as the Psijic Order. This secret society of mages has returned after a 350-year-long absence, bringing with them a unique quest line and story that sees you travel all over Tamriel in order to close destructive and mysterious time breaches.

The Psijic Order not only provides you with a unique quest line and story–it also grants you the famed abilities of the ancient organization. The Psijic Order Skill Line features a full set of Active and Passive abilities in addition to a unique Ultimate. In similar fashion to both the Fighters Guild and Mages Guild Skill Lines, as you increase your reputation within the Order, you'll unlock a suite of powerful time-based abilities.
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These newfound abilities are not to be taken lightly. When wielding the Psijic Order Skill Line, you will be able to empower yourself and your weapons, slow and freeze enemies in place, and even rewind time! This new Skill Line will be available for all characters and classes, and whatever your role or playstyle in The Elder Scrolls Online, you can find wondrous-but-powerful new abilities with the Psijic Order. Use them wisely. Look for more information on this Skill Line in the future on The Elder Scrolls Online official website.

Craft Custom (and Powerful) Jewelry
If you enjoy crafting your own gear, ESO: Summerset allows you to learn and master an all-new Jewelry Crafting Skill Line. Jewelry Crafting works very similar to many of ESO's other crafting Skills Lines, and you'll be able to create, deconstruct, research, and improve rings and necklaces, allowing you to truly tailor all of your items.

Throughout Tamriel, you can find new Jewelry Crafting Stations (including set stations) that allow you to create custom jewelry for the current crafted item sets, and you will be able to complete Writs and Master Writs like any other crafting Skill Line. Note that the Summerset Chapter is required to use the new Crafting Stations.
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Finally, in addition to the three Traits you're used to jewelry having (Healthy, Arcane, and Robust), we're adding six brand-new ones to the game, giving you exclusive all-new options for your character's jewelry. These new Traits include Harmony, which increases the effectiveness of any Synergies that you activate, and Bloodthirsty, which increases damage against low-health enemies. Keep an eye out on The Elder Scrolls Online official website for more information on the new Traits and prepare for the first time to be able to craft, upgrade, and customize your own rings and necklaces!

Fight atop the Mountains
Summerset also brings an all-new 12-player Trial in the form of Cloudrest. Located upon Summerset's highest peak, the city of Cloudrest has gone silent, and its gryphon-riding knight protectors known as the Welkynar have disappeared. You and your allies must climb the mountain of Eton Nir, enter the city, and put a stop to the ancient evil at its center.

Cloudrest is similar to the Clockwork City's Asylum Sanctorium in that it allows you to choose how difficult you want the final boss to be by either taking on or skipping its other bosses. However, unlike Asylum Sanctorium, Cloudrest has four bosses in total, making it more difficult and much longer to complete. 
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In addition to this, all four bosses found in Cloudrest have especially challenging mechanics, and each one requires previously unheard of levels of cooperation and coordination. Of course, the rewards for completing Cloudrest match the risk. This includes four new item sets and the addition of new, improved “perfected" versions for those who want to take on the hardest version of the Trial. Should you dare to investigate the peril atop Eton Nir, be ready to face one of the game's toughest group challenges

Update 18 Brings New Rewards
In June, ESO: Summerset arrives alongside the free Update 18 base game update. This latest update brings a host of unique features for all Elder Scrolls Online players, not just those who own the Summerset Chapter.

With Update 18, we're introducing daily login rewards. With this new feature, when you log into the game you'll be able to claim a special gift. These gifts could include consumables, currencies, special collectibles, and even Crown Crates! With daily login rewards, you'll have even more reasons to visit Tamriel each and every day.

This update also brings a brand new Crown Store feature: gifting. With gifting, you can purchase and send Crown Store items to your friends and allies, and you'll be able to easily track your sent and received gifts. Almost every item in the Crown Store can be gifted, but there are some conditions.

Finally, Update 18 also features daily Battlegrounds rewards. With this update, you'll receive rewards the first time you complete a Battlegrounds match every day – similar to how daily dungeon rewards currently work. There's never been a better time to show your strength in the Battlegrounds!

Keep an eye out for more information in the future on our official website about the new features and improvements coming with Update 18. 

Explore Summerset
With The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset, you can explore a beautiful world that shelters many hidden dangers and mysteries. We've only just begun to show you what we have in store for the latest Chapter in the ESO saga, so keep an eye out on our website for more information on the zone, story, Psijic Order, Jewelry Crafting, group activities, and everything else that is coming with this massive new experience. The home of the High Elves calls to you, adventurer. Get ready to visit Summerset!
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Are you excited to explore the Isle of Summerset? Let us know what you're most looking forward to in ESO: Summerset on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, using the hashtag #Summerset!