I Tried ESO's New Challenge Difficulty Feature - Here's What Happened
ESO Update 50 introduces the new Challenge Difficulty system, giving players the option to make overland combat more dangerous. After spending time with the feature, I'm sharing my first impressions, what I liked, and what I think could still be improved.
ESO has finally implemented higher difficulty options for overland encounters, story instances, delves, and public dungeons (Dungeons, Trials, Arenas, Infinite Archive, and Night Market are exempt). On June 8th, Challenge Difficulty was released, allowing players to switch between three difficulty settings that provide tougher challenges and better rewards while exploring Tamriel.
One criticism ESO has faced for years is that overland content is extremely easy for most players. Enemies tend to die quickly, especially for experienced players. I hopped into the game to test this new feature and see if it actually made a noticeable difference.
What Is Challenge Difficulty?
Challenge Difficulty is an optional setting that can be selected from your character menu. There are four difficulty settings that you can switch between while out in the world:
- Adventurer (default difficulty)
- Seasoned - Take 100% more damage | Deal 50% less damage | Receive 50% more gold | Gain 20% more XP
- Master - Take 300% more damage | Deal 65% less damage | Receive 100% more gold | Gain 75% more XP
- Vestige - Take 600% more damage | Deal 80% less damage | Receive 200% more gold | Gain 100% more XP
In my opinion, this system is intended for solo and veteran players who are looking for a greater challenge while casually playing the game.
First Impressions
I decided to experiment a bit and try each difficulty mode against the same group of three enemies that I found in the High Isle zone. It was just a simple mob pack, but it gave me a pretty good idea of how different each difficulty setting feels.
Adventurer is just your typical difficulty mode. There is not much to go over here, so let's skip that.
With Seasoned, I noticed that enemies seemed to go down a bit slower and dealt slightly more damage, but nothing I couldn't handle. I never felt like I was in any real danger.
Master is where I started noticing the biggest difference. Enemies took noticeably less damage and dealt a lot more damage to me. In fact, I actually died once. I was able to revive and finish off the rest of the group, but there was definitely a big jump in difficulty compared to Adventurer and Seasoned.
I think this is where most players are going to want to be. It provides a nice challenge while also giving you more gold, but it is not so difficult that it makes you want to stop playing.
Vestige is, at least for me, pretty difficult. Now, I will preface this by saying that I am by no means a hardcore player. Sure, I have a decent amount of Champion Points, but my build is far from perfect. With that in mind, I struggled with Vestige mode. The enemies hit so hard that I would often die in just two hits.
This mode is definitely not made for squishy players like me, but I could see it being a well-built veteran player's dream. It may even be too easy for some of them, but we'll have to wait and see what the feedback looks like over the coming weeks.
What I Like
Combat Felt More Engaging
A lot of the activities that ESO offers can unfortunately become repetitive over time. I think this Challenge Difficulty option makes combat more enjoyable because it feels a bit more engaging, especially on the harder difficulty settings.
When I was playing on Master, I had to think more about my rotation. I couldn't just jump in and sweep through a group of enemies like normal. You actually have to put a bit more thought into what you're doing.
I think this will also make some players think more about their builds. I know it has already made me start thinking about ways to be less squishy and how I can hit enemies harder.
I'm sure there are some players out there who are ridiculously strong, and this feature may not provide much of a challenge for them. However, for the average player, I think Challenge Difficulty will make combat a bit more fun and engaging. It adds a little more strategy to encounters and gives overland content a fresh feel.
It Gives Players More Choice
One thing I really like is that this was implemented as an optional feature rather than a permanent change. Players who already enjoy the current difficulty can keep things exactly as they are, while those looking for more of a challenge can switch to a higher difficulty at any time.
It also gives players a lot of flexibility depending on how they want to play. Maybe you're having a rough day and just want to relax with some casual gaming. In that case, you can stick with the default difficulty. On the other hand, if you're looking for more of a challenge, you can increase the difficulty and make combat much more demanding.
I like the versatility of the system, and I think it's great that the player gets to decide what kind of adventure they're looking for from the moment they start playing.
The XP And Gold Bonuses Are Nice
The extra rewards help justify and motivate players to use this feature. While I don't think the XP and gold bonuses alone will convince everyone to increase the difficulty, they are a nice incentive for those willing to take on the extra challenge.
It feels rewarding to know that you're getting something in return for making combat more difficult. Whether you're working on leveling a character, earning Champion Points, or simply trying to build up your gold reserves, the bonuses provide an extra reason to step outside your comfort zone and give the harder difficulties a try.
What I Didn't Like
The Jump Between Difficulties Can Feel Strange At First
As I was jumping between the different difficulty settings, the balance felt a little off. Seasoned still felt relatively easy, with no real sense of danger or a particularly noticeable change from the default experience. Enemies took a bit longer to defeat, but overall it didn't feel significantly different.
Master, on the other hand, felt like a massive jump in difficulty. The increase was immediately noticeable, and combat became much less forgiving. I found myself struggling against enemies that I normally wouldn't think twice about, and I even died while fighting a single mob. It almost felt like there was a missing step between Seasoned and Master, as the jump from one difficulty to the next was much larger than I expected.
Of course, this is just based on my experience and build, but the progression between those two difficulty settings didn't feel quite as smooth as I was anticipating.
I Wish The Rewards Scaled Even More
Yes, the XP and gold bonuses are nice; however, I wish there were additional rewards tied to each difficulty setting. Give us something to work toward with our builds beyond just extra XP and gold.
For example, maybe players on Vestige difficulty could earn unique cosmetics, collectibles, titles, or achievements for actively using the mode or defeating certain enemies while it is enabled. This is just an idea, but I think it would be cool to see even more incentives for players to strengthen their builds and take on these harder difficulty settings.
The Challenge Difficulty system already encourages players to engage more with combat. Adding exclusive rewards could give players another reason to push themselves and continue experimenting with tougher content.
It Doesn't Solve Every Overland Issue
While Challenge Difficulty does make combat more engaging, combat is only one part of the issue when it comes to overland content. The enemies may be stronger, but the overall gameplay experience remains largely the same. Quest objectives haven't changed, enemy density is still the same, and you're generally completing the same activities you've always been doing.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's worth pointing out. The world feels more dangerous, yet it doesn't feel fundamentally different. You're still traveling to the same locations, defeating the same enemies, and completing the same quests. The Challenge Difficulty system adds more excitement to combat encounters, but it doesn't completely solve the broader issue of overland content becoming repetitive over time.
That being said, I still think it's a step in the right direction. Making enemies more threatening helps keep players engaged, even if there is still room for further improvements in the future.
Final Thoughts
After spending some time testing the different difficulty settings, I found myself paying more attention during combat, thinking more about my rotation, and considering ways to improve my build. For me, that's a sign that the system is doing what it was designed to do.
What stands out the most is that it shows the developers are listening to one of the community's longest-running pieces of feedback. Players have been asking for more challenging overland content for years, and while this may not be the perfect solution, it is a clear attempt to address that concern without negatively impacting players who enjoy the current experience.
There is still room for improvement. The reward structure could be expanded, the balance between difficulty levels could use some fine-tuning, and it would be interesting to see the system tie into additional gameplay features in the future. Even so, I think Challenge Difficulty is a solid addition that makes overland combat more engaging for players looking for a greater challenge.
I'm especially curious to see how the system evolves over future seasons. If the developers continues to build on this foundation and respond to player feedback, Challenge Difficulty could become an even better feature over time.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this blog, subscribe for more ESO content and check out my YouTube channel for ESO gameplay, guides, and other gaming adventures. I'd love to have you along for the journey!
