The Elder Scrolls Online Stamina and Magicka Skill Resource Guide

The Elder Scrolls Online, like its predecessors in The Elder Scrolls series of games, features two main combat resource pools—Magicka and Stamina. Both these stats can be raised, along with Health, each time you level up. You can also raise these pools by equipping gear that confer bonuses to your stats.

To that end, every skill in the game draws from either Magicka or Stamina. At its most basic, Stamina works to supply your weapon skills (e.g. two-handed swords, bows) while Magicka is used for your class skills, such as the abilities you might use as a Nightblade or Dragon Knight. 

In addition to class skills and weapon skills, the game contains armor skills, a host of additional guilds that you can join, and Alliance War skills, and more, all of which use either Stamina or Magicka.

Each of these skills scales in damage with the resource pool needed to cast it. Meaning, your Nightblade skills will go up in damage and usefulness the more Magicka you have at your disposal.

Here’s a full list of skills and their related resource pools (compiled by redditor ADevilNamedBen). 

Class skills – All Magicka

Weapon skills – All stamina except restoration/destruction staff which are Magicka.

Fighters Guild – Stamina

Mages Guild – Magicka

Werewolves – Stamina

Vampires – Magicka

Undaunted – Magicka

Armor skills – Medium/Heavy Stamina, Light Magicka

Soul Magic – Magicka

Alliance War: Assault – Stamina

Alliance War: Support – Magicka

Dodge/Sprint/CC break/Sneak/Block – Stamina.

Light and Heavy weapon attacks – Bonus damage from Stamina pool.