Buffs & Debuffs
Every Major and Minor effect in Update 52: what it does and every skill, scribing script, set and potion that gives it.
Update 52 (PTS) version
This page is the Update 52 version of the buffs and debuffs reference. Update 52 is on the PTS until January 19, 2027, so numbers can still move. Skill and set tooltips still show the live Update 51 text; hover one that changes to see what's new. For what works in game today, switch to Update 51 in the version picker (top right, or in the menu on phones). The full list is in the Update 52 patch notes.
Reverberating Bash now applies Major Maim for 15 seconds, so it's listed as a Major Maim source.
Heroic Slash always grants Minor Heroism, and 
Sun Fire's Major Savagery lasts 1 minute.
Unstoppable Brute still gives Major Resolve, and now taunts up to six enemies too.- No effect changes its value, so the Impact column is the same as in Update 51.
Good to know
58 effects
Buffs
| Effect | What it does | Impact | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
 Major Aegis | Reduces damage taken from monsters by 10%. Works on every monster since Update 51, not only in dungeons, trials and arenas. | −10%damage taken from monsters |
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 Minor Aegis | Reduces damage taken from monsters by 5%. Works on every monster since Update 51, not only in dungeons, trials and arenas. | −5%damage taken from monsters |
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 Major Berserk | Increases damage done by 10%. | +10%damage done |
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 Minor Berserk | Increases damage done by 5%. | +5%damage done |
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 Major Brutality | Increases Weapon and Spell Damage by 20%. Major Sorcery was merged into it in Update 51. | +11.4%damage done |
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 Minor Brutality | Increases Weapon and Spell Damage by 10%. Minor Sorcery was merged into it in Update 51. | +5.7%damage done |
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 Major Courage | Increases Weapon and Spell Damage by 430. | +4.9%damage done |
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 Minor Courage | Increases Weapon and Spell Damage by 215. | +2.4%damage done |
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 Empower | Increases Heavy Attack damage against monsters by 150% (70% from the scribed Empower affix). | +150%Heavy Attack damage vs monsters |
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 Major Endurance | Increases Stamina Recovery by 30%. | +30%Stamina Recovery |
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 Minor Endurance | Increases Stamina Recovery by 15%. | +15%Stamina Recovery |
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 Major Evasion | Reduces damage taken from area attacks by 20%. | −20%damage taken from area attacks |
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 Minor Evasion | Reduces damage taken from area attacks by 10%. | −10%damage taken from area attacks |
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 Major Expedition | Increases movement speed by 30%. | +30%movement speed |
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 Minor Expedition | Increases movement speed by 15%. | +15%movement speed |
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 Major Force | Increases Critical Damage done by 20%. | +6.7%damage done |
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 Minor Force | Increases Critical Damage done by 10%. | +3.3%damage done |
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 Major Fortitude | Increases Health Recovery by 30%. | +30%Health Recovery |
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 Minor Fortitude | Increases Health Recovery by 15%. | +15%Health Recovery |
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 Gallop | Increases mounted speed by 15%. Counts as a Minor buff. | +15%mounted speed |
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 Major Heroism | Generates 3 Ultimate every 1.5 seconds in combat. | +2/sUltimate |
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 Minor Heroism | Generates 1 Ultimate every 1.5 seconds in combat. Update 52: Heroic Slash always grants it. | +0.67/sUltimate |
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 Major Intellect | Increases Magicka Recovery by 30%. | +30%Magicka Recovery |
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 Minor Intellect | Increases Magicka Recovery by 15%. | +15%Magicka Recovery |
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 Major Mending | Increases healing done by 16%. | +16%healing done |
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 Minor Mending | Increases healing done by 8%. | +8%healing done |
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 Major Protection | Reduces damage taken by 10%. | −10%damage taken |
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 Minor Protection | Reduces damage taken by 5%. | −5%damage taken |
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 Major Resolve | Increases Physical and Spell Resistance by 5948. | −9%damage taken, if you're under the armor cap |
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 Minor Resolve | Increases Physical and Spell Resistance by 2974. | −4.5%damage taken, if you're under the armor cap |
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 Major Savagery | Increases Weapon and Spell Critical by 2629 (about 12%). Major Prophecy was merged into it in Update 51. Update 52: Sun Fire's lasts 1 minute. | +8%damage done |
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 Minor Savagery | Increases Weapon and Spell Critical by 1314 (about 6%). Minor Prophecy was merged into it in Update 51. | +4%damage done |
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 Major Slayer | Increases damage done against monsters by 10%. Works on every monster since Update 51, not only in dungeons, trials and arenas. | +10%damage vs monsters |
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 Minor Slayer | Increases damage done against monsters by 5%. Works on every monster since Update 51, not only in dungeons, trials and arenas. | +5%damage vs monsters |
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 Minor Toughness | Increases Max Health by 10%. | +10%Max Health |
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 Major Vitality | Increases healing received and damage shield strength by 12%. | +12%healing and shields received |
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 Minor Vitality | Increases healing received and damage shield strength by 6%. | +6%healing and shields received |
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Debuffs
| Effect | What it does | Impact | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
 Major Breach | Reduces the target's Physical and Spell Resistance by 5948. | +12.4%damage vs a boss |
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 Minor Breach | Reduces the target's Physical and Spell Resistance by 2974. | +6.2%damage vs a boss |
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 Major Brittle | The target takes 20% more Critical Damage. | +6.7%damage done to the target |
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 Minor Brittle | The target takes 10% more Critical Damage. | +3.3%damage done to the target |
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 Major Cowardice | Reduces the target's Weapon and Spell Damage by 430. | −430target's Weapon/Spell Damage, mainly PvP |
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 Minor Cowardice | Reduces the target's Weapon and Spell Damage by 215. | −215target's Weapon/Spell Damage, mainly PvP |
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 Major Defile | Reduces the target's healing received and damage shield strength by 12%. | −12%target's healing and shields received |
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 Minor Defile | Reduces the target's healing received and damage shield strength by 6%. | −6%target's healing and shields received |
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 Minor Enervation | Reduces the target's Critical Damage by 10%. | −10%target's Critical Damage |
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 Minor Fracture | Reduces the target's Physical Resistance by 1320. | +2.8%Physical damage vs a boss |
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 Minor Hindrance | Reduces the target's movement speed by 40%. | −40%target's movement speed |
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 Minor Lifesteal | Anyone damaging the target heals for 600 Health per second. | 600/sHealth for each attacker |
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 Minor Magickasteal | Anyone damaging the target restores 168 Magicka per second. | 168/sMagicka for each attacker |
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 Major Maim | The target deals 10% less damage. Update 52: Reverberating Bash applies it for 15 seconds. | −10%damage taken from the target |
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 Minor Maim | The target deals 5% less damage. No longer brewable since Update 51. | −5%damage taken from the target |
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 Minor Mangle | Reduces the target's Max Health by 10%. | −10%target's Max Health |
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 Minor Timidity | Drains 1 Ultimate every 1.5 seconds. | −0.67/starget's Ultimate |
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 Minor Uncertainty | Reduces the target's Weapon and Spell Critical by 1320. | −6%target's Critical Chance |
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 Minor Vexation | Reduces the target's healing done by 8%. New in Update 51, the counterpart to Mending. | −8%target's healing done |
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 Major Vulnerability | The target takes 10% more damage. | +10%damage done to the target |
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 Minor Vulnerability | The target takes 5% more damage. | +5%damage done to the target |
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Unique group buffs
These replaced Minor Sorcery and Minor Prophecy in Update 51. They have no Major or Minor version, so they stack with everything above.
Exploitation · Sorcerer · Dark Magic passive
Activating a Dark Magic ability gives you and your group 2974 Offensive Penetration for 20 seconds.
+6.2%damage vs a boss
Illuminate · Templar · Dawn's Wrath passive
Casting a Dawn's Wrath ability gives you and your group 2974 Armor for 20 seconds.
−4.5%damage taken, if you're under the armor cap
How Impact is worked out
Effects that are already a flat percentage (Protection, Berserk, Vulnerability, Slayer and so on) show that percentage. Gold values are damage you gain, green values are damage you avoid. The rest are converted with ESO's formulas against this baseline:
- Armor: every 660 Physical or Spell Resistance cuts that damage by 1%, up to 33,100 (50%). Major Resolve is worth 9% less damage taken only while you're under that cap. Tanks in five heavy body pieces with a medium head and light shoulders land just under the cap with Resolve up, so it still counts.
- Breach, Fracture and Exploitation: damage gained against a boss with 18,200 resistance and no other penetration. If your group already brings that much penetration, more is wasted.
- Brutality and Courage: a damage dealer with 40,000 max Magicka or Stamina and 5,000 Weapon/Spell Damage before percentage bonuses. Skill damage scales with max stat ÷ 10.5 plus Weapon/Spell Damage.
- Savagery, Force and Brittle: 50% Critical Chance and 100% Critical Damage before the effect, with 219 rating per 1% Critical Chance.
- Percent damage done bonuses (Berserk, Slayer, Vulnerability) add to each other rather than multiply, so each one is worth a little less when several are up.
Sources come from UESP's effect, skill, set and scribing pages, checked against the Update 51 patch notes and the U51 game data. Sources link to UESP. Set lists include every set that grants the effect; most only do so on a condition, so read the set before you farm it.