In The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO), understanding status effects is crucial for maximizing damage, debuffing enemies, and completing combat-related objectives. One such effect, known as ‘Concussed,’ plays a significant role in both PvE and PvP content. Concussing enemies not only helps your group deal more damage, but it also ties into achievements, skill synergy, and even set bonuses. Learning how to concuss enemies in ESO can enhance your effectiveness as a DPS or support player. This guide breaks down how concussed works, which abilities apply it, and how you can consistently trigger the effect in battle.
Understanding the Concussed Status Effect
The Concussed status effect is one of several elemental-based debuffs in ESO. Specifically, it is linked to shock damage. When an enemy is concussed, they suffer from reduced damage output and can be more vulnerable to further shock-related effects. The key benefit of concussing an enemy is applying Minor Vulnerability, increasing the damage they take from all sources by 5% for a short duration.
Key Features of Concussed
- Applies Minor Vulnerability for 4 seconds
- Only triggered by shock damage
- Can be refreshed by reapplying the effect
- Works on both single-target and AoE abilities
This makes the concussed status especially useful in group settings like dungeons and trials, where maximizing group DPS is essential.
How to Trigger the Concussed Effect
To concuss enemies in ESO, you need to deal shock damage using weapons, abilities, or set effects. However, not all shock damage has the same chance to apply the concussed status. Some abilities have a higher chance due to their nature or passives tied to your class or weapon line.
Using Destruction Staves
The most reliable way to concuss enemies is by using a lightning staff. The Destruction Staff skill line provides several tools to enhance your shock damage and increase the likelihood of triggering status effects.
- Wall of Elements (Lightning Wall morph): This ground-targeted AoE deals consistent shock damage over time and has a good chance to apply concussed.
- Shock Clench and Shock Touch: These single-target shock abilities can concuss enemies with direct damage.
- Heavy Attacks with a Lightning Staff: These channelled attacks deal shock damage and have a moderate chance to apply the effect.
For builds focused on applying status effects, equipping a lightning staff is highly recommended due to its synergy with concussed and other shock-based mechanics.
Class Abilities That Deal Shock Damage
Some classes have access to shock-damage abilities that can apply the concussed status without needing a lightning staff.
- Sorcerer Mage’s Fury (Endless Fury morph): A strong execute ability with shock damage that can concuss.
- Warden Arctic Blast (if morphed to include shock damage via gear): While not a base shock skill, gear choices can modify damage type.
- Templar Nova Ultimate (Solar Disturbance morph with gear): Can be combined with shock-enabling sets.
While not all classes naturally deal shock damage, pairing the right abilities with lightning-based weapons or enchantments can bridge the gap.
Using Shock Enchantments and Glyphs
Another way to apply shock damage and potentially concuss is through weapon enchantments. Shock glyphs can be applied to weapons to deal additional shock damage on light and heavy attacks.
Enchantment Recommendations
- Shock Damage Glyph: Applied to your lightning staff or any other weapon, giving a chance to concuss enemies during combat.
- Charged Trait: This weapon trait increases the chance of applying status effects like concussed when using shock damage.
A weapon with the charged trait and a shock glyph significantly boosts your odds of concussing enemies, especially in high-mobility encounters where maintaining AoE ground effects may be difficult.
Gear Sets That Help Concuss Enemies
Several item sets in ESO provide additional benefits related to shock damage or directly increase your chances of applying the concussed status.
Recommended Sets
- Ilambris: A monster set that procs shock and fire damage when you deal either type, increasing your ability to concuss in AoE situations.
- Siren’s Riptide: Provides weapon damage and synergizes well with heavy attack builds using lightning staves.
- Nerien’eth: A dungeon monster set that adds AoE damage and can complement shock-based builds when paired with the right staff.
Wearing gear that enhances shock damage or complements AoE application allows you to maximize your concussing potential, especially in large-group scenarios.
Maximizing Efficiency in Combat
To concuss enemies efficiently, especially during sustained fights or boss encounters, combining several methods yields the best results. For instance, using a lightning staff with Wall of Elements and a shock glyph weapon with the charged trait allows for frequent application.
Combat Strategy Tips
- Cast Wall of Elements at enemy clusters to maintain constant AoE shock damage.
- Use light attacks in between abilities to trigger shock glyphs more often.
- Apply skills with DoT (damage-over-time) shock effects, ensuring continuous concussing potential.
- Stack Minor Vulnerability with other group buffs and debuffs for max damage output.
Rotating through your abilities with intention and watching for the visual or combat log indicator of a concussed enemy helps track your efficiency and adjust accordingly.
Concussed in Group Content
Concussing enemies becomes even more important in group settings like dungeons and trials. Many trial groups rely on status effect uptime to hit damage benchmarks or meet mechanic requirements.
Why Minor Vulnerability Matters
- Increases group DPS by 5% against concussed targets
- Stacks with other debuffs like Major Breach or Minor Maim
- Helps tanks and healers control encounters more easily
Dedicated damage dealers using shock-based builds are often responsible for ensuring that at least one target, like a boss, remains concussed throughout the fight. This consistency requires practice, skill rotation awareness, and gear optimization.
Learning how to concuss enemies in ESO is a valuable tool in your combat arsenal. Whether you’re dealing with mobs, elite enemies, or world bosses, applying the concussed status effect gives your group a significant edge. By focusing on shock damage through lightning staffs, shock enchantments, and gear synergy, you can consistently trigger this effect and support your team’s overall performance. Make use of AoE abilities like Wall of Elements, apply weapon traits like Charged, and stay aware of your targets to maximize uptime. With proper setup and a bit of practice, concussing enemies becomes second nature, helping you dominate in both PvE and PvP environments.