Elder Scrolls Online Scribing guide: Grimoires, Scripts, and how to use them

The Scribing system in the Elder Scrolls Online Gold Road expansion allows you to unlock a variety of new skills within existing skill lines and customize them with a wide range of effects and buffs. These skills can dramatically alter your gameplay, offering a new level of freedom in character building and progression.

This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about the Scribing system in the Elder Scrolls Online, including how to unlock and scribe new skills.

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How to unlock Scribing in ESO

Adept Irnard Rirnil can be found in Skingrad (Image via Zenimax Online Studios || Rytic Gaming/YouTube)

To unlock the Scribing system in ESO, you must first purchase the Gold Road expansion and have a character at Level 30. Then, you can start the tutorial quest "Second Era of Scribing" by talking to Adept Irnard Rirnil in Skingrad, near the Mages Guild. Alternatively, you can also activate this quest from the Collectible Menu under the Upgrades section.

Completing this quest will grant you access to the Scribing Alter. However, to unlock other parts of the system, such as new skills, customization options, and the ability to earn the necessary resources from slain enemies, you'll need to complete the entire Luminary Wing questline. This questline can be started at The Scholarium after completing the tutorial quest.

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How does Scribing work in Elder Scrolls Online?

The Scribing system in the Elder Scrolls Online allows you to modify new skills obtained from Grimoires at the Scribing Altar in The Scholarium. These customizations are made using Scripts and Luminous Ink.

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What are Grimoires, and how to get them?

Grimoires are new customizable skills (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

Grimoires are items that unlock a variety of unique skills for the Scribing system in the Elder Scrolls Online. These newly acquired skills are unlocked in the existing Weapon, Mages Guild, Fighters Guild, Assault, and Soul Magic skill lines.

You can purchase these Grimoires from Chronicler Firandil in The Scholarium. They initially cost 50,000 gold, and subsequent purchases on alt characters cost 10,000 gold each. You can purchase these from vendors after completing "The Wing of the Indrik" quest, which is part of the Luminary Wing questline.

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What are Scripts in Elder Scrolls Online's Scribing System?

You can customize skills with Scripts (Image via Zenimax Online Studios)

Scripts are items with unique effects that can be applied to the new skills. You can obtain them as rewards from daily quests or purchase them from vendors in The Scholarium and Infinite Archive.

There are three types of Scripts in the Elder Scrolls Online:

Focus Scripts:

• These determine the primary effect of your skill, including the type of damage it inflicts, the ability's cost, and other attributes. You can unlock these after completing the "The Wing of the Gryphon" quest.
• In addition to purchasing these scripts from vendors, you can also obtain them by completing Daily Delve and Daily Mages Guild quests, as well as from Rewards for the Worthy.

Signature Scripts:

• These bolster the effects of the Focus Scripts by adding a secondary attribute to the skill. You can unlock these after completing "The Wing of the Dragon" quest.
• You can acquire the Signature Scripts from vendors, as well as by completing Daily World Boss, Daily Cyrodiil, and Daily Fighters Guild quests.

Affix Scripts:

• These add major and minor buffs/debuffs to your skill. You can unlock these after completing "The Wing of the Netch" quest.
• The Affix Scripts can be obtained from vendors, as well as from World Events, Daily Imperial City, and Daily Undaunted quests.

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What are Class Mastery Signature Scripts, and how to get them?

After completing "The Wing of the Dragon" quest, Class Script Scraps can be obtained by completing the following activities:

• Trials
• Arenas
• Placing in the leaderboards
• Infinite Archive
• Dungeon dailies
• Battleground dailies
• Master Writs
• Cyrodiil capture quests
• Becoming the Emperor in Cyrodiil

Collecting 50 Class Script Scraps unlocks the Class Master Achievement and grants you the Class Mastery Signature Script for your current character. This Mastery Script provides a powerful effect specific to your class. Once unlocked, these can be purchased from Chronicler Firandil for your alt characters.

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What is Luminous Ink in ESO?

Scribing a Script costs one Luminous Ink (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

Luminous Ink is the crafting currency required for the Scribing system in the Elder Scrolls Online.

You can acquire Luminous Ink from the following places:

• Drops from slain enemies: Unlocked after completing "The Wing of the Indrik" quest.
• Harvesting crafting materials: Unlocked after completing "The Wing of the Netch" quest.
• Guild Traders