ESO’s Update 40 Introduces New PvE Activity: Endless Archive

TL;DR

  • Infinite Archive offers endless PvE progression with escalating difficulty and exclusive rewards
  • Class Sets provide class-specific bonuses that synergize with existing skill lines
  • Strategic selection of Verses and Visions determines how far you can progress
  • Archival Fortunes currency unlocks unique buffs, consumables, and cosmetic items
  • Proper team composition and resource management are crucial for deep archive runs

The Elder Scrolls Online’s Update 40 introduces the Infinite Archive, a revolutionary PvE experience that breaks from traditional dungeon formats. This endlessly replayable activity allows adventurers to challenge themselves solo, with a trusted ally, or accompanied by their Companion against procedurally generated enemy encounters and formidable bosses.

Progression System

The Infinite Archive features a tiered structure consisting of Stages, Cycles, and Arcs. Each Cycle comprises three distinct Stages culminating in a boss confrontation, while five complete Cycles form an Arc with its own unique final encounter. The initial four Cycles conclude with randomized boss fights, but the fifth Cycle always pits you against the primary antagonist, Tho’at Replicanum.

Upon vanquishing the corruption at the Archive’s core, your journey doesn’t terminate. You can press forward into increasingly challenging tiers, with the difficulty curve scaling progressively as you advance deeper. The extent of your exploration remains entirely at your discretion, allowing for both short sessions and marathon attempts.

Difficulty Scaling

Unlike conventional ESO activities that separate normal and veteran modes, the Infinite Archive employs dynamic difficulty adjustment. There are no Champion Point prerequisites for entry, making it accessible to players at various progression stages. However, the challenge intensifies substantially as you navigate through different structural layers – with minor increases between Stages, moderate jumps between Cycles, and significant spikes when transitioning between Arcs.

This seamless difficulty progression means rewards scale accordingly, providing appropriate incentives for pushing your limits further with each attempt.

Threads of Fate

At the commencement of each run, participants receive three Threads of Fate representing their collective lives. The adventure initiates at the Index location within the Archive. In cooperative play, a Thread is only forfeited when both team members perish simultaneously. If one player falls in battle, their partner can revive them without expending a life resource.

Verses and Visions

Progressing through the Infinite Archive unlocks two distinctive power systems: Verses and Visions. Verses function as temporary enhancements selected upon completing each Stage, remaining active until the subsequent Stage concludes. Visions become available after Cycle completions and provide persistent bonuses that endure throughout your entire expedition. The strategic combination of Visions and Verses you accumulate fundamentally influences your maximum achievable progression depth.

Leaderboard Competition

Competitive players can track their performance through dedicated Leaderboards separated into Solo and Duo categories. Solo rankings are further divided by class specialization, while Duo rankings maintain a unified board regardless of class combinations.

Understanding these systems is crucial for optimizing your performance. For comprehensive gameplay guidance, check out our Complete Guide for additional strategic insights.

Class Set Breakdown

The Infinite Archive debuts innovative Class Sets, a novel equipment category that enhances abilities specific to ESO’s seven core classes. These sets create powerful synergies with particular Skill Lines, offering build diversity beyond traditional set bonuses. Players can acquire these potent items through direct loot drops or via the Archive’s exclusive vendor. Developers have confirmed additional Class Sets will be introduced in future updates.

The seven foundational sets launching with Update 40 include: Basalt-Blooded Warrior (ideal for stamina-based classes), Gardener of Seasons (nature-themed magic users), Monolith of Storms (shock and lightning specialists), Nobility in Decay (necromantic and decay themes), Reawakened Hierophant (divine and restoration focus), Soulcleaver (soul magic and consumption), and Wrathsun (solar and fire damage).

Class Sets of Update 40 p1

Class Sets of Update 40 p2

Class-Sets-of-Update-40-p3

Archival Fortunes Currency

Another valuable acquisition from the Infinite Archive is Archival Fortunes, a new in-game currency exclusive to this activity. These Fortunes can be exchanged with vendors located in the Archive’s initial area for various consumables, Class Set pieces, style motifs, and most importantly, unique buffs that enhance future excursions.

For optimal class selection to maximize these sets, reference our detailed Class Guide for specialized recommendations.

Team Composition Tips

Successful Archive runs require careful team planning. For solo players, selecting a Companion that complements your weaknesses is essential. In duo compositions, balancing damage dealers with support roles typically yields the best results. Teams should consider bringing at least one player with resurrection capabilities and crowd control skills for managing large enemy groups.

Progression Tactics

Early Cycles should focus on establishing a foundation of Verses that enhance survivability, while later progression benefits from Visions that scale with encounter duration. Allocating approximately 45-60 minutes per Arc provides a balanced time investment for reward optimization.

Common Pitfalls

Avoid these frequent mistakes: Don’t waste Threads of Fate on easily recoverable situations, prioritize defensive Visions in early Cycles to preserve resources, and avoid taking unnecessary risks when you’re close to completing a Cycle milestone.

Advanced players should master enemy attack patterns and develop specific strategies for each boss type. Understanding when to push forward versus when to conclude your run is a skill developed through experience. For weapon optimization to complement your Class Sets, explore our Weapons Unlock guide for optimal loadout configurations.

Remember that the Infinite Archive is designed for repeated attempts – each run provides valuable experience and currency accumulation toward permanent upgrades.

Action Checklist

  • Familiarize yourself with the Stage-Cycle-Arc structure before attempting deep runs
  • Experiment with different Verse combinations in early Cycles to identify synergies
  • Develop specific strategies for each Class Set that complements your playstyle
  • Master the Threads of Fate mechanics through practice runs with resurrection timing
  • Optimize Archival Fortunes spending by prioritizing permanent buffs over consumables

No reproduction without permission:OnLineGames Guides » ESO’s Update 40 Introduces New PvE Activity: Endless Archive Master ESO's Infinite Archive with expert strategies, class set breakdowns, and progression tactics for maximum rewards