Heavy Attack in The Elder Scrolls Online: Charge Times, Restore and Update 51
A heavy attack in The Elder Scrolls Online is the attack you charge by holding the attack button. It costs no Magicka or Stamina, and when fully charged it gives resources back: Magicka with a staff, Stamina with every other weapon. That makes it the basic way to refill resources between skills.
Figures below follow the UESP wiki pages Online:Heavy Attack (edited 19 August 2026), Online:Combat and Online:Update 51. Update 51 went live on PC/Mac, PlayStation and Xbox on 28 September 2026.
How a heavy attack works
A heavy attack hits harder than a light attack per swing but delivers less damage per second, because of the charge. Releasing early gives a weaker "medium" attack that restores nothing and does not trigger effects that need a fully charged heavy attack. The restored amount depends on charge time, weapon type and level.
The cast time differs by weapon (UESP):
| Weapon | Cast time | Restores |
|---|---|---|
| Dual wield or unarmed | 0.85 s | Stamina |
| One hand and shield | 0.75 s | Stamina |
| Two handed | 1.80 s | Stamina |
| Bow | 1.35 s | Stamina |
| Inferno or Frost staff | 1.80 s | Magicka |
| Lightning or Restoration staff | 2.20 s | Magicka |
The UESP page quotes a base rule from the Update 35 notes: 1,350 of the resource per heavy attack, with 2,500 damage per second of cast time, and ranged heavies deal 10% less. Treat the exact totals at your level as something to read from the in-game tooltip, since the wiki table dates from earlier updates.
Off Balance and staves
A heavy attack on an Off Balance enemy knocks it down and deals 70% more damage. UESP's Combat page says it restores more resources, and its Heavy Attack page says double, so use "more" until you test it. Enemies become Off Balance when you block their heavy attack, or through skills such as Lava Whip, and enemies with Crowd Control Immunity can be set Off Balance but not stunned.
Restoration and Lightning staves start dealing damage as soon as the channel begins, so enemies may notice you sooner, but the attack follows a target that moves.
Update 51 change
Update 51 made Imbue Weapon and its morphs usable off heavy attacks as well as light attacks. Their effect lasts 6 seconds instead of 2, and casting them now increases damage done with weapon attacks by 5% for 6 seconds, with the Crushing Weapon morph raising that to 8%. The same notes fixed a bug where a two-handed light attack in first person could briefly switch the camera to third person. Press coverage of the first Update 51 incremental patch (20 October 2026) said a second one with more fixes is due in November.
Skills and sets that use heavy attacks
- Skills: Overload turns heavy attacks into a Lightning cone, Cycle of Life restores extra Magicka with a Restoration staff, Essence Drain heals from the damage dealt, Follow Up boosts the next two-handed attack, and the Werewolf skills Pursuit and Master of the Chase restore extra Stamina.
- Sets: Wisdom of Vanus grants Major Mending after a heavy attack, Roaring Opportunist gives Major Slayer to up to 5 group members, and Storm Master adds damage after a heavy attack critical strike.
- Champion point: Weapons Expert raises light and heavy attack damage by up to 20%.
Heavy attack versus light attack
Light attacks cost nothing either. A light attack that hits in combat also grants a hidden buff giving 3 Ultimate per second for 9 seconds, refreshed on each hit. Ultimate caps at 500. Heavy attacks also build Ultimate when they damage enemies. Use heavy attacks when resources are low and enemies are not about to reach you, and light attacks when you must keep moving.
Common mistakes
- Letting go before the swing ends. A medium attack restores nothing.
- Starting a heavy attack when an enemy is about to hit you. The charge is slow on staves.
- Assuming an old table of restore numbers still applies. Check the tooltip.
Related terms
- Elder Scrolls Online combat and skills glossary: active skills, passives and bar swap alongside heavy attacks.
- Current ESO season: season and update dates.
FAQ
Do heavy attacks cost Magicka or Stamina in ESO?
No. They cost nothing and restore Magicka with a staff or Stamina with other weapons once fully charged.
What happens if I release a heavy attack early?
You get a weaker medium attack. It restores no resources and does not trigger fully charged effects.
Which staves start damaging at once?
Restoration and Lightning staves deal damage from the moment the channel starts.
What changed for heavy attacks in Update 51?
Imbue Weapon and its morphs can now trigger from heavy attacks, with a 6 second duration instead of 2.
