Racial Motifs – Daedric, Ancient Elves, Barbaric, Primal Styles

By: Ambuaz in: Game Guides

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There are different styles of armor and weapon in ESO. When you start playing the game you can craft armor and weapon using style of your current race. But if you look into the crafting interface you will see that there are many other crafting styles available. There are 14 different styles in ESO and you know only one in the beginning. Others are locked and you can’t use them until you unlock them.

Before going deeper I would like to tell some information about role of styles. Some people may think that the same piece of armor crafted in different styles has different characteristics. That’s wrong. Crafting style affects the appearance of the piece of gear you craft. And that’s all! It’s just a style and it doesn’t affect any combat characteristics of an item you craft.

How to Unlock Styles?

Right now there is only one way to unlock new style: you need to find a special book called “Racial Motif”. Each style has its own book and once it is used it disappears from your inventory and a new style is unlocked.

There are 2 types of Racial Motifs: simple and rare.

Simple motifs are the styles of all playable races: Altmer, Bosmer, Khajiit, Orcs, Bretons, Redguards, Dunmer, Nords, Argonians and Imperials.
Rare Motifs: Daedric, Ancient Elves, Barbaric, Primal. These styles are the most asked about and the most expensive.

NOTE: You unlock style for all professions with one book. For example if you unlock Daedric Style you will be able to craft all types of Daedric armor and weapon.

Requirements

Rare motifs: Daedric, Ancient Elves, Barbaric, Primal, have special profession requirements. You need to invest several skill points in either Tailoring, Woodworking or Metalworking in order to be able to learn rare crafting styles:

Primal - 6 or more points
Barbaric - 7 or more points
Ancient Elves – 8 or more points
Daedric – 9 points

Where to find?

In general, all Racial Motif books can be found in nightstands, cupboards, dressers, desks and trunks or purchased from other players. You can’t find motifs in crates and barrels. Sometimes you can see that other players tell that they found motifs in crates and barrels, but that’s not correct.

Locations

There is also one thing you need to know: different types of motifs can be found in different areas. Simple Motifs can be found in any area from 1st to 50th level. Rare Motifs can be found in Veteran level areas only.

Barbaric and Primal in VR1 – VR5 areas.
Daedric and Ancient Elves in VR6 – VR10 areas.

Let me explain this: if you are in Ebonheart Pact you need to complete general quest chain of your alliance and you will be sent to Dagerfall Covenant which will be VR1 – VR5 area for you. After this you will be sent to Aldmeri Dominion which will be VR6 – VR10 for you.

If you start in Dagerfall Covenant your VR1 – VR5 area will be Aldmeri Dominion, and VR6 – VR10 area will be Ebonheart Pact.

If you start in Aldmeri Dominion your VR1 – VR5 area will be Ebonheart Pact, and VR6 – VR10 area will be Dagerfall Covenant.

Daedric, Ancient Elves, Barbaric, Primal motifs are super difficult to find. The drop rate is very small and you will have to search a lot in order to succeed. But anyway it’s possible to find them all; you just need to be in the right areas.

There is one trick that may help you to find Racial Motifs faster. All you need is to find a place where nightstands, cupboards, dressers, desks or trunks are standing near each other. You need to loot all the items from them and relog (log out and enter again). Magic will happen: they are full and you can loot them once more. Repeat this until you find what you need.

Pricing

If you have found a motif and don’t want to use it for your characters, you can always sell it. Style Books are difficult to find and it will be easy to sell them to other players if you set a fair price. Here is average pricing:

Primal – about 15 000 gold
Barbaric - about 20 000 gold
Ancient Elves - about 20 000 gold
Daedric – about 30 000 gold

Note, that pricing may differ a lot. First Daedric Motifs I saw after the launch were sold for 50 000 gold or more. Now the price is much lower. But anyway selling style books may bring you a lot of gold.

Hope this guide will help you to find and unlock the style you wish. Feel free to leave your comments below.

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Comments ()

Christoffer Larsson 30 july 2014, 14:15 # ↓ 0

There are actually a Legendary Racial Motif. I do not know if it is possible for everyone to find it. (Imperial Edition) It is the nr 10 Imperial Motif.
Apple.Snowsong 30 july 2014, 18:53 # ↓ 0

Helpful article, Ambuaz. Now we won't be wasting time looking for those rare motifs where they can not be found, and can focus our search better for finding them. I also learned how many skill-points players need to put into which crafting choices, to be able to use which rare motifs. Thank you :)
Nerinai 12 january 2015, 10:51 # ↓ 0

Please be aware it is completely possible to obtain lower level (Blue) motifs from crates, barrels and even sacks. I've obtained at least half a dozen of them from such places, primarily in dungeons. It's not as common as finding them in furniture and trunks, but it does happen.
Jay Gillian 09 july 2020, 19:16 # ↓ 0

This is great info! I am starting this game, so this post will help me a lot. Also I was checking this another website mmogo24.blogspot.com/2017/09/eso-motif-guide-part-one.html and help me a lot as well. It talks about how to obtain some rare motifs that are difficult to obtain playing by yourself. You should chek it!