YOUR COMPANION, FROM THE HOLD TO THE HORIZON

THE ONLINE WORLD, IN PLAY ORDER

A vast world.
A clearer path.

Find your way through DFO Online. Understand your choices, learn the rules, and discover the Iliac Bay at your own pace.

Begin your journey Explore the map Plan a character Browse the quest guide

For every class. For every way to play.

START HERE

Your first steps, in good company.

Get ready to play, then build a character you understand.

Before you begin →Creating your character →

FOLLOW THE PATH, OR FIND YOUR PLACE

The journey ahead

10 stages. One world to make your own.

  1. Before you begin

    Open to everyoneYou can get into the game, with an account that keeps your progress.

  2. Creating your character

    A new characterYou understand every creation choice and its long-term cost.

  3. Privateer's Hold

    Entering the worldYou can fight, survive and leave the first dungeon.

  4. Your first town

    Reaching a settlementYou can use a town's services, join a guild, meet other players and stay on the right side of the law.

  5. Getting around

    Leaving your first townYou can cross the Iliac Bay on foot, by horse, carriage or ship.

  6. Finding your feet

    Levels 2-3You level well, earn Renown, spend your first stars and start a profession.

  7. Gear and the sea

    Levels 4-5You understand loot rarity, sockets and reforging, and can take to the sea.

  8. The wider Bay

    Level 6 · Renown 5You can join the Bay's shared fights: raids, the Arena, elites and seasonal events.

  9. Rivals and the Breach

    Levels 8-10 · Renown 10You can face revenants, keep a companion, fight at Dagon's Breaches and take part in guild politics.

  10. The late game

    VariesYou know the long-term goals and how to reach them.

  11. Reference

    Always availableLook things up quickly.

KEEP IT CLOSE

Look something up

Explore the Iliac Bay map →

Plan a character →

Browse the complete quest guide →

Ask the guide →

Terms, commands, caps and answers for the moment you need them.

Pages marked Draft are checked against the game source, but not yet read through end to end. Spotted a mistake? tell us on Discord or open an issue.

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How this guide is checked

What the page footer means, what a Draft badge means, and how to report a mistake.

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Glossary Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Short definitions for the game's world, controls, online systems, events, currencies and progression terms used in the handbook, grouped A–Z.

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Which rules apply online

DFO Online folds in many mods; this page shows which are forced on for everyone, which are locked at their defaults, and which are yours to switch.

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Coming from Daggerfall or Daggerfall Unity Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

The rules a classic or DFU veteran has to unlearn before playing DFO online.

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Caps, timers and resets Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

The limits players meet use different scopes: account totals, hourly service windows, event clocks, pair counts and world respawns.

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Mods, saves and wipes Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

No mods and no save import, where progress lives, and what is known about wipes and seasons.

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The questline ladder Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Every questline, its gate, giver, and the system or story it introduces.

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Quest rewards Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Compare quest payments, reward choices and questline gates before you decide what to pursue.

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The main story Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

How the main quest begins, the chapter records the journal tracks, and how to recover when a chapter goes quiet.

Quest: Privateer's Hold

Lady Brisienna Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

The Emperor's first letter, the tavern meeting that starts the main story, and what happens if you never arrive.

Level 2 · online · registered account

The Court Crafter Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Gather materials, make a station-crafted piece, and report to the court's crafters through three introductory quests.

Level 3 · online

Written in the Stars Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Allocate new Firmament stars and visit the astrologers who introduce your online growth choices.

Level 6 · online; second step Renown 10

The Bay's Troubles Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Defend a shared-world town raid, then bring one of your revenants to its knees for the watch.

Level 10 · online · registered account

The Burning Doors Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Investigate Dagon's covens, close a Breach, and decide the embers' fate.

After The Burning Doors; online; registered account

The Covens' Hoard Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Hunt gold-lit champions, recover a coven lieutenant's key, and choose whether to keep it or seal it away.

After The Covens' Hoard; online; registered account

The Weir Road Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Reclaim Redoubts, defeat a warrior duke, and advise Corvane's account to the Empire.

Available from the start

What changed Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Player-facing changes in the latest sync, plus the archived notes from the previous one.

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Fighters Guild hunts Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Read generated hunt offers, distinguish house and dungeon targets, and recognise protection or capture jobs.

Level 12; online; registered account

The Hour That Was Not Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Meet the Order of the Hour, break the Brass Remnant beneath an Abyss Dungeon, and choose who receives your account.

Available from the start

Mages Guild fetches Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Find generated quest objects, follow building clues, and prepare for spell-dependent recovery jobs.

Level 8; online; registered account

The Old Coil Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Sail Hamid's packet lanes, face Sethrakul at sea, and choose between a sailor's offering and a scale trophy.

Available from the start

Temple errands Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Distinguish exorcisms, relic recovery, healing, delivery and investigations before accepting a generated temple job.

Level 6; online; registered account; Starfall event

The Thirteenth of Frostfall Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Hold fallen stars and decide the coven spindle's fate.

Level 4 · Loot Rarity

The Smith's Secrets Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Set a gem, try the Reforge, and report to local armorers through an introduction to improving gear.

Level 5 · Naval Combat

The Harbormaster's Word Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Sail between ports, deliver a cargo contract, and force a ship to surrender through the sea introduction.

Level 3 · hauling introduction

The Merchant's Road Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Collect and deliver quest loads for stable masters and merchants through an introduction to hauling.

Level 2 · King's Gambit for second step

A Seat at the Table Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Win a tavern card hand, then a King's Gambit game, and report to the regulars who invited you.

Level 6 · online

The Herald's Call Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Win Arena ladder bouts in Daggerfall and collect the Herald's introductory purses.

Available from the start

Questions new players ask Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Short answers to new players' questions, from the first session to the late game, each linked to its page.

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Thieves Guild work Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Read theft and smuggling offers, protect the assigned goods, and recognise when a quiet job changes direction.

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Dark Brotherhood contracts Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Identify the assigned execution target, follow town or dungeon leads, and distinguish contracts from the one-time initiation.

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Knightly order quests Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Distinguish traitor hunts, monster clearing and rescues, then report the right result to your order.

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Noble work Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Plan deliveries, exchanges and discreet violence for nobles while watching changing deadlines and hidden standing costs.

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Commoner work Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Follow local leads, find missing people, clear beasts from named buildings and deliver the actual quest goods.

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Merchant work Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Plan merchant deliveries, recover assigned property and read changing instructions before fighting or handing goods over.

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Coven work Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Carry coven ingredients, escort people and follow remote contacts while separating recovery jobs from dangerous deliveries.

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Vampire clan work Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Follow clan letters, resolve rivalries and protect clan interests without assuming every assignment requires a kill.

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Daedric quests Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Read each Prince's request, follow its generated targets and contacts, and check artifact or branch consequences before committing.

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Curse cure quests Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Follow hunter letters and distinguish confirmed vampire and werebeast cure actions from leads, delays and choices that keep the curse.

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Keys and commands Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

DFO's default keyboard and mouse bindings, the chat channels and commands you can use, and where to rebind actions.

Available from the start

Privateer's Hold tutorial Draft — Draft: checked against the game source, not yet read through end to end

Use the fixed opening to learn controls, read the journal, find the exit and move into your first town.