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The Infinite Archives is an endless PvE dungeon in which the fights get more difficult as you progress, every single run you make through it is different, and the only way to end it is to die enough times or exit the Archival Wing (see below).

The Infinite Archives is open to all players. No DLC is required to play through them.

You can play in the Infinite Archives as a Solo player with no companion, a Solo player with a companion (which is considered a Duo), or a Two-Person Duo.

While fighting, random monsters and bosses will appear from all over Tamriel. Each time you defeat a wave, the difficulty of your fights increases. At some point during your fighting, you will begin to see Fabled enemies; these enemies are harder to kill, and the fights are more intense. These enemies should always be killed first. As you progress through the wings, you will see more and more Fabled enemies appearing in the midst of enemy waves and boss fights -- sometimes at very inopportune moments.

Fights do not have multiple Modes available, such as Normal or Veteran. There is only one mode.

The entrance to the Infinite Archives is found within Apocrypha, but the only way to enter is via teleporting inside via map travel, travel to player, or a wayshrine. However, if you do not have the Necrom DLC, you will still be able to bring up the Apocrypha map and teleport to the Infinite Archives -- just as you would if you owned a house in a DLC zone you did not have access to otherwise.

The Archives can be played solo, with a Companion, or with one other player. No more than a group of two can enter. Since a companion counts as a party member, this means that you and another player cannot enter with any Companions in tow if the two of you are in a group.

When you enter the Infinite Archives, you are transported into the lobby, called the Index.

To enter into the fighting areas, you must enter the Archival Wings within the Index.

If you wish to have another player or companion join you while inside the Archival Wings, as long as you are not in the middle of a fight this can be accomplished.

Leaving the Archival Wings means that you are terminating your run through the Infinite Archive. Your progress will not be saved. However, if you and another player are inside the Wings and only one of you leaves, the run is not ended and the one that left can return to where you await them -- even if the one that left is the group leader.

Using up your Threads of Fate (aka Extra Lives) means that you are temporarily locked out of the Archival Wings for a short time.

You cannot use the Armory Assistant while inside the Index nor the Archival Wings. You can, however, summon your other assistants, such as the Deconstruction Assistant.

For those of you that do not wish to wait for your Threads of Fate to reset, there is a solution: Reset Hourglass.

For those of you that wish to "start over" at the beginning because someone is joining you for the fights, there is a solution: Reset Hourglass.

So, how does this work? When you use the Reset Hourglass, any progress that you have made through the Archives is completely wiped out. This includes earned boons as well (though you still get to keep all that loot you earned). All party members are then removed from the Index and returned to the point at which they entered the Index from. Additionally, it completely resets your Threads of Fate without having to wait for timers.

After using the Hourglass, the next time you enter (even if it is mere seconds after using the Hourglass), you will be set at Arc 1 Cycle 1 Stage 1.

1. When a player enters a new Archival Wing and steps into the black shadowy circle, the player begins a "Stage".
   
   
2. After a player defeats 2 Stages, a boss is randomly generated.
   
   
3. Defeating the boss completes the "Cycle".
   
   
4. After the player defeats a total of 5 Cycles the Tho'at Replicanum boss is generated.
   
   
5. Defeating Tho'at Replicanum complets the "Arc".
   
   
6. After completing an Arc, the player heads into a new but more difficult Stage One, to try to complete a second Arc...and so forth.

A Stage is an instance in which waves of enemies until it completes.

Three waves of enemies will be generated per stage. The moment a wave is defeated, the next wave will spawn and head directly for you.

Two stages make up one Cycle.

When you complete a stage each player is given a randomized choice between two different Verses.

A cycle is composed of two Stages. Once two stages are completed, you will enter into another area with a randomly spawned boss. This boss will appear to be a boss you may have fought somewhere in Nirn, but the mechanics for these fights are not similar to mechanics used on the boss outside of the Infinite Archives.

The exception to this rule is that you will not receive a randomly spawned boss at the end of Cycle 5. Instead, you receive a fight with Tho'at.

When you begin the boss/Tho'at fight, you will see the Stage counter increment to "3", but this fight is not technically considered to be a Stage.

Defeat of the boss/Tho'at completes a single Cycle.

When you complete a cycle each player is given a randomized choice between two different Visions.

Completing a cycle also awards each player a Muniment Chest, which contains one overland set piece, gold, Archival Fortunes, and other goodies (leads, recipes, furnishings, etc.).

An Arc is composed of five Cycles.

Once five cycles are completed -- which amounts to a total of 10 stages (15 stages if you are counting the cycle boss fight as a stage), you will encounter a boss called Tho'at Replicanum.

The Tho'at fight is the only one in which you will get the same enemy.

As you progress through Arcs, killing Tho'at becomes more difficult. Additionally, more and different attacks will be added to the fight. Though Tho'at will still be there, you will not be fighting the same Tho'at.

Killing Tho'at grants each player a randomized choice between two different Visions.

Killing Tho'at also grants another Muniment Chest. The chest contains goodies like that found in the Cycle chests, but can also contain a single curated Class-Specific Set piece (if you do not have them all).

Completion of an Arc might grant you an entry on a Leaderboard.

On a rare occasion, you might see a Portal to the Unknown appear beside your regular portal that takes you to the next wing and your next fight. These portals can appear at the end of any Stage 1 or Stage 2 fight.

Should you encounter these portals, if you do not take the portal when it is presented to you, you do not get the chance to go back and enter it. Once you enter the gateway to the Archival Wing for your next fight, the Portal to the Unknown is closed to you for that time.

Portals do not count as either Stages, Cycles, or Arcs.

Dying in one of the Portal to the Unknown instances does not use up a thread of fate.

Successfully completing a Portal results in a Muniment Chest and another Verse that will apply in addition to the Verse you received at the end of your last fight (giving you two verses instead of one for the next fight).

Failing to complete the instance results in no rewards. Life is not fair. Neither are the Archives.

There are a total of seven possible Portal to the Unknown instances:

• Echoing Den - The goal of this instance is to collect all of the orbs and bring them to the center of the room before a very short timer runs out. Completing 5 stages of this awards the Ghostlight Gatherer achievement.
  
  
  • When you enter the instance, the NPC will shoot out a random number of orbs, its "soul."
    
    
  • You can watch the trails of the orbs to see where they land.
    
    
  • You must go to each orb so that it follows you and bring it back to the center to complete the instance. If you move too quickly, or if someone else walks into its range, you will lose control of the orb.
    
    
  • You can have multiple orbs following you at the same time.
    
    
  • After you bring back any initial orbs, more orbs may appear in spots you previously removed an orb. If the instance does not complete once all initial orbs are turned in, seek out new orbs in those same locations.
    
    
  • You do not get to see the timer counting down, but you will receive a 10 second warning.
    
    
    
• Destozuno's Library - This is an untimed instance containing Destozuno, who may be offering you a quest.
  
  
  • You may be offered one of several quests during this instance: A Bookbinder's Bind, Restoring the Resurrected, or Restorer of Theories.
    
    
  • You weill only be offered the Restorer of Theories quest if you have completed the A Bookbinder's Bine quest.
    
    
  • You must exit this instance and continue plowing through the archives in order to complete these quests.
    
    
  • Leaving the Infinite Archives will not end your quest.
    
    
  • Once you complete your quest, the next time you receive a portal to Dstozuno's Library, you can turn it in for a reward.
    
    
  • If another player is with you when you turn in a quest, they will also be offered a reward.
    
    
    
• Filer's Wing - You are turned into a filer and told to destroy tomeshells. Completing 5 stages of this awards the Eye See You! achievement.
  
  
  • To find the tomeshells, which are little floating tomeshells circled in a yellow glow, you can use Skill #2 to reveal the tomes. Watch where the green orbs go when you use the skill and do your best to follow them to their endpoint. Tomeshells will vanish after a time.
    
    
  • When you find a tomeshell, use Skill #1 to destroy the tomeshell. Make certain that you are very close to the tomeshell when you try to destroy it, because if you miss, the tomeshell moves.
    
    
  • You may use Skill #3 for a short speed boost.
    
    
  • Using Skill #4 will place a trap in front of you to stop any zombies coming toward you from in front if your instance has them.
    
    
  • Using Skill #5 will place a trap behind you to stop zombies from following you if your instance has them.
    
    
  • You will need to continue to find tomeshells until you either get a message of success or you fail the instance.
    
    
  • If your skillbar disappears while in the instance, you are not allowed to find any more tomeshells and your grouped player partner must find the rest.
    
    
  • Complicating matters, booknados that can easily kill you, as well as black holes that shoot out a tentacle also try to kill you, and are all over the place. Avoid both.
    
    
  • This is not a timed instance, but if you die while alone/with a companion, or if you and another grouped player are dead at the same time, the instance will end.
    
    
  • If you are in the instance with another player, Resurrecting a fallen player is possible by simply flying over the corpse and pressing the appropriate option (Default PC/MAC keybind: X) to save a player.
    
    
    
• Haefal's Butchery - Haefal has plotted against you, and you are turned into a goat. Worse, Haefal is trying to kill you. Completing 5 stages of this awards the Kidding Around achievement.
  
  
  • You must find the glowing sweetrolls (surrounded by a yellow glow, which can be seen through rock and the house) and eat three of them to fill your Ultimate skill.
    
    
  • When it is filled, use the Ultimate on Butcher Haefal to murder him.
    
    
  • If you are in this instance with another player, each of you will be followed by a Haelful butcher and must kill it to complete the instance.
    
    
  • This is not a timed instance, but if you die while alone/with a companion, or if you and another grouped player are dead at the same time, the instance will end.
    
    
  • If you are in the instance with another player, Resurrecting a fallen player is possible by simply flying over the corpse and pressing the appropriate option (Default PC/MAC keybind: X) to save a player.
    
    
    
• Theater of War - This one is quite straightforward: Defeat Aramril in combat. Completing 5 stages of this awards the Hidden Prowess achievement.
  
  
  • Aramril will lay two types of AOEs on each player in the instance. The AOE will either spawn a dark green damage circle or an apocryphal tentacle mob. Both types must be taken away immediately to the side, where the boss and other player/companion is not, and where they cannot affect your party.
    
    
  • If large green crystals are spawned in your instance when you walk in, you will need to destroy each crystal the moment it goes active (it starts trying to kill you, too), as quickly as possible. Failure to do so usually results in your demise.
    
    
  • If Aramril raises her staff and swift, green fireballs start shooting out at you or another player/companion, be sure to Interrupt her (with a bash) as quickly as possible. This attack will swiftly deplete Health.
    
    
  • Resurrecting a fallen player is possible in this instance, but if you both die, the instance ends.
    
    
    
• Treacherous Crossing - You are presented with a floor covered in green goo below and six stone markers on a platform in front of you. The goal of this instance is to activate the markers in the correct order to clear a path in the goo to the other side, and then make it across to the other side before the goo returns. Completing 5 stages of this awards the Mind Over Magick achievement.
  
  
  • In every instance of this you encounter, activate the stones so that the floor opens up starting closest to you and ends furthest away. Doing this in the opposite fashion will result in failing the objective, as the goo disappears for only a very short time.
    
    
  • If you stand next to one of the markers on the platform, it will show you which pieces of goo it removes by outlining it in white. A player standing on the floor in front of the goo can also see which goo is outlined.
    
    
  • If you are doing this instance by yourself, you must first activate all six stones and then run like a serial killer clown is chasing you with a butcher knife to get to the other side before the goo returns. If you do not have a speed ring or speed gear equipped, you are not likely to make it across.
    
    
  • If you are doing this instance with another player, one of you will run the gauntlet while the other activates stones.
    
    
  • You will only get one try before the instance locks and you will be unable to complete it.
    
    
    

GW the Pilferer is a small monkey-like creature that might appear during a cycle boss fight. It will run amok for a short time before disappearing, but it does no damage.

If you manage to kill it before it vanishes, you will receive extra loot off of it, including Archival Fortunes, gold, and other things.

Killing GW the Pilferer five times gives you the Pilfered Pilfer achievement.

Marauders are big nasty minibosses that can appear during any of your fights.

You will receive a notice on your screen that a marauder is coming to join the fun should one show up.

There are three possible Marauders that can appear, and each of them has their own special attacks:

• Marauder Gothmau
  
  
• Marauder Hilkarax
  
  
• Marauder Ulmor
  
  

If a marauder shows up during your fight, the easiest way to handle it is to kill all but one of the mobs currently assaulting you. Leaving one alive will prevent the next wave of mobs from coming at you. You can then turn your full focus onto the marauder.

Verses are randomized short-duration buffs.

There are three types of Verse: Offensive, Defensive, and Utility.

When a player completes a stage, a randomized choice of two buffs is offered to each player. As the cycle boss and the Arc boss are not technically Stages, a Verse is not rewarded for killing one.

Players in the same instance will each receive a randomized choice of Verses; the choices are not likely to be identical.

The chosen Verse will give only that player the chosen buff for the next fight the player enters in the Archival Wings, whether it is a Stage, Cycle boss, or Arc boss.

A Verse will end once the next fight is completed or if the player leaves the Archival Wings.

If you use up all of your Threads of Fate or exit the Archival Wings to the Index, the Verse will be removed.

As Companions are not players, they are not offered nor will they use Verses.

If you have not yet started the Stage, Cycle boss, or Arc boss (Tho'at) fight, you can press the F5 key (which is the default keybinding) to see which Verses and Visions you have active at the time.

If you have a Mystery Defensive/Offensive/Utility Verse scroll in your inventory (either from a quest reward or from purchasing via Filer Tezurs in the Index), using it will apply it to your next fight -- one stage, a Cycle Boss, or Tho'at herself. This will not remove Verses you have from Portals to the Unknown or from completing the previous stage. Note: You can only use one total scroll per Cycle, no matter which type of scroll it is.

Visions are long-duration buffs that are awarded for the completion of a Cycle or an Arc.

There are three types of Vision: Offensive, Defensive, and Utility.

Players in the same instance will each receive a randomized choice of Visions; the choices are not likely to be identical.

Visions do not go away, unlike Verses. Rather, they remain with you for the rest of the time you are running through the Archival Wings.

If you use up all of your Threads of Fate or exit the Archival Wings to the Index, all Visions will be removed.

As Companions are not players, they are not offered nor will they use Visions.

If you have not yet started the Stage, Cycle boss, or Arc boss fight, you can press the F5 key (which is the default) to see what Verses and Visions you have active at the time.

Within the Archives each player is given three Threads of Fate. Think of Threads of Fate like Extra Lives in the video games of the 1980s and 1990s -- if you die, you use up a Life, but you can continue with what you are doing without having to start over.

If you are fighting alone in the Archives with no assistance from another player or companion and die... You will use up a Thread of Fate.

When fighting alongside another player or companion, if both party members are dead before one is fully resurrected, you both will use up a Thread of Fate.

When fighting alongside another player or companion and you die, but the companion or other player does not die by the time you have fully resurrected, you will not use a Thread of Fate.

Once all players have lost three Threads of Fate, the party is returned to the Index. At that time a cooldown timer is applied, and neither will be able to re-enter the Archival Wings until that timer had expired. Alternatively, you may use the Reset Hourglass to reset your Threads of Fate and re-enter the instance.

Archival Fortunes are the new currency rewarded in the Infinite Archives that appear when you open a Muniment Chest awarded for the completion of a Cycle, Arc, or Portal to the Unknown.

As you progress through the Archival Wings, the amount of Archival Fortunes you are awarded for your deeds increases.

If you have an ESO+ membership, you receive a 10% bonus to all Archival Fortunes awards from Muniment Chests.

There is no cap on how many Archival Fortunes you can obtain.

The new currency is used to purchase goods and services from merchants that are found within the Index as well as from merchants that might appear now and again before or after the completion of a fight.

The inventory of the merchants located in the Index will refresh Weekly. You can use your Archival Fortunes to purchase these items.

Filer Ool, found at the eastern end of the map, sells things such as:

• A box of 5,000 gold
  
  
• Antiquity Leads
  
  
• Companion Gear
  
  
• Disguisting Spoils fragments (Use 25 to gain a Maligraphic Skeever Pet)
  
  
• Furnishing Recipes
  
  
• Furniture Items
  
  
• Maligraphic Ichor fragments (Use 50 to gain a Maligraphic Mount)
  
  
• Motif Pages
  
  
• Runebox fragments for other content (Sixth House Robe, Psijic Glowglobe, etc.)
  
  
• Style Pages (Bound)
  
  
• Tales of Tribute card clues
  
  
• Treasure Maps
  
  

Filer Tezurs, found at the northern end of the map, sells things such as:

• A box of 5,000 gold
  
  
• Crafting ingredient sacks and boxes
  
  
• Furniture Items
  
  
• Maligraphic Ichor fragments (Use 50 to gain a Maligraphic Mount)
  
  
• Tales of Tribute card fragments
  
  
• Upgrades that provide permanent buffs to future Archival Wing runs
  
  

The first time you enter the Infinite Archives, you will be presented with a quest given by Master Malkhest, called The Margins of Ire.

To complete the quest, you must complete a full Arc, defeating Tho'at at its end.

Once you complete the starter quest offered by Master Malkhest, once a day you are offered the Replication Elimination quest (provided you turned it in when you completed it the previous day).

To complete the quest, you must complete a full Arc, defeating Tho'at at its end, just as you did for the starter quest.

Offered by Destozuno inside one of the Portals to the Unknown, the Bookbinder's Bind quest is not repeatable. Once you have completed it, you cannot pick it up again.

This quest requires that you locate five pages as you travel throughout the Abyssal Wings.

The pages will only ever appear in Stages and will not appear in the Cycle boss fight room, nor the Tho'at fight room.

Leaving the Infinite Archives does not end this quest.

Once you have found the five pages, the next time you take a Portal to the Unknown into Destozuno's lair (you are not guaranteed to get that portal the next time you have one), simply turn in the quest to complete it.

Turning in this quest while in a group with another player, even if the other person does not have the quest, results in both of you being offered a Muniment Chest and a Verse option.

This quest is offered by Destozuno inside one of the Portals to the Unknown. Unlike the Bookbinder's Bind quest, you are able to pick this quest up again if it is offered to you inside Destozuno's library.

You will only be offered this quest if you have previously completed the A Bookbinder's Bind quest.

This quest requires that you locate ten pages as you travel throughout the Abyssal Wings.

The pages will only ever appear in Stages and will not appear in the Cycle boss fight room, nor the Tho'at fight room.

Leaving the Infinite Archives does not end this quest.

Once you have found the ten pages, the next time you take a Portal to the Unknown into Destozuno's lair (you are not guaranteed to get that portal the next time you have one), simply turn in the quest to complete it.

Turning in this quest while in a group with another player, even if the other person does not have the quest, results in both of you being offered a Muniment Chest and a Verse option.

This quest is offered by Destozuno inside one of the Portals to the Unknown, the Restoring the Resurrected quest is not repeatable. Once you have completed it, you cannot pick it up again.

This quest requires that you locate seven lockboxes as you travel throughout the Abyssal Wings.

The lockboxes will only ever appear in Stages and will not appear in the Cycle boss fight room, nor the Tho'at fight room.

Leaving the Infinite Archives does not end this quest.

Once you have found the seven lockboxes, the next time you take a Portal to the Unknown into Destozuno's lair (you are not guaranteed to get that portal the next time you have one), simply turn in the quest to complete it.

Turning in this quest while in a group with another player, even if the other person does not have the quest, results in both of you being offered a Muniment Chest and a Verse option.

With those Archival Fortunes you earn by participating in the Infinite Archives, you can purchase Upgrades from Filer Tezurs in the Index.

The upgrades are one-time purchases, and all of them require that you meet certain achievements before you are eligible to purchase them.

When you obtain an upgrade, it is permanent, applying immediately and for all future runs you make in the Archives. One exception to this rule is Destuzuno's Safety Net, which will not apply until your next run through the Archives.

Each upgrade offers something unique to enhance your time inside the Archives -- things that you just might wish to obtain to help you along the way.

Purchased upgrades will appear under the Upgrades section of your Collections menu.

The following upgrades are available:

• Aramril's Training - Strengthens your Visions. To obtain this upgrade, gain the Hidden Prowess achievement from Theater of War. This upgrade costs 10,000 Archival Fortunes.
  
  
• Destuzuno's Safety Net - Gain one additional Thread of Fate. To obtain this upgrade, gain the Word Waltzer achievement by completing both the A Bookbinder's Bind quest and the Restoring the Resurrected quest. This upgrade costs 30,000 Archival Fortunes.
  
  
• Filer Kor's Truesight - Offers a third Vision choice each time you are offered Visions. To obtain this upgrade, gain the Eye See You! achievement from Filer's Wing. This upgrade costs 25,000 Archival Fortunes.
  
  
• Ghostly Gratitude - Strengthens your Verses. To obtain this upgrade, gain the Ghostlight Gatherer achievement from Echoing Den. This upgrade costs 10,000 Archival Fortunes.
  
  
• Sweeter Deal - Offers a third Verse choice each time you are offered Verses. To obtain this upgrade, gain the Kidding Around achievement from Haefal's Butchery. This upgrade costs 25,000 Archival Fortunes.
  
  
• Tentacular Motivation - Allows you to move more quickly, as if you had the Ring of the Wild Hunt on. To obtain this upgrade, gain the Mind Over Magick achievement from Treacherous Crossing. This upgrade costs 10,000 Archival Fortunes.

Class-Specific Sets can be obtained in one of two ways within the Infinite Archives: By purchase with Archival Fortunes from a vendor or by looting the Muniment Chest awarded from killing Tho'at Replicanum.

When class set pieces drop from a muniment chest, it is a curated drop, meaning that only pieces you do not yet have will drop. Once you have received all of the pieces you will no longer get one to drop for that character.

These sets are specific to your class, and are character-bound.

These class-specific sets contain both armor and weapons.

You can see the styles for the classes, below.