Maintenance for the week of December 2:
• PC/Mac: NA and EU megaservers for patch maintenance – December 2, 4:00AM EST (9:00 UTC) - 9:00AM EST (14:00 UTC)
• Xbox: NA and EU megaservers for patch maintenance – December 4, 6:00AM EST (11:00 UTC) - 12:00PM EST (17:00 UTC)
• PlayStation®: NA and EU megaservers for patch maintenance – December 4, 6:00AM EST (11:00 UTC) - 12:00PM EST (17:00 UTC)

Solo Leveling

Earelith
Earelith
✭✭✭
[Intro: Excuse for solo play :) ]
Hello there. New player here. I bought ESO some months ago and created a sorcerer but did not went too far and had no time to play the game. So the first free month have passed almost doing nothing :) Now that is B2P I joined again and think to start again a new character (first character gone only to level 8, so nothing to lose about).

Many things changed with the last update I read but my experience with the game is zero. I have not enough time anymore to commit in groups and guilds since my playtime is not only very low but sometimes I may not be able to log for a week. So last couple of years I am a solo player. I just leveling 1-2 classes, see the story, the lore, and just go after cosmetics (wardrobe costumes, mounts, etc)...thats my endgame :)

[Main subject]

I would like to level a class that is easy on solo. Last time I played, even in low levels I had some problems with sorcerer, though the problem probably was me or the skills I used..I would like to suggest/help me to pick a class/build to level and enjoy the virtual world. Enjoying the world is what I am after, so sneaking may be a good part of my gameplay (going to hard places easier). I also like a lot the cloth armor, from visual perspective. I don't know if it is possible to find such a build but this is what I imagine to have:

-Light armor
-Easy to play, good for solo
-Sneaking is a plus
-able to craft light armor (for leveling purposes)

I don't mind the speed of killing mobs to be fast, I just want to easily empty their health while keeping mine up. So I suppose a healer is maybe what I am after, that will slowly kill mobs but will be very survival with self heals. I also would like to avoid the circle-running kiting as a method of survival.

In case, someone will take the time to help, please don't give me a build straight for a max level character. A level 10, 20, 30 char builds will be much more helpful so I know in what skill should focus first and how my build will develop from start to end :)

Thanks in Advance
  • Frawr
    Frawr
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Tbh they are all easy once you have a few skills. The premise of the game 'play as you want' and to achieve that, most of it is face roll easy.

    If you want to have no trouble at all ever then I suggest a templar with biting jabs morphed to puncturing. I'll be surprised if you ever need another skill.

    I won't write an entire build because not necessary and you can figure it out. There's no risk to make a bad choice
    Edited by Frawr on 17 March 2015 12:40
  • Sacadon
    Sacadon
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Dragon Knight... You can solo most content and have a good tool for every encounter. There are no ranged DPS skills native to the skill line, but that's irrelevant and offset by the skills themselves. It's the easiest to play, most versatile class, high DPS and survivability. It's the I-win class. And if played right you'll only need to change your armor a few times before level 50.

    2nd choice is Night Blade, good self heals and you can sneak past many encounters if you choose. One of the more complicated classes to play, but more fun than DK IMO. Best CC in game (fear)

    Templar still boring IMO, but certainly powerful and survivable for just about anything (at least since 1.6). The initial skills of each line are all you need for a long while (puncturing strikes, vampires bane, breath of life). Only fun skill IMO is eclipse.

    Only play and struggle with sorc if you really love being a sorc, very slow in the beginning using most 2 skills that level slowly. Eventually you'll get some of the best defensive skills in the game. (Lightning form, bolt escape, hardened ward).

    Also to keep choices simple for race go with either imperial (health buffs) or high elf (magicka buffs).

    FWIW, I've VR characters for each of these and played them in both PvP (mostly) and PvE.
    Edited by Sacadon on 17 March 2015 13:02
  • Earelith
    Earelith
    ✭✭✭
    Thank you both :) When is it safe to start spending skills in crafting and sneaking? Should I start spending skill in such staff once near 50 or I can start from level 10 or so?

    In Templar you mention both (I hope I will not find it boring..generally I like very easy combat, even if that mean spamming 1-2 skills), can I have light armor? And what weapons you suggest? Restoration Staff and then 1H and Shield for off?

    Also in templar can I invest in sneaking (for world traveling purposes and fun) or it is pointless?Is sneaking only for stealth fighters (Nightblade for example)?

    What crafting you recommend to supplement my solo leveling? Crafting light armor is probably usefull, to create my own gear. Anything else? Alchemy or cooking for example? Does potions/food make a difference in solo play?or they are only for high end grouping?
    Edited by Earelith on 17 March 2015 13:02
  • RainfeatherUK
    RainfeatherUK
    ✭✭✭✭
    -Light armor
    -Easy to play, good for solo
    -Sneaking is a plus
    -able to craft light armor (for leveling purposes)

    Light armor took a pretty big defence hit in 1.6, so you might find yourself a little squishy in that. But what you've listed otherwise is fully viable on all of the classes and isnt really specific to any of them.

    There are plenty of builds on each, that can be as sorcery or unsorcery as you would like. You dont necessarily have to be a sorcerer if you still want to be something similar in playstyle.

    When I first came to the game I squarely favoured rogue archetypes for predominantly pvp purposes. So I chose Nightblade thinking it would be closest to that. In the end my character has been a tank, a healer and it even makes a fairly robust blood mage!

    Unless you want to be the absolute best (with lots of number crunching / that might change with balancing) feel free to go with anything that you really enjoy. After all thats the most important part.
    Edited by RainfeatherUK on 17 March 2015 13:02
  • Ragged_Claw
    Ragged_Claw
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have to solo pretty much all the time as well, when I play it's usually deserted! I play as a sorc and use the summoning, my clannfear draws a lot of aggro and I have the winged twilight that heals me. I know a lot of people dislike the 'pets' but I've found them to be indispensible in many fights. Levelling has taken a loooong time though, but then I'm not bothered about racing up the ranks, it's taken me several months to get to V10, but that's because I just wander around aimlessly a lot :) I put most of my points into health and magic and craft my own light armor with health buffs, so I'm not too squishy. Also provisioning is well worth levelling up to get health boosts from food, it levels quickly too. I don't pay much attention to the technical stats etc, I just judge my build by how often I die, so I may not be the best to give advice on builds lol. I play to enjoy the world rather than competitively, so I just experiment with stuff.
    PC EU & NA
  • Lord Xanhorn
    Lord Xanhorn
    ✭✭✭✭
    Templars are not boring. They are if you only spam 1 ability over and over. But then every class is like that. Templars are very good soloing class as you can heal yourself if needed without a resto staff. But honestly, once you get enough skills opened up, you dont really have to heal yourself much.
    I'm kind of a small deal!
  • Sacadon
    Sacadon
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Templar has one of the most spammable skills that takes you to level 50+ and you can unlock immediately (puncturing strikes)

    Any class can sneak well. Armor sets, the Medium armor type passives, Legerdemain and Vampirism passives all contribute. Just know that since you are a magicka build (I think you implied this) then your stamina pool size will limit movement time in stealth.

    My first char was a Templar, VR14 that I solo'd 98% of vet content before it was nerfed and temps got the Jesus beam. So it's totally doable and easy now. I was never a healer BTW, just a significantly gimped DPS build. Now NB is my main...
    Edited by Sacadon on 17 March 2015 14:21
  • likewow777
    likewow777
    ✭✭✭
    If you want a character that will stay alive from day 1, rather than having to unlock a bunch of skills, Templar. Literally, the first skill from each of the class skill trees will kill enemies and keep you alive.

    Puncturing Strikes (Puncturing Sweep morph heals you based on the damage you do)
    Sun Fire (I take Reflective Light morph for multiple enemy hits)
    Rushed Ceremony (I take Breath of Life morph)

    You can replace Sun Fire with something else, like Spear Shards (Blazing Spear morph for damage), and you can replace Breath of Life with Repentance (morph of Restoring Aura) for the instant, no cost, heal after enemies are dead. Your rotation could be, you run up to your enemies and:

    Sun Fire -> Puncturing Strikes (as needed) -> Rushed Ceremony (if needed)

    Or:

    Blazing Spear (entire mob) -> Sun Fire (or Reflective Light all of them) -> Puncturing Strikes (Sweep morph will heal you, as mentioned) -> Repentance (restores health and stamina for each dead body)

    For weapon choice, you can use whatever suits you best. I've used the skills mentioned above in conjunction with destruction staff (hated it), 2H (loved it, but gave it up to tank/heal), restoration staff (use it now as healer) and 1H+S (use it now as tank). I've soloed most of the PvE experience, from lvl 1 to VR14, with my Templar. She has been the most survivable and adaptable character I've used.

    Second choice for me, DK, which has already been mentioned above. NB is not a third choice, for me, it's a different play style and mentality. I love my NB because I like sneaking around and ambushing. Sorcerer, for me, is probably my least favorite class, mostly because the skills don't move me much. Don't get me wrong, I've grouped with amazing sorcs, who have wielded destro staffs and 2H, fully capable of mowing enemies down. But it's just not for me.

    Hope that helps!
    Edited by likewow777 on 18 March 2015 01:54
    "War doesn't build character, it reveals it."
  • Earelith
    Earelith
    ✭✭✭
    likewow777 wrote: »
    If you want a character that will stay alive from day 1, rather than having to unlock a bunch of skills, Templar. Literally, the first skill from each of the class skill trees will kill enemies and keep you alive.

    Puncturing Strikes (Puncturing Sweep morph heals you based on the damage you do)
    Sun Fire (I take Reflective Light morph for multiple enemy hits)
    Rushed Ceremony (I take Breath of Life morph)

    You can replace Sun Fire with something else, like Spear Shards (Blazing Spear morph for damage), and you can replace Breath of Life with Repentance (morph of Restoring Aura) for the instant, no cost, heal after enemies are dead. Your rotation could be, you run up to your enemies and:

    Sun Fire -> Puncturing Strikes (as needed) -> Rushed Ceremony (if needed)

    Or:

    Blazing Spear (entire mob) -> Sun Fire (or Reflective Light all of them) -> Puncturing Strikes (Sweep morph will heal you, as mentioned) -> Repentance (restores health and stamina for each dead body)

    For weapon choice, you can use whatever suits you best. I've used the skills mentioned above in conjunction with destruction staff (hated it), 2H (loved it, but gave it up to tank/heal), restoration staff (use it now as healer) and 1H+S (use it now as tank). I've soloed most of the PvE experience, from lvl 1 to VR14, with my Templar. She has been the most survivable and adaptable character I've used.

    Second choice for me, DK, which has already been mentioned above. NB is not a third choice, for me, it's a different play style and mentality. I love my NB because I like sneaking around and ambushing. Sorcerer, for me, is probably my least favorite class, mostly because the skills don't move me much. Don't get me wrong, I've grouped with amazing sorcs, who have wielded destro staffs and 2H, fully capable of mowing enemies down. But it's just not for me.

    Hope that helps!

    Thats awesome info! Thanks a lot. Since all these abilities uses magicka, I guess that I am going to put my attributes in Magicka and health right? Also with light armor and its perks I will be able to use them a lot :) Do I need to invest anything in stamina? 1-2 medium pieces or any attributes?

    Edited by Earelith on 18 March 2015 07:42
  • cronius77b14_ESO
    cronius77b14_ESO
    ✭✭✭
    both templar and nightblades have pretty incredible soloing abilities. I was actually able to make my two handed nightblade setup just like a shadowknight in EQ2 or death knight in wow with great healing from rally and siphoning with very good dps from Wrecking blow and cleaves etc. If I wanted to solo world bosses switching on refreshing path pumped out a ton of hps between the 3 abilites and all are helping with damage instead of having to heal like a templar does. I have both a templar and a nightblade in VR content and I can say I think the dps is better on the NB at least in two handed and medium. Templars main healing skill morph is still magicka based and not stamina so it goes against any stamina builds. OP both classes are solid solo machines especially past about level 20 but the templar IMO shines still in magicka and the NB in stamina and I still think the NB has more sustained DPS and burst.
  • Earelith
    Earelith
    ✭✭✭
    Thank you all. I have started as Templar :) currently I am at level 7 and this is how I used my first skills:
    http://www.esohead.com/calculator/skills#1.mozzv0m9o8rFTF8bznF8frrB85sN7zNDG8L7MzdoQr8j7zNUM8n7zNWQ8zc7zzgeXm8zf7zzNbo8zu7zzHfYE6zHfZd8zG7zzHQ3F8zI7zzJIoX6zJIkL8zN7zzJZcY8zA7zzKpUN8zL7MzK4EX6zK4PZ

    I have a blast playing the game..all enemies die within some seconds :) even when multiply of them. I installed an addon and currently spend some time gathering jute in the world and have created 4 pieces of light armor to wear. I will probably spent the next skills on Light armor and crafting since I don't think I will need any other abilities for soloing atm :)

    I have also started Alchemy but have not spent any skill in there too. I am thinking to have it to use magicka potions. Any further tips would be awesome. But so far I am good with that skills :)
  • LameoveR
    LameoveR
    ✭✭✭✭
    Congratulations!
    I still can't enjoy playing other classes but my sorc. :|
  • Ourorboros
    Ourorboros
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    Spend gold wisely. Do not repair equipment, use drops or craft new-repair is nothing but a gold sink and at lower levels, you need gold. Join a guild, or five, and sell mats that you collect along the way. Your trash is another man's treasure. This will help you get gold. Use gold to increase bag size, then bank and to get a horse.
    Pick up all runes and glyphs. You can level enchanting with minimal skill points just by making a few runes, and deconstructing the glyphs you get from drops.
    Look in all containers for free lockpicks, racial stones, motifs, recipes, etc. WARNING: Punishment getting caught stealing is severe.
    Use the recipes that you don't know, sell the ones that you do know, and make foods and drinks. The ones you make are better than those you find, and can make the difference better winning and dying in combat.

    BTW, that first sorcerer you made will do fine as well for the objectives you listed. Use the pets to tank for you while you use light and heavy attacks and cast from range. Very survivable in solo. My main is a VR14 sorc I play everyday.
    PC/NA/DC
    Breton Sorcerer Maester.White - BB meets GoT >Master Crafter< { 9 Traits completed 4/23/15 }
    TANSTAAFL--->There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.....Robert Heinlein
    Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea....Heinlein
    All those moments will be lost in time, like tears...in...rain. Time to die. "Blade Runner"
    ESO: the game you hate to love and love to hate....( >_<) May RNG be with you (*,_,*)
  • Zershar_Vemod
    Zershar_Vemod
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    All classes are easy to solo if you put in the time to understand said classes.
    House Nyssara (NA)
    Black Market Traders
    Order of the Lamp Post
    Thorn Brigade
    VR15 Nightblade Vampire
Sign In or Register to comment.