What makes DOTs so lackluster in PvP

Thecapeo

Been PvPing for a couple months now and want to mix up my build a bit. I'm a stam DK and Unstable Flame is pretty beastly in PvE but I never see people use it in Cyrodiil and I often hear DoTs aren't really worth it. I was thinking going with a tanky DoT, CC oriented build with 2H for a bit of burst when needed but if DoTs don't get the job done that's probably out the window. So what's the reason for their damage drop off in PvP. Do players just have too many ways to quickly get the DoTs off them to feasibly build around them?

SirAndy

It's too easy (and cheap) to purge DOTs ...

Gilvoth

the "TTK" or "time to kill" is very short, DOT's don't even last the length of the fight, most DOT's i've seen are pretty much useless also because they only do maybe at max 1200 or max 5000 damage. and when people have 30,000 average hp then that's pretty much useless overall, although it does help its not by enough to even trust.

MmmmTofu

I was trying the same thing with unstable flame and fiery breath about a week ago. I gave up on those two skills in PvP because they are not only very lackluster, but also does not behave like normal DOTs.

These two skills have a initial impact that does X amount of damage before applying the DOT. If the initial impact gets dodged or blocked, the dot part dont apply at all. Even if you are lucky enough and hit the opponent with your initial impact and set them aflame, the dot tick itself can still be dodged or blocked, which negates the idea of Damage Over Time.

Thecapeo

Wait, you can dodge or block a tick of a DoT? That's ludicrous.

MmmmTofu

i havent tested out the pure DOT (destro burning, entrophy etc), but for the ones with initial impact like the DK skill lines, yea the DOT can be dodged.

I cant provide pic of test atm, but this guy does have some pics:
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/206428/so-zos-when-will-you-make-dots-un-dodgeable

BigTone

purge OP

LegacyDM

Because everyone's a fricken damage sponge in this game. Between spell shield stacking, shields, armor reductions, nirn, purge, and health bonuses, dots do nothing but tickle people. It's a damn shame that ZOS never balanced the game to include dots. As a nightblade, I can get crippling grasp up to 11k damage but people just soak it up, block, dodge it, or reflect it. Kinda pointless.

Bashev

Cause block, dodge and shields are not only counters to dots they absolutely negate them.

Francescolg

The biggest problem about DoTs are the pvp abilities Purge/Cleanse, which are spammed in between heals by 90% of healers.
The damage of a DoT makes them less desirable, as you'll sinply achieve better damage in other ways.
To ge tyour AP%per kill, forget abot DoTs in pvp. They sometimes help vs. tanky/block builds to drain stamina

GRxKnight

Dots are good against perma blockers as the previous commenter pointed out because it drains stamina but yeah each class has it's own way to deal with dots in commonly used skills in pvp plus purge is a thing

umagon

Recasting just refreshs the dot timer they don't stack. Which is sad, when I first started my nightblade I wanted to copy a poison/bleed setup I used in other games. But no stacks made it impossible so I went with a support tank setup.

TheBull

Shields

Joy_Division

DoTs are terribad against shields, perma-blockers, NBs, and purge spamming zergs. In short, Vs. anyone that matters.