Hello ESO forum! I've been playing as a templar since ESO was released on the console. I've spent the majority of my time as a stamina DPS templar, but I have dabbled in almost every role the class has to offer whether it was as a tank, DPS, or healer. I've looked up many builds like Deltia's Harvester builds/Omega build, Jabsmania from Tamriel Foundry, and Sypher's Stamina Templar build. I finally feel like I've reached a point where I'm content with where my build is and I'd like to share it with you so here is my build, "The Bulletproof Templar"
What role does this Templar fit?
The Bulletproof templar is a hybrid between a tank and DPS. You're not quite tanky enough to be a true tank and you don't have the highest DPS out there. It's a middling in both cases but this results in a very interesting Front-line fighter mold. If you like getting into the thick of things while still doing decent damage then this build is for you.
Why is it called Bulletproof?
It's called this because of a certain skill. I'll elaborate in the skills section.
STATS:
Small Caveats: This picture was taken when Daggerfall had crowned an Emperor so the normal HP would be around 27,000 and I was not standing in my rune so my physical and spell resistance should be increased by 5200 each.
My race is an Imperial which grants me 10% more stamina and 12% more health. It also adds the very underestimated Red Diamond passive which grants you healing on Melee hits. Your Biting Jabs can proc this passive. I run The Serpent Mundus stone for increased Stamina recovery because Templar lack any in class passive recovery unless they slot Repentance. I do slot Repentance, but I felt like i needed more. You could switch this for the Warrior Mundus for more raw damage, but that's really up to you.
I use one of the new food recipes introduced with Orsinium. Orzorga's Triple Trifle Pocket Recipe gives 5000 health and 457 stamina recovery. You can go for Max Health and Max Stamina if you feel you're lacking in stamina or even go purple tri-food. Drinks work too if you want to increase your recovery and you are confident with your max stats.
SKILLS:
Bar One: Sword and Shield
Biting Jabs (Puncturing Strikes Morph - Aedric Spear) - This is a Stamina Templar's bread and butter skill. It's an AoE that hits the first target like a truck...or Lebron James...same difference... The first target in the path of this channel takes 140% of the damage dealt by this ability. It also has a chance to proc the incredible templar passive, Burning Light. When Burning Light procs, enemies die and they die fast.Biting Jabs doesn't lock in on a target so it isn't a guarantee to land all hits especially if your target is smart and moves around a lot. You'll have to position yourself in a way where you can land your hits and/or CC your targets. This is the main factor when determining if you're dealing with a mediocre Templar and someone who know what they're doing.
Invasion (Shield Charge Morph - One Handed and Shield) - Some may question why would I use a stamina gap closer when Templars have their own Magicka gap closer in Focused Charge. Those same people must not know the sheer frustration Focused Charge causes when it refuses to work and/or locks you in this odd sort of purgatory where you can't attack, use your skills, or even bar swap until you drink a potion or just get slaughtered like a helpless lamb. Invasion was actually one of the reasons i went with Sword and Board. The fluid animation, the decent damage (just under 7k when buffed), and the long stun makes this an amazing ability let alone a gap closer.
Heroic Slash (Low Slash Morph - One Handed and Shield) - where have you been all my life? Biting Jabs is your go to ability, but it's a channel and sometimes you need just a quick burst of damage to get your foe to back off. Heroic Slash does that and more. Heroic slash does just under 8.5k damage instantly and slows your target by 60%. This is a huge slow which sets up biting jabs perfectly! But wait, there's more! Heroic slash also adds Minor Maim on your enemy which lowers their damage by 15%. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE?! Heroic slash also grants minor heroism which gives you 1 ult every 1.5 seconds for 9 seconds. so to recap, Heroic Slash does a quick burst of moderate/high damage, weakens your target, slows your target, and give you ult... You can trade this ability for it's other morph, Deep Slash, if you want to put the debuffs on two other targets in exchange for the ult gain.
Repentance (Restoring Aura Morph - Restoring Light) - This is one of the best Templar abilities in the game. Just having it slotted increases your Health Recovery, Magicka Recovery, and Stamina Recovery by 10%. Activating this ability siphons health AND stamina fro any slain person on the ground. The only time I don't run this is if there is already a templar spamming it. I would replace this Silver Leash (Silver bolts Morph - Fighter's guild), Binding Javelin ( Piercing Javelin Morph - Aedric Spear), or Luminous Shards (Spear Shards Morph - Aedric Spear Morph) for some range and CC. Each has it's pros and cons so I'll let you decide.
Defensive Stance (Defensive Posture Morph - One Handed and Shield) - This is why this build is called "Bulletproof". I can't tell you how many, crystal frags, flame reaches, and meteors I have reflected back, but i can tell you that each one makes me smile a little. It doesn't reflect non-spell projectiles like Throwing Dagger or Snipe which sucks, but at least when it reflects back on the user, they're stunned for 3.5 seconds. You really feel like you're bulletproof when you see so much projectiles bounce off of you
Flawless Dawnbreaker (Dawnbreaker Morph - Fighter's Guild) - Pretty standard ult for DPS users. The passive 8% weapon damage is really nice and the damage is impressive. Woe is to you, daedra, undead, werewolves, and vampires if you are hit by this...
Bar Two: Two Handed Battleaxe
Executioner (Reverse Slash Morph - Two Handed) - This is really the only option for an execute if you're a stamina user and not a nightblade. Radiant Destruction is just a horrible idea for a Stamina User. If you feel you don't need an execute, then you can use Binding Javelin. Right now, Battleaxes are bugged and Binding Javelin will always proc the bleed damage passive in the Two Handed tree. Honestly, this is the only reason I'm using a battleaxe at the moment. Once this is fixed, I'll probably go to a two handed sword or just drop two handers in favor for a bow and weapon power potions.
Restoring Focus (Channeled Focus Morph - Restoring Light) - I was watching Sypher's video on stamina templars where he said that healing was increased by 30% when you were within Purifying Ritual. Sadly, he was misinformed. Only Restoring Light heals are increased while within the radius of Channeled Focus, Cleansing Ritual, and Rite of Passage. This sucks hardcore, Zenimax! It's also the major reason you'll hear when Stamina Templars have "No Heals". My remedy for this is you use Restoring Focus. Restoring Focus grants you Minor Vitality which increases healing received by 8%. Unfortunately, this is only when you are inside the rune which has a small radius. Still it's better than nothing. It also gives you Major Wards which increase your armor and spell resistance by 5200. You can also leave your Rune and still have the armor buffs for 8 seconds before they dissipate. So why can't the healing follow too?
Purifying Ritual (Cleansing Ritual Morph - Restoring Light) - Best debuff removal in the game in my opinion. It removes up to 5 negative effects, heals you over time, and gives a synergy for teammates to remove their debuffs and heal themselves slightly. I tried Cleanse (Purge Morph - Support) just to see how it was and was just lacking in every category for me. This is great for PvP, but for PvE I would switch it out for Razor Caltrops (Caltrops Morph - Assault) or Evil Hunter (Expert Hunter Morph - Fighting Guild). I would actually try and slot both by replacing this and Restoring Focus for PvE play.
Resolving Vigor (Vigor Morph - Assault) - As my good friend T0RMENTED SAINT said, "...so I have to choose between healing myself for more or a bigger radius for others? "N****, F*** the team"
Rally (Momentum Morph - Two Handed) - Main reason I'm running a two hander. The 30second Major Brutality buff and passive healing for 30 seconds is outstanding. If I'm not running this, then I'm not running a two hander. The only time to replace this is if you prefer a bow and have alchemy ingredients to make weapon power potions (Blessed Thistle, Dragonthorn, Water Hyacinth/Wormwood) or speed potions (Blessed Thistle, Dragonthorn, Namira's Rot) which also grants Major Brutality.
Empowering Sweep (Radial Sweep Morph) - I'm not in love with this morph. I'll go as far as saying it's one of the worst ults in the game. The thing is though...It works for me. When I manage to actually hit someone with it's pitiful 5 meter radius, the 15% reduced damage (+4% per enemy hit, capped at 6 for some horrible reason...YOU'LL NEVER HIT 6 PEOPLE WITH THIS SKILL) will keep you alive in the middle of enemy lines. It's weak AoE pulse actually is more useful as a way to break Nightblades out of stealth rather than damage. I only have this slotted so my Aedric Spear Passives will apply to my back bar. I would replace this with Shooting Star (Meteor Morph - Mage's Guild) if I slot Binding Javelin or Luminous Shards on my back bar.
GEAR:
The gear sets are actually pretty simplistic and easy to get...for the most part. I use 5 piece medium Hunding's Rage on my chest, legs, waist, gloves, and boots.
My shoulder is 1 piece light Molag Kena. My helmet is a heavy Night Mother's Gaze Helmet. My sword and shield is also Night Mother's Gaze as well as my battleaxe. I run the 5/1/1 set up for the Undaunted passive bonus which increases my Health, Magicka, Stamina by 6%. I'm thinking of running 5 piece Morkuldin, Shield Breaker, or Essence Thief in the future, but Hundings/Night Mother's Gaze Combo is really effective. I have max stamina runes on my waist, boots, gloves, shoulders, Chests, and legs. Max Health on Helmets, and Shield.
My Jewelry is two Rings of Agility, both robust, and a Necklace of Agility, healthy. The only way I'd replace these is if I had full Morkuldin crafted and the Hunt set from Maelstrom Arena. This also going off the assumption that the Morkuldin Axe that spawns counts as a Pet. If it counts as a pet, then the Hunt set would proc and you would recover health and stamina. If it doesn't...well...s***
CHAMPION POINTS:
In the Warrior Tree, I focus most of my champion points into The Lady constellation. the added resistances from Hardy and Elemental Defender are very nice, but we're aiming for the Unchained passive which is given at 120 warrior points invested in The Lady. Unchained lowers the cost of stamina abilities by 80% after breaking free! It's a must have and my main goal. Until i reach 120, however, I invest mostly into Hardy and then Elemental Defender. I throw a couple into quick recovery in The Lord constellation to boost my healing as well. Once I hit 120 though, I'll do an even 60/60 split between Hardy and Elemental Defender.
In the Thief Tree, I focus most of my champion points into The Lover constellation. Stamina Recovery is key for this build and sustaining that is really important. I go full 100 into Mooncalf to increase my stamina recovery. I've thrown 10 into Warlord in the Tower constellation and the rest into tumbling in the Shadow constellation until I hit 120. I'll probably go for that Windwalker passive, but I'm not in love with it.
In the Mage Tree, I focus most of my champion points into The Ritual constellation. Physical Damage has no counter in the champion tree system right now so take advantage of it. 100 into Mighty for max physical damage then I put one into Piercing and Precise Strikes. The rest go into Thaumaturge to boost our Burning Light Passive as well as our Dawnbreaker damage.
VIDEO GAMEPLAY:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_LSDGQv5mUM&feature=youtu.be
EDIT: If someone can tell me how to embed a video, I'd really appreciate it