PVP Builds from a Long Time Player: Cookie Cutter to the Off Beat

driosketch

I've been wanting to share these for a while.

To start with, the builds here are not so much to give you a template to follow. They are more to show you what is possible. I tend to buck conventional wisdom, and I get tired of seeing X is useless in PvP. I'm a firm believer that "play how you want" is possible, it just requires effort and dedication. That said, I've been a beta player since July 2013, and I've been playing almost daily 2-3 hours since launch. Spaced practice effect, I can get away with more by playing a non optimal build, your mileage may vary. Also of note, I have master crafters to gear and outfit my characters.

Secondly this isn't really a theorycrafting thread either. I have applied all four of these characters in PvP, and by at least one measure done so successfully. I also don't use add-ons, relying on the tooltips and default UI, and if any of my choices look odd, that is part of the reason why. That said, if anyone has any constructive advice to improve these characters, I'm happy to take suggestions.

All 4 characters are DC on NA Azura's Star. I'm currently pushing my main into the top 10% of AS's leader board. I maxed the 3 alts to the 3rd reward tier (100k AP each, more than half a million across all four). Generally I play objectives, getting AP from ticks, kills, (heals on my main), bounty quests and repairs. I don't wait for a group either, going it alone, but still fighting 1v1, 1vX, and XvX. All characters have been playing PvP from level 10, and I'm currently still under 300CP. I put about 30 in most constellations, with a minimum of at least 10. If a star has any usefulness, I'll put enough for 1-5%. Depending on build, I'll put the remaining bulk into certain stars, such as Blessed and Elfborn on my healer.



Character: Drio Azul -Battle Healer
Race: Reguard
Class: Templar
Level: V16
Alliance Rank: Lieutenant 1

Attributes: 54 Magicka, 10 Health, 0 Stamina
>Exact numbers are hard to give here because they can change with a weapon swap. Generally I use blue food M/H, or Purple food if I need the stamina to play defensively.
-Magicka 28000+ with ~1300 regen
-Health 24000+ with 300+ regen
-Stamina 10000 min with 800+ regen
>The Stamina is enough to break free, and roll dodge twice in a row. (Emetic Russula+ Water Hyacinth Stun potion to test.) I use purple food if I'll need to run and block too.

Damage: (see weapon swap issue above)
-Spell 1700+ with 30-40% crit
-Weapon ~1500 with 20%+ crit

Resistance:
-Spell ~20000
-Physical ~10000
>My build is paper thin when it comes to the physical attack meta, I last 4-5 hits rather than 1 shot kills though.

Stone Boon: The Ritual
>I've also used The Atronach. With 2 pieces of divine armor it's basically a trade off between stronger heals or extra casts. The sum total of healing done seems to be about equal.

Gear:
-Armor
--Desert Rose, 5 piece, all V16 legendary, all light, all magicka, 2 divine, infused chest, 1 impenetrable + 1 well fitted (to cover short falls)
>10% chance on damage of returning 2408 mag, 1 second cool down. Works off DoT hits.
--Magnus' Gift, 2 pcs +1 wep, V15 legendary, med Helm w/inf and magic, heavy legs reinforced w/ mag (again to cover a short fall)
-Jewelry; Will Power set, 2 Health with Mag regen, 1 Stamina with Stam Regen (Cheaper, also short fall)
-Weapons
--VR15 2-handed mace legendary, nirnhoned, Magnus set with Magicka return enchant
--VR15 Restoration Staff, percise, Magnus set with Magicka return enchant

Skills: I use several different loadouts depending on the situation
-Offensive, Primary: I Det, Reflective Light, Puncturing Sweep, Blazing Spear, Dark Flare, Dawnbreaker
--Puncturing Sweep
--Explosive Charge, it's got a cool zigzag to it's path finding. Sometimes a gap closer is needed, but I don't use it too often.
--Blazing Spear, my primary CC
--Reflective Light, for use vs. groups
--Dark Flare
--Unstable Core, weaker than I Det, but instance cast. Just need to hit the caster in the group. In the heat of battle they might not realized they've been eclipsed.
--Radiant Glory, maybe it's Oppression's tool tip, but its mechanic doesn't make much sense to me for a finisher. In either case, I usually forget it's on my bar.
--Inevitable Detonation
--Ult: Dawnbreaker of Smiting
-Defensive, Primary: Efficient Purge, Breath of Life, Healing Ward, Purifying Ritual, Combat Prayer, Reviving Barrier
--Breath of Life
--Purifying Ritual
--Channeled Focus, when holding a defensive position
--Healing Springs
--Combat Prayer, cast in group v group or sieges, especially on the wall defenders.
--Healing Ward
--Radiant MageLight, needed to hunt NBs hiding in a keep.
--Efficient Purge, because a lot of player don't hit that X on Purifying Ritual
--Ult: Reviving Barrier
--Ult: Remembrance



Character: Tatanya Fria -Tank
Race: Nord
Class: Dragonknight
Level: 32
Alliance Rank: Veteran 2
>Tatanya is based on a gaming friend's character who tanked for me in another MMO, and I figured I'd give it a try in ESO. Tank takes a little time to get into the flow. Have to remember Ult, then tripot to restore resources for instance. Because if they run out, or you wait too long and get feared, you're dead.

Attributes: 0 Magicka, 31 Health, 0 Stamina Battle leveled
>Yep everything into health, purple drink used
-Magicka ~12000 with ~1000 regen
-Health 33000+ with 1600 regen
-Stamina ~17000 with ~1000 regen
>I'm not sure if this counts as a hybrid or a health build.

Damage:
-Spell ~1800 with 22% crit
-Weapon ~1500 with 24%+ crit

Resistance:
-Spell ~18000
-Physical ~20000+
>I've found this plus DK magicka utility skills is more than enough to withstand the onslaught of AoE trains, a wall of range casters, and some of the strongest gankers in the game. This build is meant to specifically counter the meta of PvP, and relies of other players to mop up.

Stone Boon: The Lady

Gear:
-Armor, Magicka on two small pieces, everything else is Stamina enchants
--Thunderous, 4 piece + 1 Necklace, lvl 23 Blue (legs are 22 Green), all heavy with sturdy
>10% chance to deal 3780 shock damage in 5m radius when struck in Melee. Combined the Riposte perk, it's a free tag on groups while blocking. It hasn't killed anyone, but it does cause a few to back off. Unfortunately the non vet version only goes to lvl 23 so as I level my resistance under battle level falls.
--Hist Bark, 3 pcs +1-2 Wep, lvl 30 Blue, Heavy with impenetrable.
>20% to dodge attack while blocking. No stamina gets used on a dodge.
-Jewelry; lvl 23 green Thunderous Pendant
-Weapons
--Lvl 30 2-handed sword blue, sharpened, Histbark set with fire enchant
--Lvl 30 defending sword and reinforced shield blue, Histbark set with stamina return/stamina enchants

Skills:
-Offensive Actually none of these really matter, when the tide turns, use what ever causes damage to finish off the enemies.
--Brawler, damage shield
--Reverse Slash
--Burning Embers, with the health return
--Wrecking Blow, which I seriously try not to spam
--Stampede, when a gap closer is needed
--Petrify, CC option 1v1
--Stone Giant , CC option 1vX
--Ult: Ferocious Leap
-Defensive
--Igneous Shield
--Green Dragon Blood
--Pierce Armor, used to soften up the enemies you're tanking for your allies
--Reflective Scale
--Choking Talons
--Ult: Magma Armor (Morph doesn't make too much difference, but currently Corrosive Armor, I think my last death recap vs. 30 enemies was a string of 1,007 hit attacks. With 30k plus health vs. a small group you can be damn near unkillable.



Character: Renna Blade - The Perfect PvP Class
Race: Reguard
Class: Night Blade
Level: 14
Alliance Rank: Tyro 2
>Either NBs are PvP easy mode, or I'm able to make almost anything work. (Possible, see below.) This was originally a throwaway character.

Attributes: 2 Magicka, 3 Health, 8 Stamina Battle leveled
>Blue M/S drink
-Magicka 14000+ with 1500 regen
-Health ~26000 with ~540 regen
-Stamina 23000+ with ~1600+ regen

Damage:
-Spell ~1600 with 21% crit
-Weapon ~1700 with 43%+ crit

Resistance:
-Spell ~10000
-Physical ~9500

Stone Boon: The Thief

Gear: Yes, other then the set bonuses, it's mostly trash.
-Armor, all stamina enchants except for 1 health and magic on one large piece each
--Night Mother, 4 piece, lvl10 green, 2 med, 1 heavy chest, 1 light gloves, training on all except Impenetrable on the Med Helm
--Night's Silence, 3 pcs +1-2 wep, lvl10 green, Impenetrable, Well-Fitted, and Infused on the legs
-Jewelry; Green, Blue & Purple, lvl 12-14 hand me down drops
-Weapons, manual swap in-between fights
--Night's Silence, lvl10 green Bow with training and stamina return enchant
-- Night's Silence, lvl10 green 2 handed sword with training and stamina return enchant
>Trying to unlock Uppercut, and then didn't even use it.
-- Night's Silence, lvl10 green sword + dagger with training with fire and cold damage enchants

Skills:
-Dark Cloak, for escape
-Swallow Soul, for healing and to swap to ranged attacks when not using a bow.
-Surprise Attack
-Ambush, I honestly try not to abuse this one. But I have needed to keep up the pressure on players who rock circle.
-Malefic Wreath, actually pretty effective CC in the absence of fear. Use it on the tower mage when soloing a resource.
-Ult: Soul Tether



Character: Ra'Ja the Whispering Fang - Unarmed
Race: Khajiit
Class: DragonKnight
Level: 21
Alliance Rank: Legionary 1, someone actually asked how I could be a Tyro at lvl18 (see Renna above :P)
>Ra'Ja has been a most surprising and possibly one of my most fun characters. He has some minor fame, and gets tells more often from friend and foe than any of my other characters.

Attributes: 5 Magicka, 6 Health, 9 Stamina Battle leved
> Purple drink, Blue M/S drink before lvl 20
-Magicka 16000+ with ~1100 regen
-Health 22000+ with ~1000 regen
-Stamina 21000+ with ~1400 regen

Damage: (see weapon swap issue above)
-Spell ~224 with 22% crit
-Weapon ~556 with 32%+ crit

Resistance:
-Spell ~11000
-Physical ~10000

Stone Boon: The Steed
>The whole point of this build is the speed to maneuver and dance around a fight.

Gear:
-Armor, Stamina Enchants on all
--Night Mother, 5 peices lvl 18 Blue Med with Infused on the large pieces and Impenetrable on the rest.
--Torgs Pact, lvl 20 Blu Heavy Helm with Reinforced, lvl 20 Blue Light Gloves with Impenetrable
-Jewelry; Weapon enchants on the lvl20 Blue rings
-Weapons; none, only punches and melee skills

Skills:
-Fragmented Shield
-Green Dragon Blood
-Unstable Flame
-Volatile armor
-Stone Giant, one of my favorite things is to sneak up on siege, knock everyone down and burn it in front of them.
-Ult: Take Flight , best when used from stealth to open. I have defended resources this way. During keep defenses I will stand on a wall and block to charge it just so it's ready.


Wish I had a way to capture video. Anyways, those are my characters. Let me know if you have any questions.

IcyDeadPeople

Have to give you props for the unarmed build!

driosketch

IcyDeadPeople wrote: »

Have to give you props for the unarmed build!

He is surprisingly fun to play given his limitations. If they ever gave us an actual unarmed skill line, Ra'Ja would probably become OP. :P