How have the popular builds changed over the years?

brylars · July 2022

A comment usually said by content creators when referring to the proposed changes is that the changes in the meta every year causes the "builders" to have to redo their builds for PvP and PvE.

It made me wonder what changes have you all had to make over the years? A complete change in class? What sets have come and gone? What gear/classes have stood the test of time?

Alchemical · July 2022

The only set I think I've seen really get completely tossed out of the meta is Necropotence, and even then it still has a thriving niche w/ lazy maelstrom sorc builds. It just use to be every magicka build would run the 4pc set of it for the massive magicka boost, but it got big nerfed and then was summarily replaced by Mother's Sorrow.

Monster sets also tend to get powercrept even harder than the 5pc sets. Like Molag Kena use to be extremely popular; now it's been banished to the shadow realm since newer sets can output similar or better damage while not having a drawback.

Me? Personally I change mine whenever I feel like it. Heck, I'm still using the same 2016 stamblade build and it still performs above average.

Quethrosar · July 2022

with mythics i can't see how to use a monster set

El_Borracho · July 2022

Sets are the one thing that is constantly changing when it comes to meta builds. Once upon a time you wouldn't dream of running a stamina DD without Vicious Serpent. Then Relequen came along and obliterated it.

But other than sets, the skills really have not changed that much. Every now and then an outlier pops up, like Soul Trap, but for the most part the base skills stay the same. The only major skills change I've seen is the use of the 2H on the back bar instead of the bow. I love it, but would say its a major change. Invariably, the bow will come back, like everything else in this game.

Firstmep · July 2022

How far back are we talking about? Blackrose/viper days? The second procapocalipse?
I feel like the time between having to change builds have sped over the years, especially recently.
I still giggle, when I see some console pointdexter showing his 10k wpd clever alch/ balorgh build, meanwhile oaken/savage werewolf sorcs are deleting people with light attacks.

brylars · July 2022

Firstmep wrote: »

How far back are we talking about? Blackrose/viper days? The second procapocalipse?
I feel like the time between having to change builds have sped over the years, especially recently.
I still giggle, when I see some console pointdexter showing his 10k wpd clever alch/ balorgh build, meanwhile oaken/savage werewolf sorcs are deleting people with light attacks.

Really as far back as you see fit. Maybe Wrathstone or before. You could go back as far as Clockwork City if you wanted. Just wondering about how changes affected your builds.

StarOfElyon · July 2022

The meta in PVP changes with every new batch of sets that ZOS releases. For PVE? I don't know how much that changes. I don't play the meta in PVP or PvE but I am forced to deal with the meta in PVP.

Tberg725 · August 2022

It changes enough now to the point I don’t even gold out armor sets anymore just the weapons and monster sets that have stayed relevant after a couple patches like bloodspawn and a couple others

nb_rich · August 2022

I think I started Eso 3 years ago and I remember Nightblades were the top pve dps and was the only class I seen in the leaderboards. Now its all Templars and Nightblades probably the worst overall class now for pve dps. Single target damage is useless now as now with hybridization its about being able to attack multiple targets. and burn everything as fast as possible I also remember Zaan being extremely good but since it can not crit it is now useless as well.

Only real change in my stamplar I made over the years was with the monster set. 3 years ago I used salenes, Then I went to one piece slime craw and another one piece crit or mythic, now im using stormfist. Relequen and deadly will probably never change even though deadly went from 20% to 15%

Destyran · August 2022

Started with marshal knowledge and worm cult and worm was a mega mega rare set and something then to twiceborn star then will power and VR 16 then the VMA inferno then mothers sorrow and that when the game stopped making sense