In your opinion what is the best pvp magden race and is magden better in pvp or pve

Cameron991 · March 2023

I’m looking to build a magden for pvp or pve, I have a breton right now but I’m curious on if I should keep it breton or switch to dark elf I am dps btw and am not the greatest pvp player but I’d like to survive with good damage lol. I’ve been wanting to make a female dark elf but I also don’t want to waste a race change if breton is the best. And on a different note is magden better in pvp or pve

Araneae6537 · March 2023

Warden is good in PVP but in higher end PVE is support only (not that you can’t run vet dungeons as a magden dps of course).

As to race, I think the differences are small enough that you should choose what you like, but overall, I think Dunmer is probably best for PVP magden dps, and fire resistance is especially helpful while DKs are popular. Other races such as Nord might bump up your survivability with overall resistances.

OBJnoob · March 2023

I'd go Dunmer if I were you. That's what my magden is. The fire resistance is useful because of DKs, siege, and even moreso if you want to be a stage 3 vampire.

Wardens are great in PvP. One of the strong classes, but somehow gets very little hate compared to DK and NB. It's perfect. Very tanky with minimal effort. The damage isn't bad but it isn't great either. There will be people you can't kill due to lack of pressure (depending on how you're built I guess,) but at the same time you'll be able to nuke small groups of people.

Also very mobile with minimal effort. And fairly easy to set up, skill wise. Your buffs and utility are all attached to class skills you'd want to use anyway. Major resolve with a side of minor protection? Check. A long-lasting HoT that gives major savagery while active? Check. Burst heal with a stun attached? If you so choose (the other morph is arguably better, provided you build in a little max HP.) Snare removal with major expedition and passive minor berserk? Check. Delayed burst ability with major breach? Sure, here, have some minor breach too.

The only problem is they don't have an execute. Like, seriously, that's the only real problem.

Final sentiment-- returning to the topic of wardens being tanky with minimal effort. If you choose to front bar an ice staff, as I do, then perhaps backbar sword and shield. You'll be a blocking machine.

Cameron991 · March 2023

OBJnoob wrote: »

I'd go Dunmer if I were you. That's what my magden is. The fire resistance is useful because of DKs, siege, and even moreso if you want to be a stage 3 vampire.

Wardens are great in PvP. One of the strong classes, but somehow gets very little hate compared to DK and NB. It's perfect. Very tanky with minimal effort. The damage isn't bad but it isn't great either. There will be people you can't kill due to lack of pressure (depending on how you're built I guess,) but at the same time you'll be able to nuke small groups of people.

Also very mobile with minimal effort. And fairly easy to set up, skill wise. Your buffs and utility are all attached to class skills you'd want to use anyway. Major resolve with a side of minor protection? Check. A long-lasting HoT that gives major savagery while active? Check. Burst heal with a stun attached? If you so choose (the other morph is arguably better, provided you build in a little max HP.) Snare removal with major expedition and passive minor berserk? Check. Delayed burst ability with major breach? Sure, here, have some minor breach too.

The only problem is they don't have an execute. Like, seriously, that's the only real problem.

Final sentiment-- returning to the topic of wardens being tanky with minimal effort. If you choose to front bar an ice staff, as I do, then perhaps backbar sword and shield. You'll be a blocking machine.

So I have been seeing this cool frost dps build is that the best dps way to play them? Also is this solely mag or hybrid? And lastly is vamp a must to play them well?

OBJnoob · March 2023

Not sure what frost DPS build you mean. If you have the dragon star arena ice staff then you can make a pretty good frost build, yes. Perhaps using the Frostbite set. Otherwise there aren't really enough frost damage skills available in game to make a lethal offense out of.

When they first made the ice staff change for wardens I tried to make a frost damage PvP build but it didn't work, because I don't have the staff. But it doesnt really matter-- there's no specific warden bonus to frost damage (although proccing chilled does have advantages of course,) all of your abilities benefit from the +damage done. And your warden beetles, which don't do frost damage anyway, are going to be what you focus your offense around, so I wouldn't look at it as a big loss.

Finding sets instead that stack weapon/spell damage and max HP is probably the best thing you can do, especially without the staff. Weapon/spell damage bonuses will effect ALL of your damage abilities instead of just some, and will make your healing stronger too.

The build I play is what I would consider to be a mag warden, not a hybrid warden. I do use Vigor, and I do block with both stamina and magicka, and I sprint fairly frequently and dodge roll occasionally. But this is pretty minimal stam usage in today's hybrid world I think.

Vampire isn't mandatory for playing Warden at all. It has nothing to do with warden at all. It is however halfway mandatory to PvP at a certain level. Just because of the stage 3 passive Undeath which gives you a fair amount of defense as your health gets lower. If you can sustain it, there's no reason not to do it, especially as a Dunmer.

axi · March 2023

In PvP orc is a top choice.

Cameron991 · March 2023

OBJnoob wrote: »

Not sure what frost DPS build you mean. If you have the dragon star arena ice staff then you can make a pretty good frost build, yes. Perhaps using the Frostbite set. Otherwise there aren't really enough frost damage skills available in game to make a lethal offense out of.

When they first made the ice staff change for wardens I tried to make a frost damage PvP build but it didn't work, because I don't have the staff. But it doesnt really matter-- there's no specific warden bonus to frost damage (although proccing chilled does have advantages of course,) all of your abilities benefit from the +damage done. And your warden beetles, which don't do frost damage anyway, are going to be what you focus your offense around, so I wouldn't look at it as a big loss.

Finding sets instead that stack weapon/spell damage and max HP is probably the best thing you can do, especially without the staff. Weapon/spell damage bonuses will effect ALL of your damage abilities instead of just some, and will make your healing stronger too.

The build I play is what I would consider to be a mag warden, not a hybrid warden. I do use Vigor, and I do block with both stamina and magicka, and I sprint fairly frequently and dodge roll occasionally. But this is pretty minimal stam usage in today's hybrid world I think.

Vampire isn't mandatory for playing Warden at all. It has nothing to do with warden at all. It is however halfway mandatory to PvP at a certain level. Just because of the stage 3 passive Undeath which gives you a fair amount of defense as your health gets lower. If you can sustain it, there's no reason not to do it, especially as a Dunmer.

Awesome I appreciate the feedback so far! I have been seeing a lot of the frost aoe builds on YouTube that rely on the frost skill line in pvp where they use frostbite. It looked pretty fun to play but I’m not too great at pvp so I probably wouldn’t be able to play it efficiently

OBJnoob · March 2023

The frost builds do a lot of damage but they are dependant on having the DSA staff. And yes, it probably requires a little more skill and speed than you'll feel comfortable with when you start something new.

I do very little frost damage with my magden... I use gripping shards but it's really just for the immobilize. I'm wearing Hrothgars Chill, which is probably considered a bad set by many, but its my way of keeping uptime on chilled and brittle without having to worry about it.

Here's how my bars are set up, in case you're curious:
FB- Hrothgars Ice Staff: Gripping shards, swift predator (minor berserk morph,) vigor (I like my stam heal to be on the bar that costs magicka for blocking,) beetles (magic morph,) arterial burst (decent damage, makes me play a more melee style, but the real reason I chose this is because I'm a stage 3 vampire it helps my sustain,) Dawnbreaker (I use this instead of other options because I need the stun since I'm using Polar Winds instead of Arctic Blast.)

BB- Rallying Cry sword and shield: Ice Fortress or whatever it's called for my armor buff, blue Betty, Polar Wind, Living Trellis, Lotus Blossom or whatever it's called for major prophecy/savagery, Tree Ultimate.

If you end up starting with something similar to my set-up just practice keeping your buffs and heals up at all times. Once you get good at that you are extremely hard to kill and then you can focus on killing people.

Oreyn_Bearclaw · March 2023

Dark elf is better in PVE for sure unless playing a magic healer, but as a DPS, Dark elf is objectively better. Breton is a great option for PVP, but its harder to say one race is objectively better than the other. Regen is more important in PVP than it is in PVE, so that makes Breton more viable in that content, but if you are looking for a one size fits all, I would go Dark Elf, [snip]. The extra stam certainly doesnt hurt in PVP where you will need to do more blocking and rolling than in PVE, but you may find you need to run an extra regen enchant than on a breton. If you do plan to use a frost staff, breton might pull ahead in PVP as you can use magic to block, but again, unless healing, Dark Elf is 100% the better option as a DPS. You can make up for racial passives with your build in PVP. In PVE as a DPS, one race is objectively better than the other.

As to what content they are better for, it is really a hard question to answer as it depends what you are doing. If you are just comparing a pure open world PVP build vs a Trial DPS PVE build, to be candid, i am not recommending magic warden for either, but that doesn't mean they don't work. I might give the edge to PVP, as wardens do have a lot of utility that you may just not use that much as a pure PVE DPS. You can be an excellent support class in both PVE and PVP at the highest level.

[Edited for Baiting]

Cameron991 · March 2023

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Dark elf is better in PVE for sure unless playing a magic healer, but as a DPS, Dark elf is objectively better. Breton is a great option for PVP, but its harder to say one race is objectively better than the other. Regen is more important in PVP than it is in PVE, so that makes Breton more viable in that content, but if you are looking for a one size fits all, I would go Dark Elf, [snip]. The extra stam certainly doesnt hurt in PVP where you will need to do more blocking and rolling than in PVE, but you may find you need to run an extra regen enchant than on a breton. If you do plan to use a frost staff, breton might pull ahead in PVP as you can use magic to block, but again, unless healing, Dark Elf is 100% the better option as a DPS. You can make up for racial passives with your build in PVP. In PVE as a DPS, one race is objectively better than the other.

As to what content they are better for, it is really a hard question to answer as it depends what you are doing. If you are just comparing a pure open world PVP build vs a Trial DPS PVE build, to be candid, i am not recommending magic warden for either, but that doesn't mean they don't work. I might give the edge to PVP, as wardens do have a lot of utility that you may just not use that much as a pure PVE DPS. You can be an excellent support class in both PVE and PVP at the highest level.

What I think I may be leaning towards is doing a frost breton pvp build and using a dark elf on a new character that suits more pve. In your opinion what do you think is the most effective easiest class to play in pve dps for vet trials and vet dlc dungeons. I’m really wanting to unlock those skins. I beat vet ma and vet vh on my solo magcro but he doesn’t play too well when it comes to high damage to be accepted into vet trial groups

[Edited for Quote]

Oreyn_Bearclaw · March 2023

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Dark elf is better in PVE for sure unless playing a magic healer, but as a DPS, Dark elf is objectively better. Breton is a great option for PVP, but its harder to say one race is objectively better than the other. Regen is more important in PVP than it is in PVE, so that makes Breton more viable in that content, but if you are looking for a one size fits all, I would go Dark Elf, they really are the master race in ESO right now. The extra stam certainly doesnt hurt in PVP where you will need to do more blocking and rolling than in PVE, but you may find you need to run an extra regen enchant than on a breton. If you do plan to use a frost staff, breton might pull ahead in PVP as you can use magic to block, but again, unless healing, Dark Elf is 100% the better option as a DPS. You can make up for racial passives with your build in PVP. In PVE as a DPS, one race is objectively better than the other.

As to what content they are better for, it is really a hard question to answer as it depends what you are doing. If you are just comparing a pure open world PVP build vs a Trial DPS PVE build, to be candid, i am not recommending magic warden for either, but that doesn't mean they don't work. I might give the edge to PVP, as wardens do have a lot of utility that you may just not use that much as a pure PVE DPS. You can be an excellent support class in both PVE and PVP at the highest level.

What I think I may be leaning towards is doing a frost breton pvp build and using a dark elf on a new character that suits more pve. In your opinion what do you think is the most effective easiest class to play in pve dps for vet trials and vet dlc dungeons. I’m really wanting to unlock those skins. I beat vet ma and vet vh on my solo magcro but he doesn’t play too well when it comes to high damage to be accepted into vet trial groups

I think it is really hard to beat a Magic Sorc as a DPS for PVE if you are trying to balance Ease of Play with being able to find a spot in a raid group to go Skin Hunting. Dunmer would certainly be the race. Sorc can be played in 3 difficulty levels.

1. You can pull very passible DPS with an oakensoul one bar heavy attack build. It doesnt get much easer than that.
2. You can do a two bar HA build. This is a little more complicated, but you should pull more damage.
3. You can do a standard LA build with pets*. This is going to pull the most damage, and you can certainly be competitive with just about any class.
*You can play a LA two bar build without pets on a sorc, but if that is your plan, just play NB.

I really dont play 1 or 2 much. About every 6 months I need to post a parse for a guild of mine, and I can usually do it on my double pet LA sorc very quickly and easily. The basic rotation hasnt changed much in years. I usually pull a bit more on my DK and Necro, and a little less on my NB. If you have no interest in a one bar or HA build, the two others I would consider in addition to Sorc are NB and DK.

-NB frankly plays a lot like sorc, but you dont have to deal with pets. I have often said a NB is basically a Sorc without training wheels (pets and heavy attacks). NB rotations are less forgiving than Sorcs. Both can play range with a lot of self heals, and NBs specifically have a skill for darn near everything. NBs are my go to for most things in PVE. I can solo any world boss in my DPS build, they are the best IMO for farming CP or gear from dungeons. I can pull a hair more damage on my sorc during most patches, but to me, magic nighblade just feels good. Sorc can feel clunky with pets and using crystal frags as a spammable. You do need to be very good at weaving on a nightblade as their apex skill (merciless reslove) requires light attacks to build stacks. If you struggle to weave, sorc is a better option for most newer players. That said, NB is REALLY good for practicing your weave and rotation. If someone deleted my account tomorrow, first thing I do is power level a dunmer NB.

-DK is usually pretty close to the top in terms of damage. Things always change a bit from patch to patch, but DK is never far from the top. They do generally need to be in melee range which adds difficulty, but their rotation itself is really not that hard. They are mostly a DOT build, and you really don't have skills like merciless or frags to deal with. If looking to post a parse for a good group that wont let you use an oakensorc, this might be the easiest to do it with. The issue is that most raid groups are broken down into melee and ranged specs, and generally, the melee specs go to the best players. Usually ranged spots are easier to get, and certainly easier to learn the mechanics.

-Your Necro is a good class for damage, but their apex skill (blastbones) requires a unique 1,2,3 style of rotation, because if you arent casting blastbones every third skill, you are simply doing it wrong and your damage is going to be lousy. It makes for a lot of bar swapping, and some of their skills are clunky to use. They do far better on static bosses with massive health bars as their damage takes time to build. Not my first choice for breaking into PVE content, not by a long shot. I did TTT on a magcro, and it was rough. We needed one, so I volunteered, but not sure I would do it again. That said, some of my best raid dummy parses (125k+) have been on a magcro, so the DPS potential is there.

Cameron991 · March 2023

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Dark elf is better in PVE for sure unless playing a magic healer, but as a DPS, Dark elf is objectively better. Breton is a great option for PVP, but its harder to say one race is objectively better than the other. Regen is more important in PVP than it is in PVE, so that makes Breton more viable in that content, but if you are looking for a one size fits all, I would go Dark Elf, they really are the master race in ESO right now. The extra stam certainly doesnt hurt in PVP where you will need to do more blocking and rolling than in PVE, but you may find you need to run an extra regen enchant than on a breton. If you do plan to use a frost staff, breton might pull ahead in PVP as you can use magic to block, but again, unless healing, Dark Elf is 100% the better option as a DPS. You can make up for racial passives with your build in PVP. In PVE as a DPS, one race is objectively better than the other.

As to what content they are better for, it is really a hard question to answer as it depends what you are doing. If you are just comparing a pure open world PVP build vs a Trial DPS PVE build, to be candid, i am not recommending magic warden for either, but that doesn't mean they don't work. I might give the edge to PVP, as wardens do have a lot of utility that you may just not use that much as a pure PVE DPS. You can be an excellent support class in both PVE and PVP at the highest level.

What I think I may be leaning towards is doing a frost breton pvp build and using a dark elf on a new character that suits more pve. In your opinion what do you think is the most effective easiest class to play in pve dps for vet trials and vet dlc dungeons. I’m really wanting to unlock those skins. I beat vet ma and vet vh on my solo magcro but he doesn’t play too well when it comes to high damage to be accepted into vet trial groups

I think it is really hard to beat a Magic Sorc as a DPS for PVE if you are trying to balance Ease of Play with being able to find a spot in a raid group to go Skin Hunting. Dunmer would certainly be the race. Sorc can be played in 3 difficulty levels.

1. You can pull very passible DPS with an oakensoul one bar heavy attack build. It doesnt get much easer than that.
2. You can do a two bar HA build. This is a little more complicated, but you should pull more damage.
3. You can do a standard LA build with pets*. This is going to pull the most damage, and you can certainly be competitive with just about any class.
*You can play a LA two bar build without pets on a sorc, but if that is your plan, just play NB.

I really dont play 1 or 2 much. About every 6 months I need to post a parse for a guild of mine, and I can usually do it on my double pet LA sorc very quickly and easily. The basic rotation hasnt changed much in years. I usually pull a bit more on my DK and Necro, and a little less on my NB. If you have no interest in a one bar or HA build, the two others I would consider in addition to Sorc are NB and DK.

-NB frankly plays a lot like sorc, but you dont have to deal with pets. I have often said a NB is basically a Sorc without training wheels (pets and heavy attacks). NB rotations are less forgiving than Sorcs. Both can play range with a lot of self heals, and NBs specifically have a skill for darn near everything. NBs are my go to for most things in PVE. I can solo any world boss in my DPS build, they are the best IMO for farming CP or gear from dungeons. I can pull a hair more damage on my sorc during most patches, but to me, magic nighblade just feels good. Sorc can feel clunky with pets and using crystal frags as a spammable. You do need to be very good at weaving on a nightblade as their apex skill (merciless reslove) requires light attacks to build stacks. If you struggle to weave, sorc is a better option for most newer players. That said, NB is REALLY good for practicing your weave and rotation. If someone deleted my account tomorrow, first thing I do is power level a dunmer NB.

-DK is usually pretty close to the top in terms of damage. Things always change a bit from patch to patch, but DK is never far from the top. They do generally need to be in melee range which adds difficulty, but their rotation itself is really not that hard. They are mostly a DOT build, and you really don't have skills like merciless or frags to deal with. If looking to post a parse for a good group that wont let you use an oakensorc, this might be the easiest to do it with. The issue is that most raid groups are broken down into melee and ranged specs, and generally, the melee specs go to the best players. Usually ranged spots are easier to get, and certainly easier to learn the mechanics.

-Your Necro is a good class for damage, but their apex skill (blastbones) requires a unique 1,2,3 style of rotation, because if you arent casting blastbones every third skill, you are simply doing it wrong and your damage is going to be lousy. It makes for a lot of bar swapping, and some of their skills are clunky to use. They do far better on static bosses with massive health bars as their damage takes time to build. Not my first choice for breaking into PVE content, not by a long shot. I did TTT on a magcro, and it was rough. We needed one, so I volunteered, but not sure I would do it again. That said, some of my best raid dummy parses (125k+) have been on a magcro, so the DPS potential is there.

I was thinking about doing a one bar heavy attack build that sounds fun to me hahahahah but I was questioning if I should do a mag sorc ir mag dk

Zodiarkslayer · March 2023

Mag Warden is just as good for Oakensoul One Bar Heavy Attack builds. It is on par with Sorcerer. You will be able to just break the 100k dps. Granted, you can use the Dark Elf and corner yourself in the "DPS only" category or you take a Breton and can use Him/Her in every content quite well.

I would always play Warden Support as a Breton, PvE or PvP. When you have to spam those heals on struggling group members, you will thank the nine Divines for giving Bretons cost reduction and regeneration.

I wouldn't change a Breton to a Dark Elf, ever, regardless of Class. So maybe I am biased.

ZOS_Kraken · March 2023

Greetings,

After further review we have decided to move this thread to a category we think is more appropriate for this topic.

Thank you for your understanding.

Oreyn_Bearclaw · March 2023

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Dark elf is better in PVE for sure unless playing a magic healer, but as a DPS, Dark elf is objectively better. Breton is a great option for PVP, but its harder to say one race is objectively better than the other. Regen is more important in PVP than it is in PVE, so that makes Breton more viable in that content, but if you are looking for a one size fits all, I would go Dark Elf, they really are the master race in ESO right now. The extra stam certainly doesnt hurt in PVP where you will need to do more blocking and rolling than in PVE, but you may find you need to run an extra regen enchant than on a breton. If you do plan to use a frost staff, breton might pull ahead in PVP as you can use magic to block, but again, unless healing, Dark Elf is 100% the better option as a DPS. You can make up for racial passives with your build in PVP. In PVE as a DPS, one race is objectively better than the other.

As to what content they are better for, it is really a hard question to answer as it depends what you are doing. If you are just comparing a pure open world PVP build vs a Trial DPS PVE build, to be candid, i am not recommending magic warden for either, but that doesn't mean they don't work. I might give the edge to PVP, as wardens do have a lot of utility that you may just not use that much as a pure PVE DPS. You can be an excellent support class in both PVE and PVP at the highest level.

What I think I may be leaning towards is doing a frost breton pvp build and using a dark elf on a new character that suits more pve. In your opinion what do you think is the most effective easiest class to play in pve dps for vet trials and vet dlc dungeons. I’m really wanting to unlock those skins. I beat vet ma and vet vh on my solo magcro but he doesn’t play too well when it comes to high damage to be accepted into vet trial groups

I think it is really hard to beat a Magic Sorc as a DPS for PVE if you are trying to balance Ease of Play with being able to find a spot in a raid group to go Skin Hunting. Dunmer would certainly be the race. Sorc can be played in 3 difficulty levels.

1. You can pull very passible DPS with an oakensoul one bar heavy attack build. It doesnt get much easer than that.
2. You can do a two bar HA build. This is a little more complicated, but you should pull more damage.
3. You can do a standard LA build with pets*. This is going to pull the most damage, and you can certainly be competitive with just about any class.
*You can play a LA two bar build without pets on a sorc, but if that is your plan, just play NB.

I really dont play 1 or 2 much. About every 6 months I need to post a parse for a guild of mine, and I can usually do it on my double pet LA sorc very quickly and easily. The basic rotation hasnt changed much in years. I usually pull a bit more on my DK and Necro, and a little less on my NB. If you have no interest in a one bar or HA build, the two others I would consider in addition to Sorc are NB and DK.

-NB frankly plays a lot like sorc, but you dont have to deal with pets. I have often said a NB is basically a Sorc without training wheels (pets and heavy attacks). NB rotations are less forgiving than Sorcs. Both can play range with a lot of self heals, and NBs specifically have a skill for darn near everything. NBs are my go to for most things in PVE. I can solo any world boss in my DPS build, they are the best IMO for farming CP or gear from dungeons. I can pull a hair more damage on my sorc during most patches, but to me, magic nighblade just feels good. Sorc can feel clunky with pets and using crystal frags as a spammable. You do need to be very good at weaving on a nightblade as their apex skill (merciless reslove) requires light attacks to build stacks. If you struggle to weave, sorc is a better option for most newer players. That said, NB is REALLY good for practicing your weave and rotation. If someone deleted my account tomorrow, first thing I do is power level a dunmer NB.

-DK is usually pretty close to the top in terms of damage. Things always change a bit from patch to patch, but DK is never far from the top. They do generally need to be in melee range which adds difficulty, but their rotation itself is really not that hard. They are mostly a DOT build, and you really don't have skills like merciless or frags to deal with. If looking to post a parse for a good group that wont let you use an oakensorc, this might be the easiest to do it with. The issue is that most raid groups are broken down into melee and ranged specs, and generally, the melee specs go to the best players. Usually ranged spots are easier to get, and certainly easier to learn the mechanics.

-Your Necro is a good class for damage, but their apex skill (blastbones) requires a unique 1,2,3 style of rotation, because if you arent casting blastbones every third skill, you are simply doing it wrong and your damage is going to be lousy. It makes for a lot of bar swapping, and some of their skills are clunky to use. They do far better on static bosses with massive health bars as their damage takes time to build. Not my first choice for breaking into PVE content, not by a long shot. I did TTT on a magcro, and it was rough. We needed one, so I volunteered, but not sure I would do it again. That said, some of my best raid dummy parses (125k+) have been on a magcro, so the DPS potential is there.

I was thinking about doing a one bar heavy attack build that sounds fun to me hahahahah but I was questioning if I should do a mag sorc ir mag dk

I would honestly go Dunmer Sorc. I think some other classes can pull similar DPS on a one bar HA build, but Sorc is probably the easiest one to execute. Only disclaimer, dont go sorc unless you are okay with pets. Pets do a lot of the heavy lifting in the damage department, but thats also why their rotation is easy on the fingers.

Remember, even on a HA build, there are times when you still want to LA weave certain skill casts. Not the end of the world if you dont, but it is optimal to do so.

Also, everyone needs a Sorc. Haha

Cameron991 · March 2023

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Dark elf is better in PVE for sure unless playing a magic healer, but as a DPS, Dark elf is objectively better. Breton is a great option for PVP, but its harder to say one race is objectively better than the other. Regen is more important in PVP than it is in PVE, so that makes Breton more viable in that content, but if you are looking for a one size fits all, I would go Dark Elf, they really are the master race in ESO right now. The extra stam certainly doesnt hurt in PVP where you will need to do more blocking and rolling than in PVE, but you may find you need to run an extra regen enchant than on a breton. If you do plan to use a frost staff, breton might pull ahead in PVP as you can use magic to block, but again, unless healing, Dark Elf is 100% the better option as a DPS. You can make up for racial passives with your build in PVP. In PVE as a DPS, one race is objectively better than the other.

As to what content they are better for, it is really a hard question to answer as it depends what you are doing. If you are just comparing a pure open world PVP build vs a Trial DPS PVE build, to be candid, i am not recommending magic warden for either, but that doesn't mean they don't work. I might give the edge to PVP, as wardens do have a lot of utility that you may just not use that much as a pure PVE DPS. You can be an excellent support class in both PVE and PVP at the highest level.

What I think I may be leaning towards is doing a frost breton pvp build and using a dark elf on a new character that suits more pve. In your opinion what do you think is the most effective easiest class to play in pve dps for vet trials and vet dlc dungeons. I’m really wanting to unlock those skins. I beat vet ma and vet vh on my solo magcro but he doesn’t play too well when it comes to high damage to be accepted into vet trial groups

I think it is really hard to beat a Magic Sorc as a DPS for PVE if you are trying to balance Ease of Play with being able to find a spot in a raid group to go Skin Hunting. Dunmer would certainly be the race. Sorc can be played in 3 difficulty levels.

1. You can pull very passible DPS with an oakensoul one bar heavy attack build. It doesnt get much easer than that.
2. You can do a two bar HA build. This is a little more complicated, but you should pull more damage.
3. You can do a standard LA build with pets*. This is going to pull the most damage, and you can certainly be competitive with just about any class.
*You can play a LA two bar build without pets on a sorc, but if that is your plan, just play NB.

I really dont play 1 or 2 much. About every 6 months I need to post a parse for a guild of mine, and I can usually do it on my double pet LA sorc very quickly and easily. The basic rotation hasnt changed much in years. I usually pull a bit more on my DK and Necro, and a little less on my NB. If you have no interest in a one bar or HA build, the two others I would consider in addition to Sorc are NB and DK.

-NB frankly plays a lot like sorc, but you dont have to deal with pets. I have often said a NB is basically a Sorc without training wheels (pets and heavy attacks). NB rotations are less forgiving than Sorcs. Both can play range with a lot of self heals, and NBs specifically have a skill for darn near everything. NBs are my go to for most things in PVE. I can solo any world boss in my DPS build, they are the best IMO for farming CP or gear from dungeons. I can pull a hair more damage on my sorc during most patches, but to me, magic nighblade just feels good. Sorc can feel clunky with pets and using crystal frags as a spammable. You do need to be very good at weaving on a nightblade as their apex skill (merciless reslove) requires light attacks to build stacks. If you struggle to weave, sorc is a better option for most newer players. That said, NB is REALLY good for practicing your weave and rotation. If someone deleted my account tomorrow, first thing I do is power level a dunmer NB.

-DK is usually pretty close to the top in terms of damage. Things always change a bit from patch to patch, but DK is never far from the top. They do generally need to be in melee range which adds difficulty, but their rotation itself is really not that hard. They are mostly a DOT build, and you really don't have skills like merciless or frags to deal with. If looking to post a parse for a good group that wont let you use an oakensorc, this might be the easiest to do it with. The issue is that most raid groups are broken down into melee and ranged specs, and generally, the melee specs go to the best players. Usually ranged spots are easier to get, and certainly easier to learn the mechanics.

-Your Necro is a good class for damage, but their apex skill (blastbones) requires a unique 1,2,3 style of rotation, because if you arent casting blastbones every third skill, you are simply doing it wrong and your damage is going to be lousy. It makes for a lot of bar swapping, and some of their skills are clunky to use. They do far better on static bosses with massive health bars as their damage takes time to build. Not my first choice for breaking into PVE content, not by a long shot. I did TTT on a magcro, and it was rough. We needed one, so I volunteered, but not sure I would do it again. That said, some of my best raid dummy parses (125k+) have been on a magcro, so the DPS potential is there.

I was thinking about doing a one bar heavy attack build that sounds fun to me hahahahah but I was questioning if I should do a mag sorc ir mag dk

I would honestly go Dunmer Sorc. I think some other classes can pull similar DPS on a one bar HA build, but Sorc is probably the easiest one to execute. Only disclaimer, dont go sorc unless you are okay with pets. Pets do a lot of the heavy lifting in the damage department, but thats also why their rotation is easy on the fingers.

Remember, even on a HA build, there are times when you still want to LA weave certain skill casts. Not the end of the world if you dont, but it is optimal to do so.

Also, everyone needs a Sorc. Haha

I appreciate your knowledge I think I have determined what I will do! I think I’m going to make a new sorc pve dunmer and keep my warden pvp breton. Thank you so much!

Oreyn_Bearclaw · March 2023

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Dark elf is better in PVE for sure unless playing a magic healer, but as a DPS, Dark elf is objectively better. Breton is a great option for PVP, but its harder to say one race is objectively better than the other. Regen is more important in PVP than it is in PVE, so that makes Breton more viable in that content, but if you are looking for a one size fits all, I would go Dark Elf, they really are the master race in ESO right now. The extra stam certainly doesnt hurt in PVP where you will need to do more blocking and rolling than in PVE, but you may find you need to run an extra regen enchant than on a breton. If you do plan to use a frost staff, breton might pull ahead in PVP as you can use magic to block, but again, unless healing, Dark Elf is 100% the better option as a DPS. You can make up for racial passives with your build in PVP. In PVE as a DPS, one race is objectively better than the other.

As to what content they are better for, it is really a hard question to answer as it depends what you are doing. If you are just comparing a pure open world PVP build vs a Trial DPS PVE build, to be candid, i am not recommending magic warden for either, but that doesn't mean they don't work. I might give the edge to PVP, as wardens do have a lot of utility that you may just not use that much as a pure PVE DPS. You can be an excellent support class in both PVE and PVP at the highest level.

What I think I may be leaning towards is doing a frost breton pvp build and using a dark elf on a new character that suits more pve. In your opinion what do you think is the most effective easiest class to play in pve dps for vet trials and vet dlc dungeons. I’m really wanting to unlock those skins. I beat vet ma and vet vh on my solo magcro but he doesn’t play too well when it comes to high damage to be accepted into vet trial groups

I think it is really hard to beat a Magic Sorc as a DPS for PVE if you are trying to balance Ease of Play with being able to find a spot in a raid group to go Skin Hunting. Dunmer would certainly be the race. Sorc can be played in 3 difficulty levels.

1. You can pull very passible DPS with an oakensoul one bar heavy attack build. It doesnt get much easer than that.
2. You can do a two bar HA build. This is a little more complicated, but you should pull more damage.
3. You can do a standard LA build with pets*. This is going to pull the most damage, and you can certainly be competitive with just about any class.
*You can play a LA two bar build without pets on a sorc, but if that is your plan, just play NB.

I really dont play 1 or 2 much. About every 6 months I need to post a parse for a guild of mine, and I can usually do it on my double pet LA sorc very quickly and easily. The basic rotation hasnt changed much in years. I usually pull a bit more on my DK and Necro, and a little less on my NB. If you have no interest in a one bar or HA build, the two others I would consider in addition to Sorc are NB and DK.

-NB frankly plays a lot like sorc, but you dont have to deal with pets. I have often said a NB is basically a Sorc without training wheels (pets and heavy attacks). NB rotations are less forgiving than Sorcs. Both can play range with a lot of self heals, and NBs specifically have a skill for darn near everything. NBs are my go to for most things in PVE. I can solo any world boss in my DPS build, they are the best IMO for farming CP or gear from dungeons. I can pull a hair more damage on my sorc during most patches, but to me, magic nighblade just feels good. Sorc can feel clunky with pets and using crystal frags as a spammable. You do need to be very good at weaving on a nightblade as their apex skill (merciless reslove) requires light attacks to build stacks. If you struggle to weave, sorc is a better option for most newer players. That said, NB is REALLY good for practicing your weave and rotation. If someone deleted my account tomorrow, first thing I do is power level a dunmer NB.

-DK is usually pretty close to the top in terms of damage. Things always change a bit from patch to patch, but DK is never far from the top. They do generally need to be in melee range which adds difficulty, but their rotation itself is really not that hard. They are mostly a DOT build, and you really don't have skills like merciless or frags to deal with. If looking to post a parse for a good group that wont let you use an oakensorc, this might be the easiest to do it with. The issue is that most raid groups are broken down into melee and ranged specs, and generally, the melee specs go to the best players. Usually ranged spots are easier to get, and certainly easier to learn the mechanics.

-Your Necro is a good class for damage, but their apex skill (blastbones) requires a unique 1,2,3 style of rotation, because if you arent casting blastbones every third skill, you are simply doing it wrong and your damage is going to be lousy. It makes for a lot of bar swapping, and some of their skills are clunky to use. They do far better on static bosses with massive health bars as their damage takes time to build. Not my first choice for breaking into PVE content, not by a long shot. I did TTT on a magcro, and it was rough. We needed one, so I volunteered, but not sure I would do it again. That said, some of my best raid dummy parses (125k+) have been on a magcro, so the DPS potential is there.

I was thinking about doing a one bar heavy attack build that sounds fun to me hahahahah but I was questioning if I should do a mag sorc ir mag dk

I would honestly go Dunmer Sorc. I think some other classes can pull similar DPS on a one bar HA build, but Sorc is probably the easiest one to execute. Only disclaimer, dont go sorc unless you are okay with pets. Pets do a lot of the heavy lifting in the damage department, but thats also why their rotation is easy on the fingers.

Remember, even on a HA build, there are times when you still want to LA weave certain skill casts. Not the end of the world if you dont, but it is optimal to do so.

Also, everyone needs a Sorc. Haha

I appreciate your knowledge I think I have determined what I will do! I think I’m going to make a new sorc pve dunmer and keep my warden pvp breton. Thank you so much!

Awesome, let us know how it works out or if you have any questions. I would mostly level with a Lighting staff and a mix of light/medium armor so you have all leveled when you want to jump into dungeons. You will want to level both pets to morph (Volatile Familiar, and both versions of the twilight), Curse (Daedric Prey), Surge (crit Surge), Conjured Ward (hardened Ward), Lighting Form (hurricane), Wall of elements (Unstable wall - Destro staff skill), Strom Attro ultimate (greater storm Attro - single target damage), Elemental Rage (destro ultimate, better for AOE).

Probably the most basic version of a light attack build (maybe not the most damage) is something like:

-Daedric Prey: Cast on cool down, just dont recast early or you miss the explosion. Buffs your pet damage and there is an AOE explosion when it expires. You want to cast this every 6th GCD if possible for the best uptime.
-Volatile familiar: Cast on cooldown.
-Twlight: Tormentor for more damage, Matriarch if you want a burst heal. You can cast tormentor pre fight but no need to recast during the fight. If you run Matriarch, only cast when you need the heal.
-Crit Surge: This will heal you as long as you are doing crit damage. It also gives major Sorcery, but not really necessary with oakensoul. It has a long duration, but definitely keep it up at all times.
-Hardened Ward: This is the biggest shield you can get. Cast when you see your health move. Also not the worst thing to cast prefight.
-Greater stormed attro: you best damage ult.

Crit Surge and Hardened ward can be flexed for more damage, Unstable Wall (Destro Skill), and Hurricane (Morph of Lighting Form) are probably the most obvious choices, Barbed Trap (fighters guild) can also be good as its long duration, single target and will give you hemorrhage status effect, maybe Crystal frags or an execute, if you want to do more of a hybrid LA and HA build. Lots of options here. If going for a dummy parse or you have a good healer, you definitely want more damage skills here.

I think your best gear combo will be Sergeants Mail, Storm Master, Oakensoul, 1 piece slimecraw, but others might chime in with some better options. 100k on a dummy is definitely doable with that setup.

If you want to take Sorc to the next level, their apex damage skill is Crystal Fragments. It can be "hard cast", used like a spammbale with a .8 second channel, it will also occasionally "proc" for an instant cast for more damage at a reduced cost. If it procs, it should pretty much always be your next skill cast, both for the damage and so it can proc again as quickly as possible. You dont really need for a pure HA build, but if you want to get a feel for the class at a more advance level, this skill is important to master. The biggest issue is that you really cant bar swap off a hard cast crystal frags without a delay, but if using a one bar build, not much of an issue.

Cameron991 · March 2023

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Dark elf is better in PVE for sure unless playing a magic healer, but as a DPS, Dark elf is objectively better. Breton is a great option for PVP, but its harder to say one race is objectively better than the other. Regen is more important in PVP than it is in PVE, so that makes Breton more viable in that content, but if you are looking for a one size fits all, I would go Dark Elf, they really are the master race in ESO right now. The extra stam certainly doesnt hurt in PVP where you will need to do more blocking and rolling than in PVE, but you may find you need to run an extra regen enchant than on a breton. If you do plan to use a frost staff, breton might pull ahead in PVP as you can use magic to block, but again, unless healing, Dark Elf is 100% the better option as a DPS. You can make up for racial passives with your build in PVP. In PVE as a DPS, one race is objectively better than the other.

As to what content they are better for, it is really a hard question to answer as it depends what you are doing. If you are just comparing a pure open world PVP build vs a Trial DPS PVE build, to be candid, i am not recommending magic warden for either, but that doesn't mean they don't work. I might give the edge to PVP, as wardens do have a lot of utility that you may just not use that much as a pure PVE DPS. You can be an excellent support class in both PVE and PVP at the highest level.

What I think I may be leaning towards is doing a frost breton pvp build and using a dark elf on a new character that suits more pve. In your opinion what do you think is the most effective easiest class to play in pve dps for vet trials and vet dlc dungeons. I’m really wanting to unlock those skins. I beat vet ma and vet vh on my solo magcro but he doesn’t play too well when it comes to high damage to be accepted into vet trial groups

I think it is really hard to beat a Magic Sorc as a DPS for PVE if you are trying to balance Ease of Play with being able to find a spot in a raid group to go Skin Hunting. Dunmer would certainly be the race. Sorc can be played in 3 difficulty levels.

1. You can pull very passible DPS with an oakensoul one bar heavy attack build. It doesnt get much easer than that.
2. You can do a two bar HA build. This is a little more complicated, but you should pull more damage.
3. You can do a standard LA build with pets*. This is going to pull the most damage, and you can certainly be competitive with just about any class.
*You can play a LA two bar build without pets on a sorc, but if that is your plan, just play NB.

I really dont play 1 or 2 much. About every 6 months I need to post a parse for a guild of mine, and I can usually do it on my double pet LA sorc very quickly and easily. The basic rotation hasnt changed much in years. I usually pull a bit more on my DK and Necro, and a little less on my NB. If you have no interest in a one bar or HA build, the two others I would consider in addition to Sorc are NB and DK.

-NB frankly plays a lot like sorc, but you dont have to deal with pets. I have often said a NB is basically a Sorc without training wheels (pets and heavy attacks). NB rotations are less forgiving than Sorcs. Both can play range with a lot of self heals, and NBs specifically have a skill for darn near everything. NBs are my go to for most things in PVE. I can solo any world boss in my DPS build, they are the best IMO for farming CP or gear from dungeons. I can pull a hair more damage on my sorc during most patches, but to me, magic nighblade just feels good. Sorc can feel clunky with pets and using crystal frags as a spammable. You do need to be very good at weaving on a nightblade as their apex skill (merciless reslove) requires light attacks to build stacks. If you struggle to weave, sorc is a better option for most newer players. That said, NB is REALLY good for practicing your weave and rotation. If someone deleted my account tomorrow, first thing I do is power level a dunmer NB.

-DK is usually pretty close to the top in terms of damage. Things always change a bit from patch to patch, but DK is never far from the top. They do generally need to be in melee range which adds difficulty, but their rotation itself is really not that hard. They are mostly a DOT build, and you really don't have skills like merciless or frags to deal with. If looking to post a parse for a good group that wont let you use an oakensorc, this might be the easiest to do it with. The issue is that most raid groups are broken down into melee and ranged specs, and generally, the melee specs go to the best players. Usually ranged spots are easier to get, and certainly easier to learn the mechanics.

-Your Necro is a good class for damage, but their apex skill (blastbones) requires a unique 1,2,3 style of rotation, because if you arent casting blastbones every third skill, you are simply doing it wrong and your damage is going to be lousy. It makes for a lot of bar swapping, and some of their skills are clunky to use. They do far better on static bosses with massive health bars as their damage takes time to build. Not my first choice for breaking into PVE content, not by a long shot. I did TTT on a magcro, and it was rough. We needed one, so I volunteered, but not sure I would do it again. That said, some of my best raid dummy parses (125k+) have been on a magcro, so the DPS potential is there.

I was thinking about doing a one bar heavy attack build that sounds fun to me hahahahah but I was questioning if I should do a mag sorc ir mag dk

I would honestly go Dunmer Sorc. I think some other classes can pull similar DPS on a one bar HA build, but Sorc is probably the easiest one to execute. Only disclaimer, dont go sorc unless you are okay with pets. Pets do a lot of the heavy lifting in the damage department, but thats also why their rotation is easy on the fingers.

Remember, even on a HA build, there are times when you still want to LA weave certain skill casts. Not the end of the world if you dont, but it is optimal to do so.

Also, everyone needs a Sorc. Haha

I appreciate your knowledge I think I have determined what I will do! I think I’m going to make a new sorc pve dunmer and keep my warden pvp breton. Thank you so much!

Awesome, let us know how it works out or if you have any questions. I would mostly level with a Lighting staff and a mix of light/medium armor so you have all leveled when you want to jump into dungeons. You will want to level both pets to morph (Volatile Familiar, and both versions of the twilight), Curse (Daedric Prey), Surge (crit Surge), Conjured Ward (hardened Ward), Lighting Form (hurricane), Wall of elements (Unstable wall - Destro staff skill), Strom Attro ultimate (greater storm Attro - single target damage), Elemental Rage (destro ultimate, better for AOE).

Probably the most basic version of a light attack build (maybe not the most damage) is something like:

-Daedric Prey: Cast on cool down, just dont recast early or you miss the explosion. Buffs your pet damage and there is an AOE explosion when it expires. You want to cast this every 6th GCD if possible for the best uptime.
-Volatile familiar: Cast on cooldown.
-Twlight: Tormentor for more damage, Matriarch if you want a burst heal. You can cast tormentor pre fight but no need to recast during the fight. If you run Matriarch, only cast when you need the heal.
-Crit Surge: This will heal you as long as you are doing crit damage. It also gives major Sorcery, but not really necessary with oakensoul. It has a long duration, but definitely keep it up at all times.
-Hardened Ward: This is the biggest shield you can get. Cast when you see your health move. Also not the worst thing to cast prefight.
-Greater stormed attro: you best damage ult.

Crit Surge and Hardened ward can be flexed for more damage, Unstable Wall (Destro Skill), and Hurricane (Morph of Lighting Form) are probably the most obvious choices, Barbed Trap (fighters guild) can also be good as its long duration, single target and will give you hemorrhage status effect, maybe Crystal frags or an execute, if you want to do more of a hybrid LA and HA build. Lots of options here. If going for a dummy parse or you have a good healer, you definitely want more damage skills here.

I think your best gear combo will be Sergeants Mail, Storm Master, Oakensoul, 1 piece slimecraw, but others might chime in with some better options. 100k on a dummy is definitely doable with that setup.

If you want to take Sorc to the next level, their apex damage skill is Crystal Fragments. It can be "hard cast", used like a spammbale with a .8 second channel, it will also occasionally "proc" for an instant cast for more damage at a reduced cost. If it procs, it should pretty much always be your next skill cast, both for the damage and so it can proc again as quickly as possible. You dont really need for a pure HA build, but if you want to get a feel for the class at a more advance level, this skill is important to master. The biggest issue is that you really cant bar swap off a hard cast crystal frags without a delay, but if using a one bar build, not much of an issue.

Awesome this is amazing detail that I will follow I’m hearing alot of people in game say that sorc and warden are the best when it comes to HA builds so in your opinion don’t go with the warden right for trials and dungeons and such as dd

Oreyn_Bearclaw · March 2023

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Dark elf is better in PVE for sure unless playing a magic healer, but as a DPS, Dark elf is objectively better. Breton is a great option for PVP, but its harder to say one race is objectively better than the other. Regen is more important in PVP than it is in PVE, so that makes Breton more viable in that content, but if you are looking for a one size fits all, I would go Dark Elf, they really are the master race in ESO right now. The extra stam certainly doesnt hurt in PVP where you will need to do more blocking and rolling than in PVE, but you may find you need to run an extra regen enchant than on a breton. If you do plan to use a frost staff, breton might pull ahead in PVP as you can use magic to block, but again, unless healing, Dark Elf is 100% the better option as a DPS. You can make up for racial passives with your build in PVP. In PVE as a DPS, one race is objectively better than the other.

As to what content they are better for, it is really a hard question to answer as it depends what you are doing. If you are just comparing a pure open world PVP build vs a Trial DPS PVE build, to be candid, i am not recommending magic warden for either, but that doesn't mean they don't work. I might give the edge to PVP, as wardens do have a lot of utility that you may just not use that much as a pure PVE DPS. You can be an excellent support class in both PVE and PVP at the highest level.

What I think I may be leaning towards is doing a frost breton pvp build and using a dark elf on a new character that suits more pve. In your opinion what do you think is the most effective easiest class to play in pve dps for vet trials and vet dlc dungeons. I’m really wanting to unlock those skins. I beat vet ma and vet vh on my solo magcro but he doesn’t play too well when it comes to high damage to be accepted into vet trial groups

I think it is really hard to beat a Magic Sorc as a DPS for PVE if you are trying to balance Ease of Play with being able to find a spot in a raid group to go Skin Hunting. Dunmer would certainly be the race. Sorc can be played in 3 difficulty levels.

1. You can pull very passible DPS with an oakensoul one bar heavy attack build. It doesnt get much easer than that.
2. You can do a two bar HA build. This is a little more complicated, but you should pull more damage.
3. You can do a standard LA build with pets*. This is going to pull the most damage, and you can certainly be competitive with just about any class.
*You can play a LA two bar build without pets on a sorc, but if that is your plan, just play NB.

I really dont play 1 or 2 much. About every 6 months I need to post a parse for a guild of mine, and I can usually do it on my double pet LA sorc very quickly and easily. The basic rotation hasnt changed much in years. I usually pull a bit more on my DK and Necro, and a little less on my NB. If you have no interest in a one bar or HA build, the two others I would consider in addition to Sorc are NB and DK.

-NB frankly plays a lot like sorc, but you dont have to deal with pets. I have often said a NB is basically a Sorc without training wheels (pets and heavy attacks). NB rotations are less forgiving than Sorcs. Both can play range with a lot of self heals, and NBs specifically have a skill for darn near everything. NBs are my go to for most things in PVE. I can solo any world boss in my DPS build, they are the best IMO for farming CP or gear from dungeons. I can pull a hair more damage on my sorc during most patches, but to me, magic nighblade just feels good. Sorc can feel clunky with pets and using crystal frags as a spammable. You do need to be very good at weaving on a nightblade as their apex skill (merciless reslove) requires light attacks to build stacks. If you struggle to weave, sorc is a better option for most newer players. That said, NB is REALLY good for practicing your weave and rotation. If someone deleted my account tomorrow, first thing I do is power level a dunmer NB.

-DK is usually pretty close to the top in terms of damage. Things always change a bit from patch to patch, but DK is never far from the top. They do generally need to be in melee range which adds difficulty, but their rotation itself is really not that hard. They are mostly a DOT build, and you really don't have skills like merciless or frags to deal with. If looking to post a parse for a good group that wont let you use an oakensorc, this might be the easiest to do it with. The issue is that most raid groups are broken down into melee and ranged specs, and generally, the melee specs go to the best players. Usually ranged spots are easier to get, and certainly easier to learn the mechanics.

-Your Necro is a good class for damage, but their apex skill (blastbones) requires a unique 1,2,3 style of rotation, because if you arent casting blastbones every third skill, you are simply doing it wrong and your damage is going to be lousy. It makes for a lot of bar swapping, and some of their skills are clunky to use. They do far better on static bosses with massive health bars as their damage takes time to build. Not my first choice for breaking into PVE content, not by a long shot. I did TTT on a magcro, and it was rough. We needed one, so I volunteered, but not sure I would do it again. That said, some of my best raid dummy parses (125k+) have been on a magcro, so the DPS potential is there.

I was thinking about doing a one bar heavy attack build that sounds fun to me hahahahah but I was questioning if I should do a mag sorc ir mag dk

I would honestly go Dunmer Sorc. I think some other classes can pull similar DPS on a one bar HA build, but Sorc is probably the easiest one to execute. Only disclaimer, dont go sorc unless you are okay with pets. Pets do a lot of the heavy lifting in the damage department, but thats also why their rotation is easy on the fingers.

Remember, even on a HA build, there are times when you still want to LA weave certain skill casts. Not the end of the world if you dont, but it is optimal to do so.

Also, everyone needs a Sorc. Haha

I appreciate your knowledge I think I have determined what I will do! I think I’m going to make a new sorc pve dunmer and keep my warden pvp breton. Thank you so much!

Awesome, let us know how it works out or if you have any questions. I would mostly level with a Lighting staff and a mix of light/medium armor so you have all leveled when you want to jump into dungeons. You will want to level both pets to morph (Volatile Familiar, and both versions of the twilight), Curse (Daedric Prey), Surge (crit Surge), Conjured Ward (hardened Ward), Lighting Form (hurricane), Wall of elements (Unstable wall - Destro staff skill), Strom Attro ultimate (greater storm Attro - single target damage), Elemental Rage (destro ultimate, better for AOE).

Probably the most basic version of a light attack build (maybe not the most damage) is something like:

-Daedric Prey: Cast on cool down, just dont recast early or you miss the explosion. Buffs your pet damage and there is an AOE explosion when it expires. You want to cast this every 6th GCD if possible for the best uptime.
-Volatile familiar: Cast on cooldown.
-Twlight: Tormentor for more damage, Matriarch if you want a burst heal. You can cast tormentor pre fight but no need to recast during the fight. If you run Matriarch, only cast when you need the heal.
-Crit Surge: This will heal you as long as you are doing crit damage. It also gives major Sorcery, but not really necessary with oakensoul. It has a long duration, but definitely keep it up at all times.
-Hardened Ward: This is the biggest shield you can get. Cast when you see your health move. Also not the worst thing to cast prefight.
-Greater stormed attro: you best damage ult.

Crit Surge and Hardened ward can be flexed for more damage, Unstable Wall (Destro Skill), and Hurricane (Morph of Lighting Form) are probably the most obvious choices, Barbed Trap (fighters guild) can also be good as its long duration, single target and will give you hemorrhage status effect, maybe Crystal frags or an execute, if you want to do more of a hybrid LA and HA build. Lots of options here. If going for a dummy parse or you have a good healer, you definitely want more damage skills here.

I think your best gear combo will be Sergeants Mail, Storm Master, Oakensoul, 1 piece slimecraw, but others might chime in with some better options. 100k on a dummy is definitely doable with that setup.

If you want to take Sorc to the next level, their apex damage skill is Crystal Fragments. It can be "hard cast", used like a spammbale with a .8 second channel, it will also occasionally "proc" for an instant cast for more damage at a reduced cost. If it procs, it should pretty much always be your next skill cast, both for the damage and so it can proc again as quickly as possible. You dont really need for a pure HA build, but if you want to get a feel for the class at a more advance level, this skill is important to master. The biggest issue is that you really cant bar swap off a hard cast crystal frags without a delay, but if using a one bar build, not much of an issue.

Awesome this is amazing detail that I will follow I’m hearing alot of people in game say that sorc and warden are the best when it comes to HA builds so in your opinion don’t go with the warden right for trials and dungeons and such as dd

I just honestly have very little experience with Warden as a PVE DPS. I did Flawless Conqueror on mag and stam warden for VMA, and that was about it for me in PVE to be honest. I really liked my stam warden in PVP. Heavy attack Sorc has been an option for years. I just dont see it going anywhere. They seem to keep Sorc as a relatively accessible option from patch to patch, so I think its a safe bet to invest some time into.

This thread actually made me want to give the one bar HA sorc a try just for grins. Can't believe I am still missing stuff from Wayrest, probably ran that place 300 times. LOL. 12 more runs to guarantee my staff drop. Thankfully, Wayrest 1 is a super easy farm.

Cameron991 · March 2023

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Cameron991 wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Dark elf is better in PVE for sure unless playing a magic healer, but as a DPS, Dark elf is objectively better. Breton is a great option for PVP, but its harder to say one race is objectively better than the other. Regen is more important in PVP than it is in PVE, so that makes Breton more viable in that content, but if you are looking for a one size fits all, I would go Dark Elf, they really are the master race in ESO right now. The extra stam certainly doesnt hurt in PVP where you will need to do more blocking and rolling than in PVE, but you may find you need to run an extra regen enchant than on a breton. If you do plan to use a frost staff, breton might pull ahead in PVP as you can use magic to block, but again, unless healing, Dark Elf is 100% the better option as a DPS. You can make up for racial passives with your build in PVP. In PVE as a DPS, one race is objectively better than the other.

As to what content they are better for, it is really a hard question to answer as it depends what you are doing. If you are just comparing a pure open world PVP build vs a Trial DPS PVE build, to be candid, i am not recommending magic warden for either, but that doesn't mean they don't work. I might give the edge to PVP, as wardens do have a lot of utility that you may just not use that much as a pure PVE DPS. You can be an excellent support class in both PVE and PVP at the highest level.

What I think I may be leaning towards is doing a frost breton pvp build and using a dark elf on a new character that suits more pve. In your opinion what do you think is the most effective easiest class to play in pve dps for vet trials and vet dlc dungeons. I’m really wanting to unlock those skins. I beat vet ma and vet vh on my solo magcro but he doesn’t play too well when it comes to high damage to be accepted into vet trial groups

I think it is really hard to beat a Magic Sorc as a DPS for PVE if you are trying to balance Ease of Play with being able to find a spot in a raid group to go Skin Hunting. Dunmer would certainly be the race. Sorc can be played in 3 difficulty levels.

1. You can pull very passible DPS with an oakensoul one bar heavy attack build. It doesnt get much easer than that.
2. You can do a two bar HA build. This is a little more complicated, but you should pull more damage.
3. You can do a standard LA build with pets*. This is going to pull the most damage, and you can certainly be competitive with just about any class.
*You can play a LA two bar build without pets on a sorc, but if that is your plan, just play NB.

I really dont play 1 or 2 much. About every 6 months I need to post a parse for a guild of mine, and I can usually do it on my double pet LA sorc very quickly and easily. The basic rotation hasnt changed much in years. I usually pull a bit more on my DK and Necro, and a little less on my NB. If you have no interest in a one bar or HA build, the two others I would consider in addition to Sorc are NB and DK.

-NB frankly plays a lot like sorc, but you dont have to deal with pets. I have often said a NB is basically a Sorc without training wheels (pets and heavy attacks). NB rotations are less forgiving than Sorcs. Both can play range with a lot of self heals, and NBs specifically have a skill for darn near everything. NBs are my go to for most things in PVE. I can solo any world boss in my DPS build, they are the best IMO for farming CP or gear from dungeons. I can pull a hair more damage on my sorc during most patches, but to me, magic nighblade just feels good. Sorc can feel clunky with pets and using crystal frags as a spammable. You do need to be very good at weaving on a nightblade as their apex skill (merciless reslove) requires light attacks to build stacks. If you struggle to weave, sorc is a better option for most newer players. That said, NB is REALLY good for practicing your weave and rotation. If someone deleted my account tomorrow, first thing I do is power level a dunmer NB.

-DK is usually pretty close to the top in terms of damage. Things always change a bit from patch to patch, but DK is never far from the top. They do generally need to be in melee range which adds difficulty, but their rotation itself is really not that hard. They are mostly a DOT build, and you really don't have skills like merciless or frags to deal with. If looking to post a parse for a good group that wont let you use an oakensorc, this might be the easiest to do it with. The issue is that most raid groups are broken down into melee and ranged specs, and generally, the melee specs go to the best players. Usually ranged spots are easier to get, and certainly easier to learn the mechanics.

-Your Necro is a good class for damage, but their apex skill (blastbones) requires a unique 1,2,3 style of rotation, because if you arent casting blastbones every third skill, you are simply doing it wrong and your damage is going to be lousy. It makes for a lot of bar swapping, and some of their skills are clunky to use. They do far better on static bosses with massive health bars as their damage takes time to build. Not my first choice for breaking into PVE content, not by a long shot. I did TTT on a magcro, and it was rough. We needed one, so I volunteered, but not sure I would do it again. That said, some of my best raid dummy parses (125k+) have been on a magcro, so the DPS potential is there.

I was thinking about doing a one bar heavy attack build that sounds fun to me hahahahah but I was questioning if I should do a mag sorc ir mag dk

I would honestly go Dunmer Sorc. I think some other classes can pull similar DPS on a one bar HA build, but Sorc is probably the easiest one to execute. Only disclaimer, dont go sorc unless you are okay with pets. Pets do a lot of the heavy lifting in the damage department, but thats also why their rotation is easy on the fingers.

Remember, even on a HA build, there are times when you still want to LA weave certain skill casts. Not the end of the world if you dont, but it is optimal to do so.

Also, everyone needs a Sorc. Haha

I appreciate your knowledge I think I have determined what I will do! I think I’m going to make a new sorc pve dunmer and keep my warden pvp breton. Thank you so much!

Awesome, let us know how it works out or if you have any questions. I would mostly level with a Lighting staff and a mix of light/medium armor so you have all leveled when you want to jump into dungeons. You will want to level both pets to morph (Volatile Familiar, and both versions of the twilight), Curse (Daedric Prey), Surge (crit Surge), Conjured Ward (hardened Ward), Lighting Form (hurricane), Wall of elements (Unstable wall - Destro staff skill), Strom Attro ultimate (greater storm Attro - single target damage), Elemental Rage (destro ultimate, better for AOE).

Probably the most basic version of a light attack build (maybe not the most damage) is something like:

-Daedric Prey: Cast on cool down, just dont recast early or you miss the explosion. Buffs your pet damage and there is an AOE explosion when it expires. You want to cast this every 6th GCD if possible for the best uptime.
-Volatile familiar: Cast on cooldown.
-Twlight: Tormentor for more damage, Matriarch if you want a burst heal. You can cast tormentor pre fight but no need to recast during the fight. If you run Matriarch, only cast when you need the heal.
-Crit Surge: This will heal you as long as you are doing crit damage. It also gives major Sorcery, but not really necessary with oakensoul. It has a long duration, but definitely keep it up at all times.
-Hardened Ward: This is the biggest shield you can get. Cast when you see your health move. Also not the worst thing to cast prefight.
-Greater stormed attro: you best damage ult.

Crit Surge and Hardened ward can be flexed for more damage, Unstable Wall (Destro Skill), and Hurricane (Morph of Lighting Form) are probably the most obvious choices, Barbed Trap (fighters guild) can also be good as its long duration, single target and will give you hemorrhage status effect, maybe Crystal frags or an execute, if you want to do more of a hybrid LA and HA build. Lots of options here. If going for a dummy parse or you have a good healer, you definitely want more damage skills here.

I think your best gear combo will be Sergeants Mail, Storm Master, Oakensoul, 1 piece slimecraw, but others might chime in with some better options. 100k on a dummy is definitely doable with that setup.

If you want to take Sorc to the next level, their apex damage skill is Crystal Fragments. It can be "hard cast", used like a spammbale with a .8 second channel, it will also occasionally "proc" for an instant cast for more damage at a reduced cost. If it procs, it should pretty much always be your next skill cast, both for the damage and so it can proc again as quickly as possible. You dont really need for a pure HA build, but if you want to get a feel for the class at a more advance level, this skill is important to master. The biggest issue is that you really cant bar swap off a hard cast crystal frags without a delay, but if using a one bar build, not much of an issue.

Awesome this is amazing detail that I will follow I’m hearing alot of people in game say that sorc and warden are the best when it comes to HA builds so in your opinion don’t go with the warden right for trials and dungeons and such as dd

I just honestly have very little experience with Warden as a PVE DPS. I did Flawless Conqueror on mag and stam warden for VMA, and that was about it for me in PVE to be honest. I really liked my stam warden in PVP. Heavy attack Sorc has been an option for years. I just dont see it going anywhere. They seem to keep Sorc as a relatively accessible option from patch to patch, so I think its a safe bet to invest some time into.

This thread actually made me want to give the one bar HA sorc a try just for grins. Can't believe I am still missing stuff from Wayrest, probably ran that place 300 times. LOL. 12 more runs to guarantee my staff drop. Thankfully, Wayrest 1 is a super easy farm.

Same! I just finished grinding my sorc now on to getting gear lol