what’s the current best classes for AOE damage? (I made a mistake)

Wilkesy91 · September 2023

So I started eso again but on the pc after coming away from the ps5 version last year.

I thought magsorc was great for aoe and single target, got it to cp level and realised its not very good a clearing trash mobs in dungeons ect… after a bit of YouTubing I didn’t realise it got nurfed so it’s not a powerful now.

I’m thinking of starting again but with a different class but looking for a class with very good aoe out out but can also be sustained easily enough too. I enjoyed the magblade on ps5 because of sustain but I don’t think the aoes were too great either.

So what’s a good class for aoe damage and also sustain at the same time? Not pursed necro yet as I didn’t want to risk it. Just want something I can enjoy playing whilst also dealing very good damage a long with not dying easily.

MudcrabAttack · September 2023

Everything can be tweaked to have better AOE, I’m not familiar with the best magic sorcerer build for this, but I think you would drop at least the twilight and just pile on more AOE damage over time skills. Azureblight reaper set works with this, stamina sorcerer for example can use a bow build with acid spray and endless hail, hurricane, fire rune, razor caltrops, lightning splash, etc, azureblight procs get pretty wild. Combining a lot of stamina and magic skills helps with sustain problems

But if you want a simple answer, Arcanist beam is a persistent 3 m wide x 22m long aoe. You typically change position a few times during fights to get the most out of it by lining up enemies, but the thicker the enemy the less you have to worry about that. To make the beam more powerful you would build up crux with the tentacle skill, which is also a big AOE cone.

propertyOfUndefined · September 2023

Arcanist takes the cake here, imho.

merpins · September 2023

AOE:

Arcanist > Templar > DK > Sorc > Necro > Warden > NB

I'd be wary of Arcanist though. Arcanist's only strong DPS skill is the beam, and though it's pretty balanced, it's the only thing Zos would think of to break. So have fun with it now, cause I suspect a nerf in the future despite it being fine.

Woodenplank · September 2023

merpins wrote: »

AOE:

Arcanist > Templar > DK > Sorc > Necro > Warden > NB

Mostly agreed, although I'm not sure NB deserves to be that low. Drain Power and Lotus Fan do great work, especially if you combine with a charge-proc set, like Rush of Agony (-->Turns Lotus Fan into a mob-stacking, AoE-damage, vulnerability debuffing skill).

Also for OP; you could simply roll StamSorc. Hurricane + Whirling Blades or Carve (yes, you'll have to rely on weapon skills), and just throw in an Endless Fury or two for good measure, should do fine.
If you're talking about quick solo clears, then Critical Surge also helps with some automatic self-sustain.