The Damage-over-time derby! The game's best dots

Woodenplank · February 14

A few rules and clarifications:

I consider a DoT to be a "fire and forget" skill that does periodic damage - that means I do not include Channeled skills.
The skills on this list do not necessarily count as "Damage over Time" according to the game (e.g. Deadly Set, Thaumaturge CP), but are still included as "delayed/periodic" direct damage.
I am not counting ultimates in these lists as their usage is somewhat more situational/encounter dependent.
If there are two DPS morphs, I choose the highest DPS (e.g. Venomous Claw > Burning Embers since hybridization)
All Damage values are based on the same build with the same Spell/Weapon Damage.

Q: But don't Sorcs/Arcanists/Templars have additional Weapon/Spell damage from passives?!
A: Yes, but that would create a "build bias" where sampling a build with high WD/SD makes those DoTs look better, where low WD/SD builds make them look worse. See the last section for further details though.

Without further ado, here's my list of everything I consider "DoTs" under the above rules.

==== TEMPLAR ====

Blazing Spear - 2970 Magicka - 10 seconds
Total Damage: 38136
Damage/Second: 3813
Resource/Second: 297
Auxillaries: AoE damage, group synergy, partially instant

Vampire's Bane - 2970 Magicka - 32 seconds
Total Damage: 64101
Damage/Second: 2003
Resource/Second: 92.8125
Auxillaries: Major Savagery/Prophecy

Solar Flare - 2700 - 20 seconds
Total Damage: 41055 (incl. self-bonus)
Damage/Second: 2053 (incl. self-bonus)
Resource/Second: 135
Auxillaries: +5% Templar Skill Damage Dealt

PotL - 1136 Stamina - 6 Seconds
Total Damage: 23754 - (36233?) - 48712
Damage/Second: 3959 - 8119
Resource/Second: 189.33
Auxillaries: Minor Breach
Comment: Final blast (12479) deals up to 200% more damage on final blast. Is this 300% of base damage or 200% of base damage??

==== Dragonknight ====

Noxious Breath - 2536 Stamina - 24 Seconds
Total Damage: 57621
Damage/Second: 2401
Resource/Second: 105.67
Auxillaries: Major Breath, AoE

Venomous Claw - 2146 Stamina - 24 seconds
Total Damage: 58410
Damage/Second: 2433.75
Resource/Second: 89.4167
Auxillaries: Gauranteed Poisoned Status proc

Flames of Oblivion - 2160 Magicka - 15 seconds
Total Damage: 56088
Damage/Second: 3739.2
Resource/Second: 144
Auxillaries: Up to 3 targets, Major Savagery/Prophecy

Eruption - 270 Magicka/s - 15 seconds
Total Damage: 64303
Damage/Second: 4287
Resource/Second: 270
Auxillaries:

Burning Talons - 3780 Magicka - 5 seconds
Total Damage: 100103
Damage/Second: 20020.6
Resource/Second: 756
Auxillaries: AoE, Ignite Synergy

=== Necromancer ===
Rapid Rot +10% damage to all DoTs.

Detonating Siphon - 0000 - 20 seconds
Total Damage: 62129
Damage/Second: 3106.45
Resource/Second: 0
Auxillaries: Increases damage dealt by 3% when slotted

Avid Boneyard - 2970 Magicka - 10 seconds
Total Damage: 52319 - 61631
Damage/Second: 5232 - 6163
Resource/Second: 297
Auxillaries: Consume Corpse to deal 30% more damage, can proc own synergy (this is included in listed damage)

That's it for the DoT class!

=== Nightblade ===

Lotus Fan - 3780 Magicka - 20 seconds
Total Damage: 45027
Damage/Second: 2251
Resource/Second: 189
Auxillaries: Teleport Strike, Minor Vulnerability, absolutely horrible animation for weaving, AoE

Twisting Path - 2700 Magicka - 12 seconds
Total Damage: 40656
Damage/Second: 3388
Resource/Second: 225
Auxillaries: Major Expedition, AoE

Debilitate - 2970 Magicka - 20 seconds
Total Damage: 44792
Damage/Second: 2240
Resource/Second: 148.5
Auxillaries: Applies Overcharged Status Effect

=== GUILD/WORLD SKILLS ===

Degeneration - 2065 Magicka - 24 seconds
Total Damage: 51246
Damage/Second: 2135
Resource/Second: 86
Auxillaries: Major Sorcery/Brutality, +2% Max Magicka and Recovery for slotting

Scalding Rune - 2754 Magicka - 26 seconds
Total Damage: 55574
Damage/Second: 2137
Resource/Second: 106
Auxillaries: +2% Max Magicka and Recovery for slotting

Barbed Trap - 2365 Stamina - 20 seconds
Total Damage: 48953
Damage/Second: 2447.65
Resource/Second: 118.25
Auxillaries: Hemorrhaging status effect, grants Minor Force, grants +3% Weapon/Spell Damage from slotting via. FG passives

(Consuming)SoulTrap - 2700 Magicka - 20 seconds
Total Damage: 43362
Damage/Second: 2168
Resource/Second: 135
Auxillaries: Restores Health, Magicka, Stamina if enemy dies. And fills a Soul Gem, lol.

=== WEAPON SKILLS ===

Rending Slashes - 1971 Stamina - 20 seconds
Total Damage: 46496
Damage/Second: 2325
Resource/Second: 98.55
Auxillaries: Hemorrhaging Status Effect

Deadly Cloak - 2759 Stamina - 20 seconds
Total Damage: 50830
Damage/Second: 2542
Resource/Second: 138
Auxillaries: Major Evasion

Stampede - 3901 Stamina - 15 seconds
Total Damage: 56034
Damage/Second: 3736
Resource/Second: 260
Auxillaries: AoE, initial damage is always a crit

Carve - 2983 Stamina - 12-22-32 seconds
Total Damage: 44056 - 90369
Damage/Second: 3671 - 2824
Resource/Second: 248.6 - 93.22
Auxillaries: AoE, self-shield,
Comment: Due to partial instant damage DPS looks better for shorter duration

Destructive Reach - 2700 Magicka - 20 seconds
Total Damage: 45085
Damage/Second: 2254
Resource/Second: 135
Auxillaries: Gauranteed Elemental Status Effect (Burning, Concussed, or Chilled),
Comment: Dragonknights, Sorcerers, and Wardens may get extra mileage from this depending on staff type

Unstable Wall - 2970 Magicka - 10 seconds
Total Damage: 36442
Damage/Second: 3644.2
Resource/Second: 148.5
Auxillaries: AoE, Burning Enemies take +10% damage from Wall of Fire, Wall of Storms Off Balance
Comment: Dragonknights, Sorcerers, and Wardens may get extra mileage from this depending on staff type

=== Arcanist ===

Fulminating Rune - 3510 Magicka - 20 seconds
Total Damage: 56805
Damage/Second: 2840.25
Resource/Second: 175.5
Auxillaries: Runebreak Synergy

=== Sorcerer ===

Lightning Flood - 2791 Magicka - 10 seconds
Total Damage: 35050
Damage/Second: 3505
Resource/Second: 232.5833
Auxillaries: Conduit Synergy

Liquid Lightning - 2791 Magicka - 15 seconds
Total Damage: 39165
Damage/Second: 2611
Resource/Second: 186
Auxillaries: Conduit Synergy

Haunting Curse - 2791 Magicka - 12 seconds
Total Damage: 40246
Damage/Second: 3353.83
Resource/Second: 232.5833
Auxillaries: Area Damage

=== Warden ===

Subterranean Assault- 1756 Stamina - 6 seconds
Total Damage: 49038
Damage/Second: 8173
Resource/Second: 292.67
Auxillaries:

Fetcher Infection - 2970 Magicka - 20 seconds
Total Damage: 59001
Damage/Second: 2950
Resource/Second: 148.5
Auxillaries: Minor Vulnerability, every 2nd cast deals +60% damage.
Comment: 30% more than tooltip damage on average, this this is already included in the above.

Arctic Blast - 4320 Magicka - 20 seconds
Total Damage: 59640
Damage/Second: 2982
Resource/Second: 216
Auxillaries: Self-heal, AoE damage

Winter's Revenge - 3240 Magicka - 12 seconds
Total Damage: 32184 - 41839.2
Damage/Second: 2682 - 3486.6
Resource/Second: 270
Auxillaries: Higher chance to apply Chilled status effect, AoE
Comment: Deals 30% more damage with a Destruction Staff equipped.

Cutting Dive - 1950 Stamina - 10 seconds
Total Damage: 41171
Damage/Second: 4117
Resource/Second: 195
Auxillaries: Off-Balance when used at range

I rate DoTs by three metrics:

Total Damage Done (is it worth the global cooldown, or should you just use your spammable again?)
Total Resource per second (how hard is it to sustain uptime?)
Total Damage per max Spell- or Weapon Damage (adjusting for build differences)

Without further ado:
Dots by Damage Dealt

Flames of Oblivion - 100103
Stampede - 90369
Burning Talons - 64303
Blazing Spear - 64101
Avid Boneyard - 62129
Eruption - 61631
Arctic Blast - 59640
Fetcher Infection - 59001
Noxious Breath - 58410
Solar Flare - 57621
Venomous Claw - 56088
Rending Slashes - 56034
Debilitate - 55574
Scalding Rune - 51246
Soul Trap - 50830
Subterranean Assault - 49038
Degeneration - 48953
Vampire's Bane - 48712
Deadly Cloak - 46496
Destructive Reach - 45085
Detonating Siphon - 45027
Twisting Path - 44792
Barbed Trap - 43362
Winter's Revenge (Destro) - 41839
Cutting Dive - 41171
Power of the Light - 41055
Lotus Fan - 40656
Haunting Curse - 40246
Carve - 40086.2
Liquid Lightning - 39165
Unstable Wall - 36442
ALT Lightning Flood - 35050
Winter's Revenge - 32184

Dots by Resource/second

Detonating Siphon - 0
Degeneration - 86
Venomous Claw - 89.42
Vampire's Bane - 92.81
Carve - 93.22
Rending Slashes - 98.6
Noxious Breath - 105
Scalding Rune - 106
Barbed Trap - 118.25
Destructive Reach - 135
Soul Trap - 135
Solar Flare - 135
Deadly Cloak - 138
Flames of Oblivion - 144
Unstable Wall - 148.5
Debilitate - 148.5
Liquid Lightning - 186
Lotus Fan - 189
Power of the Light - 189.3
Twisting Path - 225
ALT Lightning Flood - 232.6
Haunting Curse - 232.6
Stampede - 260
Eruption - 270
Avid Boneyard - 297
Blazing Spear - 297
Burning Talons - 756

Dots by Damage Dealt (Weapon/spell Damage adjusted)

Flames of Oblivion - 10.5
Stampede - 9.5
Burning Talons - 6.7
Blazing Spear - 6.7
Avid Boneyard - 6.5
Eruption - 6.5
Arctic Blast - 6.3
Fetcher Infection - 6.2
Noxious Breath - 6.1
Solar Flare - 6.0
Venomous Claw - 5.9
Rending Slashes - 5.9
Debilitate - 5.8
Scalding Rune - 5.4
Soul Trap - 5.3
Subterranean Assault - 5.1
Degeneration - 5.1
Vampire's Bane - 5.1
Deadly Cloak - 4.9
Destructive Reach - 4.7
Detonating Siphon - 4.7
Twisting Path - 4.7
Barbed Trap - 4.5
Winter's Revenge (Destro) - 4.4
Cutting Dive - 4.3
Power of the Light - 4.3
Lotus Fan - 4.3
Haunting Curse - 4.2
Carve - 4.2
Liquid Lightning - 4.1
Unstable Wall - 3.8
ALT Lightning Flood - 3.7
Winter's Revenge - 3.4

Addendum:

Note that Lightning Splash has both of its morphs listed.
Winter's Revenge gets a 30% Damage bonus from wielding a Destruction staff. I've listed both with/without this bonus.
Carve is listed for maximum duration (32 seconds at 3 stacks).

Let me know if I missed anything!

QB1 · February 16

This is very interesting. I would love to see a few single target dots get some love! They have been so bad since dots got gutted after scalebreaker.

-Templar’s Vampires Bane is terrible.
-Soul trap has needed reworked since the game released.
-Degen is solid in that it gives sorcery/brutality, but structured entropy could use a buff to the damage or healing to make it more appealing

All of these and most other dots feel pretty underwhelming tbh

Necrotech_Master · February 16

haunting curse for sorc is NOT a dot

it does 2 instances of burst direct dmg, basically the same as deep fissure/subterranean assault except it sticks to the target instead of emanating from you

my personal thoughts on dots is that they are all way too slow ticking, so unless you have a lot of them, they are almost unnoticeable

the only ones that actually are good for proccing things are fast dots (arcanist beam, necro tethers, and then the 1 sec dots like caltrops and other ground based dots)

sticky dots are only useful when using a lot of them, and for the fact they stick with the target

Woodenplank · February 16

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

haunting curse for sorc is NOT a dot

it does 2 instances of burst direct dmg, basically the same as deep fissure/subterranean assault except it sticks to the target instead of emanating from you

Woodenplank wrote: »

A few rules and clarifications:
I consider a DoT to be a "fire and forget" skill that does periodic damage - that means I do not include Channeled skills.

The skills on this list do not necessarily count as "Damage over Time" according to the game (e.g. Deadly Set, Thaumaturge CP), but are still included as "delayed/periodic" direct damage.

I know it's two bursts of direct damage - the same way that Power of the Light is, for instance.
However, Haunting Curse's only function is to be put on one target, and then it deals damage as time passes, allowing you to take other actions instead. Specifically it's damage is dealt over 12 seconds.

Hence it is functionally not really different from a "true DoT" - which is why I included it.

ZhuJiuyin · February 17

Not surprisingly, Sorc's three skills are all at the bottom of the rankings. Even after excluding Winter Revenge (because of Destro), Sorc's skill is actually the weakest (ALT Lightning). But ironically, if dots by Resource/second, Sorc skill consumption is among the best.
Why does Sorc have so many low-damage but high-cost skills? Clearly needs to be redesigned or buffs.

Woodenplank · February 17

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

the only ones that actually are good for proccing things are fast dots (arcanist beam, necro tethers, and then the 1 sec dots like caltrops and other ground based dots)

And while halving the tick frequency of single target dots back in Update 35 was clearly just another entry in a long line of failed attempts to fix Cyrodiil lag about cleaning up a lot of the power discrepancies between [dots], which [were] stagnating diversity of weapon choice in a lot of areas, it inadvertedly nerfed a bunch of stuff that needed no nerfing.

Sets that rely on damage frequency like Draugrkin or Runecarver's Blaze are downright 50% nerfed on single-target DoTs, and those sets weren't even particularly strong to begin with...

ZhuJiuyin wrote: »

Not surprisingly, Sorc's three skills are all at the bottom of the rankings. Even after excluding Winter Revenge (because of Destro), Sorc's skill is actually the weakest (ALT Lightning). But ironically, if dots by Resource/second, Sorc skill consumption is among the best.
Why does Sorc have so many low-damage but high-cost skills? Clearly needs to be redesigned or buffs.

And the only update to Lightning Splash scheduled for U40 is

Increased the radius size of this ability and its morphs by an additional 2 meters, as they were significantly smaller than other class-based Area of Effect Damage over Time abilities with no real power justification for doing so.

Vaqual · February 18

CameraBeardThePirate · February 18

Bit of a weird one - but Flame Blossom is a burst proc that counts as a DoT. ~10k tooltip in a single instance of damage, but it is boosted by DoT modifiers and cannot be blocked as it is a "DoT".

Urzigurumash · February 19

Isn't Flames of Oblivion Direct Damage? Used to be for sure

Necrotech_Master · February 20

Woodenplank wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

haunting curse for sorc is NOT a dot

it does 2 instances of burst direct dmg, basically the same as deep fissure/subterranean assault except it sticks to the target instead of emanating from you

Woodenplank wrote: »

A few rules and clarifications:
I consider a DoT to be a "fire and forget" skill that does periodic damage - that means I do not include Channeled skills.

The skills on this list do not necessarily count as "Damage over Time" according to the game (e.g. Deadly Set, Thaumaturge CP), but are still included as "delayed/periodic" direct damage.

I know it's two bursts of direct damage - the same way that Power of the Light is, for instance.
However, Haunting Curse's only function is to be put on one target, and then it deals damage as time passes, allowing you to take other actions instead. Specifically it's damage is dealt over 12 seconds.

Hence it is functionally not really different from a "true DoT" - which is why I included it.

the thing is it doesnt "deal dmg over 12 seconds" if you recast it early you lose most or all the dmg depending on when you recast it (if before the first explode you lose all dmg, if before 2nd explode you lose half dmg)

so to me haunting curse will never be a dot, the only similarity between it and a dot is that its attached to the target, but could be said the same way for deep fissure, which is also effectively a 9 sec effect, it just emanates from you, same goes for flames of oblivion, neither are dots even though they deal dmg over a duration but emanate from you

a discussion about dots should only consider stuff that is an actual dot (as in buffed by thaumaturge CP)

or another way to put it, is it needs to be able to trigger azureblight or valkyn skoria to be considered for discussion as a dot

Turtle_Bot · February 21

I always knew lightning splash needed a lot of help, but this is absurd just how bad the skill actually is.

@ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_Kevin @ZOS_Gilliam @ZOS_BrianWheeler @ZOS_RichLambert

It's clearly not the AoE of lightning splash that needs adjusting, the skill is bottom of the barrel in every aspect:
- total damage done
- damage output per second
- resource cost for damage output

It is clear that the skill needs a complete overhaul, not just a simple radius increase.

ArchMikem · February 21

Arctic Blast being top ten feels incredibly wrong. My Cryomancer even painstakingly built as good as I could muster while still maintaining the theme, still hits like a noodle.

AcadianPaladin · February 22

My fave DoTs are fire and forget ones that stick to the target and damage foes near the target. I find the best such class skill to be the Warden's Fetcher Infection. The best non-class skill for this (though not impressive) may be Soul Splitting Trap.