What are some genuinely fun builds that you use?

netch_a_sketch · September 5

I find myself looking at guides online and lot of the top tier/meta ones I find to be honestly kinda boring. It's a lot of the same gear sets and skills, and I know there's a ton of unique and interesting under-used gear sets out there. So what do you use when you just want to have fun?

Dotsham · September 5

Hi there, the most fun I get from a build is with a magicka werewolf healer.

Build uses a combination of Hiti's Hearth and Redistributor sets. On a general point of view, the whole point of the build is to overheal yourself to heal others AND contribute to damage and cc in group.

All the fun of this build is bonded to the feeding skill of the werewolf line. While at 100% health and thanks to Redistributor, everytime you feed, you heal your teammates. This means you got to learn to handle corpses, their location, their disappearance, your own health. It's a very hard way to play but it feels so... new and unseen.

The only downside is that you need to play with friends if you don't want to be kicked (#OpenMindedMetaPlayers)

I can give you more info if you need. I'm currently working on a dps build using the same feeding mechanic to trigger the new Corpseburster set (yes it procs)

Bashev · September 5

I think this kind of builds work really nice in PvP but in PvE everything is measured with the parse.

Turtle_Bot · September 5

Assuming I just want to do something simple/easy like overland content/quests, I typically pick 1 of the themes within a class and just try to all in with a build for that particular theme.

For example:
On sorc I tend to go for lightning mage theme most of the time, but occasionally I also do all pets, so would run the following:
- lightning mage, I run sets like Auroran Thunder (cone of lightning in front of the wearer), Overwhelming surge (pulses of lightning around the caster) or other shock damage proc sets and only slot shock damage abilities (and a few needed things like buffs, a self heal, etc)
- pets, I run Mad tinkerer, aegis caller and maw of the infernal that give me even more pets/summons to pair with the summons in the class skills

On DK I tend to lean into the fire theme a lot, so sets like grothdar (lava pools around the wearer), ashen grip (flame breath), red mountain (mini volcano that lobs a lava ball at the target) with a lot of flame damage class skills.

Obviously a lot of these build won't be good enough if I am trying to do end game content such as vHM DLC dungeons, trials, solo/organized PvP, etc. but for the very casual content and even some of the normal dungeons these fun/theme builds can function just fine as long as they have most of the tools they need (a heal, basic buffs like brutality/sorcery, prophecy/savagery, resolve, etc).

Benzux · September 5

I really enjoy my Werewolf build, even though it's got absolute trash DPS (though I suspect part of that is because of how clunky the leap -> carnage thing still is). Blood Moon and Tzogvin's with Belharza's Band for big LA crits is the core of the build. WW is always super fun to play but it still feels below average, despite all the buffs they've given it.

My Warden healer is also pretty fun. Combat Physician and The Blind to spam big damage shields on the group, and Jorvuld's Guidance guarantees that those shields have 100% uptime, as they end up lasting longer than their respective sets' cooldowns are. Less of a healer and more a shielder, lol. To be fair, I like all of my "unconventional" healers (though of course with all the changes in the last couple of years, any class can do good healing and not just Templar/Warden/Necro), Basalt-Blooded Warrior was a great addition to my DK healer (permanent Heroism for War Horn spam goes brrrrrr), and back in the day I ran a pretty successful Sorcerer healer before their kit actually supported being one.

The new Macabre Vintage set from Gold Road feels really fun and satisfying to use, put that onto my Vampire Nightblade and he quickly became one of my most fun characters to play, even if it doesn't contribute to DPS against bosses at all, unless there's adds running about that you can make explode into gore.

Scribing has been kind of a godsend to fun off-meta builds (which is basically all I have), since I can now create damage/utility skills for characters that are fun to use and thematically appropriate, while also giving me new tools that help with a build's DPS or give them a buff they don't naturally get.

SkaraMinoc · September 5

The Macabre Vintage set from Gold Road is like playing Doom *splat*

Soarora · September 5

One of my favorite thematic builds (though I’ve stopped using it) is a bleed build. Dro’zakar or Blooddrinker + Pillar of Nirn or Aegis Caller. Mine was a nightblade but warden might be better. Daggers + 2H. Used 2 arena weapons, don’t remember what they were off the top of my head. So no monster set. Did pretty well, but I switched that character to a hybrid healer.

BXR_Lonestar · September 5

I'm having a lot of fun with my 2 pet HA sorc with Macabre's vintage. Me and my friend both run this, and in dungeons with big trash pulls, we just massacre everything. It's a lot of fun.

JaxontheUnfortunate · September 5

Blood Moon, macabre vintage, oaken soul in a ww berserker in a dk lots of silly fun for pve.

Vevvev · September 5

This one: https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Special:EsoBuildData?id=371491

It has remained basically unchanged for several years now, and it's my "old reliable" solo PvP build. Don't expect it to kill every single person, but you'll definitely hit people really hard with it. If I use it in PvE I just replace Shattering Rocks with Sated Fury, which is perfectly safe because Burning Embers does a good job keeping you alive. Then Sated Fury transforms into a weird burst heal due to the way it works.

Exhilarating Drain is only there for ultimate generation. Can probably replace it with another heal over time if you want. You won't see me spamming it because it leaves me open to being interrupted, which can be lethal in certain situations. Basically gave your enemy a chance to stun you.

Jsmalls · September 5

If you're looking for a fun lightning Sorcerer build I highly suggest Heartland (Charged lightning staff) and Storm Cursed.

Combine this with as many lightning abilities as you can (Wall of elements, Shocking Soul with Sorc mastery, Shocking Burst with Sorc Mastery, Liquid Lightning, Streak, Boundless Storm, Overload etc etc

The more things to hit the more fun it gets.

It's a lot of fun and actually pretty competitive.

Zap!

SkaraMinoc · September 5

BXR_Lonestar wrote: »

I'm having a lot of fun with my 2 pet HA sorc with Macabre's vintage. Me and my friend both run this, and in dungeons with big trash pulls, we just massacre everything. It's a lot of fun.

Yeah props to whoever designed that set. It's the first fun set in a long time and I'm not even really into dungeons/questing.

Turtle_Bot · September 6

Jsmalls wrote: »

If you're looking for a fun lightning Sorcerer build I highly suggest Heartland (Charged lightning staff) and Storm Cursed.

Combine this with as many lightning abilities as you can (Wall of elements, Shocking Soul with Sorc mastery, Shocking Burst with Sorc Mastery, Liquid Lightning, Streak, Boundless Storm, Overload etc etc

The more things to hit the more fun it gets.

It's a lot of fun and actually pretty competitive.

Zap!

I've always wanted to make a storm cursed build, we've just never had enough good sources of shock damage. Scribing does help with that though thanks to wield soul/soul burst (shock damage) and class script (AoE shock damage), so I should probably give it another go.

Now if only ZOS would actually fix lightning splash to actually be worth slotting for more than just fun builds.

Theist_VII · September 6

Turtle_Bot wrote: »

Jsmalls wrote: »

If you're looking for a fun lightning Sorcerer build I highly suggest Heartland (Charged lightning staff) and Storm Cursed.

Combine this with as many lightning abilities as you can (Wall of elements, Shocking Soul with Sorc mastery, Shocking Burst with Sorc Mastery, Liquid Lightning, Streak, Boundless Storm, Overload etc etc

The more things to hit the more fun it gets.

It's a lot of fun and actually pretty competitive.

Zap!

I've always wanted to make a storm cursed build, we've just never had enough good sources of shock damage. Scribing does help with that though thanks to wield soul/soul burst (shock damage) and class script (AoE shock damage), so I should probably give it another go.

Now if only ZOS would actually fix lightning splash to actually be worth slotting for more than just fun builds.

If I’m not mistaken, Storm Cursed suffers from not being able to proc on itself despite it’s damage meeting the proc condition.

That alone is enough reason to vault the set.

Chilly-McFreeze · September 6

Theist_VII wrote: »

Turtle_Bot wrote: »

Jsmalls wrote: »

If you're looking for a fun lightning Sorcerer build I highly suggest Heartland (Charged lightning staff) and Storm Cursed.

Combine this with as many lightning abilities as you can (Wall of elements, Shocking Soul with Sorc mastery, Shocking Burst with Sorc Mastery, Liquid Lightning, Streak, Boundless Storm, Overload etc etc

The more things to hit the more fun it gets.

It's a lot of fun and actually pretty competitive.

Zap!

I've always wanted to make a storm cursed build, we've just never had enough good sources of shock damage. Scribing does help with that though thanks to wield soul/soul burst (shock damage) and class script (AoE shock damage), so I should probably give it another go.

Now if only ZOS would actually fix lightning splash to actually be worth slotting for more than just fun builds.

If I’m not mistaken, Storm Cursed suffers from not being able to proc on itself despite it’s damage meeting the proc condition.

That alone is enough reason to vault the set.

Correct me if I'm mistaken, but didn't they changed the rules so no proc set procs another proc set (or itself) anymore a long while ago?

Pelanora · September 6

Turtle_Bot wrote: »

Jsmalls wrote: »

If you're looking for a fun lightning Sorcerer build I highly suggest Heartland (Charged lightning staff) and Storm Cursed.

Combine this with as many lightning abilities as you can (Wall of elements, Shocking Soul with Sorc mastery, Shocking Burst with Sorc Mastery, Liquid Lightning, Streak, Boundless Storm, Overload etc etc

The more things to hit the more fun it gets.

It's a lot of fun and actually pretty competitive.

Zap!

I've always wanted to make a storm cursed build, we've just never had enough good sources of shock damage. Scribing does help with that though thanks to wield soul/soul burst (shock damage) and class script (AoE shock damage), so I should probably give it another go.

Now if only ZOS would actually fix lightning splash to actually be worth slotting for more than just fun builds.

Very very very sorry to watch the new scribe shock damage skill issue lightning from my weapon and not my hands.

Jsmalls · September 6

Theist_VII wrote: »

Turtle_Bot wrote: »

Jsmalls wrote: »

If you're looking for a fun lightning Sorcerer build I highly suggest Heartland (Charged lightning staff) and Storm Cursed.

Combine this with as many lightning abilities as you can (Wall of elements, Shocking Soul with Sorc mastery, Shocking Burst with Sorc Mastery, Liquid Lightning, Streak, Boundless Storm, Overload etc etc

The more things to hit the more fun it gets.

It's a lot of fun and actually pretty competitive.

Zap!

I've always wanted to make a storm cursed build, we've just never had enough good sources of shock damage. Scribing does help with that though thanks to wield soul/soul burst (shock damage) and class script (AoE shock damage), so I should probably give it another go.

Now if only ZOS would actually fix lightning splash to actually be worth slotting for more than just fun builds.

If I’m not mistaken, Storm Cursed suffers from not being able to proc on itself despite it’s damage meeting the proc condition.

That alone is enough reason to vault the set.

Yes... But with heartland charged it Procs concussion at a 70% chance (it's classified as a direct damage single target proc even though it chains).

So for example let's say perfect scenario your tank pulls 6 mobs together. Using Soul Burst with Sorc Mastery, you have 12 unique hits of shock damage from just this skill. For storm cursed, 12 * 0.15 =~2 and every hit chains 2 more times. So on average that's 6 instances of damage from Storm Cursed.

6 * .70 = 4 concussed
12 * .35 = 4 concussed

So all together from one ability you have 26 instances of damage per GCD.

Then I'll let you in on this as well, they are all direct damage instances (so AoE or Single target). Maelstrom 2 hander adds 560 damage to each of those 26 instances of damage.

Then you add wall of elements and liquid lightning etc into the mix. And it just starts getting nutty.

Your screen is always full of damage numbers and it's a lot of fun.

Edit: From previous testing I was under the impression that concussion had the chance to proc it, but testing this update shows it cannot. Feel like this is a bug because Concussion is absolutely Shock damage that you deal. Maybe if I open up enough tickets they'll fix it one day...

BXR_Lonestar · September 6

SkaraMinoc wrote: »

BXR_Lonestar wrote: »

I'm having a lot of fun with my 2 pet HA sorc with Macabre's vintage. Me and my friend both run this, and in dungeons with big trash pulls, we just massacre everything. It's a lot of fun.

Yeah props to whoever designed that set. It's the first fun set in a long time and I'm not even really into dungeons/questing.

With this set, I'm actually finding myself LOOKING for dungeons that have massive trash pulls rather than avoiding dungeons that I think will take too long because of all the nonsense you usually have to deal with or try to bypass.

IMO, they could try to improve bomb sets like Galerion's Revenge to be on par with this set to give us better variety.