[guide] Dragon knight dual wield melee, 480+ dps.

Denaia

Hello,

In an effort to create more build diversity in ESO I have done lots of theorycrafting on dragon knight melee dps and I have figured out a weapon build that does reasonable dps for trials. Below I will detail how this build look likes and how you can make this build yourself! I hope you enjoy it.

To take into consideration
For DK melee builds it's so that you will rely on both magicka and stamina and you will rely on both spelldamage and weapon damage. This is because most dk abilities use spelldamage and magicka to increase their dps done, but use weaponcrit to know how often they can crit (general rule of thumb; if the range is less then 8 it uses weapon crit). For this reason you will need to balance the various stats eso has to offer and I have done this by creating sets that will suit to all these requirements.

This build will do 480 or more DPS on most fights and was tested on mammoths & the second boss in Aetherian Archive. When I tested it I had a mix of blue and purple gear with legendary dual wield weapons. I am a bosmer and did not use ultimates, weaponcrit potions nor foodbuffs, if you use them your dps will be higher. I had 1870 magicka, 1313 stamina, 128 spelldamage, 194 weapon damage, 8% spellcrit, 43% weapon crit, 83 stamina recovery and 74 magicka recovery

Abilities
This build is based on using one bar with dual wield for your main dps. You can place anything you wish in your second bar, in my case it's a bow build. Because the bow build doesn't give the same good results I just list the dual wield build, as that one works.

You will need to use the following abilities :

1.Blood craze (good dps + healing)
2.Unstable flame (good dps that builds over time)
3.Molten whip (increases unstable flame damage, to be used with spare magicka)
4.Scalding rune (aoe, passives from mages guild skill line)
5.Molten Weapon (more weapon damage)

6.Banner as ultimate (just the best ultimate there is)

Your rotation will look as follows :

First apply molten weapon and then open from stealth with molten whip. Then blood craze → unstable flame to keep both refreshed at all times, the dot may never leave the boss or you will lose a lot of dps. After this, refresh molten weapon when it runs out and use either scalding rune (aoe) or molten whip for spare magicka. Weave light attacks into your rotation to increase the amouth of dps.

Stats & gear

For stats I placed all my points in health and I use stamina/magicka food.

For gear I did a mix of three sets. I used the warlock as jewelery set with a spelldamage enchant to increase my amouth of spelldamage and to gain some extra magicka recovery + magicka. Other sets that do roughly the same thing can be considered aswell.

For my main set I used Torug's pact x5, it will make your enchants much stronger and trigger more often. Besides that it increases your weapon damage and spelldamage, something you will need.

For my other set I used hunding's rage x4, it increases your stamina and weapon crit. I did not go for the five set because I am overcharged with weapon damage once I use 'molten weapon'. This makes the 5 set of torug's pact more worthwhile as you will get the full benefit.

For enchants I used max magicka on every gear piece and magicka damage + restore stamina/magicka enchants on both weapons. I do this to increase the amouth of statregen I have as I am having a low amouth of statrecovery.

Traits : all armor has divines, my mh has precise and my offhand has infused. My mundus stone is the thief.

Conclusion
By using all the passives you can use and equiping the gear, stats, enchants and abilities I listed you should be able to do 480 or more DPS in trials with your melee build, on fights that allow melee atleast. Hopefully this will help with your melee build and if you have any recomendations for this build, feel free to reply in the thread below.

Tankqull

just a question but why use a 480 dps build if you can (and are forced by raidleaders to do so) use a build with 1.0k++ dps?

Denaia

tankqullb16_ESO wrote: »

just a question but why use a 480 dps build if you can (and are forced by raidleaders to do so) use a build with 1.0k++ dps?

Because some guilds do not ask those builds (like mine). Instead I come with an alternative that could still get you high enough dps to clear all content. As with this build you should be able to do enough dps to kill valariel (as this was without any buffs and without the hunter ability you use on valariel). Besides that this build can also be used for pve in general, so it's a build that 'works decently' for a wide range of pve.

xMovingTarget

480 DPS is still not viable for trial runs. i was thinking about a very similar setup. But the dps holds me off.
I do always 1000+ DPS with my light armor/Destro staffs setup. So its not worth.

Vuron

I was thinking the 480 was a typo. Seriously, my magicka based DK alt was doing more than 480 at level 40. It's been shown that the average DPS for a trial group needs to be around 700 to complete the last fight. If you're pulling 480, than you are just being carried anyway and it doesn't matter what your build looks like.

I will never understand why people insist on putting points into stamina when they only have 1 stamina based ability on their bar. Doing that servers no other purpose than lowering the damage for the other 4 abilities on your bar.

Melee does not equal stamina. My melee NB is a full magicka build, but he's still 100% melee.

Also, how are you doing a stealth opener against a trial boss?

CapuchinSeven

DW builds can get 800 DPS+.

Denaia

Vuron wrote: »

I was thinking the 480 was a typo. Seriously, my magicka based DK alt was doing more than 480 at level 40. It's been shown that the average DPS for a trial group needs to be around 700 to complete the last fight. If you're pulling 480, than you are just being carried anyway and it doesn't matter what your build looks like.

I will never understand why people insist on putting points into stamina when they only have 1 stamina based ability on their bar. Doing that servers no other purpose than lowering the damage for the other 4 abilities on your bar.

Melee does not equal stamina. My melee NB is a full magicka build, but he's still 100% melee.

Also, how are you doing a stealth opener against a trial boss?

Stealth opener is for outside trials, should have edited that in.

Edit; would like to see that build. I did lots of testing with various builds using melee, I have never been able to do more dps then with this build. So you are most likely [snip].

[Moderator Note: Edited per our rules on Cursing & Profanity]

Vuron

Denaia wrote: »

Vuron wrote: »

I was thinking the 480 was a typo. Seriously, my magicka based DK alt was doing more than 480 at level 40. It's been shown that the average DPS for a trial group needs to be around 700 to complete the last fight. If you're pulling 480, than you are just being carried anyway and it doesn't matter what your build looks like.

I will never understand why people insist on putting points into stamina when they only have 1 stamina based ability on their bar. Doing that servers no other purpose than lowering the damage for the other 4 abilities on your bar.

Melee does not equal stamina. My melee NB is a full magicka build, but he's still 100% melee.

Also, how are you doing a stealth opener against a trial boss?

Stealth opener is for outside trials, should have edited that in.

Edit; would like to see that build. I did lots of testing with various builds using melee, I have never been able to do more dps then with this build. So you are most likely ***.

I'm not quite sure what your issue might be. The skills and stats you listed should be doing well over 480 without any changes. Before the last patch when Scalding Rune was nerfed, you could hit 480 easily just by dropping banner and spamming light attack/rune.

You might be doing less damage because you're focusing too much on weapon damage versus spell damage, but most of your damaging abilities are spell based. The only benefit you're getting from your weapon damage is on your light attacks and its not making a huge difference.

You should still be able to hit high numbers with the build you listed. Casting Molten weapons before the fight, dropping standard, keeping up Engulfing Flame and weaving light attacks and Lava Whip should do well over 480 and that's not even the best rotation.

The only issue that you should have is running out of resources. You can get around this with good timing of potions and using armor sets for the cost reduction and mana regen.

Dilarn

Shows really really good the ONE problem in ESO.

Skills/builds which u want to use/play and skills/builds u must use/play because of the effectivnes.

Troponin

Dilarn wrote: »

Shows really really good the ONE problem in ESO.

Skills/builds which u want to use/play and skills/builds u must use/play because of the effectivnes.

It's just a given. When you get passives, some flexibility with gearing etc, there will be set ups that have good synergy, while others will not. Hence the reason why dps varies so much. Then, Zmax wants some stuff to be challenging for the people that want to push their characters to the limit, and the people that aren't worried about doing that want to do the same content.

dylanjaygrobbelaarb16_ESO

Denaia wrote: »

tankqullb16_ESO wrote: »

just a question but why use a 480 dps build if you can (and are forced by raidleaders to do so) use a build with 1.0k++ dps?

Because some guilds do not ask those builds (like mine). Instead I come with an alternative that could still get you high enough dps to clear all content. As with this build you should be able to do enough dps to kill valariel (as this was without any buffs and without the hunter ability you use on valariel). Besides that this build can also be used for pve in general, so it's a build that 'works decently' for a wide range of pve.

if the dps or each member in the group was 500 you could not clear AA. if your that low you are being carried. ive been in groups where just a few are that low and struggled a lot with wisp and mage because of the clocks.

dylanjaygrobbelaarb16_ESO

I have never been able to do more dps then with this build. So you are most likely [snip].[/quote]

your logic that because you couldnt accomplish it, it is not possible, is laughable. so if you tried building a jet engine and failed then nobody can build one? that is not logical. maybe your just not an expert and could learn things from other people.

Moderator Edit: Edited quote from moderated post.

Denaia

dylanjaygrobbelaarb16_ESO wrote: »

I have never been able to do more dps then with this build. So you are most likely [snip].

your logic that because you couldnt accomplish it, it is not possible, is laughable. so if you tried building a jet engine and failed then nobody can build one? that is not logical. maybe your just not an expert and could learn things from other people.[/quote]


I still haven't gotten his build though. ^^ Nor have any of the complainers above who say it's perfectly possible to reach 700 dps with a melee build (that is not destro staff in melee range) posted their build + evidence.

Moderator Edit: Edited quote from moderated post.

guybrushtb16_ESO

Denaia wrote: »

I still haven't gotten his build though. ^^ Nor have any of the complainers above who say it's perfectly possible to reach 700 dps with a melee build (that is not destro staff in melee range) posted their build + evidence.

I don't know about dw, but for 2h at least there is one here. Even if you leave out all the class skills, this one should be quite a bit ahead of 700 dps.

Denaia

guybrushtb16_ESO wrote: »

Denaia wrote: »

I still haven't gotten his build though. ^^ Nor have any of the complainers above who say it's perfectly possible to reach 700 dps with a melee build (that is not destro staff in melee range) posted their build + evidence.

I don't know about dw, but for 2h at least there is one here. Even if you leave out all the class skills, this one should be quite a bit ahead of 700 dps.

And there is the problem, templar. This is a dk thread.

Tankqull

Denaia wrote: »

guybrushtb16_ESO wrote: »

Denaia wrote: »

I still haven't gotten his build though. ^^ Nor have any of the complainers above who say it's perfectly possible to reach 700 dps with a melee build (that is not destro staff in melee range) posted their build + evidence.

I don't know about dw, but for 2h at least there is one here. Even if you leave out all the class skills, this one should be quite a bit ahead of 700 dps.

And there is the problem, templar. This is a dk thread.

and? substitute vampires bane and blazing spear with searing stike and fiery breath as everything else is class unrestricted abilities and you´ll will generate even 100-400dps more than him(as those abilitys generate more dmg than the templar counterparts and beeing able to use a proper dps ulti adds aswell).
thats what it would look like

guybrushtb16_ESO

Denaia wrote: »

And there is the problem, templar. This is a dk thread.

Scroll down to the combat log. It shows that roughly 70% of the damage comes from non-class skills, the rest being filler dot like abilities which every class has their mirror of. You could pretty much leave all the templar skills out and do nothing at all in their place and still be ahead in dps.

Armitas

I would put Flawless dawnbreaker on your main bar and banner on your second bar. That way blood craze gets a passive weapon damage boost and you can just switch over to place your banner.

Denaia

Armitas wrote: »

I would put Flawless dawnbreaker on your main bar and banner on your second bar. That way blood craze gets a passive weapon damage boost and you can just switch over to place your banner.

Yes, already made that change. Also swapped scalding rune for rapid strikes to better spread out mana/stamina use.

Vuron

I didn't post my build because I'm nowhere close to level 40 anymore.

Here is a discussion of a recent DK trial build that does over 1k. All you need to do is swap out the Destro staff on the first bar for whatever weapon you want. The destro is just being used for the additional fire damage buff and doesn't use any staff skills, so you could use whatever weapon you wanted.

He explains very well why he uses certain skills and what each does.

http://tamrielfoundry.com/topic/post-1-3-dragonknight-trial-dps-build/

Lirkin

Vuron wrote: »

I didn't post my build because I'm nowhere close to level 40 anymore.

Here is a discussion of a recent DK trial build that does over 1k. All you need to do is swap out the Destro staff on the first bar for whatever weapon you want. The destro is just being used for the additional fire damage buff and doesn't use any staff skills, so you could use whatever weapon you wanted.

He explains very well why he uses certain skills and what each does.

http://tamrielfoundry.com/topic/post-1-3-dragonknight-trial-dps-build/

I would not call this a melee build or stamina build. Looks all magic. Not what the op is trying to do.

Shader_Shibes

r.jan_emailb16_ESO

c00lmon wrote: »

Vuron wrote: »

I didn't post my build because I'm nowhere close to level 40 anymore.

Here is a discussion of a recent DK trial build that does over 1k. All you need to do is swap out the Destro staff on the first bar for whatever weapon you want. The destro is just being used for the additional fire damage buff and doesn't use any staff skills, so you could use whatever weapon you wanted.

He explains very well why he uses certain skills and what each does.

http://tamrielfoundry.com/topic/post-1-3-dragonknight-trial-dps-build/

I would not call this a melee build or stamina build. Looks all magic. Not what the op is trying to do.

How is it even possible to necro a thread from 2014.

LadyNalcarya

c00lmon wrote: »

Vuron wrote: »

I didn't post my build because I'm nowhere close to level 40 anymore.

Here is a discussion of a recent DK trial build that does over 1k. All you need to do is swap out the Destro staff on the first bar for whatever weapon you want. The destro is just being used for the additional fire damage buff and doesn't use any staff skills, so you could use whatever weapon you wanted.

He explains very well why he uses certain skills and what each does.

http://tamrielfoundry.com/topic/post-1-3-dragonknight-trial-dps-build/

I would not call this a melee build or stamina build. Looks all magic. Not what the op is trying to do.

>post 1.3
>A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...

SemiD4rkness

480 dps sounds so pathetic now haha.
Would that equal 4800dps in the current game?

The_Saint

August 2014 mmh its was something like 800-1000 dps on third boss in AA to kill here before third add wave comes...
long time ago...

so 480 is like 4800 even less now...

LadyNalcarya

SemiD4rkness wrote: »

480 dps sounds so pathetic now haha.
Would that equal 4800dps in the current game?

There were softcaps in early versions...
But yeah, in 1.5 top dps was 1,5k I think?

Stigant

lets just put this dinosaur back to musemu, shall we?