Magicka DK questions

McI

Hey everyone,

Currently I am playing a v5 Dunmer magicka dps. I am using Destro/Destro, with about 390 CP on my account. Right now I am only worried about a PvE build, as I will do more PvP on this character after next patch, since I will be able to equip better weapons and armor.

My current bars are: 1) Blockade of Fire, Eruption, Flame Pulsar, Burning Talons, Inner Light, Standard of Might
2) Molten Armaments, Engulfing Flames, Burning Embers, Molten Whip, Inner Light, Shooting Star

I was wondering if anyone could tweak this (I do not have Proxy Det yet on this character). Also, if you think I should go DW on the second bar for another set bonus, and increased spell damage.

Thanks a ton for your help dudes and dudettes!

Toast_STS

You should try blockade of lightning with a shock enchant. It will set enemies off balance a lot so you can just spam power lash which is decent damage but terrific self heal. After the next patch the new charged enchant will add 200% weapon proc chance iirc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdej7QKDsLA

McI

Thanks! I was actually curious if that morph of whip would help substantially with keeping health up, since the only way right now is to use Embers and recast when getting low. I will check that out.

Keep these great suggestions coming please people!

AverageJo3Gam3r

Swap destro for dual wield on your single target bar. You're not using any destro skills on that bar and this will give you more spell damage.

Stillian

AverageJo3Gam3r wrote: »

Swap destro for dual wield on your single target bar. You're not using any destro skills on that bar and this will give you more spell damage.

Don't do that. If you do, you lose staff attacks between casts which significantly descreases overall damage.

tony.augeb14_ESO wrote: »

You should try blockade of lightning with a shock enchant. It will set enemies off balance a lot so you can just spam power lash which is decent damage but terrific self heal. After the next patch the new charged enchant will add 200% weapon proc chance iirc.

Fire staff attacks and fire blockade are doing more damage, as well as molten whip doing more than flame lash. Lightning staff has nothing to offer for pve mag dk.

McI wrote: »

Hey everyone,

Currently I am playing a v5 Dunmer magicka dps. I am using Destro/Destro, with about 390 CP on my account. Right now I am only worried about a PvE build, as I will do more PvP on this character after next patch, since I will be able to equip better weapons and armor.

My current bars are: 1) Blockade of Fire, Eruption, Flame Pulsar, Burning Talons, Inner Light, Standard of Might
2) Molten Armaments, Engulfing Flames, Burning Embers, Molten Whip, Inner Light, Shooting Star

I was wondering if anyone could tweak this (I do not have Proxy Det yet on this character). Also, if you think I should go DW on the second bar for another set bonus, and increased spell damage.

Thanks a ton for your help dudes and dudettes!

Try using blockade on your single target bar (swapping it with molten arnaments), and keeping it up all the time, just like Embers and Engulf.Flames. For single-target fights, you can also replace inner light with Flames of oblivion on your back-bar, and recast it when you swap for to refresh Eruption. This will descrease number or swaps you need to do.

Fire ring and Burning talons are both used as an aoe spammable, and there s not much in using them both at the same time. Talons do slightly more damage, but cost more mana, fire ring require a destruction staff on both bars. When you replace one of these skills consider to add chains (unrelenting grip? not sure how its called after change), they have use almost everywhere, and can increase overall group perfomance better than another damaging skill.

Molten arnaments is another skill you dont really need - since it doubles potion effect. If you can use crafted potions, you can replace it with something like proxy det when you have it, or rearming trap (boosts damage you deal with crits), inhale (additional aoe)

Dual wielding on back bar worth it in case you dont cast much from back bar - or you lose weaves when casting spells from there.

McI

Stillian wrote: »

AverageJo3Gam3r wrote: »

Swap destro for dual wield on your single target bar. You're not using any destro skills on that bar and this will give you more spell damage.

Don't do that. If you do, you lose staff attacks between casts which significantly descreases overall damage.

tony.augeb14_ESO wrote: »

You should try blockade of lightning with a shock enchant. It will set enemies off balance a lot so you can just spam power lash which is decent damage but terrific self heal. After the next patch the new charged enchant will add 200% weapon proc chance iirc.

Fire staff attacks and fire blockade are doing more damage, as well as molten whip doing more than flame lash. Lightning staff has nothing to offer for pve mag dk.

McI wrote: »

Hey everyone,

Currently I am playing a v5 Dunmer magicka dps. I am using Destro/Destro, with about 390 CP on my account. Right now I am only worried about a PvE build, as I will do more PvP on this character after next patch, since I will be able to equip better weapons and armor.

My current bars are: 1) Blockade of Fire, Eruption, Flame Pulsar, Burning Talons, Inner Light, Standard of Might
2) Molten Armaments, Engulfing Flames, Burning Embers, Molten Whip, Inner Light, Shooting Star

I was wondering if anyone could tweak this (I do not have Proxy Det yet on this character). Also, if you think I should go DW on the second bar for another set bonus, and increased spell damage.

Thanks a ton for your help dudes and dudettes!

Try using blockade on your single target bar (swapping it with molten arnaments), and keeping it up all the time, just like Embers and Engulf.Flames. For single-target fights, you can also replace inner light with Flames of oblivion on your back-bar, and recast it when you swap for to refresh Eruption. This will descrease number or swaps you need to do.

Fire ring and Burning talons are both used as an aoe spammable, and there s not much in using them both at the same time. Talons do slightly more damage, but cost more mana, fire ring require a destruction staff on both bars. When you replace one of these skills consider to add chains (unrelenting grip? not sure how its called after change), they have use almost everywhere, and can increase overall group perfomance better than another damaging skill.

Molten arnaments is another skill you dont really need - since it doubles potion effect. If you can use crafted potions, you can replace it with something like proxy det when you have it, or rearming trap (boosts damage you deal with crits), inhale (additional aoe)

Dual wielding on back bar worth it in case you dont cast much from back bar - or you lose weaves when casting spells from there.

Thanks, this is what I was looking for.

I will level DW for my back bar right now while solo, since I don't have to have real DPS while solo. And I will still use Destro/Destro in groups for weaving while I fight.

Thanks a ton for all the help.

pretzl

Stillian wrote: »

AverageJo3Gam3r wrote: »

Swap destro for dual wield on your single target bar. You're not using any destro skills on that bar and this will give you more spell damage.

Don't do that. If you do, you lose staff attacks between casts which significantly descreases overall damage.

tony.augeb14_ESO wrote: »

You should try blockade of lightning with a shock enchant. It will set enemies off balance a lot so you can just spam power lash which is decent damage but terrific self heal. After the next patch the new charged enchant will add 200% weapon proc chance iirc.

Fire staff attacks and fire blockade are doing more damage, as well as molten whip doing more than flame lash. Lightning staff has nothing to offer for pve mag dk.

McI wrote: »

Hey everyone,

Currently I am playing a v5 Dunmer magicka dps. I am using Destro/Destro, with about 390 CP on my account. Right now I am only worried about a PvE build, as I will do more PvP on this character after next patch, since I will be able to equip better weapons and armor.

My current bars are: 1) Blockade of Fire, Eruption, Flame Pulsar, Burning Talons, Inner Light, Standard of Might
2) Molten Armaments, Engulfing Flames, Burning Embers, Molten Whip, Inner Light, Shooting Star

I was wondering if anyone could tweak this (I do not have Proxy Det yet on this character). Also, if you think I should go DW on the second bar for another set bonus, and increased spell damage.

Thanks a ton for your help dudes and dudettes!

Try using blockade on your single target bar (swapping it with molten arnaments), and keeping it up all the time, just like Embers and Engulf.Flames. For single-target fights, you can also replace inner light with Flames of oblivion on your back-bar, and recast it when you swap for to refresh Eruption. This will descrease number or swaps you need to do.

Fire ring and Burning talons are both used as an aoe spammable, and there s not much in using them both at the same time. Talons do slightly more damage, but cost more mana, fire ring require a destruction staff on both bars. When you replace one of these skills consider to add chains (unrelenting grip? not sure how its called after change), they have use almost everywhere, and can increase overall group perfomance better than another damaging skill.

Molten arnaments is another skill you dont really need - since it doubles potion effect. If you can use crafted potions, you can replace it with something like proxy det when you have it, or rearming trap (boosts damage you deal with crits), inhale (additional aoe)

Dual wielding on back bar worth it in case you dont cast much from back bar - or you lose weaves when casting spells from there.

+rep Stillian.
DW is always a DPS loss as a DK because you want to weave your offbar aswell. In pure AoE (such as mob-encounters in vMoL), DW off-bar CAN be a DPS gain but I honestly don't have the time to swap when we're going for decent runs. The kills are fast enough with Deep Breath+Ele Ring (proxy if you have it)
I have a PvE Magicka DK guide on TamrielFoundry if you want to read it. It might help you with some of your questions. If not, feel free to ask either here or on TamrielFoundry! I can share the insight I have, should you want it

Autolycus

Stillian wrote: »

AverageJo3Gam3r wrote: »

Swap destro for dual wield on your single target bar. You're not using any destro skills on that bar and this will give you more spell damage.

Don't do that. If you do, you lose staff attacks between casts which significantly descreases overall damage.

tony.augeb14_ESO wrote: »

You should try blockade of lightning with a shock enchant. It will set enemies off balance a lot so you can just spam power lash which is decent damage but terrific self heal. After the next patch the new charged enchant will add 200% weapon proc chance iirc.

Fire staff attacks and fire blockade are doing more damage, as well as molten whip doing more than flame lash. Lightning staff has nothing to offer for pve mag dk.

McI wrote: »

Hey everyone,

Currently I am playing a v5 Dunmer magicka dps. I am using Destro/Destro, with about 390 CP on my account. Right now I am only worried about a PvE build, as I will do more PvP on this character after next patch, since I will be able to equip better weapons and armor.

My current bars are: 1) Blockade of Fire, Eruption, Flame Pulsar, Burning Talons, Inner Light, Standard of Might
2) Molten Armaments, Engulfing Flames, Burning Embers, Molten Whip, Inner Light, Shooting Star

I was wondering if anyone could tweak this (I do not have Proxy Det yet on this character). Also, if you think I should go DW on the second bar for another set bonus, and increased spell damage.

Thanks a ton for your help dudes and dudettes!

Try using blockade on your single target bar (swapping it with molten arnaments), and keeping it up all the time, just like Embers and Engulf.Flames. For single-target fights, you can also replace inner light with Flames of oblivion on your back-bar, and recast it when you swap for to refresh Eruption. This will descrease number or swaps you need to do.

Fire ring and Burning talons are both used as an aoe spammable, and there s not much in using them both at the same time. Talons do slightly more damage, but cost more mana, fire ring require a destruction staff on both bars. When you replace one of these skills consider to add chains (unrelenting grip? not sure how its called after change), they have use almost everywhere, and can increase overall group perfomance better than another damaging skill.

Molten arnaments is another skill you dont really need - since it doubles potion effect. If you can use crafted potions, you can replace it with something like proxy det when you have it, or rearming trap (boosts damage you deal with crits), inhale (additional aoe)

Dual wielding on back bar worth it in case you dont cast much from back bar - or you lose weaves when casting spells from there.

I agree wholeheartedly with this; it's good advice and if you follow it, you'll see a drastic improvement in your damage output and efficiency when managing your rotation.

I want to supplement a couple of things mentioned, just to provide further insight:

Even if you choose to use dual wield on your off-bar you can still weave light attacks. Magicka DKs are, for all intents and purposes, a melee build. You need to be close enough to the 7m melee range for a lot of your attacks anyway. In a lot of cases, you may find yourself backing up a bit further than 7m, like when your DoTs are active, but you continue to weave between whips. In this situation, you're on your destro anyway, so your positioning coincides with your ability to weave at range.

Weaving is something that takes practice, but mastering it is something all classes and all roles do if they aspire to be the "best" they can be in their build (including tanks). Take this as it's stated, and nothing more. I'm not saying to be #1 here, I'm saying to do the best you can with your build. There is always room to grow, and there are going to be times where you can't realistically weave, but you should try. It is absolutely possible to weave swords on your back-bar during DoT reapplication. Yes, it's more difficult, but no, it isn't impossible. And hey, if you don't like it or suffer a dps loss, then go right ahead and use destro/destro. There's nothing wrong with that.

Molten Armaments is a fantastic skill, and I personally was very excited to see ZOS tack on the Major Sorcery buff. It's a buff that is absolutely necessary, but something to keep in mind is that DK tanks are typically going to be running this for you in a group setting. My DK is primarily a healer, and I run it for my group when the tank isn't. If you aren't able to get it from your group for one reason or another, utilize potions instead. Potions (along with the Alchemy passives) are a more efficient means of managing buffs than your skills, because they provide multiple benefits for a longer duration than the skills themselves.

My recommendation would be to swap Wall of Elements with Molten Armaments, and then replace Armaments with Flames of Oblivion. The damage from FOO is pretty good, and it's not difficult to refresh it when reapplying Eruption, as @Stillian suggested.

I would not swap Inner Light for FOO. I would use them both. Max magicka is important for every magicka build, and giving up that 7% magicka is a severe loss to damage potential. I think you're better off replacing Pulsar with FOO instead, because Pulsar is a lackluster skill now and is outshined by Talons (you don't need both). FOO is also a more convenient skill in place of Pulsar, simply because it's a 1-cast-and-done skill, requiring only that you refresh every 15s.

To look at it from a different angle, you will lose more damage by replacing Inner Light than you will by replacing Pulsar.