mag dk help

Ep1kMalware

I've leveled a magdk (dark elf) for the double exp. It's a good class and I've been enjoying it. I figured I'd give it a shot since I had all the bis gear already. Despite being a good dps class, and fun to play, I've ran into a few hiccups.

I can't sustain for ***. I'm a stg4 vamp, using all passives. But when I do my dps parses I'm out of everything halfway through. It feels like spamming caltrops over and over again. I did get some helpful advice and that was to drop dk standard right off the bat, and follow up with meteors. I havent lvled my mages guild up fully, which I guess is my next step. Is this doable in 6hrs?

If there's any mag dk pros out there I'd love some tips on sustain so I can get it into trials. Atm I'm at a loss with my sustain. My stam templar can sustain almost 30k dps with crap trait vma dw on robust skelly but my magdk can barely do 1.5m off normal dummy. :x

IcyDeadPeople

Not familiar with PVE builds, but are you using at least one sustain set? Maybe try switching to witchmother food?

Lynx7386

This is one reason I switched to the "heavy attack" magdk build. With that setup, sustain is unlimited, and the dps is still really good too (and I don't even have bis gear yet).

What I'm running at the moment:
2pc ilambris
5pc elegance (eventuality infallible aether)
5pc undaunted infiltrator (dw and jewelry)
Sharpened lightning staff (eventually maelstrom)

The setup is pretty simple: on the dual wield back bar, every time you use a magicka ability you get a bonus to light and heavy attack damage for 10 seconds. I run Molten armaments, engulfing flames, and eruption on the back bar to proc undaunted infiltrator.
Then, on the front bar, elemental blockade (or unstable, either work) with the lightning staff to proc the extra damage bonus on off balance targets, burning embers for single targets, and the destro ultimate.

The build allows a lot of flex spots for things like trap beast, dampen magic / spiked armor / coagulating blood for defense, etc. It works well because the damage bonus that undaunted infiltrator / infallible aether / maelstrom staff adds to heavy attacks is applied to every tick of damage for the lightning staff, racking up huge resource free dps.

Tryxus

A DK's class skills are costly in the Magicka department for sure. However, there are useful ways to deal with it in both PvE and PvP

PvP: Run at least 1 sustain set (Seducer or Lich) to make sure you last until your Ultimate is up. For duels I use cheap but effective ultimates like Leap or Swarm but for open world you can use Meteor or Destro Ulti.

PvE: You can easily build your Mag DK the same as other Magicka specs (BSW + Aether + Grothdarr for instance). In a trial setup there are ways to make sure you always have Magicka: Worm, Magicka orbs, Ele drain, ... as well as your own pots and Battle Roar. It does take a bit of practice tho

For pledges and the arenas, I would again use cheaper Ultis

Panth141

I can sustain through a 3m dummy if I pop a potion (use crafted throughout, not dropped) about 3 seconds before starting the fight then keep on cooldown, and wait until the end of my second rotation before dropping standard. I also have to work elemental drain into my own rotation, unless there's someone providing it. You'll get nowhere without magickasteal.

It hurts your DPS a bit, but at least you can do the full thing... Though it does cut close on the last whip or two!

Dantaria

What others said.

When it comes to magicka, you not being able to sustain on dummy means "working as intended". You honestly can do very little without ele drain and orbs from healers. Well... You can do much But not for long.

Prepare to spend a lot of gold on potions You'll need them. "Potions on cd" is your new mantra. Even with orbs or/and ele drain.

[offtopic]"Sustain is easy and nonexistance", they say in regards to maybe coming Warrior and Magician changes, "remove Magician! They have DPS and sustain at once!" Riiiiight...[/offtopic]

jakeedmundson

heavy attack builds are an option... depending on what you want to do personally... if you want to stick with the same gear you have already then my guess is your DOT refreshing is off or you're not weaving correctly.

When i started with the mag DK, i had the same issues...I probably have the same build you do. (BSW, grothdar, IA or MD)
What i had to work on:
1. on console, there are no dot timers... so thats hard to know when to reset them. Too early means wasted resource... too late means wasted DPS.
2. weaving with whips and light attacking between every skill can be tough to nail down... but that will save you resources big time.

If you can get through the 3 million test dummy with no outside help and still get around 25-30k.... i'd say you're in good shape. That's exactly the point i'm at right now. I'm no master that can pull 40k on the dummy solo.
If you can't do the 3 mil dummy yet... then work on timing your dots better and weaving with light/medium attacks.

Baconfat79

MagDK is just not good at self-sustain. You're probably not doing anything terribly wrong. It's just one of those classes that requires good group support to reach its full potential. In an optimized raid setting, you'll be fine.

GrigorijMalahevich

Lynx7386 wrote: »

This is one reason I switched to the "heavy attack" magdk build. With that setup, sustain is unlimited, and the dps is still really good too (and I don't even have bis gear yet).

What I'm running at the moment:
2pc ilambris
5pc elegance (eventuality infallible aether)
5pc undaunted infiltrator (dw and jewelry)
Sharpened lightning staff (eventually maelstrom)

The setup is pretty simple: on the dual wield back bar, every time you use a magicka ability you get a bonus to light and heavy attack damage for 10 seconds. I run Molten armaments, engulfing flames, and eruption on the back bar to proc undaunted infiltrator.
Then, on the front bar, elemental blockade (or unstable, either work) with the lightning staff to proc the extra damage bonus on off balance targets, burning embers for single targets, and the destro ultimate.

The build allows a lot of flex spots for things like trap beast, dampen magic / spiked armor / coagulating blood for defense, etc. It works well because the damage bonus that undaunted infiltrator / infallible aether / maelstrom staff adds to heavy attacks is applied to every tick of damage for the lightning staff, racking up huge resource free dps.

+1. I use exactly the same build for VMA and PvE with vma lightning sharp. So many flex spots...

Cast eruption; molten from support bar and just use blockade; ele drain; dampen; inner light; as flex spot I use structured entropy for extra HP if I play solo some can put degeneration for that heal which procs like crazy it is just annoying to recast it.

In VMA I just use eruption blockade heavy attack... barely involves any skill for 540-550k points....

Does up to 30k DPS AOE with unlimited magicka...

Ep1kMalware

Valera Progib wrote: »

Lynx7386 wrote: »

This is one reason I switched to the "heavy attack" magdk build. With that setup, sustain is unlimited, and the dps is still really good too (and I don't even have bis gear yet).

What I'm running at the moment:
2pc ilambris
5pc elegance (eventuality infallible aether)
5pc undaunted infiltrator (dw and jewelry)
Sharpened lightning staff (eventually maelstrom)

The setup is pretty simple: on the dual wield back bar, every time you use a magicka ability you get a bonus to light and heavy attack damage for 10 seconds. I run Molten armaments, engulfing flames, and eruption on the back bar to proc undaunted infiltrator.
Then, on the front bar, elemental blockade (or unstable, either work) with the lightning staff to proc the extra damage bonus on off balance targets, burning embers for single targets, and the destro ultimate.

The build allows a lot of flex spots for things like trap beast, dampen magic / spiked armor / coagulating blood for defense, etc. It works well because the damage bonus that undaunted infiltrator / infallible aether / maelstrom staff adds to heavy attacks is applied to every tick of damage for the lightning staff, racking up huge resource free dps.

+1. I use exactly the same build for VMA and PvE with vma lightning sharp. So many flex spots...

Cast eruption; molten from support bar and just use blockade; ele drain; dampen; inner light; as flex spot I use structured entropy for extra HP if I play solo some can put degeneration for that heal which procs like crazy it is just annoying to recast it.

In VMA I just use eruption blockade heavy attack... barely involves any skill for 540-550k points....

Does up to 30k DPS AOE with unlimited magicka...

Dang, i tried vma on the mag dk, died 8x on stg2 rnd2 and decided fudge it, I had my vma struggles no point in making more. I can do it on my stam templar in my sleep. Mag dk class is fun but the survivability of mag classes with no dmg mitigation other than a shield is so grossly overrated. all I could do is spam harness magica. A guildie recomended using a resto staff with mutagen.

I'd try it but tbh vma is for stam classes, at least for me. Magdk is purely for trials and maybe some dungeons. My stam templar can do 29k parses on robus skele with utilities slotted and my magdk can barely manage half of a targ skele. I need to get it in the 90 second mark for vmol but I've no idea how to get this toon tested.

I'll switch to spellpower pots, but other people are parsing well with mag dk and I can barely do half a dummy I;m definitelt failing somewhere.

GawdSB

Well, as for sustain that's a weakness of DK. You can ask the healer to slot Elemental Drain or you can slot it yourself. Make sure you are adding in some heavy attacks in your weaving and you also have the Battle Roar passive so save your Standard or Destro Ult for when your resources get low then let it loose.

Gordon906

Dreug king, molag kena and seducer

SnubbS

I wouldn't even bother playing MagDK. It's probably not going to be possible to sustain (without perfect support Orbs+Minormagsteal) next update—and it really isn't possible now in a long fight without it.

Wrecking_Blow_Spam

Use elemental drain on dummy (even if u have to apply it)

Run max magic, magic regen food/drink (for the dummy only)

This combined with pots and ulti, should be enough sustain on dummy.

With BiS gear 35k should be doable self sustained (applying own drain and no one else giving buffs), it will get higher with practice and others applying ele drain.

Ep1kMalware

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Use elemental drain on dummy (even if u have to apply it)

Run max magic, magic regen food/drink (for the dummy only)

This combined with pots and ulti, should be enough sustain on dummy.

With BiS gear 35k should be doable self sustained (applying own drain and no one else giving buffs), it will get higher with practice and others applying ele drain.

Whats a redipe you recomend? I have max provisioning so ill def biy it.

FloppyTouch

Timing ults when you get low on magic then popping potions a little after ur ult. I start off with a heavy attack some dots then to a potion to be capped off with magic again. Then when my magic is getting to the 1/4 mark I drop ult and pop another potion back to full magic. I also like to go slow with medium weaves over light weaves this slows down the drain on magic and waiting to the very last sec to reapply my dots so I don't waist magic.

I'm not the best dps I just got to 30k dps but I'm also not running BiS gear. Missing moondancer, rn I have willpower and just gold staffs with sharpen and BSW 5 pc with grothdarr.

I'm not sure at work but when I use a potion my regen is something like 900-1000 it's really low and I very rarely run out of magic.

I am terrified what this next update is going to do to mdk in pve and pvp if they don't reduce the cost of our very expensive skills.

ZoS please lower the cost of our abilities if you take away reduce cost or mdks are going to be hurting yet again!

Ep1kMalware

FloppyTouch wrote: »

Timing ults when you get low on magic then popping potions a little after ur ult. I start off with a heavy attack some dots then to a potion to be capped off with magic again. Then when my magic is getting to the 1/4 mark I drop ult and pop another potion back to full magic. I also like to go slow with medium weaves over light weaves this slows down the drain on magic and waiting to the very last sec to reapply my dots so I don't waist magic.

I'm not the best dps I just got to 30k dps but I'm also not running BiS gear. Missing moondancer, rn I have willpower and just gold staffs with sharpen and BSW 5 pc with grothdarr.

I'm not sure at work but when I use a potion my regen is something like 900-1000 it's really low and I very rarely run out of magic.

I am terrified what this next update is going to do to mdk in pve and pvp if they don't reduce the cost of our very expensive skills.

ZoS please lower the cost of our abilities if you take away reduce cost or mdks are going to be hurting yet again!

They already hurting. The mag class literally needs a full support group to do ANYTHING.

jakeedmundson

Ep1kMalware wrote: »

FloppyTouch wrote: »

Timing ults when you get low on magic then popping potions a little after ur ult. I start off with a heavy attack some dots then to a potion to be capped off with magic again. Then when my magic is getting to the 1/4 mark I drop ult and pop another potion back to full magic. I also like to go slow with medium weaves over light weaves this slows down the drain on magic and waiting to the very last sec to reapply my dots so I don't waist magic.

I'm not the best dps I just got to 30k dps but I'm also not running BiS gear. Missing moondancer, rn I have willpower and just gold staffs with sharpen and BSW 5 pc with grothdarr.

I'm not sure at work but when I use a potion my regen is something like 900-1000 it's really low and I very rarely run out of magic.

I am terrified what this next update is going to do to mdk in pve and pvp if they don't reduce the cost of our very expensive skills.

ZoS please lower the cost of our abilities if you take away reduce cost or mdks are going to be hurting yet again!

They already hurting. The mag class literally needs a full support group to do ANYTHING.

Its bad enough that i've started experimenting with mag dk heavy attack builds... if i can find something to break 30k with no regen issues.... i'm staying with it for good.
The classic whip builds drain everything too fast.

DjMuscleboy02

Drink a pot start and wait until it's around halfway off cooldown. Don't drop ulti until third run through of your rotation (assuming you use a super basic 6/3 or 5/2 rotation.) The dummy should be around 1.9-1.7m hp. This should also be shortly after you reuse your pot and should bump you over 75% magic and give you some burst. You should be able to finish with around 10% magic if you don't miss e drains.

Idk how other people do it, but we only test with one ulti and I can still pull 38-39k solo pretty consistently.

Stridig

I run 5x Black Rose, 5x Desert Rose, and 2x Grothdar. I never run out of resources. This is not a bursty build but the damage is sustained around 18k DPS (or so). My regen is low for mag at around 1300 but it doesn't really matter with the gear sets. I would be comfortable with less. Around 33k max magicka and 22k health.

Wrecking_Blow_Spam

Ep1kMalware wrote: »

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Use elemental drain on dummy (even if u have to apply it)

Run max magic, magic regen food/drink (for the dummy only)

This combined with pots and ulti, should be enough sustain on dummy.

With BiS gear 35k should be doable self sustained (applying own drain and no one else giving buffs), it will get higher with practice and others applying ele drain.

Whats a redipe you recomend? I have max provisioning so ill def biy it.

Not sure on name but it's blue...
gives about 4,5k max magic and over 400mag regen, very good for the dummy.

Wrecking_Blow_Spam

Ep1kMalware wrote: »

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Use elemental drain on dummy (even if u have to apply it)

Run max magic, magic regen food/drink (for the dummy only)

This combined with pots and ulti, should be enough sustain on dummy.

With BiS gear 35k should be doable self sustained (applying own drain and no one else giving buffs), it will get higher with practice and others applying ele drain.

Whats a redipe you recomend? I have max provisioning so ill def biy it.

Not sure on name but it's blue...
gives about 4,5k max magic and over 400mag regen, very good for the dummy.

Wrecking_Blow_Spam

Ep1kMalware wrote: »

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Use elemental drain on dummy (even if u have to apply it)

Run max magic, magic regen food/drink (for the dummy only)

This combined with pots and ulti, should be enough sustain on dummy.

With BiS gear 35k should be doable self sustained (applying own drain and no one else giving buffs), it will get higher with practice and others applying ele drain.

Whats a redipe you recomend? I have max provisioning so ill def biy it.

Not sure on name but it's blue...
gives about 4,5k max magic and over 400mag regen, very good for the dummy.

Wrecking_Blow_Spam

Ep1kMalware wrote: »

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Use elemental drain on dummy (even if u have to apply it)

Run max magic, magic regen food/drink (for the dummy only)

This combined with pots and ulti, should be enough sustain on dummy.

With BiS gear 35k should be doable self sustained (applying own drain and no one else giving buffs), it will get higher with practice and others applying ele drain.

Whats a redipe you recomend? I have max provisioning so ill def biy it.

Not sure on name but it's blue...
gives about 4,5k max magic and over 400mag regen, very good for the dummy.

Ep1kMalware

jakeedmundson wrote: »

Ep1kMalware wrote: »

FloppyTouch wrote: »

Timing ults when you get low on magic then popping potions a little after ur ult. I start off with a heavy attack some dots then to a potion to be capped off with magic again. Then when my magic is getting to the 1/4 mark I drop ult and pop another potion back to full magic. I also like to go slow with medium weaves over light weaves this slows down the drain on magic and waiting to the very last sec to reapply my dots so I don't waist magic.

I'm not the best dps I just got to 30k dps but I'm also not running BiS gear. Missing moondancer, rn I have willpower and just gold staffs with sharpen and BSW 5 pc with grothdarr.

I'm not sure at work but when I use a potion my regen is something like 900-1000 it's really low and I very rarely run out of magic.

I am terrified what this next update is going to do to mdk in pve and pvp if they don't reduce the cost of our very expensive skills.

ZoS please lower the cost of our abilities if you take away reduce cost or mdks are going to be hurting yet again!

They already hurting. The mag class literally needs a full support group to do ANYTHING.

Its bad enough that i've started experimenting with mag dk heavy attack builds... if i can find something to break 30k with no regen issues.... i'm staying with it for good.
The classic whip builds drain everything too fast.

Ye. I did the whole potion on cooldown thing, Did my best with eledrain and gor 23.5k a few times. -which is discouraging af because magdk suposedly easy pulls 35-40k.

Now here's the effed up part: my stam templar can pull 30k without pierce on a 6m targ dummy. Is stam templar better sustain/dps than magdk or am I seriously f'ing something up?

danno8

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Ep1kMalware wrote: »

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Use elemental drain on dummy (even if u have to apply it)

Run max magic, magic regen food/drink (for the dummy only)

This combined with pots and ulti, should be enough sustain on dummy.

With BiS gear 35k should be doable self sustained (applying own drain and no one else giving buffs), it will get higher with practice and others applying ele drain.

Whats a redipe you recomend? I have max provisioning so ill def biy it.

Not sure on name but it's blue...
gives about 4,5k max magic and over 400mag regen, very good for the dummy.

Wow, I've seen double posts before but never quad posts. Guess WB isn't the only thing you spam!

Ep1kMalware

danno8 wrote: »

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Ep1kMalware wrote: »

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Use elemental drain on dummy (even if u have to apply it)

Run max magic, magic regen food/drink (for the dummy only)

This combined with pots and ulti, should be enough sustain on dummy.

With BiS gear 35k should be doable self sustained (applying own drain and no one else giving buffs), it will get higher with practice and others applying ele drain.

Whats a redipe you recomend? I have max provisioning so ill def biy it.

Not sure on name but it's blue...
gives about 4,5k max magic and over 400mag regen, very good for the dummy.

Wow, I've seen double posts before but never quad posts. Guess WB isn't the only thing you spam!

Zos forum server almost crashed too maybe? #payyourbills

FloppyTouch

danno8 wrote: »

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Ep1kMalware wrote: »

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Use elemental drain on dummy (even if u have to apply it)

Run max magic, magic regen food/drink (for the dummy only)

This combined with pots and ulti, should be enough sustain on dummy.

With BiS gear 35k should be doable self sustained (applying own drain and no one else giving buffs), it will get higher with practice and others applying ele drain.

Whats a redipe you recomend? I have max provisioning so ill def biy it.

Not sure on name but it's blue...
gives about 4,5k max magic and over 400mag regen, very good for the dummy.

Wow, I've seen double posts before but never quad posts. Guess WB isn't the only thing you spam!

Was about to post the same XD lol

Wrecking_Blow_Spam

danno8 wrote: »

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Ep1kMalware wrote: »

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Use elemental drain on dummy (even if u have to apply it)

Run max magic, magic regen food/drink (for the dummy only)

This combined with pots and ulti, should be enough sustain on dummy.

With BiS gear 35k should be doable self sustained (applying own drain and no one else giving buffs), it will get higher with practice and others applying ele drain.

Whats a redipe you recomend? I have max provisioning so ill def biy it.

Not sure on name but it's blue...
gives about 4,5k max magic and over 400mag regen, very good for the dummy.

Wow, I've seen double posts before but never quad posts. Guess WB isn't the only thing you spam!

Haha I know, just seen that

Wrecking_Blow_Spam

Drink is called:
Ghastly Eye Bowl
Max mag 4256
Mag regen 425

This with ele drain, pots and ultimate storage is enough for dummy.

Ep1kMalware

Wrecking_Blow_Spam wrote: »

Drink is called:
Ghastly Eye Bowl
Max mag 4256
Mag regen 425

This with ele drain, pots and ultimate storage is enough for dummy.

Awesome! I'll be hitting up some guild traders after work. my parses are consistent at 23.5k. I think I need to record and watch a few of them amd see if there's a perpetual break in my rotation somewhere. If I can't find it I'll up it for critisism.