Looking for some build advice for a Redguard Templar

OrdoHermetica

Hello, fellow ESO forumites! I'm just about to hit level 50 with my main and begin my journey into CP - my first ESO character, and my first time hitting CP, so definitely not optimized - and before I do that I want to make sure I have a decent build for later-game content squared away. Which means it's probably time for a rebuild of points and attributes.

My current build is here: https://tinyurl.com/yaqtylcc

Quick notes: Combat starts with Critical Rush at max range to close, Puncturing Sweep for burst and self-heal, then switch off to chaining Wrecking Blows when low on Magicka (and vice versa), with Blinding Javelin for interrupting enemies/range without needing to switch weapons. Rushed Ceremony is for dropping emergency heals on myself or another - haven't bothered morphing it because it's really only meant for me. Crescent Sweep is for when I need AoE. Bow is really only used when I can't get close to an enemy for whatever reason or need to retreat to heal, and is only used until I can get back into melee, so that bar could definitely be better utilized. Remembrance is used for keeping me/my group alive long enough in an emergency to channel some heals.

Basically, it's a solo exploration build, created with versatility and survivability in mind. It does this well - in my solo adventures I basically never die, as evidenced by the huge pile of filled soul gems I'm sitting on - but it doesn't do dungeons well because it awkwardly sits between DPS and tanking. And I imagine I would die a comically horrible death if I tried to bring it into PvP. I'd like to fix that.

So, my question to all of you: given my setup so far, and given that I'd like to keep this character as a general-purpose solo explorer while also being able to at least not be a liability to my group when in dungeons or PvP, what would you suggest I do to change it? I'm open to either tanking or DPS suggestions, though survivability is important regardless since this is still my main solo toon.

Also, should mention that for armor I'm currently using a full set of Whitestrake's Retribution for health/regen/shield, full set of Agility (all jewelry) for the Stamina/weapon damage, and three items of Vampire's Kiss for health/regen. Definitely open to suggestions on the armor front - I can craft 5 or 6 trait armor and weapons currently. All currently heavy armor pieces.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice!

--

TL;DR version: About to hit 50 and get CP, so I'm planning a rebuild so I can be at least okay at later-game content. Help me come up with a viable solo-friendly 2H/Bow heavy armor Redguard Templar build.

GrumpyDuckling

5 piece Briarheart is excellent for survival on a Stamina Templar. The set adds crit, weapon damage, and provides healing while you do damage. It also benefits from the Major Savagery buff from Puncturing Sweeps because you'll get more crits, which means more procs, consequently creating more damage and healing.

Pairing Briarheart with a heavy set adds for more survival - specifically 5 piece Ravager, which is fun because it puts your weapon damage through the roof. You could also consider the 3 piece Vengeance Leech set, which restores resources upon kills. If a full medium build interests you, then 5 piece Spriggans is an excellent DPS choice pairing with Briarheart.

casparian

*** there fellow stamplar! Such a fun class.

Here are a few things I notice right off:

- You're using 2H and Bow. Good! Dual wield is technically a little bit more damage than 2H, but that really only matters in endgame trials (and even there 2H is perfectly viable). You'll run into some know-it-alls in dungeons who think 2H sucks for PVE because it used to several months ago and they haven't caught up with the times, but your job is just to show they're wrong by dealing a ton of damage.
- You have your attributes split up between magicka, health, and stamina. ESO doesn't do a good job of explaining this, but you must put every single attribute (except maybe one or two for health) into either magicka or stamina. There is just no other way to do close to viable damage in dungeons and other group content. Since you're a Redguard, I suggest stamina. This is by far the biggest thing you need to change with your build.
- You're using a mix of magicka skills and stamina skills. In general this is good, since you can get a lot of good utility out of magicka skills. But you want every single one of your damage skills to be a stamina skill, since those scale off your highest resource (stamina; see previous point). The big takeaway here is to change Puncturing Sweeps into Biting Jabs. Jabs will hit like a truck.
- Make sure you're working on your Fighters Guild levels. Eventually, you want to use two Fighters Guild skills: Rearming Trap (grants Minor Force, which is way stronger than you might think) and Flawless Dawnbreaker (strong ult that grants you extra weapon damage).
- To really push your build into excellence, you're going to have to go into PVP. This is because of two skills that can only be unlocked in PVP: Vigor (a strong self-heal) and Caltrops (an extremely powerful damage-over-time for stamina players).
- For gear, run Hunding's Rage (crafted and easy to get) + whatever stamina-based set drops in the zone you're currently in. Once you hit CP160, try to get hold of Hunding's + Spriggan's (drops in Bangkorai).
- Okay, now specific skill bars. Here is what I would run:

Two-Handed bar: Biting Jabs, Brawler (nice damage shield), Reverse Slice, Power of the Light (this is crazy strong), Vigor, Crescent Sweep (replace with Flawless Dawnbreaker when you get it)

Bow bar: Endless Hail, Poison Injection, Razor Caltrops, Rearming Trap, Restoring Focus

All of that advice is tailored toward making you ready for group content as a damage build, not a tank (tanks can't run 2H + Bow). For solo exploration, literally anything will work; don't worry about it.

Edit: for some reason my spelling of "Hello" is censored.

OrdoHermetica

GrumpyDuckling wrote: »

5 piece Briarheart is excellent for survival on a Stamina Templar. The set adds crit, weapon damage, and provides healing while you do damage. It also benefits from the Major Savagery buff from Puncturing Sweeps because you'll get more crits, which means more procs, consequently creating more damage and healing.

Pairing Briarheart with a heavy set adds for more survival - specifically 5 piece Ravager, which is fun because it puts your weapon damage through the roof. You could also consider the 3 piece Vengeance Leech set, which restores resources upon kills. If a full medium build interests you, then 5 piece Spriggans is an excellent DPS choice pairing with Briarheart.

Much appreciated! I might give full Medium a try in the future, though for now mixing and matching Medium and Heavy is probably best. Although now I know what to look for, which is definitely a bonus.

casparian wrote: »

*** there fellow stamplar! Such a fun class.

Here are a few things I notice right off:

- You're using 2H and Bow. Good! Dual wield is technically a little bit more damage than 2H, but that really only matters in endgame trials (and even there 2H is perfectly viable). You'll run into some know-it-alls in dungeons who think 2H sucks for PVE because it used to several months ago and they haven't caught up with the times, but your job is just to show they're wrong by dealing a ton of damage.
- You have your attributes split up between magicka, health, and stamina. ESO doesn't do a good job of explaining this, but you must put every single attribute (except maybe one or two for health) into either magicka or stamina. There is just no other way to do close to viable damage in dungeons and other group content. Since you're a Redguard, I suggest stamina. This is by far the biggest thing you need to change with your build.
- You're using a mix of magicka skills and stamina skills. In general this is good, since you can get a lot of good utility out of magicka skills. But you want every single one of your damage skills to be a stamina skill, since those scale off your highest resource (stamina; see previous point). The big takeaway here is to change Puncturing Sweeps into Biting Jabs. Jabs will hit like a truck.
- Make sure you're working on your Fighters Guild levels. Eventually, you want to use two Fighters Guild skills: Rearming Trap (grants Minor Force, which is way stronger than you might think) and Flawless Dawnbreaker (strong ult that grants you extra weapon damage).
- To really push your build into excellence, you're going to have to go into PVP. This is because of two skills that can only be unlocked in PVP: Vigor (a strong self-heal) and Caltrops (an extremely powerful damage-over-time for stamina players).
- For gear, run Hunding's Rage (crafted and easy to get) + whatever stamina-based set drops in the zone you're currently in. Once you hit CP160, try to get hold of Hunding's + Spriggan's (drops in Bangkorai).
- Okay, now specific skill bars. Here is what I would run:

Two-Handed bar: Biting Jabs, Brawler (nice damage shield), Reverse Slice, Power of the Light (this is crazy strong), Vigor, Crescent Sweep (replace with Flawless Dawnbreaker when you get it)

Bow bar: Endless Hail, Poison Injection, Razor Caltrops, Rearming Trap, Restoring Focus

All of that advice is tailored toward making you ready for group content as a damage build, not a tank (tanks can't run 2H + Bow). For solo exploration, literally anything will work; don't worry about it.

Edit: for some reason my spelling of "Hello" is censored.

I greatly appreciate the detailed analysis. I actually went 2H because, looking into it, it seems to be moderately better in PvP situations than DW is and good enough in PvE situations, so I'm glad you don't think it's a terrible idea. I also know that mixing attributes isn't ideal, but that was intentional for my first character so I could experiment with different styles of Magicka and Stamina combat. But yeah, I know it's garbage; that's why I'm rebuilding.

A question for both of you: recommendations on enchantments and traits? I've been doing a fair amount of Divines (speaking of, recommendations for a Mundus Stone?) plus Stamina and Weapon Damage - would you suggest otherwise? Also, thoughts on weapon enchantments?

GrumpyDuckling

Divines is solid for PVE.
Impenetrable is very necessary for PVP.

Mundus Stone can be weapon damage, max stamina, crit chance, crit damage, or penetration, whichever you need more of depending on what build you end up using.

OrdoHermetica

casparian wrote: »

- Okay, now specific skill bars. Here is what I would run:

Two-Handed bar: Biting Jabs, Brawler (nice damage shield), Reverse Slice, Power of the Light (this is crazy strong), Vigor, Crescent Sweep (replace with Flawless Dawnbreaker when you get it)

Bow bar: Endless Hail, Poison Injection, Razor Caltrops, Rearming Trap, Restoring Focus

Follow-up question: do you have any particular rotations you would recommend with this setup, or is this more of a case-by-case basis/experimentation sort of thing?