Everything needed to know about Bow/Bow in PVE - Updated for Stonethorn

Zero_Mutt

Would wardens keeping Tzogvin and replacing trap with green lotus work or do we need trap for the damage?

SodanTok

Zero_Mutt wrote: »

Would wardens keeping Tzogvin and replacing trap with green lotus work or do we need trap for the damage?

There is nothing to be gained from Lotus, since the buff is from potions. But in any case, trap damage is too important. Even if you are using Tzogvin because you want to (or because it is still useful set in certain situations), trap is still too much damage to ignore.

Zero_Mutt

Why is Soul Trap used now? Alcast uses it all of his builds now but he doesnt explain why.

SodanTok

Zero_Mutt wrote: »

Why is Soul Trap used now? Alcast uses it all of his builds now but he doesnt explain why.

Because it deals lots of damage

Holycannoli

Soul Trap huh? Which morph? I never even considered using it before.

Toc de Malsvi

Holycannoli wrote: »

Soul Trap huh? Which morph? I never even considered using it before.

It didn't used to deal good damage, or physical damage for that matter.

Holycannoli

So which morph?

Earrindo

Soul Splitting trap is what everyone's using, but I've also seen that the other morph is pretty decent as well

SodanTok

As I said in my post, both are strong, its really up to person what they want from it and what content they are planning to run

Austinseph1

Can we get get a scalebreaker update for this thread ;0? Love me some bow builds

SodanTok

Austinseph1 wrote: »

Can we get get a scalebreaker update for this thread ;0? Love me some bow builds

Page before are the important changes https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/6267261/#Comment_6267261

main post with all the small things will be updated hopefully this week

ThePedge

AcadianPaladin

I'm an intermediate (at best) solo pve player with 3 archers (sorc, ward, NB). As you know, sorcs struggle a bit compared to other archers with sustain. After the patch, I swapped in Soul Splitting for Caltrops. The fact that Soul Splitting uses mag instead of stam helps notably. So she now has Surge and Soul Splitting using mag and that eases her stam use. Enough so that I finally could drop Dark Deal. Don't laugh though because I replaced Dark Deal with the burst healing Draining Shot - I'm sure dps suffers some but the new change to it really does make it a reliable burst heal when Surge is not quite enough. I know my dps is not great (20-25k) but, as a soloist, I'm more concerned about survive and sustain over damage once damage gets up to an effective range (and mine is for what I do).

Though I'm not a high dps group archer, this thread has been and remains very insightful for helping me achieve my goals.

SodanTok

AcadianPaladin wrote: »

I'm an intermediate (at best) solo pve player with 3 archers (sorc, ward, NB). As you know, sorcs struggle a bit compared to other archers with sustain. After the patch, I swapped in Soul Splitting for Caltrops. The fact that Soul Splitting uses mag instead of stam helps notably. So she now has Surge and Soul Splitting using mag and that eases her stam use. Enough so that I finally could drop Dark Deal. Don't laugh though because I replaced Dark Deal with the burst healing Draining Shot - I'm sure dps suffers some but the new change to it really does make it a reliable burst heal when Surge is not quite enough. I know my dps is not great (20-25k) but, as a soloist, I'm more concerned about survive and sustain over damage once damage gets up to an effective range (and mine is for what I do).

Though I'm not a high dps group archer, this thread has been and remains very insightful for helping me achieve my goals.

Nothing wrong with that. Draining can be quite helpful in VMA on any build, basically only reliable and spammable burst heal for stamina

AcadianPaladin

Thanks for the Scalebreaker update up in Post #1!

MrBrownstone

How about no Monster set, Relequen, Lokkestiiz, Master's Bow on front bar and Maelstrom's Bow on backbar?

SodanTok

MrBumblefoot wrote: »

How about no Monster set, Relequen, Lokkestiiz, Master's Bow on front bar and Maelstrom's Bow on backbar?

Tried it, while possible, didnt see improvement. The amount of damage VMA bow adds to just Barrage wasnt better than Veli. You would need to keep hail that means play with hail's 14s while keeping other 10s skills in check to not lose uptime on those. It would deal more dps but thats basically dynamic rotation I tried to stay away from.

Holycannoli

Bound Armaments still for stamsorc bow? I'm not opposed to using it I guess but it's almost literally a passive that takes up a skill slot.

SodanTok

Holycannoli wrote: »

Bound Armaments still for stamsorc bow? I'm not opposed to using it I guess but it's almost literally a passive that takes up a skill slot.

Yes, its strongest passive skills you can get in this game probably I think stamsorc shouldd have plenty space for it

dougd82ub17_ESO

As a new player and new bow/bow Warden player, any suggestions on what I should be putting my champion points into? I didnt see anything listed in the guide. Alcast has suggestions for a Stam Warden bow/bow build champion points at 300, 600 and 810 point levels.
Should I use those?
They are recommending skills that you no longer do, namely cutting dive and bird of prey so I was hesitant to follow their advice on the champion points.

Secondly as a new level 50, still mainly solo playing with random daily dungeons, what should my two bars look like?
What support skills (ie bull netch) or heals (green balance skills) or shields (winter's embrace skills) should I have on my skill bars? I have found only being able to slot 5 and 5 to be very limiting.

SodanTok

dougd82ub17_ESO wrote: »

As a new player and new bow/bow Warden player, any suggestions on what I should be putting my champion points into? I didnt see anything listed in the guide. Alcast has suggestions for a Stam Warden bow/bow build champion points at 300, 600 and 810 point levels.
Should I use those?
They are recommending skills that you no longer do, namely cutting dive and bird of prey so I was hesitant to follow their advice on the champion points.

Secondly as a new level 50, still mainly solo playing with random daily dungeons, what should my two bars look like?
What support skills (ie bull netch) or heals (green balance skills) or shields (winter's embrace skills) should I have on my skill bars? I have found only being able to slot 5 and 5 to be very limiting.

Generally following any leveling CP guide is good enough. I havent put any recommended CP here because the guide is general and CP matters to last point on gear, class or used skills.

As for the guide/build on warden from alcast, I cant recommend it, it doesnt seem to be researched for new patch at all. And regarding the support skills. On warden having netch, vigor and wings on one or both bars is max you should be bothering with. Support skills like shimmer or armor or more heals are situational (bad group and/or challenging content) not something to have on bar all the time since its not worth using them all the time

dougd82ub17_ESO

SodanTok wrote: »

dougd82ub17_ESO wrote: »

As a new player and new bow/bow Warden player, any suggestions on what I should be putting my champion points into? I didnt see anything listed in the guide. Alcast has suggestions for a Stam Warden bow/bow build champion points at 300, 600 and 810 point levels.
Should I use those?
They are recommending skills that you no longer do, namely cutting dive and bird of prey so I was hesitant to follow their advice on the champion points.

Secondly as a new level 50, still mainly solo playing with random daily dungeons, what should my two bars look like?
What support skills (ie bull netch) or heals (green balance skills) or shields (winter's embrace skills) should I have on my skill bars? I have found only being able to slot 5 and 5 to be very limiting.

Generally following any leveling CP guide is good enough. I havent put any recommended CP here because the guide is general and CP matters to last point on gear, class or used skills.

As for the guide/build on warden from alcast, I cant recommend it, it doesnt seem to be researched for new patch at all. And regarding the support skills. On warden having netch, vigor and wings on one or both bars is max you should be bothering with. Support skills like shimmer or armor or more heals are situational (bad group and/or challenging content) not something to have on bar all the time since its not worth using them all the time

Thanks for the quick reply.
I assume you mean the Vigor shout assault skill and use it as a heal and buff? If I dont have Assault leveled up yet and cant get it, do you recommend any of the Green Balance skills or using Draining Shot instead as replacements?

Not sure what "wings" is? Is that the Bird of Prey skill? I thought that wasnt recommended any longer? Or is Wings some other skill?

So you dont recommend any other support skills such as the Ice Fortress or Evasion?

What would you say, for general PVE play and random dungeons is the best front and back bar set up as a wood elf, warden, stam bow/bow user who just hit 50?

SodanTok

Yes wing as the bird of prey. I guess i can put it in thread, but its basically just there if you have space for it for the passive, since its the best 'dead' skill (skill you wont be casting) to put there.
If you dont have vigor I would highly recommend getting it, but until then I guess you can put lotus or soothing spores as way to heal yourself when needed. Draining shot is also solid option obv.

And no I dont recommend any support skills. You slot them when you need them, you should never fill barspace for skills you wont need if those skills dont help with dps.

General, easy to get sets with little complexity? All those I listed in the guide minus Lokke which needs synergies to be fed by healer. All of those other sets are easy to get and use and good for general pve.

Holycannoli

SodanTok wrote: »

Holycannoli wrote: »

Bound Armaments still for stamsorc bow? I'm not opposed to using it I guess but it's almost literally a passive that takes up a skill slot.

Yes, its strongest passive skills you can get in this game probably I think stamsorc shouldd have plenty space for it

I have poison injection / lethal arrow / draining shot / consuming trap / critical surge on my bow bar. Can't find the space for it. Draining shot is very useful in PvP and consuming trap right now does amazing damage and I can't get rid of it.

SodanTok

Holycannoli wrote: »

SodanTok wrote: »

Holycannoli wrote: »

Bound Armaments still for stamsorc bow? I'm not opposed to using it I guess but it's almost literally a passive that takes up a skill slot.

Yes, its strongest passive skills you can get in this game probably I think stamsorc shouldd have plenty space for it

I have poison injection / lethal arrow / draining shot / consuming trap / critical surge on my bow bar. Can't find the space for it. Draining shot is very useful in PvP and consuming trap right now does amazing damage and I can't get rid of it.

Oh I definitely meant it from PVE point, there is no need to slot draining shot in PVE unless you play alone and need some burst healing and there is never enough space to slot dead passive skill in PVP.

JulLeBarge

I'd like to convert one of my two stamDPS (warden and necro) to a Bow/Bow build for casual PvE (non trials).
Should I go for the warden or the necro ? Which one is better and can be played solo ?

Also about the sets, I already have Relequen but for the second set, as I don't have ESO+, I don't have access to DLC. My only option are Deadly Strikes and Briarheart ?

Jephry

From my experience, both warden and necro are great choices. My only issue with the necro is the low health. I also use Relequen and Briarheart, and I love it. VO is a good alternative, and a fun set at that...love the expedition!

SodanTok

JulLeBarge wrote: »

I'd like to convert one of my two stamDPS (warden and necro) to a Bow/Bow build for casual PvE (non trials).
Should I go for the warden or the necro ? Which one is better and can be played solo ?

Also about the sets, I already have Relequen but for the second set, as I don't have ESO+, I don't have access to DLC. My only option are Deadly Strikes and Briarheart ?

For solo non trials I would even say warden is better choice because of Major Fracture on sub assault or many support skills. Stricly speaking damage necro would be better tho.

And yeah for sets deadly or briar are both good option. Deadly somewhat better but maybe briarheart is more cool looking or the healing more useful.

Jephry wrote: »

From my experience, both warden and necro are great choices. My only issue with the necro is the low health. I also use Relequen and Briarheart, and I love it. VO is a good alternative, and a fun set at that...love the expedition!

Low health is choice Necro has passive that gives health, warden has passive that gives buff to health. Other classes have neither, but as I said its a choice. There is over 60 attribute points and you should put to health as much as you need to.

Jephry

I definitely split health and stamina points on my necro. I probably have one more level of Undaunted to get as well, now that you mention it.

Jephry

@SodanTok I really appreciate your insight and hard work into helping us with our bow/bow builds. Mine would be nothing without your help!!