Another newb DK question but meh, gotta ask!?

Joxer61

Ok, its been on my mind running around levelling a magDK cuz yea, SS and all that supposed goodness that's been promised for magDK's... why as magDK am I stuck with a staff? I don't even use any of the staff skills other than the ult and that's later on? Is it solely based on the passives? If so, that's kinda crazy and sad but then again maybe its going to be a good thing when the 2H changes drop? Its not just because of the whole "I'm a magic user therefore I must staff it up" kind of thing is it?
Again, sooo new to builds and what works and doesn't and whats good and not. Also, asked before but wasn't answered....do peeps kick you from raids based on builds here? Another reason for my strife if you will as that crap got so old on GW2, no fun at all so hoping no repeat here. Didn't play enough before to raid in ESO so no clue. Cheers!

jkolb2030

As a magDK, one of your hardest hitting DoTs is your wall of elements in the destruction staff skill line. This skill is further buffed by the Maelstrom staff that increases the damage of your light attacks on enemies that are standing in your wall of elements (~3k DPS increase).

After the wall of elements skill, your next best skill is having the destruction staff ultimate for another extremely strong AoE damaging ability.

You pair those 2 skills with the option for a ranged interrupt/dmg skill in Crushing Shock and the skill line passive that increases your single target DPS if you are using a flame staff and have a destruction staff ability on your bar, and you have a very large DPS increase.

So there is for sure a reason to run a staff as a magdk...


However... You can choose to run a Maelstrom staff on your back bar with your wall of elements and other DoTs and then switch to your front bar where you use, maybe, dual wield swords (since magDKs are really melee characters still anyway). Your front bar would have your main damaging abilities like Power Lash, Burning Embers (claw), Fiery Breath etc.. You will just be missing out on the passive for extra single target damage from the inferno staff passive.

So you could definitely run something like a DW/Destro staff build if you wanted to - it works just as well for 4man dungeons and overland content.

Narvuntien

I was using dual wield up until morrowind when sustain was guttered so i had to have a staff to sustain. Dual wield was great for soloing world bosses since you could get stam back to block but then you couldn't use any skills without running out

Joxer61

jkolb2030 wrote: »

As a magDK, one of your hardest hitting DoTs is your wall of elements in the destruction staff skill line. This skill is further buffed by the Maelstrom staff that increases the damage of your light attacks on enemies that are standing in your wall of elements (~3k DPS increase).

After the wall of elements skill, your next best skill is having the destruction staff ultimate for another extremely strong AoE damaging ability.

You pair those 2 skills with the option for a ranged interrupt/dmg skill in Crushing Shock and the skill line passive that increases your single target DPS if you are using a flame staff and have a destruction staff ability on your bar, and you have a very large DPS increase.

So there is for sure a reason to run a staff as a magdk...


However... You can choose to run a Maelstrom staff on your back bar with your wall of elements and other DoTs and then switch to your front bar where you use, maybe, dual wield swords (since magDKs are really melee characters still anyway). Your front bar would have your main damaging abilities like Power Lash, Burning Embers (claw), Fiery Breath etc.. You will just be missing out on the passive for extra single target damage from the inferno staff passive.

So you could definitely run something like a DW/Destro staff build if you wanted to - it works just as well for 4man dungeons and overland content.

Thanks for that! Sorta just what I was thinking but good to hear there are options that can work. Pew pew (light attacks) with staff is sorta boring gameplay whereas DW is a tad funner and DW attacks just "feel" quicker and all. I mean i am a DragonKNIGHT ffs...not a Dragonmage!! lol...Malestrom...lol,yea, wont be seeing that sucker any time soon!!

LittlePinkDot

jkolb2030 wrote: »

As a magDK, one of your hardest hitting DoTs is your wall of elements in the destruction staff skill line. This skill is further buffed by the Maelstrom staff that increases the damage of your light attacks on enemies that are standing in your wall of elements (~3k DPS increase).

After the wall of elements skill, your next best skill is having the destruction staff ultimate for another extremely strong AoE damaging ability.

You pair those 2 skills with the option for a ranged interrupt/dmg skill in Crushing Shock and the skill line passive that increases your single target DPS if you are using a flame staff and have a destruction staff ability on your bar, and you have a very large DPS increase.

So there is for sure a reason to run a staff as a magdk...


However... You can choose to run a Maelstrom staff on your back bar with your wall of elements and other DoTs and then switch to your front bar where you use, maybe, dual wield swords (since magDKs are really melee characters still anyway). Your front bar would have your main damaging abilities like Power Lash, Burning Embers (claw), Fiery Breath etc.. You will just be missing out on the passive for extra single target damage from the inferno staff passive.

So you could definitely run something like a DW/Destro staff build if you wanted to - it works just as well for 4man dungeons and overland content.

Question... Can a magdk use flame staff front bar then SnB back bar for defense? Reverberating bash has major defile. Heroic slash gives minor heroism. And shield charge is a gap closer with a CC. Sounds like it could be useful no?

Oreyn_Bearclaw

LittlePinkDot wrote: »

jkolb2030 wrote: »

As a magDK, one of your hardest hitting DoTs is your wall of elements in the destruction staff skill line. This skill is further buffed by the Maelstrom staff that increases the damage of your light attacks on enemies that are standing in your wall of elements (~3k DPS increase).

After the wall of elements skill, your next best skill is having the destruction staff ultimate for another extremely strong AoE damaging ability.

You pair those 2 skills with the option for a ranged interrupt/dmg skill in Crushing Shock and the skill line passive that increases your single target DPS if you are using a flame staff and have a destruction staff ability on your bar, and you have a very large DPS increase.

So there is for sure a reason to run a staff as a magdk...


However... You can choose to run a Maelstrom staff on your back bar with your wall of elements and other DoTs and then switch to your front bar where you use, maybe, dual wield swords (since magDKs are really melee characters still anyway). Your front bar would have your main damaging abilities like Power Lash, Burning Embers (claw), Fiery Breath etc.. You will just be missing out on the passive for extra single target damage from the inferno staff passive.

So you could definitely run something like a DW/Destro staff build if you wanted to - it works just as well for 4man dungeons and overland content.

Question... Can a magdk use flame staff front bar then SnB back bar for defense? Reverberating bash has major defile. Heroic slash gives minor heroism. And shield charge is a gap closer with a CC. Sounds like it could be useful no?

In PVP, lots of mDKs go with Fire staff front bar and SnB back bar. I would never recomend it as a PVE damage dealer. A to shield charge and reverb, you just need to be very careful with stam skills. The second your stam goes below your CC break cost, any good player will kill you. Also, a DK can accomplish basically all of that with class skills. Chains act as a gap closer, you can get the reverb stun from fossilize and the major defile from Standard of Might. Not saying you cant use those, but any stam skills should be used sparingly on a magic character as a general rule.