My character doesn't have a "build", is that okay?

Betsararie

TheCyberDruid wrote: »

Blanco wrote: »

There's no "just for fun" type mentality if you're discussing this game with me.

Yeah, how stupid that people might play this game 'just for fun'!

I know right. Except I would never call someone stupid. That is berating or insulting which I am firmly against

Lysette

I haven't read through all the comments, so maybe it is double mentioned, what I have to say now to the OP.

In the capital cities of each faction are shrines, where you can get skill points back for morphs, all skills and even for your attributes. So if you aren't happy with your current character build or want to try out something different, you can - it costs a few thousand gold and you have basically a clean character (without to loose any of the skill progress you made so far) and can now "redesign" your character build - this is a pretty good feature, I use it from time to time, to try different kinds of builds with those skill- and attribute points I currently have. What is the best approach at the end of the game compared to while leveling up differs a lot IMO and you should not go from the very start for an optimal setup for "end game"- because as long as you aren't there, it is not end game and follows different rules.

Same goes for pvp and pve -what is good for pvp, might be pointless for pve and the other way round sometimes.I have never experienced a monster yet, which would do critical damage (but you can still experience the wrath of the monster, if you keep standing in RED of course), so IMO to protect against critical damage is pointless for all or most of PvE. And there are other such things, which make sense in PvP, but not in the same way in PvE - and the other way round of course. So as long as you level up, play as you like - experiment and have fun - the gold cost for respect is minor compared to the experience gained from experimenting. Build crafting is kind of a sport in ESO too - an interesting activity actually - so don't worry, play as you see fit.

Edit: and as a side note - if you find an unusual build, which works for you, surprise is on your side - and surprise often wins the fight. The trick is to not be too predictable. So don't fear to try something what isn't meta - there are people out there with stunning hybrid builds for example, and the meta-crowd says "hybrid builds will never be better than pure builds"- well, sometimes they will eventually be surprised by facts.

Sting864

Blanco wrote: »

No.

It's not. There's a right and a wrong way to play this game (and many games). Make a build and learn how to play or else there's no point.

Sorry... I completely disagree. There is no right or wrong way to play this game (and many games). If you add another qualifier, like "There's a right and a wrong way to play this game (and many games) if you want to siphon the maximum stamina..." or "cause the greatest amount of enemy debuffs..." or "allow maximum spell penetration..." then, yes; there is a right or wrong answer... Build videos are specific to a certain playbook.... You probably have a different gameplan....

Avran_Sylt

@Blanco

In case you're being serious, and are not trolling:

A 'build' isn't necessary. Though I agree that a goal is.

Your goal might be to min/max your single target DPS for raid boss burning, another's goal might be to manage a guild, perhaps someone else wants to simply RP a citizen.

If the OP has a different goal than you, it's most certainly okay to not have a build. But if said goal incorporates one...

Anyway. While this game is an MMO, it does cater to a single player experience because of the world-building it has. This game isn't purely mechanics.

Sting864

Blanco wrote: »

I think 3 days is about right. After that it's time to kick things into gear

No one wants to be "That guy..." Advice like that sounds an awful lot like "that guy..."

Chaos2088

Agree with the others, find what works out for you, and what you find fun

Wait till your 160cp to experiment with builds if you then want to knock it out of the park.

Haquor

Nope.

aaisoaho

When I first started to play ESO my main was a clanfear conjuring archer, who was able to beat overland content but normal dungeons gave me pain. After a while I got bored with overland content and I became interested in group dungeons. At that time I needed the transition from my odd ball build to more refined build. I started to research about stamina sorcerer and with the help of my guild, I was able to get together a competent stamina sorcerer which felt good to play with and I had fun without being a someone to carry. At the time I was lv 50 cp 200 when I beat my first veteran dungeon.

I think you do not need a definite build when doing the overland content, but you should start to tinker with more definite builds when you start doing the group content (trials, group dungeons and PvP). Remember, you are in no rush, so take your time playing your character as you see fit.

personman_145

I never went into the game strategically to make a build. I have one character that is high elf sorcerer light armor vampire, and another that is a dark elf sword and shield heavy armor guy and werewolf. As far as PvE goes, I've been successful with both. Just do what you like and get good at it.

starkerealm

TiredKhajiit wrote: »

So I'm pretty new to MMOs, and when I started playing ESO I had no idea what a "build" was, so I just kind of chose the abilities I thought were cool/would be good for my character (not for a specific purpose, such as PvP). My main character is currently a level 21, and I'm a decent way through the MQ and my faction's quest. My question is: is it a good to have a character without a build, or should I get rid of my current main character and create one with a more specific purpose?

@TiredKhajiit, basically a build is just... whatever you've got equipped. In the long term, it usually means you've got some idea of what sets you want, and the skills you want access to, and that's how the word is used most of the time, but, no matter what you do, you're running your build all the time.

So far as it goes, you don't need to worry too much about your build until you're getting to around level 50. In spite of everything being scaled to you, the game does get more difficult as you level. Most players don't worry about ironing out their build until they hit CR160. That's a ways off, and that system will get explained to you once you get there.

In general, specialized low level builds are the domain of players who are running alts (alternate characters). They're already familiar with the systems, and accessing the things they need as quickly as possible. The only real advantage to doing this is in PvP, though most experienced players will "instinctively" start working on builds while they're still in the tutorial.

TiredKhajiit wrote: »

Bonus question: When having a build for a specific purpose, such as PvP, would you only use it for that purpose, or is that just the main thing you use it for? The reason I ask is because there is a limited amount of character slots, and I would like to plan out how to use them :P

Thanks for any help, and sorry if this is a tad confusing :P

Within a few ranges, you kinda need to specialize. That said, there is some overlap.

So, up front, basic questing is open top pretty much everyone. Once you come to grips with the combat system, you can reasonably clear normal content easily.

There are three primary PvE roles for group content, Tanks, Healers, and DPS.

DPS are responsible for dealing damage to the enemies, and killing anything and everything. Normally, DPS need to focus on either Stamina or Magicka. Splitting between the pools can severely impair a PvE DPS's outgoing damage. (This is because all abilities scale with either Stamina and Weapon Damage or Magicka and Spell Damage, meaning you need to prioritize one, rather than splitting between the two and coming away with inferior stats.)

Tanks are responsible for keeping the bosses off of the DPS, and controlling any additional enemies to the best of their abilities. They benefit from taunts, and abilities which stun, root, or otherwise impair enemies in an area.

Healers are responsible for keeping the party alive. In most cases, this leaves them with a lot of time on their hands, so they'll often, also, provide buffs of some variety to their party, when possible.

Healers and Tanks will do some damage to the boss, but the vast majority (usually around 80-90% of outgoing party damage) will come from the DPS.

When it comes to PvP, there's more options, but, because you're dealing with real people, instead of NPCs. It's a little difficult to boil these down into clean roles. You do have Healers and tanks, but most PvP builds tend to hybridize the DPS and the Tank, or the Healer. This is something you usually don't want to see in PvE, but because of all the variables, it can be far more valuable in PvP.

In simple terms, if you're focusing on PvP, you're probably going to need a different build than if you're focusing on PvE. You can switch between the two on one character, but they'll always perform better in one area or the other.

Finally, and this is really important, actual player skill is the most important component in high level play. Take your time, and really learn the mechanics, and the behavior you see from enemies as you level up. A lot of that stuff will show up in variations once you get into endgame content. (In PvP, this means paying attention to what your opponents and allies are doing, and trying to understand why.)

Betsararie

Sting864 wrote: »

Blanco wrote: »

I think 3 days is about right. After that it's time to kick things into gear

No one wants to be "That guy..." Advice like that sounds an awful lot like "that guy..."

That's where you're wrong. I'm incredibly impatient and play this game

TiredKhajiit

Thanks for all the comments! I now feel much better about my character, and have a bit of an idea on how to progress him moving forward

Yzalirk

ESO was my first MMO and when I first started, I was so bad because I went in with my Skyrim mentality. I dumped points into health, used only heavy armor, and did not use any skills. I got tired of the game quickly because I felt that it was too hard. After time, I came back open minded and took the opposite approach and I do not have the same problems.

Your build does not matter a whole lot until you reach CP 160. That is the current gear level cap. However, for leveling, I highly recommend dumping points into Stamina or Magicka depending on your preferred damage type to quickly eliminate enemies. Unlock all armor skill lines early on so when you hit Level 50 they should be close to maxed out. Use at least one skill from each skill line on your class and weapon type to quickly level them up.

DanteYoda

I'm new as well.. I google builds for my characters because the skills they use are the better ones.. If they work in hardcore dungeons they will work in open world pve.. They help me whittle out the more useless skills early on.

Then i mix and match to my own liking and make my build.. is it cookie cutter no does it help me breeze through content yes..

OP i suggest taking a look at some end game builds for your class (multiple of them) and look at which skills they all use then consider taking them.. Even if you have no intention of going hardcore end game meta min max builds can help even us potatoes to level up..

Now i'm not a fan of cookie cutter gameplay but ESO is very cookie cutter to the point of insanity.. so going outside of that generally ends in tears.

This website helped me immensely

http://deltiasgaming.com/eso-warden-dps-stamina/

Kuramas9tails

HAVE FUN!

It wont matter what your build is if you are just there to have fun. You can tweak it, ask others for help, look up on Google, whatever you want! Enjoy yourself is the most important thing! I find mix builds all over the place and as a end game, max leveled player, I will help a low level with a world boss or something while I am passing by.

But when you do want to start getting into harder content where you have to work with others, it is good to look up a build that interests you but is made to help the group as a whole wether that is healing, tanking or dishing out damage as much as possible, a group role is best suited for groups. A solo build is that of your own accord if you wish it to be.

TiredKhajiit

Also, while I'm here I have one more question on builds :P

If you have a tank or healer, it seems to me like that would be a bit difficult to use outside of a dungeon. Is it not as hard as I think it would be, or do people usually only use tanks/healers for dungeons?

Sparr0w

Until you hit CP 160 there's basically no point worrying about a build, even after that as long as you're not aiming for hardcore endgame stuff just make sure you're having fun

Kodrac

TiredKhajiit wrote: »

Also, while I'm here I have one more question on builds :P

If you have a tank or healer, it seems to me like that would be a bit difficult to use outside of a dungeon. Is it not as hard as I think it would be, or do people usually only use tanks/healers for dungeons?

I level them as dps but make sure to use the resto staff or sword and board on one bar so they get xp. A tip: you get a lot of xp on quest turn ins. Swap to the sword and board bar before turning in quests. That way you can do the exploring/killing etc however you want but still level the weapon lines you use the least.

starkerealm

TiredKhajiit wrote: »

Also, while I'm here I have one more question on builds :P

If you have a tank or healer, it seems to me like that would be a bit difficult to use outside of a dungeon. Is it not as hard as I think it would be, or do people usually only use tanks/healers for dungeons?

Tanks are entirely viable outside of dungeons, but they can be a bit tedious to play. Normally, you can expect a max DPS of around 3k from a tank, meaning that every fight is going to take awhile. That said, you can clear some group content alone, if you're a tank, and have the patience.

Healers... it depends. Most of the time it's pretty easy to reconfigure a healer to have some additional offense for overland content.

dpr999

I don't worry about stuff like that. I just do what I want and think is fun.

Anotherone773

TiredKhajiit wrote: »

Also, while I'm here I have one more question on builds :P

If you have a tank or healer, it seems to me like that would be a bit difficult to use outside of a dungeon. Is it not as hard as I think it would be, or do people usually only use tanks/healers for dungeons?

For non group content you have one bar for DPS and the other for heal or tank. I run a magsorc that is actually dps as a healer in dungeons so i can get faster queues. When i want grind dungeons i swap out a dps set of gear for a heal set and just run dungeon after dungeon maybe 10-20 before i swap back and do more overland. I can heal with a dps set of gear on. its not quite as effective but i can manage normal dungeons. Sorcerers are a bit gimpy when it comes to healing anyway since they dont have any class skill lines that are heal. So double disadvantage for me in dps set.

Healing the base game normal dungeons is pretty easy. When you get into the IIs and DLC it gets a little more tricky. Tanking, imo, is the hardest to do well and good tanks are few and far in between.

Iselin

In the beginning there was the no build and it was good. Then we noticed we were getting our *** handed to us more and more so we changed our no build to another no build and it was better. After many times of having that happen to us we refined our no build to an even better no build.

We were so happy with our latest no build that we decided to share it with others and spare them the pain. Thus the first build came into being and yeah, that was good too.

... fast forward 4 years ...

Several million times later, after a lot of arguing back and forth about the relative merit of having this or that in the build the meta builds became the thing. This works more for some (followers) than others (leaders.)

All you're doing, OP, is playing the game the way all of us early adopters played it years ago. Good on you and keep on trucking!

Stinkyremy

TiredKhajiit wrote: »

So I'm pretty new to MMOs, and when I started playing ESO I had no idea what a "build" was, so I just kind of chose the abilities I thought were cool/would be good for my character (not for a specific purpose, such as PvP). My main character is currently a level 21, and I'm a decent way through the MQ and my faction's quest. My question is: is it a good to have a character without a build, or should I get rid of my current main character and create one with a more specific purpose?

Bonus question: When having a build for a specific purpose, such as PvP, would you only use it for that purpose, or is that just the main thing you use it for? The reason I ask is because there is a limited amount of character slots, and I would like to plan out how to use them :P

Thanks for any help, and sorry if this is a tad confusing :P

You are level 21, there is no real "build", your gear should be whatever you pick up that is your level, ideally training trait (unless you get a crafter to make you gear) and your skills should be whatever looks cool to you or trying everything out.
You don't need to worry about builds, gear or anything until you reach 160, just quest and try to get to grips of what the game is about. Above all, have fun.

My personal opinion, don't try to rush to get to end game. You sacrifice skill and the journey itself trying to get to the end. Though once you get to the end (end game) you realize all there is to do is the same few challenging content over and over.
If like me, you do every quest in the game, every dungeon and all the DLC you will be 600cp by all of that is over. That took me 6 months. Would be even more with all the new DLC since then.

Another suggestion I would make is to farm as much as you can along the way as having a head start in mats by the time you get to need them is always a good thing.

Pink_Violinz

Until you're completing vet dungeons, and even then there are exceptions, it's just a you-do-you situation. I am absolutely guilty of using whatever skills were the flashiest or hit the hardest, even if they were the wrong morph.

I don't know anyone who had a "build" so early into the game. I wouldn't worry about it for a long while

Astrid

YOU DO YOU BOO

Esquirel

Tabbycat wrote: »

I did the whole raid thing with WoW a decade ago. I'm over it.

Now I just want to have fun and do things my own way.

this ^^

Aurie

Blanco wrote: »

OrdoHermetica wrote: »

Blanco wrote: »

Playing the game incorrectly is highly insulting to myself and other players, so that is why it is pivotal that people learn to play the right way early on.

I'll be sure to consult with you whenever I make a decision about how to play this game. Wouldn't want to play the wrong way, after all! /s

Protip: Your idea of the "right" way and the "wrong" way to play the game is literally only important to you. You can try and convince people of the merits of your play style, but demanding adherence to your play style because otherwise you'll be insulted? Good luck finding people who care what you think.

It's not my responsibility or priority if they "care".

I'll let you in on a big secret of life. If you don't like something, ignore it. done.

You're free to ignore any posts you find non-constructive.

How come you didn't ignore OP then? And how come you have posted multiple times in this thread instead of ignoring content you so clearly don't like?

Maybe you should take your own advice, and stop being the only truly negative voice in this otherwise constructive thread.

@TiredKhajiit , just listen to the very sensible advice in this thread, and carry on doing what you are doing. There is no right or wrong way to play at least before endgame. Well let me amend that. There is a right way to play, and that is the one which gives you the most fun. Because after all, that's what playing games is all about....having fun.

LadyJohanna

As has been said, you build are just the weapons and skills you pick and use, combined with your gear. That's all.

A super-custom build is 100% fine for solo questing. If you're getting on okay with it and things die before your character does, then your build is successful!! You can use that build basically forever as long as you stick with mostly solo content and super-casual group content like world bosses and dolmens. Nobody's gonna care if you only do bow light attacks, because there's usually going to be lots of other players there killing things too, so they don't depend on you at all, really.

However -- once you start to group up with people more formally in a 4-person (and later on 12-person) dungeon instance, you're going to have to decide what role you want to focus on (tanky support, healer support, or DPS). And then adjust your abilities around that focus, because once you step foot inside a dungeon, the people you group with are going to expect you to fill that role, and so your build must support it. Because your group members will have to depend on you in this context, and they will get upset when they find out that they can't, and they might even remove you from the group. Relax though, you get a lowbie boost (to make up for your lack of powerful gear and abilities during earlier levels), and it's not all that difficult (and also very fun!)

Those roles are, generally as follows:
1. Stamina DPS (most if not all attributes in stamina, maybe a few in health) -- uses bows, dual wield or 2-handed weapons and stamina-based abilities
2. Magicka DPS (most if not all attributes in magicka, maybe a few in health) -- uses staves and magicka-based abilities
3. Magicka healer/support (most if not all attributes into magicka, maybe a few in health) -- uses staves and magicka-based abilities
4. Stamina healer/support (hello awesome Wardens! -- most if not all attributes into stamina, maybe a few in health) -- uses bows, dual wield or 2-handed weapons and stamina-based abilities
5. Stamina tank/support (mostly stamina and some health) -- uses 1-hand and shield on at least 1 bar and stamina-based abilities
6. Magicka tank/support (mostly magicka and some health) -- uses 1-hand and shield on at least 1 bar, often with a staff on the other bar, or uses 2 staves, and mostly magicka-based abilities (although they need stamina to block unless they carry 2 ice staves)
7. Conventional/pure tank/support (usually a hybrid of health, magicka and stamina) -- uses 1-hand and shield on both bars and a mix of stamina-based and magicka-based abilities

The above are what most people will direct their build towards in PvE. So they will pick abilities that support that build and complement each other, from various skill lines.

In PvP, however, there's a lot more customization with much less defined roles, where the group dynamics and gameplay mechanics are very, very different.

Hope you find this helpful.

Elf_Boy

Cookie cutter builds have a place in the world - ones where you need exact equipment and what power goes in what slot etc. Some people like them because they are easy - proven to work and you have instructions to work with/

Myself across every game I play (or have played) including high end raid content in WOW and others, I have used my own builds and liked it.

Dont worry about your build.

Paazhahdrimaak

Leandor wrote: »

You have a build. Your build. It fits your purpose. Why should that not work? If it is hybrid-y, so what?

Take your time levelling. Learn as much as you can. Once you're level 50, and have a decent amount of skillpoints (like, 150 or so. Honestly, get skyshard farming asap) and a bit of clue on how things work (you have been reading up stuff or asking questions, right?), go to the respec shrines and change your char over to a dedicated role build.

What this guy said, the way you want play is all that matters. I have several characters that have the "meta" build, but they all started out as me doing what i wanted to. Ive been playing since day one on the xbox, and only recently have i made those guys "meta" builds, they started me just doing what i thought was fun.

When the game first came out, no one wanted to group with an argonian, let alone an Argonian healer, now everyones got one. Lol keep playing, dont give them to much of your money for thosw crates. Thats the only advice worth giving.