The Phalanx- Magplar PvP Build [Murkmire]

Feannag

Great build...motivated me to break out my Magplar! Can't wait to see how it progresses.

mursie

jesus beam not worth it? want to give magplar a go and been looking at builds the past few days. noticing it doesn't ever seem to be on anyone's bars.

CyrusArya

mav1234 wrote: »

Ah that's a good idea. I do have PS. I suppose in BGs the extra survivability wouldn't be a terrible thing to have either.

I also realized that if I change up some slots, I could run Juliano's in place of Spinners with crafted protector jewels... have the mats... loses the pen, but the crit and spell damage both seem welcome, so I will give that a go!

I wouldn’t recommend running this spec in BGs. BGs, I found a damage set+back bar transmutation and willpower lightning staff to be the best.

This is an open world solo/small scale spec designed with champion points in mind. Crafting Juli is not a bad option at all either, it will also increase your healing as well. But honestly if you’re going the crafted route, go Axiom instead.

Feannag wrote: »

Great build...motivated me to break out my Magplar! Can't wait to see how it progresses.

Thanks man, always very satisfying to hear feedback like this.

mursie wrote: »

jesus beam not worth it? want to give magplar a go and been looking at builds the past few days. noticing it doesn't ever seem to be on anyone's bars.

Radiant is a phenomenal skill. Wether or not it’s worth running however is up to the user. Personally, I prefer to amplify my damage outside of an execute because it is relevant more often. When heavily outnumbered, you don’t have the opportunity to liberally beam people- especially in a small group setting.

Kartalin

Also regarding jesus beam, if you’re in a small group usually you have a stamden or stamsorc (etc) who can clean up low health targets more efficiently. I just don’t have room on my bar personally.

StarOfElyon

CyrusArya wrote: »

The Phalanx was an ancient battle formation which revolved around the use of spears and shields. Through advanced battle tactics, armies of the Hellenistic world were able to use phalanxes to win battles while heavily outnumbered. This Magicka Templar build embodies the concept of the phalanx in both form and function. Designed around Solo and Small Scale PvP, it features very high damage, incredible durability, and potentially infinite sustain.

As a preface, I have always loved to play builds that have unique and exclusive synergy with the class in question, and adaptive builds that make use of newly developed changes in recent patches. This build encompasses both of these qualities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj3nnhoh1kw&t=1s

Build:
Breton Templar
64 magicka/0 health/0 stamina
x5 Spinner's Garments (x5 Body)
x5 Cyrodiil's Light (Jewlery/Destro Staff/Sword&Board)
x2 Valkyn Skoria (Undaunted Helmet/Shoulder)
Mage Mundus
Tri Stat Food and Tri-Potions

Abilities:
Front- Extended Ritual, Puncturing Sweep, Vanpire’s Bane, Elemental Drain, Degeneration Crescent Sweep

Back- Deep Thoughts, Elusive Mist, Total Dark, Channeled Focus, Honor the Dead Devouring Swarm

Theory:

This build came about in trying to answer the question "how can we reliably sustain a high damage light armor Magplar without using any sustain or mitigation sets". The class has phenomenal damage capabilities if invested into, as do all magicka specs. The trick is finding a way to truly harness that power. The final result realizes that potential, and it does so through a couple of unique synergies between the Templar class, a few ancillary skill lines, and the core set that the build revolves around: Cyrodiil's Light. The 5 piece bonus on this set provides 15% damage mitigation while channeling abilities, and furthermore grants the free cast of a skill if interrupted while channeling. This is very powerful on a class that is offensively designed around a channel, and provides incredible benefits to offense, defense, and sustain on this build.

Historically, a key challenge of the Templar class in general has been that going offensive with a channel (Jabs) renders the Templar vulnerable to incoming damage. This makes the class tougher to solo on than classes designed around direct damage. Cyrodiil’s light mitigates this risk factor by providing 15% damage reduction while channeling Jabs. But in Murkmire, this effect is bolstered by the change to the spear wall passive which now provides Minor Protection upon casting an aedric spear ability. This allows the Templar to go aggressive and stay on the offense more often and in more dangerous situations. In this way, Cyrodiil’s light allows for the high damage of this build to be more prominent.

The defensive benefit of Cyrodiil’s light is even more profound. In order to pair this set with a damage set means we must forgo Shacklebreaker, and doing so means we must sacrifice the greater stam pool that it provides. But this stam pool can be recouped by running purple tri stat food. This however means a very low magicka recovery rate in comparison to the more commonly used witchmother’s brew or citrus filet consumables. The Phalanx build overcomes this potential weakness however by utilizing a very powerful synergy between the meditate skill from the Psijiic Order and Cyrodiil’s Light. Meditate is an ability which returns almost 2k magicka and stamina a second while it’s being channeled, while also passively providing Major Protection. This also pairs brilliantly with Channeled Focus. The rune not only provides extra resistances while inside of it, providing even more mitigation, it also restores 240 magicka per second. The synergy between these two skills while wearing Cyrodiil’s Light is incredibly powerful, and provides the tools with which to sustain a high damage build and be very tanky while doing so.

It all comes together to make a build that is powerful, engaging, and very rewarding when properly used.

I will update this post over time with footage of both solo PvP and group play of the guild it is named after and designed for

Phalanx PvP I:

https://youtu.be/eB_fhxfSxzg

Thank you for showing me how useful the Psijic order skill line was. Race Against Time has taken me to the next level.

Grimlok_S

I've actually had great fun solo with this gear setup in no cp BG's, without vampire or Psijic skills.

Timing purifying light with the new crescent sweep absolutely eats people.

Bubble is broken as ever against DKs.

Without mist, positioning can definitely get tricky. I'm finding purge spam helps but I'm still very susceptible to ice wall/root spam.

Great build. Looking forward to eventually finishing the Psijic line.

CyrusArya

StarOfElyon wrote: »

Thank you for showing me how useful the Psijic order skill line was. Race Against Time has taken me to the next level.

Psijiic is great, and opens up a lot of options for many classes. I still haven’t seen channneled acceleration catch on for Stam builds, but there’s a lot of potential there.

Grimlok_S wrote: »

I've actually had great fun solo with this gear setup in no cp BG's, without vampire or Psijic skills.

Timing purifying light with the new crescent sweep absolutely eats people.

Bubble is broken as ever against DKs.

Without mist, positioning can definitely get tricky. I'm finding purge spam helps but I'm still very susceptible to ice wall/root spam.

Great build. Looking forward to eventually finishing the Psijic line.

It can definitely work. It’s just if you wanna play to the strengths of the class, a more supportive role is ideal for magplars in a BG environment- simply because it can’t brawl as well as Stam builds in melee range due to the binary defense. To that extent, transmutation is invaluable for the group. Not to say you can’t find success on a magplar in a pure dps role. The nature of the class is just that it shines in a support role throwing out heals, AoEs and beams. Open world Cyrodiil however is a different story.

Waffennacht

I'm considering something along the lines of what you have here.

But more tank than not.

Something like Cyrodiil's light + Symbiosis + Guard + Blazing Shield (if it's worth anything now)

Minor + Major protection while channeling symbiosis + guard means the redirected damage is really low probably gonna heal yourself for more than you're taking.

I'm like the idea of if it's interrupted you get a free spell. I like the idea of it with Rune

I've been musing a healer tank and your ideaa maybe perfect for what I'm looking for

CyrusArya

Waffennacht wrote: »

I'm considering something along the lines of what you have here.

But more tank than not.

Something like Cyrodiil's light + Symbiosis + Guard + Blazing Shield (if it's worth anything now)

Minor + Major protection while channeling symbiosis + guard means the redirected damage is really low probably gonna heal yourself for more than you're taking.

I'm like the idea of if it's interrupted you get a free spell. I like the idea of it with Rune

I've been musing a healer tank and your ideaa maybe perfect for what I'm looking for

Clever thinking! I love Cyrodiil’s Light for how much synergy the set offers on Magplar. The damage reduction while channeling Jabs is beautiful. The damage reduction on meditate is also nice, but not as much of a game changer since major protection from Psijic alone is plenty of mitigation. That interrupt mechanic however *is* a game changer, since meditate gives you the perfect means to “proc” Cyrodiil’s Light with. Make sure to slot a couple of expensive spells to get the most out of this.

Baiting an interrupt with Meditate, and then casting a free Honor the Dead that not only is free but in fact returns magicka is one of the coolest mechanics I’ve experienced in ESO.

Brutusmax1mus

CyrusArya wrote: »

Waffennacht wrote: »

I'm considering something along the lines of what you have here.

But more tank than not.

Something like Cyrodiil's light + Symbiosis + Guard + Blazing Shield (if it's worth anything now)

Minor + Major protection while channeling symbiosis + guard means the redirected damage is really low probably gonna heal yourself for more than you're taking.

I'm like the idea of if it's interrupted you get a free spell. I like the idea of it with Rune

I've been musing a healer tank and your ideaa maybe perfect for what I'm looking for

Clever thinking! I love Cyrodiil’s Light for how much synergy the set offers on Magplar. The damage reduction while channeling Jabs is beautiful. The damage reduction on meditate is also nice, but not as much of a game changer since major protection from Psijic alone is plenty of mitigation. That interrupt mechanic however *is* a game changer, since meditate gives you the perfect means to “proc” Cyrodiil’s Light with. Make sure to slot a couple of expensive spells to get the most out of this.

Baiting an interrupt with Meditate, and then casting a free Honor the Dead that not only is free but in fact returns magicka is one of the coolest mechanics I’ve experienced in ESO.

Only problem i see in baiting an interupt is why use the skill when you don't need it? If you need to heal yourself casting a hot, getting interrupted, recovering and casting htd sounds risky.

I think @Waffennacht is on to something with symbiosis. Id love to know how that goes.

CyrusArya

Brutusmax1mus wrote: »

Only problem i see in baiting an interupt is why use the skill when you don't need it? If you need to heal yourself casting a hot, getting interrupted, recovering and casting htd sounds risky.

I think @Waffennacht is on to something with symbiosis. Id love to know how that goes.

Well, free resources is something that is always beneficial- whether you need it or not. Obviously in a life or death situation, you're not gonna go for a Meditate. My point is more so that through the synergy with Cyrodiil's Light, you are always gonna get a net gain of magicka with the skill. Lets you make more liberal use of it, knowing that the outcome will either be that you channel back resources or get a free cast after the interrupt. Or ideally -both, since even a second or two of Meditate can be quite relevant.

There is definitely a risk factor to it, but for me that just makes the play style all the more engaging. While I have found builds that are overall more powerful than this setup, none have been more fun to play.

Waffennacht

CyrusArya wrote: »

Brutusmax1mus wrote: »

Only problem i see in baiting an interupt is why use the skill when you don't need it? If you need to heal yourself casting a hot, getting interrupted, recovering and casting htd sounds risky.

I think @Waffennacht is on to something with symbiosis. Id love to know how that goes.

Well, free resources is something that is always beneficial- whether you need it or not. Obviously in a life or death situation, you're not gonna go for a Meditate. My point is more so that through the synergy with Cyrodiil's Light, you are always gonna get a net gain of magicka with the skill. Lets you make more liberal use of it, knowing that the outcome will either be that you channel back resources or get a free cast after the interrupt. Or ideally -both, since even a second or two of Meditate can be quite relevant.

There is definitely a risk factor to it, but for me that just makes the play style all the more engaging. While I have found builds that are overall more powerful than this setup, none have been more fun to play.

I'm thinking you can have infinite sustain if you couple guard with desert rose, Cyrodiil's light works really well too with channeling symbiosis (more damage prevention + interruption mechanics)

With rune and mediocre Regen you can theoretically return more mag than costing Symbiosis.

This would kinda imply that both you and your DD Target with practically be immortal.

I'm thinking you can even go light armor due to major and minor protection and the incoming heals.

Seems like a really good healer support build

Minno

Symbiosis doesn't benefit from the major protection buff passive btw.

Brutusmax1mus

Minno wrote: »

Symbiosis doesn't benefit from the major protection buff passive btw.

Whaaat why not?

CatchMeTrolling

Minno wrote: »

Symbiosis doesn't benefit from the major protection buff passive btw.

The channel doesn’t? Could’ve sworn it was working when I was using it in bgs with cyrodiils light

Waffennacht

@Minno I'll test it asap

Minno

CatchMeTrolling wrote: »

Minno wrote: »

Symbiosis doesn't benefit from the major protection buff passive btw.

The channel doesn’t? Could’ve sworn it was working when I was using it in bgs with cyrodiils light

Old bug that no one bothered to test since it was reported. They might have stealth changed it after summerset launched, but I remember people being pissed it didnt work with the passive.

Waffennacht

@Minno just tested, you do gain major protection, the buff just does not appear on anything.

Feannag

Time to look at High Elf for race..."Reduces damage taken by 5% while you are using an ability with a cast or channel time." added to Cyrodiil's Light, that's 20% damage reduction for all the channel abilities!

mursie

@CyrusArya - just want to say thanks for this build write-up. I had always played healbot on my magplar and never ventured into dps.

As of three days ago - I've incorporated your build with some minor tweaks. I've dropped spinners for back bar steadfast hero and I've dropped degen for purifying light (I run argonion and use cheap sorcery / mag pots for major sorcery).

The rest of the build is your setup. I absolutely love it. Great dmg, great survivability. I play entirely no-cp and it has been great in bg's.

pairing minor and major protection with cyrodiil's light damage reduction is very potent. The only thing i'm not having great success with is the meditate bait into hotd.

I routinely will los into a meditate but I often feel like I would have been better off canceling the ability when someone approaches and re-enter combat than waiting for an interrupt. usually they just walk up to me, hard cc me, then take a huge chunk of life off while I cc break. yes the follow up hotd might be free but I lost as much life as I gained back with the skill taking that hard cc. maybe i'm doing this wrong?

gibous

mursie wrote: »

The only thing i'm not having great success with is the meditate bait into hotd.

I routinely will los into a meditate but I often feel like I would have been better off canceling the ability when someone approaches and re-enter combat than waiting for an interrupt. usually they just walk up to me, hard cc me, then take a huge chunk of life off while I cc break. yes the follow up hotd might be free but I lost as much life as I gained back with the skill taking that hard cc. maybe i'm doing this wrong?

The free-cast interrupt mechanic of Cyrodiil's Light just ensures that going into meditate will always net you magicka, it's a failsafe. You shouldn't be trying to bait the free cast intentionally, you really should be going into meditate for its own inherent regen. If you so happen to get interrupted though, and are tapped on magicka, you can still heal yourself or mist away to reposition.

Also not sure about your swap to Steadfast - I think perhaps an instinctual remnant from your self-admitted healbotting. You give up a LOT of damage going that route so the build becomes much less DPS focused. I would encourage you to try going back to a damage set - though since you mention playing entirely no-cp, you may want to go hybrid sustain/dmg like amber plasm or shacklebreaker.

CyrusArya

Feannag wrote: »

Time to look at High Elf for race..."Reduces damage taken by 5% while you are using an ability with a cast or channel time." added to Cyrodiil's Light, that's 20% damage reduction for all the channel abilities!

It’s definitely a strong contender for best race, for the reason you’ve listed and also the damage. But I’ll reserve my final opinions til pts actually drops and we can test. Breton and Khajiit also look appealing to me personally.

mursie wrote: »

@CyrusArya - just want to say thanks for this build write-up. I had always played healbot on my magplar and never ventured into dps.

As of three days ago - I've incorporated your build with some minor tweaks. I've dropped spinners for back bar steadfast hero and I've dropped degen for purifying light (I run argonion and use cheap sorcery / mag pots for major sorcery).

The rest of the build is your setup. I absolutely love it. Great dmg, great survivability. I play entirely no-cp and it has been great in bg's.

pairing minor and major protection with cyrodiil's light damage reduction is very potent. The only thing i'm not having great success with is the meditate bait into hotd.

I routinely will los into a meditate but I often feel like I would have been better off canceling the ability when someone approaches and re-enter combat than waiting for an interrupt. usually they just walk up to me, hard cc me, then take a huge chunk of life off while I cc break. yes the follow up hotd might be free but I lost as much life as I gained back with the skill taking that hard cc. maybe i'm doing this wrong?

Awesome! I’m very glad to hear you’re finding success with it. In regards to your concern, I use the term “baiting” a bit loosely. The value of the synergy and mechanic is as a fail safe as Red mentioned and I previously described. Regardless of the outcome, you get resources back. It lets you meditate more freely, and in more risky situations. I use the term “bait” because when I do hit meditate in a heated battle, I think to myself “come on, do it. I dare you”. Because should they bash you, you get the free cast but, but can then immediately go back into meditate again- but this time with CC immunity.

This doesn’t mean you should mediatate when you don’t need to, just to carry the knowledge that the build will kick in should you get interrupted, and to tailor your thought process accordingly on a fight by fight basis.

Datolite

Any thoughts on the new altmer race changes potentially adding to the build?

How about the Auroran’s Thunder set coming out with next DLC? 6 procs every 3 seconds would almost guarantee a skoria proc while channeling sweeps. Add crescent to that for insane aoe burst...

CyrusArya

Datolite wrote: »

Any thoughts on the new altmer race changes potentially adding to the build?

How about the Auroran’s Thunder set coming out with next DLC? 6 procs every 3 seconds would almost guarantee a skoria proc while channeling sweeps. Add crescent to that for insane aoe burst...

Looks promising but I’ll wait til the final PTS before arriving on conclusions. I also have my eyes on Breton and Khajiit.

Auroran is quite strong on Magplar- high aoe pressure and minor vuln procs.

Gnortranermara

Not bad, I'm running something similar with Fortified Brass as my other set. I might try switching to a damage set but I'll have to trait change my jewels to Protective to keep up the defenses.

soniku4ikblis

Thank you for writing this guide.

I have been PVP'ing casually for the last year. I got serious about it with the last PVP event in the month of January.

I play a Templar exclusively as my main in ESO.

I was ready to quit Templar though yesterday due to an enormous amount of frustration in overland PVP and not many good explanations for how to play a Magicka Templar with jabs.

After the month of playing Templar as Stam and Mag, and failing miserably with various different guides and set-ups, I was going to go full DK today. Then, I read your guide.

I will probably still make a DK for fun and class-versatility in groups, but I am excited to try this last effort with my PVP-MagPlar, because I love jabs, love my Magplar in regular ESO content, and I simply wastes things with jabs/skill-combos in other areas of the game. It's a really great class for Deeps if you spec things right. I just could not find a way to be viable with jabs in PVP and still be tanky with sustain; mostly people seem to strafe out of jabs, or I get stunlocked, or I flatline on resources over a long battle.

I love the class name, I love the guide, I *loved* the video. I don't have the Psijic line unlocked but that's Mission Numero Uno today.

Thanks again, very much. You helped save a fellow Templar from giving up and going full-META.

Cheers mate.

CyrusArya

soniku4ikblis wrote: »

Thank you for writing this guide.

I have been PVP'ing casually for the last year. I got serious about it with the last PVP event in the month of January.

I play a Templar exclusively as my main in ESO.

I was ready to quit Templar though yesterday due to an enormous amount of frustration in overland PVP and not many good explanations for how to play a Magicka Templar with jabs.

After the month of playing Templar as Stam and Mag, and failing miserably with various different guides and set-ups, I was going to go full DK today. Then, I read your guide.

I will probably still make a DK for fun and class-versatility in groups, but I am excited to try this last effort with my PVP-MagPlar, because I love jabs, love my Magplar in regular ESO content, and I simply wastes things with jabs/skill-combos in other areas of the game. It's a really great class for Deeps if you spec things right. I just could not find a way to be viable with jabs in PVP and still be tanky with sustain; mostly people seem to strafe out of jabs, or I get stunlocked, or I flatline on resources over a long battle.

I love the class name, I love the guide, I *loved* the video. I don't have the Psijic line unlocked but that's Mission Numero Uno today.

Thanks again, very much. You helped save a fellow Templar from giving up and going full-META.

Cheers mate.

Thank you! I hope the build serves you well and can keep the Templar dream alive. Feel free to message me if you ever want any tips or need any advice.

Datolite

That comment made me wanna check out the PvP video. Looks like a lot of fun when you dig right into a big group of squishy AD. I wonder though, how does the build fare vs single veteran opponents? The AoE focus seems like it might put you at a disadvantage. Also, what are your CP like? I want to adapt a version of this to noCP but it seems heavily sustain reliant.

CyrusArya

Datolite wrote: »

That comment made me wanna check out the PvP video. Looks like a lot of fun when you dig right into a big group of squishy AD. I wonder though, how does the build fare vs single veteran opponents? The AoE focus seems like it might put you at a disadvantage. Also, what are your CP like? I want to adapt a version of this to noCP but it seems heavily sustain reliant.

The build fares excellent in a 1v1 situation, vs any opponent. Compared to a standard Magplar duel spec, you have as much if not more raw pressure but less instances of damage. You miss out on purifying light and radiant mostly, and mist form is dead weight in a duel but that’s true for any build. Meditate however makes it near impossible to lose the resource battle and is extremely strong 1v1. My CP distribution is in the video description on the video.

Datolite

Cool. Looking forward to trying this out in BGs with some adjustments.