Magicka Templar DPS Build (Endgame PVE)

Vajrak

Will give a more indepth response in a little while, but one thing to consider on your rotation --- you can replace spamming reflective lightx5 with blazing spear, or alternate between the two -- the initial hit does high damage and can force an extra burning light proc as well, so it becomes reflect>spear>reflect>spear>reflect>spear (weaving appropriately)

WrathOfInnos

Vajrak wrote: »

Will give a more indepth response in a little while, but one thing to consider on your rotation --- you can replace spamming reflective lightx5 with blazing spear, or alternate between the two -- the initial hit does high damage and can force an extra burning light proc as well, so it becomes reflect>spear>reflect>spear>reflect>spear (weaving appropriately)

@Vajrak That is true, Blazing Spear makes a pretty good AoE spammable as well. I’ve found that if there are 3 enemies Reflective does more damage, and for larger groups of 5-6 Blazing does more. Not sure exactly when they are even, or which is better against a group of 4.

The main reason I did not include this method is due to my preferred bar setup. It is best to stay on the front bar as much as possible for the complete 5-piece set. Siroria is fairly forgiving in this regard, since you can drop the circle and go to back bar, but you’re still losing 2k Magicka while on back bar. Burning Spellweave is a different story, where being on the front bar frequently is important for uptimes (and Reflective adds a lot of fire damage ticks). The same goes for something like front bar Spinners, which I sometimes use for trash packs in trial speed runs, front bar skills hit significantly harder.

That being said it is certainly possible to put Blazing on the front bar and use it as your AoE spammable. Especially for people that prefer their shield back bar (inadvisable for vCR IMO, and definitely riskier in other content, but some can pull it off). I definitely have not covered every variation of the build for different scenarios.

Destruent

Interesting facts about that beam-percentages...i will Need to Test/try when I'm back home

WrathOfInnos

carlos424 wrote: »

I'm on xbox, so unfortunately do not have combat metrics to give me information about the best setups for specific fights. However, I have a lot of experience with dummy parses. After hundreds and hundreds of parses, I can say that, for me, a front bar spell strat and body sororia with thief mundus is still hitting the hardest (60.1k 3mil) followed closely by front barring mechanical acuity and sororia body with shadow mundus (59.6k 3 mil). In 3rd place is front bar spell strat and master architect body with thief mundus (59.1K), and in fourth is front bar mother's sorrow and body sororia with shadow mundus (57.9k).
I have not done much testing with front barring sororia and body mother's sorrow. Could make for slightly higher results with some setups. My only offensive backbar skill is blockade so wouldnt make much difference in my setup.
I personally prefer to run master architect in most content using crescent sweep ultimate on back bar and either shooting star or destro ult on front.
My setup is is pretty standard, front bar: inner light, elemental weapon, blazing spear, solar barrage, radiant oppression (ult:destro/meteor) back bar: inner light, blockade, channeled focus, channeled acceleration, shield (ult:crescent sweep)

@carlos424 I’m not sure if you’ll see the benefit of MS over SS on a dummy. In raids it definitely pulls ahead, with Warhorns giving Major Force and probable lower SS uptime from mechanics and target switching.

As for Architect, I spent the last couple weeks running it front bar with Sorrow. It’s a pretty good setup, and allows swapping Dampen Magic or Breath of Life in place of Radiant Ward since Crescent fulfills the front bar Aedric Spear skill requirement. It is a personal DPS loss for sure (losing Siroria and Mage’s guild passives), but a net gain for the group if there is a lack of Major Slayer. I still think Nightblades are better suited to run MA, but Templars are not far behind.

Vajrak

WrathOfInnos wrote: »

Vajrak wrote: »

Will give a more indepth response in a little while, but one thing to consider on your rotation --- you can replace spamming reflective lightx5 with blazing spear, or alternate between the two -- the initial hit does high damage and can force an extra burning light proc as well, so it becomes reflect>spear>reflect>spear>reflect>spear (weaving appropriately)

@Vajrak That is true, Blazing Spear makes a pretty good AoE spammable as well. I’ve found that if there are 3 enemies Reflective does more damage, and for larger groups of 5-6 Blazing does more. Not sure exactly when they are even, or which is better against a group of 4.

The main reason I did not include this method is due to my preferred bar setup. It is best to stay on the front bar as much as possible for the complete 5-piece set. Siroria is fairly forgiving in this regard, since you can drop the circle and go to back bar, but you’re still losing 2k Magicka while on back bar. Burning Spellweave is a different story, where being on the front bar frequently is important for uptimes (and Reflective adds a lot of fire damage ticks). The same goes for something like front bar Spinners, which I sometimes use for trash packs in trial speed runs, front bar skills hit significantly harder.

That being said it is certainly possible to put Blazing on the front bar and use it as your AoE spammable. Especially for people that prefer their shield back bar (inadvisable for vCR IMO, and definitely riskier in other content, but some can pull it off). I definitely have not covered every variation of the build for different scenarios.

It was also a consideration where if you choose to use Vampire's Bane instead, which you can just spam the Spear instead of flipping, as bane is more likely to be backbar on that usage.

One of the comments you made prior was regarding the Aedric ult, and how it is a lower % --- that can actually end up being misleading, because it's singular % may be lower, but check it against your burning light %, it should be higher than the other setups, which can equalize the two, or on perfect proc scenarios (on CD at 0.5s) actually push it ahead.

This is what I love about Templar more than anything else --- there are so many RIGHT ways to play it, you just have to decide what aspect you are focusing after certain break points. Once you are over 30k max mag, 3k SD, and 42% crit, everything else opens up to where you want to boost it up (and of course penetration is valuable to everyone, but it becomes very easy to overpen in a group).

I'm still a bigger of of Blazing Shield when I use the Aedric line for shielding -- it gets the same bonuses from Bastion (up to 37%, which can make it nice), the 4% vs 6% value per target hit so it's slightly smaller overall (unless you are able to invest a few more points into Bastion of course) --- but the damage output for when it breaks or when you recast can become a very nice addition.

Vajrak

Also regarding beam --- depending on the build (and how well you utilize the % abuse of MG skills) you can start your radiant cycle (Glory or Oppression) as early as 40%, below 12%, don't worry about your DoTs, just keep Major/Minor up.

carlos424

WrathOfInnos wrote: »

carlos424 wrote: »

I'm on xbox, so unfortunately do not have combat metrics to give me information about the best setups for specific fights. However, I have a lot of experience with dummy parses. After hundreds and hundreds of parses, I can say that, for me, a front bar spell strat and body sororia with thief mundus is still hitting the hardest (60.1k 3mil) followed closely by front barring mechanical acuity and sororia body with shadow mundus (59.6k 3 mil). In 3rd place is front bar spell strat and master architect body with thief mundus (59.1K), and in fourth is front bar mother's sorrow and body sororia with shadow mundus (57.9k).
I have not done much testing with front barring sororia and body mother's sorrow. Could make for slightly higher results with some setups. My only offensive backbar skill is blockade so wouldnt make much difference in my setup.
I personally prefer to run master architect in most content using crescent sweep ultimate on back bar and either shooting star or destro ult on front.
My setup is is pretty standard, front bar: inner light, elemental weapon, blazing spear, solar barrage, radiant oppression (ult:destro/meteor) back bar: inner light, blockade, channeled focus, channeled acceleration, shield (ult:crescent sweep)

@carlos424 I’m not sure if you’ll see the benefit of MS over SS on a dummy. In raids it definitely pulls ahead, with Warhorns giving Major Force and probable lower SS uptime from mechanics and target switching.

As for Architect, I spent the last couple weeks running it front bar with Sorrow. It’s a pretty good setup, and allows swapping Dampen Magic or Breath of Life in place of Radiant Ward since Crescent fulfills the front bar Aedric Spear skill requirement. It is a personal DPS loss for sure (losing Siroria and Mage’s guild passives), but a net gain for the group if there is a lack of Major Slayer. I still think Nightblades are better suited to run MA, but Templars are not far behind.

The biggest problem with master architect on a templar, i find, is the crescent sweep ultimate. Playing at range almost makes the damage useless, but then again you arent really wearing architect for the damage of crescent sweep. I have thought about front barring architect, but it renders your back bar ultimate useless-at least as far as major slayer is concerned. The change to ancient knowledge has created some new possibilities though.

Sanguinor2

WrathOfInnos wrote: »

As for Architect, I spent the last couple weeks running it front bar with Sorrow. It’s a pretty good setup, and allows swapping Dampen Magic or Breath of Life in place of Radiant Ward since Crescent fulfills the front bar Aedric Spear skill requirement. It is a personal DPS loss for sure (losing Siroria and Mage’s guild passives), but a net gain for the group if there is a lack of Major Slayer. I still think Nightblades are better suited to run MA, but Templars are not far behind.

Ult cost/gain wise magplar can def run MA, the only Thing that Bugs me is the very short range of crescent if you take it to Content like Asylum where you wont get many of its ticks off unlike Harvest which you just cast once and then you can move away again without loosing the Damage. For crescent to hit in HoF I had to basically stand inside the Assembly General because of its Incredibly short range.

Edit: If you want a dedicated trash aoe Setup for magplar you can use ritual of Retribution too and even use Proxy detonation, for TTT trash Setup this patch I used proximity Detonation, ritual of Retribution, Blockade, solar Barrage and blazing spear

WrathOfInnos

Sanguinor2 wrote: »

WrathOfInnos wrote: »

As for Architect, I spent the last couple weeks running it front bar with Sorrow. It’s a pretty good setup, and allows swapping Dampen Magic or Breath of Life in place of Radiant Ward since Crescent fulfills the front bar Aedric Spear skill requirement. It is a personal DPS loss for sure (losing Siroria and Mage’s guild passives), but a net gain for the group if there is a lack of Major Slayer. I still think Nightblades are better suited to run MA, but Templars are not far behind.

Ult cost/gain wise magplar can def run MA, the only Thing that Bugs me is the very short range of crescent if you take it to Content like Asylum where you wont get many of its ticks off unlike Harvest which you just cast once and then you can move away again without loosing the Damage. For crescent to hit in HoF I had to basically stand inside the Assembly General because of its Incredibly short range.

Edit: If you want a dedicated trash aoe Setup for magplar you can use ritual of Retribution too and even use Proxy detonation, for TTT trash Setup this patch I used proximity Detonation, ritual of Retribution, Blockade, solar Barrage and blazing spear

@Sanguinor2 Good points. I should have specified I’ve only been running MA in Cloudrest. Haven’t done much Magplar Slayer in vAS or vHoF.

I am currently working on TTT for one of my magplars. Those seem like good suggestions. Reflective Light is not ideal for trash there since Calefactors reflect it. I’ve been hearing good things about Puncturing Sweep for trash there, but have not tried it myself.

Vajrak

Sweeps can be your bestest best friend ever --- but you really want to have a Lightning Staff for it, so you have to alter your build if trying to optimize it, or hope RNCHeezus smiles on your burning light procs (or use DW/2H to make it not matter).

Sanguinor2

WrathOfInnos wrote: »

@Sanguinor2 Good points. I should have specified I’ve only been running MA in Cloudrest. Haven’t done much Magplar Slayer in vAS or vHoF.

I am currently working on TTT for one of my magplars. Those seem like good suggestions. Reflective Light is not ideal for trash there since Calefactors reflect it. I’ve been hearing good things about Puncturing Sweep for trash there, but have not tried it myself.

Yeah you can use puncturing as spammable for trash, thats what I did in Addition to all the aoes I listed. I also had a Lightning staff with weapon Damage enchant backbar, be prepared for Proxy to drop your fps if you are on the add Group in front of 3rd boss tho^^.
In HoF you can actually stay close enough to bosses for crescent to hit, well I cant speak for first since I was Always on kite Duty for it, but on 2nd, 3rd, 4th and last you can generally make crescent hit atleast something.

xilfxlegion

are there any decent dps magplar builds that use lightning staffs ?

i dont know why but i do not like flame staffs.


ps --- sorry to post this in your thread ---- i should have made my own thread on it but i cant seem to figure out how to delete this post.

WrathOfInnos

xilfxlegion wrote: »

are there any decent dps magplar builds that use lightning staffs ?

i dont know why but i do not like flame staffs.


ps --- sorry to post this in your thread ---- i should have made my own thread on it but i cant seem to figure out how to delete this post.

@xilfxlegion Typically a lightning staff is used for large groups of weak enemies, while an inferno is used for bosses. If you want to use a lightning staff all the time, you would be:
- Losing 8% Single Target damage, but gaining 8% area damage. Probably net loss of about 2% DPS
- Losing the bonus damage from engulfing flames on light attacks, around 2-3% DPS loss
- Losing the bonus damage from blockade to burning enemies, around 1-2% DPS loss

Unless I'm forgetting something this means lightning staff would be viable, just a DPS loss of around 6%.

I have not tried double lightning in a long time, but I do often run a lightning back bar on my Templar healer/DPS for dungeons, in order to cause off-balance.

Vajrak

Several options here:

Lighting front/Inferno Back --- you keep up the Engulfing Flames bonus, keep up the bonus from blockade

DW or 2h front/any back --- you lose the 8% specific bonus from Lightning/Inferno, for higher overall spell damage and a 6% bonus, plus either higher crit (precise on 2h) or damage and penetration (nirnhoned/sharpened on dw)

Lightning/Lightning --- works just fine, you lose about 2% dps on this setup --- make sure your back is infused and your front bar is either precise or nirnhoned --- spell damage enchant on the back (thus the infused) and extra damage on the front -- skip vamps bane on this build for Purifying Light as it will hit it's damage cap nearly every cycle, wall (as usual) must be down at all times (even if you overcast it slightly), same with shards --- start your execute phase with radiant at around 33%. I actually prefer lightning/lightning myself most of the time, and the "omg" difference between the 3 builds is about 2k less overall dps for lightning/lightning vs dw/lightning.

On a lazy/non-perfect non-meta build it still puts out 30-35k easily on any of the 3 -- CP adjustments you want to make sure 81 into Thaum, and a little more into Master-At-Arms to boost up Burning Light procs.

caperon

WrathOfInnos wrote: »

My most recent Immortal Redeemer run (vAS+2, playing safe for no death), dropped barrage for double bar inner light since poison pools prevented melee range

Hi, what sets were you using in this fight? Slimecraw + Mother's sorrow + Moondancer?

WrathOfInnos

caperon wrote: »

WrathOfInnos wrote: »

My most recent Immortal Redeemer run (vAS+2, playing safe for no death), dropped barrage for double bar inner light since poison pools prevented melee range

Hi, what sets were you using in this fight? Slimecraw + Mother's sorrow + Moondancer?

@caperon Yes, exactly those sets.

caperon

WrathOfInnos wrote: »

caperon wrote: »

WrathOfInnos wrote: »

My most recent Immortal Redeemer run (vAS+2, playing safe for no death), dropped barrage for double bar inner light since poison pools prevented melee range

Hi, what sets were you using in this fight? Slimecraw + Mother's sorrow + Moondancer?

@caperon Yes, exactly those sets.

Ty, I'm gonna try magplar on AS and was thinking about moondancer for the extra sustain there.

WrathOfInnos

caperon wrote: »

WrathOfInnos wrote: »

caperon wrote: »

WrathOfInnos wrote: »

My most recent Immortal Redeemer run (vAS+2, playing safe for no death), dropped barrage for double bar inner light since poison pools prevented melee range

Hi, what sets were you using in this fight? Slimecraw + Mother's sorrow + Moondancer?

@caperon Yes, exactly those sets.

Ty, I'm gonna try magplar on AS and was thinking about moondancer for the extra sustain there.

@caperon Yeah it works great in there, if you can remember to be on your front bar when activating synergies. When healers are generous with orbs, and the occasional Blood Altar or spider synergy, I can keep 90% uptime on a Moondancer Blessing. That’s average 45% uptime on the 448 Spell Damage and 448 Magicka Recovery (about equal to 200 SD and 200 MR). Considering the nice Minor Slayer 3 pc bonus, this set comes very close to BSW in terms of damage, with some free sustain. The only caveat is that you rely on synergies and some luck to get the blessing you need (nobody wants Lunar at the start of a fight, or Shadow when you’re already out of Magicka).