Need help with a pve ice build

Unit117

Currently I’m playing a Breton warden with a pure focus on ice magic tanking with ice staff.

It’s currently playing as a tank.
- ice staff
- ice heart monster set with plague doctor and green pact.
- 64 health
- moves are polar wind, gripping shard, ice fortress, lotus blossom, blockade of frost and permafrost.
- second slot polar wind, blue Betty, nature’s grasp, crystallized slab, pierce amor, permafrost


Normal content and majority of vet content it feels super good to play. But as I’m going into the deep end of vet content it just feels way less viable and more like a liability that can’t do what it needs to. The taunt of relying on ice staff is too slow, and really buggy. Sometimes it will completely miss, hit a target behind me, or just gets stuck in animation.


Does anyone else do end game vet content as ice tank or should I rebuild it as a ice dps? Is ice dps even viable?

VaranisArano

I used Inner Fire as a backup taunt for times when I was just too slow on the heavy attack or couldn't do it in time due to mechanics.

Unit117

@VaranisArano is your build able to do all content? If so would you mind sharing it so I can try it?

Mettaricana

Unit117 wrote: »

@VaranisArano is your build able to do all content? If so would you mind sharing it so I can try it?

Like to know as well

Playboy_Shrek

theres that proc set that has a giant ice thing smash into enemies.

zvavi

I have interesting ice/resto nb tank, and here are some tips.
1. Tanking is much more about experience and paying attention than set up. Some tanks are just gods at what they do.
2. Tanks by definition are hybrids. You should probably invest into more stamina skills, I would recommend the shield from undaunted for group synergy+nice big shield.
3. You should probably get either frozen device or silver leash (skills) to pull adds in, it is very important in some fights. (I don't always have silver leash on bars, but when it is needed, I would slot it 100%)
4. Undaunted taunt is your friend. Ranged, fun.
5. Elemental drain/caltrops/deep fissure. Providing major fracture/breach is tank's job. Depending on your group you need to use these skills to do that. (Pierce armor works too)

Now for more gear related advice.

1. Iceheart is a no no. I know I know, the only ice set that can be considered "tanky" but it is kinda *** for tanking (especially since it procs from crit) if you really want ice related gear that will help your survivability while tanking, I would go with winter's respite
https://eso-sets.com/set/winters-respite
2. I am generally against selfish sets like plague and green pact, they don't bring enough to the group in my opinion, my frost/resto tank is wearing symphony/yolna/alkosh for full support. For the more tanky support sets there:
https://eso-sets.com/set/claw-of-yolnahkriin
https://eso-sets.com/set/ebon-armory
https://eso-sets.com/set/aegis-of-galenwe (very strong for mag non Templar groups)
https://eso-sets.com/set/lunar-bastion (great group and self defense, needs synergies to work though).
https://eso-sets.com/set/vestment-of-olorime (strong to pair with ebon, minor aegis is great, remember though you will need it in weapons+jewelry cause light armor)
https://eso-sets.com/set/kynes-wind (this one is interesting on NB tank to pair with ebon, probably will fair worse on warden though, same as olorime, light armor)
https://eso-sets.com/set/sentinel-of-rkugamz (great monster set for resources for you and your group)
https://eso-sets.com/set/swarm-mother this one is the way to go of you want to save skill slot on chaining adds in
https://eso-sets.com/set/symphony-of-blades the ultimate full support monster set.

Attributes: you have waaaay too many points in health, your resources are very important too. Can't use skills/block if no resources.

To go with the ice setup I would probably pair winter respite frontbar + jewelry, master s/b backbar for the sweet sweet 7k + heals from taunt poke, one of the trial heavy armor sets for body(galenwe/yolnakrin/lunar bastion) and as monster set either sentinel with the small dwemer spider, or swarm mother for the chains.

Raisin

Can you specify what makes you feel less viable? Is it just the taunting, or do you struggle to mitigate?
My first thought looking at this is wondering how you handle those low resources. Is that an issue for you at all?
Also, how much health does this put you at? Just really curious, it must be close to whatever the ceiling is.

Jeremy

Unit117 wrote: »

Currently I’m playing a Breton warden with a pure focus on ice magic tanking with ice staff.

It’s currently playing as a tank.
- ice staff
- ice heart monster set with plague doctor and green pact.
- 64 health
- moves are polar wind, gripping shard, ice fortress, lotus blossom, blockade of frost and permafrost.
- second slot polar wind, blue Betty, nature’s grasp, crystallized slab, pierce amor, permafrost


Normal content and majority of vet content it feels super good to play. But as I’m going into the deep end of vet content it just feels way less viable and more like a liability that can’t do what it needs to. The taunt of relying on ice staff is too slow, and really buggy. Sometimes it will completely miss, hit a target behind me, or just gets stuck in animation.


Does anyone else do end game vet content as ice tank or should I rebuild it as a ice dps? Is ice dps even viable?

I would slot Inner Fire to pick up adds with. Heavy Attacks are fine for bosses, but you will want something faster to control groups with.

I play a Templar (not Warden) so I'm not sure what class abilities you have that are good for tanking. But if a Templar can tank the harder Vet DLC stuff with an Ice Staff I would imagine Warden can as well.

Unit117

@Raisin sure! All buffed up and with food I’m hitting 57-59k health. 18.5k magicka, 9.9k stamina. Resistances at 26 and 24k

Stamina is only used for breakfree and interrupting.

Magicka hasn’t been too much of issue because I rotate with heavy attacks, but if I run inner fire I’ll probably need more. The problem with that though is so many abilities are based off of max health. So if I do that my self heals are less, and my shields are less effective, and I would have to block way more instead of focusing on the rotation.

Biggest problem I’m having is how hard you get hit by stuff. Our self heal is so weak compared to other classes when you need health immediately back that second. It makes it hard to sustain any rotation when multiple enemies are trying to stun you while a another enemy 1-2 shots you. It feels like i need a lot more damage mitigation

Joxer61

https://xynodegaming.com/atronach/

or

https://xynodegaming.com/natures-bounty/

zvavi

Unit117 wrote: »

Our self heal is so weak compared to other classes when you need health immediately back that second.

Plain wrong, the only class with an arguably stronger heal is sorc (does 30% hp but no hot, while warden is 25% with additional 15% over 6 seconds). Others are just much weaker, dk has 33% of missing health, making it weaker as long as you didn't fall below 25%, necromancers have their scythe which i think heals for 25% (this one I am not sure) but requires being melee, NB has 54% of hp over 8 seconds, Templars don't even have a class heal.

YandereGirlfriend

You definitely can't discuss a thematic Frost Tank without mentioning the Frozen Watcher set!

It is quite fun to use and you can pair it with something like Winterborn or Mighty Glacier for even more thematic enjoyment.

Ice Furnace is another set worth mentioning though that one I have no tried since they buffed it a few patches ago.

Of course, this isn't for really serious content, for that, you're going to want the standard tank sets.

zvavi

YandereGirlfriend wrote: »

You definitely can't discuss a thematic Frost Tank without mentioning the Frozen Watcher set!

It is quite fun to use and you can pair it with something like Winterborn or Mighty Glacier for even more thematic enjoyment.

Ice Furnace is another set worth mentioning though that one I have no tried since they buffed it a few patches ago.

Of course, this isn't for really serious content, for that, you're going to want the standard tank sets.

I disagree, because most content is tanked in support sets, fun sets are definitely fine to tank the more hard hitting things.

RaveRaveRaveRave

Don't use Mighty Glacier set on a warden though. Warden has Ice Fortress move which is same thing as the Mighty Glacier 5 piece.

YandereGirlfriend

@zvavi We're not in actual disagreement. I wasn't talking about selfish sets for survival. Using group support sets for harder content is precisely what I was referring to with "standard tank sets" (e.g. Alkosh, Yolna, etc.). As we know, no serious group is going to be thrilled seeing their tank wearing theme sets when they could instead be contributing to damage instead.

@RaveRaveRaveRave That's true but bar space is still limited and perhaps you'd rather have that slot available for something else. I'm giving suggestions "for fun" variations on a theme not for min-maxing.

zvavi

YandereGirlfriend wrote: »

We're not in actual disagreement. I wasn't talking about selfish sets for survival. Using group support sets for harder content is precisely what I was referring to with "standard tank sets" (e.g. Alkosh, Yolna, etc.). As we know, no serious group is going to be thrilled seeing their tank wearing theme sets when they could instead be contributing to damage instead.

You will have to take tava's favour from my cold dead hands.

Edit: tbh it was like "do you feel the damage change when I put on alkosh?" "Ye I feel it" "ok I keep alkosh then". Rip fun sets. The things we do for the group.

Raisin

Unit117 wrote: »

@Raisin sure! All buffed up and with food I’m hitting 57-59k health. 18.5k magicka, 9.9k stamina. Resistances at 26 and 24k

Stamina is only used for breakfree and interrupting.

Magicka hasn’t been too much of issue because I rotate with heavy attacks, but if I run inner fire I’ll probably need more. The problem with that though is so many abilities are based off of max health. So if I do that my self heals are less, and my shields are less effective, and I would have to block way more instead of focusing on the rotation.

Biggest problem I’m having is how hard you get hit by stuff. Our self heal is so weak compared to other classes when you need health immediately back that second. It makes it hard to sustain any rotation when multiple enemies are trying to stun you while a another enemy 1-2 shots you. It feels like i need a lot more damage mitigation

That's almost to 60k! Incredible. I'm no tank expert, but I believe in dungeons tanks usually have more like 40k? You are right that your build does rely a lot on the health of course, so you may be correct about wanting to aim higher than others. But at almost 60k health, your Polar Wind heal should also be really strong.
As someone else said, warden tanks actually have a noticably strong self-heal, and that's with lower health. From my experience of dealing with them, we always said that they seem to lack mitigation, but have strong healing. I don't know enough to say why that experience is different from yours though.
When you're talking about stamina, what about block (realized you have double frost staff so that part is moot)] and roll dodge? I think Warden tanks may be better off roll dodging some things that a DK tank usually blocks. With your high health, low stamina, and the way you're taking about taking damage, it sounds a bit like you may just be eating a lot of damage that you're not supposed to be taking -- rather than actively mitigating it. I'm gonna cautiously say that that would be a bit of 'lazy tanking', assuming that you may be avoiding actually learning how to actually play your tank by hiding behind the high health. Correct me if I'm wrong here of course. Would be interested to hear what kind of enemies are 1-2 shotting you, for example.
That said, I don't think has mentioned CP yet -- being low CP is very hard on tanks, especially if you're doing bet content. It's raw resistances and self-heal strength that you're missing on lower CP.

VaranisArano

Unit117 wrote: »

@VaranisArano is your build able to do all content? If so would you mind sharing it so I can try it?

Nope, it couldn't - or at least, I didn't try. It was a nightblade I decided to try out Ice staff tanking with, nothing special. I just thought I'd throw out my solution to the heavy attack issue, because I also experienced some frustration with the slowness of heavy attacks.