Help me pick a stamina class for Alliance PvP

Araneae6537

I’m not going necromancer, werewolf nor vampire for thematic reasons. Ideally, I would like to focus on weapon, alliance and fighter’s guild abilities, complemented by class abilities and passives. I don’t like monstrous abilities — transformations, spikes or bones sprouting out of my character’s back, etc. so dragonknight might not be the best choice for me and it is the class I am least familiar with. The other classes I have played, but mostly magicka sorc and warden in PvP. Thematically, I would lean toward templar, but I’m thinking that wouldn’t be the best choice if I don’t want to focus on Aedric spear abilities. Nightblade could potentially work but are they sub optimal if I’m not looking to bomb, snipe or gank?

If it matters for selection, I would mostly be playing this character in CP Cyrodill and maybe IC. Race will be Imperial. I don’t need to be BiS, but I don’t want to be useless or super squishy. If all my “I don’t likes” have eliminated every useful option, feel free to tell me that too!

dcmgti

Warden

stamden with crimson, alessian and malacath.......

LightYagami

Warden

Generally speaking, Stamdens are far better than other classes in PvP, that why you meet so many Stamdens in Cyrodiil.

High health, high burst, high sustain, ranged, free purge free sustain buff free regen from one slot: netch.

I have a strong stamden PvP alt at CP1000s. I just don't play this toon often because I don't prefer the nature theme.

Araneae6537

Warden it is then! Thematically, I like the idea of a ranger, which might ideally be some combination of warden, nightblade and fighter’s guild abilities, but warden will fit my character concept I think and I must say I enjoy a class with some resilience and resources too.

I think I will go with Malacath and I will check out Alessian, but I have a particular dislike of Crimson Twilight and similarly overtuned proc sets. But by the time I have them leveled, things may be rebalanced and there will be new sets to consider too.

fred4

You've more or less ruled out DK, NB and necro. I'd rule out stamplar, because I think it is neither easy to play nor inherently tanky, unless perhaps you check out the build Kristofer ESO has been running lately on YouTube. Of the two remaining choices sorc is faster, but squishier, warden is slower, but tankier. That's why so many people voted warden. I guess they have it right.

I personally prefer mobility-based playstyles and don't like how the warden class plays. It is rotation-heavy, predictable, slow and boring to me. My personal choice would be stamsorc. Higher fun factor and better for solo play, though less meta.

Araneae6537

fred4 wrote: »

You've more or less ruled out DK, NB and necro. I'd rule out stamplar, because I think it is neither easy to play nor inherently tanky, unless perhaps you check out the build Kristofer ESO has been running lately on YouTube. Of the two remaining choices sorc is faster, but squishier, warden is slower, but tankier. That's why so many people voted warden. I guess they have it right.

I personally prefer mobility-based playstyles and don't like how the warden class plays. It is rotation-heavy, predictable, slow and boring to me. My personal choice would be stamsorc. Higher fun factor and better for solo play, though less meta.

You have a point, although I was open to the options of dragonknight, templar or nightblade if my impression of the class or their utility in PvP was mistaken. As it happens, I do have a fully leveled stam sorc which I am experimenting with to find a build and play style that I like. Now creating a stam warden Imperial and a stam dragonknight bosmer to level once I’m happy with their names and appearance.

What this poll was for is that I want to create a ranger-type character (Aragorn ) and was stuck between several options and the responses have helped me sort that out at least!

Pauwer

Warden

You can do so many things with stam warden, it's the best imho. Useful in groups, good also in solo.

techyeshic

Warden

If you like using weapon abilities as a spammable, there really is not reason to not go Warden. Unless you love speed and utility over power. Then stamsorc is a lot of fun

LtClungeX

Sorcerer

stam sorc loads of mobility to reset fights and absolutely smacks, you can spec high damage and low sustain because of dark deal, dawnbreaker and physical damage have built in executes mag dk needs this!

I don't like stamden gameplay as much and I find it easy to play around vs one because their burst is predictable.
I'd of said Stam DK as a weapons class + dots+leaps is still the coolest ulti IMO but you don't like spikes haha

If you pvp solo though stam nightblade IMO

LtClungeX

Sorcerer

fred4 wrote: »

You've more or less ruled out DK, NB and necro. I'd rule out stamplar, because I think it is neither easy to play nor inherently tanky, unless perhaps you check out the build Kristofer ESO has been running lately on YouTube. Of the two remaining choices sorc is faster, but squishier, warden is slower, but tankier. That's why so many people voted warden. I guess they have it right.

I personally prefer mobility-based playstyles and don't like how the warden class plays. It is rotation-heavy, predictable, slow and boring to me. My personal choice would be stamsorc. Higher fun factor and better for solo play, though less meta.

This guy has it right!!

Araneae6537

LtClungeX wrote: »

stam sorc loads of mobility to reset fights and absolutely smacks, you can spec high damage and low sustain because of dark deal, dawnbreaker and physical damage have built in executes mag dk needs this!

I don't like stamden gameplay as much and I find it easy to play around vs one because their burst is predictable.
I'd of said Stam DK as a weapons class + dots+leaps is still the coolest ulti IMO but you don't like spikes haha

If you pvp solo though stam nightblade IMO

What weapons do you like for stam sorc? I like the feel of 2H but also have DW, bow and even destro staff leveled too. If not 2H (or besides), what are the primary attacks or spammables? It may be that I just need to learn a different play style to be effective — which is totally cool and part of the fun of having alts of different classes. It took me a bit to get into mag sorc too but now I love it!

While I’ve decided on stam warden for my ranger, I’ve created another character for stam DK for which the idea of transform abilities are more fitting. Maybe that makes no sense to most, but I enjoy most creating and playing characters with certain ideas of who and what they are so it’s important to me that class and concept match.

fred4

Stamsorc really has the widest weapon options. All are IMO viable. I run 2H / bow.

2H first and foremost gives you the best execute, e.g. Executioner / Reverse Slice. It also gives you a burst heal. You can play a stamsorc with Resolving Vigor and Crit Surge only (I do), but you have to be a bit careful and immediately react to ranged attacks in particular, such as Snipe. You may want to pay attention to your health regen too (Eternal Vigor, Troll King, Engine Guardian and so on). Some people use both Rally and Crit Surge, some forgo Crit Surge in favor of Rally only. Lots of possibilities.

Note: I do not regard Dark Deal as a heal. At least it is not an emergency heal. You can be interrupted, particularly with Crushing Shock (fewer people use Venom Arrow). You can't block nor dodge roll when Dark Dealing, because it is a channel. It is basically only useful as a heal once you have streaked out of range or behind some obstacle.

Furthermore, with 2H, you have these options:

(A) The conventional meta build: Dizzying Swing as a spammable. Vateshran 2H and Crystal Weapon for burst.

(B) The Master's Brawler build. I currently run this. Easy to play against not so good players, but you must have a Master's 2H. See below video.

(C) The annoying gap closer build: Combine Crit Surge with Crit Rush (THAT morph, not Stampede) and a Maelstrom 2H. Use Crit Rush as a spammable that heals you, guaranteed. The least effective build, but can be fun to play and still does more damage than you'd think.

I use a bow on the back bar for the movement speed from dodge rolling and because opening with a bow from range and thereby activating the back bar enchant plays nicely. The alternative for the back bar is 1H + Shield. In particular this gives you Pierce Armor for a ton of penetration that sorc otherwise lacks. Of course 1H + Shield is also just tankier. You may play around with Defensive Stance and the Spell Wall ultimate. However note that I slot the sorc atro on the back bar and Bound Armaments on the front bar for the regeneration passives from that skill line. If you have room for it, consider Master's 1H + Shield, which gives you a good heal from Pierce Armor.

Dual-wield on the front bar is also viable on stamsorc due to getting Major Brutality from Crit Surge and due to that skill being a good heal. Blood Craze / Rending Slashes is probably a must. Whirlwind for the execute and general potato-killing ability. I am not an expert on dual-wield playstyles, so I'll leave it there.

There may be other options. I don't really think a bow main weapon would suit a stamsorc (go stamblade for that), mainly due to the fact that fighting in melee range more reliably activates Crit Surge via Hurricane. Dual-wield was once popular on the back bar, when Blackrose dual-wield Major Protection was a stronger effect. I don't really think people do that anymore.

As regards DK, if you're open to it, then I think it is a more fun and easier to play class than warden. This may be personal bias ... and the spikes are a must (Volatile or Hardened Armor). Warden is meta right now (high health, Arctic Blast), however I find dotting people up (Venomous Claw, Noxious Breath), then spamming something and waiting for the right time to leap and execute easier to play than coordinating my Subterranean Assault burst. Leap is also less predictable and so satisfying to use. Your burst combo is simpler, consisting of leap and execute only, though you can (and probably should) be a bit more elaborate by incorporating a Vateshran medium attack. Leap is an opportunistic skill. Much like a nightblade might strike a vulnerable target out of nowhere, a DK can cast their eye around and instantly leap and execute someone, if they have ultimate ready and the target is in gap closer range. Wardens can't do that. They don't have the range nor the instant readiness of their burst combo. I guess they might get close with a gap closer, but few seem to slot that on warden.

Anyhow, stamsorc footage here. Build in YouTube video description. In CP I change out Eternal Vigor for Ravager (while it lasts):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VniS3OdmC6k

Larcomar

Warden

I can only give you my experience but maybe helpful - my stamcro feels super tanky, easily best for charging a breach; sorc feels like a good skirmisher, very fast with good damage; stamden feels like the best balance, just good all round damage, mobility, tankyness and healing. Stamblade is great but really only works as a gank type - stealth is great (when it works) but much squishier than the other toons head to head. My stamdk just felt weak and I converted him to a magdk in the end. Never played stamplar.

Luckylancer

Sorcerer

Sorc are fast. They are realy usefull with negate and streak (big aoe stun). Imperial will be the best race for sorc because sorcs heavly relly on both mag and stam. Stamsorc's class skills rarely deal damage and they just support your build. Ideal one for you.

You can play kristofer's stamplar build. Check it out. Other stamplars wont check your list.

A classic stamblade build needs to be nimble to survive. So you can learn how to be elusive by trial and error. When you are not, you are dead. Nightblades are bit weaker these days tho. Just play them if you like the style and gameplay.

Other classes are not fast. Dk defends for a period, put some dotts, deal damage and end up with leap+execute. Warden have delayed burs skill. You buff up, cast aoe skill and apply dots, dizzy swing and cast dawnbreaker after 6 seconds after you cast aoe dot. But these are non meta and regular play styles. This patch you just build tanky and procs kill enemies.