Warden is my least favorite class... fun tips?

bathynomusESO

Warden is my least favorite class. I have a bear that just runs around randomly. I've tried the healer route, but I can do more with just a restoration staff. Frost skills seem limited, didn't seem to help much except for maybe tanking. A few minor buffs for support. I'd delete my Warden, except for the dailies that I use it for. What could I do to make it fun?

daim

Dark convergence. Although it works for every aoe build ;P

ixthUA

Fester infestation: +5% damage taken.
Deep fissure: -6000 resistances, aoe.
Blue betty: (self) restores mana, removes debuffs, +20% weapon and spell damage.
Enchanted growth: +15% mana and stamina recovery.
Maturation: +10% max health.
Expansive frost cloak: +6000 physical and spell resistance.
If you are doing normal dungeons these buffs aren't really needed, but they are useful in veteran versions.

Stx

I'm not sure. It seems like you just really don't like the class.

You could make it a vampire and dual wield front bar using the vamp spammable. It does a lot of damage on warden.

phaneub17_ESO

Casual play? Non-competitive builds.

Magicka: Diamond's Victory + Frostbite + Iceheart.
Winter's Revenge, Wall of Frost, Frost Reach, Betty Netch, Birds of Prey, Northern Storm.
Fetcher Infection, Consuming Trap, Structured Entropy, Lotus Blossom, Arctic Blast, Ice Comet.

Stamina
Subterranean Assault, Growing Swarm, Acid Spray, Bull Netch, Birds of Prey, BEAR!!

newtinmpls

First question: what do you like to do?
For me, I like to heal and tank - I'm not so hot at high DPS, and I don't like long waits in line for the Undaunteds.

Both of my Wardens are healers, and on both at least one bar is basically "resto staff + Orbs from the undaunted line". I find that works fine for me - after all that's the same "back bar" for my NP healer.

Sets that I like for Warden Healers:
Lamia - gives the Forest/Healing ulti an extra slam of heals/resource regen. I pretty much only use this set on Warden Healers.
Spell Power Cure (on any healer) - make sure to be generous with combat prayer if you are using this, as they overlap nicely.
Sanctuary (on any healer)
Healer's Habit - Templars have minor mending easily - Wardens do not (um...unless that's changed - correct me if I'm wrong). It's bind on equip (or at least it was) so you should be able to get it at guild stores.

Everest_Lionheart

It my favourite honestly and although I am spec for stam DPS it’s a bit of a hybrid with a vMA inferno backbar. From bar I run a 2H battle axe. I also can run Catalyst on this build with a vMA inferno staff. It’s the kind of a build you can mix/match a few skills and sets here and there and tweak it into your own. Here is a link to the 106K parse. It’s quite easy to use.

https://gamerdvr.com/gamer/chef-ref-77/video/143508074

varndsen

As someone said above: I think it matters what you want to do. I much prefer a fun theme-based build, myself, and so I have a combo DPS/healer who has mainly frost-based sets. Perhaps the problem you're having with Warden is that there aren't a lot of different frost-based sets, so it's hard to embrace the theme.

I use Ysgramor's (straight frost dmg buff), Winterborn (from Maelstrom, it gives a fun "ice spike" that does AOE + movement debuff), and Iceheart monster set (which gives you both a dmg shield + an AOE frost dmg that pulses from your character). None of those sets are *that* hard to get (Winterborn is probably the most annoying to farm). With the Lotus Blessing skill and Blue Betty I can passively heal a normal dungeon/trial while doing DPS and occasionally dropping a Combat Prayer or AOE heal of some kind when needed; I use a frost staff + resto staff. With vet content I am usually a healer so I have to focus more on laying down healing rather than DPS, but the fact I can do both is kinda nice.

The thing I like best is the procs on procs ! It feels like a fast-moving, pretty high damaging (I can one-shot 32k enemies about half the time, based on crits), decent crowd controlling kind of build that has built-in dmg shield and plenty of heals. I haven't unlocked the Ice Comet ulti from Mage's Guild yet but I think that will add a fun frosty ka-boom to the character!

ESO_Nightingale

varndsen wrote: »

As someone said above: I think it matters what you want to do. I much prefer a fun theme-based build, myself, and so I have a combo DPS/healer who has mainly frost-based sets. Perhaps the problem you're having with Warden is that there aren't a lot of different frost-based sets, so it's hard to embrace the theme.

I use Ysgramor's (straight frost dmg buff), Winterborn (from Maelstrom, it gives a fun "ice spike" that does AOE + movement debuff), and Iceheart monster set (which gives you both a dmg shield + an AOE frost dmg that pulses from your character). None of those sets are *that* hard to get (Winterborn is probably the most annoying to farm). With the Lotus Blessing skill and Blue Betty I can passively heal a normal dungeon/trial while doing DPS and occasionally dropping a Combat Prayer or AOE heal of some kind when needed; I use a frost staff + resto staff. With vet content I am usually a healer so I have to focus more on laying down healing rather than DPS, but the fact I can do both is kinda nice.

The thing I like best is the procs on procs ! It feels like a fast-moving, pretty high damaging (I can one-shot 32k enemies about half the time, based on crits), decent crowd controlling kind of build that has built-in dmg shield and plenty of heals. I haven't unlocked the Ice Comet ulti from Mage's Guild yet but I think that will add a fun frosty ka-boom to the character!

ysgram is really bad compared to frostbite, you'd at least want to swap it to frostbite.

Syrpynt

I have been bored with the lack of weapon options, but they're better than forcing the same class abilities for builds imo.

My Stamwarden is DW/DW with Maelstrom+Master's daggers, Relequen (because my element is Wind), and [another light attack set]. I don't care much for parses, but my character seems to take stuff down fast enough to not get complaints in dungeon runs so oh well.

I like my warden because I like nature and wind magic. That's literally my only reasoning for playing the class.

My Cons for Warden:

• I hate the choices for creatures in the summons skill line.
• The "Healing wind" spell is under the frost skill line and not nature magic stuffs.

Larcomar

This stuff is all v personal, but I kind of get where you're coming from. I tried warden, wanted to set him up as a frost mage but just didn't get along with it. Seemed pretty sub par and the whole flowers / mushrooms / ice theme was meh.

My solution was to turn him stam, give him 2 hander and a bow. It's a bit generic - it's kind of my solution to any class I don't much like - but works well. Tooling around, he makes a nice ranger type; shalks synergises really well with bombard, focused aim is decent single target and the bear will finish anything still alive off.

Dungeons, 2h weapon line has everything you could possibly want and is very satisfying to use - buff with rally, drop endless hail, then charge in with stampede, swing your blade round in an arc a cpl of times to take the mobs down a bit and get a shield up, then uppercut the boss guy before finishing him off with an overhead reverse slice. Can't go wrong...

bathynomusESO

I mostly do random dungeons, non-vet, for now. I decided to try tanking again. The resists are really nice. Seems to be working well. I may have to try out another healer build too.

Ippokrates

Few patches ago I was running Stamden with Aegis Caller. Mainly because bugs were able to proc it on distance XD

BloodyStigmata

Frost DPS is fun, but it's a hard knock life. Right now we don't have a lot of viable frost damage skills so we mix in our animal companion abilities. We also don't have an execute at all (I don't count the bear attack as a viable execute) and our only good ultimate is Ice Comet. I dunno if it sounds like its for you, but you could try it.

Currently I'm using vDSA/vMA front/backbar setup with frostbite and mother's sorrow as my two 5-piece sets. it's working fine for me, although I'm thinking about just foregoing crit rate altogether and putting Icy Conjuror back on instead of MS with update 32, just because I miss my combat wraith.

ESO_Nightingale

BloodyStigmata wrote: »

Frost DPS is fun, but it's a hard knock life. Right now we don't have a lot of viable frost damage skills so we mix in our animal companion abilities. We also don't have an execute at all (I don't count the bear attack as a viable execute) and our only good ultimate is Ice Comet. I dunno if it sounds like its for you, but you could try it.

Currently I'm using vDSA/vMA front/backbar setup with frostbite and mother's sorrow as my two 5-piece sets. it's working fine for me, although I'm thinking about just foregoing crit rate altogether and putting Icy Conjuror back on instead of MS with update 32, just because I miss my combat wraith.

Right now we're running slimecraw+kilt, Frostbite body, infal/false god jewels, vDSA frost frontbar and vMA frost backbar. Parses fairly well but still worse overall than double fire.

But the problem remains with an utter lack of frost damage skills especially in warden's rotational kit. Frost Shalks is a necessity at this point in order to help Frost DPS gain more support via aoe brittle proc, and bonus damage while wearing frostbite, all while not noticibly increasing regular magden's damage.

bathynomusESO

I've changed my mind on Wardens. It's become my highest DPS class with the AOEs, DOTs and more. Averaging 12k bosses, AOE mobs for 34k+. I only have purple gear currently, normal dungeons.

ESO_Nightingale

bathynomusESO wrote: »

I've changed my mind on Wardens. It's become my highest DPS class with the AOEs, DOTs and more. Averaging 12k bosses, AOE mobs for 34k+. I only have purple gear currently, normal dungeons.

Why are you using expansive frost cloak?

mocap

try tank-dd build. Though Sorc is best of the best for it (including tank+dd+healer 3in1 build).
try pvp

Warden skill animation is super annoying once you cast them 9000 times - all that trees, birds, mashrums are irritating. Sorc's Hurricane, Bound Arnaments, Crystal Weapon, Dark Convergence Dark Deal are way pleasing to the eye for a long journey.

aurelius_fx

been trying to figure the stamina healer meme

bathynomusESO

ESO_Nightingale wrote: »

Why are you using expansive frost cloak?

Group resistances

ESO_Nightingale

bathynomusESO wrote: »

ESO_Nightingale wrote: »

Why are you using expansive frost cloak?

Group resistances

You're a dps, that's not really your job. You could put any weapon skill there for more damage. Stampede/carve/executioner, poison injection, rending slashes/whirling blades/deadly cloak.

These would all help increase your dps.

buttaface

Warden can be boring. Going to do this after the set changes in the new patch (crit procs and spell/weapon damage and crit added to most sets) for my funsy warden tank/dps hybrid for non vet dlc and lower. It was an ult gen build with potentates back, shalks and heartland conqueror and works great at that, but not fun enough. This is guaranteed to amaze and confuse newbies in low base game dungeons.

5 Defiler on body (is medium set) with health enchants, Mad Tinkerer (light set) precise ice staff front bar with berserker glyph, and triune jewelry with all magicka dmg, Maw of Infernal Monster set, Maelstrom infused crusher 2h back (IIRC the MA 2h proc, but not the base Stampede works with either higher spell or weapon dmg). Both of those sets have lots of crit lines to get more crit procs.

Tinker around with glyphs and stats to get whatever health you need. Mine will be all magicka with maybe a couple of health glyphs. Tri Stat food with Ice heavies for

Back Stampede, Winter's Revenge (I like the ranged version to hit two different packs sometimes, one with the stampede and one with the winter), Ice Fortress, Arctic Wind either morph, Flex Ult... Warhorn, Northern Storm, etc.
Front Deep Fissure, Frost Clench, Magic Netch, Bird of Prey, Magelight, Flawless Dawnbreaker.

You can do an ice staff back and use blockade for infused crusher, but wont be near as much fun.

Deep Fissure-swap- Winter Revenge-Stampede, taunt/debuff with Frost Clench as needed, keep Shalk and Frost clench up for breach, minor/major maim and brittle.

When the Shalks, Fabricant, Hunger, Daedroth go off together into packs, PUGS may actually run away in awe and terror, or at least be amused.

Larcomar

bathynomusESO wrote: »

I've changed my mind on Wardens. It's become my highest DPS class with the AOEs, DOTs and more. Averaging 12k bosses, AOE mobs for 34k+. I only have purple gear currently, normal dungeons.

Gold your weps assuming they're cp160. It makes a big difference. Golding the rest makes a marginal difference.

Wardens prob my favorite character to tank RNDs on. I run mine in pvp gear - pariah and EV, 2h / snb. Really tanky, loads of stamina to leash things in etc and surprisingly good aoe and stdps

El_Borracho

Be a tank. The CC"s and group heals/support are perfect for dungeons.

Jackey

I'm currently building a Frost dot build. Needs more testing but so far so good.

Ippokrates

aurelius_fx wrote: »

been trying to figure the stamina healer meme

Tried it too, it was great balance between healing, dps & sustain support.

Run in Gourmet + Coldharbour Favourite on front (bow), Vateshran Resto on back and Sentinel Monster.

On front had DD stuff - Cliff Racer, Bugs, Flies, Netch & one slot in reserve for dmg/def + cheap Green Ulti.

On back, Resto Syphon, Fungus, Vigor, Lotus and also one slot in reserve for healing/shielding + Resto Ulti with Major Force.

Worked quite well even in Vet Dungs & normal Trials. Some team members really liked those Sweetroles ^^

Araneae6537

I’ve had difficulty liking warden as much as sorcerer, nightblade and templar. I haven’t played dragonknight as much yet and generally don’t care for classes with transformations, sprouting stuff out of your back, etc., but usually in games I like to play casters of various description followed by rangers or rogues depending on the game’s mechanics. So I thought I’d really like warden.

I love playing healers, but somehow the warden healer kit hasn’t clicked with me, although the movement based ones can be fun and useful in PVP. Maybe they’d be even more fun and useful in PVE if there was a morph of vines to yank people out of aoe! Such a think would have to only work on group members, obviously, or the trolling would be terrible! But seriously, I prefer templar and even necro for PVE healing as I want to have access to a burst heal. Of course Plan A is keeping up the buffs and hots, etc. but when there’s an oops that doesn’t one-shot someone, I want that burst heal to get them back closer to full fast — it’s also a very satisfying feeling as a healer, at least for me.

Now with the animal companion line, I like the Morrowind theme of most of the abilities, but then you have the bear, which has nothing to do with Morrowind whatsoever. It doesn’t seem particularly useful either, the rare times I’ve grudgingly slotted it. Fissure would be great but that delay… Maybe I need to use it more strategically? Too often it seems the fight has moved on, the enemy died of old age, before the cast hits…

So frost… I would like to make an ice mage and while too many of the abilities look solely made for tanks, there are some DPS options… It doesn’t feel as hard hitting so far as other warden builds I’ve tried, but maybe with Frostbite and if I can keep the enemy chilly…

And that leads to some of the general problems I have with warden — it feels like three entirely different things: healing plants, animal dps, frost tank. With classes like sorc and nightblade, there are purely tank or heal skill lines but rather morphs that are optimal and I dig that. Too many morphs are stam versus mag version with little to mo difference in what they actually do and that strikes me as lazy and boring. There should be morphs of plant abilities that snare, maybe poison, maybe an animal companion ability with a taunt morph, and more viable frost dps options (although frost is always the odd one out here, like trying to combine a cryomancer with the nature abilities… maybe could work but it has always felt fragmented to me).

So warden remains a class I really want to find a version of that works for me… I will probably try a tank but I’d also like to find a dps build that feels good to me.

LittlePinkDot

bathynomusESO wrote: »

Warden is my least favorite class. I have a bear that just runs around randomly. I've tried the healer route, but I can do more with just a restoration staff. Frost skills seem limited, didn't seem to help much except for maybe tanking. A few minor buffs for support. I'd delete my Warden, except for the dailies that I use it for. What could I do to make it fun?

Stamina Warden is better than mag

Stannum

So about wardens DDs
Stamden = best class for bow\bow build. Slot on frontbar animal skill + camohunter all of them gives you +% dmg bonus. Cliffracer spamming from distance applies stacking bleading. On backbar bow dots+ light trap + caltrops. Put dots, the front bar swarm bugs cliff spamming with light weaving all from distance.
Magden: Since frostbite set appeares frostmage DD become real. Can apply tonns of AoE frost DoTs with lightnig staff front bar (for AoE destro dmg) anf frost staff backbar (clench and wall). And you are have good sirvival as keep self heal all the time and also shield if you re using iceheart monster.

newtinmpls

Stamina healer...that's one i have not yet tried

Araneae6537

newtinmpls wrote: »

Stamina healer...that's one i have not yet tried

I have a friend who played one really well!