Build for sustain

worrallj

I hate dying and I hate running out of resources. What class in general is best at keeping high resources and staying power? Any build recommendations? I don't want to go full tank but I'd prefer to err on the side of too tanky not enough damage than the other way around.

Also, are all builds pretty much vampires these days? Everyone raves about the undeath passive.

Janni

I think every class can build for sustain but they all do it in different ways. I've noticed that simply having high recovery is usually not enough to allow me to sustain and it relies much more on passives that reduce costs or return resources on certain events. In the end though, it's really really easy to get sources of weapon and spell damage though so don't fret about running three recovery glyphs or a set that gives recovery if you need it.

But for a specific example to give... I think right now I find running the charged trait on my frontbar weapon(s) for my DK with lots of sources of poison from skills, weapon enchantments, and weapon poisons is REALLY good to the point that I don't even bother with recovery glyphs on her. This is entirely due to the passive that returns stamina when the poison status is applied. The same can be done with charged and sources of burning for magika.

divnyi

Sorcs have best sustain ability of all the classes.

DRTE

Stat management depending on class. Heavy attacks are your friend, don't be afraid to use them when you need.
Building sustain is nice but you usually loose out on damage and in pvp burst is best. Kill before you get killed.
When i build i try to find a balance but start with max recovery and work in dmg till it feels like i can sustain and do dmg without running out too quick.
Its generally about knowing your class and how/when to use skills and what buffs your class has to give to keep you going.
Sets also play a roll but also look at things like passives for armor weights as they also give sustain. all things like that are considered when putting together a pvp build that actually works when you're caught with your pants down and no one to save you/keep you alive.
Best advice i can give is make mistakes, build and rebuild again, find how you like to play. Copy/pasta builds don't work for everyone.

SkaraMinoc

Mag Sorc with Dark Conversion and Torc of Tonal Constancy will last you a very long time.

Udrath

For no-cp/bgs I go with stamina/magicka reduction glyph aleast one. Smokey bear haunch or jewel of misrule, and depending the class the atronach or serpent. Templar and nightblade have great recovery. Rune gives like 480 recovery every 2 seconds while the buff is up, and nightblade has siphoning strikes and a nice passive.

Kwoung

I have only 650-700ish sustain in Cyro because I value my other stats more, and almost never have issues. I just use draining poisons on the back bar and move out of the mix to do some heavy attacks, and back in I go. From my experience only pure support roles really need sustain, and for them it is quite high, like 2500-3000+ so they can non-stop spam whatever it is they need to.

Larcomar

I'd say a stamcro or maybe a stamden. The stamcro is very tanky to start, gets alot of passive heals over time + mortal coil gives stam back. The warden gets resources back off the netch (note plaguebreak) and can attack off the stam pool but heal off his mag pool. With a dual resource sustain set / food / torque he can keep going a long time like that.

For added staying power, instead of running 1 defense set + 1 offsensive set, try a defense set + a sustain set. I still use bonepirate (yes Im a luddite) on my stamcro. for dual restore, eternal vigor still works but wretched vitality is backbarrable. You can still get OK damage with say a sharpened maul fb and infused wpn dmg enchants.

And, yes vamp stage 3 gives you a lot of tankiness - synergises well with pariah. Some of the cp like sustained by suffering can help a lot too.