Arcanist build question

Petoften

I'm wanting to get gear for my arcanist, who is at 50/1000.

I pictured the class as being very magic based, with a staff; but guides usually seem to say go stamina, and daggers. Ick.

For playing, I'm mostly looking for 'good', but solo/dungeon play; it'd be nice to be able to do some trial decently, once in a while.

Is there a build like that that makes sense? I can craft or take him to dungeons for gear.

I haven't really looked at his combat options, and mostly use fatecarver. I don't use a backbar or much 'rotation'.

Zodiarkslayer

A Magicka Arcanist is a viable SOLO option. The reason why all guides say Stamina is best is the for the bonuses of medium armor to weapon damage, the sustain that this makes more easy and obviously that Cephaliarches Flail is a stamina morph and can generate crux rather than cunsume it, which the magicka morph (Tentacular Dread) does. Stamina is just better for group content, because your Penetration comes from other sources and you can fully comit to weapon damage. When you are alone, that's a completely different story.

I can give you my MagArc build which really hits hard and has a high level of survival. I already swapped out the skills for next patch, because I am going to subclass Soldier of Apocrypha out and use Restoring Light instead. And Entropy is a placeholder for Ulfsild's Contingency. I already tested that build on the PTS and it's fantastic, even though it is a Mages Guild "themed build". You could swap out two frontbar abilities for the respective Fighter's Guild abilities and have even more damage, too.

For this patch (U45) just use the Cruxweaver Armor and any heal from Curative Runeforms skill line that you are comfy with (I like both Reconstructive Domain and Evolving Runemend).
I like it simple and not having to track procsets or complicated rotations makes this build a breeze. So I will always keep Deadly Strike and Order's Wrath. A one piece Slimecraw and the Velothi-Ur Amulet to round up this build.

This let's me completely focus on the abilities and the fight itself. Which is great for any fight in ESO. There is always so much going on in Boss fights, that you really have to pay attention to. It is noticably easier with this build.

El_Borracho

Arcanist is better to play stamina but that does not make it a traditional "stamina" build. As you can see in the skills, they are primarily based on what is your higher or lower resource pool for damage. In reality, the skills do not change. Stamina is just easier to play and sustain.

I play a stamina Arc with Ansuul's + Deadly Strike + Velothis, like a lot of other PVE group builds out there. Or go with Coral Riptide + Deadly. Or go Deadly + Nirn. The PVE group build is going to be just fine in most solo content because the base build is very tanky for a DD. If you are looking for a long run in IA, then you will have to go for a tankier Arc build.

As for weapons, I run daggers on the front bar and a VMA flame staff on the back bar

Petoften

Thank you for the replies. I see it won't be too simple. From google I assume vma staff is from a trial? Can that or an easier staff be ok for a main weapon instead of daggers?

CP5

Despite using stamina, my own arcanist uses a shock staff. It works well even in vet dungeons, not the peak of what can be done but still very usable and effective. I'd say for gear you're mostly just worried about getting the Deadly Strikes set for whatever weapon you'll be beaming with, as well as the Velothi amulet, since those two will give you a lot of damage. When trying to do hard mode fights, I even resort to using overland defensive sets like Hexos Ward or Briarheart to give survivability if needed alongside Deadly Strikes, and while the VMA staff (which comes from a solo arena) is a powerful weapon to use on your back bar it isn't something you should lose sleep over.

Weapons that modify weapon skills are normally used on the back bar to provide special buffs when you aren't using a separate 5-piece set on your back bar, but it really isn't needed unless you're trying to push into much higher content and need that edge, so you could even just use a deadly back bar weapon, or any weapon with an infused trait and an 'increase weapon damage' enchantment.

tsaescishoeshiner

The main benefit of being a Stamina Arcanist is using Abyssal Impact as your spammable, which deals AoE damage, heals you, and adds a nice debuff. Easy to use for a more casual player, more damage for an optimizer. Technically, you can use it on a Magicka Arcanist, too, you just need to be able to sustain it.

If you prefer Runeblades, which is single-target and a bit snappier, mag and stam can both use it. (Runeblades changes cost based on your highest max resource, but not Abyssal Impact, which always costs Stamina.)

My Arcanist uses daggers frontbar and a flame staff backbar—that setup works for either Magicka or Stamina Arcanists, as well as lightning staff/flame staff. The main difference is some DoTs, whether you use Abyssal Impact or Runeblades, and if you can sustain without heavy attacks.

I still think of my arcanist as a mage—he uses conjured daggers, anyway. Whatever your prefer.

Petoften

It's a little confusing that Deadly Strike is highly recommended, but listed as PvP.

Can a Deadly Strike staff be used instead of daggers, and what other pieces are recommended, how many? Jewelry?

Petoften

When I see 'spammables' of Abyssal Impact or Runeblades, I wonder where fatecarver fits into that, since I kind of like its easy use and other things. Is it part of attacks, or suggested not to use it? I mostly use it now.

Zodiarkslayer

Petoften wrote: »

When I see 'spammables' of Abyssal Impact or Runeblades, I wonder where fatecarver fits into that, since I kind of like its easy use and other things. Is it part of attacks, or suggested not to use it? I mostly use it now.

It is the way you use Fatecarver. Spamm Runeblades or Flail until you have 3 active crux (the green things swirling around your character). Then use Fatecarver to consume these and get double damage out of Fatecarver.

If you only sporadically generate crux, you miss out on a lot of damage. Maybe you have been playing the class wrong all along?

Petoften wrote: »

It's a little confusing that Deadly Strike is highly recommended, but listed as PvP.

Do not be confused. If you have a piece of equipment, use it how you want. There are no restrictions.
When someone says: "This is a PVP set!", it means the set is sourced from PvP, not only useable in PvP.

Petoften wrote: »

Can a Deadly Strike staff be used instead of daggers, and what other pieces are recommended, how many? Jewelry?

Absolutely. In a lot of use cases a staff is even better.
I use a piece of Deadly Strike armour on the chest, the legs and one ring. Together with a Lightning Staff, I have my 5 pieces.

Especially in SOLO, you want to be able to control the distance to your enemy. Daggers are quite restricting in that regard. With a staff, you can kite and evade more easily, without loosing damage.

mdjessup4906

You can get maelstrom arena flame staff on normal too. Almost no difference in performance.

Petoften

mdjessup4906 wrote: »

You can get maelstrom arena flame staff on normal too.

If I do that, is it pat of a set to get, or a standalone item to use? Would that mean 4 (or 3) items of another set instead of 5?

Vonnegut2506

It's a standalone item. You could do 5-5-2 with the flame staff counting as the 2, or you can use the staff on one bar and complete one of the 5 sets on the other bar; there are lots of mix and match options to get two complete sets.

Petoften

I went to cyrodil for deadly strike, and there were some nice people who helped and I got a bunch. Any suggestions on enchants and traits for them, which slots are best if it matters (beside the lightning staff)?

Petoften

So, deadly strike and order's wrath are said to be two good sets, figuring out 10 slots to use. That leaves two, which could be a monster set or something else - that flame staff could be two, but not sure if it's needed if I use deadly strike staff.

Petoften

Another recommended set is Pillar of Nirn...

mdjessup4906

Petoften wrote: »

I went to cyrodil for deadly strike, and there were some nice people who helped and I got a bunch. Any suggestions on enchants and traits for them, which slots are best if it matters (beside the lightning staff)?

Set your traits, skills, enchants up like this and you be able to do anything in the game, literally. Ignore the highland Sentinel, this is from a parse. If you dont have nirnhorned, use charged and precise for front bar. Banner ia optional but nice. Slot more damage or some utility skills in its place if you want.
If your in a dungeon languid on both front and back bar helps with penetration. In trials you shouldn't need to. For solo, get pale order ring or slot a heal and/or shield there's several to choose from.
Pragmatic fatecarver is also great for dungeons, solo and is honestly my favorite morph. I only change it when im told to for a raid.

Cp, take exploier off and use (the other raw damage one i can't remember what's called lol) instead. Or fighting finesse if your crit damage is still under cap for some reason.

mdjessup4906

BTW none of this has to change for next patch besides 1 cp (slot the direct damage one instead of the dot one) and dont use runecarver or axureblight with beam because it doesn't work anymore. Banner is shocking instead of fire too.

With those adjustments im actually parsing higher on pts on pure arc than live...

mdjessup4906

Petoften wrote: »

Another recommended set is Pillar of Nirn...

Pillar is ok but functionally single target, which means you lose alot of damage if it procs on the wrong thing. If you dont have a trial set like ansuls or coral (both which can also be gotten on normal btw) have someone craft you some orders wrath for 2nd set. That's the best set for arc (and any class, i think) that's not from a trial or deadly

Petoften

OK, I need to look some things up like banner. I can make Order's wrath. In terms of slots, I have deadly lightning staff, (arbitrary pick over inferno), jack, belt, bracer, guards (and rings)...

I also have head/shoulders but am guessing those should be monster set?

That would leave jewelry and feet and one of the above slots for Order's wrath.

I made one little mistake in equipping the lightning staff before upgrading it, it'll cost a lot more now. But I can upgrade the other items by my crafter and transfer them in the bank. I'll take a look at that sheet with a lot of things...

I noticed abyssal impact doesn't create crux.

Does that make it a bad spammable (or worse than escalating runeblades) for fatecarver?

CP5

You'll just need to morph Abyssal Impact into Cephaliarch's Flail for it to generate crux, then it'll be your main crux generator. With it and Inspired Scholarship active, you'll only really need to use flail twice between each use of fatecarver, less if you pick up the banner skill. Also as a side note, you can still move bound gear in your bank between characters, very few things are character bound, most everything else that's bound is bound to your account, not a specific character.

Petoften

Thanks, and sheesh you're right I forgot I can still transfer the item, even though I remembered I can transfer it the other dfirection.

mdjessup4906

Keep an armory slot empty and you can reset for free too.

Petoften

Abyssal Impact is ready to morph, I would want to pick the majicka version but it looks like only the other one, flail, generates crux?

CP5

Flail will be your crux generator for fatecarver, yes. I'm not the biggest fan of using tentacular dread myself, but apparently next patch you could use runeblades to generate crux and spend them on dread, rather than using flail and cashing out crux on fatecarver, especially if you pick up the Winter's Embrace skill line for bonus frost damage. You can go that route, and honestly changing morphs isn't the worst thing to do, go ahead and build one way and feel free to switch it up later, see which you like more.

Petoften

OK thanks. My main concern is using a stamina skill as the primary attack on a magicka arcanist. Bit it almost sounds like tentacular dread replaces fatearver, since it burns crux instead of adding it.

I'm looking at a pretty awkward 5/5 split between Deadly Strike and Wrath's Embrace based on the random pieces of DS I have. So like DS rings and WE necklace, or a split on armor slots. Should I consider a monster set for head/shoulders?

CP5

Personally? I use the velothi necklace, a deadly staff on the front bar, run a 5 piece set of whatever I want to flex in at all times (often Hexos Ward when I want to survive, otherwise anything that buffs overall damage), and just go with a single monster set piece to make use of the odd gear slot. You can go without the velothi necklace, but it offers so much power if you're using the beam it's hard to not use, but some monster sets can offer fun synergy with the beam, if you went with using two pieces there.

mdjessup4906

Petoften wrote: »

OK thanks. My main concern is using a stamina skill as the primary attack on a magicka arcanist. Bit it almost sounds like tentacular dread replaces fatearver, since it burns crux instead of adding it.

I'm looking at a pretty awkward 5/5 split between Deadly Strike and Wrath's Embrace based on the random pieces of DS I have. So like DS rings and WE necklace, or a split on armor slots. Should I consider a monster set for head/shoulders?

My bars shown is mostly what I run in content too, not just parse. Only difference is I'll slot either caltrops or vigor in place of the mage rune depending on what im doing. Or change banner to aoe if my raid lead says to.

Mag beam arc is harder to keep up than stam. Next patch though supposedly has magic being the easier one. I dont know if that's just for subclassing or not though. My pts parses on pure arc were stam but with regen food.

For sets just fill the gaps in deadly with 5 pcs orders wrath. If you want to eventually use maelstrom arena staff (or gs next patch) then arrange deadly so its active on the front bar. Malestrom is back bar. Velothi amulet is best by far on arc, but if you dont have it yet just put whatever. Another damage mythic or helm set idk what's good anymore though sry.

Also 2 handed weapons (staff, gs) count as 2 set pieces, in case you didn't know.

Petoften

If I wanted to use 4 instead of 5 pieces of a set to use that Velathi amulet, would it be better to use only four Deadly Strikes or Order's Wrath? So, no particularly good monster set, but many to pick from? Is medium armor better than light?

El_Borracho

Petoften wrote: »

If I wanted to use 4 instead of 5 pieces of a set to use that Velathi amulet, would it be better to use only four Deadly Strikes or Order's Wrath? So, no particularly good monster set, but many to pick from? Is medium armor better than light?

Returning to my example, I go full-time 5 pieces of Ansuul's (Body/Rings), 2 Deadly Daggers + 3 Deadly pieces (Body/Rings), Neck is Velothi's, back Bar is VMA staff, one piece of Slimecraw. So you would swap Ansuul's for Order's Wrath. Probably easier to buy purple Deadly rings than waste mats making Order's Wrath rings, but your call.

Deadly is best on front bar and the VMA staff makes up for damage on the back bar with Wall of Elements. For me, Ansuul's damage buff for group PVE is better to have up full time, but others will run Deadly full time. There is no right or wrong to that.

As for monster sets, nothing is better than Velothis for damage on an Arc. Its made for the beam.

Medium armor is now the default for most builds, even mag builds. The passives and the resistances are good. You can get the divines and 5 piece bonuses of light armor for mag builds, but again, Arcs are not pure mag builds. The old build concepts do not apply after hybridization (Medium for stam, light for mag) and definitely do not apply to Arcs.

Zodiarkslayer

I feel like the majority of advice is given with a DPS group role in mind. While I read this:

Petoften wrote: »

...
For playing, I'm mostly looking for 'good', but solo/dungeon play; it'd be nice to be able to do some trial decently, once in a while ...

... as a expression of only sporadically going into group content.

Anyway, ...

Petoften wrote: »

If I wanted to use 4 instead of 5 pieces of a set to use that Velathi amulet, would it be better to use only four Deadly Strikes or Order's Wrath? So, no particularly good monster set, but many to pick from? Is medium armor better than light?

The fifth is the strongest piece. You don't want to miss out on that one.
Mythics are most commonly used instead of a monster set. And that means you will only be able to use the first piece of a monster set or other sets that have a bonus on the first piece, like Trainee gear.
In PvP that's a different story.

Wether you want to use light armor or medium armor depends on having group support or not.
In PvE group content, like Trials, there will be a lot of penetration provided by the tank(s) and healer(s). In that case you want to wear as many pieces of medium armour, as it gets a bonus to weapon damage and crit damage.
But without group support, you will loose a ton of damage, if you cannot penetrate enough of the bosses armour. In that case light armour is the best choice as it gives you 939 penetration per piece.
And obviously, if you play a Magicka focused character, light armor will give you Magicka regeneration. That in turn might be allviated in groups, as the others will be able to provide synergies for you to grab and make use of the Undaunted passives.

It all depends on the context, to be honest.

mdjessup4906

Something to note that alot of players don't seem to understand is even in solo dps is king. And im talking about soloing dungeons, both norm and vet, not just solo arenas or overland stuff, which is far easier comparatively. Especially with the pale order ring, you want to basically be as all in to damage as you can stand, because it works better the more damage you have.
Of course, what "all in" looks like for solo is fairly different than when in a group with real supports.

Penetration wise, arc has the best passives for it out of any class, I think. My basic solo setup is ansul body/runecarver weapons with slimecrawl light shoulder, 5 m/2l. Double bar languid eye, pale order ring, and slot caltrops or ele suss for major breach, and arc armor for minor breach and your basically at pen cap.

This could be more optimized, but its easy to switch for group stuff, just take off the ring and ele suss and now you have a dungeon build. Or leave ele suss on if your tank is bad at keeping it up lol.

Il'l have to find something to replace runecarver Monday though, because it doesn't work on arc anymore.