How to make a good build (need feedback)

Phazzle

Hi all. I had an idea that I thought would be good for newer players looking to put together their first character. I wanted to gather some tips and tricks from experienced players (only players who have played through the main qestline please) on how they put together a build that worked. Not what works about your build, per se, but just some good best practices for putting together a build.

I will make sure to credit everyone who participates in the guide.

Thanks in advance!

-Phaz

Phazzle

I'll kick it off.

Make sure that your build centers around one thing that you do well

For me, it is melee dps. I made sure that I could dps at close range single-target and AOE and everything in my primary build supports that. Spreading your skills too thin and branching out into too many different areas too soon detracts from your overall effectiveness. Make sure that you have an identity!

Liquid_Time

Choose DK or Sorc.

Danarchist

Check out a build calculator and decide ahead of time what you want to have on your bar. I spent so many skill points on skills I never use, and I catch myself regularly respeccing as a new skill I purchased did not work as well as advertised. Respeccing I believe is 100gold per skill point, which means at 22 its around 6k gold. Plan ahead, save your money. Buy enough abilities to level the skill line up then invest in passives.

Also, put everything into health and then just buy enchantments for your armor to buff stamina/magika up.

Phazzle

Thanks Danarchist.

Feimerdre

Planning a character:
a) center you build around some keyskills
b) wear all three armortypes early to level all trees equally. you will make use of passives much later, better have all options then.
c) make an alt if you want to craft low levels or you will use skillpoints for crafting skills
d) collect every skyshard in every area (maybe get the skyshards addon for your map to aid you)
e) find out early if you are better with range or close combat and do not mix up too much with weapons to get your main skill trees leveling fast
f) try to have 1 or 2 skills on your quickbar you are just leveling even if you do not use them in combat. some skills shine later in the content.
g) morph a skill as soon as it is morphable to keep it leveling
h) always use all skillpoints. if you cant morph a skill get a new one. if there is no new one get a passive
i) get silver bolts from warriors guild early and level it early
j) use your ultimate!
k) make use of buff food!
l) repair your gear on ANY vendor you visiting. ppl tend to forget that.
m) go for ae later - if you understand how skills work and synergize. better finish off mobs 1 by 1 if you have a hard time staying alive
n) learn early how to block, dodge and interrupt.
o) red is dead. move out of any red circle on the floor FAST
p) if something is too strong you are too weak. think about your strategy, try to understand the mechanics of your enemy. work out another strategy or come back later when you are better geared or have other skills you might need on this particular fight.

Feimerdre

Planning a build:
a) use all skills to get the idea behind the quicktips they provide
b) experimentate mixing different skills to have them synergize with each other
c) dont try to be jack-of-all-trades. use 2 weaponsets for different situations or use the 2nd to even have more skills available (2 times same weapon)
d) focus on single target dps OR area dps - you only have 5 skillslots
e) consider a resto staff as secondary weapon to help you get some more survivability if you lack it
f) consider even to use the resto staff for a single target dps skillset - there are nasty combinations that actually work
g) dont get stuck thinking in "old" fashion ways - eso is all different. be open to dream and test it out: nothing wrong about a templar wearing light armor and being an ae dps monster with destruction staff
h) never forget passives to calculate in if you are looking for synergies in skill combinations
i) watch softcaps (this is when something becomes displayed orange in char view) and consider buffing other things in the first row so you dont waste effectiveness
j) consider watching "working" builds on youtube to get the idea of skills that synergize if you cannot come up with something on your own or just to be inspired by some other ways of thinking
k) some builds only work when they are fully leveled or even in later (vr) content, keep that in mind when you are making low level builds

Lazarus_Long

@Phazzle‌ Check the guide in sig. There is a lot there.

Phazzle

Very good Guide Lazarus.