As I am sitting awaiting some word on whether my Templar will ever be able to compete as a caster DPS, I have begun playing a pure Dunmer Caster Dragon Knight. And honestly, I highly recommend to anybody who doesn't have one to do it.
I am only level 10 but it's already amazing to have access to the skill loadouts that they have. It's downright astonishing. I don't even get hit. You can kite things with Talons and Warmth essentially endlessly. Mix in Stone Fist and Spiked Armor and you have this incredible toolset where, even when you don't have Dragon Blood or Igneous Shield yet, you essentially have a direct answer to every single situation.
But I think the biggest benefit is the animations of the class skills themselves. Compared to animation cancelling on a Templar, DK's feel so much more responsive and much, much, much more fluid. Almost like the class has a higher priority in server-client response. I know that can't be true, but it's incredible how much damage this little guy is putting out already, holding nearly 200 DPS on boss fights with a mixture of unmorphed Searing Strike, Force Pulse, and Heavy Attacks.
I went in with 2 level 8s and a level 9 (I was level 9) into the first 3 dungeons and didn't have a tank. We didn't need one. We simply beat the crap out of everything while they were locked in Talons or shackled to my Standard. And Spiked Armor (even in full Light) had me essentially armor capped. I didn't even need a taunt. I did so much damage everything hated my guts.
Compared to leveling my Templar, it's like a knife through hot butter, not being anywhere near as boring as Sweep Spam or sitting there getting beat on and being expected to heal through it.
It's amazing. And I haven't even unlocked the really strong defensive CD's yet.
I'm literally rejuvenated. I feel like I just went from watching movies on a Beta Max to an 8K Blu Ray player.