Questions about Dragonknight DPS/Tank build

Deepfry · May 2014

I'd like to build a Dragonknight who has strong DPS but who can also Tank (or at least Off-Tank). I have a few specific questions:

1. Tanking: is it possible to tank (or off-tank) with Two-Handed weapon, or is One-Handed + Shield obligatory (or at least strongly recommended) ?

2. DPS: I have read that Two-Handed does just as much DPS as Dual-Wield, but when I look at the respective weapon skill trees, Dual-Wield seems to offer higher DPS. Can anyone clarify this for me ?

3. PvP: Will my intended DPS/Tank spec be valid for PvP ... or will PvP require me to choose just one specific role ?

4. Finally, is there anything else that I should be taking into consideration for such a spec ?

Thank you

nerevarine1138 · May 2014

I'm not a DK, but most of your questions are fairly general, so I can help a bit:

1) 2-handed tanking is possible but highly ineffective. 1h/shield tanking is preferred across the board.

2) 2-hander DPS is generally better for AoE damage, while dual-wield is more effective on single targets. So it's really up to you.

3) You can switch between those roles. Tanks can absolutely be effective in PvP.

4) Only that tanking in this game is different from tanking in prior MMOs. You will not be responsible for pulling aggro on everything in the room (and if you try, your healer will hate you). Your job is to hold aggro on either the boss or a couple of the tougher mobs in the area. DPS have to be able to block/dodge/interrupt their own targets and learn to focus on targets in a smart order (healers, casters, melee damage, sword-and-board).

Deepfry · May 2014

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

Tanks can absolutely be effective in PvP.

Thank you very much for your reply. Can you explain a little more about the role of tanks in PvP in this game?

(I have not yet done any PvP in ESO ... in other MMOs tanks tend to only have limited use, such as flag carrying or flag defending).

nerevarine1138 · May 2014

Deepfry wrote: »

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

Tanks can absolutely be effective in PvP.

Thank you very much for your reply. Can you explain a little more about the role of tanks in PvP in this game?

(I have not yet done any PvP in ESO ... in other MMOs tanks tend to only have limited use, such as flag carrying or flag defending).

There's a thread floating around here about shield charge, etc. Tanks have a lot of distance-closing abilities, and they can take a lot more damage before going down. They can be effective in a number of different PvP fights (usually not on their own, but the same goes for every build).

pavelcherepanskyrwb17_ESO · May 2014

Deepfry wrote: »

Thank you very much for your reply. Can you explain a little more about the role of tanks in PvP in this game?

If you search around the forum you'll see a few whine threads about DKs being OP in PvP. Long story short, get 1h and shield, full heavy set, jewellery for stamina costs reduction. Then in PvP go with something like - Shield Charge, Shield Bash-Bash-Bash-Bash, Talons if they're trying to escape and then continue bashing. It's getting nerfed in 1.1.1 AFAIK.

Warlordgreebo · April 2015

Shoot, I remember back near launch when just pulling people to me with DK pull.... was basically THE way to get them. At lvl 30 in Cyrodil... Warlord Greebo got like 10 enemy killed in one charge:)

leandro.800ub17_ESO · April 2015

Best thing for this as i have seen is:
-Skoria 2 Set
-Embershield 5 Set
-Yodeka 3 Set
-Shield With Nirn and Master One Hand Sword

I still need some things to complete this and i do 8-9k on mobs and 3-4k on bosses

xMovingTarget · April 2015

2h is higher as dualwield. Why? Wrecking blow + momentum. Theres no similar combo for dual wield. It also provides higher burst. Which unfortunately is the main thing to go now. Especially in pvp.

Animerstu · June 2015

Hey, Guys am thinking to make a new character that is a tank regarding the tank position am I the one that will do the most damage can I have some more advice regarding a position.

Friends and I were deciding on a position and I said I wanna do a tank and currently the positions are we got a

Healer
Archer
and 2 people that going up front doing the damage

could I get your guys opinion if this is a good set up and also, some more advise about the tanking position

what I really wanna do is go up front and do a lot of DPS is tanking a good position?

SimonSays89 · July 2015

Deepfry wrote: »

I'd like to build a Dragonknight who has strong DPS but who can also Tank (or at least Off-Tank). I have a few specific questions:

1. Tanking: is it possible to tank (or off-tank) with Two-Handed weapon, or is One-Handed + Shield obligatory (or at least strongly recommended) ?

2. DPS: I have read that Two-Handed does just as much DPS as Dual-Wield, but when I look at the respective weapon skill trees, Dual-Wield seems to offer higher DPS. Can anyone clarify this for me ?

3. PvP: Will my intended DPS/Tank spec be valid for PvP ... or will PvP require me to choose just one specific role ?

4. Finally, is there anything else that I should be taking into consideration for such a spec ?

Thank you

Had some questions about this build, but it works out really well in both PvE and PvP.

Khajiit DragonKnight with 2handed and Bow backup. The main reasons for this are the Khajiit passives, with up to 30% health regen in combat just for being a khajiit.... build that with the heavy armour passives and combine with the armours buff abilities from earthen heart and draconic power and youve got your tank....just ensure your putting most of your attribute points in to health, secondary is stamina, then just get some magic buffs which you'll need for armor casting.

2nd Khajiit passive is the up to 6% added to your crit rating, add this with the khajiit stealth bonus and on entrance to any fight approach from the shadows to get that critical with the bow then lunge in with crit charge blast and out your volatile armor. The crit rating still applies to your 2handed weapon so for the big boys get your igneous weapons charged and uppercut morphed and spam that morphed uppercut..Ive had VR of all levels squirming about after a few hits of that and ive mopped many up too (im currently lvl 38). Then if the going gets too tough the Earthen heart ultimate can bring you back from the brink capping incoming damage either that or draconic blood is a great self heal! Hope you have fun with this Build it is EPIC

Pompeyfluff · July 2015

Tank DK is definitely workable....i run an Orc tank DK.

I would recommend shield and sword on at least on of your ability bars.

Will it work to mix thePPDS and tank builds together - from my experience no. When you get to vet dungeons you need the tank to have the survivability and I found that trying to mix the DPS in with the tank built just didnt work.

If your end game is all about PVP then i'd go with the DPS build, if PVE is more your thing then you can choose either, but combining the two may well leave you in a position where you just dont work.

Pompeyfluff · July 2015

SimonSays89 wrote: »

.Ive had VR of all levels squirming about after a few hits of that and ive mopped many up too (im currently lvl 38).

You currently get a buff in Cyrodil that makes you the equivalent of a level 50 (check your character stats in Cyrodil then compare them to your PVE stats and you'll see the difference). As soon as you hit VR1 your PVP buffs will vanish and then you'll see the true effect of your build.

What works at lower levels isn't always a true reflection of how it will work at the end game.