Noob looking for leveling build advice (dragon knight)

Blackedge7 · August 2015

Bought the game last week, went nord dragon knight since I typically play warriors in mmo's, about to hit level 32 and I'm kinda lost.

Been running full heavy armor, 1 hand and shield with draconic power with all the tanky skills, and have dropped every attribute point into health, and I feel basically invincible... but my damage is finally starting to fall...

I went tank because I thought I'd get fast dungeon queues... I've done many...always a very long queue...

And I just read that the fastest way from V1 to V14 is more or less kill gridning... I'm thinking I should probably respec completely for more damage, but I have no idea what to. Every build with Ardent flame I've seen is magicka based

So I'm looking for a build to turn myself into a killing machine. I have no preference between duel wield or two hander. And I'm open to anything. Most mmo's there's usually at least a few cookie cutter builds. What's popular for dps dragon knights?

Winterpsy · August 2015

With my tank I have my second bar set up with a two -hander.
Also, when PvE questing I have a whole different gear, mostly medium armor, that gives damage bonus (red mountain , draugh king slayer sets, skirmisher set).
Use rally for extra damage, use flame weapon for extra damage, drop down cinder storm for extra area damage.
And use stamina buff food. That give a lot more extra damage. I use drink only when I expect sustain battles like dungeons.

Also, I haven my attirbutes 3/2 in health - stamina. It does not hinder my in tanking, but helps in PvE questing. (Vr 12 DK nord tank)

Brrrofski · August 2015

You need to put some into magica. Take some from health.

Get all passives in earthen hearth and draconic power.

You can make up for the lesser health with your shields and earthen heart abilities.

Spamming the earthen heart ones build up ultimate quicker. Either go for the earthen heart of draconic power ultimate (morph it to ferocious as it gives you a shield as well as damaging and knocking back enemies). There's a passive that using ultimate restores 70% of the ultimate's cost as health, magica and stamina.

That's what I've done one my sword and shield bar. I've put in some stamina attributes for my sword and board abilities and blocking/bashing. There's an earthen heart passive that restores stamina upon activating an ability, and morphed dragon blood (draconic power ability) to green dragon blood so it increases stamina regeneration.

The plus side of this, is you then use your second bar for offence. Your ardent flame abilities and maybe one melee one. But you now had increased magica to spam these. Get all the passives, two or three ardent flame abilities and wreck ***.

So in summary, redo attributes, have a tanking bar and a dps bar.

My setup

Magica: 22
Health: 27
Stamina: 8

Tanking bar:

Sword and shield
Green dragon blood
Reflective scale morph
Pierce armor
Retreating maneuver (the get out of immobilisation and snares thing is useful)
Igneous shield
Ferocious leap

Dps bar
Dual wield
Searing strike morph
Checking talons (for cc in dungeons so my sorcerer dps can meteor them fools)
Rapid strikes
Igneous weapons
Silver shards (handy for undead and daedra mobs so someone else get's a breather)

I was full tank, but slowly getting my weapon and spell crits up.

Started experimenting with 1 piece of light and 1 piece of medium armor too. Working real well. Can't wait for that undaunted mettle passive!

Brrrofski · August 2015

Also eat health and magica food. The max magica increases your spell damage. Or go purple if you got the mirriam. I save that for dungeons and pvp though

jackiemanuel · August 2015

For leveling I would take every class skill in order and equip it until morph. Same with dual wild and two hander and whatever other weapon you may want to use. That way later in the game you have the freedom to adjust your build more easily.

Blackedge7 · August 2015

Ya I could careless about tanking. was only doing it in the hope of getting faster queue times which doesn't seem to happen at my level.

went with a 2hand/bow stam build, though I don't have all the skills so I'm working to start unlocking more stuff just to have in the future

http://esoacademy.com/builds/dk-pvp-stam-build/

Now keep in mind I'm a Nord, and I'm only level 32, and don't have all the skills but so far it's doing what I wanted it do, which is chop down mobs fast for faster questing/grinding

Blackedge7 · August 2015

Anyone mind posting a DK build used for grinding out veteran ranks? After I knock out every quest in eastmarch im gonna really speed up my leveling by skipping all the quest chat/text then move on to veteran level grinding.

Morbash · August 2015

Anyone mind posting a DK build used for grinding out veteran ranks?

All you'll really need is an ability to pull mobs, a strong aoe, and maybe a self heal or something to help mitigate damage. You could also add in a ground based DOT for added damage.

For magicka, I would go with a fire staff and slot the following abilities: Structured Entropy, Eruption, Elemental Ring, and Green Dragon Blood. For a stamina based build, substitute Elemental Ring with steel tornado (dual wield). I also recommend you check out Brawler and Rally from the Two Handed skill line.

You can choose whichever morphs you want. You also have a fifth and sixth skill slot that you could use. If you need extra protection, go for Spiked Armor. If you need single target damage to deal with ranged foes, slot force pulse. At this point, it's entirely up to you.

For the sixth skill, I would slot Shooting Star. It recharges quickly and provides a massive dps boost. However, if you need some survivability, you can check out Standard of Might or Corrosive Armor. Either of these will get the job done. You can also go with Dragon Leap. It's a cheap and effective ultimate. Just use whatever works best for you.

Good luck and happy grinding!

Blackedge7 · August 2015

DeusAres wrote: »

Anyone mind posting a DK build used for grinding out veteran ranks?

All you'll really need is an ability to pull mobs, a strong aoe, and maybe a self heal or something to help mitigate damage. You could also add in a ground based DOT for added damage.

For magicka, I would go with a fire staff and slot the following abilities: Structured Entropy, Eruption, Elemental Ring, and Green Dragon Blood. For a stamina based build, substitute Elemental Ring with steel tornado (dual wield). I also recommend you check out Brawler and Rally from the Two Handed skill line.

You can choose whichever morphs you want. You also have a fifth and sixth skill slot that you could use. If you need extra protection, go for Spiked Armor. If you need single target damage to deal with ranged foes, slot force pulse. At this point, it's entirely up to you.

For the sixth skill, I would slot Shooting Star. It recharges quickly and provides a massive dps boost. However, if you need some survivability, you can check out Standard of Might or Corrosive Armor. Either of these will get the job done. You can also go with Dragon Leap. It's a cheap and effective ultimate. Just use whatever works best for you.

Good luck and happy grinding!

Was thinking a 2 hand stam build with cleave for AOE, bow second weapon.

Armor wise most builds I've looked up online recommend using 2 pieces of heavy armor and the rest medium. Would you recommend the same?

Morbash · August 2015

Was thinking a 2 hand stam build with cleave for AOE, bow second weapon.

Armor wise most builds I've looked up online recommend using 2 pieces of heavy armor and the rest medium. Would you recommend the same?

Sounds good bud. As for armor, I would slot 5 pieces of medium and 2 pieces of light. The vast majority of your class skills are magicka based. In my opinion, the magicka regen and cost reduction would be more beneficial than the slightly extra protection that the 2 pieces of heavy armor provides. However, my recommendations are based solely on grinding. If you plan on keeping this setup for PVP, the 2 pieces of heavy armor may be more beneficial.

Oh and since you plan on going with a stam build, I highly suggest you check out Burning Breath. It's a strong stamina based skill with a coned area of effect. Use it to debuff packs of mobs and increase your dps.