Dragonknight question

Mhylton44142 · December 2015

I started a new dark elf DK last night. I'm mainly a solo PvE player (at least for now). Don't mind doing dungeons and such, but mainly doing quests to level the character. I was trying to decide going all magicka or all stamina. I prefer the playstyle of getting up close and personal-but hitting hard in the process. With that said, I think I'm going to go with a 3:1 ratio of stamina: magicka in order to be able to utilize some of the class magicka based offensive abilities (talons, stonefist early on, then lava whip and inferno later) and still use my weapons and some of my class abilities to hit hard. The higher stamina will be useful for the stamina morphs of searing strike and lava breath. For armor, I was going to go 2 heavy and 5 medium. Initially, was planning on going 2H for first weapon so that I can get rally unlocked as soon as possible, but I also like the dual wield look and playstyle a lot too, so I haven't fully committed to one or the other for the start, but when I unlock weapon swapping, it will be 2H and DW. In fact, I may just keep one of the abilities on the bar to level the skill line until I get to 15. With all this being said, does this seem like a build that would work for leveling by questing and advancing the main story? I don't want to end up putting a ton of hours in and get to a point in the Alik'r Dessert where i can't complete the quests because the bosses at the end are at elite level and I'm unable to solo them. SO, I'm asking the "experts" who have gone before me for their collective wisdom...

Armitas · December 2015

I can't speak to DW but 2H is very strong right now with 5 medium. Don't use whip, just go with Wrecking blow and charge heavy attacks while Wrecking blow is still charging. If you can get Vigor get it and you will be in a really, really good position.

Alucardo · December 2015

I would never recommend hybrid builds because they are pretty ineffective. Pure magicka DK is fine for PVE, but if you decide to go the stamina route, definitely do a few days PVP to go get Vigor. It goes nicely with igneous shield.
Also, paragraphs and newlines are your friend.

Stoney_McGeee · December 2015

In my opinion if you want a more of a uniqueness then I would go with Mag, stam you will be using skills that mostly every stam user uses, and because dragon knights lack morphs for stam you won't be using to much of your own skills.

Now as far as weapons, you might be getting something mixed up that I got confused about before, when I heard of being magic I thought in my head (I don't want to use any staff I want to be in your face ) but just because you're magic doesn't mean you're bond to a destro staff. Me personally I go with a sword and board and restro on my back bar for solo play and destro for group play, and I'm a magic Dk.

There is pros and cons with both, and I know really good Dks on both sides, it just depends on what your play style is like or want you want to exactly.

Mhylton44142 · December 2015

Alucardo wrote: »

I would never recommend hybrid builds because they are pretty ineffective.

I've read it's that's the case for PvP, but since I don't PvP very much, I figured it would be worth a shot. The nice thing about playing a dark elf is that I get to switch it up if I"m finding it doesn't work.

Mhylton44142 · December 2015

Stoney_McGeee wrote: »

Now as far as weapons, you might be getting something mixed up that I got confused about before, when I heard of being magic I thought in my head (I don't want to use any staff I want to be in your face ) but just because you're magic doesn't mean you're bond to a destro staff. Me personally I go with a sword and board and restro on my back bar for solo play and destro for group play, and I'm a magic Dk.

My only concern with going this kind of route (using a weapon instead of staff) as a magicka player is the lack of damage from the weapons once magicka runs out, because if the stamina is too low, then the weapons won't hit all that hard

Xvorg · December 2015

Mhylton44142 wrote: »

Stoney_McGeee wrote: »

Now as far as weapons, you might be getting something mixed up that I got confused about before, when I heard of being magic I thought in my head (I don't want to use any staff I want to be in your face ) but just because you're magic doesn't mean you're bond to a destro staff. Me personally I go with a sword and board and restro on my back bar for solo play and destro for group play, and I'm a magic Dk.

My only concern with going this kind of route (using a weapon instead of staff) as a magicka player is the lack of damage from the weapons once magicka runs out, because if the stamina is too low, then the weapons won't hit all that hard

DW with Whirlwind (both morphs). Combine them with talons for extra dmg through the ruffian pasive (or if you are playing loco, with volcanic rune from the mages guild tree), and Inhale for sustain and more dmg. The ruffian passive will give you 15% extra dmg while the slaughter passive will rise the numbers when the enemies are 25% of ther health.

For extra phisical dmg, use 5 medium armor but from crafted sets that give you spell dmg, such as torug, twilight embrace, magnus, julianos, kagrenac, etc.

I'm testing a build based in that combination of medium armor and magicka with S&B(DPS) and DW (AoE) and up to now is doing it decently.

The good news is that most of my champion points go to the steed in the warrior's constelation.

Cuyler · December 2015

Mhylton44142 wrote: »

Alucardo wrote: »

I would never recommend hybrid builds because they are pretty ineffective.

I've read it's that's the case for PvP, but since I don't PvP very much, I figured it would be worth a shot. The nice thing about playing a dark elf is that I get to switch it up if I"m finding it doesn't work.

You asked, listen. @Alucardo is right. You have it backwards actually. Hybrids are good for PvP. In PvE, pure builds are what is sought after. That being said, being a pure build doesn't mean you can't fill two roles. It simply means you go all magic or all stam. If all magic, you can still be dps/heals as an example.

Mhylton44142 wrote: »

I was trying to decide going all magicka or all stamina. I prefer the playstyle of getting up close and personal-but hitting hard in the process.

You want to hit hard? Then you want to go all in pure build...forget the hybrid crap. Either Stam or Magicka is going to put you up close and personal as a DK. It's a class thing because of the DOTs. Both builds hit hard in the right hands. Magic is probably easier though.

mr_wazzabi · December 2015

Mhylton44142 wrote: »

Alucardo wrote: »

I would never recommend hybrid builds because they are pretty ineffective.

I've read it's that's the case for PvP, but since I don't PvP very much, I figured it would be worth a shot. The nice thing about playing a dark elf is that I get to switch it up if I"m finding it doesn't work.

It's the case in both pve and pvp. Your damage is based on your resource pool, so putting all your attributes into either mag or stan ensures maximum damage. Splitting 3:1 will make you stamina attacks 1/3 weaker than everybody else. Your magicka abilities will be 2/3 weaker than pure magicka users.

Don't do hybrids

willymchilybily · December 2015

for levelling only

Start magicka, with a 2H ability on your bar to level it at the same time. You will want access to all 3 class trees, and some high level spells on those trees. Thus going magicka makes it easier to unlock the class skills you will need. once you have the class skills unlock you can respec to stamina and should be able to get most of of the 2H skills you want on your bar.

armor use random pieces or make some but until you are around level 20/30 ish and have skill points for armor passives choosing one particular armor over another does very little. you will want some of each to level all skill lines. then focus on heavy+light with a piece of medium and switch to all medium or medium and heavy when you switch your DK over to stamina as you seem to wish to do

magicka or stamina its all close range on a DK. hybrids will make it a struggle and may turn you off of the class, but is not going to stop you completing content, just means it will be tougher and take longer.

Mhylton44142 · December 2015

[quote=You want to hit hard? Then you want to go all in pure build...forget the hybrid crap. Either Stam or Magicka is going to put you up close and personal as a DK. It's a class thing because of the DOTs. Both builds hit hard in the right hands. Magic is probably easier though.[/quote]

OK, thanks for the input everyone. I'm going to give magicka DK a shot at first, then if it doesn't work out, then I'll go stamina. Since I won't worry about armor passives at first, I will use a mixture of all 3 types to level all 3 up at the same time.

Tamanous · December 2015

One of my first characters when this game released was a DK bow user. I found it fun but talked myself out of it due to all the usual BS discussions of min/maxing on forums by the low % who talk about the low % of content anyone will really ever experience at a hardcore level.

So I am playing one now and due to new morphs changes I have to admit it is easily the most fun build/class I have tried ... period. I would still suggest a second weapon choice like 2h or Dual for extreme pve (and perhaps even pvp) situations but a nice relaxing heavy attack game play is so nice over the constant fast animation canceling many other builds demand.

Just the other night I hit the level 39'ish zone to get WW. Became a WW at level 9 killing the level 39 Mammoth (you are in WW form so I circle strafed like a mad man). After leveling up WW I returned to the higher level zone and wandered around for some skyshards, chests and lorebooks while killing level 39 mobs at level 10 with my DK bow toon ... just for fun.

Ya it works.

I have made countless magicka builds simply because I usually find magic (or magic hybrids) the most fun in most games. I am finding that in ESO I continually am finding stam builds more fun to play overall. I think I may just have to come to terms with this.

Stoney_McGeee · December 2015

Mhylton44142 wrote: »

Stoney_McGeee wrote: »

Now as far as weapons, you might be getting something mixed up that I got confused about before, when I heard of being magic I thought in my head (I don't want to use any staff I want to be in your face ) but just because you're magic doesn't mean you're bond to a destro staff. Me personally I go with a sword and board and restro on my back bar for solo play and destro for group play, and I'm a magic Dk.

My only concern with going this kind of route (using a weapon instead of staff) as a magicka player is the lack of damage from the weapons once magicka runs out, because if the stamina is too low, then the weapons won't hit all that hard

Lack of damage? I don't see what you mean, I use sword and board and buffed up in at 3250 spell damage . Back bar is like 2600. Unbuffed I'm at like 2600. Like I said being magic doesn't mean you're bond to a staff. A lot of the DKs are up in personal and with a sword and board you have a gap closer and mobility which DKs lack. If you want damage hybrid isn't the way to go.

Essiaga · December 2015

Do as you like but one thing i'd recommend is going 5-1-1 for you gear so you are passively leveling all 3 armor types. Hybrid builds are weaker but can get by if you are not trying to be competitive and instead playing solo. Competitive build require focus or a TON of theory crafting.

My DK went from being stam dps to tank to stam dps to magicka dps in the time it took me to get from level 1-v16. I leveled all armors, every weapon accept bow, most morphs of class skills, etc. So don't worry to much about your focus. If you feel weak and that you're not enjoying how things are going switch it up and maybe pick a focus then.