Maintenance for the week of March 25:
• [IN PROGRESS] ESO Store and Account System for maintenance – March 28, 9:00AM EDT (13:00 UTC) - 12:00PM EDT (16:00 UTC)

Sapnar Lothbrok – PVE NB tank build (1T update)

Brrrofski
Brrrofski
✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭
Posting this as for some reason can't edit my original post.

I’ve been using this for a while now and absolutely love it. It has crazy sustain, great self-healing and pulls very good damage. If I need to pug, this is my choice. Mostly, no matter how bad the rest of the group is, I can pull us through most things. I use to farm ICP and WGT without a healer as well. This build doesn’t need shards or repentance or outside heals. It does it all itself. Done all normal trials on it with no issue, not tried vet ones though. I’ve done DSA with it multiple times though, and that’s before I got it to where it is now. Also, I’ve recently done both Shadows Of The Hist dungeons with it.

Stats

Max Magica – 34385
Max Health – 27976
Max Stamina – 21243
Magica Recovery – 1657
Health Recovery – 417
Stamina Recovery – 591
Physical Resistance – 27509
Spell Resistance – 28235
Spell Damage – 2679
Spell Crit 32%

These are all on my main bar, which is where I spend all my time anyway. Spell damage is with major sorcery and the wrath passive kicked in.

Race

So I’m an imperial on mine. I like the big bonuses to health and stam pools. So a Dumner and Nord would work well too. Argonian could be ok as well with self healing and pots. I used to run this on a Redguard which works ok too. The stam regen is meh, but 10% stam is nice and adrenaline rush is still decent as I try to keep our crusher enchant up. It doubles up nice with siphoning strikes. Breton and Altmer have max magica, but I don’t think the magica sustain they give is really needed. But, any race will work. Some just won’t be very beneficial.

Gear sets

Head: Grothdarr – Heavy – Infused – Prismatic enchant

Shoulder: Grothdarr - Heavy – Sturdy – Prismatic enchant

Chest: Kagernacs – Heavy – Infused – Prismatic enchant

Hands: Kagernacs – Heavy – Sturdy – Prismatic Enchant

Waist: Bloodthorn Touch - Light - Sturdy - Prismatic Enchant

Legs: Kagernacs – Heavy – Infused – Prismatic enchant

Feet: Bloodthorn Touch - Light - Sturdy - Prismatic Enchant

Sword: Kagernacs – Defending – Crusher enchant

Shield: Kagernacs – Reinforced – Prismatic enchant

Sword: Kagernacs – Defending – Crusher enchant

Shield: Kagernacs – Reinforced – Prismatic enchant

Neck: Bloodthorn Touch – Arcane – Spell damage

Ring: Bloodthorn Touch – Spell damage

Ring: Bloodthorn Touch – Magica Recovery

I sometimes drop back bar S&B for a resto if there’s no healer and the group is really bad.

Atronach mundus stone and use tri stat food. Tri stat pots when needed.

Alternate set options

Used to run baharas instead of bloodthorn. Any sustain set with jewellery would work. But bloodthorn touch is incredibly good for sustain.

the-bloodthorns-touch_zpsipwcrbdr.jpg

Mine does 660 every 5 seconds. That's 264 extra magica and stamina regen as long as I do damage. Stam regen while blocking. With siphoning up and the constitution passive, it's a lot of incoming recourse.

I did run Engine Guardian for head and shoulder. I eventually learned how to sustain without out so tried Bloodspawn for more ult. Honestly don’t think it helped much, you gain so much as a NB it’s rather redundant anyway. I tried Nerien’eth to help with damage and my god it procs a lot. So I decided to keep it. Grothdrarr is amazing for aggro though. When that procs, the world wants to fight you. Could put Malaubeth or any two piece really. Even two different monster bits that give health if you feel you need it. I use 5 heavy and 2 light. I have undaunted 9, but I would rather the sustain form 2 light than the 2% from one medium. Just my preference.

Skills
S&B1

Pierce Armor – Main taunt. Reduce physical and spell resist. Hit them with a crusher enchant too for further penetration.

Sap Essence – Major sorcery, AOE damage, healing and how we keep our stam with multiple adds on us. Also heals the group quite a lot with adds around. Our emergency heal (it’s like 2.5k with no adds) when we don’t run a resto.

Absorb Magica – It’s there for the slotted bonus mainly. Block more, reduce block cost. Can be handy sometimes (lord warden’s six shooter mechanic for instance)

Inner Light – It’s there for the 7% magica and added regen. As we’re in heavy, the extra crit is welcomed too. More damage means more healing.

Funnel health – Our main spammable on single target. Also an ok HoT for someone else in the group.

Ult: Veil of blades – Amazing skill. Damage reduction for all team members standing in it by 30%. Does a lot of damage. Extra health for slotting it (shadow passive). Group can hit a synergy for a big heal too.

S&B2

Inner Rage – Our ranged taunt. Also good for when we have low stam but a lot of magica.

Dark shades – Added dps. The reason we use this is for the minor main. Using this at the right time helps a bit in certain situations. Use before big boss hits

Refreshing path – Good dot, good healing, speed buff and our main way of increasing our resistances (shadow passive). Amazing skill.

Siphoning strikes – This is what enables a saptank. It’s the best skill in the game by far for me. I use it on any NB build pretty much. Gives back incredible resources. I can finish fights with full magica and stam bars sometimes. It’s crazy, it really is.

Mirage – 20% dodge chance which is nice. Also gives us minor resistances.

Ult: Shooting star / Soul Tether / Aggressive warhorn – There’s options here. Shooting star is great for mob pulls and you finish the fight with ult again. Soul tether is a good to start a pull, or for an emergency heal (never really need it though). Warhorn is the ideal one with a good group, but utility and damage from veil/shooting star is really good too.

With a resto back bar, I swap Refreshing Path to front bar instead of Absorb Magica, put Healing ward there then swap Shades for Combat Prayer and Mirage for Healing Springs.

Rotations

So this is a very active style of tanking. It’s a lot of bar swaps and reapplying buffs, but I like it.

Mob fights

Firstly, get mirage and siphoning strikes up. As we go into a group of adds, refreshing path for resistance buff and to pull adds. Hit sap essence a few times to grab rest of aggro. Taunt them with pierce armor, hitting a sap in between for healing and to proc siphoning. Keep path reapplied every 8 seconds for resistances as well as added damage and healing. Sap sap sap. Sometimes start a pull with shooting star before doing the above. Don’t forget you have inner fire for a ranged taunt. I see a lot of tanks running about trying to pierce armor everything and dragging adds around the room with them like it’s a Benny Hill sketch.. Keep adds in your group’s AOEs. Keep mirage and siphoning up all the time, especially the latter.

Boss fights

Again, mirage and siphoning strikes up. I usually get my shades up, refreshing path then light attack straight into pirce armor so we proc our crusher enchant and lower the resistance with pierce armor. Sap essence for major sorcery, then funnel health until we need to reapply a buff basically. Try to hit light attacks when you can to keep crusher enchant up. Inner fire any adds that appear, and then you swap funnel for sap. Keep mirage up, siphoning up, path every 8 seconds for major buffs. I keep my shades up like all the time for extra damage, but I recast them sooner than duration if the boss has a hard hit mechanic. Shades gives us minor maim for 4 seconds after casting. The crem guard in WGT for instance, before the do their fire crap, put a path down for healing and resistance and then right before the fire comes put down shades then back to funnel health. That gets us through them with no healer and never drop below 50% health. Summon shade is annoying because you can’t recast and end up teleporting so I changed to dark shades after a while and much prefer it. Path is what gets you around quick if need be (lord warden for instance).

Champion Points

Thief:
Tower – 75 Magician
Lover – 75 Arcanist
Shadow – 27 Shadow Ward

Mage:
Apprentice – 27 Blessed / 25 Elfborn / 95 Elemental Expert / 10 Spell Erosion
Ritual – 20 Thaumaturge

Warrior:
Lady – 17 Thick Skinner / 65 Hardy / 65 Elemental Defender
Lord – 30 Quick Recovery

Obviously there’s flexibility and there’s probably some formula to get these set up even better. But this certainly work for me at the moment.

If you’ve never tanked, or only used a DK, give a saptank a try. It’s so much fun. It does lack chains and talons for group cc and add placement, but it has a lot of other benefits other tanks don’t. It’s quite crazy how much damage this actually puts out in all fairness. And I honestly can’t emphasise enough just how good the sustain is. As you can see from the stats alone, the damage is good too. I got so bored with DK tanking, tried this this and now I want to tank as often as possible.

Any questions, just ask.
Edited by Brrrofski on December 13, 2016 11:04PM
  • NoFlash
    NoFlash
    ✭✭✭
    awesome! Think you can make this build in video form and have some highlights/tutorial/gameplay with it?
    Daggerfall Covenant

    The Ninja Squirrels
  • Brrrofski
    Brrrofski
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    Unfortunately, I'm on Xbox so not exactly sure how to do that :(

    Sure it's not too hard. I'll look into it over Christmas
  • Foxic
    Foxic
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Love the name
    Mechanically Challenged, PCNA competitive raid guild

    Head of The Council of Raiders

    First NA vAS Hardmode(#2 world)

    World First Immortal Redeemer & Saintly Savior

    All #1 Trial scores Clockwork City patch

  • Ibibi
    Ibibi
    ✭✭
    Love the build.Im using Atronauch and a Nord ,could you tell me how many points are you putting in what stats?Im atm 22 health and 40 stam.Thank you
    Khajiit 4eva
  • Brrrofski
    Brrrofski
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    Kidur wrote: »
    Love the build.Im using Atronauch and a Nord ,could you tell me how many points are you putting in what stats?Im atm 22 health and 40 stam.Thank you

    I have 39 in magica, 14 in stam and 11 in health I think. You don't need a huge amount of stam. Bloodthorn and siphoning strikes keep it topped up.
  • max_only
    max_only
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanks for this, I was afraid of running my sap tank but now with this guidance I have better confidence. I know he's not the right race (Bosmer) but they're my favorite.
    #FiteForYourRite Bosmer = Stealth
    #OppositeResourceSiphoningAttacks
    || CP 1000+ || PC/NA || GUILDS: LWH; IA; CH; XA
    ""All gods' creatures (you lot) are equal when covered in A1 sauce"" -- Old Bosmeri Wisdom
  • Jekkyl
    Jekkyl
    Soul Shriven
    Seems like a fun build...but how are you getting these resists?
    Physical Resistance – 26509
    Spell Resistance – 27235

    EDIT: Sorry meant to post this on your PVP build - With the same setup I see resists 10k less as expected
    Edited by Jekkyl on January 9, 2017 12:29AM
  • Brrrofski
    Brrrofski
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    Jekkyl wrote: »
    Seems like a fun build...but how are you getting these resists?
    Physical Resistance – 26509
    Spell Resistance – 27235

    EDIT: Sorry meant to post this on your PVP build - With the same setup I see resists 10k less as expected

    Is that with your major ward up?
  • Jekkyl
    Jekkyl
    Soul Shriven
    Duh nope lol 24kphys and 25k spell much better rofl. Been awhile since played my NB forgot thats how they got ward. Thanks!
  • Brrrofski
    Brrrofski
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    Yeh, my PvP build has like 1k less than my PvE. I use mirage in PvE which gives the minor resists.

    Just remember to use a shadow skill every like 12 seconds I think it is. Which although it doesn't last as long as other classes, in PvE i'm always refreshing path or shade so it's constantly up.
  • Brrrofski
    Brrrofski
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    max_only wrote: »
    Thanks for this, I was afraid of running my sap tank but now with this guidance I have better confidence. I know he's not the right race (Bosmer) but they're my favorite.

    Sorry, just saw this @max_only

    Yeh, bosmer is probably the worst race for tanking lol. But, it just means you'll have slightly smaller pools. But sustain is so good, it won't matter.
  • max_only
    max_only
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Edit: I can finally solo dolmens again!

    I'm lacking in health and crit so I got divines on my Bloodthorn armor pieces, Thief stone, and Plague Doctor's armor instead of Kagernac to make up for my short comings.
    Edited by max_only on January 15, 2017 10:22PM
    #FiteForYourRite Bosmer = Stealth
    #OppositeResourceSiphoningAttacks
    || CP 1000+ || PC/NA || GUILDS: LWH; IA; CH; XA
    ""All gods' creatures (you lot) are equal when covered in A1 sauce"" -- Old Bosmeri Wisdom
  • Brrrofski
    Brrrofski
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    max_only wrote: »
    Edit: I can finally solo dolmens again!

    I'm lacking in health and crit so I got divines on my Bloodthorn armor pieces, Thief stone, and Plague Doctor's armor instead of Kagernac to make up for my short comings.

    Good stuff man.

    I use magelight for the extra crit and keep the regen stone.
  • max_only
    max_only
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Now that I'm soloing dungeons I appreciate this build even more. I went back and got the Atronach stone, I see what you mean.

    Now that I'm starting to get gold enchants and what not, I feel less worried about my numbers. I tanked a pledge for the first time and felt really confident about it.

    Thanks again. They should feature your build on the website like they used to do.
    #FiteForYourRite Bosmer = Stealth
    #OppositeResourceSiphoningAttacks
    || CP 1000+ || PC/NA || GUILDS: LWH; IA; CH; XA
    ""All gods' creatures (you lot) are equal when covered in A1 sauce"" -- Old Bosmeri Wisdom
  • Brrrofski
    Brrrofski
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    max_only wrote: »
    Now that I'm soloing dungeons I appreciate this build even more. I went back and got the Atronach stone, I see what you mean.

    Now that I'm starting to get gold enchants and what not, I feel less worried about my numbers. I tanked a pledge for the first time and felt really confident about it.

    Thanks again. They should feature your build on the website like they used to do.

    Good stuff man. I'll update it when homestead is released on Xbox. Not much will change though I don't think.
  • Feannag
    Feannag
    ✭✭
    Thanks for the build...trying out some variations now as I look for the pieces. Did you ever consider running Bloodthorn and Baharas (instead of Kagernacs)? I haven't played long enough to know the gains and losses, but they both seem to compliment each other?

    Thanks
    Feannag
  • Brrrofski
    Brrrofski
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    Feannag wrote: »
    Thanks for the build...trying out some variations now as I look for the pieces. Did you ever consider running Bloodthorn and Baharas (instead of Kagernacs)? I haven't played long enough to know the gains and losses, but they both seem to compliment each other?

    Thanks

    Kags gives same health and magica.

    You exchange a bit of stam and a small dot (if they stay in it) and heal with extra regen, more damage to all your skills and the res speed. I don't think it's worth it to be honest.
  • Drazz91
    Drazz91
    Soul Shriven
    Man I wish you were on PS4 so I could watch you in action. I just switched from PC to PS4 and finished leveling my NB Sap Tank to 50. Are you using this to solo, and if so up to what level, or only group play? For example, are you soloing Skyreach Catacombs or just normal dungeons. Trying to figure out the sustain piece. I can last a minute or two but eventually run low on resources and get killed. I guess in short what I am asking is at what point does solo play become viable vs needing pocket healer?

    I'm running an Argonian NB. I swapped from the Atronach mundus stone to the Ritual mundus stone. I was thinking that with the increased healing of an Argonian I may be able to heal less for more. Not seeing the returns I had hoped for.

    Any advice is appreciated.
    Edited by Drazz91 on February 13, 2017 8:02PM
  • Brrrofski
    Brrrofski
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    Group dungeons are a breeze.

    I can solo some vet ones with it, just takes a while.

    I would definitely keep atronach. Pretty sure even mage returns more healing (as well as damage and sustain) than the ritual anyway. That used to be the case. May be worth checking.
  • wizzlestick_ESO
    Hey @Brrrofski thanks for this build! It's a lot of fun and helped me get into tanking. I have tried to follow your template but one thing I don't understand is how you got such a high value for your HP?

    You have listed 27,976 for the HP. I can match the other stat values, regens, and resists, but for some reason my HP comes out to only about 23.1k when I try it. I did use the 39-14-11 split for stats as well.

    I know I am Dunmer and only have level 1 of Undaunted Mettle, but this is more like a 20% HP discrepancy. That is with tri-stat food, most of the gear already gold, and with Prismatic as you mentioned.

    Am I missing something obvious here by chance?

    Thanks again!
  • Brrrofski
    Brrrofski
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    @wizzlestick_ESO Well when you add up being imperial, extra undaunted level and shadow skills on your bars it is quite a lot. How are your bars set up?
  • wizzlestick_ESO
    @Brrrofski Yeah I guess the race and extra point makes a big difference :) I have my bars setup the same way you mentioned in the build.

    With my lowered HP would this build still be capable of efficiently tanking Veteran Dungeons? I did one or two successfully but they seemed pretty challenging due to how long the boss fights were. (Not sure if this was a low DPS issue by team or just to be expected)

    I see some other builds mention the Leeching set and Baharas Curse combination. Do you still prefer the above setup over that? Just curious if I should be shooting for any particular upgrades to make me a better tank at this point.
  • Koensol
    Koensol
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    Brrrofski wrote: »
    Feannag wrote: »
    Thanks for the build...trying out some variations now as I look for the pieces. Did you ever consider running Bloodthorn and Baharas (instead of Kagernacs)? I haven't played long enough to know the gains and losses, but they both seem to compliment each other?

    Thanks

    Kags gives same health and magica.

    You exchange a bit of stam and a small dot (if they stay in it) and heal with extra regen, more damage to all your skills and the res speed. I don't think it's worth it to be honest.
    Don't underestimate bahraha's curse. With it's 25% proc chance it has an almost full uptime, even on single target. With all the +% healing received, it becomes beastly good. Especially with a lot of points into thaumaturge. This set, combined with other self heals, allows even a stamblade nb in medium armor to solo dolmens, worldbosses, normal trial add packs, anomaly's, and even some vet dungeon bosses. If it procs in a group of mobs, health just rockets up. I would definatelly pick it over kagrenacs, which apart from the 222 spell power, is pretty meh in my opinion.

  • max_only
    max_only
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Any new theories?

    I was wondering if I should run Ebon Armory and Bloodthorns? Maybe a morph of equilibrium might be worth it to slot instead of siphoning Attacks? Or is this whole idea dead and buried?

    I've added magic recovery to jewelry and I tested out Shacklebreaker on the PTS but I wasn't satisfied.
    Edited by max_only on June 17, 2017 3:43AM
    #FiteForYourRite Bosmer = Stealth
    #OppositeResourceSiphoningAttacks
    || CP 1000+ || PC/NA || GUILDS: LWH; IA; CH; XA
    ""All gods' creatures (you lot) are equal when covered in A1 sauce"" -- Old Bosmeri Wisdom
  • Brrrofski
    Brrrofski
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    Nah sorry, not really played eso. Battlegrounds were super underwhelming and that was kinda last chance for the game personally, so barely been on.
  • max_only
    max_only
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Fair enough. Wish you well then
    #FiteForYourRite Bosmer = Stealth
    #OppositeResourceSiphoningAttacks
    || CP 1000+ || PC/NA || GUILDS: LWH; IA; CH; XA
    ""All gods' creatures (you lot) are equal when covered in A1 sauce"" -- Old Bosmeri Wisdom
  • max_only
    max_only
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Just to update this, Bloodthorn is becoming desirable due to sustain nerfs so you were ahead of the game.

    Instead of Siphoning Attacks I put Spell Symmetry (morph of equilibrium, using Mages guild passives to lessen the health penalty) and use Soul Tether on that bar to keep the Siphoning passives active. My biggest complaint is that it takes out the flexibility of that ult spot if I want to have Siphoning passives on both bars. I use Rkugamz set when the healer doesn't have orbs or shards, otherwise I use Lord Warden. It feels really defensively strong (still a wet noodle damage wise but there are some rare cries with nice big numbers).

    I'll post my stats tomorrow, maybe someone has ideas for improvements.
    #FiteForYourRite Bosmer = Stealth
    #OppositeResourceSiphoningAttacks
    || CP 1000+ || PC/NA || GUILDS: LWH; IA; CH; XA
    ""All gods' creatures (you lot) are equal when covered in A1 sauce"" -- Old Bosmeri Wisdom
  • Brrrofski
    Brrrofski
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    @max_only

    Yeh, that'd be cool. I keep meaning to revisit mine. Argonian, change all traits to sturdy and swap kagernacs with seducer and I think it'd be fine.

    Just not really had time to mess around with it.
Sign In or Register to comment.