A Little Advice on a Class for a Bow Build

Mayanpup · July 2017

FIRST I want to stress I am looking at a level 1-50 build and NOT endgame.

I plan on slotting four bow skills and one healer/mele skill. At weapon swap it would depend on if I use a Sorcerer or Templar (skills to be determined)

My experience with bow builds has indicated the two greatest weaknesses are mele and healing. In my effort to strengthen these areas I thought of the Templar Puncturing Strikes/Sweep skill as this has good mele AOE damage with decent healing. Also, the Ultimate skill is useful. I did not care for the Restoring Light skill line as the Magicka cost for my Stamina build is too high.

A Summoning Sorcerer build with the Unstable Clannfear would provide excellent healing plus the taunt ability to keep me out of mele range. Since this would be my only Magicka expense I should have no problem keeping me and the UC healthy. Also, the Storm Atronach Ultimate is excellent. Unfortunately this does not help much when I am under mele assault.

I am leaning toward Sorcerer with the Unstable Clannfear as the taunting should allow my volley skill (damage over time) to be effective.

If you have had experience with either of these builds I would appreciate your comments and advice. If you think another class would be stronger please indicate why.

Again, I am looking at a level 1-50 build, not endgame.

IcyDeadPeople · July 2017

For leveling up 1-50 and doing quests, tbh the build doesn't matter too much. You can get by with pretty much whatever random gear you find and go with whatever skills and attribute allocation you feel comfortable with.

As long as your armor and weapons are close to your character level your stats will be pretty high. Just keep in mind for PVE you want to unlock at least one stamina AOE ability as soon as possible, so if not Biting Jabs or Acid Spray/Bombard, then I would try to unlock Steel Tornado or Cleave.

For healing I would suggest Rally (2hander)

AcadianPaladin · July 2017

I have played a bow/bow stamsorc with clannfear. Fight under Hurricane and Critical Surge. Have a very high crit% as this is where much of the healing comes from. Clannfear gets its health from your level so it will be just as sturdy for a stamsorc as it is for a magesorc. Clannfear damage scales on your magicka but you want it as a tank, not a dd. It can serve as a decent heal for both you and the clannfear but your lower magicka can limit how often you can use it.

I found the character vulnerable enough that she was not fun to play beyond normal questing and delves. The clannfear does help if you have no melee though. More effective if you don't want to go bow/bow is to dump the clannfear and go bow/dw. With a solid healing melee skill for up close, you can afford to let the clannfear go.

davey1107 · July 2017

I have both a stam sorc and stamplar, and I'm a fan of bows. Hmm...but which to choose?

My first comment is that generally a bow/bow build is a waste. Usually a back bar is used mostly for buffs or class skills, so I'm not sure why one would eliminate any of the other weapon skills by not just using a different weapon. Then if you decide you want rally, you can have it. Or rapid strikes. Or whatever. But if there's nothing from the other weapon lines you'd want, you can get by on bow/bow I guess.

The Templar jabs is a giant plus. It would really help if enemies close in on you. But a big downside on a bow Templar is no way to get major brutality, thereby giving up 20% of your damage potential. And my stamplar is toughnwith blowing through his Stam. I'd worrymthe spendy bow abilities would be toughnon one.

Stam sorcs get the major brutality. But then I find their bars very crowded, so it's hard to warrant cammo hunter for major savagery. And Stam sorcs tend to be designed to be a little more in your face...their aoe potential is very close quarters. It'd be hard for me personally to play one without having a dw bar to flip over to. However, on my stam sorc I do have a setup you might consider. The maelstrom set Hunt Leader (I think it's what it's called) offers Stam and health backmwhen your pet attacks someone you've recently attacked. This set might reeeeeeeeally help a stam-intensive bow build.

But honestly, the class I really like for bow/bow is Warden. Why? The netch gives major brutality AND resource regen, and the lotus gives major savagery. And the bear tanks better than the clannfear. It's the one class I can see how to get all the best buffs and totally give up the other weapons.

Mayanpup · July 2017

Thanks, all.

You are mentioning avenues I had not considered.

I think I am starting to get curious about the possibilities of my Bow build.

drakhan2002_ESO · July 2017

I like Bosmer for bow builds and it might help with the Stam sorc as well since they get a racial passive for both bow and stam. However, this is probably not the best race for a stam sorc -- that honor probably goes to the Redguard.

Either way you can't go wrong.

Diggitydug · July 2017

I har a bossemer stamnia warden. It can run bow/2h ir bow/dual wield, or pure bow/bow. The bear makes it easy to level as it tanks for you. In fact Alcast has done a video on Bow/bow warden.

Here:

https://alcasthq.com/eso-stamina-warden-bow-build-pve/

Diggitydug · July 2017

And as long as it is a stamina race( dont pick high elf for stamina class), the difference between races is really like 5% dps. Anything up to trials is just fine and even in trials you will still perform. Play what you like.