stamden builds/advice (pve)

Lynx7386 · March 2018

First off, I'm fully aware warden dps is in the gutter right now. That said, my warden is a tank/offtank most of the time for our trials and dungeon runs. However, there are cases where my tanking isn't needed, and I would like to put together a set of gear and abilities that will let me fill at least a moderately effective damage slot without needing to change champion points or morphs (wish we had dual specs in this game).

Now my tank build is mostly hybridized, but many of the key morphs that would be used for dps are the stamina variants, and to my knowledge stamden is better off than magden in a dps role right now. I have the stamina morphs for cliff racer, sub assault, feral guardian, and lotus flower already that I can work into the build.

I would prefer to use a bow/bow or bow/2h set up, but I'm willing to deal with dual wield if I have to (honestly tired of using dw).

So first questions are:
-for a bow/bow or bow/2h set up, is it better to go with a 5 piece + 4 piece + monster set, or two 5 piece and 1pc monster like kragh or kena? Or two 1pc weapons with a monster set, 1 5pc, and agility?
-assuming no vma weapons (because I hate doing vma), which 1 pc weapons would you to with if going that route? I have asylum bows and 2hs, can get asylum dual wield weapons easy enough if necessary, and could get ahold of master weapons with some effort.

What would be your bar setups and preferred gear sets?

Lynx7386 · March 2018

Also given the hawk eye passive for bows, would it be better to use snipe or cutting dive as the main weave/spammable? Snipe would benefit from the 25% damage bonus but cutting dive gives an extra damage bonus to everything from animal companion passives

Also anyone know if the bear outdamages ballista/dawnbreaker over time?

Jarryzzt · March 2018

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

Those are starting points, at least. I usually end up somewhat to significantly modifying his choices (both gear and skills) to suit my own style, however.

As far as sets, 5x5 + Kena (or maybe Kragh) is an interesting setup to me. Maybe something like Automaton + Acuity/Hundings + Kena. Mileage varies, of course. E.g. one of Alcast's suggestions is 5x3x3 Hundings-Agility-NMG.

I do not know whether Dawnbreaker/Ballista outdamages the bear vs. a dummy, however for higher-end content I'd use the D/B combo while for lower-end the bear is fine. In principle the bear is like a permanent DoT with a burst and an execute, however in practice I find there are boss fights where he just dies a bit too easily (not to mention that if you die and are rezzed, the bear goes away and has to be recast).

As far as bar setup, there aren't very many choices are there. Hail/Injection/Trap/Sub Assault/Netch is five slots, Caltrops (if you have them) is sixth, spammable (either 2h execute or Dive) is sixth or seventh, AoE spammable (2h sweep or spray) is seventh or eighth. The rest basically goes to persistent buffs, and unlike Alcast I would also experiment with the hawk-whatever skill as a morph of that gives you minor berserk for ~20 seconds (plus being able to run without using stamina).

Maura_Neysa · March 2018

Two 5 piece sets. Master Bow + Ayslum Bow, War Machine and TFS/NMG/Hundings/VO if you don’t have WM. No monster set, so I would recommend running NMG or Hundings 6-1 with Heavy chest. Cliff Racer is your spamable, but use Snipe after Acid Spray for the Ayslum buff. Bear out performs FDB/Ballist in single target. Plus WM and Major Slayer for 3 people. Most people don’t run Prey either, so Light Weight Beast Trap is also an option there.

Rotation:
Caltrops, Endless, Prey, Injection, <Bar Swap> Sub, Acid, Bear, Sub, Snipe, Dive, Sub <Bar Swap>
Caltrops, Endless, Prey, Injection, <Bar Swap> Sub, Acid, Netch, Sub, Snipe, Dive, Sub <Bar Swap>
Caltrops, Endless, Prey, Injection, <Bar Swap> Sub, Acid, Sub, Snipe, Dive, Sub <Bar Swap> Lotus

When you need resources replace Dive with HA. Block Cancel Endless and Netch, everything else is LA weave.

I am not stealer DPS, I main a tank. Just so far that’s been my best set up. You could also Swap Asylum to back and Master to front, drop Snipe and add Light Weight Beast Trap. Personally I see about 2k lose, but I’ve also never thought Trap was a very good skill. If you do that, switch Inject and Acid spots in the rotation
Rotation:
Caltrops, Endless, Prey, Acid, <Bar Swap> Sub, Injection, Trap, Sub, Bear, Dive, Sub <Bar Swap>
Caltrops, Endless, Prey, Acid, <Bar Swap> Sub, Injection, Trap, Sub, Netch, Dive, Sub <Bar Swap>
Caltrops, Endless, Prey, Acid, <Bar Swap> Sub, Injection, Trap, Sub, Dive, Dive, Sub <Bar Swap> Lotus

Edit: most fights the Bear is plenty tanking enough for. I’ve seen him take what are One-Shots to players, plus, you’re healing him with Lotus. Some though like center boss of the trio in HoF, he gets crushed on. He is also much more like a Twilight than a Scamp for fights like AA Mage, safer to run. I’d still have FDB/Ballista, and go with what the group wants.

Lynx7386 · March 2018

I definitely want to try and fit bird of prey into the build for the major expedition and minor berserk, seems far more valuable than a lot of alternatives. Also looking at putting green lotus in there somewhere as it gives major savagery, healing on all light/heavy attacks, and resource return on light/heavy attacks due to the heal and natures balance passives.

I don't think automaton would be an good set for warden, as sub assault is poison damage and we don't benefit heavily from the physical damage bonuses like stamsorc does. I was actually pondering using Morag tong for the extra 10% poison damage along with acid spray, poison injection, lethal arrow, and sub assault - plus it buffs any stamdk in the group.
Maybe it would be better to just go with a more generic weapon damage set though?

Maura_Neysa · March 2018

My build.
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Special:EsoBuildData?id=37318

Have not tried Morag Tong, but I also run 5-1-1 and have both Hundings and NMG

dovakiin5574 · March 2018

I do x5 hundings (4 body, infused 2h sword weap dmg, nirn bow with double DoT poisons), x5 War Machine, or Sunderflame, or Spriggans (solo and overland only)

Use Green Lotus and Bull Netch for better sustain/survivability.

Skills:
Brawler, Reverse Slice, Cutting Dive (or Vigor), Subterranean Assault, Green Lotus
Back bar:
Endless Hail, Rearming Trap, Poison Injection, Razor Caltrops (use Cutting Dive or Lethal Arrow if Vigor on front bar), Bull Netch

I use the Bear ultimate on both bars

Edit: Slot x1 Kena or Velidreth Shoulder
OR use Asylum 2h on front bar

KingYogi415 · March 2018

Only go bow/now if you have masters and VMA

Lynx7386 · March 2018

KingYogi415 wrote: »

Only go bow/now if you have masters and VMA

Only other real option for me is bow/2h, which I think would leave me with less damage overall I think because of the loss of the 25% damage bonus from hawkeye. With 2 bows, it's much easier to keep the full 25% bonus up. All I'd really be gaining out of 2hander is wrecking blow (easily replaced by snipe, I would think) and reverse slice, neither of which makes up for the loss of 100% hawkeye uptime. I think a similar argument can be made for dual wield but dw's higher base damage and better spammables/abilities make up for it.

Besides, I've never had a bow/bow character, think it would be the most fun option at this point, especially ranger style on a warden. Obviously I do not expect to hit 35k+ damage with this build, it's just something to run as an off set when tanking isnt an option. I plan to do the same with a healer set for the same character, allowing swapping between all 3 roles. First and foremost, though, he's a tank, just would like to be able to fill every role when it's absolutely needed.

Here's what I'm considering for the dps setup:

1x asylum bow (front bar)
1x master's bow (back bar)
5x twice fanged serpent OR spriggan
5x vicious serpent OR hunding's rage
(optionally I might end up using 2 monster pieces and 1 5 piece + 3 agility)

Front bar:
Lethal Arrow (or focused aim, still deciding there)
Acid Spray
Subterranean Assault
Flex Spot (fungal growth, ice fortress, rearming trap, etc)
Bird of Prey
Ultimate: Wild Guardian or Flawless Dawnbreaker

Back bar:
Razor Caltrops
Poison Injection
Endless Hail
Green Lotus
Bull Netch
Ultimate: Wild Guardian or Ballista

Basic rotation: buff up with bird of prey -> bar swap -> bull netch -> Green Lotus -> Endless hail -> LA -> Poison Injection -> LA -> Caltrops -> Bar swap -> ( Sub assault -> LA -> Acid Spray -> LA -> Snipe) x2 -> repeat

I think with the asylum bow bonus doing an acid spray -> LA -> snipe rotation on the front bar, with the weapon damage bonus from master bow on the back bar while injection is applied, will give a better damage output than cutting dive would (Besides, I'd like to use screaming cliff racer as part of my healer/magic setup for some extra damage, so without respeccing constantly I have to pick one or the other).

Optionally If cutting dive ends up being better I guess the magicka setup could just substitute with Force pulse.

Maura_Neysa · March 2018

Lynx7386 wrote: »

KingYogi415 wrote: »

Only go bow/now if you have masters and VMA

Only other real option for me is bow/2h, which I think would leave me with less damage overall I think because of the loss of the 25% damage bonus from hawkeye. With 2 bows, it's much easier to keep the full 25% bonus up. All I'd really be gaining out of 2hander is wrecking blow (easily replaced by snipe, I would think) and reverse slice, neither of which makes up for the loss of 100% hawkeye uptime. I think a similar argument can be made for dual wield but dw's higher base damage and better spammables/abilities make up for it.

Besides, I've never had a bow/bow character, think it would be the most fun option at this point, especially ranger style on a warden. Obviously I do not expect to hit 35k+ damage with this build, it's just something to run as an off set when tanking isnt an option. I plan to do the same with a healer set for the same character, allowing swapping between all 3 roles. First and foremost, though, he's a tank, just would like to be able to fill every role when it's absolutely needed.

Here's what I'm considering for the dps setup:

1x asylum bow (front bar)
1x master's bow (back bar)
5x twice fanged serpent OR spriggan
5x vicious serpent OR hunding's rage
(optionally I might end up using 2 monster pieces and 1 5 piece + 3 agility)

Front bar:
Lethal Arrow (or focused aim, still deciding there)
Acid Spray
Subterranean Assault
Flex Spot (fungal growth, ice fortress, rearming trap, etc)
Bird of Prey
Ultimate: Wild Guardian or Flawless Dawnbreaker

Back bar:
Razor Caltrops
Poison Injection
Endless Hail
Green Lotus
Bull Netch
Ultimate: Wild Guardian or Ballista

Basic rotation: buff up with bird of prey -> bar swap -> bull netch -> Green Lotus -> Endless hail -> LA -> Poison Injection -> LA -> Caltrops -> Bar swap -> ( Sub assault -> LA -> Acid Spray -> LA -> Snipe) x2 -> repeat

I think with the asylum bow bonus doing an acid spray -> LA -> snipe rotation on the front bar, with the weapon damage bonus from master bow on the back bar while injection is applied, will give a better damage output than cutting dive would (Besides, I'd like to use screaming cliff racer as part of my healer/magic setup for some extra damage, so without respeccing constantly I have to pick one or the other).

Optionally If cutting dive ends up being better I guess the magicka setup could just substitute with Force pulse.

I hit 22k, I main a tank so my DPS is low in general, but the one I linked is a DPS build. Think you will find a x3 rotation fits better, though if does mean Lotus falls off slightly.