So how do you 'build' your characters?

Madrax573 · May 2018

One of the things I really like about ESO is the ability to make pretty much any class/race combo work for any 'role' in the game.

But it also messes with me something rotten as I get a serious case of restartitis! And can't pick what race/class/weapon combo to 'build' for my character.

I've now stopped thinking of character builds but now work on my character concept like a story first rather than a meta build or BiS setups etc and now I'm finding I actually keep my characters around. While I'll never be ultra competitive in high end game stuff I'm having fun

So how do you 'build' you characters?

Sparr0w · May 2018

Whatever sounds fun really... Khajiit Sap Tank, sure. Bosmer Sorc Healer, sure.

HappyLittleTree · May 2018

Bosmer Warden Bow Healer!

Anysra · May 2018

Ah, well nice to have that concept! I mean, I don't have a "build" really. I just am who I want to be (Roleplay - DPS - Fun). Mostly, FUN.

I am a Nightblade (Stamina). I do play solo and I like sneaking and assassinating 'n stuff. So I have for that "build" 2x Dagger and a Bow". With the Outfit System, I did some cool things and like my character so far. Skills? Well, I don't really care about skills. I do mass damage (PvE) and I'm very happy with it. I don't do (PvP) as I have no interest.

So fun, I have plenty. I like style of my character (sometimes I become a Warrior "2H Sword"). Like a "Ninja-Samurai". And sometimes I just take my Bow and hunt down. It's all Role-play and the fact your imagination.

That's why I like ESO that much. You can become anything. But if you aim for PvP Best Burst Damage Dealer. Well ehm, you might have trouble with your imagination. Because, I don't want to run ALL type weapons n boss stuff to become the best. And still wear ugly outfit because it doesn't matter cuz all it matters is DPS. And have a snail. Yeah, well I don't like cats and argonians to actually play with. I think Khajiit's and Argo's are great and fun. It's all part of this entire thing. But, To play with? I like to play with a toon I really like for my own imagination.

Trust me, some say: RESOURCE MANAGEMENT!! DON'T PICK THAT DON'T PICK THIS. Truly is, pick whatever you want. If that is the way you like to play. Just pick that one. I'm "Bosmer" Nightblade (Stamina). I wear some Hundings and Night Mother with 1 Monster helm. Don't really care my stats. I can handle almost every PvE thing. (Trials? Yeah that's a bit pain but, you are not soloing that).

Full options, a lot of detail for your own imagination (play-style). You can "build" your character(s) to your own style.
I build my character "Ajintsu" as a Female Ninja-Warrior Assassin. Sounds fun right? I don't care it's awesome. I have a lot of fun playing ESO.

Oh and here is my character: https://i.imgur.com/kowIABb.png

ayu_fever · May 2018

first rule: you do not talk about fight club. when i build something i deliberately go as anti-meta as possible because i am not a sheep. i blaze my own trail.
second rule: YOU DO NOT TALK ABOUT FIGHT CLUB! my character descriptions below dont sound too ridiculous, but they have raised questions from other players. they all work extremely well.

it is so rewarding to go against the grain and make your own build.
even these kids that develpoped this silly “meta” nonsense all came from something they just threw together to experiment with. some combos of class, race, gear, skills, mundus all look crazy on paper but somehow they just work.

Turelus · May 2018

Some I just go with what I like then optimise the builds based on better players guides (My Nightblade main), others I go with a concept for RP then make something interested to play (alts which stick to dungeons mostly).

Raraaku · May 2018

The perfectionist in me always wants to create a really detailed build before I actually start that character... I've now made enough characters to realize that my plans nearly always gets scrapped anyways as I play that character.

Now I just do a very general template: role, race, class, professions, armor.

I'll occasionally look up all the world and class skill lines to see what skills I have to work with or look for any possible interesting combos. I'll also look up more meta character builds to get an idea of what they're doing and why they're doing it so that I can find ways to implement those concepts while still keeping my character my own.

But I will say, I enjoy playing unique, non-meta character builds as I have found most meta builds have nearly the same rotation set-up (which makes sense), just in different flavors, and that gets real boring real quick.

Asardes · May 2018

I generally pick a viable race for the build, and a lore friendly name. Other than that I haven't really done any back story on any of them. I have created and leveled all characters I will ever play, unless a new class is introduced, and in that case I will simply expand my roster in the same way.

Once I create them I go and buy all backpack upgrades, train them to about 10-15, then leave them for a long period to train riding skills, and also enchanting, by deconstructing CP150-160 glyphs in bulk (I get plenty of those). When riding is fully or almost fully trained (at least carry capacity and speed at 60), and there's an ongoing double XP event, they proceed to Maelstrom Arena and do multiple runs until they hit 50, changing training gear every 10 levels. Once they have hit 50 I continue training skill lines to 50 and every skill to morph and rank IV. For stamina chars I do this by rotating fast through dolmens in certain zones to bring Fighters Guild to 10, and also train skills in the process.

Once I'm done with Fighters Guild and skill training I do a full skill respec (leveling rewards include a respec scroll) and then train alchemy & provisioning to 50, spec into those and grab enough skill points to also spec gear crafting - a total of 72 are needed to fill 2 bars, and fill the main crafting passive in all 6 skills, with none to spare. 64 come from leveling, 1 from Maelstrom Arena, 1 or 2 from tutorials (for chars created after Morrowind) and the rest from sky shards on starter islands, 1st zone public dungeon event and also one of the main quests in that zone. They continue deconstructing trash CP160 gear until they level off gear crafting skills and can do all 6 writs at maximum tier. They also store surplus gear.

When I do start to play the character again I simply continue from where I left collecting sky shards, books, doing quests for skill points, until I fill all relevant passives and level Mages Guild to 10. This usually comprises 2/3 alliances. 5 characters have already gone through this process, and went further by completting all DLCs and group dungeons, PvP and trials (bold in signature). I'm currently working on my 6th, a Dark Elf magicka Dragonknight. Even without any passives allocated at the start, overland content felt very easy. I was able to solo most world bosses along the way (gear 4/3 IA, Maelstrom Lightning 5 BSW 2 Zaan). Most likely she will finish the preliminary phase right around Summerset launch.

Ajaxandriel · May 2018

Redguard spellblade firemage, Khajiit moon-sorceress healer, Orcish oathbound tank, Wood elf spinner bow/staff-healer...

My character concepts are always a background and a story before being a built.

Such as Ajaxandriel, High Elf "pure-frost mage". He had to become a Warden at Morrowind release, using the winter line and the frost staff line.
Then the holy Gameplay told me: "THOU SHALT TANK." So I made him a tank. Light-armored tank, that's it. (And the most fun part is, that it works pretty decently)

Danikat · May 2018

Combination of what sounds fun for me and what suits the character's personality/backstory/theme.

For example my main character is a khajiit templar who mainly uses Dawn's Wrath and Restoring Light skills, plus dual wield skills and medium armour, because she's based on my main character from single-player TES games who uses blade (short blade in the games that specify) with destruction and restoration magic and that was the nearest approximation I could manage in ESO. It's not a good build in any TES game. It's not bad in Skyrim and acceptable in ESO for open-world/dungeons with friends. But the important thing is I have fun playing it.

Some of my others are more...coherent. For example my nightblade is a fairly straight-forward 'glass cannon' DPS character who relies on stealth or simply running away to survive. But again it's because that's what I wanted to do with the character, not because it's what I 'should' do.

I tend to put builds together by trial and error. I'll unlock a skill and play around with it to see if I can use it, but if it's boring or doesn't fit I'll drop it and pick something else (so glad this game gives you enough skill points, and the ability to reset, so I don't have to re-make the character to do that!) Sometimes I like to see what other people are doing because they might give me ideas I hadn't thought of, but I'd rather 'waste' time experimenting than follow a guide and end up with something I don't enjoy but I'm told is good or something I know is good but don't fully understand.

aaisoaho · May 2018

My tactic: I start with outlines of a character (do I want a DD, healer or tank, stam or mag and which class I want to make), then I pick a race which goes well with my plan. After deciding the shell, I level up my char as a DD. When the character reaches level 50, I transfer the gear to the character - or go and farm the gear with my main. I choose the skills primaly from some theorycrafter's build, but if I feel like I need more sustain or self-heal/survivability, I switch up some skills.

For example:

I made my main char at 2015 and at the beginning I wanted to make pet+archer character, so I chose bosmer + sorcerer. I didn't know anything about how things worked, but I soon noticed that dual wield + bow was a good setup. After learning a bit about the game, I threw my summoning skills away and switched to pure stamina build. The gear was at the beginning some crafted sets (first: vampire's kiss + some other low-trait craftable, then I switched to NMG and Hundings rage, because I found crit surge). Nowadays my stam sorc uses still DW (skillbar: rending slashes, shrouded dagger, deadly cloak, rearming trap, bound armaments + flawless dawnbreaker) and bow (skillbar: crit surge, hurricane, endless hail, poison injection, bound armaments + ballista) with 2x velidreth, 5x hundings rage and 5x Vicious ophidian and alternate gears to switch on: 5x Twice-fanged snake, 5x NMG. Most of the time I run with the upper setup, but if there is a good healer providing sustain with the run, I switch my gear to more penetration, or if there's enough penetration provided, I use the HR gear instead. These skills provide enough self healing and damage on most content. I rarely run out of stamina and I enjoy playing with my stam sorc.

I have had some changes of heart about my mag sorc, I have tried a lightning based non-pet sorc and I've tried a pet sorc and I have a hard time deciding which one I like the better.

Chilly-McFreeze · May 2018

Ah.. the classic indecision. Which role, which resource, which race... I hardly know this before I raise up a new toon. Maybe that's the reason why all my characters (beside the mules) are Dunmer. Can't go wrong with this and it saves me a lot of delete+restart or buy-a-token moments.

TheShadowScout · May 2018

Madrax573 wrote: »

So how do you 'build' you characters?

I start with a general background idea, making the characters race and class as whatever best fits that background fluff, then pick the rest along the same considerations.

Sometimes that does result in decent combinations, sometimes... not so much. Not like I care about effectiveness as long as I have fun playing my characters...

For example...

Leskandera my main started with the "dunmer servent girl lost family and got burned in akaviri invasion, turns rank and file soldier in the pact, later suffers misfortune and goes mercenary/bounty huntress..." concept, and I expanded her backstory from there, with a good bit of Grey Mouser and Artemis Entery in the mix...
Kelasendar as secondary RP character went with "meek dunmer bishōnen magical librarian goth-boy gone adventurer after the fall of the imperial library where he worked" concept, and went on from that theme, with some touch of Severus Snape (in his student days) and perhaps a bit of Mare Bella Fiore...
And Kes dre-Lana was originally just supposed to be a crafting alt with a "orc forge-wife apprentice exiled for paladin-ish following stendarr instead of malacath", but the character grew on me, so I promoted her to full RP character... going with a bit of Wulfgar and Gagarin...

As for the rest... most of them are "build testbed" characters, though I might RP them as "storyline NPCs" if needed for some other roleplay...

Laaskerden is a "dragon-fanboy, draconian-wannabe, saxheel-patriot" argonian going for a tough and tanky approach and lots of dragonlance references to kapaks...
Andrea Selk is the classic "breton vampire waif pretending to be all lost and innocent to lure hapless people to their doom" in hommage to a certain dark brotherhood character in a different TES game...
Deslankera is a "busty altmer priestess of dibella pretending to be all nobly but with a hidden past far from it" that is always worried someone might recognize her from her misspent youth...
Akar-Sendel is going with a "outcast executioner just there to murderdeathkill people" theme, though I might expand that if they ever make maormer available as PC race...
Alakserden is a chiché-ish "dunmer noble arrogant jerk firemage who still thinks the world will go back to 'how things are meant to be' any year now" and would fit right in with the telvanni crowd...
Elsa Dekran comes with a "imperial deserter turned pirate queen" theme and a nod towards Anne Bonny and Bangladesh DuPree...
Kera de'Saln is a "clockwork kitty" full of sparks and meows...
Al'Serkande has a "former corrupt city guard turned bandit - with curved swords" concept you could find in the alik'r and every "arabian nights" game by the dozen...
Karel Danes goes with "perpetually drunk nord mountain man with an axe" theme inspired by various viking clichees and barbarians all over fantasy stories...
Selkendara has a "bosmer treehugger plant-magic hippie girl" concpet borrowing heavily from Poison Ivy...
Dane Sarkel goes with a "breton grey warden" except loosing the "r" in the middle for a more fabolous touch

(And I have one more character pending redoing - my former "bosmer treelover girl" that had to give up the concept when warden became available - someday I will think of something new to do with her, and then use the racechange token I am saving to refit the new backstory to the character...)

Violynne · May 2018

Madrax573 wrote: »

So how do you 'build' you characters?

One Lego piece at a time.

emilyhyoyeon · May 2018

mine are usually half RP and half BIS so that I can bring them into harder content. My stamina nightblade khajiit is actually RP but her RP is BIS stuff so it works out. Other of RP characters are more like magicka dragonknight khajiit fire destruction with dual wield, magicka sorcerer imperial lightning destruction only, etc so I don't use them for really hard group content.

Dracan_Fontom · May 2018

I build my characters with a whole lot of love and compassion... and online builds for classes other than nbs cause I suck on other classes.

Argonian Magblade ftw...

DocFrost72 · May 2018

I always look at goals I've set (solo worldbosses, dungeon dps, vma) and the character's backstory together in a vacuum.

Then, I compare sets and skills from the backstory, and from goals, and see what overlaps. A lot of times I have to make minor compromises of efficiency or roleplay, but in the end I have some th ing that I like and that will both stay true to the character and get the job done.

Brief Example:

Vma "Maormer sailor" build.

Maormer registers best with stam sorcs or mag sorcs thanks to the heap of electricity and storm elements, sets would include things like vipers' sting, orgnum's scales, storm fist, etc.

Vma requires survivability, damage, and knowledge of mechanics. Sets include VO, hunding's, and defensive sets like fortified brass.

So a good compromise would be vicious ophidian with fort brass and stormfist.

RavenSworn · May 2018

Honestly, I tend to have a 'theme' or concept that I would like for my characters. It could be trying to do an elementalist, or a beast master, or summoner, you know, those kinds.

Then I choose what's the best class to fit those concepts. Maybe, a mag warden might fit the elementalist well, maybe a nightblade fits a blood mage type of character.

Or I could take concepts from other games like dragon age or wow or Diablo and I try and fit them to eso.

In truth all builds in eso are based like these: dps must have dots, buffs and direct damage. Tanks and healers have group utility and buffs. Maybe I like the support role, so I figure, group buffs, and dots, while keeping the tank alive enough to do the job, without actually healing.

Anotherone773 · May 2018

I dont believe in meta builds. I build my characters to suit me rather than change my playstyle to suit someone elses build. I make adjustments to my characters often based on changes in what i want them to do or different things i want them to try. For example i like trying out different gear combinations rather than go BiS, or different ability combinations.

I have a lot of fun just "experimenting" with my characters so i pretty much go with whatever.

ghastley · May 2018

Everyone's answering the "what do you build?" question, not the "how?"

Would it be better to level up a character with a more balanced mix of tank/dps/healer skills and then re-spec and re-select slotted skills only at endgame, or do you need to start with that goal in mind to get the right practice in using them? There are plenty of skyshards around, so building up three or four weapon skill lines is quite viable, giving you choices for different situations.

Race and class you'll be stuck with, so I'd have been happier with a system where they don't make much difference. Can't fix that easily, however.

Yzalirk · May 2018

I started with a concept for most of my characters and they happen to be Nords. I really like them a lot from a lore perspective but also because not a lot of people use them. They all use the same clan name but for a few, I wish I chose a different first name. I also have a Magicka character for each class but I really do not like Magicka characters honestly.

I am just sick of cookie cutter meta builds. There is nothing unique about them. If you truly are a good player, you would defy the meta!

Bladerunner1 · May 2018

The concept of my main character began from a sneak thief background story that came to mind as I played through the game in the starter zones. The story took shape and then I roleplayed with a guild of mercenaries. She's a Bosmer archer who carried a giant club on her back. She's not too skilled at wielding the club, it's just there as a last resort when an enemy closes in.

I've been back and forth, sometimes using meta just to complete things, other times revisiting the first concept whenever the game promotes 2H and bow.

Fast forward three years and I'm once again back to the giant club and a bow as it feels much more viable starting with Summerset.
I'm even contemplating using the bow as a primary for a lot of PVE stuff and the club as a backup weapon like I wanted in the beginning.

Integral1900 · May 2018

For me it’s story first and the rest follows, I no longer grind up levels in a rush as I always seem to loose interest in those charecters. I used to be a full on meta addict, vet trials and all, now I prefer helping newer players and just enjoying the world and so my builds changed to reflect that

I used to have six but I’ve deleted a few endgamers and refined it down to three, a trio of Nords that grew up as street rat type orphans in abah’s landing. Thieves, turned bitter and cynical mercenaries, then down a darker path to to the brotherhood as murder for hire. The plain meld and the Prophet turned their course around, revealing the truth that under all that rage against an uncaring world was in fact three diamonds in the rough.

So when destiny came nocking they became part of something greater than themselves, cutting a ruthless path through tamriel, and divines help any villain that gets in the way, because these ladies are going to save this world from the apocalypse whether it likes it or not

For example my magic Templar is, like the other two, a solo build, basicaly a tank/dps/healer combo with thirty k health, it fits her charecter perfectly when she strides into a normal dungeon like some vengeful god... although if the group of newbies isn’t struggling to much I will reign it in a bit, got to give them a chance to kill stuff after all

Smokewood · May 2018

1 skill point at a time...

Ley · May 2018

First I try to determine what I want this character to do:

Tank.
Heal.
DPS.
PvP.
Group content.
Single player.
Jack-of-all trades.
Run real fast.
Sneaky thief/assassin.

Then I consider what weapons and armor would best suit the class/race/roll I'm building for.

A DPS build may look something like this...

I try to cover my must have skills for my play style:

Single target damage.
Execution skill.
Heal/Shield.
Ranged damage.
AoE damage.

Then I try to add nice to have skills:

Damage buffs.
Extra survivability.
Damage over time.
Mobility.
Utility.

I check my skills to see if there's redundancy or ways I can optimize my skill choices:

Do I have multiple skills granting the same buffs?
Do I have multiple skills that do the same thing and do not stack?
Are there any skills that can fulfill more than one function effectively?
Do I use all of my skills?

I try to find gear sets and stats that suits the character:

Do I need more sustain?
Do I need more damage?
Do I need higher resource pools?
More damage mitigation?
Mobility?

As I play the character I try to pay attention to any skills that I don't use as often. I try to figure out if there's a better skill I could replace them with.

Finally I replace skills from time to time to test out alternative options and see how they "feel".

None of this involves me sitting down and doing hard planning, it's a slow evolution as I play the character.

Also noteworthy, I do look at other popular builds to get inspiration.

Tandor · May 2018

I don't "build" a character (I have 24, shortly to be 26), I choose a class, main attribute, weapon (often contrary to the attribute, i.e. if I pick magicka that doesn't mean I automatically go for a staff), and race. Thereafter I follow a skill path that is broadly based on how the character progresses and the skills that he/she actually uses, with as much variation as possible on my other characters. I have never, in any MMORPG, ever looked at a skill calculator let alone followed another player's build. I don't play competitively, and therefore I play my way, which seems reasonable given that I'm the one paying the subscriptions and giving up my time to the game

!

Naturally, if I was intending to play competitively then I would spend an eternity on the class forums and Youtube, and then follow an appropriate skill calculator in accordance with the favoured template arising from the latest update - only to QQ as soon as the next update changed an evolving game. Thankfully, that is not my way as I can't think of anything more boring than playing a cookie-cutter character the way that someone else instructed me to do

!

Heka Cain · May 2018

With sand and glue!

Madrax573 · May 2018

Thanks for the replys all.

Glad to see that the meta building isn't the only thing people care about when setting up there characters.

I'm currently running a Nord warden, with a bow (haven't decided on what secondary weapon yet) setup in the style of Aragorn the ranger (not many remember him as a northman!) and having a great deal of fun.
Not sure what he'll end up being as I level him through the ranks etc. I know he'll be for both PvE and PvP so tweaking will be required at some point be hey its a fun journey!

See you there saving the world!