did i pick wrong?

propain · May 2019

Hello just started the game and was wondering about my characters class and build. I picked a stam melee dps dragonknight using duel wield and bow. only lvl 25 right now but it just seems like everything dies super slow and have no burst damage or strong aoe. then i see a sorc run by trailing 20+ mobs then aoe them all down in less than 2 seconds then on top of that im walking around in major cities and see probably 85% of the players using staffs indicating their sorcs or use some type of magic.

Also i went on twitch and the top streamers i saw at least the ones that had the most viewers etc were all sorcs. So that being said did i pick the wrong class and set up? there just seems no way to out put the damage i see other players doing and ive just been solo questing and its just seems so much slower and painful than if i could run around and pull the entire camp of mobs then nuke them down as i see other players doing.

VaranisArano · May 2019

Stam Melee DK can be lots of fun, especially with Bow and Dual Wield. It won't play exactly the same as other builds, but they can definitely be monsters on the battlefield.

Stam DKs, and really all DKs, are all about Damage Over Time. Your class skills like Noxious Breath and Venomous Claw will take down enemies as they build to overwhelming damage.

If you are really feeling the lack of AOE, I recommend using Endless Hail from the Bow line. Its a great AOE that does damage over time. I typically start every fight with Endless Hail, then Noxious Breath, then hit each mob with Venomous Claw or Rending Slashes from Dual Wield. Shrouded Daggers from DW is a great spammable for mobs as well.

If you havent already done this, it will help to put most of your attributes in stamina, wear medium armor, and use a food/drink buff that increases your health and stamina. And then keep in mind that many players also use acquired CP on their leveling characters, and that does make a big difference in their relatice power levels.

I hope you can enjoy your Stam DK!

kojou · May 2019

Any character can be optimized to burn through overland mobs.

Sorcs in general have very strong AoE so they can do it really well.

Gear, CP, and game knowledge will all help you get there just be patient and have fun with it. No harm in switching to a Sorc to see if you like it better though. If you play the game long enough you will have multiple max-level characters any way.

My advice make one of each class and try them all.

DemonDruaga · May 2019

Some low chars have already capped out cps and optimised gear, maybe this was the case and gave you a wrong image?

disintegr8 · May 2019

Yeah, lower level characters might not be new accounts, they could be running decent sets, appropriate food/drink and potions, possibly with hundreds of CP behind them.

Don't judge your progress by how everyone else 'appears' to be doing - plenty of others will judge you first. As long as you feel you are progressing and not dying too often, just go with it.

I even parked my first character at level 49 because I couldn't complete the main story with him. I had no idea what I was doing wrong - which turned out to be everything. I rolled other characters and as my first had leveled the crafting skills, he was able to make gear for the others and became useful - made it a heck of a lot easier.

Naftal · May 2019

If you're doing bad damage, your gear might be much lower level than yourself.

fred4 · May 2019

Are you on PC or console? Elsweyr has hit the PC and ZOS buffed the crap out of Noxious Breath, so that may become your spammable AOE. The skill layout my stam DK runs in PvE:

Shrouded Daggers
Blood Craze
Razor Caltrops
Venomous Claw
Noxious Breath
Dawnbreaker of Smiting

Arrow Barrage
Resolving Vigor
Shuffle
Volatile Armor
Reflective Plate (or whatever it's called now)
Corrosive Armor

This is a solo build and does well in vMA, the hardest solo content.

Instead of Shrouded Daggers you might use Steel Tornado for more AOE damage, but Shrouded Daggers is cheaper. Bloodthirst is a good single-target option that heals you. Haven't checked, yet, whether any of those spammables is stil necessary with the buff to Noxious Breath.

Another skill that's been changed is Reflective Plate. You might just use Fragmented Shield instead, which will buff Vigor and give you Minor Brutality from a passive. To get the most of my build you need Weapon Power / Crit / Stamina potions.

It took me a long time to get my DK doing good damage. As Varanis said, DKs are all about DOTs. Thus, running Blood Craze, Claw and Breath is the way to go, rotating between those skills. Once you get CP, invest into Thaumaturge, which will also buff Caltrops, Dawnbreaker (DOT portion), Arrow Barrage and even Bloodthirst.

I run a medium setup, consisting of Troll King + Deadly Strike + Bone Pirate. Once you get past CP160 that's a pretty good compromise between damage and healing. I should mention I'm a Nord and I run two Protective jewelry in vMA, as I prefer to be a little bit tanky for that content.

At level 25 you are not at the point where you worry about armor sets and vMA is way in the future. That said, if you can get someone to craft you some training gear, two full sets with matching jewelry, all except weapons, that would help you a lot. Keep your weapons up to date - close to your current level - by switching to the latest weapons you find, but the gear should last you a while. Armor sets like Hunding's, Shacklebreaker, Fortified Brass would all work. Resources tend to be constrained, at low level, so I would probably go with some stam regen enchants. Also make sure you got a mundus and some good food, such as Dubious Camoran Throne.

Nothing wrong with stam DK, it's just the way this game levels you. You tend to be somewhat tanky and low damage at low levels. You may actually feel squishier at CP160, but you have the potential for more damage. Like others have said, you can't compare yourself to other level 25 players as they may be levelling an alt and have full CP. Those 810 CP WILL be active behind the scenes. You just don't see it.

getemshauna · May 2019

Sorc you have seen had probably min-maxed build Including legendary enchants, armor pieces, passives, champion points and so on.
Your stam dk can do it even quicker, since stamina AoE damage is more potent in this game than magicka one.
For start I would recommend using Endless Hail from bow skill line, connected with whirling blades from Dual Wield skill line. If you would add a caltrops from alliance war additionally, you have created strongest AoE cleave build in game. Being a sorc with Hurricane, or Warden with Subterraneran Assault only pushed it forward, but not by huge margain.

MrBrownstone · May 2019

Dragonknights are low tier damage dealers in PvE, they're best used as tanks, or PvP damage dealers. However overland mobs are the weakest enemies in this game after all so your class shouldn't matter, they can be killed very fast with any class. Just listen the advice given above. Also create a magicka character to try out.

DeadlyRecluse · May 2019

You didn't pick wrong, you're just early in both the character, account, and player power curve.

You'll get better, your build will get better, your character will get better, and you'll accumulate CPs. If you enjoy the playstyle, you'll be fine.

JumpmanLane · May 2019

Geese you’re only level 25, not running 5 piece sets or monster sets, no cp etc etc. you’ve just started. Take your time and learn your class. READ the skills. In time you’ll get powerful and stuff.

lassitershawn · May 2019

propain wrote: »

Hello just started the game and was wondering about my characters class and build. I picked a stam melee dps dragonknight using duel wield and bow. only lvl 25 right now but it just seems like everything dies super slow and have no burst damage or strong aoe. then i see a sorc run by trailing 20+ mobs then aoe them all down in less than 2 seconds then on top of that im walking around in major cities and see probably 85% of the players using staffs indicating their sorcs or use some type of magic.

Also i went on twitch and the top streamers i saw at least the ones that had the most viewers etc were all sorcs. So that being said did i pick the wrong class and set up? there just seems no way to out put the damage i see other players doing and ive just been solo questing and its just seems so much slower and painful than if i could run around and pull the entire camp of mobs then nuke them down as i see other players doing.

Well the reason you're weak is because you're new. If you are actually concerned about being an optimal class/spec for endgame PvE DPS at some point, I would go stamblade or stam necro for stamina, or magsorc, magblade, magplar for mag. Stam is generally better right now. If you just want to do overworld, any spec can get to the point where it can essentially oneshot regular overworld mobs and down bosses in a few seconds.