Help with stam (DK) PvE build

fred4 · January 2021

I'm a PvPer who occasionally PvEs with his characters. While I find my PvP builds viable in vMA, more or less unchanged, my stam DK failed in vVateshran until now. Yesterday I threw together the following, which turned out way better for that arena. My DK has now completed it with:

Master's 2H (e.g. Brawler build)
5x Vicious Ophidian on both bars
5x Trappings of Invigoration, back bar only, bow
1x Pale Order
1x Slimecraw (for the crit)

This build has great tankiness, due to Brawler + Pale Order, good AOE damage and is, in fact, oversustaining. How can I improve it, e.g. take some of the sustain out for more damage?

All my characters are primarily for PvP. I do not wish to change the mundus - the Serpent - nor any CP when I PvE with them. PvE respec has to happen solely via gear and skill change. It will be for vet solo and 4-man content only. No trials, no high scores, no achievements, just for farming purposes.

I do not wish to change VO. I like the speed it gives. I also wish to retain the 2H / bow configuration and probably the Master's 2H. Pale Order seems a no-brainer for the solo arenas. How to fill out the build?

I could back bar Briarheart, instead of Trappings, but would this be the best option? How would that compare to a vMA bow on the back bar, plus a monster set, plus 2x other?

What monster sets might be good? Balorgh? Bloodspawn (I am a DK)? Velidreth? I am currently using Camou Hunter on the front bar, so wouldn't see the point of Slimecraw. How about simply 2x weapon crit pieces?

For 4-main content, I would drop Pale Order, which opens up the possibility for 2x 5-piece sets plus arena weapons. This begs the following questions:

How good are those arena weapons really? The Master's 2H seems really good, but is it? How about a vMA bow for the back bar?

What should be the final 5-piece set in the 4-man variation of the build? Being a DK, I am attracted to Dead-Water's Guile. Or simply Leviathan? I have 45% crit on the front bar right now, without it.

fred4 · January 2021

P.S. I have no access to trial sets outside of VO.

MerguezMan · January 2021

My stam DK runs with:
- 5x Alessian Order (back bar)
- 2H Maelstrom mace (don't run, rush !)
- 5x NMA (armor, medium)
- Antiquity ring, depending on situation
- Kragh heavy helm (for extra penetration)
This is usually fine for both random normal dungeons tanking, soloing, and BG pvp. I swap back-bar weapon depending on task and mood. I have 1 piece of jewelry enchanted for regen, the others for damage.
I swap Antiquity ring out to slot full Monster helm sets on vet dungeons (Bloodspawn, Lord Warden, or something alike)

Alessian is great for tankiness - I guess as dd you can swap it for VO.
If you're afraid of cost increase from NMA, Hundings remains a good basic option, Leviathan if you want to push crit, Ancient Dragonguard can stand as a decent tanky alternative, or Clever alchemist back bar if you can time potion use. You may also consider Spriggans if you lack penetration from your pvp CP allocation (in pve, 18k including major breach from Poison breath is the maximum you may aim for).
For monster set, either Bloodspawn for tankiness or Balorgh for damage should be fine.

I would not recommend VO in combination with Dead-water's guile, unless you also slot Balorgh and build to spam dragon leap. Note that this playstyle would probably cause issues in situations where you want to stay at range (which is not really an option sometimes). It's just simpler and more flexible to take a raw buff as 5pcs set.

Pale order is counterproductive for group pve, it would prevent many bonuses from healers sets theat proc from healing. Keep that thing for soloing only.

Jewelry set of Agility (3 pcs) gives extra damage and can be swapped with PO ring+ Weapon, but it gives no bonus on the other bar.

And indeed, you probably don't need so much stam regen/restore.

oscarovegren · January 2021

Bloodspawn is actually decent for solo stamDK for several reasons

fred4 · January 2021

MerguezMan wrote: »

My stam DK runs with:
- 5x Alessian Order (back bar)
- 2H Maelstrom mace (don't run, rush !)
- 5x NMA (armor, medium)
- Antiquity ring, depending on situation
- Kragh heavy helm (for extra penetration)
This is usually fine for both random normal dungeons tanking, soloing, and BG pvp. I swap back-bar weapon depending on task and mood. I have 1 piece of jewelry enchanted for regen, the others for damage.
I swap Antiquity ring out to slot full Monster helm sets on vet dungeons (Bloodspawn, Lord Warden, or something alike)

Alessian is great for tankiness - I guess as dd you can swap it for VO.
If you're afraid of cost increase from NMA, Hundings remains a good basic option, Leviathan if you want to push crit, Ancient Dragonguard can stand as a decent tanky alternative, or Clever alchemist back bar if you can time potion use. You may also consider Spriggans if you lack penetration from your pvp CP allocation (in pve, 18k including major breach from Poison breath is the maximum you may aim for).
For monster set, either Bloodspawn for tankiness or Balorgh for damage should be fine.

I would not recommend VO in combination with Dead-water's guile, unless you also slot Balorgh and build to spam dragon leap. Note that this playstyle would probably cause issues in situations where you want to stay at range (which is not really an option sometimes). It's just simpler and more flexible to take a raw buff as 5pcs set.

Pale order is counterproductive for group pve, it would prevent many bonuses from healers sets theat proc from healing. Keep that thing for soloing only.

Jewelry set of Agility (3 pcs) gives extra damage and can be swapped with PO ring+ Weapon, but it gives no bonus on the other bar.

And indeed, you probably don't need so much stam regen/restore.

Thanks, but you seem to be a fellow PvPer and I think I need input from a high-end PvEer. I initially failed at vVateshran, because I was running a more single-target PvP-derived setup, such as yourself. That Maelstrom 2H and Alessian are both an emphatic "no" there, at least for me. The early rounds are doable with almost anything, but the final fight will own you.

Alessian is surprisingly viable to get you through tough PvE content in comfort, but is redundant once you switch to a Brawler build. I suppose I should have clarified that I want to play as a DD in group content, not a tank.

I had been looking at the following video, by Skinny Cheeks, discussing the top (in his view) PvE damage sets:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTqIwghK6Jk

I suppose what I'm really looking for is a discussion of monster sets and arena weapons and whether you might give up a 5-piece for those. Aside from my preference for VO and the other constraints I mentioned, I really want to know what's optimal for damage.

MerguezMan · January 2021

Well, as said in OP, you want to keep VO, Serpent mundus, and PvP CP allocation, and don't want to farm trials.
This is -sorry, rough but true- NOT an optimal setting for group PvE.

You probably won't find a "partial optimal" setup, and have to consider things from your base constraints.
I also have no idea of your preferred skills and current CP allocation. Maybe it's good for both PvE and PvP, maybe there's a gap somewhere...

Best thing you may try is playing around uesp's build editor and check efficient damage for different combinations (which doesn't reflect actual dps, but can give an indication of which set is best when comparing).

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/UESPWiki:EsoBuildEditor

Vildebill · January 2021

I haven't played StamDK for a while, but by just looking on what you use, you must be over sustaining a lot. I'd change back bar bow to a Maelstrom one, skip masters 2h on the front bar and use another five piece set on front bar like Briarheart, keep using ring of the pale order, and fill out the last piece with a monster set of choice depending on what want (I personally prefer Domihaus since it's stat dense and off-resources are handy in solo scenarios). And when you're playing four man content, just swap the ring for a Briarheart/VO one and use a monster set. Most damage would be Selene.

Hotdog_23 · January 2021

You could go Spriggan's Thorns or twice fang for the 2nd set if you don't need the healing from Briarheart since you have the Ring Pale Order or even New Moon Acolyte if you have enough resources already.

Tzogvin's Warband and Unfathomable Darkness should be up for consideration as well.

I also like Domihaus for the one piece monster set especially since you are a DK and they some expense magic skills they you may use.

Stay safe and good luck

Edit, I too like VO for solo content.

Zodiarkslayer · January 2021

First Rule SOLO: Constant healing. If you have RotpO, you use it.

Second Rule SOLO: Easy sustain. If you have VO, you use it!

Third Rule SOLO: Maelstrom Backbar (Bow or Greatsword)! So get either one and use them with Endless Hail or Stampede.

Fourth Rule SOLO: Damage set on Frontbar, that fits your build! This is tricky, becasue it depends on your skills, CP, etc. General Recommendations have already been made.

Fifth Rule SOLO: You want to hit at least 50% crit chance, 19k health and 35 MaxStam (for Damage calc). The rest has to be weapon damage. That is not always possible.

@fred4 Please post your skills and CP, that you use for PvP and we can give better recommendations. Without it, all that you will get here is just general advice, that may or may not help you. I whipped up something real quick on UESP.net, just for you. Copy and edit as you see fit. May help you best to understand how PvE is different from PvP (Noone uses Serpent... )

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Special:EsoBuildData?id=307498

Malmer · January 2021

hi i running on xbox eu and have the server record for a stam dk in vma on this server showing u my build and details
race its orc
mundus its shadow
gear
5 vivicous ophidan over both bar´s jewlery and 2 body pieces
briarheart 3 body pieces 1 its head from it 2 daggers frontbar nirn precise with double pot poisons
1 thrassian stranglers
1 slimecraw fro extra crit
backbar vma bow with a berserker glyph
to my blue cp
66 master atm arms
20 thauamturg
66 precise strikes
54 piercing
64 mighty
skills
stonegiant wirleing blades venomus claw vigor silver leash dawnbreaker

arrowbarage poision injection flame of oblivion barbed trap caltrops ballista

to my skills i leave them most of the time the same exept from some bossfights because console have no proper ger swap
so boss 2 3 4 i swap silverleash out for camoflash hunter boss 7 i drop silver leash out for noxious breath and baliista for standart by voriak when i time the ghost´s i swap vigor out for camoflash hunter an silverleash for soultrap

so i running 2 big and 1 small hp gylph on body so i have with max stack 13.1k hp this is my build for running scores

for more traning runns u should drop the mythic gloves an run a full monsterset because trash needs to die quickly because of that low hp i would run the same with a full monster what u like

rrimöykk · January 2021

Vildebill wrote: »

I haven't played StamDK for a while, but by just looking on what you use, you must be over sustaining a lot. I'd change back bar bow to a Maelstrom one, skip masters 2h on the front bar and use another five piece set on front bar like Briarheart, keep using ring of the pale order, and fill out the last piece with a monster set of choice depending on what want (I personally prefer Domihaus since it's stat dense and off-resources are handy in solo scenarios). And when you're playing four man content, just swap the ring for a Briarheart/VO one and use a monster set. Most damage would be Selene.

Correction: Selene works only with Rapid Strikes, not with 2h build. Most dmg is Maarselok (bash weaving) or Domihaus which I highly recommend as it works in every single situation.

Vildebill · January 2021

rrimöykk wrote: »

Vildebill wrote: »

I haven't played StamDK for a while, but by just looking on what you use, you must be over sustaining a lot. I'd change back bar bow to a Maelstrom one, skip masters 2h on the front bar and use another five piece set on front bar like Briarheart, keep using ring of the pale order, and fill out the last piece with a monster set of choice depending on what want (I personally prefer Domihaus since it's stat dense and off-resources are handy in solo scenarios). And when you're playing four man content, just swap the ring for a Briarheart/VO one and use a monster set. Most damage would be Selene.

Correction: Selene works only with Rapid Strikes, not with 2h build. Most dmg is Maarselok (bash weaving) or Domihaus which I highly recommend as it works in every single situation.

No, you're wrong. Selene procs on melee damage and works with every melee skill, and probably light attacks too.

(2 items) When you deal melee damage, you have a 15% chance to call on a primal spirit that mauls the closest enemy in front of you after 1.3 seconds for 13364 Physical Damage. This effect can occur once every 4 seconds.

Domihaus is pretty situational, and bash weaving certainly aren't for everyone. So the best option after Selene damage wise would probably be Velidreth.

pierrenuiz · January 2021

my build for PVE StamDK

41k+ on solo skeleton dummy

no potions needs only basic stam potion

relequen x5

Deadly Strike x5 with two hand battle axe

pale order ring with Kra'gh shoulder or selen or Velidreth

Barbed Trap
Wrecking Blow
Noxious Breath
Executioner
Camouflaged Hunter
Flawless Dawnbreaker

Endless Hail
Venomous Claw
Flames of Oblivion
Molten Whip
Molten Armaments
Standard of Might

NoSoup · January 2021

For my leaderboard runs I run VO + AY. 5 VO armour and 3 AY with a front bar 2hr and then vMA bow for all bosses except the minotuar which I run the Master bow instead as it is a very mobile fight.

Since you don't have AY (assuming as it is a trial set) you're next best option would be Deadly Strike (pvp or guild trader), same, run 3 pieces and 2HDer or TZO. TZO can be a pain in the ass to get though, probably spent a week farming frostvault on normal for all my pieces.

If you're going to farm you might as well farm nHRC for AY since its the only set that will allow you to run 5+1+1 with VO, 5+1+1 is really big for me when pushing for a good score as it gives that little bit more health I need to be able to run Lava foot soup.

For the shoulder switch between Kragh's or Velidreth depending on your penetration, for vateshran as a stam build you want to be hitting 18.2k. Obviously keep Pale Order so you lose the 2nd monster piece.....