Tentacular Dread - the only Crux consumer for DPS other than Fatecarver?

dhoward5b14_ESO · May 2023

Fatecarver is simply not usable in many PVE situations, meaning I need another crux consuming skill. Does that leave just Tentacular Dread? ONE SKILL that I must use or miss out on many class passives? Please tell me I missed something.

Jestir · May 2023

As far as being a damage dealer, Fatecarver looks to be set up as the class defining skill so I do not think there are going to be too many options for dumping crux outside of it in that role

But lets wait for todays patch notes before getting too up in arms about how something like this is yet

TheTuSiK · May 2023

There are 3 ways of playing dps Arcanist atm:
1. Tentacle spammable to generate Crux and Beam to cosume Crux - the most often used, probably the most dps without going too crazy
2. Runeblades spammable and Tentacle debuff morph - lower dps but the safest one
3. Runeblades as spammable to generate Crux, Tentacle debuff morph that cosumes Crux and Beam (Runeblades to Tentacle to Runeblades to Beam) - the most crazy one, in theory you could do even more dmg with Fatecarver but really unsafe (takes a lot to get to the point where you beam and it can be easliy interrupted)

tsaescishoeshiner · May 2023

Having two options is pretty nice. Many classes are more shoehorned into one ability, like Scorch, Blastbones, Grim Focus, etc. Note these are all abilities that get used every few seconds.

Doesn't Tentacular Dread give a damage buff, too? Seems like a good option

dhoward5b14_ESO · May 2023

The problem is the complexity of passives that using only Tentacular to consume crux means:

- FIrst: Generate or consume crux gives 7s of 12% crit done, so you must use Tentacular within 7 seconds of reaching 3 crux.
- Second: Must generate crux (restore MAG/STA) every 10s else lose 5% WD/SD. This means (Tentacular + crux generator) must be done within 10s of reaching 3 crux.

Since Tentacular debuff lasts 20s, this means you don't want to hit your crux-generator multiple times in a row so that you need to re-cast Tentacular before the 20s runs out. Normally this is not a problem, but if you want to burst something down using your crux-generator skill, then your passives will drop off unless you re-cast Tentacular early. It could also lead to more bar-swapping depending on the build (haven't figured this part out yet).

Minimizing loss may not be too hard for experienced players, but I suspect that anyone other than highly skilled DPS will have real problems with this class when they don't use Fatecarver.