JerBearESO wrote: »BiS does not obligate you to use it.... Get creative! I use asylum SnB on my arcanists backbar so I can Infinishield without building Regen, for example.
Infinishield here means using the Magicka cost arcanist shield, the massive one, then the stamina cost SnB shield which restores Magicka with asylum SnB, back and forth continuously as needed
CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »The only reason frost staff is "better" right now is EleSus. Ele Sus has been a crazy good ability ever since they changed it to apply all 3 status effects at once. Exacerbating this is the fact that Vateshran Staff is also really strong in the current meta.
SnB is still much better, in terms of defense, than Frost Staff - you block more damage (from projectiles) and move much faster while blocking. You also have more weapon and spell damage with sword and board, and more resists and max stats from wearing a shield.
I run sword and board on my current build - I don't need ele sus or any other destro ability, and am wearing 5 light - with a sword and board backbar I can still reach spell resist cap and am nearing 28k physical resist.