DragonKnight now too weak to play.

elytham · May 2014

Everyone,

I've got a level 30 DragonKnight, and I've been using the ultimate DragonKnight shieldbash plan to level up and play the game. With the most recent patch the shield bash system was dramatically gimped, and my character now cannot kill even simplistic enemies anymore. Killing anything takes a long time, and doing a dungeon is impossible without piggybacking on others.

I looked into resetting my stats, but the amount of gold required for this is nearly 10k, and I don't have anywhere near that amount of gold. I can't quest any gold because I'm too weak to kill the enemies, but I can gather resources, but selling to the NPC is impossibly slow, and there isn't any sort of Auction House system, so I don't know where to go to do any trading. Any guide I search for online either suggests the build I already am using, now obsolete, or there are guides requiring payment.

I submitted a ticket, and this was the response I got from them.

Response By Email (Victor) (05/27/2014 02:22 PM)
Hail, Ceannlaidir Imperli, Defier of Molag Bal and Breaker of Anchors!

Thank you for contacting The Elder Scrolls Online Team. My name is Victor, and I shall be assisting you on this issue!

I am very sorry to hear that you are having this issue with your character and build. Unfortunately, with any patch to the game, abilities are likely to change as a balance is sought between all the various forces that fall into place to make characters what they are in The Elder Scrolls Online. Whenever an ability is to be changed, we will usually leave the ability points as they were allocated. If the ability has been changed drastically, we will free those points up so that they can be adjusted.

You can make sure to know what is happening with each patch that occurs to The Elder Scrolls Online by going to our forums and reviewing any patch notes that are placed there. If we are planning to allow a reallocation of skill points, it will also be noted there for you to review.

Obviously it's not like I'm saying it's unreasonable to change the skill, but all they did was remove my (2) skill points from the shield bash ability, leaving out the fact that all of my other stats are placed around this build, so ESO team wont help me reset my stats to correct for the change.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Do I have to start over again?

Thanks in advance-

DakotaCoty · May 2014

[Moderator Note: Edited per our rules on Trolling & Baiting]

ngendk · May 2014

I use 2H for a dps build, and have invested in shield/1H for when I'm needed for tanking.

Im currently VR1 and can solo most things thrown at me, so I dont see the problem. I think you need to re-think the way you see this game, skill points and grinding appropriate skills are easy and abundance. If you don't like your current build, don some new armor and weapon and try something different.

fyendiarb16_ESO · May 2014

@elytham‌ Tbh I am having the same problems with my DK which is also lvl 30. I am not sure which way to go with him now. Any advice from others would be very welcome. It's rather frustrating to be stuck on a character like this.

elytham · May 2014

ngendk wrote: »

I use 2H for a dps build, and have invested in shield/1H for when I'm needed for tanking.

Im currently VR1 and can solo most things thrown at me, so I dont see the problem. I think you need to re-think the way you see this game, skill points and grinding appropriate skills are easy and abundance. If you don't like your current build, don some new armor and weapon and try something different.

This is solid advice, but I really don't know how to appropriately correct for this change. I'm new to the game and I don't understand a lot of things yet. The guides I find on the web I don't understand, or don't have enough information about the plans in question, just a list of primary and secondary skills with no real in-depth information about what else to do.

I picked up a destruction staff with the magicka points I have extra, and it works, although now I can't figure out how to use new skills with it... Meaning there are more spells than I have space on my macro bar, so I don't know what to decide on.

Nivzruo_ESO · May 2014

Obvious troll is obvious.

JosephChip · May 2014

You don't have less than 10k at level 30? Level 32 I bought a horse and had 50k just from questing. Also switching to a build not focused around shield-bash doesn't require a full respec. What have you done with all the skill points you have acquired up until this point? You ate them? Also you can easily get a few skill points by hunting skyshards. You have plenty of class/weapon abilities that can grant you a completely adequate build for leveling without exploiting shield-bash. You may be pissed, but it's time for you to learn how to properly play the game instead of spamming left-click.

Xancathb16_ESO · May 2014

There are six weapons in the game, by no means is any particular weapon suited more or less for any of the four classes and you need to shed the typical class archetypes taken from other games. Dragonknights for example are one of the stronger ranged casters in ESO.

Shield bash was nerfed because it was outrageously overpowered in pvp and somewhat in pve. The concept of doing even decent damage from bashing itself is unacceptable as while blocking you are a) immune to cc and b) taking 50%+ less damage from attacks and it was better than any melee alternative in the game.

Also having a ~10k reset cost would mean you have 100 skill points available to you, which at level 30 is very unlikely. There's no reason you shouldn't change your build.

elytham · May 2014

JosephChip wrote: »

You don't have less than 10k at level 30? Level 32 I bought a horse and had 50k just from questing. Also switching to a build not focused around shield-bash doesn't require a full respec. What have you done with all the skill points you have acquired up until this point? You ate them? Also you can easily get a few skill points by hunting skyshards. You have plenty of class/weapon abilities that can grant you a completely adequate build for leveling without exploiting shield-bash. You may be pissed, but it's time for you to learn how to properly play the game instead of spamming left-click.

I'm not really sure why you're angry with me. I'm not mad about the change, just that I don't know how to fix the situation, I'm seeing a lot of suggestions without any real information on doing it. As far as gold is concerned, I spend it on repairs and skill smithing, and I have been expanding my inventory. I just don't have enough gold or knowledge to compensate for the change, so I'm asking for advice, not mean comments.

Thanks.

mj8411ub17_ESO · May 2014

Yes...please make DKs more powerful, as my VR2 DK (soloing in Craglorn) sometimes dies to a mob of VR11...this is unacceptable.

In all seriousness, save your money and respec, im running 25 magika, 24 stamina(plus good food)...there's so many great skills for a heavy armor DK just be patient and you'll learn how to play the right build for you once you have all the skills and morphs.

hk11 · May 2014

Use your class skills plus the pierce skill. That's how I'm muddling through. My destro staff almost has all the abilities and then I'm going to start rest staff and become a Mage as that is clearly the vision for the Dragonknight.

elytham · May 2014

Xancathb16_ESO wrote: »

There are six weapons in the game, by no means is any particular weapon suited more or less for any of the four classes and you need to shed the typical class archetypes taken from other games. Dragonknights for example are one of the stronger ranged casters in ESO.

Shield bash was nerfed because it was outrageously overpowered in pvp and somewhat in pve. The concept of doing even decent damage from bashing itself is unacceptable as while blocking you are a) immune to cc and b) taking 50%+ less damage from attacks and it was better than any melee alternative in the game.

Also having a ~10k reset cost would mean you have 100 skill points available to you, which at level 30 is very unlikely. There's no reason you shouldn't change your build.

I think one was 5600 and the other was 3000 for the reset when I checked, it's in that neighborhood, I'm not sure why that is significant, I'm just looking for information I can use to change how I play.

I think maybe I'm not being clear enough for some, I'm trying to find help in correcting my character, not looking for mean comments or lectures. I just need a guide or help, or something I can use.

Thanks.

JosephChip · May 2014

elytham wrote: »

JosephChip wrote: »

You don't have less than 10k at level 30? Level 32 I bought a horse and had 50k just from questing. Also switching to a build not focused around shield-bash doesn't require a full respec. What have you done with all the skill points you have acquired up until this point? You ate them? Also you can easily get a few skill points by hunting skyshards. You have plenty of class/weapon abilities that can grant you a completely adequate build for leveling without exploiting shield-bash. You may be pissed, but it's time for you to learn how to properly play the game instead of spamming left-click.

I'm not really sure why you're angry with me. I'm not mad about the change, just that I don't know how to fix the situation, I'm seeing a lot of suggestions without any real information on doing it. As far as gold is concerned, I spend it on repairs and skill smithing, and I have been expanding my inventory. I just don't have enough gold or knowledge to compensate for the change, so I'm asking for advice, not mean comments.

Thanks.

Not sure were you picked up that I am angry with you. You already received appropriate advice. Try on some new skills in your bar. It's really that simple in this game. If you invested in stamina try a two-handed and problem solved. Hell one of the good things about ESO is that you aren't stuck with a specific build or gear. You can change everything whenever you want, and your 29 attributes point don't make much difference at your level. Shield-bash got nerfed? Pick up another weapon and move on.

elytham · May 2014

JosephChip wrote: »

elytham wrote: »

JosephChip wrote: »

You don't have less than 10k at level 30? Level 32 I bought a horse and had 50k just from questing. Also switching to a build not focused around shield-bash doesn't require a full respec. What have you done with all the skill points you have acquired up until this point? You ate them? Also you can easily get a few skill points by hunting skyshards. You have plenty of class/weapon abilities that can grant you a completely adequate build for leveling without exploiting shield-bash. You may be pissed, but it's time for you to learn how to properly play the game instead of spamming left-click.

I'm not really sure why you're angry with me. I'm not mad about the change, just that I don't know how to fix the situation, I'm seeing a lot of suggestions without any real information on doing it. As far as gold is concerned, I spend it on repairs and skill smithing, and I have been expanding my inventory. I just don't have enough gold or knowledge to compensate for the change, so I'm asking for advice, not mean comments.

Thanks.

Not sure were you picked up that I am angry with you. You already received appropriate advice. Try on some new skills in your bar. It's really that simple in this game. If you invested in stamina try a two-handed and problem solved. Hell one of the good things about ESO is that you aren't stuck with a specific build or gear. You can change everything whenever you want, and your 29 attributes point don't make much difference at your level. Shield-bash got nerfed? Pick up another weapon and move on.

So I can easily use a 2 handed weapon and skills with 10 Magicka, I think 12 Health and 5 stamina? Should I just guess and buy different skills until I find something, or is there some sort of guide I can use? I don't like guessing so much.

Thanks

elytham · May 2014

mj8411ub17_ESO wrote: »

Yes...please make DKs more powerful, as my VR2 DK (soloing in Craglorn) sometimes dies to a mob of VR11...this is unacceptable.

In all seriousness, save your money and respec, im running 25 magika, 24 stamina(plus good food)...there's so many great skills for a heavy armor DK just be patient and you'll learn how to play the right build for you once you have all the skills and morphs.

Okay cool. I think some of the other posts also say it may be good to use other weapons. I'm going to try being a mage and see where that goes, thanks for the advice!

**EDIT**

OKay thanks everyone for the advice. I'm looking into changing to a mage build with destructo and resto staffs and see where it goes, I found some guides I can use to tweak my character and it work!

A lot of good advice guys thanks so much, see you in game!

Can close topic now, thanks.

VinnOmniusVeritas · May 2014

Elytham,

I play a DK and have put a few points in Bow, 2H and Resto Staff just to be more varied. You don't have to have a lot of points in any weapon to be good enough to live through fights and questing. (As an aside, I was 1H/Shield for the first month of the game until the Shield Bash thing took off (around late April?), at which point I respecced right out of it as I smelled that nerf coming a mile off).

Maybe if you could list the DK skills you do have left, some here could help you see which ones are useful to you and how to use them best. You only need 5 good skills and a Ultimate to at least be able to get enough additional skill points to get new skills.

JosephChip · May 2014

elytham wrote: »

So I can easily use a 2 handed weapon and skills with 10 Magicka, I think 12 Health and 5 stamina? Should I just guess and buy different skills until I find something, or is there some sort of guide I can use? I don't like guessing so much.

Thanks

Hell no, if you invested 10 Magicka and 12 Health that's not bad. You should go for a magicka build and try a destruction staff.

Drasn · May 2014

/raises glass

To the new meat, whose best attack is showing their face.

Phantorang · May 2014

Take a look at this Video where a DK Soloes Craglorn, perhaps you can learn something about your class being the single most overpowered class in the game, only followed by sorc.

Reykice · May 2014

The sorc is not OP... its just working as it should

As a DK you can go on a magicka AOE build... you will do decent single target damage and have no issue with 2-3 npc`s...

DK damage is still good, the bash was too good... anyone using it felt powerful because that ability was better that anything else....

Now you get to play the real game.

fyendiarb16_ESO · May 2014

@Phantorang‌ As much as I agree with you that video's like that can teach you a lot, just as the many guides you can find online, they all suffer from the same problem: they expect you to have maxed out each class skill line and at least 1 weapon skill line. At lvl 30 that will not be the case.

That video is awesome, as is the other from that guy, but he uses almost all last skills from the skill lines. All skills not available to my DK yet. The only skill us uses that my DK could buy is Mage Light.

I am sure there are great leveling guides out there, but when you google for them you have a big chance to end up on a goldseller website. So I don't feel that much at ease with that.

If anyone know of some good leveling guides, for any class btw, please say so. With the amount of guides aimed at endgame it is easy to miss the good leveling guides.

Aziz006 · May 2014

"DK solo" type it on the youtube and learn

Orizuru · May 2014

Just grab any ranged weapon, staff or bow, and cheese your way through leveling by using Stonefist and Dark Talons to keep things off of you.

Westcoast14_ESO · May 2014

elytham wrote: »

...I'm looking into changing to a mage build with destructo and resto staffs and see where it goes, I found some guides I can use to tweak my character and it work!

A lot of good advice guys thanks so much, see you in game!

Can close topic now, thanks.

That's the current favorite. Destruction + Restoration staff is arguably the strongest weapon combination in general right now, and DK is the class currently best suited to take advantage of it, ex.

ESO Dragonknight - Solo Aetherian Archive

Phantorang · May 2014

fyendiarb16_ESO wrote: »

@Phantorang‌ As much as I agree with you that video's like that can teach you a lot, just as the many guides you can find online, they all suffer from the same problem: they expect you to have maxed out each class skill line and at least 1 weapon skill line. At lvl 30 that will not be the case.

That video is awesome, as is the other from that guy, but he uses almost all last skills from the skill lines. All skills not available to my DK yet. The only skill us uses that my DK could buy is Mage Light.

I am sure there are great leveling guides out there, but when you google for them you have a big chance to end up on a goldseller website. So I don't feel that much at ease with that.

If anyone know of some good leveling guides, for any class btw, please say so. With the amount of guides aimed at endgame it is easy to miss the good leveling guides.

I say go out there and google some, I have never clicked a gold seller site or even close

Korah_Eaglecry · May 2014

elytham wrote: »

JosephChip wrote: »

You don't have less than 10k at level 30? Level 32 I bought a horse and had 50k just from questing. Also switching to a build not focused around shield-bash doesn't require a full respec. What have you done with all the skill points you have acquired up until this point? You ate them? Also you can easily get a few skill points by hunting skyshards. You have plenty of class/weapon abilities that can grant you a completely adequate build for leveling without exploiting shield-bash. You may be pissed, but it's time for you to learn how to properly play the game instead of spamming left-click.

I'm not really sure why you're angry with me. I'm not mad about the change, just that I don't know how to fix the situation, I'm seeing a lot of suggestions without any real information on doing it. As far as gold is concerned, I spend it on repairs and skill smithing, and I have been expanding my inventory. I just don't have enough gold or knowledge to compensate for the change, so I'm asking for advice, not mean comments.

Thanks.

If you dont have the skill points. Its because you need to go hunt skyshards.

You should have more then enough points at that level for both passives, some crafting, world abilities/passives, and an assortment of class/weapon abilities. You should be able to move some things around to better fit your needs. If you havent done this. Im quite confused as well as to where youre putting your points.

Slantasiam · May 2014

elytham wrote: »

Everyone,

I've got a level 30 DragonKnight, and I've been using the ultimate DragonKnight shieldbash plan to level up and play the game. With the most recent patch the shield bash system was dramatically gimped, and my character now cannot kill even simplistic enemies anymore. Killing anything takes a long time, and doing a dungeon is impossible without piggybacking on others.

I looked into resetting my stats, but the amount of gold required for this is nearly 10k, and I don't have anywhere near that amount of gold. I can't quest any gold because I'm too weak to kill the enemies, but I can gather resources, but selling to the NPC is impossibly slow, and there isn't any sort of Auction House system, so I don't know where to go to do any trading. Any guide I search for online either suggests the build I already am using, now obsolete, or there are guides requiring payment.

I submitted a ticket, and this was the response I got from them.

Response By Email (Victor) (05/27/2014 02:22 PM)
Hail, Ceannlaidir Imperli, Defier of Molag Bal and Breaker of Anchors!

Thank you for contacting The Elder Scrolls Online Team. My name is Victor, and I shall be assisting you on this issue!

I am very sorry to hear that you are having this issue with your character and build. Unfortunately, with any patch to the game, abilities are likely to change as a balance is sought between all the various forces that fall into place to make characters what they are in The Elder Scrolls Online. Whenever an ability is to be changed, we will usually leave the ability points as they were allocated. If the ability has been changed drastically, we will free those points up so that they can be adjusted.

You can make sure to know what is happening with each patch that occurs to The Elder Scrolls Online by going to our forums and reviewing any patch notes that are placed there. If we are planning to allow a reallocation of skill points, it will also be noted there for you to review.

Obviously it's not like I'm saying it's unreasonable to change the skill, but all they did was remove my (2) skill points from the shield bash ability, leaving out the fact that all of my other stats are placed around this build, so ESO team wont help me reset my stats to correct for the change.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Do I have to start over again?

Thanks in advance-

there ar dk that can solo raid trash there are dk that can solo 4 man dungeons there is nothing weak about that class...

Solanum · May 2014

I'd strongly recommend playing Nightblade, now that your Dragonknight is gimped best roll a really strong class, which is even getting buffs in 1.2 to make them more powerful!

ArRashid · May 2014

Only the one who never saw king Leonidas bash some persians in the face can say that Shield Bash isn't supposed to do damage.

Even those of us who WEREN'T specced as tanks feel it - you can no longer finish off a mob at 5% HP by bashing him in the face - because it deals like 20 dmg.. you have to waste more magicka to cast one more spell..

I'm not saying it wasn't necessary, but they could have chosen the less NERFTOTHEGROUND option - for example bash damage being a subject to diminishing returns - each additional bash in 3 seconds interval would have it's damage reduced by 50%...
So you'd do 100% with first, 50% with second, 25% with third... reason enough not to spam them, without ruining bash completely.
Removing +bash damage glyphs would work too - basic bash is nowhere near OP.

WilliamTee · May 2014

I can't tell which posts in this thread are trolling and which aren't... including the opening post.

Carnage2K4 · May 2014

I'm level 38 DK, I have no issues with a mix of dual, Destruction staff (fire), fire abilities and the dunmer race passives... He is my pyromancer and he works very well...