PVE Magicka Tank

Replies: 52

UPDATE:  current build has been modified for a more advanced tank approach…  See notes at bottom of this post!

Putting out a basic magicka tank build that is proven and easy to set up. The goal here is more of a starter tank build for players just getting to endgame, with multiple gear set options and a focus on crafted options.

Recommend imperial race, though dunmer, Breton and altmer would work.

Half attribute points into Health and the rest in Magicka, all health glyphs on major pieces of gear (head, chest, legs, shield) and healthy trait jewelry.  The more CP you have the less points in health you need.  When cap hits 552 in June 2016 we should be able to move all attribute points into magicka and still retain target 27-30k health.

Atronach mundus stone if you have magicka issues, thief for more crit if you are going more of a DPS focus and your sustain is ok (bretons and altmers will have an easier time with magicka sustain).

Champion points (currently at 402 total):
Warrior, focus on block and spell resistance, heavy armor… The steed constellation to 30 first for healing proc on bashes.  You really want that 75 point shield armor boost passive. A balance of Lady constellation spends to reduce aoe, magic and elemental damage is nice as you approach 350 CP.

Thief, focus on magician (to 30 first) then arcanist to help magicka sustain.  Magician is your goal to take to 100 eventually but on the way once you hit diminishing returns balance with arcanist.

Mage, 1 point into blessed to bump dragon blood healing up a tad.  Focus on elemental expert (30 into apprentice path first for spell precision); splitting points into Bladed and staff expert to 30 is also helpful for the reflected damage on blocks passive.  Use the jump points for elfborn spends to ensure you are being strategic and efficient with your CP.

Bar1: 1h/s boss bar
-igneous shield
-green dragon blood
-pierce armor
-shuffle
-hardened armor
Ult: Standard of Might / Magma Shell / Aggressive Warhorn

Bar2: Destro (or 1hs) – trash
-extended chains
-elemental ring  / engulfing flames
-igneous shield
-defensive posture (i use absorb magic morph)
-choking talons
Ult: Take flight/dawnbreaker

You can run this in 5 heavy, use blue stamina/magicka regen drinks for sustain or purple drinks.

Gear options:
*5 footmans (1 health, 1 armor, 1 spell resist, increased block mitigation… jewelry, shoulders, hands… Shoulders and hands of footman set have divines as opposed to exploration on the other slots)
*4 alessias bulwark (2 armor, 1 health bonus)
*3 whitestrakes (1 health, 1 spell resist buff)

Or

*5 footmans
*5 hist bark (1 armor, 1 health, 1 health recovery, evasion while blocking bonuses)
*2 alessias bulwark/deaths wind (1 armor bonus)

Or

5 willows path, 3 footman jewelry, 2 engine guardian, 2 alessia (super sustain build)

Or… if you are brave…

5L-1H-1M, armor master + willpower jewelry + 2 bloodspawn/engine guardian + 2 torugs pact…  with shuffle up 100% of the time and a good bloodspawn proc rate, you are looking at somewhere around +21,000 armor with all your bonuses from gear.  that is not including the base with a heavy chest, medium legs and 5L, which I believe will net you somewhere around 7,000-10,000 base.  Add in a minor resolve/ward for another ~1,000 armor, and you are looking at very close to capped mitigation (33,000).  In LIGHT ARMOR?!

<b>I have since switched my 5L armor master to 5h.  It is more forgiving should you miss a buff (I have been oneshotted in vWGT with just one mistake, and that is annoying…) – i have also swapped to 1hs on both bars.  I am also running 5 armor master, 2 engine guardian, 3 endurance and 2 willpower (using jewelry and weapons).  This gives me a significant max magicka and health bonus on both 2 piece sets and great stam regen on the 3 endurance.  Since i dont have to permablock with this build, i can take advantage of the regen.  This also gives me v16 weapons and shield for very cheap!  Defending on both weapons, reinforced on both shields.  Finding the style you like is the only tough part, but otherwise im really liking this setup!  I run atronach mundus and magicka/stamina regen drinks.  I can virtually spam igneous shield for stamina and have no issues with chains eating up magicka on trash pulls.  I chain mobs in and lock them down with talons, apply engulfing and then reapply talons to ensure 100% immobilize.  Dawnbreaker is always up for ultimate drops to restore resources.  I use warhorn on my tank bar for grouo utility on bosses.</b>

Alternate possible combos :
-2 torugs pact
-4 song of lamae
-5 kagrenacs hope

-4 spectres eye

-4 magnus

-2 bloodspawn
-2 lord warden
-1-2 molag kena

-5 julianos

General rotation for boss fights:

Buff with shuffle, green dragon blood, hardened armor; taunt with pierce armor and weave heavy attacks with igneous shield for stamina restoration and ultimate generation; bash to interrupt heavy attacks and boss skills; block as needed.  Keep your maim from talons and taunt + debuffs from pierce armor up at all times.

On bosses, keep your fire DOT up from engulfing flames (which also helps dps deal more damage with inferno staff and flame skills).  Maintain green dragon blood at all times for HoT and stamina recovery; block cast hardened armor/shuffle when you need to refresh the buffs.

For magic boss fights, you can stack harness magicka shield on igneous shield for increased mitigation if needed; alternatively, absorb magic works nicely to burst heal with a stamina cost if the boss uses projectile spells and while slotted increases block mitigation.

• This topic was modified 3 weeks, 3 days ago by  mrowmrif2.