ESO Arcanist One Bar PvP Tank Build

This guide gives gear, skills, champion points, and consumables for an ESO Arcanist One Bar PvP Tank Build Guide!

Best ESO Builds: Update 38 and Necrom chapter

This build has been updated for the Update 40 patch of the Elder Scrolls Online.

Why Should You Play the ESO Arcanist One Bar PvP Tank Build?

Welcome to the ESO Arcanist One Bar PvP Tank Build for The Elder Scrolls Online. If you are looking for information about the Arcanist and everything we know about the class check out our The Elder Scrolls Online: Arcanist Class Guide. For more ESO builds click HERE.  Also, consider watching me on Twitch where you can ask me questions about my current builds.

Below is a general PvP Guide that can help anyone understand and develop their PvP knowledge and skill. This video is applicable for every build and should be viewed if you want general ESO PvP knowledge that applies to all aspects, Battlegrounds, Cyrodiil, and Imperial City.

ProsCons
Ranged damageWeak healing
Huge AoECan be interrupted
Good class ultimates

ESO Arcanist One Bar PvP Tank Build Playstyle

The Arcanist uses abilities to create and consume Cruxes, small triangular glyphs floating around the character (3 max). You will use specific skills to generate Cruxes and additional abilities that consume them, amplifying abilities and triggering important class passives.

Crux consumption could provide more damage, longer duration, cheaper resource cost, and more healing. Additionally, it generates and activates important passives. For example, Crux-consumption can give you more weapon/spell or critical damage. The more you use Cruxes, the better.

The following brief guide explains the combat with the ESO Arcanist class in builds:

  1. Use one primary skill as a tank, damage dealer, or healer to generate Crux.
  2. Consume that Crux with one or two skills for better damage, healing, and defenses.
  3. Start building Crux again to use the other skill for another in-combat advantage.
  4. In between combing Crux, maintain your buffs, healing, and damage over time skills.
  5. Your build wants to find the sweet spot of constantly generating Crux and consuming it for bonuses.
  6. You don’t want your build to have zero Crux or constantly three without a “dump” skill.

Skills

Bar One: Sword and Shield

  • Sword and Shield Consumes stamina and has a great ultimate
  • Frost Staff, can consume magicka to block, the same mitigation, or take out tri-focus for stamina blocking.  The benefit of Frost Staff is, you don’t cut your sword and shield trait in half AND you have range.  For these builds, if you don’t run sword and shield ability/ultimate use frost.

Revealing Flare (Skill Line : Support) – Slotted for major protection.

Defensive Posture (Skill Line : One Hand and Shield) – Increases block mitigation and blocking cost.

Resolving Vigor (Morph of Vigor | Skill Line : Assault) – Stamina based heal over time.

Rune of Eldritch Horror (Skill Line : Soldier of Apocrypha) – Provides a burst heal when dropped below 50% life.

Spiteward of the Lucid Mind (Morph of Runespite Ward | Skill Line : Soldier of Apocrypha) – A huge damage shield that retaliates reflecting damage back.

Gibbering Shield (Skill Line : Soldier of Apocrypha) – A huge damage shield that reflects damage.

Gear 1

Gear

SlotTypeSetTraitGlyph
HeadlightMagma IncarnateSturdyPrismatic
ShoulderslightDesert RoseSturdyHealth
ChestlightMara’s BalmReinforcedPrismatic
LegslightMara’s BalmSturdyPrismatic
GloveslightMara’s BalmSturdyHealth
BootslightMara’s BalmSturdyHealth
BeltlightMara’s BalmSturdyHealth
Weapon OneSwordDesert RoseDecisiveAbsorb Health
SecondaryShieldDesert RoseSturdyHealth
NecklaceDesert RoseInfusedReduce Block Cost
Ring 1Oakensoul RingInfusedReduce Block Cost
Ring 2Desert RoseInfusedReduce Magicka Cost

Desktop hover for set bonuses, mobile click once for set bonuses

Magma Incarnate: helmet obtained in Veteran dungeon The Dread Cellar, Waking Flame DLC, shoulders bought from Urgarlag Chief-bane the Pledge Master

  • Why? 1 piece gives stamina and magical recovery helps with sustain.

FLEX OPTIONS:

Desert Rose: obtained in Cyrodiil Cropsford Elite Gear Vendor.

  • Why? allows near infinite magicka sustain.

Mara’s Balm: obtained through PvP rewards of the Worthy bags or sold on guild traders.

  • Why? provides healing and a cleanse and the best all-around defensive set.

FLEX OPTIONS

Oakensoul: obtained through ESO Mythics/antiquities system. You need 5 objects(leads) to be able to create the Mythic item. Location of the 5 leads (click for details)

  • Why? The best one bar item for a DPS

Race

Best Choice

Imperial

Great for resource sustain and survivability.

Secondary Choice

Argonian

Blend of survival and resource sustain.

Attributes

Health

Stamina

Magicka

6400

Mundus Stone

Atronach – Increases Magicka recovery by 310

Champion Points

Consumables

Bewitched Sugar Skulls

Type: Foods

OVERALL BEST: Increase Max Health by 4620, Max Stamina and Max Magicka by 4250, and Health Recovery by 462 for 2 hours. Ingredients to make Scrib Jelly (2), Flour (5), Columbine (2), Bervez Juice (2), Honey (5)

Orzorga’s Smoked Bear Haunch

Type: Foods

BEST FOR SUSTAIN: Increase Max Health by 4312, Health Recovery by 406 and Stamina and Magicka Recovery by 369 for 2 hours. Ingredients: Frost Mirriam (1), Perfect Roe (1), Red Meat (1), Tomato (1), White Cap (1)

Jewels of Misrule

Type: Foods

CHEAP SUSTAIN OPTION: Increase Stamina and Magicka Recovery by 357 and Max Health by 3927 for 2 hours. These effects are scaled based on your level. Ingredients: Bervez Juice (1), Lotus (1), Mint (1), Rose (1), Columbine (1)

Tri-Potion

Type: Potions

Restore 7329 Health, 6618 Magicka, and 6618 Stamina immediately. Grants Major Fortitude, Major Intellect, and Major Endurance which increase your Health Recovery, Magicka Recovery, and Stamina Recovery by 20% for 31.7 seconds. (effects are scaled based on your level) Ingredients: Bugloss, Columbine, Mountain Flower

Passives

  • Class Passives
  • Weapon Passives
    • Sword and Shield
  • Armor Passives
    • Light
    • Medium
    • Heavy
  • Guild Passives
    • Fighters Guild
    • Undaunted
    • Mages Guild
    • Psijic Order
  • Alliance Passives
    • Assault
    • Support
  • World Passives
    • Soul Magic

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