The ESO Magicka Dragonknight PvP Build called the Predator features insane damage over time, burst ultimates, and the ability to fight outnumbered. Everything you need to dominate the battlefield PvP in the Elder Scrolls Online! This build and playstyle is historically one of the most aggressive melee builds in ESO. It’s perfect for someone wanting to charge into battle and lead the fight!
This build has been updated for the Update 40 patch of the Elder Scrolls Online.
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.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| God Tier Survivability | Lacks Execute |
| Amazing Crowd Control | Requires Stamina Abilities |
| Rewards Aggressive Playstyle | Vampire for Mobility |
Skills
Skill Set 1 Front Bar
Front Bar Weapon Options: They are all good choices depending on your playstyle and needs. Experiment with what works best.
- Dual Wield – best overall damage via passives highest DPS but without a restoration staff or Ice staff on the back bar can be brutal to sustain.
- Fire staff – range and most single target damage and pairs well with elemental users.
- Lightning Staff: provides easy fully charged heavy attacks for resource sustain and 10% AoE damage when channeling.
- Two-handed has the best passives for burst.
Back Bar: Frost Staff
Back Bar Weapon Options: They are all good choices depending on your playstyle and needs. Experiment with what works best.
- Frost Staff – can either use magicka or stamina for blocking via tri focus passive. Frost also gives as much damage reduction as Sword and Shield and you can use the enchant and have some range.
- Restoration staff – the best buffs and healing. The strength of Resto is fully charged heavy attacks for major mending and magicka sustain.
- Sword and Shield – great choice when blocking The benefit of a sword and shield is using stamina for block mitigation when taking tons of pressure. Switch to sword and shield if you like a slower pace gameplay or if you struggle with survivability.
Gear Setup 1: High Burst
This setup is designed around Mech Acuity proc that gives higher critical chance and huge damage.
| Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
| Head | heavy | Bloodspawn | Well-fitted | Prismatic |
| Shoulders | medium | Bloodspawn | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Chest | heavy | Daedric Trickery | Reinforced | Prismatic |
| Legs | heavy | Armor of the Trainee | Reinforced | Prismatic |
| Gloves | light | Mechanical Acuity | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Boots | light | Mechanical Acuity | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Belt | light | Mechanical Acuity | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Weapon One | Axe | Mechanical Acuity | Nirnhoned | Poison |
| Secondary | Axe | Mechanical Acuity | Nirnhoned | Flame |
| Weapon Two | Ice Staff | Daedric Trickery | Powered | Spell damage |
| Necklace | Sea-Serpent’s Coil | Infused | Magicka Recovery | |
| Ring 1 | Daedric Trickery | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 2 | Daedric Trickery | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage |
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Bloodspawn: found in Spindleclutch II, Veteran Dungeon, shoulder from Maj al-Ragath, Undaunted vendor. This monster set is a great offensive and defensive set that helps with ultimate generation and offers extra resistance.
FLEX OPTIONS
- Maarselok = the best proc dps monster set in the game.
- Zaan = truly god-tier dueling or single-target killer monster helm.
- Ozezan the Inferno = is an update 37-monster set that is great paired with heals over time.
- Roksa the Warped = Update 37 monster helm that gives great resource sustain without Engine Guardian droid.
Sea-Serpent’s Coil: Obtained through Mythic System click here for lead locations. This mythic essentially provides two five-piece damage sets in one, with nearly zero drawbacks.
FLEX OPTIONS
- Markyn Ring of Majesty = great all-around defensive and offensive mythic
- Torc of Tonal Constancy = sustain mythic.
- Gaze of Sithis = survivability thought changes up set up and sacrifices block mitigation.
- Death Dealer’s Fete = max stats which equates to good damage and survivability.
Mechanical Acuity: obtained in Clockwork City, Craftable six traits. Great for huge burst damage though it has a longer cool down.
FLEX OPTIONS
- Burning Spellweave: = great base game set that does good damage and procs a status effect.
- Snake in the Stars = an update 37 set that counters players using “heal stacking.”
- Kynmarcher’s Cruelty = an overland set that gives massive AoE debuff.
- Order’s Wrath = craftable set that gives great damage overall and is easy to obtain.
Daedric Trickery = Craftable in Vvardenfell Morrowind.
Why? generates incredible buffs that stack on top of each other including Major Heroism which is the best for DK.
FLEX OPTIONS DEFENSIVE
- Mara’s Balm: a great defensive set that purges negative effects and heals you but was nerfed in Update 38.
- Powerful Assault = great set to add damage to you and your group and the buff stacks with Rallying Cry.
- Rallying Cry = great group utility setup but lacks ultimate generation.
- Robes of the Hist = great back bar healing set alternate to Mara’s Balm
Armor of the Trainee: obtained in overland starter areas or guild trader. Added stats with a one-piece item set.
Gear SETUP 2: Burning Spell Weave
This setup is a bit easier to use and more survivable.
| Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
| Head | heavy | Roksa the Warped | Well-fitted | Prismatic |
| Shoulders | medium | Roksa the Warped | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Chest | heavy | Daedric Trickery | Reinforced | Prismatic |
| Legs | heavy | Armor of the Trainee | Reinforced | Prismatic |
| Gloves | light | Burning Spell Weave | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Boots | light | Burning Spell Weave | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Belt | light | Burning Spell Weave | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Weapon One | Mace | Burning Spell Weave | Nirnhoned | Flame |
| Secondary | Axe | Burning Spell Weave | Charged | Poison |
| Weapon Two | Frost Staff | Daedric Trickery | Powered | Spell Damage |
| Necklace | Daedric Trickery | Swift | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 1 | Markyn Ring of Majesty | Swift | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 2 | Daedric Trickery | Swift | Spell Damage |
- Roksa the Warped: best in slot resource sustain when playing a vampire.
- Daedric Trickery = generates incredible buffs that stack on top of each other including Major Heroism which is the best for DK.
- Burning Spellweave: = great base game set that does good damage and procs a status effect.
- Markyn Ring of Majesty = a great all-around defensive and offensive mythic also doesn’t snare you.
SETUP 3: Bomber
Play this for huge multi-kills in large scale fights
| Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
| Head | heavy | Gaze of Sithis | Divines | Prismatic |
| Shoulders | light | Magma Incarnate | Divines | Magicka |
| Chest | heavy | Armor of the Trainee | Divines | Prismatic |
| Legs | medium | Plaguebreak | Divines | Prismatic |
| Gloves | light | Rallying Cry | Divines | Magicka |
| Boots | light | Rallying Cry | Divines | Magicka |
| Belt | light | Rallying Cry | Divines | Magicka |
| Weapon One | Dagger | Plaguebreak | Precise | Damage Health |
| Secondary | Dagger | Plaguebreak | Precise | Damage Health |
| Weapon Two | Restoration Staff | Rallying Cry | Powered | Spell Damage |
| Necklace | Rallying Cry | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 1 | Plaguebreak | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 2 | Plaguebreak | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage |
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- Plaguebreak: applies debuff and explodes targets if they die.
- Rallying Cry = back bar set that gives you a big boost to weapon and spell damage
- Gaze of Sithis = massive survivability mythic and you need to wear light armor and do not block. Switch to Restoration staff and Rapid Regeneration in replacement of Vigor.
- Magma Incarnate: great sustain for a one-piece item set.
Gear No Proc
Meant for specific rule sets
| Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
| Head | light | Magma Incarnate | Well-fitted | Prismatic |
| Shoulders | medium | Order’s Wrath | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Chest | heavy | Mark of the Pariah | Reinforced | Prismatic |
| Legs | heavy | Mark of the Pariah | Well-fitted | Prismatic |
| Gloves | heavy | Mark of the Pariah | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Boots | light | Order’s Wrath | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Belt | light | Order’s Wrath | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Weapon One | Mace | Order’s Wrath | Nirnhoned | Flame |
| Secondary | Axe | Order’s Wrath | Charged | Poison |
| Weapon Two | Ice Staff | Blessing of Potentates | Powered | Spell Damage |
| Necklace | Torc of Tonal Constancy | Infused | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 1 | Mark of the Pariah | Infused | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 2 | Mark of the Pariah | Infused | Spell Damage |
Desktop hover for set bonuses, mobile click once for set bonuses
- Magma Incarnate: Monster Set – helmet obtained from Veteran Dread Cellar dungeon (Blackwood zone), Waking Flame DLC. Shoulders obtained from Vendor: Urgarlag Chief-bane (Undaunted Pledge Master). WHY? great sustain for a one-piece item set.
- Mark of the Pariah: obtained from Wrothgar overland, Orsinium DLC or bought from traders. WHY? most tankiness from a 5pc in no proc PvP
- craftable set that gives great damage overall and is easy to obtain.
- Blessing of Potentates: obtained in Cyrodiil Vlastarus Elite Gear Vendor or bought from traders. WHY? great damage reduction two-piece.
- Torc of Tonal Constancy = sustain mythic and works in no proc PvP.
- Order’s Wrath = craftable set that gives great damage overall and is easy to obtain.
Race
Best Choice
Dark Elf
A great option if you want to switch between magic and stamina builds. It has good high damage though it lacks sustain passives.
Secondary Choice
Khajiit
Optimal for the most burst possible.
Attributes
Health | Stamina | Magicka |
| 32 | 0 | 32 |
Mundus Stone
Warrior – Increases Weapon Damage by 238
Champion Points
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