This guide focuses on the best ESO Magicka Dragonknight PvP Build, skills, gear, champion points, and more!
This build has been updated for the Update 41 patch, Scions of Ithelia for the Elder Scrolls Online.
ESO Magicka Dragonknight PvP Build
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!
Below is a general PvP Guide that can help anyone understand and develop their PvP knowledge and skills. 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.
ESO Magicka Dragonknight PvP Build Features and Mechanics
Below are some of the features found using the ESO Magicka Dragonknight PvP Build in the Elder Scrolls Online:
- Class – Dragonknight
- Weapon One – Dual Wield
- Weapon Two – Frost Staff
- Armor Types – 3 Heavy, 1 Medium, 3 Light
- Race – Dark Elf
- Infection – Vampire Stage 3
- Attributes – 32 Magicka, 32 Health
- Mundus Stone – Warrior
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.
Shattering Rocks (Morph of Petrify | Skill Line : Earthen Heart) – Single target crowd control ability that cannot be blocked or avoided. This is how you go for kill shots with 3x stacks of Seething Fury from Molten Whip being slotted. DoT target up, get 3x stacks, stun, Whip = deleted. Shattering Rock also procs Helping Hands passive in Earthen Heart restoring stamina.
Draw Essence (Morph of Inhale | Skill Line : Draconic Power) – A massive AoE damage ability that heals and gives back magicka per enemy hit. This is ideal when fighting huge groups outnumber. Consider this a flex spot on your front bar. Claw (Venomous or Burning Embers) is a great flex spot for single-target fights.
Flames of Oblivion (Morph of Inferno | Skill Line : Ardent Flame) – Huge AoE DoT pressure that can be pre-cast to get 3x stacks of whip ready for a nuke. Switch morphs if you need more healing.
Molten Whip (Morph of Lava Whip | Skill Line : Ardent Flame) – This is our main spammable attack that gets stronger the more stacks of seething fury. Casting Ardent Flame skills will build up these stacks and you want to keep it at 3x if possible. You’ll also want to set this up with a stun to kill an opponent who cannot block or react.
Noxious Breath (Morph of Fiery Breath | Skill Line : Ardent Flame) – AoE damage with a built in armor debuff. Swap morphs to Engulfing if you run out of stamina frequently.
Ferocious Leap (Morph of Dragon Leap | Skill Line : Draconic Power) – Massive burst damage, AoE cc and provides a big shield. I actually don’t use this too much for damage because Corrosive provides 100% penetration for direct damage attacks while active. This does make a great offensive and defensive ability along with huge plays knocking people off ledges and so forth.
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.
Volatile Armor (Morph of Spiked Armor | Skill Line : Draconic Power) – This provides armor buff and AoE damage when cast used for getting targets out of stealth. The DoT damage is extremely hard hitting especially combined with Engulfing Flame for huge AoE DoT pressure. Also with the Draconic Power passive Burning Heart you’ll have 12% increased healing received while active so always make sure it’s active.
Igneous Weapons (Morph of Molten Weapons | Skill Line : Earthen Heart) – This buff gives us our weapon damage buffs, both minor and major and it last for a very long time. It also procs earthen heart passives like ult generation and stamina return plus it has great group utility.
Elusive Mist (Morph of Mist Form | Skill Line : Vampire) – Update 37 radically redesigns this skill to give mobility, expedition, and 300 weapon and spell damage when leaving. The downside, you need to play stage three vampire for optimal success. If you don’t want vampire, consider flexing this skill out for Chains of Deveastaion for more mobility. Consider this your flex spot. Use Race Against Time if you don’t like Vampire or Elemental Susceptibility if you like using Vateshran Ice Staff. Used for single target armor debuff and status effects which includes burning that will feed your resource sustain.
Resolving Vigor (Morph of Vigor | Skill Line : Assault) – Great self healing that doesn’t require a resto staff thus back bar Frost or Sword and Shield mitigation.
Coagulating Blood (Morph of Dragon Blood | Skill Line : Draconic Power) – Your main spammable burst heal that is based off your missing health. Meaning, if you’re at 75% I wouldn’t cast this because it won’t do much for you. Instead relay on Cauterize for heal over times and this for an “oh crap” spammable when below 50%.
Corrosive Armor (Morph of Magma Armor | Skill Line : Earthen Heart) – Insane powerful ultimate that makes you very hard to kill for 12 seconds and 100% spell pen for direct damage attacks. This is what I use most of the time because it’s so good both defensively and offensively.
Gear – Best in Slot
Below is the best in slot PvP Gear for a Magicka Dragonknight in ESO:
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 |
Monster Helm & Mythic
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.
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
- Maarselok = the best proc dps monster set in the game.
- Zaan = truly god-tier dueling or single-target killer monster helm.
- Roksa the Warped = Update 37 monster helm that gives great resource sustain without Engine Guardian droid.
- 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.
Gear Sets
Mechanical Acuity: obtained in Clockwork City, Craftable six traits. Great for huge burst damage though it has a longer cool down.
Daedric Trickery – Craftable in Vvardenfell Morrowind. Generates incredible buffs that stack on top of each other, including Major Heroism, which is the best for DK.
Armor of the Trainee: obtained in overland starter areas or guild trader. Added stats with a one-piece item set.
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.
- 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
Gear 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.
Gear 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 |
- 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 4 – 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 |
- 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 – ESO Magicka Dragonknight PvP Build
The best racial choice for the MagDK PvP build is below:
- Dark Elf: Gain max magicka, stamina, and weapon and spell damage. The flame resistance is also helpful and considered the strongest overall PVE DPS race.
- Khajiit: This race gets recovery, max stats, and critical damage and healing. Consider the Khajiit a great option if you aren’t over the critical cap of 125%.
- High Elf: Gain resource sustain passive, max magicka, and weapon and spell damage. The downside of High Elf is a lack of stamina or flame resistance.
Attributes
You should aim to reach 32,000 health; therefore, we recommend 32 health and 32 magicka attribute split.
Mundus Stone
The best mundus stone is the Warrior for increased weapon damage. Weapon damage is better due to the earthen heart passive.
Champion Points – ESO Magicka Dragonknight PvP Build
Warfare Champion Points
Below is a step-by-step method for slotting your champion points in the Warfare tree (blue). We have used the minimum possible to reach 4 slottable selections all maxed out. If you have more CP, consider taking more in the passives for optimal performance.
- Precision 10
- Extended might sub-constellation – Piercing 10
- Masters-at-arms (slottable) 50
- Master Curation sub-constellation – Blessed 10
- Focus mending (slottable) 50
- Eldritch Insight 10
- Staving Death –sub-constellation – Quick Recovery 10
- Staving Death –sub-constellation – Ironclad 50
- Duelist’s rebuff 50
This would be the bare minimum setup, spending 250 CP (750 total required). The next step is to max out passives, that do not require a slottable but increase performance.
- Precision 10
- Eldritch Insight 10
- Tireless Discipline 20
- Blessed 10
- Quick recovery 10
- Piercing 10
- Flawless ritual 40
- War mage 30
- Battle mastery 40
- Mighty 30
- Elemental Ageis 20
- Hardy 20
- Preparation 20
This would max out the Warfare tree with all active and passive champion points at 520 spent 1,560 total spent.
Fitness Champion Points
Below are recommended Fitness Tree selections for the ESO Magicka Dragonknight PvP Build:
- Tumbling – 15
- Survivor’s spite sub-constellation – mystic tenacity 10
- Survivor’s spite sub-constellation – Pain’s Refuge ( slottable) 50
- Survival instincts (slottable) 50
- Hero’s Vigor 10
- Wind Chaser sub-constellation – hasty 8
- Wind chaser sub-constellation – Celerity(slottable) 50
- Tireless Guardian – 10
- Walking fortress sub-constellation – Nimble Protector- 3
- Walking fortress sub-constellation – bracing Anchor (slottable) – 50
This would be the bare minimum setup, spending 251 CP (753 total required). The next step is to max out passives, that do not require a slottable but increase performance.
- Tumbling 15
- Hero’s vigor 10
- Sprinter 20
- Defiance 20
- Hasty 8
- Tireless guardian 20
- Fortification 30
- Nimble protector 3
- Mystic Tenacity 40
- Tempered soul 50
- Piercing Gaze 30
- Savage defense 30
- Bashing brutality 20
Craft Champion Points
Below are recommended Craft Tree selections for the ESO Magicka Dragonknight PvP Build:
- Steed’s blessing – 50
- Breakfall 10
- Wanderer 15
- Steadfast 10
- Rationer(slottable) 30
- Treasure hunter 50
- Master gatherer 15
- Gifted rider (slottable) 100
- War mount (slottable) 120
This would be the bare minimum setup, spending 400CP (1200 total required). The next step is to max out passives, that do not require a slottable but increase performance.
- Steadfast enchantment 40cp
- Breakfall 40 cp
- Wanderer 60
- Fortunes favor 10
- Friends in low places 25
- Out of sight 30
- Fleet of Phantom 40
- Soul’s Reservoir 33
- Gilded fingers 50
- Fortunes favor 40
- Inspiration boost 45
- Infamous 30
This would max out the crafting tree with all active passive champion points at 843 cp spent 2,529 total spent.
Build Summary – ESO Magicka Dragonknight PvP Build
Class: Dragonknight
Infection: Vampire (stage 3)
Race: Dark Elf
Attributes: 32 Health 32 Magicka
Mundus Stone: Warrior
Weapon One: Dual Wield
Weapon Two: Frost Staff
Armor Set 1: Mechanical Acuity
Armor Set 2: Daedric Trickery
Monster Helm: Bloodspawn
Mythic: Sea-Serpent’s Coil
Armor Weight: 3 Heavy, 1 Medium, 3 Light
Skill Bar 1
- Shattering Rocks
- Draw Essence
- Flames of Oblivion
- Molten Whip
- Noxious Breath
- Ferocious Leap (Ultimate)
Skill Bar 2
- Volatile Armor
- Igneous Weapons
- Elusive Mist
- Resolving Vigor
- Coagulating Blood
- Corrosive Armor (Ultimate)
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