ESO Magicka Dragonknight PvP Build

Table of Contents

• Skills
• Rotation
• Gear
• Passives Skills
• Race
• Mundus Stone
• Champion Points
• Consumables
• Wrap Up

Last Updated: 2023-03-16

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!

Last Updated March 16th, 2023.  In ESO Update 37 Scribes of Fate, the DK will see a nerf to Cinder Storm/Earthen Heart spamming ability to get back infinite resources. Outside of this, it’s more of the same with DK gaining access to Major Berserk via Chains.  The main downside of the class is requiring of Vampire for Mobility and the constant need for stamina-based skills and weapon skill lines to make the most of the play style. The most important aspect of this build is to play it as a mild hybrid.  Your build will look similar in weapon choices and in stamina abilities to a stamina dragonknight to make the most out of it.

Pros	Cons
God Tier Survivability	Lacks Execute
Amazing Crowd Control	Requires Stamina Abilities
Rewards Aggressive Playstyle	Vampire for Mobility
Great Ultimate Choices

Video Guide 

Skills

Front Bar: Dual Wield

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.

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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.

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Rotation

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Gear

Optimal

This setup blends survivability with AoE burst expecting to fight out numbered solo or in a small group.

Slot	Type	Set	Trait	Glyph
Head	heavy	Bloodspawn	Well-fitted	Prismatic
Shoulders	medium	Bloodspawn	Well-fitted	Magicka
Chest	heavy	Mara's Balm	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	Mace	Mechanical Acuity	Sharpened	Poison
Secondary	Axe	Mechanical Acuity	Nirnhoned	Flame
Weapon Two	Ice Staff	Mara's Balm	Powered	Spell damage
Necklace		Sea-Serpent’s Coil	Infused	Magicka Recovery
Ring 1		Mara's Balm	Bloodthirsty	Spell Damage
Ring 2		Mara's Balm	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

1. Maarselok = the best proc dps monster set in the game.
2. Zaan = truly god-tier dueling or single-target killer monster helm.
3. Ozezan the Inferno = is an update 37-monster set that is great paired with heals over time.
4. 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

1. Markyn Ring of Majesty = great all-around defensive and offensive mythic
2. Torc of Tonal Constancy = sustain mythic.
3. Gaze of Sithis = survivability thought changes up set up and sacrifices block mitigation.
4. 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

1. Burning Spellweave: = great base game set that does good damage and procs a status effect.
2. Snake in the Stars = an update 37 set that counters players using “heal stacking.”
3. Kynmarcher’s Cruelty = an overland set that gives massive AoE debuff.
4. Order’s Wrath = craftable set that gives great damage overall and is easy to obtain.

Mara’s Balm: Rewards for the Worthy for earning AP in PvP activity or traders.  This set still provides the best overall back bar survivability set.

FLEX OPTIONS DEFENSIVE

1. Daedric Trickery = generates incredible buffs that stack on top of each other including Major Heroism which is the best for DK.
2. Powerful Assault = great set to add damage to you and your group and the buff stacks with Rallying Cry.
3. Rallying Cry = great group utility setup but lacks ultimate generation.
4. 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.

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No Proc PvP Cyrodiil and Imperial City

Meant for specific rule sets

Slot	Type	Set	Trait	Glyph
Head	heavy	Magma Incarnate	Impenetrable	Prismatic
Shoulders	medium	Order's Wrath	Impenetrable	Magicka
Chest	heavy	Mark of the Pariah	Reinforced	Prismatic
Legs	heavy	Mark of the Pariah	Impenetrable	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	Sharpened	Poison
Secondary	Mace	Order's Wrath	Charged	Flame
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

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• 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.

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Passives

Class Passives

Weapon Passives

Armor Passives

Guild Passives

Alliance Passives

World Passives

Make sure to focus on maxing out the following passives skills as they add performance to your character

• Class passives
• Weapon passives
• Armor passives
• Fighter’s Guild (optional)
• Mage’s Guild (optional)
• Undaunted (must have)
• Psijic Guild (optional)
• Crafting Alchemy (Medicinal Use for potion duration)
• Race
• Assault Alliance passives
• Alliance Support passives
• Vampire (if using)
• Werewolf (if using)

Races

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.

• Ashlander
• Dynamic
• Resist Flame
• Ruination

Khajiit

Optimal for the most burst possible.

• Cutpurse
• Robustness
• Lunar Blessings
• Feline Ambush

Attributes

Mundus Stone

Warrior - Good choice if you don't struggle with resources. Hybrid changes means the 10% passive boost to weapon damage in DK passives makes this mundus choice a strong choice.

Atronach - Good options if you struggle with resources.

Champion Points

Warfare

Focused Mending (Slottable) - 50
Increases your Healing Done with single target heals by 2% per stage.

Ironclad (Slottable) - 50
Reduces your damage taken by direct damage attacks by 3% per stage.

Duelist's Rebuff (Slottable) - 50
Reduces your damage taken by single target attacks by 3% per stage.

Master-at-Arms (Slottable) - 50
Increases your damage done with direct damage attacks by 3% per stage.

Flex Spot(s): If you can afford, take these passives as they add power without a slottable: Tumbling (30), Mystic Tenacity (10), Hero’s Vigor (20), Shield Master (10), Defiance (20), Hasty (16), Tireless Guardian (20), Fortification (30), Sprinter (20), Nimble Protector (6), Savage Defense (30), Bashing Brutality (20), & Piercing Gaze (30)

Fitness

Celerity (Slottable) - 50
Increases your Movement Speed by 2% per stage.

Survival Instincts (Slottable) - 50
While afflicted with a Status Effect, your core combat skills cost 5% less per stage.

Bracing Anchor (Slottable) - 50
While in combat, increase the amount of damage you can block by 4% per stage, but reduces your Movement Speed by 16% at all stages.

Pain's Refuge (Slottable) - 50
Reduces your damage taken by 1% per negative effect active on you, up to a maximum of 20%.

Flex Spot(s): If you can afford, take these passives as they add power without a slottable: Precision (20), Piercing (20), Eldritch Insight (20), Flawless Ritual (40), War Mage (30), Quick Recovery (20), Preparation (20), Elemental Aegis (20), Hardy (20), Blessed (20), Tireless Discipline (20), Battle Mastery (40), & Mighty (30)

Crafting

Gifted Rider (Passives) - 100
Increases your Mount Speed by 2% per stage.

Rationer (Passives) - 30
Adds 10 minutes to the duration of any food or drink that increases your character's stats per stage.

War Mount (Slottable) - 120
Improves your mastery with mounts, removing all mount Stamina costs outside of combat.

Steed's Blessing (Slottable) - 50
Increases your out of combat Movement Speed by .4% per stage.

Flex Spot(s): If you can afford, take these passives as they add power without a slottable: Breakfall (50), Wanderer (75), Steadfast Enchantment (50), Fortune’s Favor (40), Gilded Fingers (50), & Inspiration Boost (45)

Consumables

Orzorga's Smoked Bear Haunch

Type: Foods

GREAT RECOVERY(A great option if you can afford it): Increase Max Health by 4312, Health Recovery by 406 and Stamina and Magicka Recovery by 369 (effects are scaled based on your level) Ingredients: Red Meat (1), Tomato (1), White Cap (1), Frost Mirriam (1), Perfect Roe (1)

Jewels of Misrule

Type: Foods

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

Bewitched Sugar Skulls

Type: Foods

GOOD MAX STATS: Increase Max Health by 4620, Max Stamina and Max Magicka by 4250, and Health Recovery by 462 for 2 hours. (effects are scaled based on your level) Ingredients: Scrib Jelly (2), Flour (5), Columbine (2), Bervez Juice (2), Honey (5)

Tri-Restoration Potion or Essence of Health (tri-stat)

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

Wrap Up

LIGHT ATTACK WEAVING GUIDE

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