This guide explains how to use the best Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) Magicka Necromancer PvP Build, skills, gear, champion points, and more!
This build has been updated for the Updated 42, the Gold Road Chapter of the Elder Scrolls Online (ESO).
Why Should You Play ESO Magicka Necromancer PvP Build
The Magicka Necromancer PvP Build can successfully play melee, range, and bomber style. This archetype is more prevalent in previous patches due to skill and gear changes. The current MagCro PvP Build burns targets with heavy damage over time pressure due to their unique passive increasing DOT damage. Below is a summary of the pros and cons:
Necromancer Class Pros
- Good Area Damage – Using Blighted Blastbones and DOT damage to burn down targets.
- Decent Healer – Healing with the Necromancer is good with powerful buffs and burst heal.
- Block tanking – Geat survivability with a block tank if built for it.
Necromancer Class Cons
- Slow – You must spend resources and skills to get Major Expedition or die crawling away from a Zerg.
- Constant Buffing – Requires constant buff management to survive.
- Resource Sustain – Weaker resource sustain than other classes.
The ESO Magicka Necromancer PvP Build can be challenging, but you can use melee or ranged damage for the best results. Pair this build with Vampire Elusive Mist for higher mobility. I’ve changed this build to a more single-target build than Bomber.
ESO Magicka Necromancer PvP Build Features and Mechanics
Below are some of the features found using the PvP Magicka Necromancer in the Elder Scrolls Online:
- Class – Necromancer
- Weapon One – Flame Staff
- Weapon Two – Frost Staff
- Armor Set 1 – Order’s Wrath
- Arena Weapon 1 – Perfected Concentrated Force
- Arena Weapon 2 – Perfected Wrath of Elements
- Monster Helm – Roksa the Warped
- Mythic – Markyn Ring of Majesty
- Armor Weight – 3 Heavy, 1 Medium, 3 Light
- Infection – Vampire stage 3
- Race – Dark Elf
- Mundus Stone – Thief
- Best Grimoires: Traveling Knife, Soul Burst
Skills Setup 1vX
SETUP 1: Front Bar: Fire Staff
Front Bar Weapon Options: They are all good choices depending on your play-style and needs. Experiment with what works best.
- Lightning Staff – Provides easy fully charged heavy attacks for resource sustain.
- Fire staff – Range and most single target damage and pairs well with elemental users.
- Dual Wield – Best overall damage via passives but can be brutal to sustain without a restoration staff or Ice staff on the back bar.
Blighted Blastbones (Morph of Blastbones | Skill Line : Grave Lord) – Burst ranged skill after Stalking Blastbones changed.
Degeneration (Morph of Entropy | Skill Line : Mages Guild) – Degen is my go to because it allows us to get immovable potions when we have a spell damage buff active. Does good DoT pressure too. Consider this a flex spot if you use spell power potions or play with a DK running Molten Armaments. Use proxy det for big nukes, mortal coil for insane stamina resource, or whatever you need here.
Camouflaged Hunter (Morph of Expert Hunter | Skill Line : Fighters Guild) – Camo hunter because of the minor berserk it provides, but it’s expensive if you misclick. Consider this your flex spot.
Force Pulse (Morph of Force Shock | Skill Line : Destruction Staff) – Ranged spammable that triggers status effects.
Necrotic Potency (Morph of Bitter Harvest | Skill Line : Bone Tyrant) – Flex spot for survivability.
Shooting Star (Morph of Meteor | Skill Line : Mages Guild) – Ranged damage and stun.
SETUP 2 SOLO: 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 – an either use magicka or stamina for blocking and gives as much damage reduction as Sword and Shield and you can use the spell damage 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.
Summoner’s Armor (Morph of Bone Armor | Skill Line : Bone Tyrant) – Armor buff that reduces cost of necromancer specific abilities.
Spirit Guardian (Morph of Spirit Mender | Skill Line : Living Death) – Heal that gives boost to our passives sustain and create corpses.
Elemental Susceptibility (Morph of Weakness to Elements | Skill Line : Destruction Staff) – Used for debuff and DoT pressure.
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.
Resistant Flesh (Morph of Render Flesh | Skill Line : Living Death) – Powerful burst heal for yourself and the group.
Temporal Guard (Morph of Undo | Skill Line : Psijic Order) – My back bar go-to for escape plays and damage mitigation for slotting. Can use Ravenous Goliath as well.
Scribing Skills & Grimoires – ESO Magicka Necromancer PvP Build
Traveling Knife and Soul Burst are the two best Grimoires (skills) for a Magicka Necromancer PvP build. Traveling Knife gives you a ranged bleed attack that acts like Rending Slashes but doesn’t require Master Dual Wield to be effective. Moreover, Traveling Knife can be given a stun in the focus script for classes lacking a ranged stun. Soul Burst is a helpful crowd control and buff skill. You can immobilize, pull, or snare targets and get your favorite minor buffs. Below are the suggested combination of Grimoires, focus, signature, and affix scripts:
- Traveling Knife – Bleed or Stun (focus script), Lingering Torment or Assassin’s Misery (signature script), Berserk or Vulnerability (Affix Script)
- Soul Burst – Immobilize or Pull (focus script), Class Mastery or Hunter’s Snare (signature script), Courage or Expedition (Affix Script)
The Scribing System utilizes one of 11 new skills from the Gold Road Chapter called Grimoires. With Grimoires, you can customize spells via Scripts. The scribing feature requires the purchase of the Gold Road Chapter (sponsored link). To learn more about scribing, check out our full guide here.
Passives Skills
Below are the lines of the passive skill that add power without requiring a skill slot while playing the ESO PvP Magicka Necromancer Build. Consider taking all the skill passives in the skill tree listed below:
- Grave Lord (class skill line)
- Bone Tyrant (class skill line)
- Living Death (class skill line)
- Destruction Staff (weapon skill line)
- Dual Wield (weapon skill line)
- Light Armor
- Medium Armor
- Heavy Armor
- Undaunted
- Psijjic Order
- Fight’s Guild
- Vampirism (stage 3)
- Racial
- Alliance War Support
- Alliance War Assault
- Crafting, Alchemy Medicinal Use
Gear Setup: 1vX
This build is for solo players wanting the most damage and survivability possible.
Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
Head | Medium | Roksa the Warped | Well-fitted | Prismatic |
Shoulders | Light | Roksa the Warped | Well-fitted | Magicka |
Chest | Heavy | Order’s Wrath | Reinforced | Prismatic |
Legs | Heavy | Order’s Wrath | Well-fitted | Prismatic |
Gloves | Heavy | Order’s Wrath | Sturdy | Magicka |
Boots | Light | Druid’s | Sturdy | Magicka |
Belt | Light | Trainee | Sturdy | Magicka |
Weapon One | Fire Staff | Perfected Concentrated Force | Sharpened | Poisons |
Weapon Two | Frost Staff | Perfected Wrath of Elements | Powered | Weapon damage |
Necklace | Order’s Wrath | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage | |
Ring 1 | Markyn Ring of Majesty | Infused | Magicka Recovery | |
Ring 2 | Order’s Wrath | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage |
Monster Helms and Mythic
Roksa the Warped: Found in Bal Sunnar Veteran Dungeon, shoulder from Undaunted vendor. Scribes of Fate DLC.
Markyn Ring of Majesty: Obtained through Mythic System click here for lead locations. Great damage and armor without being slowed.
FLEX OPTIONS
- Ozezan the Inferno: Great paired with heals over time.
- Gaze of Sithis: Mythic option that makes you much tankier though lacks the “ultimate” burst setup.
- Zaan: Truly god-tier dueling or single-target killer monster helm.
- Sea-Serpent’s Coil: Great if you don’t mind the snare, which hinders a nightblade.
- Death Dealer’s Fete: Max stats which equates good damage and survivability.
Gear Sets
- Order’s Wrath: Craftable High Isle set that gives great burst damage without the food requirement of Back-Alley Gourmand.
- Perfected Concentrated Force: Trial set from Clockwork City, Asylum Sanctorium. It is a great weapon for main spammable force pulse with elemental status effects.
- Perfected Wrath of Elements: Obtained in Veteran Vateshran Hollows. God-tier damage with a destruction staff Elemental Susceptibility skil.
- Armor of the Trainee: Obtained in overland starter areas or trader.
- Druid’s Braid: Craftable High Isle gives 1pc bonus just smaller.
Alternative Sets
- Rallying Cry: Great group utility setup but lacks cleanse.
- Shattered Fate: Good craftable set that you can use for penetration bonus with five piece.
- War Maiden: Decent spell damage set to the front bar.
- Scathing Mage: Good front bar that will help with your damage and healing if playing with staff.
- Powerful Assault: Group utility and damage.
- Robes of the Hist: Great back bar healing set alternate to Mara’s Balm.
- Mara’s Balm: Good on the body all the time defensive set.
Gear 2 – No Proc PvP Cyrodiil and Imperial City
Meant for specific rule sets
Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
Head | Heavy | Magma Incarnate | Well-fitted | Prismatic |
Shoulders | Medium | Domihaus | Well-fitted | Magicka |
Chest | Heavy | Mark of the Pariah | Reinforced | Prismatic |
Legs | Heavy | Mark of the Pariah | Well-fitted | Prismatic |
Gloves | Light | Spinner’s Garments | Impenetrable | Magicka |
Boots | Light | Spinner’s Garments | Impenetrable | Magicka |
Belt | Light | Spinner’s Garments | Impenetrable | Magicka |
Weapon One | Lighting Staff | Spinner’s Garments | Sharpened | Shock |
Weapon Two | Frost Staff | Blessing of the Potentates | Powered | Weapon Damage |
Necklace | Mark of the Pariah | Harmony | Spell Damage | |
Ring 1 | Mark of the Pariah | Harmony | Spell Damage | |
Ring 2 | Mark of the Pariah | Harmony | Spell Damage |
- Magma Incarnate: Monster Set – Great sustain for a one-piece item set.
- Domihaus: Monster Set – Extra one-piece item set.
- Mark of the Pariah: Obtained from Wrothgar overland, Orsinium DLC or bought from traders. Most tankiness from a 5pc in no proc PvP
- Spinner’s Garments: Obtained in Malabal Tor overland or bought from traders.
- Blessing of Potentates: Obtained in Cyrodiil Vlastarus Elite Gear Vendor or bought from traders. Great damage reduction two-piece.
- Torc or Tonal Constancy: Obtained from Mythics system. The best value for resource sustain and works in no proc.
Skill Setup Bomber
Setup 2: Bomber Front Bar
Blighted Blastbones (Morph of Blastbones | Skill Line : Grave Lord) – Massive AOE burst that you can pre-cast to time with your bomb.
Degeneration (Morph of Entropy | Skill Line : Mages Guild) – Front bar DoT that’s mostly here for Major Brutality and Sorcery.
Camouflaged Hunter (Morph of Expert Hunter | Skill Line : Fighters Guild) – Counter-gank tool as well as a passive damage source on your front bar. Also provides Major Savagery and Prophecy and Minor Berserk.
Hungry Scythe (Morph of Death Scythe | Skill Line : Bone Tyrant) – Massive heals with an added heal over time. Can swap to Ruinous if you prefer the Off-Balance proc.
Whirling Blades (Morph of Whirlwind | Skill Line : Dual Wield) – Large AOE spammable that also executes enemies.
Dawnbreaker of Smiting (Morph of Dawnbreaker | Skill Line : Fighters Guild) – Cheap front bar ultimate that buffs your damage passively.
Setup 2: Bomber Back Bar
Summoner’s Armor (Morph of Bone Armor | Skill Line : Bone Tyrant) – Source of the Major Resolve armor buff.
Avid Boneyard (Morph of Boneyard | Skill Line : Grave Lord) – Ground effect you can use with Dark Convergence. Gives you a synergy that does a ton of damage.
Elusive Mist (Morph of Mist Form | Skill Line : Vampire) – Your escape tool. This is pretty much essential with the low-mobility necro, but you can use Race Against Time if you like.
Resolving Vigor (Morph of Vigor | Skill Line : Assault) – Heal over time and source of Minor Resolve.
Resistant Flesh (Morph of Render Flesh | Skill Line : Living Death) – Bust heal when you need it.
Ravenous Goliath (Morph of Bone Goliath Transformation | Skill Line : Bone Tyrant) – Massive AOE ultimate to synergize with Dark Convergence.
Gear 3 – Bomber
This build is for solo players wanting the most damage and survivability possible.
Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
Head | Heavy | Balorgh | Divines | Prismatic |
Shoulders | Light | Balorgh | Divines | Magicka |
Chest | Heavy | Trainee | Divines | Prismatic |
Legs | Medium | Plaguebreak | Divines | Prismatic |
Gloves | Medium | Plaguebreak | Divines | Magicka |
Boots | Medium | Plaguebreak | Divines | Magicka |
Belt | Light | Dark Convergence | Divines | Magicka |
Weapon One | Dagger | Plaguebreak | Precise | Damage Health |
Secondary | Dagger | Plaguebreak | Precise | Damage Health |
Weapon Two | Frost Staff | Dark Convergence | Powered | Weapon damage |
Necklace | Dark Convergence | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage | |
Ring 1 | Markyn Ring of Majesty | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage | |
Ring 2 | Dark Convergence | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage |
- Balorgh: Gives us the most bang for the buck and you can save up 500 ultimate for a total nuclear DB.
- Dark Convergence: Still the best pull set for bombing outside of Nightblade.
- Plaguebreak: Great medium armor set for bombing that allows us to sustain Whirling Blades.
- Markyn Ring of Majesty: Great all around defensive and offensive mythic.
- Armor of the Trainee: Obtained in overland starter areas or trader.
Race
The best racial choice for the Magcrow 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.
- 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.
- 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%.
Attributes
You should aim to reach 32,000 health; therefore, we recommend 32 health and 32 magicka attribute split.
Mundus Stone
Thief is the best mundus stone to increase critical strike chance and damage. Use the Atronach to sustain resources if you are struggling.
Champion Points – ESO Magicka Necromancer PvP Build
Craft | Warfare | Fitness |
War Mount | Occult Overload | Celerity |
Gifted Rider | Ironclad | Fortified |
Liquid Efficiency | Duelist’s Rebuff | Pain’s Refuge |
Steed’s Blessing | Master-at-Arms | Bracing Anchor |
Warfare Constellation 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 four slottable selections, all maxed out. If you have more CP, consider taking more in the passives for optimal performance.
Below are recommended Warfare Champion Point selections for the ESO Magicka Necromancer PvP Build:
- Precision 10
- Occult Overload (slottable) 50
- Extended Might – sub constellation – Piercing 10
- Master at Arms (slottable) 50
- Tireless Discipline 10
- Staving death – sub constellation – quick recovery 10
- Staving death – sub constellation – Ironclad (slottable) 50
- Duelist’s rebuff (slottable) 50
This would be the bare minimum setup, spending 240 CP (720 total required). The next step is to max out passives that do not require a slottable but increase performance.
- Precision 10
- Piercing 10
- Tireless discipline 10
- Eldritch insight 20
- Blessed 20
- Quick recovery 10
- Flawless ritual 40
- War mage 30
- Battle mastery 40
- Mighty 30
- Elemental aegis 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 Constellation Champion Points
Below are recommended Fitness Champion Point selections for the ESO Magicka Necromancer PvP Build:
- Fortified (slottable) 50
- Sprinter 10
- Wind chaser – sub constellation – hasty 8
- Wind chaser – sub constellation – celerity (slottable) 50
- Hero’s vigar 10
- Survivor’s spite – sub constellation – mystic tenacity 10
- Survivor’s spite – sub constellation – pain’s refuge (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.
- Hero’s Vigor 10
- Tumbling 30
- Sprinter 10
- Defiance 20
- Hasty 8
- Tireless guardian 10
- Fortification 30
- Nimble 3
- Mystic tenacity 50
- Tempered soul 50
- Piercing gaze 30
- Savage defense 30
- Bashing brutality 20
This would max out the fitness tree with all active passive champion points at 519 cp spent 1,557 total spent
Craft Constellation Champion Points
Below are recommended Craft Champion Point selections for the ESO Magicka Necromancer PvP Build:
- Steed’s blessing – 50(slottable)
- Breakfall 10
- Wanderer 15
- Steadfast 10
- Rationer 10
- Liquid efficiency (slottable) 75
- Treasure hunter 50
- Master gatherer 15
- Gifted rider (slottable) 100
- War mount (slottable) 120
This would be the bare minimum setup, spending 455CP (1365 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 898 cp spent 2,694.
Consumables
The best consumables for the Magicka Necromancer PvP build are Bewitched Sugar Skulls food and Essence of Health tri-stat potions. Bewitched Sugar Skulls give a massive boost to overall stats but sacrifices recovery. If you struggle with recovery, use Orzorga’s Smoked Bear Haunch or cheaper Jewels of Misrule. The essence of health or Tri-stat potions is the best to passively give you a flood of resources and tri-recovery with alchemy medicinal use. Immovability potions are also helpful. Below are our recommended food and potion choices:
- Bewitched Sugar Skulls: Increase Max Health by 4620, Max Stamina and Max Magicka by 4250, and Health Recovery by 462 for 2 hours. Ingredients: Scrib Jelly (2), Flour (5), Columbine (2), Bervez Juice (2), Honey (5).
- Orzorga’s Smoked Bear Haunch (recovery): 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 (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)
- Essence of Health (tri-stat): 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.
- Essecene of Immovability: Restores health and stamina and is immune to knockback effects. Ingredients: Namria’s Rot, Columbine, and Mountain Flower.
Build Summary – ESO Magicka Necromancer PvP Build
Class: Necromancer
Race: Dark Elf
Attributes: 32 Health 32 Magicka
Mundus Stone: Theif
Weapon One: Destruction Staff
Weapon Two: Destruction Staff
Armor Set 1: Order’s Wrath
Arena Weapon 1: Perfected Concentrated Force
Arena Weapon 2: Perfected Wrath of Elements
Monster Helm: Roksa the Warped
Mythic: Markyn Ring of Majesty
Armor Weight: 3 Heavy, 1 Medium, 3 Light
Infection: Vampire stage 3
Potion: Essence of Health (tri-stat)
Food: Bewitched Sugar Skulls
Skill Bar 1
- Blighted Blastbones
- Degeneration
- Camouflaged Hunter
- Force Pulse
- Necrotic Potency
- Shooting Star (Ultimate)
Skill Bar 2
- Summoner’s Armor
- Spirit Guardian
- Elemental Susceptibility
- Resolving Vigor
- Resistant Flesh
- Temporal Guard (Ultimate)
Scribing Grimoires and Scrips
- Traveling Knife
- Bleed Lingering (focus script)
- Torment (signature script)
- Berserk (affix Script)
- Soul Burst
- Pull (focus script)
- Class Mastery (signature script)
- Courage (Affix Script)
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