The guide gives skills, champion points, and gear for an ESO Magicka Templar PvE Build, intended for the new or returning player!

This build has been updated for the Update 40 patch of the Elder Scrolls Online.
Why Should You Play the ESO Magicka Templar PvE Build?
The ESO Magicka Templar PvE Build is for players looking to complete solo or small group content on a class that offers good damage and survivability. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or seasoned player, there are options for all three. Magplar is the easiest and most survivable melee DPS in the game due to its main spammable healing you based on damage done. And personally, it’s my favourite class and playstyle in all of ESO.
Related:
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Very simple | Melee, which can be hard |
Incredible self heals | Lacks mobility |
High damage |
ESO Magicka Templar PvE Build Playstyle
Use the following rotation as the starter point. After, apply your buffs and cast the DoT skills on cooldown for the best, highest DPS. In total, the Damage over Time skills (DoTs) do more damage than your main spammable. Thus, they need to be cast less often and are easier to maintain, for example, The Degeneration from Mages Guild or the Barb Trap from Fighters Guild. Maintain DoTs and use your spammable skill as filler until you need to reapply the DoTS.
At certain percentages, replace your spammable with your in-class or weapon execute if you have one in this build. Executes are the skills that deal more damage the lower the health of the opponent becomes. Ideally, these are meant to replace your main spammable skill at anywhere between 35% (Radiant Oppression) all the way to 20% (Mages’ Fury). At a high level, execute skills become so strong that the lower the enemy’s health, the fewer DoTs you maintain because it does so much damage.
Use the healing skill when your health drops below 50% or the shield skill when you anticipate damage. Also, always use the suggested food and potions as they significantly increase your damage, survivability, and resource sustain.
If you run out of resources, do a heavy attack and return to your rotation. Remember that a heavy attack on off-balance enemies will return double the resources. Additionally, if you are a beginner or struggle with sustain, you can flex in the Consuming Trap skill instead of a DoT skill. The Consuming Trap gives you a flood of both resources when a target dies.
Skills
Front Bar – Dual Wield
Front Bar Weapon Style Choices:
- Dual Wield
- Flame Staff
- Lighting Staff
Vampire’s Bane (Morph of Sun Fire | Skill Line : Dawn’s Wrath) – Vampire’s Bane is a very strong single target DoT. Consider this your flex spot on your front bar and swap to Inner Light if you want simpler gameplay.
Purifying Light (Morph of Backlash | Skill Line : Dawn’s Wrath) – This ability is your go to for damage and survivability. It works like a balloon soaking up damage (to a certain point) and exploding for that amount. Moreover, it places a healing circle at the enemies feet which is great when staying in melee range or providing off healing to the tank in your group. This also activates a key passive, Illuminate which grants minor sorcerery (10% more spell damage) and Prism, more ultimate.
Barbed Trap (Morph of Trap Beast | Skill Line : Fighters Guild) – You can get minor force buff one of many ways, gear, or two commonly used abilities Barb Trap and Channeled Acceleration. Since we play in melee range, using barb trap makes the most since. Moreover slotting on our front bar increase of spell damage by 3% via slayer fighters guild passive. Another advantage is banished the wicked passive gives us ultimate when killing enemies too.
Puncturing Sweep (Morph of Puncturing Strikes | Skill Line : Aedric Spear) – Sweeps still remains a decent main spammable in PvE content. While it’s single target is a bit weaker, it does AoE damage as well and it’s still work using.
Radiant Oppression (Morph of Radiant Destruction | Skill Line : Dawn’s Wrath) – An executable ability you want to use when the enemy is in execute range roughly 35% health replaces Sweeps as main spammable. The strength of this ability is how hard it hits single target. You still need to light attack weave in between applying it. Also be careful to avoid damage as you’ll be vulnerable. In fact, the other morph, Radiant Glory is what I use solo or on the beginner friendly build.
Flawless Dawnbreaker (Morph of Dawnbreaker | Skill Line : Fighters Guild) – Great damage buff just for slotting on your front bar or activate when you won’t be able to recast meteor.
Back Bar – Fire Staff
Back bar options:
- Inferno Staff
- Lighting Staff
- Two Handed
Blazing Spear (Morph of Spear Shards | Skill Line : Aedric Spear) – Spear remains one of the strongest damage over time ability the Templar possess. It does damage up front, damage over time and can proc the Burning Light passive. Moreover, slotting this skill on our front bar will increase overall critical damage by 10%, making it a very strong choice and a damage over time effect you want to maintain throughout the fights.
Ritual of Retribution (Morph of Cleansing Ritual | Skill Line : Restoring Light) – Imagine having a skill that does crazy high AoE damage and provides a powerful group synergy? That’s what you get with Ritual of Retribution and you should maintain this skill alongside of Blazing Spear for huge AoE damage. Keep in mind you’ll need to come in close range and place down so you hit the maximum amount of targets.
Harness Magicka (Morph of Annulment | Skill Line : Light Armor) – The trick with the shield is to use this both reactively and pre-emptively. Meaning, when you know you’ll take a lot of damage, pop it for 6 seconds of protection. Also when you get hit, pop it first then allow your healer to catch up or your rune to heal you. For newer players I highly recommend double barring this in the exact same skill position. Meaning 3 key on PC front and back that way you don’t have to fuss with constant bar swaps until it becomes muscle memory. Consider slotting Inner Light if parsing since you won’t need a shield.
Mystic Orb (Morph of Necrotic Orb | Skill Line : Undaunted) – AoE damage with explosion for allies that sustains and works well single target. [FLEX survivability] Critical Surge (morph of Surge | Sorcerer/Strom Calling skill line): swap this in for very high survivability especially as a newer player even with a healer in the group. [FLEX not using Medusa] Channeled Acceleration (morph of Accelerate | Guild/Psijic Order skill line): provides a bit of speed and a very long useful buff for critical damage
Unstable Wall of Elements (Morph of Wall of Elements | Skill Line : Destruction Staff) – Great damage over time still and high powered DoT.
Shooting Star (Morph of Meteor | Skill Line : Mages Guild) – Great burst ultimate in stationary fights.
Gear
Best in Slot
Best in Slot Damage for group PvE
Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
Head | medium | Zaan | Divines | Magicka |
Shoulders | light | Zaan | Divines | Magicka |
Chest | light | Perfect Whorl of the Depths | Divines | Magicka |
Legs | medium | Harpooner’s Wading Kilt | Divines | Magicka |
Gloves | light | Perfect Whorl of the Depths | Divines | Magicka |
Boots | light | Perfect Whorl of the Depths | Divines | Magicka |
Belt | light | Perfect Whorl of the Depths | Divines | Magicka |
Weapon One | Dagger | Perfect Whorl of the Depths | Nirnhoned > Precise | Flame |
Secondary | Dagger | Pillar of Nirn | Charged | Poison |
Weapon Two | Fire Staff | Pillar of Nirn | Infused | Spell Damage |
Necklace | Pillar of Nirn | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage | |
Ring 1 | Pillar of Nirn | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage | |
Ring 2 | Pillar of Nirn | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage |
Desktop hover over gear for set bonuses, mobile click once for set bonuses
Zaan: Veteran dungeon Scalecaller Peak, Dragon Bone DLC.
- Why? The highest DPS monster helm currently which can out perform Harpooner’s Wading Kilt Set.
FLEX OPTIONS
- Kjalnar’s Nightmare – great single target damage ONLY one player can have this in your group.
- 1pc Slimecraw and 1pc Harpooner’s Wading Kilt Set this setup still strong, make sure you don’t hit crit damage cap.
- Kra’gh – one pc is great for pen, two piece does good single target damage
Harpooner’s Wading Kilt Set: obtained through mythic leads. You need five items/leads to complete the mythic gear piece.
- Why? overall the most DPS possible for a one-piece mythic.
- You need 5 items to be able to create the Mythic item Harpooner’s Wading Kilt. Location of the 5 pieces:
- Murkmire – Wolf-Tail Sash Lead – Murkmire Foul Fishing Spots
- Blackwood – Kothringi-Cut Leather Lead – World Boss Death Wart, World Boss Sul-Xan Ritualists
- Shadowfen – Bog-Blue Jasper Fetish Lead – Ruins of Mazzatun Dungeon last boss
- Shadowfen – Tide-Glass Beads Lead – All water and alchemy nodes
- Bal Foyen – Silverweave Cord Lead – Covenant Enemies, most likely all enemies
FLEX OPTIONS MYTHICS
- Mora’s Whisper = Update 34, 10% critical chance for great damage boost
- Death Dealer’s Fete = great option when taking damage
Pillar of Nirn: Obtained in Falkreath Hold dungeon, Horns of the Reach DLC.
- WHY? great proc damage set without having to light attack weave
FLEX OPTIONS BODY
- Perfected Bahsei’s Mania = If you can manage around 20-50% magicka, you’ll get flat damage increase.
- Perfected Mantle of Siroria = Update 35 made this popular again so consider using in parse/stationary trials.
- Perfected False Gods = great resource sustain set.
- Order’s Wrath = Crafted and best overall option for great damage.
- Mother’s Sorrow = decent overland set for starters
Perfect Whorl of the Depths: obtained in Veteran Dreadsail Reef trial DLC High Isle.
- Why? one of the hardest-hitting proc sets in the game.
FLEX OPTION FRONT BAR
- Kinras’s Wrath = good only if you can light attack weave constantly, though I have low uptime with this set.
- Z’en’s Redress = group utility and damage for trials
- Burning Spellweave = simple dungeon setup great front bar option
Parse
Most single target Damage on target dummy possible
Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
Head | light | Zaan | Divines | Magicka |
Shoulders | medium | Zaan | Divines | Magicka |
Chest | light | Perfected Mantle of Siroria | Divines | Magicka |
Legs | medium | Perfected Mantle of Siroria | Divines | Magicka |
Gloves | light | Perfected Mantle of Siroria | Divines | Magicka |
Boots | light | Perfected Mantle of Siroria | Divines | Magicka |
Belt | light | Perfected Mantle of Siroria | Divines | Magicka |
Weapon One | Dagger | Perfected Arms of Relequen | Nirnhoned | Poison |
Secondary | Dagger | Perfected Arms of Relequen | Charged | Fire |
Weapon Two | Fire Staff | Perfected Crushing Wall | Infused | Weapon & Spell Damage |
Necklace | Perfected Arms of Relequen | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage | |
Ring 1 | Perfected Arms of Relequen | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage | |
Ring 2 | Perfected Arms of Relequen | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage |
Desktop hover over gear for set bonuses, mobile click once for set bonuses
Zaan: Veteran dungeon Scalecaller Peak, Dragon Bone DLC.
- Why? The highest DPS monster helm currently which can out perform Harpooner’s Wading Kilt Set.
Perfected Mantle of Siroria: Obtained in Veteran Cloudrest Trial Summerset chapter. The non-perfected version in normal difficulty
- WHY? best damage possible in parse Update 35 made this popular again so consider using in parse/stationary trials
Perfected Arms of Relequen: Obtained in Veteran Cloudrest Trial Summerset chapter. The non-perfected version in normal difficulty
- Why? most single target damage-producing set for stamina and magica thanks to hybridization changes
Perfected Merciless Charge: from Veteran Maelstrom Arena in Orsinium DLC
- WHY? Increase your overall DPS massively, must change out blockade for Stampede, considered meta, but struggle with sustain
Beginner
This setup is great for beginners who do not have access to trials gear
Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
Head | light | Iceheart | Divines > Any | Magicka |
Shoulders | light | Iceheart | Divines > Any | Magicka |
Chest | light | Withered Hand | Divines > Any | Magicka |
Legs | light | Withered Hand | Divines > Any | Magicka |
Gloves | light | Withered Hand | Divines > Any | Magicka |
Boots | light | Withered Hand | Divines > Any | Magicka |
Belt | light | Withered Hand | Divines > Any | Magicka |
Weapon One | Inferno Staff | War Maiden | Precise > Sharpened | Flame |
Weapon Two | Lighting Staff | Willpower | Infused > Any | Weapon Damage |
Necklace | War Maiden | Arcane | Spell Power | |
Ring 1 | War Maiden | Arcane | Spell Power | |
Ring 2 | War Maiden | Arcane | Spell Power |
Desktop hover over gear for set bonuses, mobile click once for set bonuses
- Iceheart: obtained in Direfrost keep and Glirion undaunted vendor. Great defensive set.
- Withered Hand: obtained in Alik’r Desert overland or from guild traders (delves, dolmans, world bosses, chest). WHY? If you’re new player, low champion points and lack trials gear, this gives great sustain and healing when killing mobs and is ideal for a newer player.
- War Maiden: obtained in Vvardenfell or on Guild Traders. WHY? Incredible value for a front set without the need to manage a complex rotation or uptime like Kinra’s.
- Willpower: obtained in Imperial City, dungeon finder or guild traders. WHY? Bigger magicka pool = bigger shields and useful on back bar.
Race
Best Choice
High Elf
A great magicka race with everything you could want though lacks critical damage bonus.
Secondary Choice
Dark Elf
All around great if you want to switch between magicka/stamina build though lacks resources sustain.
Attributes
Health | Stamina | Magicka |
0 | 0 | 64 |
Mundus Stone
Thief – Increases the Critical Strike rating by 1212
Champion Points
Consumables
Food
Ghastly Eye Bowl
DPS Parse: Increase Max Magicka by 4256 and Magicka Recovery by 425 for 2 hours.
Clockwork Citrus Filet
OVERALL: Increase Max Health by 3724, Health Recovery by 351, Max Magicka by 3458 and Magicka Recovery by 319 for 2 hours.
Witchmother’s Brew
CHEAP: Increase Max Magicka by 2856, Max Health by 3094, and Magicka Recovery by 315 for 2 hours.
Potions
Essence of Spell Power
Grants major sorcery with increases spell damage by 20% for 47.6 seconds. Grants major prophecy which grants you 2191 spell critical rating for 47.6 seconds. Restore 7582 magicka immediately. Grants you major intellect which increases your magicka recovery by 20% for 47.6. Potions have a 45 second cool down and make sure you have three points into medicinal use passive in alchemy crafting.
Passives
- Class Passives
- Racial Passives
- Weapon Passives
- Dual Wield
- Destruction Staff
- 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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