ESO Magicka Warden PvP Build

Table of Contents

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

Last Updated: 2023-03-16

ESO Magicka Warden PvP Build

This ESO Magicka Warden PvP Build is ideal for players looking for survivability, sustainability, mobility, group utility, and damage.  The Magden play style revolves around crowd control through snares, immobilization, and stuns.  This is now best played with double frost staff due to a passive giving a whooping 12% damage increase. Moreover, frost staff makes a great addition to the Warden class due to their inherent ability to proc the chilled status effect, doing more critical damage.  The Warden also has a very high critical damage rating due to its passive.  Thus, this build centers on high critical chance, and damage to optimize the class initiate passives and skills.

Last Updated March 16th, 2023 for Update 37 Scribes of Fate.  We went through and updated the build for the current meta which revolves around Master Weapon using double Frost Staff. The advantage of the Magden is you have a lot of flexibility in gear choices, and the class’s inherit survivability freeing up defensive sets. Moreover, you can still shut down range classes with crystal slab and do great healing for you and your group. The downside for most players will be constant buffs and requiring high resource sustain. We also recommend using Stage Three vampire with this build due to the Elusive Mist skill change.  This will give you great mobility and a big boost to weapon and spell damage.

The Magden had many buffs recently but the most noticeably piercing cold passive “Increases your damage done by 2%, which increases to 12% when wielding an Ice Staff.”  This opened up build options for the class to use double frost staff, providing the most battlefield control of any class with area immobilization and stuns.

The Magden also excels at healing, survivability, and group utility.  Whether playing solo or in a group, there’s always room for a magden because of the frost/chilled status effect passive. The resource sustains with a skill line Leeching Vines and the AoE stun of Artic Blast. This class also can shut down an entire zerg with its constant double-ice staff immobilization and stuns.  It can also shut down range damage dealers with Crystallized Shield.

The downside of the class is it requires either a lot of sustain or the use of stamina skills to resource sustain.  It also requires constant buffing and complexity to get the most out of the class. While the class has great burst, the variety in weapon choices just isn’t there like other classes, but if you play the Frostden right you will be known on the battlefield and have a solid S Tier ranking!

Skills

Front Bar: Frost Staff

Front Bar Weapon Options: They are all good choices depending on your playstyle and needs. Experiment with what works best.

• Ice Staff = update 36 gave a huge boost of damage for Warden's using frost staff, 12% more damage.
• Dual Wield = second best damage due to Twin Blade and Blunt passive BUT lacks resource return off heavy attacks
• Flame Staff = good single target damage and has range for easier survival but less damage.
• Lighting Staff = decent option on for front bar because fully charge heavy attacking gives resources and increase AoE damage.

Deep Fissure (Morph of Scorch | Skill line: Animal Companions) - massive damage single target and AoE , keep up at all times.

Growing Swarm (Morph of Swarm | Skill line: Animal Companions) - Damage over time with Minor Vulnerability. I use the stamina-based morph here to free up magicka resources for other abilities.

Camouflaged Hunter (Morph of Expert Hunter | Skill line: Fighters Guild) - Gives us a higher critical chance on our front bar and a counter to stealth classes. If you want to run critical buff potions or no critical chance buff, slot Birds of Prey in this slot.

Screaming Cliff Racer (Morph of Dive | Skill line: Animal Companions) - Great changed spammable. Swap to Destructive Clench if you use Master's Frost staff.

Blue Betty (Morph of Betty Netch | Skill line: Animal Companions) - Spell damage buff, healing though watch out for plaguebreak. Slot flare on back bar if you want more mitigation.

Ice Comet (Morph of Meteor | Skill line: Mages Guild) - Massive hard-hitting damage and can be used at ranged after stunning and immobilizing targets.

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 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.

Ice Fortress (Morph of Frost Cloak | Skill line: Winters Embrace) - armor buff with minor protection.

Elusive Mist (Morph of Mist Form | Skill line: Vampire) - The mobility tool allows us to keep up with anyone on the battlefield. If you don't like vampire, you can use Race Against Time instead or Birds of Prey in replacement of Camo Hunter on your front bar.

Crystallized Slab (Morph of Crystallized Shield | Skill line: Winters Embrace) - A flex skill on our bar, but this completely shuts down range spell casters and stuns them at range.

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.

Arctic Blast (Morph of Artic Wind | Skill line: Winters Embrace) - magicka based heal which can also stun enemies.

Enchanted Forest (Morph of Secluded Grove | Skill line: Green Balance) - Our defensive back bar skill when in danger.

Rotation

Burst Combo

Gear

Optimal

This gear sets priorities burst damage with survivability.

Engine Guardian: obtained in Veteran Darkshade Caverns II dungeon.  Used to counter the weak resource sustain of the Magden.

1. Balorgh = incredible burst if you don’t struggle with resources.
2. Ozezan the Inferno = is an update 37-monster set that is great paired with heals over time.
3. Roksa the Warped = Update 37 monster helm that gives great resource sustain without Engine Guardian droid.
4. Scourge Harvest = good self-healing when playing in melee range.
5. Zaan = is truly god-tier dueling or single-target killer monster helm.

Sea-Serpent’s Coil: Obtained through Mythic System click here for lead locations.  Used because it’s essentially two five-piece damage sets in one, with nearly zero drawbacks if using Vampire Mist Form.

FLEX OPTIONS

1. Markyn Ring of Majesty = great all-around defensive and offensive mythic
2. Torc of Tonal Constancy = is a resource sustain mythic.
3. Death Dealer’s Fete = max stats which equates to good damage and
4. The Master’s Ice Staff = drop the mythic and use Master’s Ice Staff on the front bar and complete the 5pc Order’s Wrath.

FLEX OPTIONS

1. Wretched Vitality = great resource sustain five-piece set that you can proc on your back bar.
2. Mara’s Balm = is the best for pure healing and cleansing but the Warden doesn’t lack in that department.
3. Powerful Assault = great set to add damage to you and your group and the buff stacks with Rallying Cry.
4. Robes of the Hist = great back bar healing set alternate to Mara’s Balm

Order’s Wrath: craftable set in the High Isles requiring three traits.  Used because it has a great critical chance and critical damage increase.

FLEX OPTIONS

1. War Maiden = decent spell damage set to the front bar.
2. Snake in the Stars = an update 37 set that counters players using “heal stacking.”
3. Scathing Mage = good front bar that will help with your damage and healing if playing with staff.
4. Back-Alley Gourmand = even more critical damage than Order’s Wrath but it only comes in Light armor.

No Proc PvP Cyrodiil and Imperial City

Meant for specific rule sets

Desktop hover for set bonuses, mobile click once for set bonuses

• Magma Incarnate: great sustain for a one-piece item set.
• Mark of the Pariah: is the best defensive set in no proc PvP.
• War Maiden: is great damage that applies to nearly all damage abilities.
• Blessing of Potentates: is a great damage reduction set two-piece.
• Torc or Tonal Constancy: is a god tier resource sustain mythic that can be used in no proc PvP.

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

Breton

Great for magicka sustain and max magica. Bretons' have good spell resistance, defensive passives, valuable in PvP

• Opportunist
• Gift of Magnus
• Spell of Attunement
• Magicka Mastery

Khajiit

The best for high burst damage though doesn't have Breton's resource sustain.

• Cutpurse
• Robustness
• Lunar Blessings
• Feline Ambush

Dark Elf

A great option if you want to switch between magic and stamina builds. Good high damage though lacks sustain passives.

• Ashlander
• Dynamic
• Resist Flame
• Ruination

Attributes

Mundus Stone

Thief - Ideal if you stack tons of critical damage via the class passives.

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.

Fighting Finesse (Slottable) - 50
Increases your Critical Damage and Critical Healing done by 4% per stage.

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

Ironclad (Slottable) - 50
Reduces your damage taken by 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

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

Fortified (Slottable) - 50
Grants 34.6 Armor per stage.

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

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

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

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

Liquid Efficiency (Slottable) - 75
Whenever you use a potion or poison you have a 10% chance to not consume it.

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

Thanks for reading our ESO Magicka Warden PvP Build!  Check our ESO builds and guides. Also, consider watching me on Twitch, where you can ask me questions about my current builds or check out the YouTube Channel.

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