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ESO Necromancer PvE Tank Build

Table of Contents

Last Updated: 2022-10-31

The ESO Necromancer PvE Tank Build has amazing self-healing, survivability and one of the hardest-hitting ultimates in the game. Necromancers are of the most unique and fun playstyles in the Elder Scrolls Online.

The most important tank responsibility is to survive while enduring the enemy’s damage. Sometimes independently from a healer. And second, significant responsibility is to provide buffs and debuffs to your group. The ESO Necromancer PvE Tank Build has everything that you need to be successful in tanking. This build is setup for newer players and should be simpler with less emphasis on bar swaps and complex rotation. We will also give different gear options in case you lack the necessary gear whether beginner or hardcore tank in the Elder Scrolls Online.

If you’re looking for a group DPS build click HERE, one bar build HERE or a PvP build HERE.  Also, consider watching me on Twitch where you can ask me questions about my current builds.

Pros

  • Resource sustain easy with active and passive skills.
  • Incredible self or group healing.
  • One of the only sources of a major vulnerability in the game.

Cons

  • Limited use of pull/chains makes certain fights difficult on stamina sustain.
  • Not as good resources sustain as Dragonknight.

Video Guide

Skills

Bar One: Sword and Shield

Two options in tanking:

  • Sword and Shield (preferred front bar) Consumes stamina and has a great ultimate that gives you block mitigation BUT doesn't cost you stamina.  Another advantage is the skill Pierce Armor which reduces armor by 9,523 on a single target. Mobs have 18,200 roughly, so this will skyrocket your teams overall DPS BUT can be difficult to sustain on stamina.  Thus, making sure your stamina pool is slightly higher than magicka becomes important in group play with Necrotic Orb.  This skill will look for whatever is highest and you want that to be stamina.
  • Frost Staff (preferred back bar) Can consume magicka to block, same mitigation or take out tri-focus for stamina blocking.  The benefit of Frost Staff is, you don't cut your sword and shield trait in half AND you have range.  The downside, you won't have armor stripped by 9,523 via Pierce Armor.  This is great because you can use Infused trait along with Crusher enchant to strip resistance and add damage to your entire party.

Silver Leash (Morph of Silver Bolts | Skill line: Fighters Guild) - pulls mob in to quickly clear out trash. Downside it cost stamina and can be a burden to cast multiple times. Can be useful to have Void Bash two piece gear set instead.

Pierce Armor (Morph of Puncture | Skill line: One Hand And Shield) - Single target taunt with massive armor debuff making DPS do more damage. Most mobs have 18,200 resistances, the lower, the more damage your group does. Use this on your priority target like a boss, mini boss or something you want to kill fast. If you're using Master's Sword and Shield this will heal you as well.

Necrotic Potency (Morph of Bitter Harvest | Skill line: Bone Tyrant) - great healing and ultimate generation tool. If not using recommended gear sets, consider swaping for something else.

Hungry Scythe (Morph of Death Scythe | Skill line: Bone Tyrant) - A very useful AoE damage and healing spammable that cost magicka. Make sure to block cast it if you need a massive burst heal on front bar.

Mortal Coil (Morph of Restoring Tether | Skill line: Living Death) - Useful self/group heal and primarily used for resource sustain. Consider flexing to Heroic Slash from Sword and Shield.

Renewing Animation (Morph of Reanimate | Skill line: Living Death) - AoE resurrection 3 players and incredible for survival.

Bar Two: Destruction staff - Ice staff

The Ice staff passives provide block mitigation and defence. We choose Ice staff as a tank because of its ability to support the group. Thanks to Elemental Force passive you can apply the Chilled status effects, with the doubled chance, which applies Minor Maim and Minor Brittle. Also, fully-charged Ice Staff Heavy Attacks grants you a damage shield that absorbs 4000 damage and most importantly restores magica.

Balance (Morph of Equilibrium | Skill line: Mages Guild) - infinite magicka sustain with an armor buff that last a very long duration.

Inner Rage (Morph of Inner Fire | Skill line: Undaunted) - range taunt that has 28 meters. You can swap for Frost Clench but lack the range in all situations.

Spirit Guardian (Morph of Spirit Mender | Skill line: Living Death) - Great single target healing along with passive, corpse generation and oh yeah 10% damage reduction that stacks on major and minor protection.

Elemental Blockade (Morph of Wall of Elements | Skill line: Destruction Staff) - use for AoE shield and immobilize and chance to proc brittle status effect adding damage to your team.

Echoing Vigor (Morph of Vigor | Skill line: Assault) - strong heal over time that procs out 5 piece gear set and heals allies.

Glacial Colossus (Morph of Frozen Colossus | Skill line: Grave Lord) - the best bursting ultimate in the game paired with our gear to absolutely melt healthbars. You'll want to save 500 ultimate if using Saxheel champion for the most burst possible.

Rotation

Main Target

The general premise here is to use your stamina for blocking and the pierce armor skill primarily. You want to use your magicka pool for healing and utility when needed.  Pierce armor skill adds a lot of DPS because of the armor reduction but it can drain stamina if you spam it.  Thus, priorities the most important boss, the one you want to kill the fastest with this taunt.  The other mobs, especially at range can be done with Inner Rage. Taunt Order: boss > mini-boss > any enemy NPC that can be one-shot DPS > trash adds I heal myself when needed and manage my resources by using potions when dipping low and I do a fully-charge heavy attack AFTER the boss does a fully-charge heavy attack first. You can see sprinkles, block then usually 5 seconds or so it's safe to do a fully-charge heavy attack.

Gear

Main Tank Trials

This is the setup for Trials and hardest content in the game

Slot Type Set Trait Glyph
Head medium Nazaray Sturdy Prismatic
Shoulders light Nazaray Sturdy Prismatic
Chest heavy Turning Tide Reinforced Prismatic
Legs heavy Turning Tide Sturdy Prismatic
Gloves heavy Turning Tide Sturdy Prismatic
Boots heavy Turning Tide Sturdy Prismatic
Belt heavy Turning Tide Sturdy Prismatic
Weapon One Sword Perfected Puncturing Remedy Decisive Weakening
Secondary Shield Perfected Puncturing Remedy Sturdy Health
Weapon Two Ice Staff Claw of Yolnahkriin Infused Crusher
Necklace Claw of Yolnahkriin Triune Magicka Recovery
Ring 1 Claw of Yolnahkriin Triune Magicka Recovery
Ring 2 Claw of Yolnahkriin Triune Magicka Recovery

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

Nazaray: obtained in Shipwright’s Regret DLC Ascending TIde.

  • Why? considered best in slot due to extending all the important debuffs adding huge damage to your group.

FLEX OPTIONS

Turning Tide :

  • Why? best in slot without necromancer in your group to constantly keep high uptime on major vulnerability.

FLEX OPTIONS

Claw of Yolnhakriin: obtained in Sunspire trial Elsweyr zone.

  • Why? best in slot due to minor courage and high uptime on the buff

FLEX OPTIONS

Perfected Puncturing Remedy: obtained in Veteran Dragonstar Arena in Craglorn though can do normal and get a lesser version.

  • Why? perfect set to front bar which adds a ton of resistances and amazing self-healing for something we are doing anyway, taunting!

FLEX OPTIONS

  • Void Bash  = great if you want to pull trash in easily

Off Trials Tank

This is good if you're running with stamina meta builds

Slot Type Set Trait Glyph
Head medium Tremorscale Sturdy Prismatic
Shoulders light Tremorscale Sturdy Prismatic
Chest heavy Perfected Pearlescent Reinforced Prismatic
Legs heavy Perfected Pearlescent Sturdy Prismatic
Gloves heavy Perfected Pearlescent Sturdy Prismatic
Boots heavy Perfected Pearlescent Sturdy Prismatic
Belt heavy Perfected Pearlescent Sturdy Prismatic
Weapon One Sword Perfected Puncturing Remedy Decisive Weakening
Secondary Shield Perfected Puncturing Remedy Sturdy Health
Weapon Two Ice Staff Crimson Oath's Rive Infused Crusher
Necklace Crimson Oath's Rive Triune Magicka Recovery
Ring 1 Crimson Oath's Rive Triune Magicka Recovery
Ring 2 Crimson Oath's Rive Triune Magicka Recovery

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

Tremorscale: obtained in Volenfell Veteran dungeon, base game.

  • Why? this set adds a massive amount of DPS via stripping armor, specifically for stamina focused trials groups.

FLEX OPTIONS MONSTER

Perfected Pearlescent Ward: obtained in Dreadsail Reef Veteran (or normal), High Isle Chapter

  • Why? Great damage added set that adds tankiness if members are dead.

FLEX OPTIONS BODY

Crimson Oath’s Rive: obtained in the Veteran Dread Cellar, Waking Flame DLC.

  • Why? Similar to Tremorscale, this set adds massive damage if you’re using heavily focused meta stamina builds.

FLEX OPTIONS BACK BAR

Perfected Puncturing Remedy: obtained in Veteran Dragonstar Arena in Craglorn though can do normal and get a lesser version.

  • Why? perfect set to front bar which adds a ton of resistances and amazing self-healing for something we are doing anyway, taunting!

FLEX OPTIONS

  • Void Bash  = great if you want to pull trash in easily

Dungeons and Arenas

Designed for four player arenas and dungeons including hard modes

Slot Type Set Trait Glyph
Head medium Magma Incarnate Sturdy Prismatic
Shoulders light Spaulder of Ruin Sturdy Health
Chest heavy Drake’s Rush Reinforced Prismatic
Legs heavy Drake’s Rush Sturdy Prismatic
Gloves heavy Drake’s Rush Sturdy Health
Boots heavy Drake’s Rush Sturdy Health
Belt heavy Drake’s Rush Sturdy Health
Weapon One Sword Perfected Puncturing Remedy Decisive Weakening
Secondary Shield Perfected Puncturing Remedy Sturdy Health
Weapon Two Ice Staff Powerful Assault Infused Crusher
Necklace Powerful Assault Triune Magicka Recovery
Ring 1 Powerful Assault Triune Magicka Recovery
Ring 2 Powerful Assault Triune Magicka Recovery

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

Magma Incarnate: obtained in the Dread Cellar

  • Why? one of the best in slot items because it provides so many buffs to your group. However, not that useful in trials.

FLEX OPTIONS

Spaulder of Ruin: obtained through ESO antiquities, leads here:

  • Aureal Armor Glaze lead | Stonefalls Zone  | Shivering Shrine World boss
  • Clannfear Leather Strapping Lead | Deshan best zone |Clannfear mobs in any of the zones that exist in ESO
  • Petrified Daedroth Horn Lead |  Deadlands Zone | The Abomination Cradle world boss
  • Plates Void Alloy Lame Plates Lead |Blackwood |Leyawiin safeboxes
  • Void Alloy Rivets Lead |Coldharbour Best | Drops from any Dremora type monster in any of the zones in ESO

Why? one of the best for pure damage due to the buff if you can sustain.

FLEX OPTIONS FULL MONSTER

Drake’s Rush: obtained in Black Drake Villa

  • Why? high uptime on ultimates and huge DPS boost.

FLEX OPTIONS

Powerful Assault:  found in Imperial City sewers vendor and sold on the traders.

  • WHY? provides an important damage buff to the group that can be used only on the back bar freeing up a space for another two-piece set.

FLEX OPTIONS

Perfected Puncturing Remedy: obtained in Veteran Dragonstar Arena in Craglorn though can do normal and get a lesser version.

  • Why? perfect set to front bar which adds a ton of resistances and amazing self-healing for something we are doing anyway, taunting!

FLEX OPTIONS

  • Void Bash  = great if you want to pull trash in easily

Beginner

This setup is designed for someone who just started ESO or is sub 300 champion points and doesn't have access to monster sets. Use this as a starting point if you're a beginner.

Slot Type Set Trait Glyph
Head heavy Grace of Gloom Sturdy Health
Shoulders heavy Grace of Gloom Sturdy Health
Chest heavy Ebon Armory Reinforced Health
Legs heavy Ebon Armory Sturdy Health
Gloves heavy Ebon Armory Sturdy Health
Boots heavy Ebon Armory Sturdy Health
Belt heavy Ebon Armory Sturdy Health
Weapon One Sword Endurance Decisive Weakening
Secondary Shield Endurance Sturdy Health
Weapon Two Ice Staff Endurance Infused Crusher
Necklace Grace of Gloom Healthy Reduce Bracing Cost
Ring 1 Grace of Gloom Healthy Magicka Recovery
Ring 2 Grace of Gloom Healthy Magicka Recovery

Grace of Gloom: obtained in overland Summerset DLC or sold on traders.

  • Why? simple heal and AoE damage reduction

Ebon Armory: obtained in dungeon Crypt of Hearts I and II.

  • Why? Decent buff to party

Endurance: obtained in Imperial City and Dungeonfinder

  • Why? easy to obtain 2pc starting game.

Passives

Class Passives

Bone Tyrant
  • Death Gleaning
  • Disdain Harm
  • Health Avarice
  • Last Grasp
Grave Lord
  • Reusable Parts
  • Death Knell
  • Dismember
  • Rapid Rot
Living Death
  • Curative Curse
  • Near-Death Experience
  • Corpse Consumption
  • Undead Confederate

Weapon Passives

One Hand and Shield
  • Fortress
  • Sword and Board
  • Deadly Bash
  • Deflect Bolts
  • Battlfield Mobility
Destruction Staff
  • Tri Focus
  • Penetrating Magic
  • Elemental Force
  • Ancient Knowledge
  • Destruction Expert

Armor Passives

Light
  • Light Armor Bounuses
  • Light Armor Penalties
  • Grace
  • Evocation
  • Spell Warding
  • Prodigy
  • Concentration
Medium
  • Medium Armor Bounses
  • Dexterity
  • Wind Walker
  • Improved Sneak
  • Agility
  • Athlectics
Heavy
  • Heavy Armor Bounses
  • Heavy Armor Penalties
  • Resolve
  • Constitution
  • Juggernaut
  • Revitalize
  • Rapid Mending

Guild Passives

Undaunted
  • Undaunted Command
  • Undaunted Mettle
Mages Guild
  • Persuasive Will
  • Mage Adept
  • Everlasting Magic
  • Magicka Controller
  • Might of the Guild
Fighters Guild
  • Intimidating Presence
  • Slayer
  • Banish the Wicked
  • Skilled Tracker
  • Bounty Hunter

Alliance Passives

Assault
  • Continuous Attack
  • Reach
  • Combat Frenzy
Support
  • Magicka Aid
  • Combat Medic
  • Battle Resurrection

World Passives

Soul Magic
  • Soul Shatter
  • Soul Summons
  • Soul Lock

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

Nord

Great resistance passives for players who want more defensive gameplay and high stamina resource pool.

  • Reveler
  • Resist Frost
  • Stalwart
  • Rugged
Argonian

FLEX: Pick due to the unique racial perk of increased healing done. Also, very "tanky" race.

  • Amphibian
  • Life Mender
  • Argonian Resistance
  • Resourceful
Imperial

FLEX: The best overall stat pool for tanking and skill cost reduction in cost makes it a go-to.

  • Diplomat
  • Tough
  • Imperial Mettle
  • Red Diamond

Attributes

Health

64

Stamina

0

Magicka

0

Mundus Stone

Atronach - Increases Magicka recovery by 310. With 7 Divines armor pieces: Increases Magicka recovery by 507 The best option for tanking.

Champion Points

Warfare

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.

Unassailable (Slottable) - 50
Reduces your damage taken by area of effect attacks by 3% per stage.

Enduring Resolve (Passive) - 50
Reduces your damage taken by damage over time attacks by 3% per stage.

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)

Fitness

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.

Boundless Vitality (Slottable) - 50
Grants 28 Max Health per stage.

Rejuvenation (Slottable) - 50
Grants 1.8 Health, Magicka, and Stamina Recovery per stage.

Fortified (Slottable) - 50
Grants 34.6 Armor 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)

Crafting

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

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

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

Treasure Hunter (Slottable) - 50
Increase the quality of items you find in treasure chests.

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

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)

Artaeum Pickled Fish Bowl

Type: Foods

ALTERNATIVE: Increase Max Health by 5652 and Max Magicka by 5117 for 2 hours. (effects are scaled based on your level) Ingredients: Fish (5), Rice (3), Clam Gall (3), Honey (3)

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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MORE BUILDS

If you’re looking for a group DPS build click HERE, one bar build HERE or a PvP build HERE.  Also, consider watching me on Twitch where you can ask me questions about my current builds.

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