ESO One Bar PvE Magicka Arcanist Build is intended for the new or returning player who wants a solid Arcanist build to complete any content.
This build has been updated for the Update 40 patch of the Elder Scrolls Online.
Why Should You Play ESO One Bar PvE Magicka Arcanist Build?
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The ESO One Bar PvE Magicka Arcanist Build is for players that are looking to complete solo and group content with a new class. This build has ranged abilities and, as a result, is extremely survival. Arcanist’s Crux system makes a unique playstyle with three well-equipped skill trees and complete tools for good damage, healing and survivability. This builds solves all of Arcanist’s class’s issues with other builds. It can be harder to manage for beginners than classic Heavy Attack builds. But, creating a heavy attack Arcanist build is impossible, so this is the next best thing.
In ESO, the One Bar Arcanist is perfect for everyone looking for a unique playstyle with a complete set of tools for solo PvE gameplay. If powerful tomes of Hermaeus Mora and following “pros” is what you are looking for, this build is for you!
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great damage | Vulnerable while beaming |
| Plays at range | Oakensoul Dependent |
| Good sustain | Doesn’t use heavy attacks |
ESO One Bar PvE Magicka Arcanist 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 Barb Trap from Fighters Guild. Maintain DoTs and use your spammable skill as filler until you need to reapply the DoTS.
As an Arcanist, you’ll need to generate and consume Cruxes to enhance your stats constantly, so keep close attention to it. The Cephaliarch’s Flail skill is your main spammable, range and crux builder. Nextly you’ll be beaming with Pragmatic Fatecarver and its 4.5-second channel. Your goal is to build up 3x Crux with Flail, and beam.
Survivability
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.
Your main survivability skill is Spiteward of the Lucid Mind when you anticipate damage. You can also flex in another heal like Resolving Vigor and tri-restoration potion for more survivability.
Skills
One Bar Lightning Staff – Solo | Optimal
Lightning Staff is ideal because the Ancient Knowledge passive gives increased area damage, which is both of our damage abilities. This essentially increases your DPS dramatically, plus its much easier to rip off fully charged heavy attacks at range for resource sustain.
Structured Entropy (Morph of Entropy | Skill Line : Mages Guild) – For most players, having a strong heal over time that acts as a good damage source is useful. Mages Guild Structured Entropy does just that and can average around 2,000 heals a second with a very long duration. I swap this skill out depending if playing solo, wanting more damage, both aoe or single target. Here are some flex potions. Elemental Susceptibility from Destruction Staff is my number one flex. This skill adds so much damage via the major breach debuff and the three status effects. It’s single target and doesn’t cost anything to cast with a long duration. Consider this a flex skill in group play, with Razor Caltrops from Alliance War being a strong choice. More on demand healing go with Resolving Vigor from Alliance War.
Pragmatic Fatecarver (Morph of Fatecarver | Skill Line : Herald of the Tome) – the build center’s around this ability and its 4.5-second channel. Your goal is to build up 3x Crux’s with Flail and beam. This morph is ideal because it dramatically increases your survivability. When playing ina group, or super confidence with content you can swap to Exhausting. But Pragmatic will provide a massive damage shield that can be further increased with Bastion Red CP slottable. This will make you very survivable during the beam phase of damage. You can “cancel” or end the animation via blocking, dodging or bashing. This is useful when taking a heavy attack or needing to cast another ability.
Recuperative Treatise (Morph of Tome Bearer’s Inspiration | Skill Line : Herald of the Tome) – this ability boosts your overall damage significantly and should always be maintained. This morph is ideal for solo play because of the resources sustain. Swap morphs if you need more damage.
Cephaliarch’s Flail (Morph of Abyssal Impact | Skill Line : Herald of the Tome) – This skill is our crux builder and hits harder the lower the enemies health gets. The main reason you use this is to get a 5% damage buff and build three Crux for your main nuke with Fatecarver. You can use this for a decent bit of healing and somewhat your main spammable. Key here is to not get caught with a heavy attack because it is a 0.3 second channel.
Spiteward of the Lucid Mind (Morph of Runespite Ward | Skill Line : Soldier of Apocrypha) – Your shield, the skill also consumes cruxes and heals you. It’s your survivability tool. While it seems pretty weak, between this and Flail, you should have a lot of healing coming in. This will consume Crux so be careful not to spam cast this if you want a big Fatecarver beam.
The Tide King’s Gaze (Morph of The Unblinking Eye | Skill Line : Herald of the Tome) – Great damage ultimate that deals even more damage than Mages Guild Meteor. It also autotargets the enemies, making it extremely useful and easy to use with a very fast channel.
Gear Setup 1: Optimal with Mythics
This is for the highest damage loadout possible, flex options below if you don’t have this gear
| Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
| Head | heavy | Slimecraw | Divine | Magicka |
| Shoulders | medium | Deadly Strike | Divine | Magicka |
| Chest | light | Back-Alley Gourmand | Divine | Magicka |
| Legs | light | Back-Alley Gourmand | Divine | Magicka |
| Gloves | light | Back-Alley Gourmand | Divine | Magicka |
| Boots | light | Back-Alley Gourmand | Divine | Magicka |
| Belt | light | Back-Alley Gourmand | Divine | Magicka |
| Weapon One | Lighting Staff | Deadly Strike | Precise | Flame |
| Necklace | Deadly Strike | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 1 | Oakensoul ring | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 2 | Deadly Strike | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage |
Desktop hover over gear for set bonuses, mobile click once for set bonuses
Slimecraw: obtained from Wayrest Sewers 1, a base game dungeon
- Why? the best 1pc critical damage bonus piece in the game. Pen is also a good option, but this is considered best in slot for a one-piece.
FLEX OPTIONS
- Iceheart, Grundwulf, Stone Husk, Zaan = all are 1pc with critical chance, just not as much as Slimecraw.
- Lady Malygda, Valkyn Skoria = penetration sets, which is great solo, not in coordinated groups.
Deadly Strike: obtained in Bruma Elite Gear Vendor, Cyrodiil zone (base game).
- Why? This provides the most damage for the Arcanist because both damage abilities are channels.
Back-Alley Gourmand: obtained in Galen and Y’ffelon Zone, Overland Set, Firesong DLC
- Why? This overall set is great for light armor because light armor doesn’t possess any critical damage buff like a medium. This gets you closest to a 125% critical damage cap without spilling over into extra penetration stats. Spell penetration with light armor users is usually an issue and with this build, you’ll be right at 18,200 the cap.
FLEX Five Piece Gear Sets: use these if you don’t have optimal sets.
- Order’s Wrath = best overall craftable set for high damage.
- War Maiden = overall with a huge boost to spell damage for our abilities.
- Soulshine = comes in heavy armor but base game gives good boost to overall damage.
- Perfected False Gods = Trials set used for insane magicka sustain and mobility.
- Robes of the Withered Hand = Base game set which gives crazy resource sustain.
- Mother’s Sorrow = Overland option base game easy to get and has good damage.
- Law of Julianos = decent craftable option.
Oakensoul: obtained through ESO Mythics/antiquities system. You need 5 items to be able to create the Mythic item. 5 Leads are here:
- Igneous Inlays Volcanic Vents in the High Isle and Amenos zone (High Isle)
- Larimar Gems Titanclaw boss at Mudcrab Beach (south-west) (Stormhaven)
- Petrified Oak Loop Murkmire Strongboxes (Murkmire zone)
- Sacred Resin Any Mob (Malabal Tor)
- Stone Shank Frame Blacksmithing nodes in Glenumbra (High Isle) Click for Map
Why? the best one-bar build for DPS because it gives an insane amount of buffs, freeing up bar spots and making us tankier with zero effort.
FLEX OPTIONS
- Pale Order =best survivability mythic though you will lack all the buffs.
- Death Dealer’s Fete = high max stats and requires no effect but in combat.
- Markyn Ring of Majesty = set and forget to boost to spell damage and armor.
Race
Best Choice
High Elf
The best option for damage reduction while channeling
Secondary Choice
Khajiit
Great for burst damage and healing
Attributes
Health | Stamina | Magicka |
| 0 | 0 | 64 |
Mundus Stone
Thief – Increases the Critical Strike rating by 1212
Champion Points
Consumables
Food
Bewitched Sugar Skulls
MAX STATS: use this if you don’t struggle with sustain and you want good damage and survivability. Increase Max Health by 4620, Max Stamina and Magicka by 4250, and Health Recovery by 462 for 2 hours. Ingredients: Bervez Juice (2), Flour (5), Honey (5), Scrib Jelly (2), Columbine (2)
Jewels of Misrule
RECOVERY: Cheap recovery food used at any level. Increase Stamina and Magicka Recovery by 357 and Max Health by 3927 for 2 hours. Ingredients: Bervez Juice (1), Lotus (1), Mint (1), Rose (1), Columbine (1)
Potions
Tri-Restoration Potion or Essence of Health (tri-stat)
SURVIAL: Remember oakensoul gives all your major buffs so you’re left with resto potion for survivability and resource sustain. 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.
Passives
- All Class
- Heavy Armor
- Light Armor
- Medium Armor
- Destruction Staff
- Undaunted
- Race
- Medicinal Use (Alchemy)
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