ESO Solo Arcanist Magicka Build for PvE is for players that are looking to complete solo content with insane damage output.
This build has been updated for the Update 40 patch of the Elder Scrolls Online.
Why Should You Play ESO Solo Arcanist Magicka Build for PvE?
The ESO Solo Arcanist Magicka Build for PvE is for players that are looking to complete solo content with a new class. This build has ranged abilities and, as a result, great flexibility in weapon choices. Arcanist’s Crux system makes a unique playstyle with three well-equipped skill trees and complete tools for good damage, healing and survivability. Yet, the Solo Arcanist’s downside can be a weak resource sustain that forces you to play hybrid build and can be hard to manage for beginners. However, as long as you have the class passives unlocked and after a couple of minutes, that should not be too much of an issue.
In ESO, the Magicka 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 sustained damage | Vulnerable while beaming |
| Has ranged abilities | Gear dependent |
| Flexible weapon choices |
Keep reading for all the details about Skills, Rotation, Gear, Passives, and Champion points for the build! The Gear section will include options for Beginner, Intermediate, and Optimal set-ups, with plenty of flex options available for those still filling out their sticker books.
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Build Name ESO Solo Arcanist Magicka Build for PvE
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’s, debuff with Flail, and build up 3x more Crux’s and beam. The trick is to reapply all your DoTs and heals just before the beam does all the work for you.
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.
Use the healing skill Resolving Vigor, when your health drops below 60% or the shield skill (Spiteward of the Lucid Mind) when you anticipate damage. Also, always use the suggested food and potions as they significantly increase your damage, survivability, and resource sustain.
Skills
Front Bar: Lighting Staff
Front Bar Weapon Options: They are all good choices depending on your play style and needs. Experiment with what works best.
- Lighting Staff = great option for the Arcanist due to increased area damage, which is nearly all of our skills.
- Dual Wield = most raw 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.
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 and beam. The trick is to reapply all your DoTs and heals just before the beam does all the work for you. We take this morph so it’s easier to sustain. Swap morph for more damage if you can sustain/heal without issue.
Inner Light (Morph of Magelight | Skill Line : Mages Guild) – Simply slotted for increased max magicka which does more damage for you.
Cephaliarch’s Flail (Morph of Abyssal Impact | Skill Line : Herald of the Tome) – This skill is our debuff to targets and generator of Crux. The issue with the skill on a magicka build is it requires stamina which will drain you pretty quick. Therefore, use this to debuff mainly.
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.
Writhing Runeblades (Morph of Runeblades | Skill Line : Herald of the Tome) – This is a great ranged damage ability that acts as a Crux builder. Flail acts as a debuff skill while this will keep you generating Crux until you reach three, where you should Exhausting Fatecarver.
Flawless Dawnbreaker (Morph of Dawnbreaker | Skill Line : Fighters Guild) – passively, this ability boost our damage and can be used during execute phase when you won’t reach your back bar ultimate number or during high mobility encounters.
Back Bar: Inferno Staff
Back Bar Weapon Options: They are all good choices depending on your playstyle and needs. Experiment with what works best.
- Inferno Staff = great all-around damage with Unstable Wall and fully charge heavy to sustain magicka
- Lighting Staff = good for beginners who lack magicka sustain because its easier to set off balance and fully charge heavy for resources
- Two-Handed = incredible damage with stampede ability, though hard to sustain stamina
Gear
This is the best option for folks looking to solo arenas and Veteran dungeons
| Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
| Head | medium | Slimecraw | Divines | Magicka |
| Shoulders | light | Perfected False Gods | Divines | Magicka |
| Chest | medium | Deadly Strikes | Divines | Magicka |
| Legs | light | Perfected False Gods | Divines | Magicka |
| Gloves | light | Perfected Fallse Gods | Divines | Magicka |
| Boots | light | Perfected False Gods | Divines | Magicka |
| Belt | light | Perfected False Gods | Divines | Magicka |
| Weapon One | Inferno Staff | Deadly Strikes | Precise | Flame |
| Weapon Two | Inferno Staff | Perfected Crushing Wall | Infused | Weapon Damage |
| Necklace | Deadly Strikes | Infused | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 1 | Pale Order | Infused | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 2 | Deadly Strikes | Infused | Spell Damage |
Desktop hover over gear for set bonuses, mobile click once for set bonuses
Slimecraw: obtained in Wayrest Sewers I Veteran dungeon and Maj Undaunted Vendor.
- Why? gives us highest 1pc critical chance
FLEX OPTIONS (if you switch to monster setup, drop the ring and replace it with False Gods or flex piece)
- Valkyn Skoria = great damage while channeling damage
- Nerien’eth = good damage and great option for range DPS with direct damage.
- Balorgh = incredible for boss burns in Veteran Maelstrom Arena saving up ultimate for 500 burn.
- Iceheart = great survivability
Deadly Strikes: obtained in Cyrodiil, Bruma Elite Gear Vendor
- WHY? This increases beam to damage the most possible and makes enemies just melt.
FLEX OPTIONS
- Pillar of Nirn = (DUNGEON) great overall proc set damage.
- Perfected Whorl of the Depth = (TRIAL) another proc set that comes in light armor.
- Mechanical Acuity = (CRAFTED) the highest burst combined with Balorgh for VMA boss nukes
- Order’s Wrath = (CRAFTED) Crafted and best overall option for great damage.
- Medusa = (DUNGEON) easy dungeon set if you’re not using minor force skill/buff.
Perfected False Gods: obtained in Veteran Sunspire trial or normal for non perfected
- WHY? provides incredible resource sustain and mobility but lacks overall damage. This is great for solo play or uncoordinated groups where you cannot relay on orbs/spears/sustain sets.
FLEX OPTIONS
- Perfected Bahsei’s Mania = considered BiS for damage if you can run magicka low and keep it there.
- Robes of the Withered Hand = Base game, overland and a great replacement for False Gods to get you started.
- Mother’s Sorrow = an overland option base game easy to get and good damage
- Law of Julianos = decent craftable option
Perfected Crushing Wall: from Veteran Maelstrom Arena in Orsinium
- WHY? Increase your overall DPS massively due to wall of elements.
FLEX OPTIONS
- Perfected Spectral Cloak = massive damage increase and damage reduction if playing in melee range. Swap out Block for Quick Cloak and Elemental Susceptibility for Razor Caltrops.
- Perfected Merciless Charge = must change out Unstable Blockade for Stampede, good damage but requires melee skills.
- Perfected Thunderous Volley = good alternative to play at range with back bar. Swap out Unstable Blockade for Endless Hail bow skill.
- Willpower = extra 2pc set
Ring of the Pale Order: Mythic obtained by collecting five pieces:
- Bangkorai – Aurmine Ancestral Signet – Chests
- Alik’r Desert – Direnni Elegy Loop – Coldrock Diggings Delve Boss
- Wrothgar – Onix Accent Stones – All World Bosses
- Glenumbra – Order-Etched Gallery Rail – Bad Man’s Hallow Trash Monsters
- The Reach – Pale Order’s Golden Band – Nighthollow Keep (Blackreach: Arkthzand Cavern start north of map)
Set bonus
- (1 item) Restore 20% of the damage you deal as Health. This value is decreased by 4% per ally you are grouped with. You cannot be healed by anyone but yourself.
FLEX OPTIONS
- Veloth Ur-Mage’s Amulet: new mythic that is incredible damage if you have good survivability and don’t require Pale Order.
- Mora’s Whisper = set and forget high critical mythic but requires a collection of Mages Guild books.
- Death Dealer’s Fete = high max stats and requires no effect but in combat.
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
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.
Ghastly Eye Bowl
DPS Parse: Increase Max Magicka by 4256 and Magicka Recovery by 425 for 2 hours.
Potions
Heroism Potions
INSANE GOOD AN EXPENSIVE: Restores magicka, stamina and provides Major Heroism buff for 47.6 if you have the medical use passive. Ingredients Columbine, Dragon’s Blood and Dragon Rheum
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 45sec cooldown. Make sure you have three points into medicinal use passive in alchemy crafting. (INGREDIENTS: Corn Flower, Lady’s Smock and Namira’s Rot)
Passives
- Fighter’s Guild
- Mage’s Guild
- Undaunted
- Psijic Order
- Alliance Support
- Light Armor
- Destruction Staff
- Medium Armor
- All Class
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