ESO Solo Dragonknight Stamina Build for PvE

Table of Contents

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

Last Updated: 2023-03-23

Welcome to our ESO Solo Dragonknight Stamina Build for PVE. The Dragonknight relies heavily on damage over time effects and buffs and has good survivability and mobility. Consider this a hard-to-play stamina-based melee damage dealer because there are so many buffs and a complex rotation.

Related: Top 5 Tips for Increasing Your DPS

Last updated March 23th, 2023, update 37 and the Scribes of Fate DLC: The ESO Solo Stamina Dragonknight PvE Build is extremely survival. You have the tools to self-sustain and heal yourself. As a result, the build is perfect for playing without a dedicated healer or tank. We adjusted relevant item sets, Pillar of Nirn and Vicious Serpent, along with changing the most effective skills bar and champion points. The build lists a few gear options – for beginner players without access to all sets and/or DLCs and two best in-slot trial options. The setup suggested also assumes you want the most survivability, not damage. Adjust where you see fit or want more damage. Also, make sure to use sets and skills that work better for you and harder end-game content.

 

Solo Stamina Dragonknight Playstyle in 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 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.

 

The Best Stamina Dragonknight Build

In ESO, the Stamina Dragonknight is perfect for everyone who is looking for a simple-rotation survival class with a complete set of tools for solo PvE gameplay. So if the fire, dragons and following “pros” is what you are looking for, this build is for you!

Pros

• Great damage over time
• Good survivability
• High mobility

Cons

• Difficult rotation
• Reliant on magicka

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.

Skills

Dual Wield (Daggers)

Front Bar Weapon choice options:

• Dual Wield has best raw damage due to Twin Blade and Blunt along with AoE execute and great DoTs.
• Two Handed = best back bar weapon due to Carve and Stampede 
• Bow = good back bar with Endless Hail skill and range

Molten Whip (Morph of Lava Whip | Skill line: Ardent Flame) - Mainly used to buff our bar with weapon damage but can use as spammable.

Burning Embers (Morph of Searing Strike | Skill line: Ardent Flame) - Damage over time and use burning embers morph for crazy survivability via the healing it provides. Swap morphs for more damage.

Noxious Breath (Morph of Fiery Breath | Skill line: Ardent Flame) - Breathe a poisonous flame onto enemies dealing poison damage and inflicting them with major fracture

Flames Of Oblivion (Morph of Inferno | Skill line: Ardent Flame) - Great damage over time and works up to three stack whip for big DPS. Switch this to Bloodthirst if you need super survivability.

Whirling Blades (Morph of Whirlwind | Skill line: Dual Wield) - AoE damage to clear mobs.

Flawless Dawnbreaker (Morph of Dawnbreaker | Skill line: Fighters Guild) - slotting increases weapon damage and generates ultimate when landing a killing blow though I rarely use and rely on Standard as DPS ultimate [flex if you need healing] Rend (Ultimate): AoE damage DoT that heals you based on a percentage of the damage, highly recommended for new players or without Pale Order mythic

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Two Handed Sword

Back Bar Weapon choice options:

• Two Handed = best back bar weapon due to Carve and Stampede 
• Dual Wield has a great back bar weapon via BRP weapons and deadly cloak but isn't preferred.
• Bow = good back bar with Endless Hail skill and range

Barbed Trap (Morph of Trap Beast | Skill line: Fighters Guild) - Great damage over time and huge buff.

Carve (Morph of Cleave | Skill line: Two Handed) - big AoE damage and shield. Spam this when heal is low and your heals over time are carrying your survivability.

Eruption (Morph of Ash Cloud | Skill line: Earthen Heart) - Great damage over time ability. You can change morphs to Cinder Storm if you need extra healing, but the combination of burning embers and vigor should keep you alive.

Stampede (Morph of Critical Charge | Skill line: Two Handed) - hard hitting gap closer with a massive AoE.

Resolving Vigor (Morph of Vigor | Skill line: Assault) - Strong heal over time.

Standard Of Might (Morph of Dragonknight Standard | Skill line: Ardent Flame) - Massive AoE nuke increasing your damage and reducing damage taken. Make sure the boss is stationary when you drop.

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Rotation

Main Rotation

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Gear

Optimal

This is the best option for folks looking to solo arenas and Veteran dungeons

Slot	Type	Set	Trait	Glyph
Head	light	Slimecraw	Divines	Stamina
Shoulders	medium	Vicious Serpent	Divines	Stamina
Chest	medium	Vicious Serpent	Divines	Stamina
Legs	medium	Vicious Serpent	Divines	Stamina
Gloves	medium	Vicious Serpent	Divines	Stamina
Boots	medium	Vicious Serpent	Divines	Stamina
Belt	medium	Pillar of Nirn	Divines	Stamina
Weapon One	Dagger	Pillar of Nirn	Nirn > Precise	Poison
Secondary	Dagger	Pillar of Nirn	Charged	Flame
Weapon Two	2H Sword	Perfected Merciless Charge	Infused	Berserker
Necklace		Pillar of Nirn	Infused > Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage
Ring 1		Pale Order	Infused > Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage
Ring 2		Pillar of Nirn	Infused > Bloodthirsty	Weapon 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 Vicious or flex piece)

1. Zaan – great damage from a proc set considered best damage for melee builds
2. Stormfist – always works, easy to obtain and  AoE DPS set.
3. Balorgh – incredible for boss burns in Veteran Maelstrom Arena saving up ultimate for 500 burn.
4. Kra’gh – one pc is great for pen, two piece does good single target damage

Pillar of Nirn: obtained in Falkreath Hold dungeon.

• WHY? one of the hardest hitting, easiest proc sets in the game.

FLEX OPTIONS

1. Briarheart = Overland can be bought from traders great option for healing and weapon damage boost
2. Order’s Wrath = Best overall crafting damage option
3. Mechanical Acuity = the highest burst combined with Balorgh for VMA boss nukes
4. Spriggan’s Thorns =  Base game and decent penetration on front perfect for beginner offensive set
5. Hexos’ Ward = Overland easy to obtain survivability set

Vicious Serpent: obtained in trials Hel Ra Citadel, Aetherian Archive, Sanctum Ophidia.

• Why? best sustain set for stamina along with movement speed.

FLEX OPTIONS

1. Perfected Coral Riptide = god tier damage if you run low stamina (dodge roll a bit before pull)
2. Perfected Sul-Xan = insane damage if you can reliably pick up the essence/soul (blue orb) left behind
3. Order’s Wrath = Best overall crafting damage option
4. Hunding’s Rage = Crafted base game decent all around
5. Leviathan = easy base game dungeon set with high critical

Perfected Merciless Charge: obtained in Veteran Maelstrom Arena though you can do normal for a lesser version.

• Why? still one of the hardest hitting back bar arena weapons.

FLEX OPTIONS

1. Perfected Thunderous Volley Set = great if you prefer range than melee back bar.
2. Perfected Spectral Cloak = must change out blockade for Deadly Cloak, also niche but high damage
3. Agility = 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

1. Death Dealer’s Fete = high max stats and requires no effect
2. Sea Serpent Coil = best overall damage but could be less survivability but in combat
3. Markyn Ring of Majesty = set and forget boost to spell damage and armor

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Intermediate

Meant for someone who's familiar with the game and wants strongest solo build without mythics or trials gear

Slot	Type	Set	Trait	Glyph
Head	medium	Stormfist	Divines	Stamina
Shoulders	medium	Stormfist	Divines	Stamina
Chest	medium	Hunding’s Rage	Divines	Stamina
Legs	medium	Hunding’s Rage	Divines	Stamina
Gloves	medium	Hunding’s Rage	Divines	Stamina
Boots	medium	Hunding’s Rage	Divines	Stamina
Belt	medium	Hunding’s Rage	Divines	Stamina
Weapon One	Dagger	Briarheart	Nirn > Precise	Poison
Secondary	Dagger	Briarheart	Charged	Flame
Weapon Two	2H Sword	Agility	Infused	Berserker
Necklace		Briarheart	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage
Ring 1		Briarheart	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage
Ring 2		Briarheart	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage

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

Stormfist: obtained in Tempest Island Veteran dungeon and vendor Glirion.

• Why? incredible damage in all aspects of PvE, dungeons and trials.

FLEX OPTIONS (if you switch to monster setup, drop the ring replace with Vicious or flex piece)

• Slimecraw = highest 1pc critical chance
• 2pc Selene = high burst damage
• 2pc Scourge Harvest = good survivability set
• 2pc Stormfist = great aoe and single target damage

Briarheart: obtained in overland Wrothgar or from traders.

• WHY? great burst damage and nice healing and easy to obtain set.

FLEX OPTIONS

• New Moon Acolyte = great craftable set for the front bar
• Hexos’ Ward = easy to obtain survivability set
• Spriggan’s Thorns = easy to obtain penetration set

Hunding’s Rage: craftable 6 traits, crafting stations found in Bangkorai, Reaper’s March, The Rift

• WHY? Craftable set that has well balanced stats.

FLEX OPTIONS

• Leviathan = good dungeon set for high crit chance
• Gryphon’s Ferocity = good damage and speed
• Venomous Smite = easy to obtain proc sustain damage

Agility: found in Imperial City with keys or Dungeon Finder via random dungeons and or traders sell

• WHY? easy to obtain with massive stats as a two-piece set.

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Beginner

This setup is for someone who just started and doesn't have access to Monsters, Mythics, Trials gear

Slot	Type	Set	Trait	Glyph
Head	medium	Hunding's Rage	Divines	Stamina
Shoulders	medium	Hunding's Rage	Divines	Stamina
Chest	medium	Spriggan's Thorns	Divines	Stamina
Legs	medium	Spriggan's Thorns	Divines	Stamina
Gloves	medium	Spriggan's Thorns	Divines	Stamina
Boots	medium	Spriggan's Thorns	Divines	Stamina
Belt	medium	Spriggan's Thorns	Divines	Stamina
Weapon One	Daggers	Agility	Precise	Flame
Secondary	Daggers	Agility	Charged	Poison
Weapon Two	2H Sword	Agility	Infused	Weapon Damage
Necklace		Hunding's Rage	Robust	Weapon Damage
Ring 1		Hunding's Rage	Robust	Weapon Damage
Ring 2		Hunding's Rage	Robust	Weapon Damage

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

Spriggan’s Thorns obtained in overland bangkori base game

• WHY? adds massive damage because medium armor users lack penetration due to passives.

Progression: work towards a monster helm like Selene’s or Stormfist and replace Agility Weapons with Briarheart or another 5pc.

FLEX OPTIONS

• New Moon Acolyte = great craftable set for the front bar
• Hexos’ Ward = easy to obtain survivability set

Hunding’s Rage: craftable 6 traits, crafting stations found in Bangkorai, Reaper’s March, The Rift

• WHY? Craftable set that has well balanced stats.

FLEX OPTIONS

• Leviathan = good dungeon set for high crit chance
• Gryphon’s Ferocity = good damage and speed
• Venomous Smite = easy to obtain proc sustain damage
• Briarheart = great survivability set

Agility: found in Imperial City with keys or Dungeon Finder via random dungeons and or traders sell

• WHY? easy to obtain with massive stats as a two-piece set.

PROGRESSION

• First, work on replacing Spriggan’s Thorns body pieces with Briarheart which will give great healing and damage.
• Next, replace Agility weapons with Briarheart front bar and Maelstrom back bar. Perfected Merciless Charge is obtained in Veteran Maelstrom Arena and offers an amazing damage increase
• Finally replace Agility weapons for your second 5pc and add  a monster set that offers more damage like Stormfist which is obtained in Tempest Island Veteran dungeon and vendor Glirion.

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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 skill lines
• Medium armor skill lines
• Undaunted
• Fighter’s Guild (optional)
• Mage’s Guild (optional)
• Undaunted (must have)
• Psijic (optional)
• Crafting Alchemy (Medicinal Use for potion duration)
• Race
• Alliance War
• World Vampire if using

Races

Khajiit

Top tier damage for solo play.

• Cutpurse
• Robustness
• Lunar Blessings
• Feline Ambush

Dark Elf

all around great if you want to switch between magicka/stamina build though lacks resources sustain

• Ashlander
• Dynamic
• Resist Flame
• Ruination

Attributes

Mundus Stone

Thief - With 7 Divines armor pieces: Increases the Critical Strike rating by 2167

Champion Points

Warfare

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

Wrathful Strikes (Slottable) - 50
Grants 41 Weapon and Spell Damage to your damaging abilities per stage.

Master-at-Arms (Slottable) - 50
Increases your damage done with direct damage attacks by 3% per stage.

Thaumaturge (Slottable) - 50
Increases your damage done with damage over time effects by 3% per stage.

Flex Spot(s): 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

Bloody Renewal (Slottable) - 50
Restore 300 Stamina per stage, whenever you kill an enemy.

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): 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

War Mount (Slottable) - 50
Improves your mastery with mounts, removing all mount Stamina costs outside of combat.

Gifted Rider (Passives) - 50
Increases your Mount Speed by 2% per stage.

Liquid Efficiency (Slottable) - 50
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): 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

Artaeum Takeaway Broth

Type: Foods

OVERALL: Increase Max Health by 3326 and Health Recovery by 406 and Max Stamina by 3080 and Stamina Recovery by 338 for 2 hours.

Dubious Camoran Throne

Type: Foods

CHEAP: Increase Stamina Recovery by 319 and Max Stamina and Max Health by 3192 for 2 hours

Lava Foot Soup-And-Saltrice

Type: Foods

DPS Parse: Increase Max Stamina by 4575 and Stamina Recovery by 457 for 2 hours.

Essence of Weapon Power

Type: Potions

Grants major brutality with increases weapon damage by 20% for 47.6 seconds. Grants major savagery which grants you 2191 weapon critical rating for 47.6 seconds. Restore 7582 stamina immediately. Grants you major endurance which increases your stamina 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.

Wrap Up

Additional Guides

Thank you for reading ESO Solo Dragonknight Stamina Build for PvE!

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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