ESO Stamina Dragonknight PvE Build

Table of Contents

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

Last Updated: 2023-03-13

Welcome to our ESO Stamina Dragonknight PvE Build called the Butcher! The build relies heavily on damage over time effects and buffs. Consider this a hard-to-play, stamina-based, melee damage dealer because there are so many buffs and a complex rotation. However, I’ve listed flexible options to make it simpler and more survivable. High damage, you bet ESO Stamina Dragonknight PvE Build rocks!

Related: Top 5 Tips for Increasing Your DPS

Last updated March 13th, 2023, update 37 and the Scribes of Fate DLC: The ESO Stamina Dragonknight PvE Build is still often used in dungeons and trials by many veteran players. In the current meta, the Dragonknight class can provide high survivability on top of great damage. We adjusted relevant item sets, Pillar of Nirn and Perfect Whorl of the Depths, along with changing the most effective parse bar and gear. 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 champion points suggested are also assuming you want the most damage, not survivability. Adjust where you see fit, and make sure to use sets and skills that work better for your group combination and harder end-game content.

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 PvE Stamina Dragonknight Build

In ESO, the PvE Stamina Dragonknight Build is perfect for everyone who is looking for a simple survival class with high damage. So if the fire-focused class playstyle 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
• Lacks great sustain

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

Front Bar (Dual Wield)

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 has a great single target execute and sustain on kill but lacks the passives for PvE raw damage.
• Bow has great range but in group play you need to be closer to boss to get buffs from tank/healer.

Flames Of Oblivion (Morph of Inferno | Skill line: Ardent Flame) - AoE and single target nuke that cost magicka.

Venomous Claw (Morph of Searing Strike | Skill line: Ardent Flame) - Deals poison damage to an enemy and increases the damage over time effect

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

Molten Whip (Morph of Lava Whip | Skill line: Ardent Flame) - Update 35 radically changed the main spammable options. Molten Whip is still great except you run out of magicka. Consider Silver Shard a hard hitting, spammable that increases your overall weapon damage for merely slotting and good AoE with range. Another option is Rapid Strikes from Dual Wield which is channel and optimal single target. Or you can go with your class skill like Molten Whip. This may seem odd at first, but it’s how the game is functioning optimally at end game.

Whirling Blades (Morph of Whirlwind | Skill line: Dual Wield) - AoE damage that acts as an execute, dealing more damage to enemies below 50% health.

Flawless Dawnbreaker (Morph of Dawnbreaker | Skill line: Fighters Guild) - The performance of Dawnbreaker is very good now that it grants a massive spell damage boost of 300 for 20 seconds. Not to mention added spell damage from Fighters guild, Slayer passive. This is a great ultimate to use that’s low cost.

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Back Bar (Two Handed)

Back Bar Weapon choice options:

• Two-handed is preferred due to the arena weapon and two back bar skills.
• Dual Wield has a great back bar weapon via BRP weapons and deadly cloak but isn't preferred.
• Bow has great range and is a great option for solo arenas like VMA or Vateshran.

Barbed Trap (Morph of Trap Beast | Skill line: Fighters Guild) - a trap that immobilizes target, procs minor force buff and does good single target damage.

Carve (Morph of Cleave | Skill line: Two Handed) - AoE hard hitting DoT.

Eruption (Morph of Ash Cloud | Skill line: Earthen Heart) - Hard hitting DoT that cost magicka per second and is great if you can sustain the magicka cost. Consider this your flex spot.

Stampede (Morph of Critical Charge | Skill line: Two Handed) - Gap closer with hard hitting dot that is amplified by back bar weapon.

Resolving Vigor (Morph of Vigor | Skill line: Assault) - Selfish heal that does great survivability. You can swap if you have great healing.

Standard Of Might (Morph of Dragonknight Standard | Skill line: Ardent Flame) - Deals flame damage to nearby enemies, applying major defile to them. You can stand in the area to reduce damage to you, and increase the damage given to enemies

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Rotation

Single Target

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Gear

Z'en's DK

This is what everyone wants in their trial group because of the group buffs.

Slot	Type	Set	Trait	Glyph
Head	medium	Zaan	Divines	Stamina
Shoulders	light	Zaan	Divines	Stamina
Chest	medium	Roar of Alkosh	Divines	Stamina
Legs	medium	Roar of Alkosh	Divines	Stamina
Gloves	medium	Roar of Alkosh	Divines	Stamina
Boots	medium	Roar of Alkosh	Divines	Stamina
Belt	medium	Roar of Alkosh	Divines	Stamina
Weapon One	Dagger	Z'en's	Nirnhoned>Precise	Fire
Secondary	Dagger	Z'en's	Charged	Poison
Weapon Two	2H Sword	Perfected Merciless Charge	Infused	Weapon Damage
Necklace		Z'en's	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage
Ring 1		Z'en's	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage
Ring 2		Z'en's	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage

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

Zaan: Veteran dungeon Scalecaller Peak, Dragon Bone DLC.

• Why? The highest DPS monster helm currently which can out perform Harpooner’s Wading Kilt Set.

FLEX OPTIONS

1. Kjalnar’s Nightmare – great single target damage ONLY one player can have this in your group.
2. 1pc Slimecraw and 1pc Harpooner’s Wading Kilt Set this setup still strong, make sure you don’t hit crit damage cap.
3. Kra’gh – one pc is great for pen, two piece does good single target damage
4. Stormfist – always works, easy to obtain and  AoE DPS set.

Z’en’s Redress: obtained in Lair of Maarselok, DLC Scalebreaker.

• Why? incredible damage buff for the entire group.

FLEX OPTIONS

1. Pillar of Nirn = high damage producing proc set if you want to play selfish.
2. Perfect Whorl of the Depths = another S tier proc damage set.
3. Kinra’s Wrath = great damage boost if you can light attack weave consistently

Roar of Alkosh: obtained in Maw of Lorkhaj dungeon.

• Why? great armor reduction for entire group, especially for medium armor users.

FLEX OPTIONS

1. Perfected Arms of Relequen = the bust pure damage set in the game.
2. Perfected Coral Riptide = god tier damage if you run low stamina (dodge roll a bit before pull)
3. Order’s Wrath = great craftable option though watch for too much critical damage (125% cap)
4. 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

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Best in Slot

This is the highest damage possible.

Slot	Type	Set	Trait	Glyph
Head	medium	Zaan	Divines	Stamina
Shoulders	light	Zaan	Divines	Stamina
Chest	medium	Pillar of Nirn	Divines	Stamina
Legs	medium	Harpooner's Wading Kilt	Divines	Stamina
Gloves	medium	Pillar of Nirn	Divines	Stamina
Boots	medium	Pillar of Nirn	Divines	Stamina
Belt	light	Perfect Whorl of the Depths	Divines	Stamina
Weapon One	Dagger	Perfect Whorl of the Depths	Nirnhoned>Precise	Fire
Secondary	Dagger	Pillar of Nirn	Charged	Poison
Weapon Two	Greatsword	Pillar of Nirn	Infused	Weapon Damage
Necklace		Perfect Whorl of the Depths	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage
Ring 1		Perfect Whorl of the Depths	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage
Ring 2		Perfect Whorl of the Depths	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage

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

Zaan: Veteran dungeon Scalecaller Peak, Dragon Bone DLC.

• Why? The highest DPS monster helm currently which can out perform Harpooner’s Wading Kilt Set.

FLEX OPTIONS

1. Kjalnar’s Nightmare – great single target damage ONLY one player can have this in your group.
2. 1pc Slimecraw and 1pc Harpooner’s Wading Kilt Set this setup still strong, make sure you don’t hit crit damage cap.
3. Kra’gh – one pc is great for pen, two piece does good single target damage
4. Stormfist – always works, easy to obtain and  AoE DPS set.

Pillar of Nirn: obtained in Falkreath Hold, DLC Scalebreaker.

• Why? incredible damage proc set.

FLEX OPTIONS

1. Kinra’s Wrath = great damage boost if you can light attack weave consistently.

Perfect Whorl of the Depths: obtained in Dreadsail Reef trial, Haig Isle Chapter.

• Why? another S tier proc damage set.

FLEX OPTIONS

1. Perfected Arms of Relequen = the bust pure damage set in the game.
2. Perfected Coral Riptide = god tier damage if you run low stamina (dodge roll a bit before pull)
3. Order’s Wrath = great craftable option though watch for too much critical damage (125% cap)
4. Leviathan = easy base game dungeon set with high critical

Harpooner’s Wading Kilt Set: obtained through the Antiquity system, Blackwood Chapter. You need five items/leads to complete the mythic gear piece.

• Why? overall the most DPS possible for a one-piece mythic.
• You need 5 items to be able to create the Mythic item Harpooner’s Wading Kilt. Location of the 5 pieces:
  • Murkmire – Wolf-Tail Sash Lead – Murkmire Foul Fishing Spots
  • Blackwood – Kothringi-Cut Leather Lead – World Boss Death Wart, World Boss Sul-Xan Ritualists
  • Shadowfen – Bog-Blue Jasper Fetish Lead – Ruins of Mazzatun Dungeon last boss
  • Shadowfen – Tide-Glass Beads Lead –  All water and alchemy nodes
  • Bal Foyen – Silverweave Cord Lead – Covenant Enemies, most likely all enemies

FLEX OPTIONS MYTHICS

1. 1. Mora’s Whisper = Update 34, 10% critical chance for great damage boost
   2. Death Dealer’s Fete = great option when taking damage

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Parse

Most single target Damage on target dummy possible

Slot	Type	Set	Trait	Glyph
Head	medium	Zaan	Divines	Stamina
Shoulders	light	Zaan	Divines	Stamina
Chest	medium	Perfected Arms of Relequen	Divines	Stamina
Legs	medium	Perfected Arms of Relequen	Divines	Stamina
Gloves	medium	Perfected Arms of Relequen	Divines	Stamina
Boots	medium	Perfected Arms of Relequen	Divines	Stamina
Belt	medium	Perfected Arms of Relequen	Divines	Stamina
Weapon One	Dagger	Pillar of Nirn	Nirnhoned	Poison
Secondary	Dagger	Pillar of Nirn	Charged	Fire
Weapon Two	2H Greatsword	Perfected Merciless Charge	Infused	Weapon & Spell Damage
Necklace		Pillar of Nirn	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage
Ring 1		Pillar of Nirn	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage
Ring 2		Pillar of Nirn	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage

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

• Zaan: Veteran dungeon Scalecaller Peak, Dragon Bone DLC.  Why? The highest DPS monster helm currently which can out perform Harpooner’s Wading Kilt Set.
• Perfected Arms of Relequen: Obtained in Veteran Cloudrest Trial Summerset chapter. The non-perfected version in normal difficulty. Why? most single target damage-producing set for stamina and magicka thanks to hybridization changes.
• Pillar of Nirn: obtained in Falkreath Hold dungeon. WHY? one of the hardest hitting, easiest proc sets in the game.
• Perfected Merciless Charge: from Veteran Maelstrom Arena in Orsinium DLC. WHY? Increase your overall DPS massively, must change out blockade for Stampede, considered meta, but struggle with sustain

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Beginner

Starter setup for someone just starting ESO.

Slot	Type	Set	Trait	Glyph
Head	medium	Briarheart	Divines	Stamina
Shoulders	medium	Briarheart	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	Agility	Precise or Sharpened	Damage Health Poison
Secondary	Dagger	Agility	Precise or Sharpened	Damage Health Poison
Weapon Two	2H Sword	Agility	Infused	Weapon Damage
Necklace		Briarheart	Robust	Stamina Recovery
Ring 1		Briarheart	Robust	Weapon Damage
Ring 2		Briarheart	Robust	Weapon Damage

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

• Briarheart: obtained in overland Wrothgar (Orsinium DLC) or from traders. WHY? great burst damage and nice healing and easy to obtain 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.
• 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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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
• Medium & Light Armor Passives
• Fighter’s Guild (optional)
• Mage’s Guild (optional)
• Undaunted (must have)
• Psijic (optional)
• Crafting Alchemy (Medicinal Use for potion duration)
• Race
• Alliance Assault Passives (optional)
• World Vampire (if using)

Races

Khajiit

Best raw damage option. Great overall race with bonuses to all tree resources, and additional critical damage, be careful on the 125% critical damage cap.

• Cutpurse
• Robustness
• Lunar Blessings
• Feline Ambush

Dark Elf

FLEX: Reasonable option if you want to switch between magic and stamina builds. Good damage though lacks sustain passives.

• Ashlander
• Dynamic
• Resist Flame
• Ruination

Attributes

Mundus Stone

Thief - Best Damage: Increases the Critical Strike rating by 1333. With 7 Divines armor pieces: Increases the Critical Strike rating by 2167. Why? Helps with our healing and damage.

Champion Points

Warfare

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

Deadly Aim (Slottable) - 50
Increase your damage done with single target attacks by 3% 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): 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): 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.

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): 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. (effects are scaled based on your level)

Dubious Camoran Throne

Type: Foods

CHEAP: Increase Stamina Recovery by 319 and Max Stamina and Max Health by 3192 for 2 hours. (effects are scaled based on your level)

Lava Foot Soup-And-Saltrice

Type: Foods

SUSTAIN but NO HEALTH: Increase Max Stamina by 4575 and Stamina Recovery by 457 for 2 hours. (effects are scaled based on your level)

Essence of Weapon Power

Type: Potions

BEST DAMAGE: 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 45sec cooldown. IMPORTANT: make sure you have three points into medicinal use passive in alchemy crafting. (INGREDIENTS: Blessed Thistle, Dragonthorn and Wormwood)

Wrap Up

Additional Guides

Thank you for reading ESO Stamina Dragonknight PvE 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.

• Complete Beginners Guide
  • Skill Points Guide
  • Champion Point System Guide
• PvP Beginner Guide
  • How to farm Alliance Points (AP)
  • How to farm Tel Var Stones
• Addons, UI, and Keybinds Guide for ESO
• Tales of Tribute Guide