Isobel DPS

ESO Isobel Velois Melee DPS builds 2023

Should you use this build?

Welcome to the ESO Isobel Velois Melee DPS builds 2023! Companions, just like players come with class presets. Isobel is well equipped in damaging skills Templar, and very unique cone ultimate ability that stuns enemies! Her class skill line, the Blazing Might, has a high damage ability with a buff that adds to group damage. Pair this with outside skill lines from dual wield or two handed and guilds skill trees and she’s damage per second producing machine. The ESO Isobel Velois Melee DPS builds work, at some of the hardest content in the game and can work for you!


Nicknamed Bella or Izzy, Isobel is a Breton noble and knight. Her compassion and selfless nature helped her best friend avoid an arranged marriage. Eventually, Isobel joined you! Being a knight was her childhood dream, now she is always at your side and has a very cheerful personality, perfect for long travels.


Isobel’s unique perk gives a chance to retrieve from defeated world bosses, the slain knight pack, which contains varied supplies. A very valuable ability while fighting the world bosses or questing!

If you looking for an Isobel Velois guide or quest, levelling and report information click HERE. More companion builds HERE, and a comprehensive companion guide and video HERE.

Pros Cons
  • Great ultimate that stuns
  • Great for boss fights
  • Low survivability

How to unlock Isobel and where do I find her? Isobel Velois quest, “Tournament of the Heart”.

You can find Isobel quest in the High Isle zone in two locations. The First location, and most likely you’ll find easily is pair of noble gossiping just next to the castle Navire Wayshrine.

Isobel quest location 1

The Second location is just next to the castle Navire, where Isobel is talking with her friend.

Isobel quest location 2

After you complete the quest you can find Isobel and all unlocked companions in your collections menu. Press the default key “U” on your keyboard or go to the collections tab, pick Allies from the list and then Companions.

ESO Companion Isobel
ESO Companion Isobel

 

Progression

Companions are similar to players and here are some areas of focus for you while working through optimizing your companion.

Obtain multiple gear sets: You’ll want flexible options once you hit the end game, even if you plan on leaving her as a DPS. You can find gear by looting defeated enemies or in various chests and boxes, almost everywhere in the game. Or you can go to any town Armor and Fine Garments store and pick up companion gear, light, medium and heavy. I’d also go to woodworker and weapon smith and pick up sword and shield, and various staffs. Swap a gear or weapons and level skill lines, because you never know if you want to switch!

Combat Level: Start levelling up your companion. Companions level up similar to a player, by killing enemies and eventually reaching level 20 (currently max). So you can grind with your companion (grinding video click). The exception are guilds’ skill lines (Mages Guild, Fighters Guild, Undaunted), to level them up you need to complete guilds’ daily quests. You can find them in Grahtwood (map click), Stormhaven (map click), and Deshaan (map click).

Focus on Guild Skill Lines: You’ll want to prioritise completing the guide-specific daily quests in order to unlock the most powerful skills in the game.

Gear: Now start collecting pieces of gear to optimize your DPS. The best trait for companion DPS is Aggressive, increasing damage done. Also, The Shattering (Penetration) and the Focused (Critical Strike Chance) are good choices. More about gear and Isobel guide HERE.

YouTube Guide on Companion Progression

[yotuwp type=”videos” id=”LzTghj56sX8″ ]

 

Isobel Velois Melee DPS build

Companion abilities have a cooldown, unlike players and often they have 16 seconds before the skill can be used again. Thus, skills order has a great impact on its use frequency.

An example: Isobel has a Dual Wield skill: Razor Cape, the ability last 8 seconds, with a 16-second cooldown. If you put it in the first spot on her skill bar, the companion will activate it first, and immediately when it comes off cool down, giving you a consistent boost to team DPS. For the best results follow the skills listed here but also be knowledgeable about how it works. Now when you’ll make changes, you get the most out of the performance of the companion’s skills.

Scout skills – The Dual Wield (Daggers)

Razor Cape1 Swift Assault2 Penetrating Strikes3 Spinning Steel4 Vanish5 Baneslayer icon
Ultimate

1. Razor Cape (Skill line: Companion Dual Wield) – AoE damage opener that gives damage reduction by 20%! This is very good for melee builds in the first position so you get high uptime on damage reduction.
2. Swift Assault (Skill line: Companion Dual Wield) – good single target damage ability while in melee range.
3. Penetrating Strikes (Skill line: Companion Blazing Might) – Templar Jabs that while doing magic damage, is AoE AND gives a boon to increase next light or heavy by 50%. Disregard the magic damage, it still works great with medium armor.
4. Spinning Steel (Skill line: Companion Dual Wield) – great execute ability that when an enemy drops below 25%, this will do a ton of damage!
5. Vanish (Skill line: Companion Medium Armor) – “oh crap” ability when in trouble so companion can stay alive independently of a healer. This ability heals companion health, dropping in stealth but be aware of a long cooldown. Slot another DPS ability Fighters Guild Sniping Silver if your companion never gets in trouble due to off healing.
Ultimate: Baneslayer (Skill line: Companion Blazing Might) – Insane damage to all enemies in front of the companion. Dealing extra damage when a player is damaging them.

Warrior skills – The Two-Handed (Greatsword)

Sunder1 Staggering Swing2 Penetrating Strikes3 Sever4 Vanish5 Baneslayer icon
Ultimate

1. Sunder (Skill line: Companion Two Handed) – AoE damage opener that gives a great DoT to start off combat.
2. Staggering Swing
(Skill line: Companion Two Handed) – great attack because the damage is high and it provides a long stun and knockback.
3. Penetrating Strikes (Skill line: Companion Blazing Might) – Templar Jabs that while doing magic damage, is AoE AND gives a boon to increase the next light or heavy by 50%. Disregard the magic damage, it still works great with medium armor.
4. Sever (Skill line: Companion Two Handed) – great execute ability that when an enemy drops below 25%, this will do a ton of damage!
5. Vanish (Skill line: Companion Medium Armor) – “oh crap” ability when in trouble so companion can stay alive independently of a healer. This ability heals companion health, dropping in stealth but be aware of a long cooldown. Slot another DPS ability Fighters Guild Sniping Silver if your companion never gets in trouble due to off healing.
Ultimate: Baneslayer (Skill line: Companion Blazing Might) – Insane damage to all enemies in front of the companion. Dealing extra damage when a player is damaging them.

 

Gear

All medium armor gear pieces give the best possible damage potential. The frugal shopper will look to Shattering or Focused rather than Aggressive, but for raw damage Aggressive performs the best. You can use the mix of the tree and still have great results:

Aggressive Shattering Focused
Increases damage done by 1.2% Increases Penetration by 900 Increases Critical Strike Rating by 394
Increases damage done by 1.5% Increases Penetration by 1100 Increases Critical Strike Rating by 481.5
Increases damage done by 1.7% Increases Penetration by 1300 Increases Critical Strike Rating by 569

 

Companion DPS Traits Priority:

  1. Aggressive (Increases Damage Done)
  2. Shattering (Increases Penetration)
  3. Focused (Increases Critical Strike Chance)
  4. Prolific (Increases Ultimate Generation)
  5. Quickened (Reduces Skills Cooldown)
  6. Augmented (Increases Ability Buff and Debuff Duration)
  7. Bolstered (Reduces Damage Taken)
  8. Vigorous (Adds Max Health)
  9. Soothing (Increases Healing Done)

 

The Dual Wield (Daggers) gear setup

Slot Weight Set Trait
Head Medium Companion’s Helmet Aggressive
Shoulders Medium Companion’s Arm Cops Aggressive
Chest Medium Companion’s Jack Aggressive
Legs Medium Companion’s Guards Aggressive
Gloves Medium Companion’s Bracers Aggressive
Boots Medium Companion’s Boots Aggressive
Belt Medium Companion’s Belt Aggressive
Weapon One One-Handed Companion’s Dagger Aggressive
Weapon Two One-Handed Companion’s Dagger Aggressive
Necklace Companion’s Necklace Aggressive
Ring Companion’s Ring Aggressive
Ring Companion’s Ring Aggressive

The Two-Handed (Greatsword) gear setup

Slot Weight Set Trait
Head Medium Companion’s Helmet Aggressive
Shoulders Medium Companion’s Arm Cops Aggressive
Chest Medium Companion’s Jack Aggressive
Legs Medium Companion’s Guards Aggressive
Gloves Medium Companion’s Bracers Aggressive
Boots Medium Companion’s Boots Aggressive
Belt Medium Companion’s Belt Aggressive
Weapon Two-Handed Companion’s Greatsword Aggressive
Necklace Companion’s Necklace Aggressive
Ring Companion’s Ring Aggressive
Ring Companion’s Ring Aggressive

 

Melee DPS companion Tips and Tricks

Control: Just like commanding a pet, you’ll need to hit the default key “Y” and the left mouse to attack or the right mouse to return (no PC). Companions don’t know when to move out of bad AoE’s or mechanics. So you as the player must make this a priority.

Combat: You’ll want to start the combat first, while your companion will stay out of enemy range and deal damage to the enemies from the distance. Just like players, companions have multiple buffs and AoE synergies. So stay close enough to your companion to receive those buffs, but don’t too close, so your companion will be safe behind you.

Melee DPS: Make sure Isobel will always leave the enemy’s damaging AoE. She is less likely to die in combat if she won’t hold a boss or multiple minor enemies aggro.

Provide shield and healing: Every class or combat style has some type of shield or damage reduction. Pick at least one extra shield or protection skill for your companion. This small bit of protection will help your companion survive. That’s why the armor skill line is so vital to prioritise and use. You may slot extra off healing ability to help your companion survive.

Make companion your own! These tips can help you out but the end result is up to you. Experiment, try things outside of the box and meta ideas. You’ll be surprised at just how effective these things can be. Thanks for reading!

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