Magicka Dragonknight PvP Build

by NirnStorm
3rd March 2021

Whoa! This build is from a previous patch, so it may not function correctly or some aspects may no longer exist. See the latest builds here!

Build Contents

Welcome to my MagDK PvP Build for the Markarth patch.
This build takes advantage of the major buff changes of this patch to try and find the ideal sustain MagDK usually lacks for both the Magicka and Stamina pools, and allow for a powerful burst and sturdy enough setup to be able to endure the aggressive proc-sets meta and counter it.

If you’re looking to keep mobile and have great sustain despite Dragonknights’ usual lacks, while keeping your burst potential very high and surviving a fight against multiple enemies at once, this is the build for you.

Details
PATCH
Markarth
RACE
Breton
MUNDUS
The Lady
Increases Physical and Spell Resistance
Mortality
Mortal
Werewolf
Vampire
Attributes
0
Health
0
Stamina
64
Magicka

Setup

There are a few things to keep in mind when viewing and playing this build:

  • This build utilizes the Molten Whip morph of Lash, which allows you for a powerful burst. Keep in mind this morph is not intended to be used as a spammable but as a burst skill, whereas Engulfing Flames is the skill that is intended as an AoE spammable using this setup.
  • This version of the build is currently using a Mythic item, however it’s perfectly possible to play this build without one, for more information on alternatives to the Mythic item, check out the build video.

Race

The optimal race for this build is Breton. This race helps you sustain magicka skills better than any, and increases your spell resistance and your magicka pool as well.

Other good alternatives for races would be Dark Elf, Nord, Argonian and High Elf.

Mundus Stone

The mundus stone we are using on this build is The Lady, since our build mainly utilizes light armor, and gaining the extra Physical & Spell Resistance is very valuable.

Skills

Front Bar
Back Bar
ESO-Hub Skill icon
ESO-Hub Skill icon
ESO-Hub Skill icon
ESO-Hub Skill icon
ESO-Hub Skill icon

Note: For the full explanation on why we use all these skills and how to utilize them effectively, make sure to check out the video linked above.

Passives

Ardent Flame Dragonknight

All Passives

Draconic Power Dragonknight

All Passives

Earthern Heart Dragonknight

All Passives

Light Armor Armor

All Passives

Medium Armor Armor

Unlock all the passives that don’t require 5 pieces. The third passive Improved Sneak is also optional.

Heavy Armor Armor

Unlock all the passives that don’t require 5 pieces

Destruction Staff Weapons

All Passives

One Handed and Shield Weapons

All Passives

Fighters Guild Guilds

Unlock only Banish The Wicked

Mages Guild Guilds

All Passives

Undaunted Guilds

All Passives

Psijic Guilds

All Passives

Assault Alliance War

All Passives

Support Alliance War

Unlock only Combat Medic

Racial Character

All Passives

Alchemy Crafting

Unlock only Medicinal Use

Gear

Impen
Tri-Stat
heavy
Impen
Magicka
light
Sturdy
Tri-Stat
heavy
Sturdy
Magicka
light
Sturdy
Magicka
light
Sturdy
Tri-Stat
light
Sturdy
Magicka
light
Arcane
Mag Regen
Infused
Spell Damage
Infused
Spell Damage
Nirnhoned
Weapon Damage (Berserker)
Front Bar
Defending/Powered
Drain Stamina
Sturdy
Magicka
Back Bar

Monster Helm

Bloodspawn – This monster helm is the ideal one for Dragonknights. It gives stam sustain as well as resistances, which are both amazing, but its most important function is giving ultimate generation to its user. MagDKs benefit a ton from their ultimates thanks to the Battleroar passive (after which this build is named) as it allows you to use your Leaps both to deal damage, gain a damage shield, heal, and get resources back. Bloodspawn + MagDK is a match made in heaven.

Main Sets

Burning Spellweave – This damage set is the ideal one for MagDKs as it has a high uptime, gives an extremely high amount of spell damage, and most importantly, is super reliable. It procs off-of cooldown as soon as you deal flame damage, and thanks to the Dragonknights DoTs & active flame abilities all dealing flame damage, you can utilize BSW on just one bar and not decrease its uptime whatsoever. All you have to do to benefit from this set is to play normally, and your damage abilities will ensure it goes off when you need it.

Note: Sets like Sun, Succession and Spinners are all great damage sets as well, HOWEVER they only increase your flame damage or penetration, which is great offensively but doesn’t power-up your healing abilities. That is the main reason BSW is superior to them all.

Desert Rose – Dragonknights sustain kit is notorious for being one of the worst ones of all classes- between lacking an active sustain ability, having less reliable sustain passives than most classes, and having some of the most expansive skills in the game- Dragonknights, magicka ones especially, typically lack sustain when spec’ing to high damage builds. This is where Desert Rose comes in. This set is by far the most effective Magicka sustain set this patch. It’s value surpasses Lich, Warlock and Bloodthorn by far, and unlike Amberplasm and Eternal Vigor, it can be equipped only on one bar, allowing it to be used very effectively without sacrificing other sets pieces of the build.

Mythic Item

Malacath – Since our critical strikes chance is fairly low in this build after the nerfs this patch brought to the crit based CP passive, we are using Malacath to ensure our pressure with the build is powerful without relying on the occasional critical strike on an important burst skill. Malacath is NOT a must have on this build and can be replaced with any mythic of your choice. For alternatives on what to replace it with if you don’t have access to mythic items, check the attached build video.

Weights & Traits

Light Armor – We are using heavy armor on this build since it gives us increases sustain which we desperately need on MagDKs, as well as a lot of penetration. This penetration is going to be extremely relevant when fighting vs. strong or tanky players, which is why despite using Malacath which is commonly enabling Heavy Armor, we are using Light on this build.

Sturdy – Most of our traits in this build are Sturdy, since our Sword&Board on our back bar allow us to block very efficiently, and sadly after the nerfs the impen trait is not worth as much to use.

Consumables

Bewitched Sugar Skulls

Food

Tri-Stat

Potion

Double DoT

Poison

Food

We use Bewitched Sugar Skulls since this one food gives us all: Max Health, Max Magicka, Max Stamina and Health Recovery.

Potions

We use tri-stat potions (made with Bugloss, Columbine and Mountain Flower) to help us heal and sustain both our Magicka pool and our Stamina pool.

Poisons

We use Double-DoT poisons on the back bar, over our Drain Stamina enchantment. This poison helps us deal a bit more damage to enemies, but more importantly, it helps us sustain our Stamina pool by dealing Poison damage to enemies, which activates our Dragonknight Ardent Flame passive, Combustion.

Champion Points

  • The Steed
  • The Lady
  • The Lord
  • The Tower
  • The Lover
  • The Shadow
  • The Apprentice
  • The Atronach
  • The Ritual
Ironclad
61
Reduces the damage you take from direct damage attacks by 21.18%.
Medium Armor Focus
0
Increases your Physical Resistance by 0 while wearing 5 or more pieces of Medium Armor.
Resistant
34
Increase your Critical Resistance by 933.
Spell Shield
0
Increases Spell Resistance by 0.
Elemental Defender
49
Reduces Flame, Frost, Shock, and Magic Damage dealt to you by 11.1%
Hardy
49
Reduces Poison, Disease, and Physical Damage dealt to you by 11.1%.
Light Armor Focus
0
Increases your Physical Resistance by 0 while wearing 5 or more pieces of Light Armor.
Thick Skinned
37
Reduces the damage you take from damage over time effects by 15.1%.
Bastion
0
Increases the effectiveness of damage absorbing effects by 0%.
Expert Defender
3
Reduce damage taken from player Light and Heavy Attacks by 2.09%.
Heavy Armor Focus
0
ncreases your Physical Resistance by 0 while wearing 5 or more pieces of Heavy Armor.
Quick Recovery
37
Increases the effectiveness of healing received by 9.09%.
Bashing Focus
0
Reduces the cost of Bash by 0%.
Siphoner
1
Reduces all resource restore effects of enemies you hit with Light or Heavy Attacks by 0.3% for 3 seconds including potions, item sets and ability passives as well as Health/Magicka/Stamina regeneration.
Sprinter
0
Reduces the cost of Sprinting by 0%.
Warlord
66
Reduces the cost of Break Free by 22.08%
Arcanist
49
Increases your Magicka Recovery by 11.1%.
Healthy
0
Increases your Health Recovery by 0%.
Mooncalf
0
Increases your Stamina Recovery by 0%
Tenacity
32
Increases the amount of Magicka and Stamina your Heavy Attacks restore by 8.12%.
Befoul
0
Increases the effectiveness of healing reduction abilities by 0%
Shade
0
Reduces the cost of Stealth by 0%.
Shadow Ward
66
Reduces the cost of Block by 22.08%.
Tumbling
56
Reduces the Stamina cost of Roll Dodge by 20.15%.
Blessed
37
Increases the effectiveness of healing done by 9.09%
Elemental Expert
64
Increases your Flame, Frost, Shock, and Magic Damage by 13.01%
Elfborn
23
Increases damage and healing dealt by Spell Criticals by 10.22%.
Spell Erosion
32
Increases Spell Penetration by 2838.
Master-at-Arms
72
Increases the damage of your direct damage attacks by 23%.
Physical Weapon Expert
0
Increases the damage of your Light and Heavy Attacks with all bows, daggers, swords, axes, and maces by 0%.
Shattering Blows
0
Increases your damage against targets with a damage shield by 0%.
Staff Expert
19
Increases the damage of your Light and Heavy Attacks with Destruction and Restoration Staves by 12.1%
Mighty
0
Increases your Physical, Poison, and Disease Damage by 0%.
Piercing
0
Increases Physical Penetration by 0.
Precise Strikes
0
Increases damage and healing dealt by Weapon Criticals by 0%.
Thaumaturge
23
Increases effectiveness of your damage over time effects by 10.22%.
About NirnStorm
NirnStorm is a content creator on Twitch and on YouTube. He currently plays and streams mainly The Elder Scrolls Online, with a focus on end-game PvP, and occasionally some different games such as Witcher, Among Us, Apex Legends and many others!