Recommended PvE Solo Build for ESO Dragonknight

Posted on April 20, 2015 by D. Cobb

The info below is a bit out of date as it refers to the beta. If you happen to be looking for an up-to-date reference for your Dragonknight, I suggest this manual. It includes some killer advice on leveling up, builds, skill rotation, and gold farming.

classes_Dragonknight_mobile

When you are able to equip some of the higher tier abilities for solo questing, this build is feasible for higher level 40-50+. You should be able to take on very large groups without dying with this build.

This is how your ability bar should look like:

Shield Charge
Inferno morphed into Sea of Flames
Inhale morphed into Draw Essence
Dragon Blood for self healing.
Fiery Breath

A simple rotation would be:

Shield Charge
Inferno
Fiery Breath
Start Bashing
Inhale
Blood dragon when in a bind

Dual Wield Skill Rotation

If your preferred role is not a tank but you wish to play DK in a group with friends, or if you wish to be a damage dealer and want to play a Dragonknight, your basic go-to is Dual Wield. This build will not only give you good crowd control, self-healing, and survival abilities, it will also ensure AoE damage across the board. And since the Dunmer (Dark Elf) is the only race with added bonus to experience gain for Dual Wielding, this build works best for them.

The skills on your ability bar for this build should be:

Blood Craze – In this setup, this is your main ability. And since Flurry (your second) is quite expensive, you will need this during those times that Flurry is out.
Flurry – This can ut down your targets very fast and you can consider this to be your main damage ability. It is important to remember, however, not to use it when the NPC is about to attack you. That way, your DPS will not be maximal as it will get interrupted.
Burning Embers – Not only does this DoT have decent damage, it also heals your when its effect ends.
Razor Armor – Get increased armor at the same time as adding physical damage to your attackers . Since you will most likely be under attack by multiple opponents constantly, you will need this more often.
Burning Talons – This can allow you some breathing space by immobilizing nearby enemies, thus getting you out of a bind. If you want enemies to be immobilized in PvP, this works great for immobilizing them. Unlike a mage that can cast stuff to an area, a dual wielder is the center out of which all damage comes from. Therefore, this can help you deal the most damage.

For this build, the rotation are:

Burning Embers – In order for you to get the self heal, you may wany to use this ability first to make sure it lasts until the end.
Blood Craze
Flurry

If you are using Dragon Leap instead of Dragonknight Standard as your ultimate, there is much that can be gained if you decide to use this build for PvP. A simple explanation. Your enemies will usually be smart enough to move out of the Standard’s AoE area fast when in PvP. But they cannot block or dodge the damage from leap. So, leap will still serve you better although the standard can be moved later. Always use the standard for PvE, no exceptions.

The info above is a bit out of date as it refers to the beta. If you happen to be looking for an up-to-date reference for your Dragonknight, I suggest this walkthrough . It includes some killer advice on leveling up, builds, skill rotation, and gold farming.

Elder Scrolls Online Class Overview

Posted on March 5, 2014 by D. Cobb

One of the most crucial decisions you have to make when you are creating a character to use in the Elder Scrolls Online is choosing which class to play. This is important not only for your enjoyment of the game but also because as an MMO game, it will have an impact on your usefulness to other players.

While Elder Scrolls Online is not as strict as other MMOs in the same genre when it comes to weapon and armor selection, your freedom to select gear makes the special abilities of each class doubly important. Your future development as a player will be determined by your initial choice of which class to play. You may find yourself locked out of certain skill trees based on your decision.

The four classes to choose from are:

Dragon Knight
Templar
Sorcerer
Nightblade

The classes are just about evenly distributed in popularity, and there is a lot to like about each one. Templar is the most popular by a narrow margin and the Dragon Knight lags behind the others in terms of popularity. Which you choose will be heavily influences by the way you play the game.

Dragon Knight

You should play the Dragon Knight if you are looking for a tank. Tanking is a time-honored gaming tradition where one player runs forward to challenge opponents in melee combat while other characters perform actions from afar that do much more damage. The skill lines of the Dragon Knight lend itself well to this. Its Draconic Power skill line is basically tanking at a push of a button, making them very effective in melee combat. The Earthen Heart abilities will allow your Dragonknight to soak up a lot of damage, making this class the ideal tank.

Sorcerer

While tanking has its place in the game, it is not the only way to play. The closest that you are going to get to a buffer/debuffer in Elder Scrolls Online is the Sorcerer. Buffing and debuffing is a style of play where you make yourself or your allies more effective while your enemies are stripped of their effectiveness. Mage and Sorcerer types in MMOs are often like glass cannons that can deal a lot of damage but are very fragile, but the Sorcerer does not fall in that category. While your Storm Calling ability will deal massive damage, the Sorcerer also is very adept at self-buffing to match the requirements of close combat. They also have some buffs that can add to the effectiveness of your allies. They are an exceptional debuffer, with their Dark Magic abilities cursing your enemies to mediocrity. In addition, Sorcerers can spam your opponents with summoned monsters who can tank for them while they are working their sabotage on enemy attributes.

Templar

The Templar is best used in a support position, as they have a vast array of skills that make them equally suited to keeping other classes on their feet. They are the only class that can heal, and this is an essential skill in the course of Elder Scrolls Online battles. Healing damage of your designated tank can make him basically immortal for as long as your spells hold out. This crucial role is what makes the Templar the most popular character choice.

Nightblade

The Nightblade is a wild-card type of character that can make a big impact on the success or failure of a battle. However, they are not well suited to tanking and not as valuable in support as Templars or Sorcerers. Where the Nightblade really excels is in sneaking around and attacking your enemies with lethal force. They may be weak and difficult to play at low levels but at high levels, their Assassination skills make them a must-have for any group. They are basically a character that can jump out of the shadows, tip the scale in a party’s favor, and disappear back in the darkness.

No matter which character class you choose, be careful to balance their abilities. Maxing out a particular skill or attribute may look good on paper but will have consequences down the line and lock you out of some of the most useful skills in the game.

The Tanking Dragonknight Build

Posted on February 3, 2014 by D. Cobb

Tanking Dragonknights will want to focus on holding the attention of enemies faced in The Elder Scrolls Online as well as reduce the amount of damage they take through mitigation and avoidance. The Dragonknight skill line most suited for tanking is the Draconic Power skill line. This is where the majority of your skill points should be located.

elder-scrolls-dragonknight-tanking

Draconic Power Skill Line:

For active skills, you will most likely want to slot Spike Armor, Inhale and Dragon Blood. These provide you with mitigation tools as well as self-heals and ways to deal reflective damage. Dark Talons and Reflective Scales are more optional, but still viable.

For passives you will want Iron Skin, Burning Heart, Elder Dragon and Scaled Armor. All of these are extremely valuable for tanking. The Draconic Power Ultimate is an AoE leap ability that is worth taking.

Ardent Flame Skill Line:

While the Ardent Flame skill line is primarily focused on DPS, there are some nice active options here for tanks. Fiery Reach is useful for pulling casters to you. Fiery Breath and Searing Strike are solid DPS options if you’re looking to provide more damage. The passives in this skill line are entirely optional.

Earthen Heart Skill Line:

The Earthen Heart skill line is more focused on support abilities which makes the majority of them optional, but there are a few worth making note of. Obsidian Shield is a powerful active ability that works as an absorption shield for yourself and your group which is a perfect skill when you match up with the powerful cc class eso sorcerer. Ash Cloud is also useful as it will lessen the amount of damage you take.

The Earthen Heart Ultimate is very good for tanks as it limits the amount of incoming damage and deals a fire-based DoT to enemies around you. It may be worth using instead of the Draconic Power Ultimate.

Weapon Skill Lines:

The one-handed weapon and shield skill line will have the majority of skills you want as a tank. Puncture is your taunt ability. Low Slash helps mitigate damage. Defense Posture will come in very handy. Shield Charge is a charge ability that may be useful.

For passives, Fortress, Sword and Board, Deflect Bolts and Battlefield Mobility are all extremely useful.

Other weapon skill line combinations may include the two-handed line or the dual wield line. You can swap to these weapons during moments of low damage or when first starting a fight to quickly build threat.

Recommended Skill Build for DPS Elder Scrolls Online Dragonknight

Posted on January 20, 2014 by D. Cobb

The info below is a bit out of date as it refers to the beta. If you happen to be looking for an up-to-date reference for your Dragonknight, I suggest this eso guide . It includes some killer advice on leveling up, builds, skill rotation, and gold farming.

All classes will have an immense amount of freedom in The Elder Scrolls Online. The Dragonknight is no exception(Look at how class system work in the ESO here). There are a few standout skills that DPS Dragonknights should consider taking. With these skills, you will be able to maximize your damage.

The first set of recommended skills will be separated into the three Dragonknight skill lines: Earthen Heart, Draconic Power and Ardent Flame.

lava whip dk skill

Ardent Flame Skill Line:

As the DPS skill line, most of your points will be from this tree. The tree provides a great deal of fire damage-over-time abilities and area-of-effect abilities.

Searing Strike and Inferno are key active abilities for the build. Lava Whip, Fiery Breath and Fiery Reach are more optional, but solid for soloing or AoEing. Kindling and Searing Heat are two passives skills you should have. Warmth is optional. World in Flames is limited to AoE damage. This skill line’s Ultimate– Dragonknight Standard– is the Ultimate you want to use.

Draconic Power Skill Line:

If you don’t plan to tank at all, you will find that most of this tree is completely optional. Dark Talons provides a nice CC while Dragon Blood is an excellent self-heal. If you don’t need either ability or already has the eso templar to heal you, you can skip them. The passives in this tree are not important for DPSers.

Earthen Heart Skill Line:

This skill line is for support, and as such, there are a few optional skills to consider. None of these are necessary for dealing more damage. Stonefist is decent if you feel the need for a knockback effect. Obsidian Shield and Ash Cloud are decent for helping supporting your group and yourself. Petrify is a very good CC. Out of the passive abilities for this tree, Deep Breaths has a decent use since it provides additional power for your Ultimate ability.

Weapon Skill Lines:

The rest of your DPS abilities and passives will be found within the weapon skill lines. Both the two-handed weapon line and the dual wielding line provide nice bonuses for the Dragonknight guide. The active skills you should take from two-handed weapons include Critical Charge, Reverse Slash and Momentum. For passives, Forceful, Heavy Weapons, Balance and Rattle Rush are all excellent.

When duel wielding, you want to use Twin Slashes and Flurry. Whirlwind is good if there is a lot of AoE. Slaughter, Duel Wield Expert, Controlled Fury and Twin Blade and Blunt are all excellent passives abilities.

ESO DK Skill Paths and Special Abilities Explained

Posted on September 23, 2013 by D. Cobb

The Elder Scrolls Online may not be out until later this year. However, we have the low down on the four playable classes that will be available to you. One of these classes is the fearsome Dragonknight.

Dragonknight skill paths and abilities

The Dragonknight has four special abilities at his disposal:

Slam– Stuns the enemy and cancels any action the enemy was taking. This ability costs stamina, keeping the class from being able to spam this move.
Fiery Reach– Creates a fiery chain that drags the enemy towards the caster. This power is mainly used to start a melee fight with an enemy that isn’t quite in range.
Spike Armor– Covers the caster in spikes. This ability increases damage resistance and will return some damage taken.
Dragon Armor– The Dragonknight’s ultimate ability, the caster is engulfed in flames. Enemies near the Knight will catch fire and take massive damage over time.

Given the skills of the Dragonknight, one can see that he is a very versatile character. He has great crowd control abilities and can dish out decent damage to an entire group of enemies. You can also focus on his abilities as a Tank and make him a very hard character to kill. With Spike Armor, you take less damage and dish out some damage in return, making the Dragonknight one of the best Tanks in the game. You can also focus on his melee attacks. With Fiery Reach, as a gap closer, you can draw enemies in and tear them apart with your melee combos. This combination will, absolutely, demolish enemy mages that are out of reach.

There are three unique Skill Paths that the Dragonknight can take:

Ardent Flame- This is an offensive skill tree that focuses on dealing massive fire damage to enemies.
Earthen Heart- This tree helps the Knight keep enemies at bay and protect allies.
Draconic Power- This tree is all about making your Knight a bit Tankier by increases overall defenses while still dishing out decent damage to enemies.

Overall, the Dragonknight is a very exciting class, due mainly to its versatility. It is a class that can be played effectively no matter what Skill Trees you decide to take.

Dragonknight – the Tanking Class in the Elder Scrolls Online

Posted on July 23, 2013 by D. Cobb

You’ve tried the casters. You’ve tried the dedicated rangers. They were fun, but neither of them really clicked in that certain special way. You like the action. You’re a melee man. Not only are you not afraid to take the hits for your team, instead you thrive on it. Surrounded on all sides by all manner of fiendish creatures or staring down a nigh undefeatable monster of legend and smiling in anticipation all the while, you are the Dragonknight. The Dragonknight possesses three lines of magic he can choose to master: Ardent Flame, Draconic Power and Earthen Heart.

Consisting entirely of fire-based damage and single-target control abilities, the Ardent Flame line turns the Dragonknight into a walking firestorm. Skills like Inferno, Fiery Breath and Dragonknight Standard allow the Dragonknight to apply burning damage over time to large groups of foes at once, while Fiery Reach, Lava Whip and the Warmth passive make it extremely difficult for his foes to escape the kitchen when they can’t handle the heat. However the drawbacks in the Ardent Flame line are twofold: a marked lack of defensive bonuses present in both Draconic Power and Earthen Heart, and zero healing abilities. For an Ardent Flame Dragonknight, the name of the game is Kill or Be Killed.

Rather than damage, Draconic Power focuses on healing and personal defense which is good for PvE rather than PvP. Dark Talons and Dragon Leap offer opportunities to get in close and hold enemies. Spike Armor, Reflective Scales and Inhale deal some extra damage but only as a secondary effect to buffing up defense or topping off some health. For those interested in a Draconic Power Dragonknight, the Argonian would seem to be the logical choice, given the synergies between its natural healing and the focus on health and defense in the Draconic Power line.

Ardent Flame has damage. Draconic Power has self-support. But if group support is more your focus, then look no further than the Earthen Heart line. With two party buffs in Molten Weapons and Obsidian Shield and a plethora of crowd-control abilities like Magma Armor, Stonefist, Petrify and Ash Cloud, the Earthen Heart line specializes in raising up the Dragonknight’s party and locking down his enemies.

For anyone considering a career in stomping faces or shirking off blows, the Dragonknight presents singularly unique utility in the number of roles he is able to effectively fulfill. I personally believe that this should be the most powerful class in the Elder Scrolls Online.

dragonknight skills

The Elder Scrolls Online Dragonknight Guide

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