Introduction
The Arcanist is the newest class introduced in The Elder Scrolls Online. This class is very strong and comes with a ton of utility putting it in a unique position where it can be very powerful. The Magicka Arcanist is no exception to this. The Arcanist has some of the highest DPS damage in the game while maintaining resources and staying alive. Many players would argue that this class is one of the strongest in ESO. So without further ado, here is our ESO Magicka Arcanist DPS Build for PVE.
Overview
Race: Khajiit (best choice) or Dark elf/Dunmer and High Elf (also are great choices)
Food: Crunchy Spider Skewer (Best in slot food but very expensive, use Witchmother’s Potent Brew if gold is a problem the difference is small)
Mundus Stone: The Shadow (increase critical damage)
Consumables: Essence of Spell Power, Essence of Heroism
Attributes: 64 Magicka, 0 Health, 0 Stamina
Gear
The best in slot options for this build would be considered “meta” and it is advised to try and stay to the best option as best as possible. However the 2nd and 3rd options are great alternatives to wear while you farm for best in slot gear.
Gear Information:
- Armor in 7 Divines armor traits
- We wear 2 light armor pieces
- We wear 5 medium armor piece
- Front bar weapon in Precise
- Back Bar weapons in Infused
- Three Bloodthirsty Jewelry Traits
- All max magicka armor glyphs
- The higher the quality gear the more damage you can deal
| Set Options | Best Option | 2nd Option | 3rd Option |
| Monster Set x1 | Slimecraw | Zaan | Iceheart |
| Mythic Item | Velothi Ur-Mage’s Amulet | Markyn | Torc of Tonal Constancy |
| Damage Set x5 (Both bars) | Deadly Strike | Order’s Wrath (crafted) | |
| Damage Set x5 (Front bar) | Perfected Whorl of the Depths | Whorl of the Depths | |
| Trial Weapon (Back bar) | Perfected Maelstrom Inferno Staff | Maelstrom Inferno Staff |
Gear Weights and Traits
| Piece | Set | Weight | Trait | Enchant |
| Head | Slimecraw | Light | Divines | Magicka |
| Shoulder | Perfected Whorl of the Depths | Light | Divines | Magicka |
| Chest | Deadly Strike | Medium | Divines | Magicka |
| Hands | Deadly Strike | Medium | Divines | Magicka |
| Waist | Deadly Strike | Medium | Divines | Magicka |
| Legs | Deadly Strike | Medium | Divines | Magicka |
| Feet | Deadly Strike | Medium | Divines | Magicka |
| Necklace | Velothi Ur-Mage’s Amulet | Jewelry | Bloodthirsty | Weapon Damage |
| Ring | Perfected Whorl of the Depths | Jewelry | Bloodthirsty | Weapon Damage |
| Ring | Perfected Whorl of the Depths | Jewelry | Bloodthirsty | Weapon Damage |
| Main Hand | Perfected Whorl of the Depths | Fire Staff | Precise | Flame |
| Off Hand | – | – | – | – |
| Main Backup | Perfected Maelstrom Inferno Staff | Fire Staff | Infused | Weapon Damage |
| Off Backup | – | – | – | – |
Skills/Single Target
Front Bar
Front Bar: Exhausting Fatecarver, Cephaliarch’s Flail, Barbed Trap, Inner Light, Camouflaged Hunter, Flawless Dawnbreaker
Back Bar
Back Bar: Fulminating Rune, Inner Light, Scalding Rune, Elemental Blockade, Inspired Scholarship, The Languid Eye
Single Target Rotation
Buff Rotation: We start by pre buffing with our potion and Inspired Scholarship.
Damage Rotation: We want to build up our Crux to maximize our DPS. Once buffed we place our Dots with Elemental Blockade, Scalding rune, Fulminating Rune, then swap bars and place Barbed Trap. Our main spammable is Cephaliarch’s Flail and Exhausting Fatecarver. Our main damage ultimate is The Languid Eye, cast whenever it becomes available.
Skills/AOE and Trash
Front Bar
Front Bar: Pulsar, Exhausting Fatecarver, Cephaliarch’s Flail, Inner Light, Camouflaged Hunter, Flawless Dawnbreaker
Back Bar: Elemental Blockade, Anti-Cavalry Caltrops, Fulminating Rune, Proximity Detonation, Inspired Scholarship, Elemental Rage
AOE/Trash Rotation
Buff Rotation: We start by pre buffing with our potion and Inspired Scholarship.
Damage Rotation: We begin damage by placing all of our DoTs and AOEs. While still on the backbar cast Proximity Detonation. Then place Caltrops, Fulminating Rune, and Elemental Blockade. Swap bars and cast Cephaliarch’s Flail and spam Pulsar or Exhausting Fatecarver. Drop Elemental Rage ultimate whenever it becomes available.
Champion Points
Because everyone who is viewing this guide is at a different Champion Point level I will only be putting up the champion points I chose at the level I was at the time of making this guide, which is around 1075. Remember that Champion Point soft cap is around 1800 but you can easily achieve high value kills with low cp.
- 50 Biting Aura (slot)
- 50 Exploiter (slot)
- 50 Wrathful Strikes (slot)
- 50 Thaumaturge (slot)
- 50 Boundless Vitality (slot)
- 50 Fortified(slot)
- 50 Siphoning Spells (slot)
- 50 Rejuvenation (slot)
- 50 Steed’s Blessing (slot)
- 50 Sustaining Shadow (slot)
- 75 Liquid Efficiency (slot)
- 30 Rationer (slot)
Additional Information
Video
(video guide coming soon!)
Thank You
We hope you find this magicka arcanist dps build useful. Let us know how you like it on our socials! You can check out other ESO Builds, guides and news all in one place by clicking here. Also you can check out all other gaming news and guides here. Happy gaming!