Education on Solo Class Builds is key whether you are a seasoned player with 810 CP planning your next character build, or you are the new kid just breaking onto the scene with your first character. Consider this your crash-course on the top 5 contenders who’ve fought their way to the top. A character cheat-sheet, if you will, without the fear of after-school detention.
Remember, this is ESO, so everybody and their mother has an opinion on which class or classes are best for which purpose. For once, that is a good thing! Through a very patented process of filtering these opinions from articles, videos and discussion forums, we are able to bring order to chaos and give you a rating system from many vetted sources. (There may or may not be a spreadsheet involved with this collection of data.)
“Stam Sorc” Stamina Sorcerer 85/100
“Fly like a bumblebee, sting like a…like a Stam Sorc!”
Starting with Stam Sorcs in 5th position on our list, a chameleon of sorts in how and where they can allocate their self-healing. Because of Skills such as Dark Deal and Critical Surge, they self-sustain incredibly well, just more on the fringes of the battle. (Ranged weaponry through use of bow is greatly encouraged.) Their DPS is nothing to sniff at, but maybe not what a player who is used to rushing into the heat of battle, is expecting.
Yays:
- Decent Single-target DPS.
- Good AoE, initial burst is Great.
- Has the ability to turn Magicka into more Stamina quickly.
Nays:
- High level of predictability.
- Passive Abilities play a more important role than the Damage Abilities, taking some of the decision-making away from the player.
Further information: https://alcasthq.com/eso-solo-stamina-sorcerer-build-pve/
“Mag Blade” Magicka Night Blade 89/100
Samuel felt that this Fall’s Fashion Week would be filled with “Masked Couture” for he and other Magicka Nightblades…and he was sooo riiiight!
The same traits that got the Mag Blade their questionable reputation in PvP are often the same traits that keep them alive longer in Solo Play. (There is an almost audible eye-roll, if that’s a thing, when a Mag Blade walks out onto a battleground.) They can self-sustain for a reasonable amount of time, they have great AoE damage and even better when it comes to Single-target.
But Nightblades are notorious for their difficult rotation as well as their ability to slice-and-dice their way through leagues of foes. If a player has not taken the time to practice and really fight through the different combinations, gameplay can prove to be exceptionally frustrating.
Yays:
- High single-target DPS.
- Impressive AoE.
- Great Sustainability during battle.
- More frequent availability of Ultimates.
- Night Blades are notorious for difficult rotations, particularly for Newbies.
- Breaks in rotation can leave Nightblades open to incredible damage from adversaries
Digging deeper: https://odealo.com/articles/magicka-nightblade-pve-dps-eso-build
“Stam DK” Stamina Dragonknight 90/100
Stam DK…yes, that guy again. Could just as easily be at Sturgis as Cyrodill.
Stam DKs are the Harley Davidson of both Solo and PvP Classes. That is to say, they are reliable, they are powerful, they are the “brand name” in ESO households. They can also be incredibly predictable and gameplay can easily become repetitive and boring without some effort to spice things up.
Stam DKs are so hard to break and so hard to take down, though, both reasons they fit Solo play so well. Also good reasons why they make great teammates for Battlegrounds or taking down castles in Cyrodiil, as well as solo play.
Yays:
- Easy rotation for any level player.
- Sustainability is excellent
- Versatile (especially as Tank) in either PvP or PvE.
- Have essentially the best Ultimate with Dragon Leap and its morphed versions, an incredibly quick way to level the playing field…and all your adversaries.
Nays:
- Gameplay can become repetitive, but what’s bad about winning, really?
Take a look at these: https://xynodegaming.com/eso-dragonknight-builds/
“Magcro” Magicka Necromancer 92/100
Lillian couldn’t understand why the other parents weren’t more supportive of her ideas at the PTA meetings.
The Necromancer is the newest class to be added to the ESO family and is well worth all of the hullabaloo. Fantastic displays of soul-wrenching power, hideous specters and spectacles are part of this character’s mainstay of power…and they are quite effective.
Some of the highest DPS has been observed in Solo by a Magcro, all without excessive relying upon Gear to drum up the Magicka needed. (Ahem, Mag Sorc.) Really a great addition to the Classes. HINT: Harmony jewelry.
Yays:
- Highest DPS to-date, possible quote at 95k.
- Extra expansive AoE. (Fun to layer large spells like, Boneyard and Totem).
- Health Bonus, Recovery and Healing are excellent.
- Highly Intuitive rotation.
Nays:
- Newest Class introduced, not as vetted as other Classes.
- Hahaha…ease of movement? Not if you haven’t spent a lot of CP on your ‘break-free”.
- Many skills “assume” there are already bodies on the ground from which to draw power.
- Point Blank, most Magcro spells are considered Criminal Acts, so please, no raising the dead within town limits for your own good.
A quick vid for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wplfEvG_V8U
“Mag Sorc” Magicka Sorcerer 95/100
It was only at the very last minute that Linda really gave some thought to changing her fabric softener
Here we arrive at “Numero Uno”, the Magicka Sorcerer. Mag Sorcs are not perfect, they are not angels. (Look to the Templars for that kind of near-religious zealotry in game.) They play with the dark arts, just not in such a committed way as the Necromancers. Sorcerers have been around since the birth of ESO and it is obvious why they are still many players’ favorite go-to.
Your grind time, while extensive, will be worth every thumb-beating moment. Mag Sorcs can also be expensive critters to keep in properly leveled finery, but worth their weight in gold once you just make it a habit. They are very Gear-reliant and aren’t ashamed to flaunt it. Hint: Vigor is one of the best ways to inject a little healing into your world…because Mag Sorcs are not always the best at that.
Yays:
- Extremely High single-target DPS.
- Excellent AoE
- Crowd Control is efficient.
Nays:
- It is a slow, nearly painful grind up to the more show-stopping Spells. (Do not lose faith, though. You will achieve them.)
- Must always be mindful of gear leveling and repair, very Gear-Based capabilities.
- Self-healing is sluggish or completely lacking.
One of the more recognized Builds, peppered with a touch of Vampirism to spice things up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAHNzPHFRrE
Honorable Mention: Stamina Necromancer 85/100 (tied with Stam Sorc, but such a newer class that they can take a back seat for the meantime.)
Phillip rarely took out his frustrations on others, but it was his day to drive the carpool and the Beltway was a parking lot…
Stamina Necromancers are just satisfying to play once you have the hang of their medium-difficulty rotation and procure Gear Sets that really play to their strengths.
Yays:
- Incredibly self-sustaining in long-winded battles.
- Impressive AoE, like the Magcro.
- Very intuitive rotation.
Nays:
- Tanking requires draining enemies.
- Still newer Class Build.
Also be sure to check out these articles:
- Elder Scrolls Online Best Class - ESO Class Tier List (PvE DPS)
- [Top 10] ESO Best PvP Class, Ranked
- [Top 10] ESO Best Potions and How to Get Them
- [Top 5] ESO Best PvE Class for DPS
- [Top 5] ESO Best Solo Class
- Elder Scrolls Online Best Race for Every Class Build
- ESO Auction House Guide - How to Sell to Other Players
- Why Players are Leaving World of Warcraft to Play Elder Scrolls Online
- 10 Most Interesting Rumors About Elder Scrolls VI
