“Colossus”
Updated: Flames of Ambition DLC, Blackwood Chapter
Type: Dungeon, Trials & Overland
Table of Contents
Introduction
Welcome to the Necromancer Tank Build PvE “Colossus” for Elder Scrolls Online. Make sure to bookmark the link as I will keep updating the build for each new Update of ESO. The Necromancer Tank Build PvE “Colossus” is optimized for Dungeons, Arenas & Trials.
Keep in mind there is a huge variety of different tank builds out there that synergize well depending on your group setup. Remember, each Dungeon or Trial needs some small adjustments to the build. So if you for example feel that you need more health, then go for it!
Other Tank Guides:
The Necromancer has a very strong tanking toolkit, especially thanks to the Bone Tyrant skill-line. The sets are similar to other classes but the skills differentiate quite a bit. Beckoning Armor is a nice ability to pull in ranged targets without paying too much attention to them. Unnerving Boneyard applies debuffs to the enemies and players can even use a synergy with this skill.
- Necromancer Class
- Trial, Dungeon & Arena
- Tank/ Support Build
- Heavy Armor
- Great sustain
- Great survivability
- Great self healing
Resource Management
Spirit Guardian reduces your damage taken by 10%, heals you and also keeps the Undead Confederate passive active to boost your sustain.
Spell Symmetry returns Magicka, you can use this as much as you want, but be careful that your Healer is healing you. Because you loose Health while using this.
Energy Orb is a skill that Healers use to throw into the group. You can use the synergy this skill provides to regain around 4000 resources. Our max Stamina is a bit higher than our Max Magicka, that is because you will get resources depending on your higher max Stamina or Magicka. And because we are a tank, Stamina is definitely more important.
Heavy Attacks restore a big amount of stamina, if you hit an off-balanced enemy it gives twice the amount back. You don’t need to permablock, try to find time to do Heavy Attacks in your rotation.
Potions are also a key to manage your resources well, I recommend using Tri-Stat potions to regain all three resources at the same time. Further below you will learn how to craft the right potions.
- Spirit Guardian
- Spell Symmetry
- Heavy Attacks
- Potions
- Orbs (Undaunted skill-line)
Choosing an Argonian as a race for your tank will also increase sustain due to the Resourceful racial passive.
Dungeon & Trial Setup
Gear
You can find more good sets for tanking in the “Must Have Tanking Sets” Article. To be fully ready I recommend trying to get most of these sets and confirm with your raid leader what combinations you need them in.
Gear Setup
Lightning vs Frost Staff: You can use both options, a frost staff is better if you want to go the save route and get all the block mitigation on the backbar as well. The Lightning Staff is used in combination with Elemental Blockade to apply Off-Balance to the enemy, that way you can support your group and increase the overall damage output.
- Monster Sets: There are various Monster Sets that you can wear along with this combination, you can use Mighty Chudan, Pirate Skeleton, Bloodspawn, Vykosa etc.
Gear | Set | Weight | Trait | Enchantment |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chest | Ebon Armory | Heavy | Reinforced | Tri Stat Enchantment |
Belt | Ebon Armory | Heavy | Sturdy | Health Enchantment |
Shoes | Ebon Armory | Heavy | Sturdy | Health Enchantment |
Pants | Ebon Armory | Heavy | Infused | Tri Stat Enchantment |
Hands | Ebon Armory | Heavy | Sturdy | Health Enchantment |
Head | Earthgore | Light | Infused | Tri Stat Enchantment |
Shoulder | Earthgore | Medium | Sturdy | Health Enchantment |
Necklace | Battalion Defender | Jewelry | Infused | Magicka Recovery Glyph |
Ring | Battalion Defender | Jewelry | Infused | Reduce Prismatic Cost Enchant (Idenko Glyph) |
Ring | Battalion Defender | Jewelry | Infused | Bracing Enchantment |
Weapon 1 S&B | Battalion Defender | 1H-Weap | Decisive | Weakening Enchantment |
Weapon 1 S&B | Battalion Defender | Shield | Sturdy | Tri-Stat Enchantment |
Weapon 2 Destro | Battalion Defender | Lightning Staff | Infused | Crusher Enchantment |
Beginner Gear Setup
This beginner setup is here for people that do not have access to the other setup now. You can ask a friend to craft Fortified Brass and Torug’s Pact for you. You could also use Plague Doctor instead of Torug’s Pact as it is very cheap available in the Guild Stores.
Gear | Set | Weight | Trait | Enchantment |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chest | Fortified Brass | Heavy | Reinforced | Stamina Enchantment |
Belt | Fortified Brass | Light | Sturdy | Health Enchantment |
Shoes | Fortified Brass | Medium | Sturdy | Health Enchantment |
Pants | Torug’s Pact | Heavy | Infused | Stamina Enchantment |
Hands | Torug’s Pact | Heavy | Sturdy | Health Enchantment |
Head | Night’s Silence | Heavy | Infused | Stamina Enchantment |
Shoulder | Night’s Silence | Heavy | Sturdy | Health Enchantment |
Necklace | Torug’s Pact | Jewelry | Infused | Magicka Recovery Glyph |
Ring | Torug’s Pact | Jewelry | Infused | Reduce Prismatic Cost Enchant (Idenko Glyph) |
Ring | Torug’s Pact | Jewelry | Infused | Bracing Enchantment |
Weapon 1 S&B | Fortified Brass | 1H-Weap | Decisive | Weakening Enchantment |
Weapon 1 S&B | Fortified Brass | Shield | Sturdy | Stamina Enchantment |
Weapon 2 Destro | Fortified Brass | Lightning Staff | Infused | Crusher Enchantment |
Where can I get the gear?
Ebon Armory: Crypts of Hearts
Battalion Defender: Cyrodiil, Guildstores
Earthgore: vBloodroot Forge, Urgarlag Undaunted Chest
Lord Warden: vImperial City Prison
Fortified Brass: Craftable
Torug’s Pact: Craftable
Night’s Silence: Craftable
Plague Doctor: Deshaan, Guildstore
Skills
S&B Mainbar | Destro Staff off-bar |
---|---|
Slot 1: Unnerving Boneyard | Slot 1: Spirit Guardian |
Slot 2: Heroic Slash | Slot 2: Elemental Blockade |
Slot 3: Inner Rage | Slot 3: Sanguine Altar |
Slot 4: Deaden Pain | Slot 4: Spell Symmetry |
Slot 5: Hungry Scythe | Slot 5: Beckoning Armor |
Ultimate: Temporal Guard | Ultimate: Pestilent Colossus |
Skills explanation:
- Unnerving Boneyard: Applies Major Breach to all enemies in the skill area, debuffing their resistances and also provides a Synergy.
- Heroic Slash: Debuffs the enemy with a 5% damage reduction debuff and also gives you Minor Heroism, increasing your Ultimate generation.
- Inner Rage: This is your main taunt ability.
- Deaden Pain: 3% Damage mitigation, heals you and also applies Major Protection increasing your damage mitigation even further.
- Hungry Scythe: This ability scales of your Max Health and can be used whenever you need a heal.
- Temporal Guard: This is only passively slotted for the extra 5% damage mitigation that we gain through Minor Protection. While blocking, we also gain a small shield.
- Spirit Ward: The ghost heals you and also mitigates damage you take by 10%. It also keeps the Undead Confederate passive active.
- Elemental Blockade: If you are using a Shock staff, this can proc off balance on the enemies which increases the damage output of your group. (You could also use Expunge and Modify here)
- Sanguine Altar (Flex Spot): Applies Minor Lifesteal to enemies standing in it, also provides a Synergy.
- Spell Symmetry (Flex Spot): Trade Health for Magicka, be careful as this reduces healing done for 50%.
- Beckoning Armor: Buffs your resistances and pulls in ranged enemies that hit you.
- Pestilent Colossus: Applies Major Vulnerability for 15 seconds, so bosses take 10% more damage.
Champion Points
Below you can find the Champion Points setup for this build. Work your way from top to bottom in your allocation. For more information on Champion Points, please visit the Champion Points Overview Page on ESO-Hub.com.
Important:
- Warfare Tree: This tree gives you a mix between damage, healing and damage mitigation.
- Fitness Tree: This tree gives you extra health, sustain and defensive buffs.
- Craft Tree: This tree is mostly optional, nothing really “impacts” combat, therefore you can pick whatever you prefer, or use the preset below.
- Perks: Hovering over each perk will give you insights on what it does. Presets are also provided for each of the allocations below.
Click the tab below to open the allocation.
180 Champion Point Allocation
Preset used for this allocation: https://eso-hub.com/en/champion-points/calculator?preset=d9a1f596-4714-474f-8939-c634cfe15587
Warfare Tree Points Allocation
- Tireless Discipline (40)
- Quick Recovery (10)
- Preparation (10)
Fitness Tree Points Allocation
- Boundless Vitality (48) (Slottable)
- Ironclad (2) (Slottable)
- Tireless Guardian (10)
Craft Tree Points Allocation
- Steed’s Blessing (35) (Slottable)
- Breakfall (10)
- Wanderer (15)
300 Champion Point Allocation
Preset used for this allocation: https://eso-hub.com/en/champion-points/calculator?preset=ba74f426-89ca-4334-a150-e9e0e3c48acb
Warfare Tree Points Allocation
- Tireless Discipline (40)
- Quick Recovery (10)
- Preparation (40)
- Elemental Aegis (10)
Fitness Tree Points Allocation
- Boundless Vitality (50) (Slottable)
- Ironclad (2) (Slottable)
- Tireless Guardian (10)
- Hasty (8)
- Hero’s Vigor (30)
Craft Tree Points Allocation
- Steed’s Blessing (35) (Slottable)
- Breakfall (10)
- Wanderer (15)
- Steadfast Enchantment (10)
- Rationer (30) (Slottable)
600 Champion Point Allocation
Preset used for this allocation: https://eso-hub.com/en/champion-points/calculator?preset=b7b40e00-e309-48c7-8c56-fff5337b3da8
Warfare Tree Points Allocation
- Tireless Discipline (40)
- Quick Recovery (10)
- Preparation (40)
- Elemental Aegis (10)
- Duelist’s Rebuff (50) (Slottable)
- Unassailable (50) (Slottable)
Fitness Tree Points Allocation
- Boundless Vitality (50) (Slottable)
- Rejuvenation (50) (Slottable)
- Ironclad (42) (Slottable)
- Tireless Guardian (10)
- Hasty (8)
- Hero’s Vigor (40)
Craft Tree Points Allocation
- Steed’s Blessing (50) (Slottable)
- Breakfall (10)
- Wanderer (15)
- Steadfast Enchantment (20)
- Rationer (30) (Slottable)
- Liquid Efficiency (75) (Slottable)
900 Champion Point Allocation
Preset used for this allocation: https://eso-hub.com/en/champion-points/calculator?preset=465b7463-e089-4659-a68d-fdba0f20ae9d
Warfare Tree Points Allocation
- Eldritch Insight (40)
- Tireless Discipline (40)
- Quick Recovery (10)
- Preparation (40)
- Elemental Aegis (10)
- Hardy (10)
- Duelist’s Rebuff (50) (Slottable)
- Enduring Resolve (50) (Slottable)
- Unassailable (50) (Slottable)
Fitness Tree Points Allocation
- Boundless Vitality (50) (Slottable)
- Rejuvenation (50) (Slottable)
- Ironclad (50) (Slottable)
- Tireless Guardian (40)
- Fortification (45)
- Hasty (8)
- Hero’s Vigor (40)
- Nimble Protector (15)
Craft Tree Points Allocation
- Steed’s Blessing (50) (Slottable)
- Breakfall (50)
- Wanderer (45)
- Steadfast Enchantment (50)
- Rationer (30) (Slottable)
- Liquid Efficiency (75) (Slottable)
1200 Champion Point Allocation
Preset used for this allocation: https://eso-hub.com/en/champion-points/calculator?preset=f4aaa348-fdcd-40f2-98ff-887ceadcdf46
Warfare Tree Points Allocation
- Eldritch Insight (40)
- Tireless Discipline (40)
- Quick Recovery (10)
- Preparation (40)
- Elemental Aegis (30)
- Hardy (40)
- Duelist’s Rebuff (50) (Slottable)
- Enduring Resolve (50) (Slottable)
- Unassailable (50) (Slottable)
- Bulwark (50) (Slottable)
Fitness Tree Points Allocation
- Boundless Vitality (50) (Slottable)
- Rejuvenation (50) (Slottable)
- Ironclad (50) (Slottable)
- Tireless Guardian (40)
- Fortification (45)
- Hasty (8)
- Hero’s Vigor (40)
- Tumbling (15)
- Expert Evasion (50) (Slottable)
- Defiance (40)
- Nimble Protector (12)
- Mystic Tenacity (10)
Craft Tree Points Allocation
- Steed’s Blessing (50) (Slottable)
- Breakfall (50)
- Wanderer (75)
- Steadfast Enchantment (50)
- Rationer (30) (Slottable)
- Liquid Efficiency (75) (Slottable)
- Treasure Hunter (50) (Slottable)
- Fortune’s Favor (20)
2200 Champion Point Allocation
Preset used for this allocation: https://eso-hub.com/en/champion-points/calculator?preset=9d2e9051-fbe3-48ee-8e6c-aa64ecf87c38
Warfare Tree Points Allocation
- Eldritch Insight (40)
- Tireless Discipline (40)
- Quick Recovery (40)
- Preparation (40)
- Elemental Aegis (40)
- Hardy (40)
- Duelist’s Rebuff (50) (Slottable)
- Enduring Resolve (50) (Slottable)
- Unassailable (50) (Slottable)
- Bulwark (50) (Slottable)
- Blessed (40)
- Piercing (40)
- Battle Mastery (40)
- Flawless Ritual (40)
- Mighty (30)
- War Mage (30)
- Precision (40)
Fitness Tree Points Allocation
- Boundless Vitality (50) (Slottable)
- Rejuvenation (50) (Slottable)
- Ironclad (50) (Slottable)
- Tireless Guardian (40)
- Fortification (45)
- Hasty (32)
- Hero’s Vigor (40)
- Tumbling (45)
- Defiance (40)
- Nimble Protector (15)
- Mystic Tenacity (10)
- Expert Evasion (50) (Slottable)
- Savage Defense (45)
- Bashing Brutality (40)
- Sprinter (40)
- Survival Instincts (10)
- Tempered Soul (125)
Craft Tree Points Allocation
- Steed’s Blessing (50) (Slottable)
- Breakfall (50)
- Wanderer (75)
- Steadfast Enchantment (50)
- Rationer (30) (Slottable)
- Liquid Efficiency (75) (Slottable)
- Fortune’s Favor (50)
- Gilded Fingers (50)
- Out of Sight (30)
- Fleet Phantom (40)
- Soul Reservoir (33)
- Treasure Hunter (50) (Slottable)
- Inspiration Boost (45)
Important Info for Necromancer Tank Build PvE
Buff-food
Longfin pasty with Melon Sauce
(Max Health+Max Stamina+Max Magicka)
Bewitched Sugar Skulls
This is a slightly more advanced version that has a bit higher stats and also includes health recovery. Though it also costs more.
Mundus Stone
The Atronach Mundus Stone increases our Magicka Recovery by a lot, thus making it easier to sustain the many Magicka support abilities that we have.
The Atronach Mundus Stone (Increased Magicka Recovery
Race
You can find more about racial passives in the ESO Race Overview page.
Nord
Argonian
Imperial
Orc
Redguard
Dark Elf
Potions
You can use both the crafted or the crown store Tri-Stat potion.
Tri-Stat Potion
(Health, Stamina, Magicka)
(Bugloss, Columbine, Mountain Flower)
Passives
- Grave Lord: Reusable Parts, Death Knell, Dismember, Rapid Rot
- Bone Tyrant: Death Gleaning, Disdain Harm, Health Averice, Last Gasp
- Living Death: Curative Curse, Near-Death Experience, Corpse Consumption, Undead Confederate
- One Hand and Shield: Fortress, Sword and Board, Deadly Bash, Deflect Bolts, Battlefield Mobility
- Destruction Staff: Tri Focus, Penetrating Magic, Elemental Force, Ancient Knowledge, Destruction Expert
- Heavy Armor: Resolve, Constitution, Juggernaut, Revitalize, Rapid Mending
- Medium Armor: If you have spare skillpoints, max out this skill line too.
- Light Armor: If you have spare skillpoints, max out this skill line too.
- Undaunted: Undaunted Command, Undaunted Mettle
- Psijic Order: Clairvoyance, Concentrated Barrier, Deliberation
- Racial: All
- Alchemy: Medicinal Use
Attributes
I recommend placing all attributes into health. However, you can adjust the values yourself, if you feel you have too much health, then place some points in either stamina or magicka.
0 Magicka, 64 Health, 0 Stamina
Update Log
11.082019 Updated the Build for the SCALEBREAKER DLC, Elsweyr Chapter, Necromancer Tank Build PvE.
20.10.2019 Updated the Build for the DRAGONHOLD DLC, Elsweyr Chapter.
20.02.2020 Updated the Build for the HARROWSTORM DLC, Greymoor Chapter.
08.05.2020 Updated the Build for the GREYMOOR CHAPTER.
20.08.2020 Updated the Build for the STONETHORN DLC, Greymoor Chapter.
27.10.2020 Updated the Build for the MARKARTH DLC, Greymoor Chapter.
03.03.2021 Updated the Build for the FLAMES OF AMBITION DLC, Blackwood Chapter.
Tags: Necromancer Tank Build PVE, Necro Tank Build, Necro Health Tank Build PvE.