Type: Solo Dungeons, Overland, Maelstrom and Vateshran Arena
Buildname: Solo Magicka Arcanist
Table of Contents
- Solo Arcanist Setup
- Resource Management
- Rotation
- Bad Habits
- Vateshran Hollows & Maelstrom Arena Setup
- Endless Archive Setup
- Update Log
Welcome to the “SOLO Arcanist” Magicka Arcanist Build for PvE in ESO (Elder Scrolls Online). As the build already mentions, this build is optimized for solo play. Make sure to bookmark the link as I will keep updating the build for each new Update of ESO. You can also take a look at the Magicka Arcanist One Bar Build if you are more comfortable with only 1 bar. You can also find a full DPS Magicka Arcanist Build that is made for dungeons and trials.
Other Magicka Arcanist Guides:
The Solo Arcanist build is specifically designed for SOLO play. You can play this build in Overland, Dungeons (normal and veteran), Maelstrom Arena or Vateshran Arena. I also made sure to give you a few gear choices below because it is not always easy to get the right gear in ESO.
Magicka Arcanists have an easy time playing solo because their class-based skills kit allows them to fulfill all three jobs if necessary (dps, tank, heal). That way we can use a mixture of skills to make our setup as robust and optimized as possible.
- Solo Build for Normal & Veteran Dungeons
- Solo Build for Maelstrom & Vateshran Hollows
- Solo Build for Overland
- Easy to get Gear & Advanced Setups
- Big Shield
- Good Self Healing
- Strong AoE Damage
- Good Sustain
Solo Setup Magicka Arcanist
5x Perf. False God, 5x Tzogvin’s Warband, 1x Pale Order, 1x Swarm Mother on a High Elf with Clockwork Citrus Filet.
- Unbuffed: Out of combat and buff food active.
- Buffed: In combat, buff food, Major Sorcery, Major Prophecy, Major Resolve and Weapon Damage enchantment active.
Gear Solo Magicka Arcanist
We use a double Lightning destruction staff setup with this build because it is easier to set enemies off balance and you can also get some splash damage on Lightning heavy attacks against enemies close by. With Lightning heavy attacks you can also regain resources easier because of the channeled attack from the lightning staff. If you prefer a fire staff, go for it.
If you want to see more viable gear options I recommend reading the Magicka DPS Gear Sets Article which explains all of the sets in detail.
- Setup 1 Most Optimal Setup
- Setup 2 Non-Trial Gear Setup
- Setup 3 Beginner Setup
Gear Setup 1 – Solo Magicka Arcanist
- Monster Set: We are only using a one piece Monster Set because we have the Ring of the Pale Order Mythic item equipped. The reason we use Swarm Mother is simple, it provides us with extra stats for both Magicka and Stamina. It has a double bonus compared to most other one-piece monster sets.
- False God’s Devotion: False God’s Devotion is very powerful in both the imperfect and perfect version, I can highly recommend this set. You can farm it fairly easily in normal mode Sunspire.
- Ring of the Pale Order: The Mythic item Ring of the Pale Order provides us with a lot of extra passive healing as long as we deal damage.
- No Ring of the Pale Order? You can also use 2x Iceheart like on the second setup.
| Gear | Set | Weight | Trait | Enchantment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | False God’s Devotion | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Belt | False God’s Devotion | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Shoes | False God’s Devotion | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Pants | False God’s Devotion | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Hands | False God’s Devotion | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Head | Swarm Mother | Light | Divine | Health |
| Shoulder | Tzogvin’s Warband (or Mother’s Sorrow) |
Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Necklace | Tzogvin’s Warband (or Mother’s Sorrow) |
Jewelry | Arcane (or Bloodthirsty) | Spell Damage |
| Ring | Tzogvin’s Warband (or Mother’s Sorrow) |
Jewelry | Arcane (or Bloodthirsty) | Spell Damage |
| Ring | Ring of the Pale Order | Jewelry | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage |
| Weapon 1 | Tzogvin’s Warband (or Mother’s Sorrow) |
Lightning | Precise | Absorb Magicka Enchant |
| Weapon 2 | Tzogvin’s Warband (or Mother’s Sorrow) |
Lightning | Infused | Weapon Damage Enchant |
Gear Setup 2 – Solo Magicka Arcanist
This setup is easier to acquire and also has more defensive stats compared to the first one, which means it’s safer to play. Once again, make sure to use the Iceheart Monster Set, it really makes a huge difference in terms of defense, it procs very easily and gives you a huge shield that absorbs a lot of damage.
Julianos can be crafted and Mother’s Sorrow can be farmed in the Deshaan Overland zone or you can also buy them via the Guild Store. It would be preferable if you get the gear with divine trait, but you can also use any other trait, you will not lose that much power. And nondivine gear pieces are usually very cheap to buy.
| Gear | Set | Weight | Trait | Enchantment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | Julianos | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Belt | Julianos | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Shoes | Julianos | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Pants | Julianos | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Hands | Julianos | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Head | Iceheart | Light | Divine | Health |
| Shoulder | Iceheart | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Necklace | Tzogvin’s Warband (or Mother’s Sorrow) |
Jewelry | Arcane | Spell Damage |
| Ring | Tzogvin’s Warband (or Mother’s Sorrow) |
Jewelry | Arcane | Spell Damage |
| Ring | Tzogvin’s Warband (or Mother’s Sorrow) |
Jewelry | Arcane | Spell Damage |
| Weapon 1 | Tzogvin’s Warband (or Mother’s Sorrow) |
Lightning | Precise | Shock Enchant |
| Weapon 2 | Tzogvin’s Warband (or Mother’s Sorrow) |
Lightning | Infused | Weapon Damage Enchant |
Setup 3 Beginner – Solo Magicka Arcanist
Ask a guildmate to craft you Julianos. Mother’s Sorrow can be obtained for a pretty cheap price in the guild stores if you do not pick the best in slot trait. More important is that you just get the full sets together as fast as possible, even if you do not have the best traits.
| Gear | Set | Weight | Trait | Enchantment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | Julianos | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Belt | Julianos | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Shoes | Julianos | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Pants | Julianos | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Hands | Julianos | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Head | Magnus’ Gift or Monster Set | Light | Divine | Health |
| Shoulder | Magnus’ Gift or Monster Set | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Necklace | Mother’s Sorrow | Jewelry | Arcane | Spell Damage |
| Ring | Mother’s Sorrow | Jewelry | Arcane | Spell Damage |
| Ring | Mother’s Sorrow | Jewelry | Arcane | Spell Damage |
| Weapon 1 | Mother’s Sorrow | Lightning | Precise | Shock Enchant |
| Weapon 2 | Mother’s Sorrow | Lightning | Infused | Weapon Damage Enchant |
Where can I get the gear?
False God’s Devotion: Sunspire
Perfected False God’s Devotion: vet Sunspire
Ring of the Pale Order Antiquities
Mother’s Sorrow: Deshaan Overland, Guildtrader
Tzogvin’s Warband: Frostvault Dungeon
Julianos: Craftable
Swarm Mother: vSpindleclutch 1
Iceheart: Head: Direfrost Keep, Shoulder: Glirion Undaunted Chest
Magnus’ Gift: Craftable in Rivenspire, Greenshade, Shadowfen
IMPORTANT: You can get a Lightning Mother’s Sorrow Staff by doing a simple quest. You will receive the “Argonian Muck Minder of Mother’s Sorrow” from the Quest in Silent Mire, Deshaan.
Skills Solo Magicka Arcanist
Harness Magicka: You can also swap Harness Magicka and Recuperative Treatise if you are more comfortable with a shield on the front bar.
| Destruction Staff Mainbar | Destruction Staff bar |
|---|---|
| Slot 1: Tentacular Dread | Slot 1: Unstable Wall of Elements |
| Slot 2: Evolving Runemend | Slot 2: Mystic Orb |
| Slot 3: Escalating Runeblades | Slot 3: Elemental Susceptibility |
| Slot 4: Recuperative Treatise | Slot 4: Harness Magicka |
| Slot 5: Inner Light | Slot 5: Cruxweaver Armor |
| Ultimate: The Languid Eye | Ultimate: Destro Ultimate |
Note: We have a lot of Arcanist Herald of Tome skill-line damage skills on the front bar to benefit from the Splintered Secrets passive. This gives us a lot of extra penetration.
Skill explanation:
- Tentacular Dread: Deals good AoE damage and increases your overall damage output against affected targets
- Evolving Runemend: This is your burst heal which additionally also adds a heal over time
- Escalating Runeblades: This is your main dps skill, it also explodes dealing AoE damage at the end.
- Recuperative Treatise: Gives you Major Sorcery buff and also deals damage. You can swap places with Harness Magicka if you want a shield on the frontbar.
- Inner Light: Increases your max Magicka and also provides you with Major Prophecy, increasing your Spell Critical. This skill is never used, it is just passively slotted.
- The Languid Eye: Your single target ultimate, deals great damage against a target
- Unstable Wall of Elements: Strong area of effect damage with a powerful explosion at the end.
- Mystic Orb: Powerful Area of Effect damage.
- Elemental Susceptibility: Apply this on big monsters and bosses, applies debuff to enemies increasing your damage and also applies status effects.
- Harness Magicka: Can be used as a shield to bolster incoming damage.
- Cruxweaver Armor: Applies Major Resolve, increasing your resistance. Also generates Crux when you are hit while this armor buff is active.
- Destro Ultimate: Your main ultimate, deals a lot of area of effect and single target damage.
Champion Points for Solo Magicka Arcanist
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.
Hovering over each perk will give you insights into what it does. Presets are also provided for each of the allocations below.
Click the tab below to open the allocation.
Important Info for Solo Magicka Arcanist Build PvE
Buff-food
You have the option between two different buff foods/drinks for this build. It is crucial that you use either one of these because they give very important stats, health, magick and magicka recovery. You can use the more expensive Clockwork Citrus Filet or the less expensive version Witchmother’s Potent Brew. The difference between both is very small, I only use the expensive one for very difficult content to get a tiny bit more stats. Otherwise, I always use the less expensive version to save money.
Clockwork Citrus Filet
(Max Health, Max Magicka, Magicka Recovery, Health Recovery)
Witchmother’s Potent Brew
(Max Health, Max Magicka, Magicka Recovery)
Additionally, you could also use the Ghastly Eye Bowl buff food which boosts your Magicka and Magicka Recovery. Your Health will be a lot lower because the buff food doesn’t give any health stats.
Ghastly Eye Bowl
(Max Magicka, Magicka Recovery)
Mundus Stone
The Lover Mundus Stone is the best choice for this setup, it increases our overall spell penetration, which boosts our damage. You can also visit the Mundus Stone Overview Page for additional information regarding all the Mundus Stones.
The Lover Mundus Stone (Increased Spell Penetration)
Race
All Magicka based races work with this setup. More about each race can be found on the racial overview page.
High Elf
Breton
Dark Elf
Argonian
Khajiit
Orc
Potions
If you keep the Recuperative Treatise skill always active and you have Inner Light on your frontbar like the build explains, then you can actually use normal potions as opposed to the very expensive Spell-Power Potion. Because these two skills give you Major Prophecy and Major Sorcery, which are very important buffs. And you can get Major Intellect from the normal cheap potions.
However, if you often forget to reapply buffs then I would recommend using the expensive potions to keep the buffs on you.
Essence of Magicka Potion
(Magicka)
(Bought in Guild Stores, fairly cheap)
Spell-Power Potions
(Spell-crit, Spell Damage, Magicka)
(Cornflower, Ladys Smock, Water Hyacinth)
Important: Make sure to get alchemy to level 50 to unlock the Medicinal Use passive. That way you can keep up the buffs of potions a 100% of the time.
Passives
- Herald of Tome: Fated Fortune, Harnessed Quintessence, Psychic Lesion, Splintered Secrets
- Curative Runeforms: Healing Tides, Hideous Clarity, Erudition, Intricate Runeforms
- Soldier of Apocrypha: Aegis of the Unseen, Circumvented Fate, Implacable Outcome
- Destruction Staff: Tri Focus, Penetrating Magic, Elemental Force, Ancient Knowledge, Destruction Expert
- Light Armor: Grace, Evocation, Spell Warding, Prodigy, Concentration
- Undaunted: Undaunted Command, Undaunted Mettle
- Racial: All
- Alchemy: Medicinal Use
Attributes
All into Magicka. I recommend getting around 18-20k Health.
64 Magicka, 0 Health, 0 Stamina
Resource Management
Resource management with a solo build is slightly different compared to a group setup because you can’t really rely on your healer to give you resources. Now that does not really matter because we have other means of restoring resources. Your main tool for restoring resources is your heavy attack, the heavy attack takes a long time to charge up, but it will restore a lot of resources. You can also use your potions on cooldown which will return a lot of extra resources.
The Hideous Clarity and Erudition passive also both help with sustain on the Arcanist. The Recuperative Treatise skill also increases your sustain on the Solo Arcanist Build in ESO.
Elemental Drain is a key ability to increase your sustain and damage in a fight, make sure to keep it up all the time!
- Heavy Attacks
- Potions
- Elemental Drain
- Hideous Clarity Passive
- Erudition Passive
- Recuperative Treatise Skill
Rotation
If you want to learn more about weaving light attacks, you can check out this guide: “Weaving Beginner Guide”.
- Your main heal is Evolving Runemend, you can also keep Cruxweaver Armor active for extra armor buff.
- Harness Magicka is your shield, use it often to bolster your health.
- Keep Recuperative Treatise active, it applies Major Sorcery to your, boosting your spell damage. It also increases your sustain.
- Elemental Drain has to be applied to the big targets and bosses. It increases your damage and sustain.
- Deal damage with Tentacular Dread on bigger targets to get the extra damage from the Abyssal Ink debuff.
- Once all that is taken care of, you can use your DoTs to apply more pressure: Mystic Orb and Unstable Wall of Elements
- And now you can use your spammable Escalating Runeblades to deal even more consistent damage.
Optimize Your Playstyle
The number one reason players get defeated is when they are too busy reapplying their damage over time effects and forget to use Evolving Runemend, because this ability is your main heal. You can always activate Harness Magicka to bolster damage when you drop low, by the time your shield is gone, you will be healed back up to max health. Also, make sure to block heavy attacks or dodge roll them as they do a lot of damage.
Ring of the Pale Order will take care of a lot of healing, but remember, the ring only heals you when you deal damage.
Iceheart (if you use it) often helps to soften the blow on your health in case you forget to use healing abilities. While Iceheart is active and you use healing abilities, you will almost always get back to full health!
A lot of players usually do run around with too little health, I would at least recommend having between 18-20k health. That way you are safe even if you are doing some mistakes!
Vateshran Hollows & Maelstrom Arena Setup
Magicka Arcanist Vateshran Hollows & Arena Build Setup for ESO (Elder Scrolls Online).
- For specific tips and tricks please check out the Vateshran Hollows Guide and the Maelstrom Arena Guide which explains everything in detail.
- Ring of the Pale Order provides a lot of extra healing, I recommend getting this Mythic item, it makes the arena a lot easier.
- If you don’t have access to Mythic items, please use the gear setups above.
Gear Setup
| Gear | Set | Weight | Trait | Enchantment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | False God’s Devotion | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Belt | False God’s Devotion | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Shoes | False God’s Devotion | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Pants | False God’s Devotion | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Hands | False God’s Devotion | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Head | Swarm Mother | Light | Divine | Health |
| Shoulder | Tzogvin’s Warband or Mother’s Sorrow | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Necklace | Tzogvin’s Warband or Mother’s Sorrow | Jewelry | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage |
| Ring | Tzogvin’s Warband or Mother’s Sorrow | Jewelry | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage |
| Ring | Ring of the Pale Order | Jewelry | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage |
| Weapon 1 | Tzogvin’s Warband or Mother’s Sorrow | Lightning | Precise | Shock |
| Weapon 2 | Tzogvin’s Warband or Mother’s Sorrow | Lightning | Infused | Weapon Damage Enchant |
Skills
You have good AoE damage with this setup, which will make the Ring of the Pale Order even more powerful when we hit several targets. Always keep your buffs/debuffs active.
Endless Archive Setup for Solo Magicka Arcanist Build
Here you can find a setup that works well inside ESO’s Endless Archive when you play solo with the Solo Magicka Arcanist Build. Make sure to read the ESO Endless Archive Guide to understand what is going on inside the archive.
- Endless Archive gets progressively harder
- You need to know boss mechanics, otherwise one-shots will occur often.
- Understanding how the Endless Archive works is important
- If you get stuck, change gear or skills and try again.
Gear Setup
Inside the Endless Archive, we recommend running the following setup for our Solo Magicka Arcanist Build: 5x Whorl of Depths (Frontbar), 5x Pillar of Nirn (Backbar), 1x Ring of Pale Order, 2x Iceheart. All the sets are procing automatically, therefore you won’t have to worry about keeping track of any of them. This is great, that way we can focus more on the combat and our abilities.
| Gear | Set | Weight | Trait | Enchantment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | Pillar of Nirn | Medium | Divine | Magicka |
| Belt | Whorl of the Depths | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Shoes | Whorl of the Depths | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Pants | Whorl of the Depths | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Hands | Druid’s Braid | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Head | Iceheart | Light | Divine | Health |
| Shoulder | Iceheart | Light | Divine | Magicka |
| Necklace | Pillar of Nirn | Jewelry | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage |
| Ring | Pillar of Nirn | Jewelry | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage |
| Ring | Ring of the Pale Order | Jewelry | Bloodthirsty | Spell Damage |
| Weapon 1 | Whorl of the Depths | Fire | Precise | Shock |
| Weapon 2 | Pillar of Nirn | Fire | Infused | Weapon Damage Enchant |
Where can I get the gear?
- Whorl of the Depths: Dreadsail Reef
- Pillar of Nirn: Falkreath Hold Dungeon
- Druid’s Braid: Guildstores, Craftable in High Isle and Amenos zone
- Ring of the Pale Order Antiquities
- Iceheart: Head: Direfrost Keep, Shoulder: Glirion Undaunted Chest
Skills
You have good AoE damage with this setup, which will make the Ring of the Pale Order even more powerful when we hit several targets. Always keep your buffs/debuffs active.
Buff-Food
If you have sustain issues then it is recommended to use the Ghastly Eye Bowl buff food because it gives us a huge amount of Magicka Recovery and Max Magicka, but your Health will be lower. If you don’t have sustain issues, then it is recommended to use the Clockwork Citrus Filet or the less expensive version Witchmother’s Potent Brew.
Update Log
11.05.2023 Added the first version of the Solo Magicka Arcanist Build for the ESO Necrom Chapter.
23.10.2023 Updated the Build for Update 40
06.03.2024 Updated the Build for the Scions of Ithelia DLC Update 41, Gold Road Chapter.
Tags: Solo Magicka Arcanist Build, Solo Arcanist Build PvE, Solo Mag Arcanist Build ESO.
