dragonknight beginner guide
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ByArzyeL

Dragonknight Beginner Guide

This Dragonknight Beginner Guide will teach you everything you need to know about the Class in ESO! The Dragonknight is the Class of Fire, Poison and Earth in The Elder Scrolls Online. One of the ESO Classes, available with the base game, that can help you create a powerful, Fire Mage, a strong melee fighter and one of the best Tanks in the game!

The Dragonknight is a sturdy Class, perfect for players that want a strong character in PVE or PVP gameplay. If you wish to learn more about every available ESO Class, you can read my ESO Class Guide!

Table of Contents

Why Choose Dragonknight

As one of the four available classes with the base game, the Dragonknight is beginner friendly but mostly for the role of Tanking. Dragonknights make for excellent Tanks in PVE and is the perfect option for everyone starting. A sturdy Class with several defensive and utility skills, that can help you survive and crowd control enemies with ease.

It is quite flexible for Damage Dealers roles as well. This is thanks to their different skill morphs, that allow you to choose from Fire based or Poison based effects, depending on your primary attribute, Magicka or Stamina.

A Magicka Dragonknight is the definition of a Fire Mage in ESO. If you wish to focus on Fire damage and utility then picking a Dragonknight is your best bet. The Magicka Dragonknight however is some sort of a battle mage, since it is more efficient at close range.

The Stamina Dragonknight on the other hand relies more on Poison based skills, combined with Weapon abilities to achieve the best results. Both damage dealers versions of the Dragonknight are sturdy and potent in PVE and PVP gameplay. This is because of their numerous offensive and defensive abilities, that can boost their damage, defense and heal them.

Although it has a few healing abilities, the Dragonknight is not the best healer in ESO and you should avoid it if this is what your primary role is going to be.

Overall, Dragonknights are excellent Tanks, very beginner friendly if you wish to learn the role well and great Damage dealers for both Magicka or Stamina builds. They are not the best Healers though.

Dragonknight Beginner Builds:

What Skills are the Best for Dragonknight – Dragonknight Beginner

Before we go through the most important Dragonknight skills, you have to decide what kind of Dragonknight you wish to create! A Magicka based or Stamina based Dragonknight. This will determine the type of gameplay and the morphs of skills you should choose as you level up.

To create a Magicka based Dragonknight(DD or Healer) allocate all your available attribute points to Magicka. To create a Stamina one, allocate your points to Stamina. You can also mix them up if you wish to make a Tank character.

Leveling a Dragonknight and its skills is similar to leveling any other class in the game. There are several methods you can follow to level up fast and efficiently, like grinding XP at specific locations, clearing Dolmens and completing group content. You can find a lot more info on how to level up a character fast and efficiently in my ESO Leveling Guide.

There are several important skills you should unlock and level up as soon as possible. Class, Weapons and Guild Skills that will help you create the build of your dreams! To level up skills and skill-lines, always have one or more of their skills in your active bar, even if you are not using them. So let’s start with the most important Dragonknight Class skills.

Class Skills – Dragonknight Beginner

The Dragonknight has three unique skill lines with abilities suitable for every role in the game. Both Magicka and Stamina Dragonknights benefit from the Class’ skills and can use them to create strong DPS or Tank builds along with other abilities.

The Dragonknight Skill lines are:

Ardent Flame

dragonknight beginner guide

Ardent Flame is the offense focused skill line of Dragonknight. Magicka and Stamina Dragonknights can use the skills found here to create strong DPS builds and compete in PVE or PVP content.

Lava Whip and its two morphs Molten Whip and Flame Lash are vital for Magicka Dragonknights and work as the class’ main spammable. Searing Strike offers a Fire based and a Poison based morph that can help with damage.

The Noxious Breath and Engulfing Flames morphs of Fiery Breath deal damage but also debuff enemies, making it easier to kill them. They are both very important for DPS builds.

Fiery Grip is a crowd control ability and useful to Tank builds while Inferno offers a damage dealing and a healing morph that can be useful for every role. Finally the Standard of Might(Dragonknight Standard Morph) Ultimate is a powerful option for Dragonknights, that will boost their damage and defense.

Draconic Power

dragonknight beginner guide

This line is focusing more on defense and crowd control abilities making it vital for Tank Dragonknights. The most important skills include Spiked Armor and its two morphs that offer a boost to defense and an extra function. Hardened Armor grants a shield and is great for PVE Tanking while Volatile Armor deals and reflects damage to nearby enemies which is useful in PVP.

Dark Talons and its morphs deal damage and immobilize enemies while Dragon Blood offers two powerful self heals for Magicka or Stamina characters.

Dragon Leap is a powerful PVP oriented Ultimate that can knock back and stun enemies. It offers a different morph for Magicka and Stamina builds.

Earthen Heart

A mixed line with skills that assist in DPS, support and defense. Stonefist‘s Morphs offer a Stamina DPS spammable in the form of Stone Giant and a weak heal skill, Obsidian Shard. Molten Weapons and morphs can boost your damage while Obsidian Shield offers a party shield. Fossilize(Petrify Morph) is a powerful stun in PVP and Ash Cloud grants a damage AOE and a weak heal AOE morph.

Magma Shell and Corrosive Armor Morphs of Magma Armor can be helpful in any kind of content.

Weapon Skills – Dragonknight Beginner

Magicka Dragonknight can use its class skills to create a powerful Fire Mage build for PVE or PVP. There are of course a few Weapon Skills it can also utilize, mostly from the Destruction Staff line.

Crushing Shock and Force Pulse, morphs of Force Shock can both be a great ranged spammable for the class. Wall of Elements and its morphs are important for AOE attacks while Elemental Drain(Weakness to Elements morph) will assist in solo gameplay. Finally the Elemental Storm Ultimate and its two morphs are strong enough to use in PVE or PVP.

Stamina Dragonknight can also use several of its Class skills to create a potent DPS Build. Depending on you favorite Weapon, Dual Wield, Two Handed or Bow, you can use a few of their skills as a spammable or to further boost your damage.

One Hand and Shield is your weapon of choice if you wish to play a Tank role and Restoration Staff for Healers.

Dizzying Swing for PVP and Wrecking Blow for PVE are going to be your spammables if you are using a Two Handed Weapon and do not like the Stone Giant Class spammable. Cleave and its morphs are great for dealing with lots of enemies while Reverse Slash and its morphs are an amazing execute ability. Stampede is another excellent skill you can use in PVE or PVP.

Rapid Strikes or Whirling Blades can be a strong spammable if you are using Dual Wield. Deadly Cloak and Shrouded Daggers will also assist you if you wish to focus more on the Dual Wield play style.

Finally Endless Hail(Volley’s Morph) from Bow is important for every build that is using the bow as a support weapon along with Poison Injection(Poison Arrow Morph). Poison Injection will further enhance a Stamina Dragonknight’s ability to deal poison damage.

If you wish to play as a Tank, then you will also need the Pierce Armor Taunt skill(Puncture Morph) to draw aggro and Heroic Slash( Low Slash Morph) to boost your Ultimate generation.

For Healers, Grand Healing, Regeneration, Blessing of Protection and their morphs are very important to fulfill their role successfully. The Light’s Champion Ultimate(Panacea Morph) from this line can also be helpful when healing in PVE, since the Dragonknight Healer needs every little help it can get.

Guilds Skills – Dragonknight Beginner

There are also several Guild lines in the game that offer strong and important abilities. Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, Undaunted and Psijic Order skills can be quite helpful.

Barbed Trap(Trap Beast Morph) is the skill you must unlock as soon as possible from the Fighters Guild, for your Dragonknight, Stamina or Magicka. The reason for this is because it provides the Minor Force buff, increasing your Critical Damage done. It is mostly a PVE skill. The alternative to this would be Accelerate and its Morphs from the Psijic Order line but this is harder to get and unlock.

Dawnbreaker is a powerful Ultimate with morphs for PVE and PVP gameplay while Camouflaged Hunter is helpful for Stamina DPS.

The Mages Guild offers a few potent skills for Magicka Dragonknight, including a powerful Ultimate, Meteor. Inner Light can boost Spell Critical and Max Magicka while Entropy and Fire Rune offer great offensive spells with their morphs. Scalding Rune(Fire Rune Morph) especially can assist a Magicka Dragonknight with additional fire damage in PVE.

The Undaunted skill line offers mostly support spells for all roles but also two powerful passives. The two passives should be your priority from this line. Inner Fire offers two ranged aggro abilities that are a must have for Tank Dragonknights as well.

Finally the Psijic Order has the best Spammable in the game for Magicka Characters in general but a Dragonknight will always be better using its class Lava Whip and morphs. Elemental Weapon(Imbue Weapon Morph) can be a great option if you want a more ranged Magicka Dragonknight. This is strictly a PVE skill.

Alliance War Skills – Dragonknight Beginner

Vigor and Morphs are great healing abilities for Stamina characters while Razor Caltrops(Caltrops Morph) can debuff enemies when solo and make it easier to kill them. The Continuous Attack passive will provide Major Gallop when mounted, making travel easier and faster.

Skills Priority – Dragonknight Beginner

Unlocking and leveling up your Class active skills and passives, should be your number one priority. This will unlock the potential of your Class and allow you to combine them for better results. Weapon and Guild Skills should follow after. Of course everything depends on your goals and preferred play style.

Getting a strong spammable and a good AOE ability early will allow you to level up faster and more efficiently.

Regarding Passives, i always recommend getting everything from skill lines you are using. Again Class Passives, along with Racial ones, should come first, followed by Weapon and Guild ones.

Mundus Stones – Dragonknight Beginner

Mundus Stones offer strong buffs to your character that can help you complete content faster. They are located all around Tamriel and based on their offered buff are more suitable for PVE or PVP gameplay.

When you are leveling up you should get the Atronach Mundus that boosts Magicka Recovery or the Serpent Mundus that boosts Stamina Recovery. This will assist you with sustain and will allow you to use your skills for longer.

As you are getting more experienced and can sustain better, switch to the Lover Mundus. The Lover boosts your Physical and Spell Penetration, making it easier to kill enemies. A great option for early gameplay but also Solo content.

For group PVE you want to switch to the Thief (better Critical Chance). For PVP get the Warrior(more Weapon Damage) or the Apprentice(more Spell Damage).

Tank characters can benefit from the Atronach Mundus while Healers can use the Atronach, the Apprentice or even the Ritual(better Healing).

Champion Points – Dragonknight Beginner

After level 50 you will start earning Champion Points. These allow you to unlock Passive and Slottable Stars in the Champion Points tab, that can further empower your character. You can earn Champion Points by simply playing the game and leveling up.

In total there are three constellations in the Elder Scrolls Online:

  • Warfare
  • Fitness
  • Craft

Each constellation offers different Stars that can help with different roles and activities. Warfare is the constellation that is focusing more on combat and provides bonuses to Damage Dealers, Tanks and Healers. Allocating your Champion Points appropriately and unlocking the right Stars for the role you wish to fulfill is rather important.

You can find more info on Champion Points and the right Passive and Slottable Stars for every Role in my Champion Points Guide.

Vampire or Werewolf – Dragonknight Beginner

Being a Vampire or Werewolf is not necessary to fully enjoy your Dragonknight. You can find a lot more info on Vampires and Werewolves in my ESO Vampire vs Werewolf Guide.

Build Examples

There are more than one ways you can setup your Magicka or Stamina Dragonknight. It all depends on your favorite play style and the content you wish to complete. Some setups are better for Solo PVE, other for Group Trials content and other for Battlegrounds or Open World PVP. Here are some Builds you can use, depending on gameplay.

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