ESO Arcanist Tank Build

Welcome to my Arcanist Tank Build for Group PVE Gameplay in ESO! The Arcanist is a Class of Eldritch Horror, that relies on Magic Damage and the Crux system to destroy its enemies! A superb Support Class that offers several buffs and shields to its group, as well as multiple debuffs against your targets. Kthanid is a flexible Tank Build with great Support abilities and several alternative sets you can use. More Arcanist Builds and Guides you can read:

• Arcanist Beginner Guide
• Arcanist Builds
• Magicka Arcanist DPS
• Stamina Arcanist DPS
• Arcanist Healer Build

Table of Contents

• Build Setup
  • Trials Build
  • Easier Group Content
• Armor Sets
• Skills
• Passive Skills
• Champion Points
• Food and Potions
• Info
• Rotation
• Companion

ESO Arcanist Tank Build Setup

Below you can find different Setups for harder but also easier group content. The Setups will help you tank Trials or Dungeons and allow you to assist Stamina or Magicka based Groups!

Trials Build

This setup is for harder PVE Group content, is using Trial Gear and will help you aggro and tank tough Bosses. If you wish to use this setup, you should focus on getting the gear below. Tremorscale is an amazing Monster Set that reduces the Armor of enemies and is easy to get. Turning Tide applies Vulnerability and Powerful Assault boosts the Damage of your party!

Piece	Set	Type	Trait	Enchantment
Head	Tremorscale	Medium	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Shoulders	Tremorscale	Light	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Hands	Turning Tide	Heavy	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Legs	Turning Tide	Heavy	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Chest	Turning Tide	Heavy	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Waist	Turning Tide	Heavy	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Feet	Turning Tide	Heavy	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Necklace	Powerful Assault	Jewel	Harmony	Prismatic Recovery
Ring	Powerful Assault	Jewel	Harmony	Prismatic Recovery
Ring	Powerful Assault	Jewel	Harmony	Prismatic Recovery
One Handed Weapon	Powerful Assault	Sword	Infused	Weakening
Off-Hand	Powerful Assault	Shield	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Staff	Powerful Assault	Lightning/Ice/Fire	Infused	Crusher

Easier Group Content

A more forgiving Tank Setup for easier PVE Group content that revolves around building Ultimate fast.

Piece	Set	Type	Trait	Enchantment
Head	Lord Warden	Heavy/Medium/Light	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Shoulders	Lord Warden	Heavy/Medium/Light	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Hands	Drake’s Rush	Heavy	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Legs	Drake’s Rush	Heavy	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Chest	Drake’s Rush	Heavy	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Waist	Drake’s Rush	Heavy	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Feet	Drake’s Rush	Heavy	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Necklace	Powerful Assault	Jewel	Harmony	Prismatic Recovery
Ring	Powerful Assault	Jewel	Harmony	Prismatic Recovery
Ring	Powerful Assault	Jewel	Harmony	Prismatic Recovery
One Handed Weapon	Powerful Assault	Sword	Infused	Weakening
Off-Hand	Powerful Assault	Shield	Divines	Prismatic Defense
Staff	Powerful Assault	Ice/Lightning	Infused	Crusher

Armor Sets for Arcanist Tank Build

These are the Best Armor Sets you can use with the Arcanist Tank Build and where you can find them. You can find more great Sets to wear in my Best Tank Sets Guide!

• Tremorscale: Veteran Volenfell, Glirion the Redbeard
• Turning Tide: Shipwright’s Regret Dungeon
• Powerful Assault: Imperial City, Tel Var Vendor
• Lord Warden: Veteran Imperial City Prison, Urgarlag Chief-bane
• Drake’s Rush: Black Drake Villa Dungeon

Skills for Arcanist Tank Build

The Arcanist has a few very interesting abilities for Tanking! Its own unique taunt, Runic Sunder, as well as a “passive” debuff, skills that protect you and debuff enemies when you take damage! The Class also offers great support skills that heal and buff you and your allies. You can use also use the Leashing Throw Scribing Skill to pull enemies to you. If you do not have access to Scribing, you can always use Silver Leash from Fighters Guild!

• Runic Sunder(Runic Jolt): Taunts, debuffs and generates Crux.
• Leashing Throw: Pull+Fencer’s Parry+Vitality
• Cruxweaver Armor(Fatewoven Armor): Generates Crux, protects you and debuffs enemies.
• Impervious Runeward(Runespite Ward): Provides a shield, deals damage and consumes Crux to heal you.
• Defensive Stance(Defensive Posture): Essential skill for tanking. Provides a shield, increases the amount of damage you can block and reduces the cost of blocking.
• Aggressive Horn(War Horn): Main Ultimate. Use this mostly against strong enemies, Bosses, to buff your team.
• Unstable Wall of Elements(Wall of Elements): Use this ability to deal damage and apply the Crusher debuff to your targets.
• Reconstructive Domain(Arcanist’s Domain): AOE ability that Heals and buffs your group.
• Runeguard of Freedom(Runic Defense): Defensive skill that also heals you.
• Rune of the Colorless Pool(Rune of Eldritch Horror): Debuffs and fears enemies.
• Razor Caltrops(Caltrops): Debuffs enemies and triggers Powerful Assault.
• Gibbering Shelter(Gibbering Shield): Powerful defensive Ultimate that shields your group as well.

Passive Skills for Arcanist Tank Build

Passive skills are always important for every character and can help you maximize the potential of your Arcanist Tank Build. Try to unlock them as fast as possible, so you can become stronger and tackle harder content faster. These are the Passive Skills you should unlock for the Arcanist Tank PVE Build.

• All Passive Skills from your Class’ Lines
• All Passive Skills from Weapon Lines you are using
• Passive Skills from Armor Lines you are using
• Passive Abilities from Guild lines(Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, Psijic Order) that affect your skills/Build
• Undaunted Passives
• Your Racial Passives
• Medicinal Use Passive from Alchemy to boost the effectiveness of Potions

Champion Points for Arcanist Tank Build

Below you will find the best Champion Points setup for the Build. When allocating Champion points to Slottable and Passive Stars your primary goal is to create paths! Allocate the minimum required points to stars along your path in order to reach your desired Slottable Stars faster. Once you have unlocked all Stars, start allocating more Champion Points to them to fill them out. Focus on Slottable Stars first, then Passive Stars. If you would like to learn more about Champion Points and how they work, you can read my ESO Champion Points Guide.

Warfare

• Slottable Stars: Unassailable, Bulwark, Reinforced, Duelist’s Rebuff
• Passive: Eldritch Insight, Tireless Discipline, Piercing, Flawless Ritual, War Mage, Battle Mastery, Mighty, Quick Recovery, Hardy, Elemental Aegis, Preparation, Precision, Blessed

Craft

• Slottable Stars: Steed’s Blessing, Master Gatherer, Gifted Rider, War Mount
• Passive: Gilded Fingers, Fortune’s Favor, Wanderer, Steadfast Enchantment, Treasure Hunter(slottable, required for path), Rationer, Liquid Efficiency

Fitness

• Slottable Stars: Fortified, Strategic Reserve, Rejuvenation, Boundless Vitality
• Passive: Sprinter, Hasty, Tireless Guardian, Fortification, Hero’s Vigor, Mystic Tenacity, Tumbling, Defiance, Nimble Protector, Savage Defense, Bashing Brutality

Food and Potions for Arcanist Tank Build

Bewitched Sugar Skulls is the Best Food for the Build while crafted Tri-Stat Essence of Health is the best option as Potions.

Info for Arcanist Tank Build

Several important info for the Arcanist Tank PVE Build. What Mundus to use, the best race for the build and how to assign your attribute points.

Attribute Points

22-24 points to Magicka, 6 to Health and 34-36 to Stamina

Mundus Stone

The Atronach for better Magicka Recovery.

Race

The Best Race for the Arcanist Tank Build in ESO is Nord. Imperial, Orc, Argonian are good alternative Races for a Tank Build. You can find more about the playable races in my ESO Race Guide!

Vampire or Werewolf

Neither is necessary.

Rotation for Arcanist Tank Build

The gameplay of a tank is pretty easy. Taunt your target with Runic Sunder and block. Pull enemies closer with Leashing Throw. Your main concern is applying your crusher debuff with Unstable Wall of Elements and keeping it up all the time. When necessary, Bash your target to trigger Turning Tide! Buff yourself with Cruxweaver Armor, Impervious Runeward, Runeguard of Freedom and cast Reconstructive Domain for buffs and heals. Razor Caltrops to debuff enemies and trigger Powerful Assault, along with Rune of the Colorless Pool for more debuffs! Activate Defensive Stance(optional) to give yourself a shield. Use your Aggressive Horn ultimate when dealing with bosses and your Gibbering Shelter to protect your group.

Best Companion for Arcanist Tank Build ESO

If you wish to play Solo with the Build, you can bring along a mighty Companion! Companions in ESO are helpful allies that can assist you in combat. Every Companion can fulfill every role in the game and help you enjoy ESO more by clearing content faster or by simply interacting with them and their charming personality! There are various Builds you can use for every available ESO Companion!

As a Tank focused character my recommendation is to bring along a DPS Companion! To find out which ESO Companion is the Best in every role you can take a look at my ESO Best Companion Guide! To further maximize the potential of your chosen Companion, you can wear the Telvanni Efficiency Set! A Crafted Set that reduces the cooldown of your Companions abilities, improving their damage and overall effects and assisting you further in combat.