Necromancer Tank PVE
Goliath is a Necromancer Tank PVE Build with strong resistances and many utility spells to assist your group with. Thanks to its transformation Ultimate, this Necromancer Tank can have an insane amount of Health with very strong resistances at the same time. The Necromancer skills and the Armor Sets we have chosen also provide Goliath with the ability to crowd control enemies easily and buff the rest of your group, making their job easier.
If you are a new player, you can take a look at my Necromancer Beginner Guide. If you are looking for a Solo PVE Build for Arenas like the Maelstrom Arena and Vateshran Hollows, take a look at my Stamina Necromancer Solo Build. You can find more Builds in the Necromancer Builds page.
Table of Contents
Necromancer 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(Encratis’s Behemoth) based Groups! A few good alternative Sets you can use include (Perfected)Claw of Yolnahkriin, (Perfected)Pearlescent Ward, Nazaray, Archdruid Devyric.
Trials Build
This is a Tank setup for harder Group content.
| 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 Tank setup for easier Group content and less organized parties.
| Piece | Set | Type | Trait | Enchantment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Lord Warden | Heavy/Medium/Light | Divines | Prismatic Defense |
| Shoulders | Lord Warden | Heavy/Medium/Light | Divines | Prismatic Defense |
| Hands | Ebon Armory | Heavy | Divines | Prismatic Defense |
| Legs | Ebon Armory | Heavy | Divines | Prismatic Defense |
| Chest | Ebon Armory | Heavy | Divines | Prismatic Defense |
| Waist | Ebon Armory | Heavy | Divines | Prismatic Defense |
| Feet | Ebon Armory | Heavy | Divines | Prismatic Defense |
| Necklace | Drake's Rush | Jewel | Harmony | Prismatic Recovery |
| Ring | Drake's Rush | Jewel | Harmony | Prismatic Recovery |
| Ring | Drake's Rush | Jewel | Harmony | Prismatic Recovery |
| One Handed Weapon | Drake's Rush | Sword | Infused | Weakening |
| Off-Hand | Drake's Rush | Shield | Divines | Prismatic Defense |
| Staff | Drake's Rush | Lightning/Ice | Infused | Crusher |
Armor Sets for Necromancer Tank Build
- Tremorscale: Veteran Volenfell, Glirion the Redbeard
- Turning Tide: Shipwright’s Regret Dungeon
- Powerful Assault: Imperial City, Tel Var Vendor
- Encratis’s Behemoth: Veteran Black Drake Villa, Urgarlag Chief-Bane
- Lord Warden: Veteran Imperial City Prison, Urgarlag Chief-bane
- (Perfected)Claw of Yolnahkriin: (Veteran)Sunspire Trial
- (Perfected)Pearlescent Ward: (Veteran)Dreadsail Reef Trial
- Ebon Armory: Crypt of Hearts I & II, Normal and Veteran
- Drake’s Rush: Black Drake Villa Dungeon
- Nazaray: Veteran Shipwright’s Regret, Urgarlag Chief-Bane
- Archdruid Devyric: Veteran Earthen Root Enclave, Urgarlag Chief-Bane
Skills for Necromancer Tank Build
The following Skills will allow you to hold aggro and Tank effectively almost every PVE content.
| Front Bar | Back Bar | |
|---|---|---|
| Skill 1 | Pierce Armor | Unstable Wall of Elements |
| Skill 2 | Heroic Slash | Inner Rage |
| Skill 3 | Agony Totem | Ghostly Embrace |
| Skill 4 | Deaden Pain | Beckoning Armor |
| Skill 5 | Defensive Stance | Razor Caltrops |
| Ultimate Skill | Ravenous Goliath | Aggressive Horn |
- Pierce Armor(Puncture): Our main Taunt attack that also debuffs enemies.
- Heroic Slash(Low Slash): Debuffs our target with Minor Maim but also helps us generate Ultimate faster.
- Agony Totem(Bone Totem): Gives us Minor Protection, fears the enemy and provides the group with the Pure Agony synergy that applies Minor Vulnerability to our targets.
- Deaden Pain(Bitter Harvest): Heals us and generates Ultimate. Reduces damage taken when slotted.
- Defensive Stance(Defensive Posture): Essential skill for tanking. It gives us a shield, increases the amount of damage we can block and reduces the cost of blocking.
- Ravenous Goliath(Bone Goliath Transformation): One of our two Ultimates. Great to use against groups of enemies.
- Unstable Wall of Elements(Wall ofElements): We use this ability to deal damage and apply the Crusher debuff to our targets. It also sets concussed enemies off balance, increasing our damage to them.
- Inner Rage(Inner Fire): Our Taunt for enemies far away.
- Ghostly Embrace(Grave Grasp): Great crowd control skill that can also apply Minor Maim.
- Beckoning Armor(Bone Armor): Defensive ability that increases our resistances but also pulls ranged enemies to us, assisting in crowd control.
- Razor Caltrops(Caltrops): Debuffs enemies and triggers Powerful Assault.
- Aggressive Horn(War Horn): Our main Ultimate. We use this mostly against strong enemies, Bosses, to buff our team.
Passive Skills for Necromancer Tank Build
Very important passive skills that can help you maximize the potential of your Necromancer Tank 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 Necromancer Tank Build
Below you will find the best Champion Points setup for the Build. 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: Rationer, Liquid Efficiency, Master Gatherer, Steed’s Blessing
- Passive: Gilded Fingers, Fortune’s Favor, Wanderer, Steadfast Enchantment, Treasure Hunter(slottable, required for path)
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
Consumables for Necromancer Tank Build
We are using Longfin Pasty with Melon Sauce or Bewitched Sugar Skulls and crafted Tri-Stat Essence of Health.
Info for Necromancer Tank Build
Several important info for the Necromancer Tank PVE Build. What Mundus to use, the best race for the build and how to assign your attribute points.
Attribute Points
24 points to Magicka, 6 to Health and 34 to Stamina
Mundus Stone
The Atronach for better Magicka Recovery.
What Race is Best for Necromancer Tank Build
Nord – Imperial – Orc – Argonian is the best race 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 Necromancer Tank Build
Buff yourself with Beckoning Armor and activate your Agony Totem. Use Ghostly Embrace to immobilize and debuff enemies and your Unstable Wall of Elements to apply the Crusher debuff.
Attack with Heroic Slash to build up your Ultimate faster and use Deaden Pain to heal yourself. Use Razor Caltrops to debuff enemies and trigger Powerful Assault. Activate Defensive Stance to get a shield if necessary. Use your Aggressive Horn ultimate when dealing with bosses and your Ravenous Goliath when dealing with trash mobs.
More Builds
- Hades – Magicka Necromancer PVE Build
- Harbinger – Stamina Necromancer PVE Build
- Charon – Magicka Necromancer Solo PVE Build
- Stamina Necromancer Solo PVE Build
- Undertaker – Magicka Necromancer PVP Build
- Plaguecaller – Stamina Necromancer PVP Build
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- Nightblade Tank Build
- Sorcerer Tank Build
- Templar Tank Build
- Warden Tank Build
- Werewolf Tank Build
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