Damage Dealer Tier List
Every damage dealer build on the site, ranked mostly on damage: single target first, then packs, then how easy it is to play well and what it gives the group.
Update 5116 buildsUpdated 2026-10-28
How to read it
Each build gets four scores out of 100. The overall score weights them 50% single target, 30% area, 10% ease and 10% utility. Arcanist comes out on top with 92.3. The gaps are small: every build here clears veteran content in good hands, so pick a class you enjoy.
Overall tiers
A
B
Full ranking
| # | Build | Overall | Sim DPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ArcanistMelee · Stamina | 92.3S | 167k |
| 2 | DragonknightMelee · Magicka | 90.4S | 159k |
| 3 | NightbladeMelee · Magicka | 84.5A | 177k |
| 4 | NecromancerMelee · Stamina | 84.3A | 147k |
| 5 | Subclass (Beam)Melee · Stamina | 80.8A | 150k |
| 6 | Nightblade: Double InfernoRanged · Magicka | 80.7A | 154k |
| 7 | SorcererMelee · Magicka | 80.7A | 169k |
| 8 | WardenMelee · Stamina | 79.3B | 162k |
| 9 | TemplarMelee · Magicka | 74.9B | 141k |
| 10 | Nightblade: Heavy AttackRanged · Magicka | 73B | 115k |
| 11 | Sorcerer: Heavy AttackRanged · Magicka | 72.7B | 114k |
| 12 | Necromancer: Heavy AttackRanged · Magicka | 70.2C | 93k |
| 13 | Dragonknight: Heavy AttackRanged · Magicka | 69C | 92k |
| 14 | Templar: Heavy AttackRanged · Magicka | 68.2C | 92k |
| 15 | Arcanist: Heavy AttackRanged · Magicka | 66.5C | 95k |
| 16 | Warden: Heavy AttackRanged · Magicka | 63.6C | 80k |
Why each build scores what it does
- Single target 94.5
- Simulated at 167k on the Trial dummy. A published parse of this setup is about 154k.
- Area 95
- The beam hits everything in its line at full strength.
- Ease 90
- A simple build-and-spend loop, and a shield while you beam.
- Utility 75
- Fulminating Rune's synergy for three allies.
- Single target 89.8
- Simulated at 159k on the Trial dummy. A published parse of this setup is about 163k.
- Area 95
- The breath cleaves everything in front of you.
- Ease 90
- One channel and a short refresh list.
- Utility 80
- Group Major Brutality from Igneous Weapons and Minor Brutality from Elder Dragon.
- Single target 100
- Simulated at 177k on the Trial dummy. A published parse of this setup is about 155k.
- Area 80
- Dark Shade and Sap Essence, but the spammable is single target.
- Ease 50
- Stealth windows, Focus stacks and an execute swap.
- Utility 55
- Group Minor Savagery from Hemorrhage.
- Single target 83.5
- Simulated at 147k on the Trial dummy.
- Area 95
- Corpseburster and Blastbones explosions hit the whole pack.
- Ease 70
- Corpse timing and skeleton delays take practice.
- Utility 70
- Major Breach and Minor Vulnerability from Unnerving Boneyard.
- Single target 85
- Simulated at 150k on the Trial dummy (Animal Companions, the best of its 3 lines). A published parse of this setup is about 145k.
- Area 92
- The beam cleaves, like the Arcanist's.
- Ease 90
- The Arcanist's simple loop on any class.
- Utility 50
- Little for the group.
- Subclass
- Keeps 92% of its area, ease and utility scores: subclassing turns Class Mastery off.
- Single target 87.4
- Simulated at 154k on the Trial dummy.
- Area 80
- The wall, Barbed Trap and Elemental Rage hit the pack, but Swallow Soul is single target.
- Ease 70
- Two bars of damage over time to track, but no Light Attack weaving.
- Utility 60
- Group Minor Savagery from Hemorrhage, and Major Breach and Minor Maim on the boss.
- Single target 95.4
- Simulated at 169k on the Trial dummy.
- Area 75
- Haunting Curse and Hurricane, but the spammable is single target.
- Ease 55
- Crystal Fragments procs, Bound Armaments stacks and two curse timers.
- Utility 50
- Little beyond the Conduit synergy.
- Single target 91.5
- Simulated at 162k on the Trial dummy. A published parse of this setup is about 183k.
- Area 70
- Wild Guardian is single target; Soul Burst and Arctic Blast carry trash.
- Ease 60
- Ten things to refresh, and you hold your Ultimate.
- Utility 65
- Major and Minor Breach from Deep Fissure.
- Single target 79.7
- Simulated at 141k on the Trial dummy.
- Area 75
- Puncturing Sweep hits six enemies; the rest is single target.
- Ease 60
- Aetheric Lancer's area has to be picked up.
- Utility 65
- Group Weapon and Spell Damage from Bright Harbinger, and Purify.
- Single target 64.9
- Simulated at 115k on the Trial dummy. A published parse of this setup is about 126k.
- Area 85
- Lightning Staff Heavy Attacks hit everything around the target, and the wall and shade are area damage.
- Ease 95
- One bar and a slow Heavy Attack rotation.
- Utility 55
- Group Minor Savagery from Hemorrhage, and Off Balance from the wall.
- Single target 64.4
- Simulated at 114k on the Trial dummy. A published parse of this setup is about 114k.
- Area 85
- Daedric Prey and the familiar's pulse hit the pack, and Lightning Staff Heavy Attacks cleave.
- Ease 90
- One bar, with two pet specials to use.
- Utility 60
- Offensive Penetration from Exploitation and 6% Weapon and Spell Damage from Calculated Defense.
- Single target 52.4
- Simulated at 93k on the Trial dummy.
- Area 90
- Boneyard, Blastbones, the wall and Glacial Colossus all hit the pack.
- Ease 95
- One bar and a slow Heavy Attack rotation.
- Utility 75
- Major Breach and Minor Vulnerability from Unnerving Boneyard, and Major Vulnerability from Glacial Colossus.
- Single target 52
- Simulated at 92k on the Trial dummy.
- Area 85
- Lightning Staff Heavy Attacks hit everything around the target, and the wall is area damage.
- Ease 95
- One bar and a slow Heavy Attack rotation.
- Utility 80
- Group Major Brutality and Empower from Molten Armaments, and Minor Heroism and Major Berserk.
- Single target 52.3
- Simulated at 92k on the Trial dummy.
- Area 85
- Blazing Spear, the wall and Solar Prison hit the pack, and Lightning Staff Heavy Attacks cleave.
- Ease 95
- One bar and a slow Heavy Attack rotation.
- Utility 70
- Group Armor and Weapon and Spell Damage from Dawn's Wrath casts, and Major Maim.
- Single target 54
- Simulated at 95k on the Trial dummy.
- Area 85
- Tentacular Dread and the wall hit the pack, and Lightning Staff Heavy Attacks cleave.
- Ease 80
- One bar, but Crux to build and spend between Heavy Attacks.
- Utility 60
- Fulminating Rune's synergy, and Off Balance from the wall.
- Single target 45.2
- Simulated at 80k on the Trial dummy.
- Area 85
- Winter's Revenge and the wall hit the pack, and Lightning Staff Heavy Attacks cleave.
- Ease 95
- One bar and a slow Heavy Attack rotation, with healing on every Heavy Attack.
- Utility 60
- Minor Vulnerability and Off Balance on the boss.
How it's scored
Single target (50%). Each build's Boss setup played in the DPS Simulator on the 21 million Health Trial dummy, scaled so the best live build is 100. Every build is measured the same way, including the ones with no published parse; a build with line variants scores its best line. The simulator lands within a few percent of most published parses, but not all (it has the Warden about 12% under its parse), and dummy numbers are an upper limit: real fights move, so the other scores matter too.
Area (30%). How much of the build's damage reaches a whole pack. Builds whose main skill cleaves (the breath, the beam, corpse explosions) score highest.
Ease (10%). How hard it is to get close to the parse in a real fight: how many things to refresh, procs to react to, and whether you hold your Ultimate.
Utility (10%). What the build gives the group or puts on the boss beyond its own damage, like group Major Brutality or Major Breach.
Subclassed builds keep 92% of their area, ease and utility scores, because subclassing turns Class Mastery off (the simulation already counts it for single target). Tiers: S from 88, A from 80, B from 72, and C below that.