Bone Rune Arcanist

Soldier of Apocrypha with the Sorcerer's Daedric Summoning and the Necromancer's Bone Tyrant: Runic Aegis survival without Siphoning, plus Agony Totem's group Minor Protection and Major Cowardice on the boss.

Update 51ExperimentalPvE · TankSubclassedAdvancedSoldier of Apocrypha · Daedric Summoning · Bone Tyrant

Theorycrafted, not tested in game yet

This build comes from a research pass over Update 51 tooltips and passives, scored with the tier list model. It replaces nothing: the Arcanist tank build is still the main page for the class. It drops Herald of the Tome and Curative Runeforms.

Overview

This is the Runic Aegis Arcanist with Siphoning traded for Bone Tyrant. Siphoning Attacks is the best sustain a tank can borrow, but it gives the group nothing. Bone Tyrant's Agony Totem gives you and nearby allies Minor Protection, fears adds, and keeps Major Cowardice on the boss while it stands in the totem.

Bone Tyrant's passives are tank passives: Disdain Harm cuts damage over time by 15% while a Bone Tyrant ability is active, and Health Avarice raises healing received. With Daedric Protection from Daedric Summoning and Minor Evasion from Circumvented Fate, you stack four separate damage reductions on top of Major and Minor Protection.

Cruxweaver Armor stays as your Major Resolve and keeps Minor Breach on whatever hits you, and Runeguard of Still Waters gives the group Minor Resolve.

Strengths

The best overall score of any Arcanist we've scored, pure or subclassed.
Group Minor Resolve, Minor Protection and Minor Evasion, and Major Cowardice on the boss.
Four passive damage reductions: Daedric Protection, Disdain Harm, Circumvented Fate and the Bound Aegis block cap.

Weaknesses

Weaker sustain than the Runic Aegis Arcanist: no Siphoning Attacks.
Gives up the pure Arcanist's group Major Force, Major Vitality and Zenas' Minor buffs, and Class Mastery.
Two borrowed lines to level.

Buffs and debuffs you bring on bosses

Keeps you alive

Your group gets

Enemies get

Research notes

Why it's worth trying, in the order the research ranked things: survival and sustain, debuffs, then buffs.

Survival: Bound Aegis, Regenerative Ward, Daedric Protection, Disdain Harm and Circumvented Fate's Minor Evasion on top of Cruxweaver Armor and Runeguard.
Sustain: weaker than Runic Aegis: Regenerative Ward's Minor Intellect and Endurance, Rebate and potions.
Debuffs: Minor Breach from Cruxweaver Armor, Major Cowardice from Agony Totem under the boss, and Turning Tide with Archdruid Devyric for Major Vulnerability.
Buffs: group Minor Resolve, Minor Protection, Minor Evasion, Minor Intellect and Minor Endurance. The pure Arcanist's Major Force and Major Vitality go.

What to test

Magicka over a long fight without Siphoning Attacks. If it runs dry, play the Runic Aegis Arcanist instead.
Whether the boss stays in Agony Totem long enough for its Major Cowardice.

Score

This build against the current Arcanist build and the best tank overall, on the experimental scoring. The full table is on the Experimental overview.

#	Build	Overall	Self	Enemy	Group
1	Tidebreaker DragonknightExperimentalArdent Flame · Draconic Power · Earthen Heart	A83	A85	S94	C59
7	Bone Rune ArcanistExperimentalSoldier of Apocrypha · Daedric Summoning · Bone Tyrant	A75	A86	S100	C44
8	ArcanistHerald of the Tome · Soldier of Apocrypha · Curative Runeforms	B74	B66	S99	C54

Skill Setups

Every tank build has a Boss and a Trash setup. On bosses you taunt with the scribed Shield Throw (Goading Throw) for its heal and Major Maim; on trash you keep Inner Rage and its Radiate synergy.

Taunt with Shield Throw scribed as Goading Throw instead of Inner Rage. It heals you each time the shield comes back and keeps Major Maim on the boss, so the boss hits 10% softer. Inner Rage's Radiate synergy is lost, which matters less on one target.

What this setup brings

Keeps you alive

Your group gets

Enemies get

Front bar

One hand & shield · Turning Tide

1

2

3

4

5

R

Back bar

Ice staff · Turning Tide

1

2

3

4

5

R

Slot	Skill	Why it's slotted
Front 1	Bound Aegis Daedric Summoning Cast time: InstantDuration: 3 secondsCost: 4,050 Magicka Minor Resolve and Minor Protection while slotted on either bar. Cast it right before a heavy hit for 50% more damage blocked, which takes your block to the 90% cap.	Minor Resolve and Minor Protection while slotted on either bar. Cast it right before a heavy hit for 50% more damage blocked, which takes your block to the 90% cap.
Front 2	Shield Throw Scribed as Goading Throw Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresCost: 2,538 Stamina Scribed as Goading Throw: your boss taunt. It heals you on return and keeps Major Maim on the boss. Recast it every 10 seconds.	Scribed as Goading Throw: your boss taunt. It heals you on return and keeps Major Maim on the boss. Recast it every 10 seconds.
Front 3	Runeguard of Still Waters Soldier of Apocrypha Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 3,510 Magicka Your heal: it fires when you drop below 50% Health. Until then it gives you Minor Protection and the group Minor Resolve.	Your heal: it fires when you drop below 50% Health. Until then it gives you Minor Protection and the group Minor Resolve.
Front 4	Regenerative Ward Daedric Summoning Cast time: InstantDuration: 10 secondsCost: 3,780 Magicka Your damage shield for 10 seconds, a small heal, and Minor Intellect and Endurance for you and nearby allies. While it's up, Daedric Protection cuts your damage taken by another 5%.	Your damage shield for 10 seconds, a small heal, and Minor Intellect and Endurance for you and nearby allies. While it's up, Daedric Protection cuts your damage taken by another 5%.
Front 5	Revealing Flare Support Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 5 secondsCost: 5,130 Magicka Major Protection (10% less damage taken) just for having it slotted. You never need to cast it.	Major Protection (10% less damage taken) just for having it slotted. You never need to cast it.
Front R	Reviving Barrier Support Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate Shields and heals you and nearby group members for raid-wide damage.	Shields and heals you and nearby group members for raid-wide damage.
Back 1	Elemental Susceptibility Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantRange: 35 metresDuration: 30 secondsCost: 3,240 Magicka Boss Major Breach; its Chilled and Concussion add Minor Maim, Brittle and Vulnerability.	Boss Major Breach; its Chilled and Concussion add Minor Maim, Brittle and Vulnerability.
Back 2	Elemental Blockade Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantDuration: 15 secondsCost: 2,970 Magicka Area Chilled for Minor Maim and Brittle, and Minor Breach on Chilled targets.	Area Chilled for Minor Maim and Brittle, and Minor Breach on Chilled targets.
Back 3	Agony Totem Bone Tyrant Cast time: InstantDuration: 13 secondsCost: 4,050 Magicka Minor Protection for you and allies near it, and it fears adds. Drop it under the boss for Major Cowardice. It also keeps Disdain Harm active.	Minor Protection for you and allies near it, and it fears adds. Drop it under the boss for Major Cowardice. It also keeps Disdain Harm active.
Back 4	Wield Soul Scribed as Leashing Soul Cast time: InstantRange: 22 metresCost: 4,234 Magicka Scribed as Leashing Soul with the Cowardice affix: the pull, and Major Cowardice on what you pull.	Scribed as Leashing Soul with the Cowardice affix: the pull, and Major Cowardice on what you pull.
Back 5	Cruxweaver Armor Soldier of Apocrypha Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 2,700 Magicka Major Resolve for 30 seconds, and Minor Breach on anything that hits you.	Major Resolve for 30 seconds, and Minor Breach on anything that hits you.
Back R	Gibbering Shelter Soldier of Apocrypha Cast time: InstantDuration: 10 secondsCost: 200 Ultimate Soaks 60% of your damage for 10 seconds and shields the group each time it absorbs a hit.	Soaks 60% of your damage for 10 seconds and shields the group each time it absorbs a hit.

Scribing

Scribed skill

Goading Throw

Shield Throw · Taunt / Sage's Remedy / Maim

Cast time: Instant
Target: Enemy
Range: 28 metres
Cost: 2,538 Stamina

Taunt

Focus script: Deals 2,145 Physical Damage to an enemy and taunts them for 15 seconds.

Sage's Remedy

Signature script: Heals you for 2,591 Health on return, scaling off your Max Health.

Maim

Affix script: Afflicts the enemy with Major Maim for 10 seconds, reducing damage done by 10%.

Goading Throw: a 28m taunt that heals you when the shield comes back and puts Major Maim on the boss for 10 seconds, so the boss deals 10% less damage.

Scribed skill

Leashing Soul

Wield Soul · Pull / Druid's Resurgence / Cowardice

Cast time: Instant
Target: Enemy
Range: 22 metres
Cost: 4,234 Magicka

Pull

Focus script: Deals 2,803 Magic Damage to an enemy, pulls them to you, and taunts them for 16 seconds if they are not already taunted.

Druid's Resurgence

Signature script: Restores 600 Magicka and 600 Stamina.

Cowardice

Affix script: Afflicts the enemy with Major Cowardice for 10 seconds, reducing Weapon and Spell Damage by 430.

Leashing Soul: pulls and taunts an add, refunds 600 Magicka and Stamina, and gives the target Major Cowardice.

Open the Boss setup in the Build Editor to change skills, gear and stats.

Taunt with Inner Rage; up to three allies can use its Radiate synergy. Pulsar takes Elemental Susceptibility's slot and spreads Chilled over the whole pack. Razor Caltrops replaces Agony Totem for AoE Major Breach. Reverberating Bash replaces Revealing Flare to trigger Void Bash and stack the pack.

What this setup brings

Keeps you alive

Your group gets

Enemies get

Front bar

One hand & shield · Void Bash

1

2

3

4

5

R

Back bar

Ice staff · Powerful Assault

1

2

3

4

5

R

Slot	Skill	Why it's slotted
Front 1	Bound Aegis Daedric Summoning Cast time: InstantDuration: 3 secondsCost: 4,050 Magicka Minor Resolve and Minor Protection while slotted on either bar. Cast it right before a heavy hit for 50% more damage blocked, which takes your block to the 90% cap.	Minor Resolve and Minor Protection while slotted on either bar. Cast it right before a heavy hit for 50% more damage blocked, which takes your block to the 90% cap.
Front 2	Inner Rage Undaunted Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresCost: 1,620 Magicka Trash taunt: 28m range, and up to 3 allies can use its Radiate synergy.	Trash taunt: 28m range, and up to 3 allies can use its Radiate synergy.
Front 3	Runeguard of Still Waters Soldier of Apocrypha Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 3,510 Magicka Your heal: it fires when you drop below 50% Health. Until then it gives you Minor Protection and the group Minor Resolve.	Your heal: it fires when you drop below 50% Health. Until then it gives you Minor Protection and the group Minor Resolve.
Front 4	Regenerative Ward Daedric Summoning Cast time: InstantDuration: 10 secondsCost: 3,780 Magicka Your damage shield for 10 seconds, a small heal, and Minor Intellect and Endurance for you and nearby allies. While it's up, Daedric Protection cuts your damage taken by another 5%.	Your damage shield for 10 seconds, a small heal, and Minor Intellect and Endurance for you and nearby allies. While it's up, Daedric Protection cuts your damage taken by another 5%.
Front 5	Reverberating Bash One Hand and Shield Cast time: InstantRange: 7 metresCost: 2,700 Stamina Trash: a stun on the target, and the bash that triggers Void Bash to pull the pack into one stack.	Trash: a stun on the target, and the bash that triggers Void Bash to pull the pack into one stack.
Front R	Reviving Barrier Support Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate Shields and heals you and nearby group members for raid-wide damage.	Shields and heals you and nearby group members for raid-wide damage.
Back 1	Pulsar Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantCost: 3,780 Magicka Trash: Chilled on the whole pack for Minor Brittle and Minor Maim, Minor Mangle, and Minor Protection for you.	Trash: Chilled on the whole pack for Minor Brittle and Minor Maim, Minor Mangle, and Minor Protection for you.
Back 2	Elemental Blockade Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantDuration: 15 secondsCost: 2,970 Magicka Area Chilled for Minor Maim and Brittle, and Minor Breach on Chilled targets.	Area Chilled for Minor Maim and Brittle, and Minor Breach on Chilled targets.
Back 3	Razor Caltrops Assault Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 10 secondsCost: 2,295 Stamina Trash: AoE Major Breach and a snare on the pack, and a Powerful Assault trigger.	Trash: AoE Major Breach and a snare on the pack, and a Powerful Assault trigger.
Back 4	Wield Soul Scribed as Leashing Soul Cast time: InstantRange: 22 metresCost: 4,234 Magicka Scribed as Leashing Soul with the Cowardice affix: the pull, and Major Cowardice on what you pull.	Scribed as Leashing Soul with the Cowardice affix: the pull, and Major Cowardice on what you pull.
Back 5	Cruxweaver Armor Soldier of Apocrypha Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 2,700 Magicka Major Resolve for 30 seconds, and Minor Breach on anything that hits you.	Major Resolve for 30 seconds, and Minor Breach on anything that hits you.
Back R	Gibbering Shelter Soldier of Apocrypha Cast time: InstantDuration: 10 secondsCost: 200 Ultimate Soaks 60% of your damage for 10 seconds and shields the group each time it absorbs a hit.	Soaks 60% of your damage for 10 seconds and shields the group each time it absorbs a hit.

Scribing

Scribed skill

Leashing Soul

Wield Soul · Pull / Druid's Resurgence / Cowardice

Cast time: Instant
Target: Enemy
Range: 22 metres
Cost: 4,234 Magicka

Pull

Focus script: Deals 2,803 Magic Damage to an enemy, pulls them to you, and taunts them for 16 seconds if they are not already taunted.

Druid's Resurgence

Signature script: Restores 600 Magicka and 600 Stamina.

Cowardice

Affix script: Afflicts the enemy with Major Cowardice for 10 seconds, reducing Weapon and Spell Damage by 430.

Leashing Soul: pulls and taunts an add, refunds 600 Magicka and Stamina, and gives the target Major Cowardice.

Open the Trash setup in the Build Editor to change skills, gear and stats.

Flex skills

Swap these in when the fight or your group calls for it.

Hungry Scythe
A heal over time in place of Runeguard if you'd rather heal on demand.
Impervious Runeward
A huge one second shield for a single telegraphed hit.
Summon Unstable Clannfear
A permanent pet keeps Daedric Protection up all the time and gives 5% Max Health.
Empowering Grasp
Area Major Maim and Empower for your damage dealers, on big trash pulls.

Passives

The passives that shape this build. They come with the skill lines, so there's nothing to slot.

Circumvented Fate
Each Arcanist cast gives you and the group Minor Evasion for 20 seconds.
Disdain Harm
15% less damage over time while Agony Totem is active.
Daedric Protection
5% less damage taken while Regenerative Ward or Bound Aegis is active on you.
Rebate
Magicka back each time Regenerative Ward or Bound Aegis ends.
Sword and Board
20% more damage blocked with your shield on the front bar.
Undaunted Mettle
6% Max Health, Magicka and Stamina, since your gear has all three armour weights.
Constitution
Health Recovery and a little Magicka and Stamina from each Heavy Armor piece when you take damage.

Gear

The front bar swaps Void Bash for Turning Tide. Goading Throw already keeps Major Maim on the boss, and a single target has nothing to gather, so the extra pieces let Turning Tide work from both bars.

Pick a set for each block. The build's recommended gear is selected to start with.

Body

Chest, hands, waist, legs and feet

Jewellery & back bar

Neck, both rings and the ice staff

Front-bar weapons

One-handed sword and shield

Monster set

Head and shoulders

Buffs and debuffs with this gear

Gold entries come from your gear; the rest come from your skills and passives.

Slots

Slot	Set	Type	Trait	Enchant
Head	Archdruid Devyric Medium (monster)	Medium (monster)	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Shoulders	Archdruid Devyric Light (monster)	Light (monster)	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Chest	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Hands	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Waist	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Legs	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Feet	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Neck	Turning Tide Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 1	Turning Tide Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 2	Turning Tide Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Front: main hand	Turning Tide One-handed sword	One-handed sword	Infused	Crusher
Front: off hand	Turning Tide Shield	Shield	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Back bar	Turning Tide Ice staff (two-handed)	Ice staff (two-handed)	Infused	Crusher

Sturdy and Divines are interchangeable on armour. Tri-Stat glyphs on jewellery are a fine swap if you need more resources.

What the sets do

Archdruid DevyricMonster

2 pieces · Earthen Root Enclave (veteran) + Undaunted chest

(1 item)Adds 1487 Offensive Penetration.
(2 items)When you deal damage with a Heavy Attack, after 1.2 seconds deal 650 Shock damage to up to 6 enemies in a 7 by 5 meter line on your target, applying Major Vulnerability to them for 7 seconds. Once every 15 seconds.

Lucent EchoesTrial

5 pieces · Lucent Citadel (Gold Road); perfected on veteran

(2 items)Adds 4% Healing Taken.
(3 items)Gain Minor Aegis, reducing damage taken from monsters by 5%.
(4 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(5 perfected)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(5 items)While you are above 50% Health, group members within 28m who aren't wearing Lucent Echoes gain 11% Critical Damage and Critical Healing. At 50% Health or below, you take 20% less damage from monsters.

Turning TideDungeon

5 pieces · Shipwright's Regret (Ascending Tide)

(2 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(3 items)Adds 1096 Max Stamina.
(4 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(5 items)When you Block, your next Bash within 10 seconds deals 2223 Magic damage to up to 6 enemies in a 5 by 10 meter line and applies Major Vulnerability for 10 seconds. Scales off Max Health. Once every 15 seconds.

Archdruid Devyric often misses moving packs, so the helm becomes a one-piece Magma Incarnate for recovery and the shoulders Spaulder of Ruin: crouch to give up to 6 allies 260 Weapon and Spell Damage. Lucent Echoes becomes Turning Tide for short pulls: block, then bash, to cleave the pack and give it Major Vulnerability. Turning Tide becomes Powerful Assault: you don't want to spend Ultimates on trash, and Razor Caltrops triggers it. Void Bash on the front bar pulls the pack together when you bash with Reverberating Bash, then puts Major Maim on all of it. That's for dungeons: trial adds can't be crowd controlled, so in trials keep the Boss front bar on trash too. The back-bar ice staff takes the Charged trait so Pulsar almost always applies Chilled, and the jewellery goes Swift for running between packs.

Pick a set for each block. The build's recommended gear is selected to start with.

Body

Chest, hands, waist, legs and feet

Jewellery & back bar

Neck, both rings and the ice staff

Front-bar weapons

One-handed sword and shield

Buffs and debuffs with this gear

Gold entries come from your gear; the rest come from your skills and passives.

Keeps you alive

Your group gets

Enemies get

Slots

Slot	Set	Type	Trait	Enchant
Head	Magma Incarnate Medium (monster)	Medium (monster)	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Shoulders	Spaulder of Ruin Light (mythic)	Light (mythic)	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Chest	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Hands	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Waist	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Legs	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Feet	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Neck	Powerful Assault Jewellery	Jewellery	Swift	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 1	Powerful Assault Jewellery	Jewellery	Swift	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 2	Powerful Assault Jewellery	Jewellery	Swift	Reduce Spell Cost
Front: main hand	Void Bash One-handed sword	One-handed sword	Infused	Crusher
Front: off hand	Void Bash Shield	Shield	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Back bar	Powerful Assault Ice staff (two-handed)	Ice staff (two-handed)	Charged	Crusher

Sturdy and Divines are interchangeable on armour. Tri-Stat glyphs on jewellery are a fine swap if you need more resources.

What the sets do

Magma IncarnateMonster

1 piece · The Dread Cellar (veteran) + Undaunted chest

Only 1 of 2 pieces, so the top bonus is off.

(1 item)Adds 129 Magicka Recovery and 129 Stamina Recovery.
(2 items)When you heal yourself or a group member with a single target heal ability, grant the lowest Health group member within 28 meters Minor Courage and Minor Resolve for 10 seconds. The effect then bounces to a nearby group member within 8 meters, up to 3 times. Once every 15 seconds.

Spaulder of RuinMythic

1 piece · Antiquities (The Deadlands)

(1 item)Crouch to toggle Aura of Pride: up to 6 group members within 12m gain 260 Weapon and Spell Damage, and you lose some Health, Magicka and Stamina Recovery per ally affected.

Turning TideDungeon

5 pieces · Shipwright's Regret (Ascending Tide)

(2 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(3 items)Adds 1096 Max Stamina.
(4 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(5 items)When you Block, your next Bash within 10 seconds deals 2223 Magic damage to up to 6 enemies in a 5 by 10 meter line and applies Major Vulnerability for 10 seconds. Scales off Max Health. Once every 15 seconds.

Powerful AssaultPvP

3 front / 5 back · Imperial City Tel Var merchants

Full bonus on the back bar only.

(2 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(3 items)Adds 1096 Max Stamina.
(4 items)Adds 129 Weapon and Spell Damage.
(5 items)When you cast an Assault ability in combat, you and up to 5 group members within 12m gain 307 Weapon and Spell Damage for 15 seconds.

Void BashArena

2 pieces · front bar · Vateshran Hollows (Markarth); perfected on veteran

(2 perfected)Adds 965 Max Health.
(2 items)When you deal damage with Power Bash, you gain Call of the Void for 2 seconds, pulling enemies within 12m to you. When it ends, enemies in the area get Major Maim for 10 seconds. Once every 13 seconds.

Alternative sets

Roksa the Warped
Monster swap if Magicka runs dry: stacking Health, Magicka and Stamina Recovery.
Pearlescent Ward
Body swap for progression trials.
Saxhleel Champion
Group Major Force on every Ultimate, if Vulnerability is already covered.

Champion Points

Slottable stars only. Spend passive points in each tree along the path to these stars.

Warfare cuts single-target and direct damage, and Fitness adds Max Health, Armor and stronger shields.

Warfare

Ironclad
Less damage from direct attacks, which covers most boss mechanics.
Duelist's Rebuff
Less damage from single-target hits.
Bulwark
Free Armor with a shield or frost staff. Swap for Enduring Resolve at the armour cap.
Focused Mending
Stronger single-target heals, which boosts your own self-heals and Goading Throw's heal.

Fitness

Boundless Vitality
Max Health is the base of every heal and shield you have.
Fortified
Armor until you hit the cap.
Rejuvenation
Recovery for all three resources.
Bastion
Stronger shields from skills and sets.

Craft

Steed's Blessing
Run between pulls faster.
Gifted Rider
Faster mount.

Celerity replaces Rejuvenation so you get between packs faster.

Warfare

Ironclad
Less damage from direct attacks, which covers most boss mechanics.
Duelist's Rebuff
Less damage from single-target hits.
Bulwark
Free Armor with a shield or frost staff. Swap for Enduring Resolve at the armour cap.
Focused Mending
Stronger single-target heals, which boosts your own self-heals and Goading Throw's heal.

Fitness

Boundless Vitality
Max Health is the base of every heal and shield you have.
Fortified
Armor until you hit the cap.
Celerity
Trash: movement speed for running between packs.
Bastion
Stronger shields from skills and sets.

Craft

Steed's Blessing
Run between pulls faster.
Gifted Rider
Faster mount.

Good swaps

Unassailable
Less AoE damage taken. Swap it in for Focused Mending on fights where the damage is mostly area attacks.
Enduring Resolve
Less damage over time. Swap it in for Bulwark once you're at the armour cap, or for fights that are mostly damage over time.

Race

Nord
Max Health, Armor and Ultimate whenever you take damage.

Mundus

The Atronach
Magicka Recovery, since most of a tank's casts cost Magicka.
below the armour capThe Lady
Adds Armor. Take it over The Atronach while your gear and CP leave you short of the armour cap.

Attributes

64 Health

Max Health is what every heal and shield you cast scales from. Food, mundus and Reduce Spell Cost jewellery cover your Magicka and Stamina. Keep Max Stamina above Max Magicka, though: the Combustion synergy restores whichever is higher, and you want it to be Stamina. If passives or sets push your Magicka up, put just enough points into Stamina to stay ahead and the rest into Health.

Food

defaultJewels of Misrule
Max Health with Magicka and Stamina Recovery, at a fraction of the price of Bear Haunch.
bestOrzorga's Smoked Bear Haunch
Adds Health Recovery on top, so it's slightly better, but it costs much more.

Potions

Essence of Health
Tri-stat: restores Health, Magicka and Stamina at once.
situationalHeroism potion
Minor Heroism for more Ultimate, when your resources hold up without tri-stats.

Gameplay

1Taunt bosses with Shield Throw (Goading Throw) and trash with Inner Rage.
2Keep Cruxweaver Armor, Regenerative Ward and Runeguard of Still Waters up, and drop Agony Totem under the boss.
3Cast Bound Aegis right before a heavy hit and block it.
4Block the boss's heavy attacks and bash right after for Turning Tide, and Heavy Attack every 15 seconds for Archdruid Devyric.
5Use potions and Rebate for Magicka: you have no Siphoning here.

FAQ

What does the Arcanist tank bring to the group?

On bosses it gives the group 4 buffs, and puts 8 debuffs, including Major Breach, Major Vulnerability, Major Cowardice and Major Maim on the boss. The full list is under Overview.

What's the difference between the Boss and Trash setups?

Bosses taunt with the scribed Shield Throw (Goading Throw) for its heal and Major Maim. Trash keeps Inner Rage for its Radiate synergy and swaps in skills and gear for packs of adds.

Should I play this instead of the Arcanist tank build?

Not yet without trying it. It does better on paper (see Score), but it hasn't been tested in trials. Check the points under Research notes first, and keep the Arcanist tank build if your group relies on what it drops (Herald of the Tome and Curative Runeforms).