Tank Builds

One pure-class tank for each of the seven classes, plus a subclassed tank that borrows the best lines from several. Every build is written for group PvE: dungeons and trials.

Update 518 builds

Pure class or subclassed?

A pure-class build uses only its own three class skill lines, so it plays the way the class was designed and is the easiest place to start. Subclassing swaps up to two of those lines for lines from other classes. It's stronger at the top end, but it costs more to unlock and gear.

Pure class builds

Arcanist Tank

Intermediate · Herald of the Tome · Soldier of Apocrypha · Curative Runeforms

Hermaeus Mora's bulwark. Stacked shields, Crux-powered heals and group Major Force from a class mastery, so you don't need a set for it.

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Dragonknight Tank

Beginner · Ardent Flame · Draconic Power · Earthen Heart

A self-sufficient fire-and-scale tank with a built-in pull, group shields and the Lead from the Front mastery. The easiest tank to pick up after the Update 49 refresh.

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Necromancer Tank

Intermediate · Grave Lord · Bone Tyrant · Living Death

A corpse-fuelled bulwark built around Glacial Colossus. It brings Major Vulnerability, Minor Vulnerability and Major Breach from class skills alone, plus very high Ultimate generation.

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Nightblade Tank

Advanced · Assassination · Shadow · Siphoning

A block-heavy shadow brawler. Dark Cloak heals far more while you're bracing, and the Cutthroat's Focus and Share the Spoils masteries feed damage and Ultimate to the group.

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Sorcerer Tank

Intermediate · Dark Magic · Daedric Summoning · Storm Calling

A shield-stacking tank. Huge damage-shield uptime, area Major Maim from Vibrant Shroud, and a new Update 51 group Penetration buff on every Dark Magic cast.

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Templar Tank

Beginner · Aedric Spear · Dawn's Wrath · Restoring Light

A sturdy healer-tank with strong self-heals, a group cleanse and reliable crowd control. Update 51 also turned Illuminate into a group Armor buff.

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Warden Tank

Intermediate · Animal Companions · Green Balance · Winter's Embrace

A frost-and-fauna support tank. Group Major Resolve, near-permanent Major Brittle through Tundra's Maw, and a cleanse every five seconds from Bull Netch.

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Subclassed build

Subclass Tank

Advanced · Subclassed

Winter's Embrace, Siphoning and Grave Lord: group Major Resolve, effortless sustain and Glacial Colossus Major Vulnerability on almost any class.

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Comparison

Build	Difficulty	Signature group support
Arcanist	Intermediate	Major Force Major Vitality Minor Resolve
Dragonknight	Beginner	Major Berserk Major Protection Minor Heroism
Necromancer	Intermediate	Major Vulnerability Minor Vulnerability Major Breach
Nightblade	Advanced	Major Breach Major Vulnerability Major Cowardice
Sorcerer	Intermediate	Major Maim Minor Vitality Major Breach
Templar	Beginner	Illuminate Major Breach Major Vulnerability
Warden	Intermediate	Major Resolve Major Brittle Minor Brittle
Subclass	Advanced	Major Resolve Major Vulnerability Major Breach