Dragonknight Damage Dealer

Breathe fire and keep breathing. One channel does most of the damage, it cleaves a whole pack, and you take less damage while you hold it.

Update 52 (PTS)PvE · Damage DealerPure classBeginnerMeleeMagickaBreathLast reviewed 2026-10-27

Update 52 (PTS) version

This page is the Update 52 version of this damage dealer build. Update 52 is on the PTS until January 19, 2027, so numbers can still move. Skill and set tooltips still show the live Update 51 text; hover one that changes to see what's new. For what works in game today, switch to Update 51 in the version picker (top right, or in the menu on phones). The full list is in the Update 52 patch notes.

Overview

The Breath Dragonknight is built around Engulfing Dragonfire: a 4.8-second channel that breathes fire in front of you, ramps up 5% per tick, and cuts the damage you take by 15% while you hold it. Take Flight is a cheap Ultimate that makes you deal 20% more damage to monsters for 15 seconds, and while it's up the breath always hits at full strength.

Your damage over time effects (Searing Claw, Incinerate, Shatterspike Mantle) go out between channels. Wildfire Embers makes each one leave a stacking ember when it ends, and Inexorable Descent makes every Landslide stack worth more. Igneous Weapons gives your whole group Major Brutality.

It parses about 163k on the 21 million Health dummy and loses almost nothing on trash, since the breath hits everything in front of you. The rotation is short, which is why we rate it the easiest top build.

Strengths

Strong on bosses and trash with the same bars.
Short rotation: one channel and five things to refresh.
Group Major Brutality from Igneous Weapons, and your own Major Resolve from Shatterspike Mantle.

Weaknesses

The breath is a cone in front of you, so it needs you facing the boss.
You can't Light Attack during the channel, so Quick Cloak is there to proc your weapon glyphs.
Full damage needs Slivers of the Null Arca and Whorl of the Depths.

Buffs and debuffs you bring on bosses

You get

Your group gets

Class Mastery

Pure-class characters with all three class lines at rank 50 can slot two Class Mastery passives (added in Update 50).

Wildfire Embers
When one of your Dragonknight damage over time effects ends, it leaves a stacking ember that burns for 12 seconds.
Inexorable Descent
Each Landslide stack also adds 1% to your damage, on top of the passive's own 1%.

What changes in Update 52

Update 52 is on the PTS (patch 12.2.0, from 26 October 2026) and goes live on 19 January 2027. This version follows the first PTS week, so numbers can still move. Skill and set tooltips on this page still show the live Update 51 text.

Class. World in Ruin rises to 10% more area and damage over time damage (from 6%), and Inexorable Descent makes each Landslide activation give 2 stacks instead of 1. Nearly all of this build's damage is area or damage over time, so it gains the most of any build in Update 52.

Traits. Nirnhoned weapons rise to 20% more weapon damage (from 15%) and Precise to 7.4% Critical Chance (from 7.2%), while Charged drops to 225% (from 235%). Nirnhoned main hands get a little stronger against Charged ones; the gear table stays as written until PTS numbers settle.

DPS Simulation

The Boss setup played by the DPS Simulator on the 21 million Health Trial dummy, with its group buffs and debuffs, Light Attack weaving and a full Ultimate bar to start. It's #4 of 16 for single target on the tier list, #1 overall.

Simulated DPS: 165,982
Fight: 126.5 s
Front bar: 7,300 damage · 58% crit · 125% crit damage

Where the damage comes from

Engulfing Dragonfire42.3%
•Wildfire Embers7.5%
Incinerate7.2%
Searing Claw7.1%
Stampede7.1%
GLFlame glyph4.1%
Shatterspike Mantle4.0%
GLPoison glyph3.7%
…Everything else17.1%

Damage type

Frost1.8%
Flame79.8%
Poison3.7%
Physical14.6%

69.8% direct, 30.2% over time.

Group buffs it leans on most

Major Vulnerability−14.5k
Major Courage−12.7k
Roar of Alkosh−12.0k
Major Breach−11.9k
Major Slayer−11.3k
Minor Savagery−10.0k

DPS lost if the group didn't bring it.

A simulation, not a parse: it uses UESP tooltip numbers, plays a clean rotation and assumes you sustain it. Light Attack, status effect and pet damage are estimates. Open this run in the DPS Simulator to change gear, buffs or the rotation and see the full breakdown.

Skill Setups

Every damage dealer build has a Boss setup for single targets and a Trash setup that swaps a slot or two for packs. The gear stays the same for both.

Single target: every slot either hits the boss harder or buffs you. Keep your damage over time effects and buffs up, then spam your spammable in between.

What this setup brings

You get

Your group gets

Front bar

Dual Wield

1

2

3

4

5

R

Back bar

Two Handed · Greatsword

1

2

3

4

5

R

Slot	Skill	Why it's slotted
Front 1	Engulfing Dragonfire Draconic Power Cast time: InstantDuration: 10 secondsCost: 2,984 Stamina Your main skill: a 4.8-second fire breath that ramps up 5% per tick and cuts your damage taken by 15%. Unlike other channels, it doesn't go on cooldown when interrupted.	Your main skill: a 4.8-second fire breath that ramps up 5% per tick and cuts your damage taken by 15%. Unlike other channels, it doesn't go on cooldown when interrupted.
Front 2	Searing Claw Ardent Flame Cast time: InstantRange: 7 metresDuration: 10 secondsCost: 2,295 Stamina Direct hit plus a 10-second burn that grows each tick. Its hit always sets the target Burning.	Direct hit plus a 10-second burn that grows each tick. Its hit always sets the target Burning.
Front 3	Camouflaged Hunter Fighters Guild Cast time: InstantDuration: 5 secondsCost: 5,130 Stamina Slotted for Major Savagery, Minor Berserk when you crit from the flank, and the Fighters Guild's Slayer passive.	Slotted for Major Savagery, Minor Berserk when you crit from the flank, and the Fighters Guild's Slayer passive.
Front 4	Quick Cloak Dual Wield Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 3,780 Stamina Major Evasion, a burst of speed, and 30 seconds of damage that procs your weapon glyphs while you can't Light Attack.	Major Evasion, a burst of speed, and 30 seconds of damage that procs your weapon glyphs while you can't Light Attack.
Front 5	Banner Bearer Scribed as Magical Banner Cast time: InstantCost: 459 Magicka and 459 Stamina every two seconds Toggle banner: 6% more magic damage, Weapon and Spell Damage from your Movement Speed, and Minor Heroism. It only stays up while it's on both bars.	Toggle banner: 6% more magic damage, Weapon and Spell Damage from your Movement Speed, and Minor Heroism. It only stays up while it's on both bars.
Front R	Take Flight Draconic Power Cast time: InstantRange: 22 metresCost: 125 Ultimate Cheap: 20% more damage to monsters for 15 seconds, and the breath hits at full strength while it lasts.	Cheap: 20% more damage to monsters for 15 seconds, and the breath hits at full strength while it lasts.
Back 1	Shatterspike Mantle Earthen Heart Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 2,700 Magicka Your Major Resolve, a 20-second damage over time effect, and extra damage on every tick you deal.	Your Major Resolve, a 20-second damage over time effect, and extra damage on every tick you deal.
Back 2	Incinerate Ardent Flame Cast time: InstantDuration: 15 secondsCost: 4,050 Magicka A fire wave around you, then again every 5 seconds for 15 seconds. Slotted, it gives you Major Savagery.	A fire wave around you, then again every 5 seconds for 15 seconds. Slotted, it gives you Major Savagery.
Back 3	Igneous Weapons Earthen Heart Cast time: InstantDuration: 60 secondsCost: 4,320 Magicka 60 seconds of Major Brutality for you and your group, and extra Light Attack damage.	60 seconds of Major Brutality for you and your group, and extra Light Attack damage.
Back 4	Stampede Two Handed Cast time: InstantRange: 22 metresDuration: 15 secondsCost: 4,590 Stamina Gap closer that leaves a burning patch under the boss. It procs your weapon glyph over and over, and with Merciless Charge it adds direct damage.	Gap closer that leaves a burning patch under the boss. It procs your weapon glyph over and over, and with Merciless Charge it adds direct damage.
Back 5	Banner Bearer Scribed as Magical Banner Cast time: InstantCost: 459 Magicka and 459 Stamina every two seconds Toggle banner: 6% more magic damage, Weapon and Spell Damage from your Movement Speed, and Minor Heroism. It only stays up while it's on both bars.	Toggle banner: 6% more magic damage, Weapon and Spell Damage from your Movement Speed, and Minor Heroism. It only stays up while it's on both bars.
Back R	Flawless Dawnbreaker Fighters Guild Cast time: 0.4 secondsDuration: 6 secondsCost: 125 Ultimate Slotted for the Slayer passive's Weapon and Spell Damage. You always cast Take Flight instead.	Slotted for the Slayer passive's Weapon and Spell Damage. You always cast Take Flight instead.

Scribing

Scribed skill

Magical Banner

Banner Bearer · Magic Damage / Cavalier's Charge / Heroism

Cast time: Instant
Radius: 8 metres
Cost: 459 Magicka and 459 Stamina every two seconds

Magic Damage

Focus script: Increases Magical damage done by 6%.

Cavalier's Charge

Signature script: Increase your Weapon and Spell Damage by 6 for every 1% bonus Movement Speed, up to a max of 450.

Heroism

Affix script: Grants Minor Heroism, generating 1 Ultimate every 1.5 seconds.

6% more magic damage, 6 Weapon and Spell Damage for every 1% of Movement Speed you have (at least 60 from Celerity, much more right after a cloak), and Minor Heroism for faster Ultimates. Swap the affix to Berserk or Courage if you drink Heroism potions.

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

Simulate it on the Trial dummy to see its DPS, where the damage comes from and what each buff is worth.

On trash, Proximity Detonation takes Searing Claw's slot. The breath already hits the whole pack, so that's the only change. Swap Biting Aura in for Deadly Aim too.

What this setup brings

You get

Your group gets

Front bar

Dual Wield

1

2

3

4

5

R

Back bar

Two Handed · Greatsword

1

2

3

4

5

R

Slot	Skill	Why it's slotted
Front 1	Engulfing Dragonfire Draconic Power Cast time: InstantDuration: 10 secondsCost: 2,984 Stamina Your main skill: a 4.8-second fire breath that ramps up 5% per tick and cuts your damage taken by 15%. Unlike other channels, it doesn't go on cooldown when interrupted.	Your main skill: a 4.8-second fire breath that ramps up 5% per tick and cuts your damage taken by 15%. Unlike other channels, it doesn't go on cooldown when interrupted.
Front 2	Proximity Detonation Assault Cast time: 1 secondRange: 28 metresDuration: 4 secondsCost: 3,510 Magicka Cast it as you run in: it bursts for more the more enemies are near.	Cast it as you run in: it bursts for more the more enemies are near.
Front 3	Camouflaged Hunter Fighters Guild Cast time: InstantDuration: 5 secondsCost: 5,130 Stamina Slotted for Major Savagery, Minor Berserk when you crit from the flank, and the Fighters Guild's Slayer passive.	Slotted for Major Savagery, Minor Berserk when you crit from the flank, and the Fighters Guild's Slayer passive.
Front 4	Quick Cloak Dual Wield Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 3,780 Stamina Major Evasion, a burst of speed, and 30 seconds of damage that procs your weapon glyphs while you can't Light Attack.	Major Evasion, a burst of speed, and 30 seconds of damage that procs your weapon glyphs while you can't Light Attack.
Front 5	Banner Bearer Scribed as Magical Banner Cast time: InstantCost: 459 Magicka and 459 Stamina every two seconds Toggle banner: 6% more magic damage, Weapon and Spell Damage from your Movement Speed, and Minor Heroism. It only stays up while it's on both bars.	Toggle banner: 6% more magic damage, Weapon and Spell Damage from your Movement Speed, and Minor Heroism. It only stays up while it's on both bars.
Front R	Take Flight Draconic Power Cast time: InstantRange: 22 metresCost: 125 Ultimate Cheap: 20% more damage to monsters for 15 seconds, and the breath hits at full strength while it lasts.	Cheap: 20% more damage to monsters for 15 seconds, and the breath hits at full strength while it lasts.
Back 1	Shatterspike Mantle Earthen Heart Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 2,700 Magicka Your Major Resolve, a 20-second damage over time effect, and extra damage on every tick you deal.	Your Major Resolve, a 20-second damage over time effect, and extra damage on every tick you deal.
Back 2	Incinerate Ardent Flame Cast time: InstantDuration: 15 secondsCost: 4,050 Magicka A fire wave around you, then again every 5 seconds for 15 seconds. Slotted, it gives you Major Savagery.	A fire wave around you, then again every 5 seconds for 15 seconds. Slotted, it gives you Major Savagery.
Back 3	Igneous Weapons Earthen Heart Cast time: InstantDuration: 60 secondsCost: 4,320 Magicka 60 seconds of Major Brutality for you and your group, and extra Light Attack damage.	60 seconds of Major Brutality for you and your group, and extra Light Attack damage.
Back 4	Stampede Two Handed Cast time: InstantRange: 22 metresDuration: 15 secondsCost: 4,590 Stamina Gap closer that leaves a burning patch under the boss. It procs your weapon glyph over and over, and with Merciless Charge it adds direct damage.	Gap closer that leaves a burning patch under the boss. It procs your weapon glyph over and over, and with Merciless Charge it adds direct damage.
Back 5	Banner Bearer Scribed as Magical Banner Cast time: InstantCost: 459 Magicka and 459 Stamina every two seconds Toggle banner: 6% more magic damage, Weapon and Spell Damage from your Movement Speed, and Minor Heroism. It only stays up while it's on both bars.	Toggle banner: 6% more magic damage, Weapon and Spell Damage from your Movement Speed, and Minor Heroism. It only stays up while it's on both bars.
Back R	Flawless Dawnbreaker Fighters Guild Cast time: 0.4 secondsDuration: 6 secondsCost: 125 Ultimate Slotted for the Slayer passive's Weapon and Spell Damage. You always cast Take Flight instead.	Slotted for the Slayer passive's Weapon and Spell Damage. You always cast Take Flight instead.

Scribing

Scribed skill

Magical Banner

Banner Bearer · Magic Damage / Cavalier's Charge / Heroism

Cast time: Instant
Radius: 8 metres
Cost: 459 Magicka and 459 Stamina every two seconds

Magic Damage

Focus script: Increases Magical damage done by 6%.

Cavalier's Charge

Signature script: Increase your Weapon and Spell Damage by 6 for every 1% bonus Movement Speed, up to a max of 450.

Heroism

Affix script: Grants Minor Heroism, generating 1 Ultimate every 1.5 seconds.

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

Simulate it on the Trial dummy to see its DPS, where the damage comes from and what each buff is worth.

Flex skills

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

Barbed Trap
Minor Force for you, if you don't wear the Velothi Ur-Mage's Amulet.
Burning Embers
The other Searing Claw morph: less damage, but it heals you on cast and each tick.
Elemental Blockade
Replaces Stampede with a destruction staff on the back bar. Easier to sustain, and as good until you have Merciless Charge.
Resolving Vigor
Self-heal for fights with constant damage. Takes Igneous Weapons' slot.

Passives

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

Landslide
Dealing damage builds up to 12 stacks of 1% more damage done. Inexorable Descent doubles them.
World in Ruin
More damage with area and damage over time attacks: nearly all of this build.
Elder Dragon
Every Engulfing Dragonfire cast is a Draconic Power cast, so the group keeps Minor Brutality.
Traumatic Burns
Searing Claw's hit makes the target take 5% more Flame Damage.
Twin Blade and Blunt
Two daggers on the front bar: Critical Chance from each.
Heavy Weapons
The back-bar greatsword adds Weapon and Spell Damage.
Slayer
3% more Weapon and Spell Damage with a Fighters Guild skill slotted.
Dexterity
12% more Critical Damage from 6 Medium pieces.
Concentration
Offensive Penetration from 1 Light piece.

Gear

The standard setup, about 157k on the simulator. Slivers of the Null Arca on five Medium pieces adds Critical Chance and builds crystals from your crits, Whorl of the Depths on the belt, rings and daggers puts a frost damage over time effect on the boss with your Light Attacks, Slimecraw is a one-piece helm for Critical Chance, and the Velothi Ur-Mage's Amulet mythic adds Penetration, 15% damage against monsters and Minor Force, at the cost of weaker Light and Heavy Attacks. Merciless Charge on the back-bar greatsword turns Stampede into a damage buff.

Buffs and debuffs with this gear

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

You get

Your group gets

Slots

Slot	Set	Type	Trait	Enchant
Head	Slimecraw Medium (monster)	Medium (monster)	Divines	Magicka
Shoulders	Slivers of the Null Arca Medium	Medium	Divines	Magicka
Chest	Slivers of the Null Arca Medium	Medium	Divines	Magicka
Hands	Slivers of the Null Arca Medium	Medium	Divines	Magicka
Legs	Slivers of the Null Arca Medium	Medium	Divines	Magicka
Feet	Slivers of the Null Arca Medium	Medium	Divines	Magicka
Waist	Whorl of the Depths Light	Light	Divines	Magicka
Neck	Velothi Ur-Mage's Amulet Jewellery (mythic)	Jewellery (mythic)	Bloodthirsty	Increase Magical Harm
Ring 1	Whorl of the Depths Jewellery	Jewellery	Bloodthirsty	Increase Magical Harm
Ring 2	Whorl of the Depths Jewellery	Jewellery	Bloodthirsty	Increase Magical Harm
Front: main hand	Whorl of the Depths Dagger	Dagger	Nirnhoned	Poison
Front: off hand	Whorl of the Depths Dagger	Dagger	Precise	Flame
Back bar	Merciless Charge Greatsword (two-handed)	Greatsword (two-handed)	Infused	Berserker

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

SlimecrawMonster

1 piece · Wayrest Sewers I (veteran) + Undaunted chest

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

(1 item)Adds 657 Critical Chance.
(2 items)Adds 113 Critical Chance.
(2 items)Gain Minor Berserk at all times, increasing your damage done by 5%.

Slivers of the Null ArcaTrial

5 pieces · Lucent Citadel

(2 items)Adds 657 Critical Chance.
(3 items)Gain Minor Slayer, increasing damage done to monsters by 5%.
(4 items)Adds 657 Critical Chance.
(5 items)Dealing Critical Damage gives you a stack of Sliver for 10 seconds, up to once every 0.5 seconds. Upon gaining your third stack, they merge into a crystal that launches at the last enemy you damaged, dealing 1952 Physical damage. This effect scales off the higher of your Weapon Damage and Spell Damage, and you cannot gain Sliver for 4 seconds after the crystal is launched.

Whorl of the DepthsTrial

5 front / 3 back · Dreadsail Reef

Full bonus on the front bar only.

(2 items)Adds 129 Weapon Damage and Spell Damage.
(3 items)Gain Minor Slayer, increasing damage done to monsters by 5%.
(4 items)Adds 129 Weapon Damage and Spell Damage.
(5 items)When you deal damage with a Light Attack, you apply Whorl of the Depths to the target, dealing 1016 Frost damage over 8 seconds. When this effect ends, a 5 meter whirlpool is created under the target for 6 seconds and deals 764 Frost damage every 1 second. This effect can occur once every 18 seconds and scales off the higher of your Weapon Damage and Spell Damage.

Velothi Ur-Mage's AmuletMythic

1 piece · Antiquities: Telvanni Peninsula

(1 item)Adds 1650 Offensive Penetration.
(1 item)Increase your damage done to monsters by 15%, gain Minor Force at all times, and reduce your total damage done with Light and Heavy Attacks by 99%.

Merciless ChargeArena

2 pieces · back bar · Maelstrom Arena (veteran)

(2 items)Activating Critical Charge stirs up a barbarous lust for battle within you for 18 seconds, increasing your damage done with direct damage attacks by 1%, up to a maximum of 12%. This effect scales off the higher of your Weapon Damage and Spell Damage.

Alternative sets

Deadly Strike
Cyrodiil set: first fallback for Slivers of the Null Arca.
Aegis Caller
Dungeon fallback for Slivers.
Ansuul's Torment
Trial fallback for Slivers, from Sanity's Edge.
Pyrebrand
Dragonknight class set from the Infinite Archive. It also adds a Landslide stack.
Highland Sentinel
Crafted fallback.
Tide-Born Wildstalker
Crafted fallback for Whorl of the Depths.

Champion Points

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

Warfare

Deadly Aim
More damage with single-target attacks. Swap it for Biting Aura on trash.
Master-at-Arms
More direct damage.
Wrathful Strikes
Weapon and Spell Damage on every damaging skill.
Fighting Finesse
Critical Damage until your group's buffs take you to the 125% cap.

Fitness

Boundless Vitality
Max Health, so one-shot mechanics don't kill you.
Fortified
Armor, for the hits you can't block.
Celerity
10% Movement Speed, which Banner Bearer's Cavalier's Charge turns into Weapon and Spell Damage.
Rejuvenation
Recovery for all three resources.

Craft

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

Good swaps

Biting Aura
More damage with area attacks. Swap it in for Deadly Aim on trash.
Thaumaturge
More damage over time, for builds whose damage is mostly DoTs.
Untamed Aggression
Weapon and Spell Damage, in place of Fighting Finesse once you sit at the 125% Critical Damage cap.
Backstabber
Critical Damage when you hit from the flank. Strong when the tank turns the boss away.
Exploiter
More damage against Off Balance targets, if your group keeps Off Balance up.
Bloody Renewal
Heals you when you kill an enemy. Good on trash with a fragile build.

Race

Dark Elf
Max Magicka and Stamina, and more damage with flame. Damage simulations put it first.
4-playerKhajiit
Critical Damage and Healing. Better in dungeons, where you rarely hit the Critical Damage cap.

Mundus

The Thief
More Critical Chance. Divines on the armour makes it bigger.
PenetrationThe Lover
Penetration, if your group doesn't bring Crusher, Alkosh or Tremorscale.

Attributes

64 Magicka

Every skill you cast scales from Max Magicka and Weapon and Spell Damage. Food and Boundless Vitality give you enough Health for normal content; move points into Health only if you keep dying to mechanics while you learn a fight.

Food

Artaeum Pickled Fish Bowl
Max Health and Max Magicka. Enough Health to live, and Magicka for damage.
damageTomato Garlic Chutney
Max Health, Magicka and Stamina. The pick once your sustain is comfortable.

Potions

Magicka Force potion
Restores Magicka and gives Major Force. Incinerate and Igneous Weapons already give you Major Savagery and Brutality.
UltimateHeroism potion
Minor Heroism for more Ultimate. Swap Banner Bearer's affix to Berserk or Courage when you drink these.

Gameplay

1Keep these up, most important first: Incinerate, Shatterspike Mantle, Stampede, Igneous Weapons, Searing Claw, Quick Cloak, Take Flight.
2Channel Engulfing Dragonfire the rest of the time. Outside Take Flight, finish the channel before you refresh things; during Take Flight, cancel it whenever something needs refreshing.
3With about 3 seconds of Take Flight left, recast the breath so it's already ramped up when the buff ends.
4Don't Light Attack after the breath: go straight into the next skill.

FAQ

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

On trash, Proximity Detonation takes Searing Claw's slot. The breath already hits the whole pack, so that's the only change. Swap Biting Aura in for Deadly Aim too. Your gear stays the same.

What gear do I need for the Dragonknight damage dealer?

Slimecraw, Slivers of the Null Arca, Whorl of the Depths, Velothi Ur-Mage's Amulet, Merciless Charge. The Alternative sets list easier sets to start with.

Should I Light Attack between breaths?

No. Go straight from Engulfing Dragonfire into the next skill. Quick Cloak and Stampede proc your weapon glyphs instead, since you can't Light Attack while you breathe.