Runic Aegis Arcanist
Soldier of Apocrypha with the Sorcerer's Daedric Summoning and the Nightblade's Siphoning: far more personal survival and sustain than the pure Arcanist, and the same Minor Breach on everything that hits you.
Update 52 (PTS) version
This page is the Update 52 version of this experimental 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.
Theorycrafted, not tested in game yet
Overview
The pure Arcanist is a support tank: most of its value is group buffs from 
Zenas' Empowering Disc and two Class Masteries, which healers often bring anyway. This build keeps the line that makes an Arcanist a tank, Soldier of Apocrypha, and spends the other two lines on keeping you alive and fed.
Cruxweaver Armor gives you Major Resolve for 30 seconds and puts Minor Breach on anything that hits you, 
Runeguard of Still Waters gives the group Minor Resolve, and every Arcanist cast gives you and the group Minor Evasion through 
Circumvented Fate. Daedric Summoning adds 
Bound Aegis (Minor Resolve and Minor Protection while slotted, and the block cap on demand), 
Regenerative Ward and 
Daedric Protection. Siphoning adds 
Siphoning Attacks, so every hit you land heals you and refunds Magicka and Stamina.
Gibbering Shelter stays as your back-bar Ultimate: it soaks 60% of your damage and shields the whole group when it absorbs a hit.
Strengths
- Much better self-survival and sustain than the pure Arcanist: Bound Aegis, Daedric Protection and Siphoning Attacks.
- Keeps Minor Breach from Cruxweaver Armor, group Minor Resolve from Runeguard and group Minor Evasion from Circumvented Fate.
- Two Major Vulnerability sources (
Archdruid Devyric and 
Turning Tide) keep it on the boss most of the fight.
Weaknesses
- Gives up the pure Arcanist's group Major Force, Major Vitality and Zenas' Minor buffs.
- Two borrowed lines to level, plus the Siphoning skills.
- Crux is only used by flex skills here, so Arcanist Crux passives do little.
Buffs and debuffs you bring on bosses
Keeps you alive
Your group gets
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 lines. Update 52 doesn't change this build's class lines for tanking.
Trash taunt. Unstoppable and both its morphs (Heavy Armor) now taunt up to six enemies that weren't taunted in the last 7 seconds, so 
Unstoppable Brute takes 
Inner Rage's slot in the Trash setup. It still gives Major Resolve and 6 seconds of CC immunity, but snares you by 65% while that lasts, and it costs Stamina. 
Inner Beast no longer taunts: it pulls up to six enemies, from 22 metres (down from 28) for 3,213 Stamina, which makes it a flex pick for spread-out packs. The Tormentor set now taunts every enemy it damages. The Taunt script taunts six enemies only on Goading Smash and Goading Vault, which need a two-hander or a bow; Goading Throw stays single-target, so the Boss setup doesn't change.
Reverberating Bash. It now stuns after 0.7 seconds and applies Major Maim for 15 seconds. 
Void Bash already puts Major Maim on the whole pack, so the Trash setup doesn't change.
More damage for tanky builds. Juggernaut, Deadly Bash and the Cutting Defense star now add damage done to monsters when your Health and Armor outweigh your damage stats. A typical tank gets about 20% from Deadly Bash alone. Nothing to slot: the gear you already wear turns it on. Defensive Stance's block bonus, which wasn't applying, is fixed.
Gear to watch. Perfected Void Bash now gives Armor instead of Max Health. The Infused armour trait goes up to 40% and Impenetrable to 165. Gaze of Sithis raises your Armor cap by 13,200, and Dov-rha Sabatons, Knight-errant and Glorious Defender are reworked for shield tanks. The gear table stays as written until PTS numbers settle.
Research notes
Why it's worth trying, in the order the research ranked things: survival and sustain, debuffs, then buffs.
- Survival: Bound Aegis, Daedric Protection and Regenerative Ward on top of Cruxweaver Armor's Major Resolve and Circumvented Fate's Minor Evasion. The pure Arcanist's best defence is a 1 second shield.
- Sustain: Siphoning Attacks refunds 200 Magicka and Stamina a second while you deal damage, the strongest steady sustain a tank can borrow.
- Debuffs: keeps Minor Breach from Cruxweaver Armor, and Turning Tide with Archdruid Devyric for Major Vulnerability, the same as the pure Arcanist.
- Buffs: this is the trade. Zenas' Disc, Ink-Scribe's Verve and Erudite's Rigor go, and most of what they give the group a healer usually brings anyway.
What to test
- Whether you keep Siphoning Attacks ticking while blocking a boss (it needs you to deal damage).
- If the group misses Major Force or Vitality, play the pure Arcanist instead.
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 |
| 8 | ArcanistHerald of the Tome · Soldier of Apocrypha · Curative Runeforms | B74 | B66 | S99 | C54 |
| 13 | Runic Aegis ArcanistExperimentalSoldier of Apocrypha · Daedric Summoning · Siphoning | B72 | A85 | S97 | C33 |
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 Unstoppable Brute taunts the whole pack at once.
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
Front bar
One hand & shield · Turning Tide
1234
5
RBack bar
Ice staff · Turning Tide
1
23
45R| Slot | Skill |
|---|---|
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Front 3 | Siphoning Attacks Siphoning Cast time: InstantCost: 4,000 Health Your heal over time: every second you deal damage it heals you for 1,250 and restores 200 Magicka and Stamina. Works from either bar. |
| 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, |
| 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. |
| Front R | Reviving Barrier Support Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate 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. |
| 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. |
| Back 3 | Runeguard of Still Waters Soldier of Apocrypha Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 3,510 Magicka Minor Resolve for you and the group, Minor Protection for you, and an area immobilise. Below 50% Health it turns into a heal. |
| Back 4 | Wield Soul Scribed as Leashing Soul Cast time: InstantRange: 22 metresCost: 4,234 Magicka Scribed as Leashing Soul: the pull, with Major Cowardice. |
| Back 5 | Cruxweaver Armor Soldier of Apocrypha Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 2,700 Magicka Major Resolve for 30 seconds, Minor Breach on anything that hits you, and Crux. |
| Back R | Gibbering Shelter Soldier of Apocrypha Cast time: InstantDuration: 10 secondsCost: 200 Ultimate Absorbs 60% of your damage taken for 10 seconds and shields nearby allies whenever 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
TauntFocus script: Deals 2,145 Physical Damage to an enemy and taunts them for 15 seconds.
Sage's RemedySignature script: Heals you for 2,591 Health on return, scaling off your Max Health.
MaimAffix 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
PullFocus 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 ResurgenceSignature script: Restores 600 Magicka and 600 Stamina.
CowardiceAffix 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 applies Major Cowardice.
Open the Boss setup in the Build Editor to change skills, gear and stats.
Taunt the pack with Unstoppable Brute: since Update 52 it taunts up to six enemies at once. Cast it once you're in the middle, since it snares you for 6 seconds. 
Pulsar takes Elemental Susceptibility's slot and spreads Chilled over the whole pack. 
Razor Caltrops replaces Runeguard of Still Waters for AoE Major Breach. 
Reverberating Bash replaces Revealing Flare to trigger Void Bash and stack the pack.
What this setup brings
Front bar
One hand & shield · Void Bash
12345RBack bar
Ice staff · Powerful Assault
12345R| Slot | Skill |
|---|---|
| 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. |
| Front 2 | Unstoppable Brute Heavy Armor Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 2,943 Stamina Trash taunt from Update 52: taunts up to 6 enemies that weren't recently taunted, with Major Resolve and 6 seconds of CC immunity. It snares you by 65% while the immunity lasts, so cast it once you're in the pack. |
| Front 3 | Siphoning Attacks Siphoning Cast time: InstantCost: 4,000 Health Your heal over time: every second you deal damage it heals you for 1,250 and restores 200 Magicka and Stamina. Works from either bar. |
| 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, |
| Front 5 | Reverberating Bash One Hand and Shield Cast time: InstantRange: 7 metresCost: 2,700 Stamina Trash: stuns the target after 0.7 seconds and, since Update 52, applies Major Maim for 15 seconds. It's also 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Back 4 | Wield Soul Scribed as Leashing Soul Cast time: InstantRange: 22 metresCost: 4,234 Magicka Scribed as Leashing Soul: the pull, with Major Cowardice. |
| Back 5 | Cruxweaver Armor Soldier of Apocrypha Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 2,700 Magicka Major Resolve for 30 seconds, Minor Breach on anything that hits you, and Crux. |
| Back R | Gibbering Shelter Soldier of Apocrypha Cast time: InstantDuration: 10 secondsCost: 200 Ultimate Absorbs 60% of your damage taken for 10 seconds and shields nearby allies whenever 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
PullFocus 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 ResurgenceSignature script: Restores 600 Magicka and 600 Stamina.
CowardiceAffix 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 applies 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.
The pure Arcanist's shield, in place of Regenerative Ward if you want burst over uptime. You lose Daedric Protection between casts.
A dedicated heal over time, in place of Runeguard if you need more healing than group Minor Resolve.
Minor Vulnerability and Minor Brittle for 20 seconds on a target that isn't Concussed.
A permanent pet keeps Daedric Protection up all the time and gives 5% Max Health.
Update 52: no longer a taunt; it pulls up to 6 enemies to you from 22 metres, for 3,213 Stamina. Good for spread-out packs, alongside Leashing Soul for single casters.
Passives
The passives that shape this build. They come with the skill lines, so there's nothing to slot.
Every Arcanist cast gives you and the group Minor Evasion: 10% less area damage.
Extra Armor while Cruxweaver Armor is on you.
5% less damage taken while Regenerative Ward or Bound Aegis is active on you.
6% Max Magicka and Stamina with Siphoning Attacks slotted.
20% more damage blocked with your shield on the front bar.
6% Max Health, Magicka and Stamina, since your gear has all three armour weights.
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.
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
Slots
| Slot | Set | Trait |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Archdruid Devyric Medium (monster) | Sturdy |
| Shoulders | Archdruid Devyric Light (monster) | Sturdy |
| Chest |  Lucent EchoesHeavy | Sturdy / Reinforced |
| Hands | Lucent Echoes Heavy | Sturdy |
| Waist | Lucent Echoes Heavy | Sturdy |
| Legs | Lucent Echoes Heavy | Sturdy / Reinforced |
| Feet | Lucent Echoes Heavy | Sturdy / Reinforced |
| Neck | Turning Tide Jewellery | Infused |
| Ring 1 | Turning Tide Jewellery | Infused |
| Ring 2 | Turning Tide Jewellery | Infused |
| Front: main hand | Turning Tide One-handed sword | Infused |
| Front: off hand | Turning Tide Shield | Sturdy |
| Back bar | Turning Tide Ice staff (two-handed) | Infused |
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
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.
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.
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.
Buffs and debuffs with this gear
Gold entries come from your gear; the rest come from your skills and passives.
Slots
| Slot | Set | Trait |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Magma Incarnate Medium (monster) | Sturdy |
| Shoulders | Spaulder of Ruin Light (mythic) | Sturdy |
| Chest | Turning Tide Heavy | Sturdy / Reinforced |
| Hands | Turning Tide Heavy | Sturdy |
| Waist | Turning Tide Heavy | Sturdy |
| Legs | Turning Tide Heavy | Sturdy / Reinforced |
| Feet | Turning Tide Heavy | Sturdy / Reinforced |
| Neck | Powerful Assault Jewellery | Swift |
| Ring 1 | Powerful Assault Jewellery | Swift |
| Ring 2 | Powerful Assault Jewellery | Swift |
| Front: main hand | Void Bash One-handed sword | Infused |
| Front: off hand | Void Bash Shield | Sturdy |
| Back bar | Powerful Assault Ice staff (two-handed) | Charged |
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Body swap for trials, like the pure Arcanist wears.
Monster swap that turns your status effects into Ultimate for Gibbering Shelter.
Stretches Turning Tide's Major Vulnerability when you cast an Ultimate.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Steed's Blessing
Run between pulls faster.
- Gifted Rider
Faster mount.
Celerity replaces Rejuvenation so you get between packs faster.
- 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.
- 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.
- Steed's Blessing
Run between pulls faster.
- Gifted Rider
Faster mount.
Good swaps
Less AoE damage taken. Swap it in for Focused Mending on fights where the damage is mostly area attacks.
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
Max Health, Armor and Ultimate whenever you take damage.
Mundus
Magicka Recovery, since most of a tank's casts cost Magicka.
- below the armour cap
The LadyAdds Armor. Take it over The Atronach while your gear and CP leave you short of the armour cap.
Attributes
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
- default
Jewels of MisruleMax Health with Magicka and Stamina Recovery, at a fraction of the price of Bear Haunch.
Adds Health Recovery on top, so it's slightly better, but it costs much more.
Potions
Tri-stat: restores Health, Magicka and Stamina at once.
- situational
Heroism potionMinor Heroism for more Ultimate, when your resources hold up without tri-stats.
Gameplay
- 1Taunt bosses with Shield Throw (Goading Throw) and trash with Unstoppable Brute, and pull adds with Wield Soul.
- 2Keep Cruxweaver Armor and Regenerative Ward up, and cast Bound Aegis right before a heavy hit.
- 3Keep hitting something: Siphoning Attacks only heals and refunds resources while you deal damage.
- 4Keep Elemental Susceptibility on the boss and Heavy Attack every 15 seconds for Archdruid Devyric.
- 5Save Gibbering Shelter for big pulls and raid-wide damage; it shields the group as it absorbs hits.
FAQ
What does the Arcanist tank bring to the group?
On bosses it gives the group 3 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 taunts the whole pack with Unstoppable Brute 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).