Frostrune Arcanist

The bar optimiser's group-buff tank: Runeguard of Still Waters, the Dragonknight's Blood of the Elder Dragon and Protect the Brood, and the Warden's Expansive Frost Cloak. Group Major and Minor Resolve, Minor Protection, Major Fortitude, Minor Courage and Minor Brutality from one tank.

Update 52 (PTS)ExperimentalPvE · TankSubclassedAdvancedSoldier of Apocrypha · Draconic Power · Winter's Embrace

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

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 build came out of the bar optimiser on the experimental page. It's the best Arcanist result and the best group-buff score of any build: almost everything it slots also lands on the group.

Soldier of Apocrypha keeps Runeguard of Still Waters, Minor Resolve for the group and Minor Protection for you, and Circumvented Fate's Minor Evasion for you and nearby allies.

Draconic Power brings Blood of the Elder Dragon and Protect the Brood for group Major Fortitude, Minor Courage and Minor Protection, Elder Dragon for group Minor Brutality, and Burnished Scales for 10% more damage blocked.

Winter's Embrace brings Expansive Frost Cloak, Major Resolve for you and everyone within 28 meters, plus Piercing Cold for more damage blocked and Icy Aura for Major Maim on a boss in melee.

Strengths

The best group-buff score in the bar optimiser: Major and Minor Resolve, Minor Protection, Major Fortitude, Minor Courage, Minor Brutality, Minor Intellect, Minor Endurance and Major Force.
Solid survival from your own kit: Major and Minor Resolve, Major and Minor Protection, Major Vitality and two block passives.
Aggressive Horn on the back bar, since nothing in the three lines beats it.

Weaknesses

Less self-survival than builds with Bound Aegis.
No Cruxweaver Armor, so no Minor Breach from it; Elemental Blockade covers that.
No dedicated sustain skill, and no Class Mastery.

Buffs and debuffs you bring on bosses

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: Expansive Frost Cloak and Runeguard for Major and Minor Resolve, Revealing Flare, Runeguard and Protect the Brood for Major and Minor Protection, Burnished Scales, Piercing Cold and Major Vitality.
Sustain: Ulfsild's Minor Intellect and Endurance, Elder Dragon's Health Recovery and potions. No Zenas' Disc.
Debuffs: the standard ice staff and Goading Throw set, Turning Tide with Archdruid Devyric, and Icy Aura's Major Maim in melee.
Buffs: the best group score of any build: group Major and Minor Resolve, Minor Protection, Minor Evasion, Major Fortitude, Minor Courage, Minor Brutality, Minor Intellect and Endurance, and Aggressive Horn.

What to test

Whether the group stays in range of Frost Cloak, Runeguard and Blood of the Elder Dragon.
How much you miss Cruxweaver Armor's Minor Breach and Erudite's Rigor's Major Vitality for the group.

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
4	Frostrune ArcanistExperimentalSoldier of Apocrypha · Draconic Power · Winter's Embrace	A80	A77	S96	S100
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 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

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2

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Back bar

Ice staff · Turning Tide

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3

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Slot	Skill	Why it's slotted
Front 1	Runeguard of Still Waters Soldier of Apocrypha Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 3,510 Magicka Minor Resolve for you and the group and Minor Protection for you, for 20 seconds. The first time you drop below 50% Health it trades the Minor Protection for a heal.	Minor Resolve for you and the group and Minor Protection for you, for 20 seconds. The first time you drop below 50% Health it trades the Minor Protection for a heal.
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	Blood of the Elder Dragon Draconic Power Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 4,320 Magicka Your heal: heals you and nearby allies with Major Fortitude and group Minor Courage. As a Draconic Power cast it keeps Elder Dragon's group Minor Brutality up.	Your heal: heals you and nearby allies with Major Fortitude and group Minor Courage. As a Draconic Power cast it keeps Elder Dragon's group Minor Brutality up.
Front 4	Ulfsild's Contingency Scribed as Warding Contingency Cast time: InstantDuration: 22 secondsCost: 2,808 Magicka Your damage shield: scribed with the Intellect and Endurance affix for you and the group.	Your damage shield: scribed with the Intellect and Endurance affix for you and the group.
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	Protect the Brood Draconic Power Cast time: InstantDuration: 6 secondsCost: 4,050 Magicka Group Minor Protection for 20 seconds and half damage from projectiles for you. Also a Draconic Power cast.	Group Minor Protection for 20 seconds and half damage from projectiles for you. Also a Draconic Power cast.
Back 4	Wield Soul Scribed as Leashing Soul Cast time: InstantRange: 22 metresCost: 4,234 Magicka Scribed as Leashing Soul with the Vitality affix: the pull, and 12% stronger heals and shields on you.	Scribed as Leashing Soul with the Vitality affix: the pull, and 12% stronger heals and shields on you.
Back 5	Expansive Frost Cloak Winter's Embrace Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 2,430 Magicka Major Resolve for you and every group member within 28 meters for 20 seconds.	Major Resolve for you and every group member within 28 meters for 20 seconds.
Back R	Aggressive Horn Assault Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate Group Major Force and 10% Max Magicka and Stamina.	Group Major Force and 10% Max Magicka and Stamina.

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

Warding Contingency

Ulfsild's Contingency · Damage Shield / Gladiator's Tenacity / Intellect and Endurance

Cast time: Instant
Target: Self
Duration: 22 seconds
Cost: 2,808 Magicka

Damage Shield

Focus script: Grants a damage shield to you and your allies that absorbs 5,622 damage for 8 seconds, scaling off the higher of your Max Health or Magicka and capped at 55% of your Max Health.

Gladiator's Tenacity

Signature script: Reduces damage taken by 8% for 8 seconds.

Intellect and Endurance

Affix script: Grants Minor Intellect and Minor Endurance for 22 seconds, increasing Magicka and Stamina Recovery by 15%.

A shield on your next cast for you and nearby allies, 8% less damage taken while it holds, and Minor Intellect and Endurance for 22 seconds. Minor Resolve would mostly be wasted near the armor cap.

Scribed skill

Leashing Soul

Wield Soul · Pull / Druid's Resurgence / Vitality

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.

Vitality

Affix script: Grants Major Vitality for 10 seconds, increasing healing received and damage shield strength by 12%.

Leashing Soul: pulls and taunts an add, refunds 600 Magicka and Stamina, and gives you Major Vitality for 10 seconds, so every heal and shield on you is 12% stronger. Recast it on the boss between Goading Throws.

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 Protect the Brood 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

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2

3

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5

R

Back bar

Ice staff · Powerful Assault

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4

5

R

Slot	Skill	Why it's slotted
Front 1	Runeguard of Still Waters Soldier of Apocrypha Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 3,510 Magicka Minor Resolve for you and the group and Minor Protection for you, for 20 seconds. The first time you drop below 50% Health it trades the Minor Protection for a heal.	Minor Resolve for you and the group and Minor Protection for you, for 20 seconds. The first time you drop below 50% Health it trades the Minor Protection for a heal.
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.	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	Blood of the Elder Dragon Draconic Power Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 4,320 Magicka Your heal: heals you and nearby allies with Major Fortitude and group Minor Courage. As a Draconic Power cast it keeps Elder Dragon's group Minor Brutality up.	Your heal: heals you and nearby allies with Major Fortitude and group Minor Courage. As a Draconic Power cast it keeps Elder Dragon's group Minor Brutality up.
Front 4	Ulfsild's Contingency Scribed as Warding Contingency Cast time: InstantDuration: 22 secondsCost: 2,808 Magicka Your damage shield: scribed with the Intellect and Endurance affix for you and the group.	Your damage shield: scribed with the Intellect and Endurance affix for you and the group.
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.	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.	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 Vitality affix: the pull, and 12% stronger heals and shields on you.	Scribed as Leashing Soul with the Vitality affix: the pull, and 12% stronger heals and shields on you.
Back 5	Expansive Frost Cloak Winter's Embrace Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 2,430 Magicka Major Resolve for you and every group member within 28 meters for 20 seconds.	Major Resolve for you and every group member within 28 meters for 20 seconds.
Back R	Aggressive Horn Assault Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate Group Major Force and 10% Max Magicka and Stamina.	Group Major Force and 10% Max Magicka and Stamina.

Scribing

Scribed skill

Warding Contingency

Ulfsild's Contingency · Damage Shield / Gladiator's Tenacity / Intellect and Endurance

Cast time: Instant
Target: Self
Duration: 22 seconds
Cost: 2,808 Magicka

Damage Shield

Focus script: Grants a damage shield to you and your allies that absorbs 5,622 damage for 8 seconds, scaling off the higher of your Max Health or Magicka and capped at 55% of your Max Health.

Gladiator's Tenacity

Signature script: Reduces damage taken by 8% for 8 seconds.

Intellect and Endurance

Affix script: Grants Minor Intellect and Minor Endurance for 22 seconds, increasing Magicka and Stamina Recovery by 15%.

A shield on your next cast for you and nearby allies, 8% less damage taken while it holds, and Minor Intellect and Endurance for 22 seconds. Minor Resolve would mostly be wasted near the armor cap.

Scribed skill

Leashing Soul

Wield Soul · Pull / Druid's Resurgence / Vitality

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.

Vitality

Affix script: Grants Major Vitality for 10 seconds, increasing healing received and damage shield strength by 12%.

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.

Cruxweaver Armor
Minor Breach on everything that hits you, in place of Expansive Frost Cloak if another tank covers group Major Resolve.
Ice Fortress
The other Frost Cloak morph: Minor Protection for you too, but a smaller radius for the group's Major Resolve.
Inner Beast
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.

Circumvented Fate
Minor Evasion for you and nearby allies after any Arcanist cast.
Burnished Scales
10% more damage blocked, always on.
Piercing Cold
8% more damage blocked, always on.
Elder Dragon
Each Draconic Power cast gives the group Minor Brutality, and you get Health Recovery as you lose Health.
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.

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: group damage while everyone is alive, less damage taken as people die.
Saxhleel Champion
Group Major Force on every Ultimate, in place of Turning Tide 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 Unstoppable Brute.
2Keep Expansive Frost Cloak and Runeguard of Still Waters up for the group's Major and Minor Resolve.
3Alternate Blood of the Elder Dragon and Protect the Brood so Minor Brutality and group Minor Protection never drop.
4Recast Wield Soul on the boss between Goading Throws for Major Vitality.
5Block the boss's heavy attacks and bash right after for Turning Tide, then Heavy Attack every 15 seconds for Archdruid Devyric.

FAQ

What does the Arcanist tank bring to the group?

On bosses it gives the group 9 buffs, including Major Fortitude, Major Resolve and Major Force, and puts 7 debuffs, including Major Breach, Major Vulnerability 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).