Tidebreaker Dragonknight

The pure Dragonknight with the bar optimiser's picks: Protect the Brood in place of Hearth and Home for group Minor Protection, Turning Tide in place of War Machine for a second Major Vulnerability source, and Ulfsild's and Leashing Soul scribed for sustain and Major Vitality. Class Mastery stays.

Update 52 (PTS)ExperimentalPvE · TankPure classIntermediateArdent Flame · Draconic Power · Earthen Heart

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 Dragonknight tank build is still the main page for the class. It drops Hearth and Home and the War Machine set.

Overview

This keeps everything that makes the pure Dragonknight strong: Earthshield Mantle for Major Resolve, Blood of the Elder Dragon for group Major Fortitude, Minor Courage and Minor Brutality, Heart of Flame for sustain, and both Class Mastery passives, Lead from the Front and Resolute Defense.

Hearth and Home gives you Major Protection you already have from Revealing Flare, and its Minor Fortitude and Minor Heroism only reach allies who stand in the flame. Protect the Brood gives you and the group Minor Protection for 20 seconds, halves the projectile damage you take, and counts as a Draconic Power cast, so Minor Brutality never drops.

War Machine turns your Ultimates into Major Slayer for a few seconds each. Turning Tide puts Major Vulnerability on the boss for 10 seconds every time you bash after a block, and together with Archdruid Devyric the boss takes 10% more damage for most of the fight.

The two scribed skills follow the bar optimiser on the experimental page. Ulfsild's Contingency takes the Intellect and Endurance affix, since Minor Resolve barely moves a tank who is already near the armor cap, and Leashing Soul takes Vitality, because 12% stronger heals and shields on you are worth more than Major Cowardice on the adds you pull.

Strengths

The highest overall score of any build we've scored, current builds included, without giving up Class Mastery.
Group Minor Protection on top of the Dragonknight's Minor Brutality, Minor Courage, Major Fortitude and Lead from the Front.
Two Major Vulnerability sources (Archdruid Devyric and Turning Tide) keep it on the boss most of the fight.

Weaknesses

No Hearth and Home: less group healing and no Minor Heroism for allies.
No War Machine Major Slayer, so the group loses that damage on your Ultimates.
Turning Tide needs a bash after a block every 15 seconds, one more thing to time.

Buffs and debuffs you bring on bosses

Class Mastery

This build stays pure-class, so it keeps two Class Mastery passives.

Lead from the Front
Every Ultimate gives you and nearby group members Major Berserk and Major Protection. The more Ultimate you spend, the longer they last.
Resolute Defense
Long blocks get stronger and refund Stamina.

Tip

You need all three Dragonknight lines at rank 50 and no subclassing.

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.

Ardent Flame. World in Ruin now adds 10% damage. It's damage-only, so the bars don't change.

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: the same as the pure Dragonknight: Earthshield Mantle, Burnished Scales, Resolute Defense and Lead from the Front's Major Protection. Protect the Brood adds half damage from projectiles.
Sustain: Heart of Flame and Elder Dragon's Health Recovery as before, and Ulfsild's now gives you and the group Minor Intellect and Endurance instead of Minor Resolve. Leashing Soul's Major Vitality makes every heal and shield on you 12% stronger.
Debuffs: Turning Tide with Archdruid Devyric keeps Major Vulnerability on the boss about 78% of the fight, against 45% from Archdruid alone. That's the biggest single gain.
Buffs: group Minor Protection from Protect the Brood, in place of Hearth and Home's Minor Fortitude and Minor Heroism, which only reach allies standing in the flame. War Machine's Major Slayer goes.

What to test

How often you can land a bash right after a block for Turning Tide without dropping block on a heavy hit.
Whether your group misses Hearth and Home's healing; if it does, swap it back for Protect the Brood.
Whether you miss Major Cowardice on pulled adds; if you do, put Leashing Soul back on the Cowardice affix.

Score

This build against the current Dragonknight 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
6	DragonknightArdent Flame · Draconic Power · Earthen Heart	A76	A81	A87	C49

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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Back bar

Ice staff · Turning Tide

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Slot	Skill	Why it's slotted
Front 1	Heart of Flame Ardent Flame Cast time: InstantDuration: 4 secondsCost: 3,510 Magicka Sustain: restores 12% of your missing Magicka and Stamina twice and heals you. Cast it whenever a bar runs low.	Sustain: restores 12% of your missing Magicka and Stamina twice and heals you. Cast it whenever a bar runs low.
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 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.	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	Earthshield Mantle Earthen Heart Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 2,700 Magicka Major Resolve for 20 seconds and a shield that scales with Max Health. Recast it right before big hits.	Major Resolve for 20 seconds and a shield that scales with Max Health. Recast it right before big hits.
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	Ulfsild's Contingency Scribed as Warding Contingency Cast time: InstantDuration: 22 secondsCost: 2,808 Magicka Scribed with the Intellect and Endurance affix: a shield for you and nearby allies, 8% less damage taken, and Minor Intellect and Endurance for you and the group.	Scribed with the Intellect and Endurance affix: a shield for you and nearby allies, 8% less damage taken, and Minor Intellect and Endurance for you and the group.
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 for 10 seconds.	Scribed as Leashing Soul with the Vitality affix: the pull, and 12% stronger heals and shields on you for 10 seconds.
Back 5	Protect the Brood Draconic Power Cast time: InstantDuration: 6 secondsCost: 4,050 Magicka Minor Protection for you and nearby group members for 20 seconds, and half damage from projectiles for you. Also a Draconic Power cast for Minor Brutality.	Minor Protection for you and nearby group members for 20 seconds, and half damage from projectiles for you. Also a Draconic Power cast for Minor Brutality.
Back R	Standard of Might Ardent Flame Cast time: InstantDuration: 15 secondsCost: 200 Ultimate You take 15% less damage inside it and the group 10% less, plus Weapon and Spell Damage. Every Ultimate also fires Lead from the Front.	You take 15% less damage inside it and the group 10% less, plus Weapon and Spell Damage. Every Ultimate also fires Lead from the Front.

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. Earthshield Mantle already covers Major Resolve, and Minor Resolve on top is mostly 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 Ulfsild's Contingency 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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Back bar

Ice staff · Powerful Assault

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Slot	Skill	Why it's slotted
Front 1	Heart of Flame Ardent Flame Cast time: InstantDuration: 4 secondsCost: 3,510 Magicka Sustain: restores 12% of your missing Magicka and Stamina twice and heals you. Cast it whenever a bar runs low.	Sustain: restores 12% of your missing Magicka and Stamina twice and heals you. Cast it whenever a bar runs low.
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 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.	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	Earthshield Mantle Earthen Heart Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 2,700 Magicka Major Resolve for 20 seconds and a shield that scales with Max Health. Recast it right before big hits.	Major Resolve for 20 seconds and a shield that scales with Max Health. Recast it right before big hits.
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 for 10 seconds.	Scribed as Leashing Soul with the Vitality affix: the pull, and 12% stronger heals and shields on you for 10 seconds.
Back 5	Protect the Brood Draconic Power Cast time: InstantDuration: 6 secondsCost: 4,050 Magicka Minor Protection for you and nearby group members for 20 seconds, and half damage from projectiles for you. Also a Draconic Power cast for Minor Brutality.	Minor Protection for you and nearby group members for 20 seconds, and half damage from projectiles for you. Also a Draconic Power cast for Minor Brutality.
Back R	Standard of Might Ardent Flame Cast time: InstantDuration: 15 secondsCost: 200 Ultimate You take 15% less damage inside it and the group 10% less, plus Weapon and Spell Damage. Every Ultimate also fires Lead from the Front.	You take 15% less damage inside it and the group 10% less, plus Weapon and Spell Damage. Every Ultimate also fires Lead from the Front.

Scribing

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.

Hearth and Home
Back in for Protect the Brood when the group stacks tight and needs the heal zone and Minor Heroism.
Magma Shell
A group damage cap for big raid-wide mechanics.
Fossilize
An 8 second stun on a monster, with Minor Breach and Vulnerability, for trash packs.
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.

Burnished Scales
10% 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.
A Soul Ablaze
8% more healing received, always on.
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

War Machine
Back to the pure Dragonknight's set if another tank or a healer already keeps Major Vulnerability up.
Pearlescent Ward
Body swap for progression: group damage while everyone is alive, less damage taken as people die.
Stonekeeper
Monster swap for long blocking phases, which also suits Resolute Defense.

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 Earthshield Mantle up and recast it right before big hits.
3Alternate Blood of the Elder Dragon and Protect the Brood so Minor Brutality and group Minor Protection never drop.
4Block the boss's heavy attacks and bash right after for Turning Tide, then Heavy Attack every 15 seconds for Archdruid Devyric.
5Press Heart of Flame whenever you're low on Magicka or Stamina, and spend Ultimate often: every Ultimate fires Lead from the Front.

FAQ

What does the Dragonknight tank bring to the group?

On bosses it gives the group 8 buffs, including Major Berserk, Major Protection and Major Fortitude, 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 Dragonknight 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 Dragonknight tank build if your group relies on what it drops (Hearth and Home and the War Machine set).