Last updated: Update 47 - 13th October 2025
Bow DPS build focused purely on group PvE content. This setup takes the most optimal options available while fully committing to using Bows on both bars. It’s made for Dungeons and Trials, working well in both organized and unorganized groups.
In this build, I'm making 2 suboptimal choices for the sake of Theme
From that point, the build always chooses the strongest option
Combination
Dragonknight - Ardent Flame
Nightblade - Assassination
Templar - Aedric Spear
Base Class
This build can use either Dragonknight, Nightblade or Templar as your base class.
Base Setup
A base setup that will work for most situations and which should be your starting point when making situational setups
Front Bar | Back Bar |
---|---|
Slot 1: Lethal Arrow | Slot 1: Flames of Oblivion |
Slot 2: Blazing Spear | Slot 2: Poison Injection |
Slot 3: Merciless Resolve | Slot 3: Molten Whip |
Slot 4: Killer's Blade | Slot 4: Endless Hail |
Slot 5: Acid Spray | Slot 5: Venomous Claw |
Ultimate: Incapacitating Strike | Ultimate: Standard of Might |
Choosing which skill to replace depends on the type of the fight. Acid Spray is weak in Single Target fights while
Poison Injection and
Venomous Claw are bad in AoE fights
Priority List
I don't use a static rotation so this is just a list of priorities. Simply recast abilities when they run out and follow this list of priorities when there are multiple things to refresh
Pre-buff
These abilities can be pre-cast before entering combat
Final Setups
A few examples of final setups you could end up with after applying the situational skills to the base setup
A setup for trash packs
Front Bar | Back Bar |
---|---|
Slot 1: Lethal Arrow | Slot 1: Flames of Oblivion |
Slot 2: Blazing Spear | Slot 2: Proximity Detonation |
Slot 3: Merciless Resolve | Slot 3: Molten Whip |
Slot 4: Killer's Blade | Slot 4: Endless Hail |
Slot 5: Acid Spray | Slot 5: Anti-Cavalry Caltrops |
Ultimate: Incapacitating Strike | Ultimate: Shooting Star |
There are no passives you need to skip with this build
Class - Ardent Flame
Combustion - High Priority
Warmth - High Priority
Searing Heat - High Priority
World in Ruin - High Priority
Base Setup
A base setup that will work for most situations and which should be your starting point when making situational setups
Switching gear for trash packs isn't worth it unless you're using gear-swap addons
Default setup
Gear Slot | Set | Weight/Type | Trait | Enchantment |
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![]() Head |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Shoulders |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Chest |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Hands |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Belt |
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Light | ![]() |
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![]() Legs |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Boots |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Necklace |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Ring |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Ring |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Frontbar Main Hand |
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Bow | ![]() |
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![]() Backbar Main Hand |
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Bow | ![]() |
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When choosing different situational sets you should replace Ansuul’s Torment if the Situational set has Minor Slayer and
Tide-Born Wildstalker otherwise, as they're both sets that are decent in both Single Target and AoE fights. You can even replace them both if a situation calls for 2 situational sets, like for example bringing
Slivers of Null Arca and
Highland Sentinel to a fight which is both Single Target focused and stationary.
For example, a default setup for trash packs would replace Slivers of Null Arca with
Sul-Xan’s Torment
Gear that can be stronger than the setup from the table in specific situations or when specific circumstances are present
Gear that is easier to obtain and can be used while you work towards the best gear
Crafted:
All of these are tradable and can be bought from other players
No Overland, Dungeon or Trial gear is listed as the Crafted options are superior.
Final Setups
A few examples of final setups you could end up with after applying situational rules to the base setup
This is the crafted gear setup you can start with
Gear Slot | Set | Weight/Type | Trait | Enchantment |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Head |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Shoulders |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Chest |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Hands |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Belt |
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Light | ![]() |
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![]() Legs |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Boots |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Necklace |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Ring |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Ring |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Frontbar Main Hand |
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Bow | ![]() |
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![]() Backbar Main Hand |
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Bow | ![]() |
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This is a setup you should use if you have don't have access to any Trial gear
Gear Slot | Set | Weight/Type | Trait | Enchantment |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Head |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Shoulders |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Chest |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Hands |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Belt |
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Light | ![]() |
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![]() Legs |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Boots |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Necklace |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Ring |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Ring |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Frontbar Main Hand |
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Bow | ![]() |
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![]() Backbar Main Hand |
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Bow | ![]() |
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This is the ideal setup for trash packs
Gear Slot | Set | Weight/Type | Trait | Enchantment |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Head |
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Medium | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() Shoulders |
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Medium | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() Chest |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Hands |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Belt |
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Light | ![]() |
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![]() Legs |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Boots |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Necklace |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Ring |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Ring |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Frontbar Main Hand |
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Bow | ![]() |
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![]() Backbar Main Hand |
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Bow | ![]() |
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This is a setup for Single Target fights
Gear Slot | Set | Weight/Type | Trait | Enchantment |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Head |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Shoulders |
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Medium | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() Chest |
![]() |
Medium | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() Hands |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Belt |
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Light | ![]() |
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![]() Legs |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Boots |
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Medium | ![]() |
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![]() Necklace |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Ring |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Ring |
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Jewelry | ![]() |
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![]() Frontbar Main Hand |
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Bow | ![]() |
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![]() Backbar Main Hand |
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Bow | ![]() |
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Warfare
Fitness
The difference between best and worst race is about 5% of DPS and there is no content in the entire game that you'd be blocked from completing because of choosing a bad race.
Best race for 12-man content - Dark Elf
Best race for 4-man content - Khajiit
Other decent options: Orc, High Elf, Wood Elf, Imperial, Redguard
Use The Thief Mundus, which increases your Critical Chance
HEALTH
0
STAMINA
64
MAGICKA
0
You should always put all 64 attribute points into Stamina
Your sustain can vary greatly because it's impacted by your race, the amount of synergies provided by your teammates, or even by the fact whether you're debuffed in a certain fight. Choose the food with more Stamina Recovery if you can't sustain
With Max HP - for most content:
Without Max HP - for parsing or content where you know you can get away with it:
Use the Weapon Power potions (Increase Weapon Power, Weapon Critical, Restore Stamina). They'll greatly improve your sustain and provide Major Brutality which you need. You can craft them by combining Blessed Thistle,
Dragonthorn and
Wormwood.
There are better potions but they're expensive. Heroism potions (Heroism, Restore Stamina, Restore Magicka) can provide a 100% uptime on Minor Heroism buff which generates ultimate. If you can afford them and decide to use them, you'll have to get Major Brutality from a different source, like for example from Venom Arrow or from a group member using
Igneous Weapons. They're crafted by combining
Dragon Rheum,
Dragon's Blood
and
Columbine.
Combat Metrics screenshot of the 147.7k parse
Recording of a 147.7k parse
Null Arca/Tide-Born - 143k DPS
Logs of Veteran Trials I've finished using this build
Aetherian Archive - https://www.esologs.com/reports/xDC36FfhGaj9wryH
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