Hyperioxes
Hyperioxes

Heavy Attack Arcanist Solo Build - ESO Guide

Solo Two Bar Magicka Heavy Attack Pure Class Arcanist
Up to date for: Update 44 - 1st February 2025
Last changed: Update 44 - 1st February 2025

This build is capable of soloing every Veteran dungeon that doesn't have a specific mechanic that requires multiple people. It's also capable of soloing most Hard Mode dungeons, and with some adjustments even the more difficult ones.

In this guide I'll be regularly using the terms Regular and Difficult. Regular refers to content that is intended to be solo-ed (such as Maelstrom Arena or Vateshran Arena) and to any overland content such as World Bosses, Dolmens, Dragons, Volcanic Vents, Harrowstorms, Mirrormoor Incursions, etc. Majority of dungeon fights will also fall under that category. Difficult refers to extremely difficult dungeon fights.

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Skill Setups

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: Ulfsild's Contingency Slot 1: Cruxweaver Armor
Slot 2: Inspired Scholarship Slot 2: Simmering Frenzy
Slot 3: Tentacular Dread Slot 3: Elemental Susceptibility
Slot 4: Barbed Trap Slot 4: Elemental Blockade
Slot 5: Banner Bearer Slot 5: Banner Bearer
Ultimate: The Languid Eye Ultimate: The Languid Eye

Final Setup

A more defensive setup for extremely difficult dungeon fights

A more defensive setup for extremely difficult dungeon fights

Front Bar Back Bar
Slot 1: Ulfsild's Contingency Slot 1: Cruxweaver Armor
Slot 2: Revealing Flare Slot 2: Runeguard of Still Waters
Slot 3: Impervious Runeward Slot 3: Elemental Susceptibility
Slot 4: Barbed Trap Slot 4: Elemental Blockade
Slot 5: Banner Bearer Slot 5: Banner Bearer
Ultimate: The Languid Eye Ultimate: The Languid Eye

What Changes

Changes compared to the Base Setup

Vampirism

Becoming a Vampire is extremely beneficial on this build because it allows us to use Simmering Frenzy in easier fights and since it's a Heavy Attack build we can mostly ignore the increased ability cost that you get from being a Vampire.

By staying on 3rd Stage of Vampirism you'll also benefit from the Undeath passive, but you should lower or completely cleanse Vampirism when trying to solo an extremely difficult dungeon with lots of flame damage.

Gear

Base Setup

This is my suggested setup for regular content, such as Solo Arenas, World Bosses, Dolmens, Dragons, Volcanic Vents, Harrowstorms, Mirrormoor Incursions and majority of the dungeons.

Final Setups

Crafted and defensive gear setups you can use depending on what you are trying to do

This is the crafted gear setup you can start with.

Gear Slot Set Weight/Type Trait Enchantment
HeadHead New Moon Acolyte Medium Training / Divines Magicka
ShouldersShoulders New Moon Acolyte Medium Training / Divines Magicka
ChestChest Order's Wrath Heavy Training / Reinforced Magicka
HandsHands Order's Wrath Light Training / Divines Magicka
BeltBelt Order's Wrath Light Training / Divines Magicka
LegsLegs Order's Wrath Medium Training / Divines Magicka
BootsBoots Order's Wrath Light Training / Divines Magicka
NecklaceNecklace New Moon Acolyte Jewelry Bloodthirsty Increase Physical Harm
RingRing New Moon Acolyte Jewelry Bloodthirsty Increase Physical Harm
RingRing New Moon Acolyte Jewelry Bloodthirsty Increase Physical Harm
Frontbar Main HandFrontbar Main Hand Assassin's Guile Lightning Staff Precise Absorb Stamina
Backbar Main HandBackbar Main Hand Assassin's Guile Lightning Staff Infused Weapon Damage
  • Use Training traits if you're still leveling. If you're already max level and have enough Champion Points you can instead use Divines and Reinforced on the chest piece
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Champion Points

WarfareWarfare
Weapons Expert
20% Light and Heavy Attack Damage
Deadly Aim
6% Single Target Damage
Fighting Finesse
8% Critical Damage and Healing
Exploiter
10% Damage against Off Balance enemies
More Mitigation
When soloing extremely difficult dungeons you should replace Exploiter and Fighting Finesse with 2 of the 4 mitigation CPs (Ironclad, Duelist's Rebuff, Enduring Resolve, Unassailable)
FitnessFitness
Boundless Vitality
1400 Max Health
Fortified
1731 armor
Sustained by Suffering
150 Health, Stamina and Magicka Recovery when debuffed
Rejuvenation
90 Health, Stamina and Magicka Recovery
Damage Shields
Replace Sustained by Suffering with Bastion when using Impervious Runeward
Craft Craft
Steed's Blessing
20% Movement Speed out of combat
Extremely useful utility
Quality of Life
Green Champion Points don't affect Combat, choose whatever Quality of Life you prefer

Race

For solo you need both damage and survivability, so every race brings something to the table, but these two stand out as the best options for damage and survivability respectively

Khajiit
Best for Damage
Khajiit
Why pick this
The strongest race for solo damage. Critical Damage is one of the most valuable stats in Solo play and Khajiits get 12% of it from Feline Ambush passive.
Feline Ambush Feline Ambush 12% Critical Damage
Lunar Blessings Lunar Blessings 915 Max Health, Stamina and Magicka
Robustness Robustness 90 Health, Stamina, Magicka Recovery
Nord
Best for Survivability
Nord
Why pick this
The tankiest race. Nord is also what I use for soloing Veteran Hard Mode DLC Dungeons. Rugged provides around 5-7% damage mitigation (depending on your current armor), making difficult content much easier without sacrificing much damage.
Rugged Rugged 2600 armor
Stalwart Stalwart 1500 Max Stamina, 0.5 Ultimate per second
Resist Frost Resist Frost 1000 Max Health, 4620 Frost Resistance

Mundus

  • Overland

    5.53% Critical Chance(9.04% with 7 )
    Use for overland content. It increases your Critical Chance
  • Difficult Content

    2744 Armor(4489 with 7 )
    Consider switching for extremely difficult dungeons. It increases your Armor

Attributes

For most content you should put all 64 points into Magicka. For difficult content you should devote as many attribute points as necessary to Health - for some content you'll be able to get away with 32 Health 32 Magicka, for the extremely difficult stuff you'll need 64 Health.

Health
0
Stamina
0
Magicka
64
All points into Magicka. Use it for most content
Health
32
Stamina
0
Magicka
32
Split evenly between Health and Magicka. Use this whenever you start to struggle
Health
64
Stamina
0
Magicka
0
All points into Health. Use this for very difficult fights

Food

Your sustain can vary greatly because it's impacted by your armor weight composition, your race and how much blocking/dodge rolling you're required to do in a certain fight. Choose the food with more recoveries if you can't sustain

  • Default

    Max Health +5,414 Max Magicka +4,938
    The default option.
    Cheaper alternative
    Difference Max Health +5,395 −19 Max Magicka +4,936 −2
  • Sustain

    Max Health +5,395 Stamina Recovery +493
    Provides Stamina Recovery at the cost of Maximum Magicka. It will lower your damage, but it's very useful for fights where you have to dodge roll a lot.
  • Sustain

    Max Health +4,312 Health Recovery +406 Stamina Recovery +369 Magicka Recovery +369
    Provides Magicka and Stamina Recovery at the cost of Maximum Magicka. It will lower your damage, but it's very useful for fights where you have to both dodge roll a lot and spam your .

Potions

  • Default

    Restore Health
    Since your sustain is being taken care of by the fact that Heavy Attacks restore resources, you can instead use the Armor potions, which will increase your armor by 5280.
    Craft with: Bugloss Mountain Flower Mudcrab Chitin
  • Situational

    Restore Health Restore Stamina Restore Magicka
    In fights where you need to dodge roll a lot you can use Tri-Stat potions instead.
    Craft with: Columbine Bugloss Mountain Flower
  • Expensive

    Restore Magicka Restore Stamina
    Heroism potions are an expensive alternative to Tri-Stat potions. They provide Minor Heroism on top of the sustain.
    Craft with: Dragon Rheum Dragon's Blood Columbine

Gameplay

Dungeon Gameplay
Dungeon
Dungeon Gameplay
Dungeon Veteran
Dungeon Gameplay Veteran
Patch: Update 44

FAQ

No, you don't need a different setup. Use the Regular skill and gear setups from this guide for both Maelstrom Arena and Vateshran Hollows.

Builds ESO Solo Builds ESO solo builds proven to clear Veteran Hard Mode DLC Dungeons. Tested with recordings and logs. Covers all classes and playstyles.


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