ONE HANDED AND SHIELD STAMINA DRAGONKNIGHT SOLO GUIDE

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One Handed and Shield Stamina Dragonknight Solo


Last updated: Update 45 - 28th April 2025

This is a roleplay build where I'm not always choosing the most optimal option

While One Hand and Shield isn’t usually the ideal weapon type for Solo, it has its niche, and that niche are fights with a lot of blockable direct damage, like for example Anthelmir in Oathsworn Pit or basically any fight in the Bal Sunnar dungeon. And even outside of that niche, it’s not that far behind Dual Wield in terms of DPS.

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.


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: Shield Throw Slot 1: Soul Burst
Slot 2: Burning Embers Slot 2: Eruption
Slot 3: Noxious Breath Slot 3: Elemental Susceptibility
Slot 4: Barbed Trap Slot 4: Elemental Blockade
Slot 5: Flames of Oblivion Slot 5: Molten Whip
Ultimate: Flawless Dawnbreaker Ultimate: Standard of Might
SCRIBING arrow_down
INFO arrow_down
SITUATIONAL arrow_down
ROTATION arrow_down

Final Setups

A few examples of final setups you could end up with after applying the situational skills to the base setup

A setup with lots of damage mitigation for bosses that hit very hard

Front Bar Back Bar
Slot 1: Shield Throw Slot 1: Burning Embers
Slot 2: Revealing Flare Slot 2: Eruption
Slot 3: Noxious Breath Slot 3: Elemental Susceptibility
Slot 4: Ulfsild's Contingency Slot 4: Elemental Blockade
Slot 5: Flames of Oblivion Slot 5: Resolving Vigor
Ultimate: Temporal Guard Ultimate: Standard of Might

PASSIVES

The only passive you specifically have to skip is Tri Focus

  • Class
  • Weapon
  • Armor
  • Guild
  • Alliance War
  • Racial
  • Craft

Class - Ardent Flame

Combustion - High Priority

Warmth - Low Priority

Searing Heat - High Priority

World in Ruin - High Priority


GEAR

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.

Gear Slot Set Weight/Type Trait Enchantment

Head

Slimecraw Light Divines Stamina

Shoulders

Essence Thief Medium Divines Stamina

Chest

Ansuul's Torment Medium Divines Stamina

Hands

Ansuul's Torment Medium Divines Stamina

Belt

Ansuul's Torment Medium Divines Stamina

Legs

Ansuul's Torment Medium Divines Stamina

Boots

Ansuul's Torment Medium Divines Stamina

Necklace

Essence Thief Jewelry Bloodthirsty Increase Physical Harm

Ring

Essence Thief Jewelry Bloodthirsty Increase Physical Harm

Ring

Ring of the Pale Order Jewelry Bloodthirsty Increase Physical Harm

Frontbar Main Hand

Essence Thief Any 1-handed Charged Poison

Frontbar Off Hand

Essence Thief Shield Divines Stamina

Backbar Main Hand

Crushing Wall Ice Staff Infused Weapon Damage

If you want to switch to a situational set it's best to replace Ansuul’s Torment, especially since most good situational sets also provide Minor Slayer. Essence Thief provides a lot of sustain so replacing it only makes sense in fights where you can't retrieve the Essence Thief pool, like for example in any Dragon fight. Without Essence Thief you can forget about sustaining bash-weaving and you might have to heavy attack once or twice before Standard of Might will replenish your Stamina with Battle Roar

For example, a default setup for trash packs would replace Ansuul's Torment with Sul-Xan’s Torment

SITUATIONAL arrow_down
ADDITIONAL INFO arrow_down

CHAMPION POINTS

Warfare

Fitness

ADDITIONAL INFO:


RACE

When it comes to solo PvE, you need both damage and survivability so pretty much all races have useful racials.

The best race for dealing damage is Khajiit. While the Critical Damage from Feline Ambush can sometimes be wasted due to Critical Damage being capped at 125%, it will never happen in solo content, because there will be no tanks or healers providing you with the Major Force buff.

The best race for survivability is Nord. The Rugged racial will provide around 6% damage mitigation.


MUNDUS

For overland content you should use The Thief Mundus, which increases your Critical Chance.

For instanced content you should use The Lover Mundus, which increases your Penetration.

For extremely difficult dungeons you should consider switching to The Lady Mundus, which increases your Armor.


ATTRIBUTES

HEALTH

0

STAMINA

64

MAGICKA

0

For most content you should put all 64 points into Stamina. 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 Stamina, for the extremely difficult stuff you’ll need 64 Health.


FOOD


POTIONS

Use the Weapon Power potions (Increase Weapon Power, Weapon Critical, Restore Stamina). They'll greatly improve your sustain and provide Major Brutality and Major Savagery which are crucial. You can craft them by combining Blessed Thistle, Dragonthorn and Wormwood.


PARSE

46.7k on the 6mil dummy using Regular setup

Recording of the 46.7k parse

OTHER PARSES

Venomous Claw instead of Burning Embers - 47.6k DPS


GAMEPLAY

Here you can see this build tackling Veteran dungeons

Solo Veteran Hard Mode Scalecaller Peak

Solo Veteran Bal Sunnar

Log containing both of these dungeon clears - https://www.esologs.com/reports/Bqr9JGdb8wPFjLtV


THANKS FOR READING

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