The Lich - Magicka Necromancer PVE Build

What do we call this? Magcro? mag necro? magromancer?! Pick your poison, I’m sticking with Mag Necro, regardless of the term used to describe it, this class is INSANE!

This Magicka Necromancer build is built for HIGH single target DPS, great AOE dps and MASSIVE ultimate gain! This build is FUN, has great survival, has a full static rotation which never has to change, has solid sustain and is all round balanced for all PVE content.

Utlizing a rather fun set too making it themed on top of everything else adds to it’s overall appeal!

We do have a couple of pets in our arsenal but unlike the Sorcerer where the abilities have to be double barred in order to have 100% uptime on them, the Necromancer has fire and forget pets. We raise the dead, we use them , and then dump them again.

The corpse system is extremely useful for the necromancer. The Templar can syphon energy from dead bodies of course but the Necromancer is the master of all that is dead. We can consume Ultimate, heals, minions and even resurrect dead bodies/players.

This system DOES make the learning curve a little tricky but don’t worry, all you need to know is explained in detail in the video. The Necromancer can be fun if you are just smashing buttons, however if you have great situational awareness and understand how to take advantage of the bodies around you, then you can become VERY powerful. Also this is not just the bodies from players or enemies, you can physically consume the corpses of your raised pets to benefit you,

In this build consuming corpses is key! We have abilities that do damage over time, we have ground based aoes, we have ultimate regeneration, AND heals all from paying attention to what is dead and what is alive. Clever and planned useage of your corpse consuming skills can completely change the tide of any battle.

In this build you will have all of the above however, covered FOR you. The rotation alone takes full advantage of consuming corpses, setting up some well placed corpses with planned and timed skills to then utilize them when they are present!

As well as the corpse system, we have elements of all kinds in our damage including ice, fire, AND shock! Which makes the Magicka Necromancer the master of all magic!

And last but not least of course, we have an ultimate in the form of a massive flesh abomination which grants major vulnerability to your group. Meaning all players hit the targets affected by 30% more damage! The Necromancer is the only class in the game with this bonus. Play smart and you can be a massive asset to any group!

Key bonuses to the setup

High damage output in both single target AND AOE!
Fire and forget abilities/pets which do NOT require double baring of the same skills (unlike the sorcerer)
Incredible ultimate gain from our Necrotic Potency IF used correctly!
Major Vulnerability (10% damage done increase to target for EVERYONE) from our Colossus Ultimate
At execute range we have a passive which greatly improves our critical chance!
High use of class skills, making it feel like a totally unique setup/class/playstyle
High health bonus JUST for being a Necromancer!
The more you understand about the class, the more powerful you are if you have the ability to take advantage of the situation at the time, ESPECIALLY if there are many many BODIES!

Fashion First!

As demonstrated in the video, our fabulous ESO fashion setup and dress choice for this character is as follows:-

Head: Light Xyvkin
Shoulders: Heavy Daedra
Chest: Light Fang Lair
Legs: Light Fang Lair
Hands: Light Fang Lair
Belt: Light Fang Lair
Feet: Light Fang Lair/ Light Dromathra
Front bar: Icey Coven
Back Staff: New Moon Priest

The two colours we are using are Legate Black (any black will do) and Void Pitch

Skills

Lightning Destruction Staff

1) Stalking Blastbones
2) Skeletal Arcanist
3) Detonating Siphon
4) Mystic Orb
5) Degeneration / Structured Entropy
Ultimate – Shooting Star

Flame Destruction Staff

1) Necrotic Potency / Harness Magicka/Inner Light
2) Unstable Wall Of Elements
3) Stalking Blastbones
4) Barbed Trap
5) Avid Boneyard
Ultimate – Shooting Star / Glacial Colossus

Champion points 2.0

The NEW Champion Points 2.0 introduced in the Q1 2021 DLC: Flames Of Ambition, is quite possibly the BIGGEST change/addition to The Elder Scrolls Online since One Tamriel!

Before it was a case of “i have limited points as a cap, so HOW should i spend them”? Now that is NOT the case as SUCH! Now, it is a case of, buy ALL the things, but which SLOTABLES should you take?

Everything before was a passive bonus with huge diminished returns, awkward calculations and was messy to all players for the most part. The new system underlines NO diminished returns, no majorly confusing passives and the ability to buy EVERY single passive available for tanking, dps and healing on the SAME character with enough points to spare for buying slotables. Being able to slot 4x special slotables from each tree when there are an abundance of them means you are only limited by your CHOICES not by your CAP.

Buy all the passives, CHOOSE which slotables to take vs the situation, and the rest of the points are spare. Or are they? Well here is the crunch…Once you go over 2100+ you basically have every single passive available PLUS 4 slotables per tree… So what’s next? Well, if you have higher you can buy more slotables and switch stuff per situation as and when needed. If you don’t, then if you want to swap it will cost you gold for respecing. So in a nutshell, 2100+ is you pretty much done, and anything else is convenience due to not needing to spend gold swapping things you already have access to! How cool is that?

What's the Goal now?

The goal is simple. Buy ALL the PASSIVE champion points, that meaning the ones that do not require you to slot anything, they just affect you anyway. MOST of those are prerequisites to some of the others anyway.
Then pick 4 slotables for each tree and slot them! Any spare points can be put into extra CHOICE based slotables for “other things”.

Simple right? NO MUST have 75 here and 61 there stuff. However, under 2100, you will want to “optimize”…so lets do that shall we??

SLOTABLES!

No matter what, THESE are the most important parts of the champion points 2.0 system. So this is your main FIRST goal when pushing for the build. You need to slot these even if they are not max level. However there are swap outs for situations as explained in the video.
BLUE are important for resistance, heals and damage. Red are important for resources, health and CC. Green are literally Quality of life! (aka your choice).

Biting Aura
Thaumaturge
Deadly Aim
Backstabber

Swap outs instead of Backstabber. One is for FRONT facing enemies and the other is for AOE situations.
Occult Overload
Fighting Finesse

Rationer
Liquid Efficiency
Treasure Hunter
Steed’s Blessing

These really are up to you but these are most useful IN content for loot and movement if not in combat.
What you do with this tree is NOT make or break for mechanics or combat in general just quality of life.

Boundless Vitality
Rejuvenation
Ironclad
Siphoning Spells
These are designed to increase your health and at the same time manage your resources. High recovery and return for being active in combat and GETTING kills.

WHAT DO I DO AT MY LEVEL??!

What do you do if you are lower cps? Well it is always best to have a goal right? THESE will be if you are going for FULL damage output consideration. IF you wish to drop some damage for more survival (resistances) then of course you will have to drop some to gain some, BUT this should help you along the way.

160 champion points

10 Precision
10 Piercing
10 Biting Aura
10 Thaumaturge
10 Deadly Aim
3 Backstabber

This will unlock your major stat opening (crit chance module opens the trees) at the same time as opening up your flat bonus to penetration and your 3 TOP slotables and the start of the 4th!

10 Gilded Fingers
10 Fortune’s Favour
15 Wanderer
10 Steadfast Enchantment
8 Treasure Hunter

This steadily unlocks some nice gold passives, pushing to the reduction to soul gems used and straight up to your first slotable (not maxed yet) allowing for higher quality loot.

19 Boundless Vitality
15 Tumbling
10 Mystic Tenacity
10 Ironclad

This will give you a good base for health and start on pushing for your resource passives aiming for resource gain slotable.

Above is gear cap. So most players do want to know what to do with their points here. So this guide should point you in the right direction to get started with the basics for a good balance across the board for survival and damage output.

420 champion points

10 Precision
10 Piercing
20 Flawless Ritual
30 War Mage
10 Biting Aura
10 Thaumaturge
10 Deadly Aim
10 Backstabber
10 Fighting Finesse
10 Occult Overlord
10 Eldritch Insight

This will unlock ALL major state nodes for DPS, allow for all 4 slotables PLUS the 2 variations (one can be used the other is WIP however you can leave it for now and go with more flat if you prefer).
And finally will open up your max spell damage bonus from the flat trees. PLUS starting to increase max stats for magicka.

10 Gilded Fingers
10 Fortune’s Favour
15 Wanderer
50 Steadfast Enchantment
50 Treasure Hunter
5 rationer

Masxed Treasure hunter slotable, maxed “never use a sould gem on a weapon again” passive! And some spare points helping to push the next slotable.

40 Boundless Vitality
15 Tumbling
10 Mystic Tenacity
10 Ironclad
15 Hero’s Vigor
10 Siphoning Spells
40 Rejuvenation

This allows you your 4 major slotables (not maxed) pushing for recovery, armour and health. Along side return for getting kills.

810 champion points

10 Precision
40 Piercing
40 Flawless Ritual
30 War Mage
30 Biting Aura
30 Thaumaturge
20 Deadly Aim
10 Backstabber
10 Fighting Finesse
10 Occult Overlord
40 Eldritch Insight

All major slotables and choices, maximum Extended Might section, and max magicka node completed. All major slotables boosted ready for more gradual improvement.
Note: Just like above, you can stick to 4x slotables with NO alterations and go with more flat bonuses if you like.

40 Gilded Fingers
10 Fortune’s Favor
15 Wanderer
50 Steadfast Enchantment
50 Treasure Hunter
30 Rationer
75Liquid Efficiency

3 Major Slotables now available with maxed efficiency for all 3 including some nice gold passives.

Again, this tree is totally quality of life and not set in stone. Use what works for you.

50 Boundless Vitality
15 Tumbling
10 Mystic Tenacity
50 ironclad
40 Hero’s Vigor
50 Siphoning Spells
50 Rejuvenation
5 Tireless Guardian

All major health and resource return/sustain/recovery nodes covered. ALL 4 slots maximum with some block cost reduction starting to be speced into.

1350 champion points

40 Precision
40 Piercing
40 Flawless Ritual
30 War Mage
50 Biting Aura
50 Thaumaturge
50 Deadly Aim
30 Backstabber
30 Fighting Finesse
50 Occult Overlord
40 Eldritch Insight

All major choices available missing only a couple of finalising % to backstabber and Fighting finesse.

NOTE: You can drop one of the Slotables and max everything for the 4 major slotables you use at this stage. I am merely showing you options!

50 Gilded Fingers
50 Fortune’s Favor
75 Wanderer
50 Steadfast Enchantment
50 Treasure Hunter
30 Rationer
75Liquid Efficiency
50 Steed’s Blessing
20 Breakfall

ALL 4 major slotables along side fall damage reduction, max gold from chests, max chance of loot from chests, cheaper travel and faster movement while not in combat!

Again, this tree is 100% personal, all quality of life, no right or wrong

50 Boundless Vitality
15 Tumbling
50 Mystic Tenacity
50 Ironclad
40 Hero’s Vigor
50 Siphoning Spells
50 Rejuvenation
40 Tireless Guardian
40 Defiance
20 sprinter
30 Fortification
15 Savage Defense

All major health and resource return/sustain/recovery nodes covered. ALL 4 slots maximum with some block cost reduction starting to be speced into.

Technically at this point in time if you ONLY go for 4x slotables (including the blue ones, NOT considering swappables) you can spec into ALL damage stats 100% and have your 4x working slotables maxed out. THIS is your MAX dps with NO resistances considered option. If you feel squashy you know what to do. Pull some dps points and buy some resistances.

BUT based on the max stats at base now, you SHOULD be fine so long as your tanks and healers are on point

1800 champion points and above?

Buy every single passive available and your 4x slotables, and you will be DONE at 2100 but WAY before then you will have everything you need damage wise. It’s just a case of filling the gaps for healing and resistances.

However, if you WANT the extra slotables required for the build without the cost of respecing with gold. You will be able to do so but will need more points.

All passives a + 4 slotables of your choice!

At 1890 OR 2190 you will be able to buy EVERY passive and your 4x major slotables APART from “Tempered Soul”.

That one is a little awkward and costs 25 points per level, so while you will have a level or two, it won’t be maxed. Always work on THIS passive last as it is the least important.

TECHNICALLY You only need 1890 BUT we have allowed for TWO swapables in the blue trees which DOES require us to have the extra 300 points across the board. Regardless of where you go with it between these points you will have MAXIMUM resistance passives, healing passives, flat stats to all resources (excluding slotable options), max CC counter, recovery, block mitigation, the lot. Everything you need is RIGHT HERE!

So...What's next?

Rotation

Front bar: Light Attack, Stalking Blastbones, Light Attack, Mystic Orb, Light Attack, Degeneration, Light Attack, Stalking Blastbones, Light Attack, Detonating Siphon, Light Attack, Mystic Orb, Light Attack, Stalking Blastbones, Light Attack, Skeletal Arcanist, Weapon Swap

Back Bar: Light Attack, Avid Boneyard, Light Attack, Stalking Blast Bones, Light Attack, Rearming Trap, Light attack, Unstable Wall Of Elements, Weapon Swap.

The rotation is designed so even with the bar swaps added there will always be a blast bones, then two skills then a blast bones again. Your Mystic Orb travels over time so the second cast fills the gap to have it ALWAYS present on the target with no down time taking full advantage of the damage over time passive for the Necromancer.

If you can nail the rotation it will be incredibly smooth, NO damage over time OR buffs will EVER run out and everything will be continuously consistent through out. You never need to change your rotation even at execute, just repeat the above until the enemy is dead !

Potions & Food

Potions really help a LOT. Spell power pots are most useful for this setup because it keeps up your magicka recovery and major sorcery meaning you constantly have 20% increase to spell damage. This can be kept up 100% of the time with medicinal use, so i HIGHLY recommend getting that skill in alchemy maxed asap.

Food is very simple, the highest level food you can consume with 2 stats only, MAX health and MAX magicka. There are 3 variations of recipes but all are the same in the stats they give so your choice which one you use.

Spell pots – Lady smock + Water Hyacinth + Cornflower + Lorkhan’s Tears

Food – Minstral Banana-Bunny Hash – Small game(1) + Bananas(2) + Seasoning(3)
             Melon-Baked Parmesan Pork – White Meat(1) + Melon(2) + Cheese(3)
         Solitude Salmon-Millet Soup – Fish(1) + Tomato(2) + Millet(3)
             Clockwork Citrus Filet – Red Meat(1), Lemon(1), Perfect Roe(1), Frost Mirriam(1)
             Witchmother’s Potent Brew – Nightshade(1), Bervez Juice(1), (Rice(1), Small Game(1)

Gear Setup

Below is a chart showing the overall gear set-up, noting the optimal set requirements in terms of weight, enchants & traits!

We are using the Thief Mundus stone along side 64 points into Magicka

We are a Khajiit but other races are also usable. Dark elf, High elf or Breton are good substitutes.

Optimal Setup

Beginner Setup

Gear Locations

Zaan – Scalecaller Peak
Unleashed Ritualist– The Cauldron
Mantle Of Siroria – Cloudrest
Maelstrom weapons – Maelstrom Arena

Maw Of The Infernal – Banished Cells II
Kjalnar’s Nightmare – Unhallowed Grave
Caluurion‘s Legacy – Fang Lair
Grothdar – Vaults Of Madness
New Moon Acolyte – 9 Trait Crafted Set
Law Of Julianos – 6 Trait Crafted Set