Necromancer Tank Build

Tanks frequently use all resources. While few skills cost Health, it is still an essential resource to maintain for obvious reasons. Magicka is typically used for self-healing, buffing allies, and debuffing enemies; Stamina is used for blocking, roll dodging, breaking free, and debuffing enemies. In this section, you will learn of the various ways a Necromancer Tank can stay on top of sustain.

Your class skills and passives significantly improve your sustain:
 • The Spirit Guardian skill doesn’t directly increase your sustain, but while it’s active, the Undead Confederate passive increases your Health Recovery, Magicka Recovery, and Stamina Recovery by 200.
 • The Death Gleaning passive restores 666 Magicka and Stamina every time an enemy that you are in combat with dies, making it very effective during add fights.
 • The Reusable Parts passive reduces the cost of your next Spirit Guardian by 50% when your current Spirit Guardian dies.

There are also universal buffs often provided by your Healers that improve your sustain. The Minor Fortitude, Minor Intellect, and Minor Endurance buffs increase Health Recovery, Magicka Recovery, and Stamina Recovery by 15%.

Your potions grant the Major Fortitude, Major Intellect, and Major Endurance buffs, increasing your Health Recovery, Magicka Recovery, and Stamina Recovery by 30% on top of restoring a burst of Health, Magicka, and/or Stamina, depending on the potion you use. The Tri-Stat potion is your best option as a Tank, and even though they’re expensive, don’t worry; the Daily Login Calendar Rewards frequently has the Crown Store version of these potions available for free.

Heavy Armor increases your Armor stat but also improves your sustain through passives. The Constitution and Revitalize passives restore 108 Magicka and Stamina when you take damage and increase the amount of Magicka and Stamina your heavy attacks restore by 4% for each piece of Heavy Armor slotted. The Necromancer Tank Build uses five pieces of Heavy Armor, meaning you restore 540 Magicka and Stamina upon taking damage and an additional 20% Magicka and Stamina from heavy attacks.

Speaking of heavy attacks, it’s a great way to improve your Stamina sustain significantly. As a Tank, you rely on Magicka Recovery to sustain your Magicka resource; however, a heavy attack will restore a decent bit of Stamina if you have your one-handed weapon and shield in your hands. Heavy attacking can leave you vulnerable, as you can’t block incoming damage during the windup. It’s best to heavy attack immediately after your enemy’s heavy attacks because they usually give you a few seconds to retaliate.

Each Sturdy trait on your armor reduces the cost of your block ability by up to 4% at maximum quality. Because this build uses seven pieces of Sturdy armor plus a Sturdy shield, you can reach up to 32% block cost reduction while on the front bar just from this trait alone.

Your jewelry enchantments increase your Magicka Recovery by up to 169 each at maximum quality for a total of 507 Magicka Recovery. Changing to the Infused trait on your jewelry instead of Triune would increase this bonus up to a maximum of 810 Magicka Recovery. Doing so would reduce your Maximum Health, Magicka, and Stamina.

The Atronach Mundus Stone increases your Magicka Recovery by 310. Changing to the Divines trait on your armor instead of Sturdy would increase this bonus up to a maximum of 507 Magicka Recovery. Doing so would significantly increase the Stamina cost of blocking enemy attacks.

It is important to note the difference between “recovery” and “restore,” especially when it comes to being a Tank. Resource recovery occurs over time, whereas resource restore typically happens all at once, though it can happen over time if the skill states as such. Additionally, Stamina Recovery is locked to 0 when you’re blocking or sprinting, meaning it will continue to deplete until you have nothing left. On the other hand, drinking a potion will restore your Stamina regardless of if you are blocking or sprinting.