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GINX TV > Guides & Tutorial > Elder Scrolls Online

ESO Best Templar Magicka Build

Looking to get the most out of your Magicka-focused Templar? Here's our best Templar Magicka build in ESO.
By Shreyansh Katsura | 
First Published November 20, 2023, 05:35
ESO Best Templar Magicka Build
Zenimax Online

The Templar is a tank class in Elder Scrolls Online with incredible sustainability in almost every activity in the game. It also channels the power of the sun to deal massive amounts of Magic Damage, making it one of the most powerful and reliable classes in the game. 

Our Best Magicka Templar build in ESO is for PvE activities, and boasts incredible defense, dealing a staggering amount of single-target and AOE damage over time while constantly healing itself. In short, it's an absolute menace, both in early-game and end-game content. Continue reading to know how to put together the best Magicka Templar build in ESO, including the best active and passive abilities, champion skills, gear set, and Mundus Stones.

Table of Contents

Best Active Abilities For The Templar Magicka Build In ESO

Front Bar Skills

Skill Description
Purifying Light Summon an expanding beam of pure sunlight to doom an enemy, dealing 3522 Magic Damage immediately and marking them for 6 seconds. After the duration ends, the sunlight bursts, dealing 3898 Magic Damage, which increases based on the amount of damage you dealt to them over the duration, up to 200%. Also heals you and nearby allies in the area for 1824 Health every 2 seconds, over 10 seconds. You can have only one Purifying Light at a time.
Puncturing Sweep Launch a relentless assault, striking enemies in front of you three times with your Aedric spear. The spear deals 2789 Magic Damage to the closest enemy and 1454 Magic Damage to all other enemies. Each strike reduces the Movement Speed of the closest enemy by 40% for 0.5 seconds. You heal for 34% of the damage done with this ability.
Radiant Glor Burn an enemy with a ray of holy fire, dealing 9774 Magic Damage over 1.8 seconds. Deals up to 500% more damage to enemies below 50% Health.
Solar Barrage Conjure solar energy to blast enemies around you, dealing 1322 Magic Damage every 2 seconds and increasing your damage done with class abilities by 5% for 20 seconds. While this ability is active you gain Empower, increasing the damage of your Heavy Attacks against monsters by 70%.
Barbed Trap Set a sharpened blade trap at your location, which takes 1.5 seconds to arm and lasts for 20 seconds. When triggered, the trap deals 4002 Bleed Damage, an additional 11990 Bleed Damage over 20 seconds, and grants you Minor Force, increasing your Critical Damage by 10% for the duration. The damage has a higher chance to apply the Hemorrhaging status effect. Enemies who activate the trap are immobilized for 2 seconds.
Flawless Dawnbreaker Arm yourself with Meridia's sacred sword and dispense her retribution, dealing 9688 Physical Damage to enemies in front of you and an additional 11622 Physical Damage over 6 seconds. After activating, your Weapon and Spell Damage is increased by 300 for 20 seconds.

Back Bar Skills

Skill Description
Unstable Wall of Elements (Wall of Fire) Create an unstable elemental barrier in front of you, dealing 854 Magic Damage to enemies in the target area every 1 second before exploding for an additional 3638 Magic Damage. Unstable Wall of Fire deals additional damage to Burning enemies. 
Blazing Spear Send your spear into the heavens to bring down a shower of divine wrath, dealing 7096 Magic Damage to enemies in the area and an additional 551 Magic Damage every 1 second for 10 seconds. An ally near the spear can activate the Blessed Shards synergy, restoring 3960 Magicka or Stamina, whichever maximum is higher.
Dampen Magic Convert a portion of your Magicka into a protective ward, gaining a damage shield that absorbs 7351 damage for 6 seconds. Damage shield strength capped at 60% of your Max Health. Each piece of Light Armor worn increases the amount of damage absorbed by 6%.
Razer Caltrops Hurl a ball of caltrops that scatter over the target area, dealing 854 Physical Damage every 1 second to enemies inside, and reducing their Movement Speed by 50%. Enemies who take damage from the caltrops have Major Breach applied to them, reducing their Physical and Spell Resistance by 5948 for 4.1 seconds.
Ritual of Retribution Exalt in the sacred light of the Aedra, cleansing up to 2 harmful effects from yourself immediately. While in the area, enemies take 1322 Magic Damage every 2 seconds for 20 seconds which increases by 12% per tick. Allies in the area can activate the Purify synergy, cleansing all harmful effects from themselves and healing for 5813 Health.
Shooting Star Call a comet down from the constellations to blast an enemy, dealing 12948 Flame Damage to all enemies in the area, knocking them down, and stunning them for 2 seconds. After impact, enemies in the target area take 3698 Flame Damage every 1 second for 11 seconds. You generate 12 Ultimate for each enemy hit by the initial blast.

You begin by casting your pre-buff and DOT skills, which are Solar Barrage, Unstable Wall of Fire, Blazing Spear, Razer Caltrops, and Ritual of Retribution. Solar Barrage not only deals AOE Magic Damage but also buffs the damage you deal from your class abilities. Additionally, it increases the damage of your heavy attacks, which you will be spamming a lot in this rotation.

Next up is Unstable Wall of Fire, which is an excellent AOE DOT skill. You would want this running at all times for the additional damage it does to burning enemies. Likewise, Blazing Spear is a hard-hitting AOE DOT skill, which you would also want running at all times. Also, if you play with a friend, the Blessed Shards synergy of this skill will allow them to restore their Magicka or Stamina, which is a neat bonus. 

Your final two DOT skills are Razer Caltrops and Ritual of Retribution. The former also hinders the enemy's movement and breaches their defenses, while the latter allows your allies to activate the Purify synergy to heal themselves in battle. 

With all your DOTs up and running, it's time to use your spammable and execute attacks. The main skill you would want to spam in this rotation is Puncturing Sweep, which not only deals massive single-target and AOE damage but also heals you consistently. Since we are not using a separable healing ability, Puncting Sweep is all the more important to spam, especially if your defense stats aren't ideal. 

When the enemy's health falls below 40%, it's time to spam your execute, which is Radiant Glory. It deals crippling DOT to a single target and is especially handy against bosses and other challenging enemies in the game. And that's it! Keep this rotation up until one of your DOT skills becomes inactive, and if so, take a moment to cast them again. 

In between these, you can use Barbed Trap for critical damage boost and Purifying Light to gain extra healing. As for ultimates, you can use Shooting Star whenever it's available to deal devastating single-target and AOE damage. We recommend not using Flawless Dawnbreaker, as it's slotted mainly for that extra buff to weapon and spell damage. 

Best Passive Abilities For The Templar Magicka Build In ESO

Skill Description
Piercing Spear Increases your Critical Damage by 10%. Increases your damage done to blocking targets by 10%.
Spear Wall Gain Minor Protection for 6 seconds, reducing damage taken by 5%.
Burning Light When you deal damage you generate a stack of Burning Light for 3 seconds. After reaching 4 stacks, you deal 2728 Magic Damage to your target. This effect can stack once every half second and scales off your highest offensive stats.
Balanced Warrior Increases your Weapon and Spell Damage by 6% and Physical and Spell Resistance by 1320.
Enduring Rays  Increases the duration of your Sun Fire, Eclipse, Solar Flare, and Nova abilities by 2 seconds.
Prism Casting a Dawn's Wrath ability while in combat generates 3 Ultimate. This effect can occur once every 6 seconds.
Illuminate Casting a Dawn's Wrath ability grants Minor Sorcery to you and your group for 20 seconds, increasing your Spell Damage by 10%.
Restoring Spirit  Reduces the Health, Magicka, Stamina, and Ultimate costs of your abilities by 5%.
Mending Increases the healing effects from your Restoring Light abilities by up to 12%, in proportion to the severity of the target's wounds.
Sacred Ground While standing in your own Cleansing Ritual, Rune Focus, or Rite of Passage area effects and for up to 4 seconds after leaving them you gain Minor Mending, increasing your healing done by 8%. Also increases the amount of damage you can block by 10% for the duration.
Light Weaver When you heal an ally under 50% Health with a Restoring Light ability, you grant them 2 Ultimate. While you are channeling Rite of Passage, you gain 33000 Physical and Spell Resistance.
Master Ritualist Increases resurrection speed by 20%. Resurrected allies return with 100% more Health. Gives you a 50% chance to fill an empty Soul Gem after each successful resurrection.
Slaughter Increases damage with Dual Wield abilities by 20% against enemies with under 25% Health
Dual Wield Expert Increases Weapon and Spell Damage by 6% of off-hand weapon's damage.
Controlled Fury Reduces the Stamina cost of Dual Wield abilities by 15%.
Ruffian  Gives you a 15% damage bonus when attacking stunned, immobilized, disoriented, or silenced enemies.
Twin Blade and Blunt Grants a bonus based on the type of weapon equipped: Each axe increases your Critical Damage done by 6%. Each mace increases your Offensive Penetration by 1487. Each sword increases your Weapon and Spell Damage by 129. Each dagger increases your Critical Chance rating by 657.
Light Armor Bonuses Each piece of Light Armor does the following: Reduces damage taken from Magical attacks by 1% Reduces the cost of Roll Dodge by 3% Reduces the Movement Speed penalty of Sneak by 5% Reduces the cost of Break Free by 5% Reduces the cost of Bash by 3%
Light Armor Penalties Each piece of Light Armor does the following: Increases damage taken from Martial attacks by 1% Increases the cost of Block by 3% Decreases damage done with Bash by 1%
Grace Reduces the effectiveness of snares applied to you by 4% for each piece of Light Armor worn. Reduces the cost of Sprint by 3% for each piece of Light Armor worn.
Evocation Increases your Magicka Recovery by 4% for each piece of Light Armor equipped. Reduces the Magicka cost of your abilities by 2% for each piece of Light Armor equipped.
Spell Warding Increases your Spell Resistance by 726 for each piece of Light Armor equipped.
Prodigy Increases your Weapon and Spell Critical rating by 219 for each piece of Light Armor equipped.
Concentration Increases your Physical and Spell Penetration by 939 for each piece of Light Armor worn.
Intimidating Presence Allows you to Intimidate NPCs in conversation. Reduces the Stamina cost of your Fighters Guild abilities by 15%.
Slayer

Increases your Weapon and Spell Damage by 3% for each Fighters Guild ability slotted.
Banish the Wicked You generate 3 Ultimate whenever you kill an enemy.
Skilled Tracker Your Fighters Guild abilities deal an additional 10% damage. This bonus doubles against player Vampires and Werewolves.
Undaunted Command Activating a synergy restores 4% of your Max Health, Stamina, and Magicka. Health 1134 Stamina, and 825 Magicka.
Undaunted Mettle Increases your Max Health, Stamina, and Magicka by 2% per type of Armor (Heavy, Medium, Light) that you have equipped.

For your passives, we recommend getting all the Templar class and Dual-wield passives for that increased weapon, spell, and critical damage. Spear Wall reduces the damage you take by 5%, which is handy, especially as we are not using separate healing abilites in this build. Since we are using Light Armor and some Fighter's Guild abilities, we recommend getting all their passives to make the most out of those gear and skills. 

Undaunted passives are always a great option because they increase your magicka, health and stamina recovery, all of which are vital to this build and pretty much any build in ESO. 
Most of the passives are self-explanatory, and the goal is to make your active abilities more effective and improve your health, magicka and stamina recovery. 

Best Champion Skills For The Magicka Templar Build In ESO

championbareso.png
Constellation Type Skill Description
Warfare Deadly Aim Increase your damage done with single target attacks by 3% per stage. 
Warfare Master At Arms Increase your damage done with direct damage attacks by 3% per stage. 
Warfare Fighting Finesse Increases your Critical Damage and Critical Healing done by 4% per stage.
Warfare Wrathful Strikes
Grants 41 Weapon and Spell damage to your damaging abilities per stage
Fitness Boundless Vitality Grants 28 Max Health per stage. 
Fitness Fortified Grants 34.6 Armor per stage. 
Fitness Rejuvenation Grants 1.8 Health, Magicka, and Stamina Recovery per stage.
Fitness Siphoning Spells Restore 300 Magicka per stage, whenever you kill an enemy. 
Craft Liquid Efficiency Whenever you use a potion or a poison you have a 10% 
Craft Rationer Adds 10 minutes to the duration of any food or drink that increases your character's stats per stage. 
Craft Steed's Blessing Increases your out of combat Movement Speed by .4% per stage. 
Craft Treasure Hunter Increase the quality of items you find in treasure chests.

Similarly, for Champion Skills, we use the ones that increase your single-target and critical damage. Since this is a Magicka build, Siphoning Spells is a must as it restores an insane amount of Magicka every time you kill an enemy. Like passives, all Champion Skills are pretty self-explanatory, and you shouldn't have much trouble understanding what they are needed for. However, it may take a while to unlock them all, so don't forget to grind. 

Best Gear Set For The Magicka Templar Build In ESO

Weapon / Armor Trait  Set Bonus How To Get

Whorl of the Depths (Dagger)

Pillar of Nirn (Dagger) 

Nirnhoned - Increases Damage of this weapon by 7.5%.

Charged - Increases chance to apply status effects by 182.5%.

 N/A 

Obtained from the Dreadsail Reef Trial.

Obtained from the Falkreath Hold dungeon.
Pillar of Nirn (Greatsword)  Infused - Increases weapon enchantment effect by 15% and reduces enchantment cooldown by 50%. (2 items) Adds 657 Critical Chance Obtained from the Falkreath Hold dungeon.
Pillar of Nirn (Necklace)  Bloodthirsty - Increases your Weapon and Spell damage against enemies under 90% Health by up to 350. (3 items) Adds 657 Critical Chance Obtained from the Falkreath Hold dungeon.

Pillar of Nirn (Ring)

 Bloodthirsty - Increases your Weapon and Spell damage against enemies under 90% Health by up to 350. (4 items) Adds 129 Weapon and Spell Damage Obtained from the Falkreath Hold dungeon.
Pillar of Nirn (Ring) Bloodthirsty - Increases your Weapon and Spell damage against enemies under 90% Health by up to 350. (5 items) When you deal damage, you create a fissure underneath the enemy after 1 second, dealing 3048 Bleed Damage to all enemies within 2.5 meters and causing them to bleed for an additional 9145 Bleed Damage over 10 seconds. This effect can occur once every 10 seconds and scales off the higher of your Weapon or Spell Damage. Obtained from the Falkreath Hold dungeon.
Whorl of the Depths (Chest) Divines - Increase Mundane Stone effects by 9.1%. (2 items) Adds 129 Weapon and Spell Damage Obtained from the Dreadsail Reef Trial.
Whorl of the Depths (Belt) Divines - Increase Mundane Stone effects by 9.1%. (3 items) Gain Minor Slayer at all times, increasing your damage done to Dungeon, Trial, and Arena Monsters by 5%. Obtained from the Dreadsail Reef Trial.
Whorl of the Depths (Shoes) Divines - Increase Mundane Stone effects by 9.1%. (4 items) Adds 129 Weapon and Spell Damage Obtained from the Dreadsail Reef Trial.
Whorl of the Depths (Hands) Divines - Increase Mundane Stone effects by 9.1%. (5 items) When you deal damage with a Light Attack, you apply Whorl of the Depths to the target, dealing 3764 Frost Damage over 8 seconds. When this effect ends, a 5 meter whirlpool is created under the target for 6 seconds and deals 2823 Frost Damage every 1 second. This effect can occur once every 18 seconds and scales off the higher of your Weapon or Spell Damage. Obtained from the Dreadsail Reef Trial.
Harpooner's Wading Kilt (Mythic Leg) Divines - Increase Mundane Stone effects by 9.1%. (1 item) Dealing direct damage grants you a stack of Hunter's Focus for 20 seconds, up to 10 stacks max. You can only gain 1 stack of Hunter's Focus per second. Each stack of Hunter's Focus increases your Critical Chance by 110 and your Critical Damage by 1%. Taking direct damage removes 5 stacks of Hunter's Focus, up to once per second. Removing Harpooner's Wading Kilt removes all stacks of Hunter's Focus. Obtain all five leads in Blackwood. 
Zaan (Head) Divines - Increase Mundane Stone effects by 9.1%. (1 item) Adds 657 Critical Chance Obtained from the Dragon Bones Dungeon.
Zaan (Shoulder) Divines - Increase Mundane Stone effects by 9.1%. (2 items) When you deal Critical Damage with a Light or Heavy Attack, you have a 33% chance to tether to your enemy for 10 seconds as long as you remain within 8 meters of them. Enemies touching the tether take 581 Flame damage every 1 second, increasing by 100% per tick and are afflicted with the Burning status effect. This effect can occur once every 20 seconds and scales off the higher of your Weapon or Spell Damage. Obtained from the Dragon Bones Dungeon.

For your gear, we recommend using five pieces of the Pillar of Nirn set for increased critical chance, weapon and spell damage, and an additional DOT Bleed attack that occurs every 10 seconds. We also recommend using five pieces of the Whorl of the Depths set for more weapon and spell damage. It also buffs your damage against Dungeons and Trials enemies, so if you're planning to do those, this is a must.

For the leg, we recommend the Mythic Harpooner's Wading Kilt to boost your critical chance and critical damage. Lastly, we recommend using two pieces of Zaan's set to increase your critical chance even more. It also deals bonus flame damage over time, which can synergize with Unstable Wall of Fire.

Best Races For The Magicka Templar Build In ESO

Race  Bonus
High Elf  Increased Max Magicka, Spell Damage, Resource Recovery, and XP gain. 
Dark Elf Increased Max Magicka, Stamina, Weapon, and Spell Damage.
Khajit Increased Max Magica and additional Critical Damage.

All three aforementioned races are great for the Magicka Templar build, so it's a matter of personal choice whether you want better resource recovery or more critical damage. 

Best Mundus Stones For The Magicka Templar Build In ESO

Mundus Stone Effect
Thief Increased Weapon and Spell Critical Strike rating.

The Thief Mundus Stone is an easy choice because it further increases your chance to deal a critical strike from your weapon and spells, which we have emphasized throughout this build.