How to Boost Your Trial DPS in ESO

In The Elder Scrolls Online, achieving high damage in Trials can feel daunting, especially when comparing your numbers to those seen during dummy DPS tests. Many players find it difficult to replicate those results in real boss fights due to the dynamic nature of Trials, group coordination, and missing buffs or debuffs. However, with the right strategies, you can significantly improve your DPS and become a valuable member of your Trial team. Ninja Pulls's guide will walk you through the key steps to bridge the gap between dummy tests and real encounters.

 

 

1. Utilize Minor Slayer

 

Minor Slayer Sets

 

Medium: Coral Riptide/Arms of Relequen/Sul-Xan's Torment/Ansuul's Torment/Yandir's Might 

Support Sets: Roar of Alkosh/War Machine

 

Light: Whorl of the Depths/Bahsei's Mania/Mantle of Siroria 

Support Sets: Master Architect/Roaring Opportunist

 

Equip a set with Minor Slayer. This buff is only available from Trial sets or the Oakensoul Ring. While the Oakensoul Ring can be beneficial for beginners, most of its buffs are already covered by a Trial group, with only Minor Heroism and Empower being useful.

 

Solo setups are not useful in Trials, as you need to get all the buffs you can and apply them groupwide, not individually. Minor Slayer is a rare buff that doesn't work like that. It can only be self-applied. Plus, it's essentially free damage, and the higher your damage output, the more valuable it becomes. If you lack Trial sets, don't fret; while Minor Slayer is an easy stat boost, it's not the only way to achieve solid damage.

 

2. Focus on Penetration

Penetration is crucial. All enemies have an armor stat—9.1K in Overland and 18.2K in Dungeons and Trials—which reduces the damage dealt to them by 1% per every 500 armor. Without any penetration, only about 64% of your damage gets through. Even being 5K short can mean losing 10% of your damage.

 

There's not a big amount of penetration needed on the dummy (1.2k is sufficient), but for casual Trials, you might require 3K to 5K. The more experienced the group, the less penetration you'll need.

 

Jakarn’s Guide to Full Penetration

 

Always ensure that Major and Minor Breach are active on bosses, and if tanks are prepared, you should also have Crusher and Crimson Oath proc. All of these penetration together can significantly reduce the enemey's armor to only 3,629.

 

You can even increase your penetration through Alkosh (6,000), Runic Sunder (2,200), and Crystal Weapon (1,000). But you can't always rely on these.

 

For the left 3,629 armor, you can reduce it with Piercing CP (700) and Light Armor piece (939). If you are an Arcanist or a Templar, you can also use the Velothi Ur-Mage's Amulet (1,650). If you are still short of penetration, you can use Force of Nature CP ( >2700), a Sharpened trait front bar (1,376), Mace/Kra'gh set/ Valkyn Skoria set, class passive skills, set bonuses, etc.

 

While you may need extra penetration for trash mobs, focus on priority targets. Avoid going above the target's armor, as surplus penetration yields no additional benefits.

 

The Importance of Adjusting Penetration

Bringing the dummy's penetration setup into Trials—where debuffs might be missing—will cause you to lose out on tons of damage. This isn't about your build being wrong; it's about adapting to the situation. This is one of the biggest reasons players experience massive gaps between dummy damage and boss damage. Even in well-organized groups, there will be fights where something feels off, and when you check, you'll find one of these debuffs is missing. It happens all the time.

 

Penetration is arguably the most important damage stat in ESO. To maximize your DPS, you need to understand how it works and how to adjust your setup around it. Check with your group, monitor debuff uptimes on priority targets, and fine-tune your build accordingly. Getting this right will drastically improve your damage and your value to the team.

 

3. Maximize Critical Damage

Critical damage is straightforward but often misunderstood. In ESO, a critical hit deals 1.5 times the damage of a normal hit without any extra cost. Therefore, increasing your critical strike chance is essential. The critical damage stat can raise that 50% bonus up to 125%, meaning your critical hits can deal 2.25 times the damage of regular hits. For instance, a 20K hit can become a 45K crit—an enormous increase.

 

Reaching 125% Critical Damage

 

Your damage build should include Minor Force (10%), 5 to 7 medium armor pieces (10% to 14%), and Harpooner's Wading Kilt (10%). With the default 50%, you can increase your critical damage by 80%.

*Harpooner's Wading Kilt is not needed if your class already has a crit passive skill.

 

Those are not all. You can also receive 20% from Major Force, 10% from Minor Brittle, 12% from Lucent Echoes, and 15% from Elemental Catalyst. With all the boosts mentioned above, you can increase your critical damage by 122%-129%.

 

Increasing critical damage is easier than penetration. But if your supports are inexperienced or lack the necessary sets, it's your responsibility to compensate with skills like Backstabber (10%), Fighting Finesse (8%), Sul-Xan's Torment (12%), axes (6%-12%), passive, set bonuses, etc.

 

It can be challenging to manage these details during a Trial, especially if you're not using voice chat. So, it's best to plan ahead or make an educated guess beforehand. However, don't stress too much; these factors likely won't prevent you from clearing enemies. Just being aware of your penetration and critical hit stats will increase your damage output and make you much more valuable to your teammates.

 

4. Champion Points Matter 

Slot the two that affect >50% of your damage done:

 

•     Deadly Aim

•     Biting Aura

•     Master-at-Arms

•     Thaumaturge

 

When selecting Champion Points (CP), it's crucial to ensure you're using the correct damage type. Consider the following factors:

 

Damage Breakdown: What percentage of your damage is direct versus damage over time? How much is single-target compared to AoE?

 

If the balance is close to 50/50, slotting the "wrong" CP has minimal impact. However, if it skews to 60/40 or more, it becomes significant.

 

For example, many players regard the Necromancer as primarily AoE, DoT class, and then they choose Biting Aura and Thaumaturge. But in fact, a Runecarver Necromancer focuses on single-target damage. Not adjusting your CP can cost you DPS.

 

Additionally, while Exploiter is great for dummy tests, it relies on consistent off-balance procs, which might not always happen in group settings. Therefore, if no one in your group can trigger off-balance or can't do it consistently, Exploiter is not worth it, and you'd better choose another CP, such as the third-highest damage type CP.

 

Fitness Tree Champion Points

While Craft Tree CPs don't make a significant difference, don't overlook the Fitness ones. Solid choices include:

 

•     Boundless Vitality

•     Fortified

•     Rejuvenation

•     Celerity

•     Bloody Renewal/Siphoning Spells (sustain)

•     Tumbling (dodging)

•     Bracing Anchor (blocking)

•     Ward Master (shields)

 

If there are adds in the fight, Bloody Renewal or Siphoning Spells can significantly enhance your sustain. Opt for Tumbling if frequent dodging is required, or Bracing Anchor if heavy blocking is a key part of the encounter. Finally, consider Ward Master if your group is using barriers to survive heavy damage phases.

 

Importance of Survival

None of those choices directly increase your damage output, but staying alive is crucial. If you die, it results in a significant DPS loss—not just for you but also for your damage dealers who have to stop to resurrect you, resulting in a 25% group DPS reduction during that time. So, anything that enhances your survivability without significantly lowering your damage is worth considering.

 

Food Choices

The same principle applies to food. Use your ESO gold to invest in food. If you can maintain Max Health with a particular food, feel free to use it. If the fights are really long or your supports aren't strong, you can always change it back.

 

5. Prepare for Trash Setup

When it comes to trash fights, don't rely on a single setup. While boss fights may resemble dummy testing, trash encounters require a different approach. Instead of focusing solely on sustained single-target damage, prioritize setups that deliver significant AoE damage and burst capabilities to quickly clear dangerous add packs.

 

Aadds can be some of the most challenging aspects of a Trial. Elite adds like Bulwarks in Kyne's Aegis, Reavers and Soulweavers in Rockgrove, and Disruptors in Sanity's Edge can become a major headache if left unchecked. Your tanks and raid leaders certainly don't want to see you dealing minimal damage to them one by one!

 

While it's acceptable to have a versatile setup, like an Arcanist with Coral Riptide and Deadly Strike —especially on console—it's far more effective to have a separate trash setup. Consider using weapons and skills like Master's Greatsword, Inferno Staves, Whirling Blades, and Fiery Rage.

 

Conclusion

Improving your DPS in ESO Trials requires more than just following a cookie-cutter build—it demands adaptability, awareness of group dynamics, and a solid understanding of core mechanics like penetration and critical damage. By implementing these strategies and optimizing your setup for each encounter, you'll not only boost your personal performance but also contribute significantly to your team's success.

 

If you found this guide helpful, consider sharing it with fellow players who may be struggling with their DPS in Trials. With practice and preparation, you'll see noticeable improvements and enjoy a more rewarding experience in ESO's endgame content.

 

Last but not least, if you're a gamer who loves discovering new ESO tips and tricks to level up your skills, Ninja Pulls is a channel you don't want to miss. Known for their clear and concise guides, they make it easy for players of all levels to improve their gameplay. Whether you're stuck on a tough boss fight, looking for hidden treasures, or just want to optimize your character builds, Ninja Pulls has you covered. 

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