Sorcerer Bash - Name
The Frost Giant Warden Bash Build! We dive deeply into the Winter's Embrace Tree to make a give the enemy a really frosty reception. Tied with the Ice staff you'll be freezing the enemy applying chilled and bashing them to death. On top of that the warden has the largest health pool in the game so with a the standard bash build set up you'll be pushing 50k Health and hitting a very hard bash.
One of the greatest issues I came upon with the Warden was the resources recovery and this has been dealt with by using the new Wretched Vitality set. A perfect back bar setup which when used with Ice fortress gives a solid 390 resources on both stamina and magikca. Combine that with a massive health based heal and you'll have no problem staying alive.
I'm using a very standard bash set up this build with some flexibility for you personal play style. I'm using Deadlands Demolisher and Wretched Vitality, both of which are crafted sets. I'm also using the Masters One handed and Shield Arena set which is very strong for bash builds. Gaze of Sithis which is a gilty pleasure and a personal play style so feel free to use a MS of choice of go Malacath Bands and 1 piece MS for huge base damage.
You can check the video guide here
Attributes 0 Magicka 64 Health 0 Stamina
Mundus Stone Choices:
The Lover for penetration but you can go serpent for Stamina recovery
Food
Cheap food : Jewels of Misrule - Max Health, Mag & Stam Recovery
Expensive: Orzorga’s Smoked Bear Haunch Max Health, Health, Mag & Stam Recovery
Build Overview
Notes
The loadout above is not BIS but what I had on video.
Armor
Armor Enchants: Health for big heals and damage.
Armor Traits: Reinforced, Divines and possibly Infused on big pieces for more health.
MS - Find a 1 piece for penetration like Kra'gh's
Jewellery
Infused and Bash Enchants, there is nothing else
Weapons
Front Bar SNB
Enchant Stamina on hit
Trait Sharpened
Off hand
Enchant Health
Trait Reinforced
FYI. With the masters SNB you'll get a bigger heal and more resistance which is more damage.
Back Bar Ice Staff
Enchant Crushing This pairs well with wall of elements and will continue to reduce physical resistances by 2027 while they are in the wall.
Trait Infused for more Crushing proc and reduction
Gear Sets
Deadlands Demolisher
Type: Craftable
Location: Deadlands
Traits needed to craft: 7
Requires DLC: Deadlands
The best bash damage set. Nothing really comes close to the extra bash damage. Well worth golding out a full set if you're in to your bash builds. I have full gold jewellery and I do not regret it. Again Heavy sets only
Name: Wretched Vitality
Type: Craftable
Location: Deadlands
Traits needed to craft: 3
Requires DLC: Deadlands
An absolute amazing back bar set. In this build it procs with Ice fortress giving both the buffs. Tied in with a couple of heavy attacks and you'll not have any recovery issues. The 2 and 3 item bonuses are sub par for a bash build but you'll be in the fight for longer. An easy 3 trait crafting set too. A very solid set!
Name: Gaze of Sithis
Type: Mythic
Location: Antiquities
Requires DLC: Blackwood
This is an optional piece but I run it on all my bash builds for BG the set bonuses are huge but you'll need to run mist instead of block.
OPTION - For those that love block too much pick a monster set to suit. There are a few options that can add damage and scale with health or choose around the one peice bonus to help with resistances, health, penetration or resources.
Name: Perfected Puncturing Remedy
Type: Arena
Location: Dragonstar Arena [vet]
An absolute must for top tier bash builds. This 2 piece is an absolute game changer. For tanks but a huge heal and increase in resistance is a must for bash builds. Dragon Star Arena is boring as hell but it's worth the grind! Do it you will not regret it.
Active Skills
Front Bar
Shielded Assault
A great gap closure with a shield and stun with a bit of damage. Very solid.
Rush an enemy and ram them, dealing 1393 Physical Damage and stunning them for 3 seconds. You gain a damage shield after the attack, absorbing 2479 damage for 6 seconds. This portion of the ability scales off your Maximum Health.
Pierce Armor
A personal favourite of mine and great for bash weaving. It'll be low damage as stamina is low but minor and major breach is why we have it used here. Tie this in with the Masters Set and you have an absolute amazing ability all in one attack. Debuff, Heal, increase resist, increase bash damage!
Thrust your weapon with disciplined precision at an enemy, dealing 1199 Physical Damage and taunting them to attack you for 15 seconds. Also inflicts Minor Breach and Major Breach on the enemy, reducing their Physical Resistance and Spell Resistance by 2974 and 5948 for 15 seconds.
On Max health builds this hit like a truck you'll easily hit 1700+ damage
Conjure icy shards around you to skewer enemies in the area, immobilizing them for 3 seconds and dealing 511 Frost Damage every 1 second for 12 seconds. Enemies hit are overcome with bitter cold, reducing their Movement Speed by 30% for 3 seconds. Damage done is based on your Maximum Health and has a higher chance to apply the Chilled status effect.
Defensive Stance
Defensive Shield that also reflects damage back to the enemy. When you're out of Magicka this is your life line.
Bolster your defenses, gaining a damage shield that absorbs up to 4958 damage for 6 seconds. This portion of the ability scales off your Maximum Health. You reflect the next harmful Direct Damage projectile cast at you. This effect can occur once per cast. While you have a shield equipped, the amount of damage you can block is increased by 10% and the cost of blocking is reduced by 10%.
Bird of Prey
This is mainly here for your passive damage increase and minor Berserk but the extra speed is very welcome with max heavy builds.
Invoke the spirit of agility to gain Major Expedition 6 seconds, increasing your Movement Speed by 30%. While slotted gain Minor Berserk, increasing your damage done by 5%.
Eternal Guardian
This is only here for the extra 2% extra damage you get for the animal companion passives. You can activate the guardian but he will go on bar swap
Rouse a grizzly to fight by your side. The grizzly swipes an enemy, dealing 741 Magic Damage, and sometimes swipes all enemies in front of it, dealing 2970 Magic Damage and stunning them for 2 seconds. Once summoned you can activate Guardian's Wrath for 75 Ultimate, causing the grizzly to maul an enemy for 3360 Magic Damage. Deals 100% more damage to enemies below 25% Health. The grizzly respawns when killed, once per minute.
Back Bar
Unstable Wall of Elements
Slow your enemies, apply chill and give yourself and your team mates 2 shields.
Create an unstable elemental barrier in front of you, dealing 316 Magic Damage to enemies in the target area every 1 second before exploding for an additional 1799 Magic Damage. Unstable Wall of Fire deals additional damage to Burning enemies. Unstable Wall of Frost costs more, but grants damage shields and immobilizes Chilled enemies. Unstable Wall of Storms sets Concussed enemies Off Balance.
Blue Betty
We've a lot of magicka abilities on this build and this keeps us topped up with resource plus we get a clense and majory brutality and sorcery.
Call a betty netch to your side, which restores 4416 Magicka to you over 25 seconds and grants you Major Brutality and Sorcery, increasing your Weapon Damage and Spell Damage by 20%. Every 5 seconds, the netch removes 1 negative effect from you.
Polar Winds/Artic Blast
The team morph allowing you to drop the 10k heals. Your team will be thanking you. For extra stun use Artic Blast. Both heals scale off health. BOth heal about 1k damage per second.
Envelop yourself in winter winds, instantly healing for 3414 Health and an additional 413 Health every 1 second over 5 seconds. The winds also sweep out in search of an ally within 12 meters, healing them for 3414 Health. While the effect persists the winds pulse outwards, dealing 435 Frost Damage every 1 second to nearby enemies. The healing from this ability scales off your Maximum Health.
Envelop yourself in winter winds, instantly healing for 3305 Health and an additional 413 Health every 1 second over 5 seconds. While the effect persists the winds pulse outwards, dealing 435 Frost Damage every 1 second to nearby enemies. Enemies hit by this effect 3 times are stunned for 4 seconds. This healing from this ability scales off your Maximum Health.
Major resolve and Minor Protection activates your Wretched Vitality 5 piece too
Wrap a thick cloak of ice around you and your allies. The ice grants Major Resolve, increasing your Physical Resistance and Spell Resistance by 5948 for 24 seconds. You gain Minor Protection, reducing your damage taken by 5% for 24 seconds.
Elusive Mist
Your Escape and damage mitigation. Great for nullifiying damage. Use Defensive stance after before switch to back bar for heals
Dissolve into a dark mist, reducing your damage taken from players by 75% and granting you Major Expedition, increasing your Movement Speed by 30% for as long as you maintain the channel. Entering this form removes and grants immunity to all disabling and immobilization effects, but you cannot be healed and your Recovery stats are disabled.
Swarming Scion
This ability synergises so well with this build. Increased health for more damage bash damage via pierce armor. Health back on attack and an aoe. plus an oh shit max health button. Huge Ultimate!!
Transform into a monstrous creature of the night, instantly healing to full Health. While transformed, your Maximum Health, Magicka, and Stamina are increased by 10000, you heal for 15% of all damage you deal, and you can see enemies through walls. Bats also swarm around you and shred enemies that come close, dealing 870 Magic Damage every 1 second.