If you want to maximize Damage Per Second (DPS) in ESO, check out these 10 best monster sets Ranked!
This guide has been updated for the Update 46, the Season of the Worm of the Elder Scrolls Online (ESO).
Monster sets have always been a staple in The Elder Scrolls Online. They can give you extra damage, increase your stats, and grant resources or buffs. Often times, they are used as a one piece with a mythic or a two piece with powerful bonuses. This best DPS Monster Set guide gives you 10 choices to choose from for damage dealers (DD) in ESO. Moreover, we are listing base game and DLC monster helms with alternatives if you are using a one piece mythic.
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The Top 10 Best DPS Monsters Sets in ESO
The best DPS monster helms are Zaan’s, Slimecraw, and Nerien’eth. Zaan’s is the top damage two piece monster helm, and requires melee range to maintain damage with a tether. During parsing or trials, the damage can be dramatically increased via group buffs, making it do exceptional damage when in coordinated group content or parsing. Slimecraw is often used because it provides one line of critical bonus and pairs with Mythics. Therefore, most DPS setups use 1:1 Monster and Mythic and this one piece adds extra damage. Lastly, Nerien’eth is a great choice for builds like Templar which use a spammable attack with multiple attacks over a second.
Below are the top 10 from best to worst DPS monster sets:
- Zaan: highest damage, though requires melee range.
- Slimecraw: grants critical with a one piece, useful when combined with mythic.
- Kra’gh: grants penetration with one piece, helpful when playing solo in medium armor.
- Nerien’eth: triggers proc when using spammable with direct damage.
- Selene: high single target damage, but requires targets to be stationary.
- Balorgh: the best burst set, typically used in solo arenas to burn bosses.
- Stormfist: great AOE damage proc set and base game monster helm.
- Iceheart: helpful for a little bit of damage, but also a damage shield.
- Maw of the Infernal: niche focused on Sorc Pet build.
- Kjalnar’s Nightmare: powerful monster helm, but can only be used by one in your party.
Clicking on any of the Monster Set links below will show a list of builds using that item and where to get it.
10. Kjalnar’s Nightmare
Kjalnar’s Nightmare
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(1 item) Adds 129 Weapon and Spell Damage
(2 items) Damaging an enemy with a Light Attack puts a Bone stack on them for 5 seconds, up to once every 0.5 seconds. At 5 stacks, an undodgeable skeletal hand attacks your enemy after 1 second, knocking them into the air and stunning them for 3 seconds, or dealing 2468 Magic damage if they cannot be stunned. Enemies then become immune to Kjalnar’s Nightmare stacks for 4 seconds. The damage scales off the higher of your Weapon or Spell Damage.
The Kjalnar’s Nightmare monster helm is one of the highest damage producing in the game. It requires precise light attack weaving to trigger the five stacks, therefore it can be difficult unless proficient in “weaving.”
Kjalnar’s Nightmare can be obtained in the Unhallowed Grave dungeon, which requires Harrowstorm DLC. This dungeon can be long and grueling, but is useful to collect in case no one else is using the monster helm.
We recommend using Kjalnar’s Nightmare on a Magicka Nightblade at range, which weaves in and out light attacks for maximum proc chances. Avoid this monster helm if you’re playing in uncoordated groups where another play is running it.
9. Maw of the Infernal
Maw Of The Infernal
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(1 item) Adds 1096 Maximum Magicka
(2 items) When you deal damage with a Light or Heavy Attack, you have a 33% chance to summon a fire breathing Daedroth for 15 seconds. The Daedroth’s attacks deal 3865 Flame Damage, and alternate between Fiery Breath, Fiery Jaws, and Jagged Claw, which alternate once every 2 seconds. The Daedroth can only be summoned once every 15 seconds.
The Maw of the Infernal Set is ideal for “pet builds.” The reason being is, the Daedric Prey Sorcerer skill increases pet damage to cursed targets. This Daedroth is considered a pet, and scales with the buff. And with subclassing being added to ESO, taking the Deadric summoning skill line is possible on any class!
Maw of the Infernal is obtained in The Banished Cells II dungeon. This is a base game dungeon, and should be easy to complete for most players. However, this monster helm is niche and specific to one Sorcerer class skill line and requires you to constantly cast Daedric Prey. Otherwise, we’d rank it higher on this list.
8. Iceheart
Iceheart
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(1 item) Adds 657 Critical Chance
(2 items) When you deal Critical Damage, you have a 20% chance to gain a damage shield that absorbs 5000 damage for 6 seconds. While the damage shield holds, you deal 500 Frost Damage to all enemies within 5 meters of you every 1 second. This effect can occur once every 6 seconds.
The Iceheart Monster helm blends offensive and defensive bonuses. The one piece is useful because it adds a line of critical (roughly 2%). The two piece grants a damage shield that while holds, does AOE frost damage. Mostly this monster helm is recommended and used in solo arenas where survivability is critical. In Veteran Maelstrom or Veteran Vateshran Hollows, Iceheart shines when other monster helms lack any survivability.
You can obtain the Iceheart Monster helm in Direfrost Keep, a base game dungeon. We recommend using this monster helm when you don’t have the Pale Order Mythic Ring or other higher survivability mythics or monster helms. Moreover, the one piece provides critical, helpful if using a mythic so it’s a dual purpose monster helm worth collecting. However, end game players will have better damage and survivability options, thus we keep Iceheart ranked 8.
7. Stormfist
Stormfist
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(1 item) Adds 129 Stamina Recovery
(2 items) When you deal damage, you have a 10% chance to create a thunderfist to crush the enemy, dealing 1650 Shock Damage every 1 second for 3 seconds to all enemies within 4 meters and a final 8470 Physical Damage when the fist closes. This effect can occur once every 8 seconds. The Shock Damage dealt from this set bypasses Spell Resistance.
Stormfist remains one of the best DPS monster sets in ESO because of it’s massive AOE proc. This set also does shock damage, which can be buffed from other sets or bonuses. The radius of the proc is four meters, giving single target heavy builds the edge in area damage, plus it’s a base game set!
You can obtain Stormfist from Tempest Island, a base game dungeon. The major downside to the monster helm is the one piece gives 129 stamina recovery. For many builds, especially end game, this is a useless set bonus. Sustain typically isn’t an issue, and therefore Stormfist ranks lower than others on this best ESO DPS set list.
However, for players running more single target focused builds, or if you lack stamina sustain playing solo, Stormfist makes a great choice!
6. Balorgh
Balorgh
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(1 item) Adds 129 Weapon and Spell Damage
(2 items) When you use an Ultimate ability, you gain Weapon Damage and Spell Damage equal to the amount of total Ultimate consumed, and Physical and Spell Penetration equal to 23 times the amount for 12 seconds.
When it comes to burst damage monster helm DPS sets, NOTHING beats Balorgh. This monster helm allows you to save up ultimate and once consumed (depending on the amount), gain penetration and weapon or spell damage. Essentially, you save up 500 ultimate for solo arena boss fights. Just as they spawn, you drop an ultimate and unload all of your high damage skills and spam your attack. Bosses will melt in seconds making it a must have set for solo play.
You can obtain Balorgh from March of Sacrifices dungeon, which requires Wolfhunter DLC. This set is a staple in PVE DPS, and also PvP where burst is key. However, Balorgh falls behind other best DPS monster sets because it’s most effective for only 12 seconds at a time. It doesn’t have the sustain DPS as other sets, but we still recommend it for every player.
5. Selene
Selene
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(1 item) Adds 129 Weapon and Spell Damage
(2 items) When you deal Martial melee damage, you have a 15% chance to call on a primal spirit that mauls the closest enemy in front of you after 1.3 seconds for 1890 Physical Damage. This effect can occur once every 4 seconds.
The Selene monster helm is one of the strong DPS sets for single target damage. You have a 15% chance to trigger a massive bear in front of you doing physical damage. The trick to using this set is making sure the bear lands, it’s attack after a 1.3 second delay. Sometimes monster move out of the way or miss, thus limiting Selene’s effectiveness.
You can obtain the Selene monster helm in Selene’s Web, another base game dungeon. Another limitation of Selene’s is the one piece bonus provides max stamina. While a decent bonus on stamina builds, it’s useless on magicka character, and weaker than critical or penetration.
The best way to use Selene’s is on a stamina Nightblade build or any that has a melee main spammable. Moreover, this can be an excellent set for PvP due to it’s burst damage. Just make sure you stun the target as the bear proc appears to ensure it lands.
4. Nerien’eth
Nerien’eth
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(1 item) Adds 129 Weapon and Spell Damage
(2 items) When you deal direct damage, you have a 10% chance to summon a Lich crystal that explodes after 2 seconds, dealing 8800 Magic Damage to all enemies within 4 meters. This effect can occur once every 3 seconds.
The fourth best overall monster helm is Nerien’eth due to its massive damage lich crystals which can trigger every 3 seconds. Moreover, Nerien’eth can be used at range or melee, making it highly effective for almost any builds. And if that weren’t enough, Nerien’eth Lich crystal proc is AOE damage, giving you an edge if using a single target heavy build.
You can obtain Nerien’eth Monster Helm set in Crypt of Hearts II base game dungeon. It’s best used on builds that deal multiple sources of “direct damage.” For instance, a Templar using Jabs / Sweeps triggers multiple direct damage sources in a second, granting a much higher proc chance. However, our favorite is still a Magicka Nightblade, because you can use it range with a spammable class attack and do great damage without being up close.
There’s not much to criticize Nerien’eth on, outside of the one piece bonus not being critical, and having less damage than Zaan’s. However, it’s a perfect DPS monster set for those that one range, with a direct damage spammable attack.
3. Kra’gh
Kra’gh
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(1 item) Adds 1487 Offensive Penetration
(2 items) When you deal damage, you have a 10% chance to spawn dreugh limbs that create shockwaves in front of you dealing 249 Physical damage every 0.6 seconds for 2.4 seconds. This effect can occur once every 6 seconds and scales off the higher of your Weapon or Spell Damage.
You might be shocked to see Kra’gh as the third best monster helm, and that’s because of it’s one piece bonus offensive penetration. Truly, many monster helms can provide this, but you should obtain one especially for solo play with medium armor.
Veteran Dungeon, Trial and Arena enemies have 18,200 resistance, and you want to reach as close to that cap without spilling over as possible. Skills that give major or minor breach can help, the Lover Mundus Stone, and light armor. This one piece bonus with a mythic is usually our go to for solo builds looking to push the most damage as possible.
You can obtain Kra’gh monster helm from Fungal Grotto I base game dungeon. It’s limitation is the two piece bonus being weaker than Stormfist or Selene’s. Moreover, offensive penetration in group settings isn’t typically needed because tanks and healers run so many buffs and debuffs, you spill over. But for solo players, consider the one piece if using a mythic for extra damage.
2. Slimecraw
Slimecraw
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(1 item) Adds 657 Critical Chance
(2 items) Adds 113 Critical Chance, Gain Minor Berserk at all times, increasing your damage done by 5%
The second best monster helm set in ESO is Slimecraw, mainly because of the one piece bonus giving you critical chance. Most end-game PvE DPS builds run a mythic and a one piece monster helm. Unlike solo builds, group PvE builds typically run five pieces of medium armor to avoid “over penetration,” or going over the 18,200 Veteran mob resistance cap.
This is why Slimecraw is used on so many end-game PvE DPS builds, because the cap on critical chance is 100%. There are no diminishing returns, and finding the sweet spot between critical chance, critical damage, and weapon or spell damage is the key for huge DPS.
You can obtain Slimecraw monster set from Wayrest Sewers I base game dungeon, which is one of the easiest to complete in ESO. There are alternatives to this one piece granting the same bonus, but this is the easiest to get. The major downside is obvious, the two piece is almost useless. However, consider using Slimecraw in a more advanced setup with a mythic for some of the most damage in ESO.
1. Zaan
Zaan
LVL 50 – CP 160
SET BONUS
(1 item) Adds 657 Critical Chance
(2 items) When you damage a nearby enemy with a Light or Heavy Attack, you have a 33% chance to create a beam of fire that will connect you to your enemy. The beam deals 2010 Flame Damage every 1 second to your enemy for 6 seconds. Every second, this damage increases by 100%. The beam is broken if the enemy moves 8 meters away from you. This effect can occur every 18 seconds.
The best DPS monster set in ESO is Zaan, due to it’s incredible damage potential when the two piece is triggered. Once triggered with light or heavy attack, you attach a beam to the target, dealing flame damage over six seconds. The damage increases as you hold, and if you move away from 8 meters it resets. Therefore, the monster helm is entirely melee dependent, but the damage is unmatched and most endgame PvE builds play in melee range.
Another reason Zaan is so strong is the one piece also offers critical chance just like Slimecraw. Moreover, since it’s flame damage, you can increase it’s overall output with skills like Engulfing Flame and other set bonuses. However, there are a lot of limitations to Zaan’s. You need to be in melee, you need to stay close to your target, and you need to be good with light attack weaving. If you do these things, nothing will melt a parse dummy or a boss like Zaan!
You can obtain Zaan in Scalecaller Peak dungeon, requiring Dragon Bones DLC. Use a two piece monster set, and two other five pieces for optimal damage. Super hardcore players have a double proc setup with a mythic. Meaning, one five piece is activated on the back bar (Whorl of Depth), then when you switch another is active on the front (Pillar of Nirn). It’s a complex setup but can produce some of the highest damage in ESO.
The Final Word
We hope you found this summary of the ESO Best DPS Monster Sets helpful. Make sure to check out more Monster Set guides for each role listed below.
