Steps 7-10: Buffs, Stats, Testing, Food

STEP 7 -- Buff Rules (Major/Minor)

Major buffs do not stack with Major buffs. Minor buffs do not stack with Minor buffs.

• Major Sorcery + Major Sorcery = wasted
• Major Sorcery + Minor Sorcery = stacks correctly

This applies to Resolve, Brutality, Savagery, Protection, Berserk, etc. Avoid doubling the same named buff.

STEP 8 -- Stack "Unnamed" Bonuses

Unnamed bonuses do stack. If it says "Increase damage done by X%" and it is not Major/Minor, it often stacks nicely.

PvP Stat Goals (Easy Targets)

Tankiness First

• 2000+ Critical Resistance
• 32k+ Physical + Spell Resistance (fully buffed)

If you are not tanky enough, you do not get to play the game.

Penetration

Aim for 30k+ penetration when fully buffed (combined total).

Penetration is a combination of your stats, enemy debuffs, CP bonuses, and set effects.

Example: if you apply Breach (~5k), you only need ~25k pen to reach the same result.

Weapon/Spell Damage

Aim for 5k+ Weapon/Spell Damage when fully buffed. Without pressure, fights never end.

Champion Points (CP) = Build Gap Filler

Need more penetration, sustain, protection, or healing? Get it here.

CP does not replace a build -- it finishes it.

STEP 9 -- Test It Like a Real PvPer

Now you go fight. Try: Duels, Battlegrounds, Cyrodiil.

Your build must be comfortable for you:

• Keeping defenses up
• Managing resources
• Knowing when burst is ready
• Knowing how to disengage and reset

If it does not feel right: change traits, change skills, adjust CP, adjust set pieces.

STEP 10 -- Food (Why We Use It + Why It Is Set Last)

Food is not optional in PvP. It turns your build from "this kind of works" into "this feels smooth, stable, and consistent."

Why we use food

• More Max Health = more time to react
• More Max Magicka/Stamina = more casts, more blocks, more dodges
• More Recovery (if you choose it) = easier sustain

Why food is chosen last

Food is the easiest fine-tuning tool in the entire build.

• "I feel tanky but my sustain is awful" -> pick sustain food
• "I survive but my heals feel weak" -> pick max mag food
• "I keep getting deleted in burst" -> pick max health / tri-stat food
• "My build is nearly perfect but I am short on stamina for block/roll" -> tri-stat

Food is your build's final adjustment knob.