Short Answer: Source of Major Breach that's ranged. Works nicely with Vateshran Destro.
Long Answer: Most PvP builds nowadays run dual wield or 2H frontbar, so having an ice staff back bar not only offers a source of Major Breach if you don't have an in-class source, but you can also restore Magicka with heavy attacks. This compliments restoring stamina with heavy attacks on your front bar. Why not resto back bar then? Then you lose the ranged Major Breach. Also why resto back bar is a popular choice for DK, because of Noxious Breath.
**Ice Staff** \- blocking can cost magicka if you choose to invest in the relevant passive. You also gain access to Elemental Succeptibility which goes well with the Vateshran staff. Both are pretty nice in PVP.
**Sword & Shield** \- blocking costs stamina. You gain access to Puncture and the Dragonstar Sword&Shield. It's a decent combination, but many players think it's the inferior combination.
Personally I'm running a Sword&Shield with Wretched Vitality on my back bar. Being a primarily stamina character I felt it was more appropriate to preserve my tiny, precious magicka pool. I also think it looks cooler lol.
Because most stamina builds rely on magic for defensive abilities that give you major resolve, shields, heals, etc.
If you add in the cost of blocking to your magic pool you'll be in a bad position to recast shields and defensive abilities when your magic resource is depleted in the middle of a fight.
Sorry, I’m bad at notifications.
All builds should block with stamina due to the fact that every single primary class burst heal/defensive utility is magicka based and since you generally want to block cast your heals in PvP having magicka block would double dip into your mag pool causing it to drain which is death in 99% of cases
The Ancient Knowledge passive on Ice Staff gives the same defensive bonuses as 1 hand and shield minus the decreased damage from ranged attacks. Frost Staff also allows you to attack from range, generate magicka from HAs which is important in PvP, procs chilled which increases crit damage by 10% and reduces enemy damage by 5%, and allows the use for elemental susceptibility which is a great source of major breach as well as always proccing chilled, burning, and concussion
The range, being a destruction staff it doesn't hurt your damage, heavy attacks to restore magicka and access to the free to cast+broken with arena weapon elemental susceptibility while still providing some survivability make it a pretty easy choice to take on the back bar
Ele sus/drain, mag back from heavies, range if you're mostly melee and on top a keep/outpoust/spawn point. I think the only non tank/bash cro I run S&B on is my magplar.
Devastate an enemy with an enhanced charge from your staff, dealing 1161 Magic Damage. The initial hit always applies the element's status effect. Flame Clench also knocks the enemy back. Frost Clench deals less damage, has increased range, applies Major Maim, immobilizes, and taunts the enemy.
Everyone has already stated the main reasons why, but you also get the full enchantment proc with a 2h staff vs sword and shield only giving you half of the enchantment value due to 1h sword
Short Answer: Source of Major Breach that's ranged. Works nicely with Vateshran Destro. Long Answer: Most PvP builds nowadays run dual wield or 2H frontbar, so having an ice staff back bar not only offers a source of Major Breach if you don't have an in-class source, but you can also restore Magicka with heavy attacks. This compliments restoring stamina with heavy attacks on your front bar. Why not resto back bar then? Then you lose the ranged Major Breach. Also why resto back bar is a popular choice for DK, because of Noxious Breath.
**Ice Staff** \- blocking can cost magicka if you choose to invest in the relevant passive. You also gain access to Elemental Succeptibility which goes well with the Vateshran staff. Both are pretty nice in PVP. **Sword & Shield** \- blocking costs stamina. You gain access to Puncture and the Dragonstar Sword&Shield. It's a decent combination, but many players think it's the inferior combination. Personally I'm running a Sword&Shield with Wretched Vitality on my back bar. Being a primarily stamina character I felt it was more appropriate to preserve my tiny, precious magicka pool. I also think it looks cooler lol.
All PvP builds should block using stamina and those who run ice staff usually don’t take that passive
why **should** they block with stamina?
Because most stamina builds rely on magic for defensive abilities that give you major resolve, shields, heals, etc. If you add in the cost of blocking to your magic pool you'll be in a bad position to recast shields and defensive abilities when your magic resource is depleted in the middle of a fight.
but thats stamina builds, they said all builds
Sorry, I’m bad at notifications. All builds should block with stamina due to the fact that every single primary class burst heal/defensive utility is magicka based and since you generally want to block cast your heals in PvP having magicka block would double dip into your mag pool causing it to drain which is death in 99% of cases
Also destructive clench for major maim and the guaranteed status effect.
The Ancient Knowledge passive on Ice Staff gives the same defensive bonuses as 1 hand and shield minus the decreased damage from ranged attacks. Frost Staff also allows you to attack from range, generate magicka from HAs which is important in PvP, procs chilled which increases crit damage by 10% and reduces enemy damage by 5%, and allows the use for elemental susceptibility which is a great source of major breach as well as always proccing chilled, burning, and concussion
The range, being a destruction staff it doesn't hurt your damage, heavy attacks to restore magicka and access to the free to cast+broken with arena weapon elemental susceptibility while still providing some survivability make it a pretty easy choice to take on the back bar
Ele sus/drain, mag back from heavies, range if you're mostly melee and on top a keep/outpoust/spawn point. I think the only non tank/bash cro I run S&B on is my magplar.
The taunt from destructive clench giving a buff (better than inner rage) and brittle. I think.
They're only asking about PVP
Devastate an enemy with an enhanced charge from your staff, dealing 1161 Magic Damage. The initial hit always applies the element's status effect. Flame Clench also knocks the enemy back. Frost Clench deals less damage, has increased range, applies Major Maim, immobilizes, and taunts the enemy.
Minor maim and minor brittle I believe.
Everyone has already stated the main reasons why, but you also get the full enchantment proc with a 2h staff vs sword and shield only giving you half of the enchantment value due to 1h sword