Introduction: I'm presenting a very simple and straightforward Templar tanking build in this thread. The reason it is presented as a Breton build is because it's probably the most mana-efficient racial choice for a Templar, and with the v.181 patch changes, mana can become an issue.

( ESOHead: http://tinyurl.com/ntv9g3d )

( ESOCalc: http://tinyurl.com/nq4o663 )

Armor: 5+ pieces of Heavy Armor, although 2 pieces of Light Armor might be an option if the Armor cap is reached too easily and you want a bit extra spell resist and mana efficiency.

Weapon: 1h + shield, for very obvious reasons.

Mundus Stone Choices:

The Lord: The most obvious choice as it increases your maximum health. However other choices below might be more viable if you're (likely) hitting the health cap:

The most obvious choice as it increases your maximum health. However other choices below might be more viable if you're (likely) hitting the health cap: The Apprentice: Templars have extreme strong potential when it comes to AoE tanking with their spells. This will only further increase your damage output and your ability to hold aggro.

Templars have extreme strong potential when it comes to AoE tanking with their spells. This will only further increase your damage output and your ability to hold aggro. The Lady: Increases your maximum armor, yet again the softcaps might be looming over your head.

Ability Loadout:

Inner Beast: The best taunt in game. Ranged, consumes magicka instead of stamina, which you'll need to block and offers an extra high AoE damage synergy. Explosive Charge: What better way to initiate a fight than by charging in with a blast. This will be especially useful for getting initial attention of large group of mobs. Absorb Magic: This seems like a staple spell to help you tanking, especially bosses with large spells which might give other tanks issues with spike damage might heal you instead. Reflective Light: A bit of extra AoE damage and a snare. On top of that it's a ranged spell which does a ton of consistent damage. Blazing Shield: A damage shield which will do even more AoE damage. I feel as if AoE tanking is the strength of a Templar tank, so it should be capitalized on, especially with spells like these which also give you extra defensive bonuses. Solar Disturbance: Even more AoE damage with an added defensive bonus, snaring enemies and reducing their damage output by 40%. Allies can use the synergy to apply an AoE stun.

Best AoE Tanking: Templar tanks will have the strongest AoE tanking, even more so than Sorcerer tanks, especially when considering all the defensive bonuses your AoE spells give you.

Templar tanks will have the strongest AoE tanking, even more so than Sorcerer tanks, especially when considering all the defensive bonuses your AoE spells give you. High DPS: Due to all the AoE tanking and the fact that your defensive abilities also do damage, you'll find yourself doing a lot of damage in dungeons and during bossfights.

Due to all the AoE tanking and the fact that your defensive abilities also do damage, you'll find yourself doing a lot of damage in dungeons and during bossfights. Highest Blocking: The Templar will due to it's Spear Wall passive block the most damage of all tanks from melee attacks.

The Templar will due to it's Spear Wall passive block the most damage of all tanks from melee attacks. High mobility: Explosive Charge will make Templar a very mobile and effective tank. A bunch of mobs just got aggro'ed by your group in the distance? No problem. Go in with a bang and grab that threat.

Low Health Regen: Templars do not have as much inate health regen passives as a Dragonknight Tank, nor any strong health regen abilities.

Templars do not have as much inate health regen passives as a Dragonknight Tank, nor any strong health regen abilities. No Armor / Spell resistance cooldowns: Although you already have very high passive defenses and bonuses to your armor and spell resistance you'll lack Armor and Spell Resistance increasing actives compared to other classes. This can be countered by going really deep into the Restoring Light tree and picking up Restoring Focus. The concern however exists that these actives will be completely useless at endgame due to the capping of Armor and Spell Resistance. And it obviously will take away from your AoE tanking utilities, DPS and cost you some extra skillpoints.

The main spells which can be replaced in my opinion are, in order:

Reflective Light: It can be argued that it really doesn't add much to your toughness as a tank and that the snare isn't all that useful in most situations. Although keep in mind that it applies a DoT which through your Dawn's Wrath passives in turn gives you additional spell resist for a very long time.

Explosive Charge: I consider this intercept mechanic as quite useful, yet for some it might appear as too much of a DPS ability than a tanking utility.

The following spells should thus be considered if you're not a fan of the above:

Healing Ritual: To cover for the lack of a Health Regen active as other classes might have.

To cover for the lack of a Health Regen active as other classes might have. Radiant Aura: Same reason as Healing Ritual, yet an instant heal is more useful than depending on passive health regen in my opinion.

Same reason as Healing Ritual, yet an instant heal is more useful than depending on passive health regen in my opinion. Restoring Focus: To have an armor / spell resistance increasing active and to receive 15% more healing for the duration.

To have an armor / spell resistance increasing active and to receive 15% more healing for the duration. Cripling Slash: Reduces target weapon damage by 15% for 9 seconds. A solid choice.

Reduces target weapon damage by 15% for 9 seconds. A solid choice. Blinding Flashes: 2 chances at blinding all targets around you for 4 seconds, good for AoE tanking.

2 chances at blinding all targets around you for 4 seconds, good for AoE tanking. Empowering Sweep: AoE damage with a defensive +armor buffing utility.

AoE damage with a defensive +armor buffing utility. Solar Barrage: If you feel like you're tanky enough and would rather boost your groups damage output, then pick up this spell. The extra damage works for everyone in your group and will make trash-clearing a lot faster.

The reason I didn't pick these abilities though is because I felt them unnecessary and perhaps even overkill to an extent. Armor most often gets hardcapped, to the extent that currently in the PST there are tanks using full light armor and 1h+shield as their equipment for VR10 content. So I feel that doing a little bit more damage might be more useful instead, especially when they provide a certain utility. Mobility in the case of 'Explosive Charge', and snare and increased spell resistance in case of 'Reflective Light'.

You can obviously use these abilities in your 2nd weapon loadout instead. I myself however most likely will use my 2nd weapon build for a DPS or PvP build, as currently the game allows you to change your loadout before every pull, especially useful if you require certain abilities for a certain bossfight. ( Check this ESOCalc link for a viable double weapon tanking loadout. )

CHANGELOG:

03/07/2014 - Inner Beast - After closer investigation I deemed it more purposeful to replace Ransack / Pierce Armor with Inner Fire (from the Undaunted Guild), because it uses magicka instead of stamina, is a ranged taunt and even offers extra DPS through it's synergy.

03/07/2014 - Breton - With the v.181 changes to Templar it might be more prudent to play a mana-efficient race. The extra spell resistance obviously is nice too.