Official Discussion Thread for "Battlemaster's Corner - The Shadow Striker"

ZOS_JasonLeavey

This is the official discussion thread for the web article, "Battlemaster's Corner - The Shadow Striker."

Read about this Nightblade player build, specializing in both range and close quarters attacks with deadly precision.

ShiunTraze

This build looks superb! Since 1.6 i've been unsure about what to do with my Veteran Nightblade (me not being an every-day know-it-all player ) but this was just what i was looking for!

Just one question: Anyone know what attributes would be best suited to this build?
- from the looks of it, this is a heavy-stamina based build but i wondered if i'd need to increase either magicka or health to support myself.

ShadowHvo

ShiunTraze wrote: »

This build looks superb! Since 1.6 i've been unsure about what to do with my Veteran Nightblade (me not being an every-day know-it-all player ) but this was just what i was looking for!

Just one question: Anyone know what attributes would be best suited to this build?
- from the looks of it, this is a heavy-stamina based build but i wondered if i'd need to increase either magicka or health to support myself.

I personally go with 50 Stamina and 12 Health, with none in magicka. It works very well for me, and the damage output is really great. Though I would advice to take the 12 points into health, simply so you avoid getting one-shotted by fire abilities in Veteran Dungeons. The "Elemental Defender"slot from the Lady celestial would be a good pick too if you're a vampire.

Panda244

It's a nice switch on the new Nightblade abilities. I wouldn't recommend Rapid Strikes for any real DPS in PvP, as you pointed out, only useful for draining a Tank's stamina, I've had a few people try to do it to me post 1.6 and I'd just drop block altogether and spam Igneous Shield, only using Stamina for the CC that they're going to throw at me. What was really killer in 1.5 was Rapid Strikes and Mass Hysteria, since you could block during fear, if you got them low enough, feared them, Rapid Strikes, they couldn't break out.

Either way, nice build man. I'd advise you to throw in Ashen Grip instead of Night's silence for more raw damage but that's it.

v2war

R.IP Nightblade 1.6

Cyberwolffe

I've been wondering what to do with my Nightblade. This build gives me something to build toward now.

SomeOtherDude

thank you for sharing your build.

is there a specific reason for sword + dagger rather than two of any one weapon type?

also, what mundus do you recommend?

thank you for your time.

Strei_Kiinxei

Cool build, however, I'm starting to be happy at considering curing my toon of vampirism seeing how it is over used. Vampire is op as is, so I hope the vampire gets nerfed more to add balance better for other classes that aren't vampire focused.

ShadowHvo

SomeOtherDude wrote: »

thank you for sharing your build.

is there a specific reason for sword + dagger rather than two of any one weapon type?

also, what mundus do you recommend?

thank you for your time.

I personally use sword and dagger for the sole reason of the extra damage and crit, though it is fairly minor, so I believe you can get the same result with maces and axes. As for the mundus, I recommend either The Warrior for extra raw weapon power, or The Thief for an insane crit increase.

Strei_Kiinxei wrote: »

Cool build, however, I'm starting to be happy at considering curing my toon of vampirism seeing how it is over used. Vampire is op as is, so I hope the vampire gets nerfed more to add balance better for other classes that aren't vampire focused.

Nerfs to vampires is probably the last thing which is needed. Vampirism in the end is only truly a benefit if you're a stealthy character because of the dark stalker passive. The 10% stamina and magicka regen does not come close to justifying the 40% fire weakness, nor the 75% weakness to health regen. (Especially not when so many veteran dungeons are focused on fire, as well as everyone in cyrodiil using fire weapons 80% of the time with fire siege weaponry.)

Though thats just my personal opinion.

Aeeeek

SomeOtherDude wrote: »

is there a specific reason for sword + dagger rather than two of any one weapon type?

My understanding is the same Trait doesn't stack on duplicate weapons.
So I run Mace + Dagger, not ideal given split over champion points.

Takhistis

This would work neatly with Breton's extra magic damage res racial

BenGrimsbo_ESO

What about passives?

Or are those just "choose what suits your play style"?

ch1no92

BenGrimsbo_ESO wrote: »

What about passives?

Or are those just "choose what suits your play style"?

ALL THE PASSIVES!

sirnonagon

am i missing something? no points into magic, regardless of the fact that the build has a substantial reliance on magic damage? I think i may be missing something.

ShadowHvo

sirnonagon wrote: »

am i missing something? no points into magic, regardless of the fact that the build has a substantial reliance on magic damage? I think i may be missing something.

I think you're misunformed about the changes to morphs? All damaging attacks in this build is purely Stamina, and only uses Magicka for utility.

Lazrael

Do you feel that having the crit with shadowy disguise is more beneficial than having the d.o.t. purge of dark cloak?

shadow image v dark shades? would like to know your thoughts?

and I always thought devouring swarm to be the superior morph for health regen.

ShadowHvo

Lazrael wrote: »

Do you feel that having the crit with shadowy disguise is more beneficial than having the d.o.t. purge of dark cloak?

shadow image v dark shades? would like to know your thoughts?

and I always thought devouring swarm to be the superior morph for health regen.

I personally feel that way, though I can without a doubt see the beneficial with Dark Cloak. I would just recommend to go with the one which suits you yourself the best. For me it is the critical from Shadowy Disguise, which gives me the extra burst to kill my targets quicker.

As for Shadow Image and Dark Shades, I only have Dark Shades so I can deplete a block-spammers shield super quickly. Though if you don't want that, I would recommend to go with Shadow Image, as that instead allows you to teleport back in case you're making a far jump and the like. Both are quite good in their own ways, it is really just about which one you yourself find most useful to your playstyle. Though really ask yourself this: Do you want to deplete blockers stamina bar quickly, or do you want an easy teleport method when jumping from high distances?

Devouring Swarm is better for staying alive no doubt, but I find Clouding Swarm more useful due to the invisibility, and it also fits well with my whole "The Shadow Striker" build, which is very much about stealth.

Lazrael

ShadowHvo wrote: »

Lazrael wrote: »

Do you feel that having the crit with shadowy disguise is more beneficial than having the d.o.t. purge of dark cloak?

shadow image v dark shades? would like to know your thoughts?

and I always thought devouring swarm to be the superior morph for health regen.

I personally feel that way, though I can without a doubt see the beneficial with Dark Cloak. I would just recommend to go with the one which suits you yourself the best. For me it is the critical from Shadowy Disguise, which gives me the extra burst to kill my targets quicker.

As for Shadow Image and Dark Shades, I only have Dark Shades so I can deplete a block-spammers shield super quickly. Though if you don't want that, I would recommend to go with Shadow Image, as that instead allows you to teleport back in case you're making a far jump and the like. Both are quite good in their own ways, it is really just about which one you yourself find most useful to your playstyle. Though really ask yourself this: Do you want to deplete blockers stamina bar quickly, or do you want an easy teleport method when jumping from high distances?

Devouring Swarm is better for staying alive no doubt, but I find Clouding Swarm more useful due to the invisibility, and it also fits well with my whole "The Shadow Striker" build, which is very much about stealth.

That makes sense. Been also tinkering with Aspect of terror for quick cc and a couple different dual wield abilities.

Thanks for your input!

Dreddnawt

SomeOtherDude wrote: »

is there a specific reason for sword + dagger rather than two of any one weapon type?

Aeeeek wrote: »

My understanding is the same Trait doesn't stack on duplicate weapons.
So I run Mace + Dagger, not ideal given split over champion points.

What doesnt stack? Are you referring to the Weapon Traits (ie sharpened, charged, weighted) or the glyph effects (ie fire dmg, crushing, poison dmg), or the DW Twin Blade and Blunt passive effect?

Because from what I understand is while they dont literally "stack," they do both take effect. That is if you have 2 Sharpened Axes (say 5% penetration) with Fire Dmg glyphs and the Twin Blade passive each Axe would benefit from 5% penetration, a chance to proc extra fire damage, and a chance to proc the bleed effect. The Sharpened Trait would NOT stack to grant 10% penetration (5%+5%) because weapon traits are individual and not cumulative. So a single attack while dual wielding with these axes would give you 2 weapons strikes, each ignoring 5% armor, 2 chances to proc fire damage, and 2 chances to cause Bleed. The Effects do stack in that if both weapons proc Fire damage and Bleed at the same time the target is inflicted with the extra fire damage twice simultaneously as well as the Bleed proc twice.

Keep in mind these are damage effects, which do stack, and not Buffs or Debuffs, which do not stack.

Another example would be dual wielding Maces, which I personally do. Lets assume we go full penetration and dual wield 2 Maces, both with Sharpened and Crusher plus have the DW passive. Each Mace gains 5% Armor penetration from the sharpened trait, reduces targets armor from the Crusher enchant, and another 10% armor penetration from the passive. Now each Mace ignores 15% of targets armor mitigation and has a chance to proc Crusher, reducing the targets armor. IF BOTH MACES PROC: Crusher should then lower the targets armor by double the amount, since once again Crusher is a direct armor reduction modifier and not the Fracture debuff. However, it is important to note your weapon attacks would benefit from each having a 15% armor penetration, not both having 30%.

In the case of the OP build, he is wielding a Sword and Dagger. Both Weighted with Poison enchants. So his attacks have the effect of 2.5% added damage with the sword and 5% critical chance with the dagger plus 2 chances to proc poison damage - which can stack - and both weapons will attack slightly faster due to being Weighted. The added 2.5% damage is NOT applied to the dagger, and the 5% increased critical is NOT applied to the sword. Each weapon attacks at the faster rate influenced by the Weighted Trait, but not double weighted speed.

RestlessPilgrim

Nightblades are punishing at Veteran level, especially vulnerable to groups. Focus early on a magic or stamina builds.I'd strongly recommend focusing on a single, weapon type as well. Always think about having a good backup plan for emergencies. I go with Shield of Blades, Terror etc. Also death can be your friend. No, really!! Use those seconds to bravely leg it or get deeper into trouble! I'm not going with Werewolf because, sadly, Hircine's Gift crapped out on me. I haven't met any Vamps to get bitten. Good luck.

Novustratum

@RestlessPilgrim

This is not true and you may have something set up wrong.

I currently play a non-vampire, non-werewolf Dunmer Nightblade and I have great success soloing difficult things with a 2H build utilizing Rally, siphoning strikes, and sap essence, combined with surprise attack for stuns and the siphoning ultimate soul tether, to stun everything around me and leech health.

If things get out of hand I swap weapon sets to DW daggers and use reapers mark, go dark cloak into surprise attack to stun the target, then finish off with a heavy hit followed by killer's blade, or if they're already low health go back to 2H to finish off as well as refresh rally for big heals. Every time you refresh rally, it ends the previous rally thus granting you the heal at the end which will be bigger the longer you left it ticking. You don't have to wait for it to run out or someone to remove the effect from you to get the heal at the end which is what I love about the ability for self-sustainability.

There are a large variety of Nightblade builds out there that work for different people and they don't all rely on vampirism or lycanthropy to be effective. Figure out what works for you and play it the best you can. It may simply be Nightblade is not the best for you. I play only Nightblade and no other classes because I simply don't have time to level multiple characters so I made it a goal to be as efficient as possible with the one class that suits my play style.

RestlessPilgrim

Thanks for your patience and advice Novustratum. I gotta stop typing when i'm stressed.

taupe_agile

ShadowHvo wrote: »

sirnonagon wrote: »

am i missing something? no points into magic, regardless of the fact that the build has a substantial reliance on magic damage? I think i may be missing something.

I think you're misunformed about the changes to morphs? All damaging attacks in this build is purely Stamina, and only uses Magicka for utility.

I don't unterstand. I'm agree with Sirnonagon. You have a lot of magicka skills and you put all in stamina.

Can you explain ?

Thanks

MexicanMurrican

What race is suggested (I already have aa Dunmer NB) and where would suggested Attributes go? Is this still viable currently?