"BatCat" Stamina Nightblade S&B - Build [PvP]

Soulac

Cat here!
Some people seem to think that stamina nightblade isn´t as good as it was in 1.6 and I want to show you that this isn´t the case.

First, you should watch the following video, showing fights I did shortly after trying out my new build.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXWztI_y_xA

If you liked what you saw, here you go!

Gear etc.

Attribute Points:
Magicka - 0
Health - 0
Stamina - 64

Racial:
Redguard, Khajiit, Imperial, Bosmer
Choose what you like, but Bosmer and Khajiit got the highest damage inside invis bats, the main ultimate we gonna use in this build.
If you want high raw dmg outside of these bats, go for Imperial and for a good balance between recovery and damage go for redguard.

Mundus:
Weapondmg or Serpent, I prefer Serpent Mundus though.
You need all recovery and costreduction you can get - being out of ressources is mostly certain death, but you shouldn´t have too much of them.

Champion Passives:
This build works great with around 500 and more champion points.

The Ritual - Put one point in Piercing, Thaumaturge and Precise Strikes, then 100 in Mighty
The Atronach - Put a couple of points (10) in Blade Expert
The Apprentice - As many points in blessed as you can until you reach around 50-60
Put the rest in Precise Strikes or Thaumaturge (which increases the dmg of your bats and most other ultimates)

The Shadow - Put two points in Befoul to get an extra percent heal reduction and 25 points in Tumbling
The Lover - As many points as possible in Mooncalf and around ~40 in Arcanist
The Tower - ~15 points in magician and ~15 in Warlord
Put the rest wherever you think you need some (Befoul as example)

The Lord - 30 Points in Quick Recovery
The Lady - 50 Points in Hardy, 35 Points in Elemental Defender, 1 Point in Thick Skinned
The Steed - 60 Points in Resistant, 10 Points in Spellshield, 5 Points in Medium Armor Focus
Put the rest in Hardy/Elemental Defender, some in Thick Skinned and afterwards in Quick Recovery

Traits on Gear:
4 Parts of Impenentrable on your Armor will reduce the damage of crits by around 10% overall, which is awesome against ganking NBs or high dmg / crit builds in general.
On the other hand 4 parts of Divines aren´t bad either since you get a lot more stamina recovery or weapondmg with it.

- Alternative Gear -
As long as Willow´s Path is bugged and isn´t affecting drinks I´m using Shieldbreaker to get additional stamina recovery and some additional dps.
Against Sorcs, Templars or anyone else using shields I didn´t notice any great difference, but it´s surely a good set.
Shieldbreaker replacing Willow´s Path Items, same traits.

Skills

Two-Handed:
Shuffle, Cloak, Relentless Focus, Shadow Image, Rally, [Cloudingswarm]
S&B:
Surprise Attack, Defensive Stance, Reverberating Bash, Ambush, Vigor, [Flawless Dawnbreaker / Soul Harvest]

I´m not using this build for group play larger than 6 Player, so if you need AoE better swap out S&B for DW or drop relentless Focus for Power Extraction.
Personally I hate Power Extraction since it scales with Thaumaturge, but it´s still a good alternative.
If you know you will fight nightblades you could also remove one of the skills for mark.
In case i have to run a lot I remove shuffle for maneuver.

Playstyle

Rule #1: Hold the pressure on the enemies!
Rule #2: Avoid getting hit as often as possible!
Rule #3: Watch the video to get a view of my playstyle!

I can´t tell you which enemy you have to focus first, that´s a thing you have to decide for yourself, but one thing for sure:
Tank last.
Really dangerous are mark and detection potions against this build since the main defense is cloak. Build up range with shadow image or try and focus the one who marked you.
In general, focus the annoying people, but this should be common sense.

Meteor Inc? Reflect + Cloak + Block OR if you´re good in timing, use reflect shortly (see my video) before the meteor hits. Why cloak? Simply cause you could still get hit by any other projectile. Why Block? If someone uses a detection potion he could hit through your cloak and we want to avoid a stun from this awesome meteor.

How do I deal dmg with this? Animation Cancel! Thanks to S&B we got nice Bash dmg which we combine with light attacks and skills, meaning:
Light Attack > Skill > Bash

Heavy Attacks everytime you can land them and always try to set your enemy off-balance, which increases your damage by another 10%.
Especially Heavy Attacks get a huge damage boost on set-offbalanced enemies.

Try to get your bats up as often as possible - use them to take down annoying enemies or even escape.
It´s also important to keep Shadow Image up as a save way out of the fight!

If you´re forced to go in defense use dodge and cloak, not only one of them. If you decide to go for willows path you will have insane magicka recovery, use that!
[/b]

Stats (buffed):
These are my stats currently running shield breaker, blue V15 drinks. Using Potions, Rally and Relentless Focus.
Armor and Spellresi are unbuffed!




Feedback? Questions? More?
@Soulac

Tonturri

I didn't watch the video or read a thing, but that cat picture is glorious.

Komodo

Good build!!

1 question where do I get the shadow walker jewelry?? Which pvp boxes?

Soulac

Komodo wrote: »

Good build!!

1 question where do I get the shadow walker jewelry?? Which pvp boxes?

Normal jewelery boxes for V14.
You get them from the vendor and sadly don´t exist in V16
Good thing: Cost reduction difference between V14 and V16 legendary is so low that you won´t notice it.

CtrlAltDlt

Build looks great man, unfortunately I only have 150 cp but I'll use some of your suggestions

Fatalyis

I don't have near the CPs that you have, nor the weapon damage, but switching out Hundings for Willows has been great. I need to find ways to up my damage output, but my Stam and Mag regen is on point.

Erondil

Can you stop telling ppl to run shieldbreaker pls? thx

Soulac

Erondil wrote: »

Can you stop telling ppl to run shieldbreaker pls? thx

Hehe

lolo_01b16_ESO

Nice build
Since you're using clouding swarm a lot, have you ever experienced getting hit by single target attacks while it is active? And if so, do you know a way to prevent it? It happens to me quite often and I can't imagine that there's always someone around using detect pots every time a have my swarm up.

Soulac

lolo_01b16_ESO wrote: »

Nice build
Since you're using clouding swarm a lot, have you ever experienced getting hit by single target attacks while it is active? And if so, do you know a way to prevent it? It happens to me quite often and I can't imagine that there's always someone around using detect pots every time a have my swarm up.

Only against people using detect pots.
If you get marked you´re visible for everyone, a common bug..
Stuff like jabs counts AoE and will always hit you tho

QuebraRegra

I haven't looked at this... but I will.

I appreciate that you posted the build deets and not just a crappy vid... I hate it when its just a vid. Thanx.

Erondil

lolo_01b16_ESO wrote: »

Nice build
Since you're using clouding swarm a lot, have you ever experienced getting hit by single target attacks while it is active? And if so, do you know a way to prevent it? It happens to me quite often and I can't imagine that there's always someone around using detect pots every time a have my swarm up.

Skills used before your batswarm is launched will hit you eventhough you're already in batswarm when they are landed. (I hope this sentence makes sense)
If you're getting pressured and want to use Batswarm as a "oh crap" button rolldodge right before you use it, most of single target abilities will miss then.

Soulac

Erondil wrote: »

lolo_01b16_ESO wrote: »

Nice build
Since you're using clouding swarm a lot, have you ever experienced getting hit by single target attacks while it is active? And if so, do you know a way to prevent it? It happens to me quite often and I can't imagine that there's always someone around using detect pots every time a have my swarm up.

Skills used before your batswarm is launched will hit you eventhough you're already in batswarm when they are landed. (I hope this sentence makes sense)
If you're getting pressured and want to use Batswarm as a "oh crap" button rolldodge right before you use it, most of single target abilities will miss then.

What he said.

If zos really goes the way of nerfing the only defense ability I could use more than three times without running out resources, I'll drop willows completely and max. out Stamina recovery.
Well have to see if they do something at all, but cloak isn't worth it if it's unreliable and you get punished for using it.
I mean in group fights it's already useless since the ground is Caltrops and in 1vX you got mostly at leat one DK using burning embers.
Well, let's see!

lolo_01b16_ESO

Erondil wrote: »

lolo_01b16_ESO wrote: »

Nice build
Since you're using clouding swarm a lot, have you ever experienced getting hit by single target attacks while it is active? And if so, do you know a way to prevent it? It happens to me quite often and I can't imagine that there's always someone around using detect pots every time a have my swarm up.

Skills used before your batswarm is launched will hit you eventhough you're already in batswarm when they are landed. (I hope this sentence makes sense)
If you're getting pressured and want to use Batswarm as a "oh crap" button rolldodge right before you use it, most of single target abilities will miss then.

Thanks, this explains it.

Master_Kas

This build is really nasty to go against !


Edit: Precise over sharpened? Explain this choice to me cat.

Soulac

Master_Kas wrote: »

This build is really nasty to go against !


Edit: Precise over sharpened? Explain this choice to me cat.

Stronger heals.

Alucardo

Nice, thanks! I've been trying to work 2h and S+B (instead of the classic bow) into my stam nb so this could be useful. Music was great too

R0M2K

You lost me at the "500 CP needed" part.

Maulkin

R0M2K wrote: »

You lost me at the "500 CP needed" part.

Get farming nub. But no, seriously, a lot of builds only become available when you hit a certain level of CPs. It's just how it is.

I'm still waiting to hit the estimated +500 CPs I need so ditch Seducer and replace it with Kagrenac on my Sorc without sacrificing my sustain.

Ganj

Poor telvar farmers. i love how stupid they look when a real enemy comes instead of mobs.

Soulac

R0M2K wrote: »

You lost me at the "500 CP needed" part.

Nowhere is stated that you need 500 CP to make this work.
200, 300 or whatever works as well, but I recommend 500 CP since that's how many I have to pull that off.
Reduce points in Magicka Reg, crit reduction and heal increase,you don't have to copy 1:1.

Charadras

I have only a question. Why Alessi wisp you and ask if you want free ap?

Soulac

Charadras wrote: »

I have only a question. Why Alessi wisp you at 8:33 and ask if you want free ap?

He wanted to grind at their place and these DC didn´t want to leave.

NoRefunds

i would replace defensive stance with cloak, you dont have any magika dump on your shield bar and cloak is always useful, also i like hundings more than willow path/shield brekaer since you dont regen or use light attacks while blocking anyway, if you have sustain issues you can just slot siphoning attacks which is pretty good now

Soulac

NoRefunds wrote: »

i would replace defensive stance with cloak, you dont have any magika dump on your shield bar and cloak is always useful, also i like hundings more than willow path/shield brekaer since you dont regen or use light attacks while blocking anyway, if you have sustain issues you can just slot siphoning attacks which is pretty good now

Cloak is on my off-bar cause:
- higher magicka reg on off-bar
- no need for magicka dump on main bar since I don´t intend to waste my ressources. I use my magicka once I need it, not cause I have it.
- reflect is a main part of the build, ain´t gonna remove it.

Siphoning Attacks is good, but with shuffle, rally, relentless and shadow image I got enough skills to keep up, so no room for it.

My build is also not a block-build, I use S&B to gainhigher bash dmg, higher armor/resi and the utility.
Also stat-wise, willows path and shield breaker are better than hundings in my opinion.
Running out of ressources isn´t an option and I don´t focus on pure glass-cannon builds.
I know what you mean, but if I want to run hundings I could just go for DW instead since I won´t be able to hold up my bash cancel anymore anyway.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback!

CtrlAltDlt

I didn't know Willow's Path was bugged with drinks, that's a bummer. Is ZOS aware of it?

Soulac

juan0316 wrote: »

I didn't know Willow's Path was bugged with drinks, that's a bummer. Is ZOS aware of it?

I told them multiple times that champion Passives and willows path are not affecting drinks.
The only response I get is that they're working on it and no eta, which means it will take quite some time imo.

SHADOW2KK

Hehe brilliant wee vid matey, some definite pwnage going on there.

Great build too imo:}

Nice to see not every nb is magicka based, stamina nbs ftw:D

Now if I can just gank you and @Erondil sometime, and take all your stones, I be a very happy Blades:P

Soulac

SHADOW2KK wrote: »

Hehe brilliant wee vid matey, some definite pwnage going on there.

Great build too imo:}

Nice to see not every nb is magicka based, stamina nbs ftw:D

Now if I can just gank you and @Erondil sometime, and take all your stones, I be a very happy Blades:P

Dennegor doesn't have the IC dlc

Erondil

SHADOW2KK wrote: »

Hehe brilliant wee vid matey, some definite pwnage going on there.

Great build too imo:}

Nice to see not every nb is magicka based, stamina nbs ftw:D

Now if I can just gank you and @Erondil sometime, and take all your stones, I be a very happy Blades:P

You will never get any stone from me

SHADOW2KK

Soulac wrote: »

SHADOW2KK wrote: »

Hehe brilliant wee vid matey, some definite pwnage going on there.

Great build too imo:}

Nice to see not every nb is magicka based, stamina nbs ftw:D

Now if I can just gank you and @Erondil sometime, and take all your stones, I be a very happy Blades:P

Dennegor doesn't have the IC dlc

Oh noes....

Erondil wrote: »

SHADOW2KK wrote: »

Hehe brilliant wee vid matey, some definite pwnage going on there.

Great build too imo:}

Nice to see not every nb is magicka based, stamina nbs ftw:D

Now if I can just gank you and @Erondil sometime, and take all your stones, I be a very happy Blades:P

You will never get any stone from me

Oh come on mate, get IC:D