Are Stamblades viable in PvP anymore?

SmellyUnlimited

I feel like it’s all hybridization now, which I’m not saying is a bad thing. But when I see people comment on Nightblades in PvP, it’s usually tended towards Magicka in lieu of Stam, with use of concealed weapon, impale, mass hysteria, etc. Magicka especially for cloak sustain. Sure they throw in vigor, but that’s pretty much every class now. But I’m wondering if the identity of the Stamblade is still viable.

Viability = not excruciatingly difficult to get a kill, and has a solid toolkit to stand up to other PvP classes and builds.

Thoughts? Builds? Is Magicka the better option currently?

Bushido2513

Honestly anything is really as playable as you feel it is. Meaning if you it then it will feel very playable. That being said stamina based NB still does good damage and while you may not be a killing machine at all times, it's definitely playable.

Honestly though I wouldn't focus on stam or mag these days but more so just slotting skills you enjoy and finding what feels best in regards to where you put your attribute points.

Like if you enjoy more roll dodging and need more stam.

Also as an example healthy offering and refreshing path are great heals to pair with vigor but if you're good with rally, vigor, and say leaching strikes you'd have just fine healing as well.

Stam focused is very playable but you just have to see if you're ok with the extra work.

Bushido2513

Do your own research of course but here's a page with some fairly meta builds.
https://eso-pvp-builds.com/nightblade/

Necrotech_Master

the only character ive ever done really well with in pvp is a stamblade (which is also my grand overlord lol)

i dont use a "typical" build, and im still tweaking out some parts of it, but i like it and what works for me

im currently using 2 pc sellistrix, 5pc plaguebreak, 5pc rush of agony (jewelry + front bar weapon) and blackrose bow back bar

my bow setup is mostly about dots and some ranged burst (poison injection, blackrose dot on magnum shot), snipe, and merciless resolve and ice comet for ultimate

if i time things right i can hit and ice comet and merciless resolve at the same time, and if the target is not blocking the comet will take a huge hunk of dmg or die from that (good for nuking people on the wall)

front bar im running dual wield using ambush (which procs rush) and go into whirling blades

i also have surprise attack for quick burst, soul tether for the aoe in melee, and i dont use the invis cloak, i use dark cloak which gives me another heal, major resolve for a bit when i activate, and passive minor protection

im certain its not 100% ideal for pvp, but it works for me and what i enjoy playing in pvp

DrNukenstein

I still play a "stamblade". It's hybrid, but feels very smooth. What makes it a stamblade IMO is that it uses the less popular spammable.

With leeching strikes and stam on pots, you are set for sustain so ignore stamina as a stat. Instead, go 64 health or if you're feeling lucky go 64 mag for the most damage possible.

The surprise attack crit is underrated in combos and IMO adds more to a go than Major berserk (as long as you use the skill). Not to mention you can sustain it forever with DW heavy attacks.

You build like the meta magblade. But you weaponize your modest investment in stamina economy. The result is something that hit's about as hard, has better sustain, moves slower, and is tankier on paper if you use medium armor. I think it's a good deal. If you run light armor, you can cloak like a real magblade with a mag sustain investment only.... with no sustain investment.

SmellyUnlimited

Plaguebreak + rush of agony actually sounds like a pretty good combo. I’ve been using NMG/Wretched Vitality, but still generally not getting kills like I’ve expected (even when they’re fairly low). Shadow mundus, jewels of misrule. The thing is, I’ve seen Magblades running this same setup and having much better results.

Necrotech_Master

i think im running the serpent which gives more stam recov, and i dont use any fancy food, literally just the cyrodilic field tac you can buy with AP from the siege merchant which is just max hp and max stam lol

i dont usually get tons of kills, but i do a lot of aoe, lot of dots and usually at least 1/4 to 1/3 of my kills are actual killing blows instead of assists

i play more like a brawler than a ganker, but i know im not super tough and can still die

SmellyUnlimited

Sounds like I’m best served by a hybridized build. I do really enjoy roll-dodging, but I also shouldn’t underestimate skills like Healthy Offering and Mirage. This whole hybrid style of play is totally new to me (was gone approximately 5 years, just joined back up). If you all have any interesting builds for a hybrid role, I’d be very interested to hear your takes. I know skills will take the primary of my highest stat pool and higher of wpn/spell damage, but I feel like making use of power extraction and Rally lend themselves more to a higher stam pool and weapon dmg.

SmellyUnlimited

Thanks for the link, some very good info here

Zabulus

magblade > stamblade.
Armor 3H 3 L 1 M > 5 M 1H 1 L
Stats, sustain, dmg, defense are all better as a magblade.
Refreshing path + concealed is great
Cloack + incap + bow combo is great
Power extraction and killer blade can be a pain to sustain if you dodge roll / block / de-stun a lot.

SmellyUnlimited

Zabulus wrote: »

magblade > stamblade.
Armor 3H 3 L 1 M > 5 M 1H 1 L
Stats, sustain, dmg, defense are all better as a magblade.
Refreshing path + concealed is great
Cloack + incap + bow combo is great
Power extraction and killer blade can be a pain to sustain if you dodge roll / block / de-stun a lot.

So you run a bow on a Magblade build? I did just finally get a rallying cry ice staff, which I’m either going to use on a Magblade or sell….(always broke). I was thinking of running NMG/Rallying Cry, and could work in concealed, killer’s blade, incap, refreshing path, shadow image, vigor, merciless, healthy offering, and maybe leeching strikes or siphon soul? I don’t know how viable siphon is in PvP.

gariondavey

SmellyUnlimited wrote: »

Zabulus wrote: »

magblade > stamblade.
Armor 3H 3 L 1 M > 5 M 1H 1 L
Stats, sustain, dmg, defense are all better as a magblade.
Refreshing path + concealed is great
Cloack + incap + bow combo is great
Power extraction and killer blade can be a pain to sustain if you dodge roll / block / de-stun a lot.

So you run a bow on a Magblade build? I did just finally get a rallying cry ice staff, which I’m either going to use on a Magblade or sell….(always broke). I was thinking of running NMG/Rallying Cry, and could work in concealed, killer’s blade, incap, refreshing path, shadow image, vigor, merciless, healthy offering, and maybe leeching strikes or siphon soul? I don’t know how viable siphon is in PvP.

They mean bow proc not actual bow
On magblade you do indeed run dw + ice