Nightblade and bow - the skills discussion

reften

Tips from a long time gamer, MMORPG fanatic, currently level 34 NB, bosmer, with a bow. Primary and only class for the long-haul.

ASSASSINATION

◾Death Stroke: Deals damage to the target and reduces their incoming healing. The damage dealt is increased by the Ultimate pool.

Thoughts: Just doesn't seem powerful enough, even fully charged. Respec'd out of it.

◾Assassin's Blade: Deals moderate damage with a large damage multiplier when used against low health enemies.

Thoughts: meh, maybe in PvP it will be good. I respec'd out of it. Just found it to be a drain on magica...maybe it's because I use a bow, but low health targets die quickly anyway.

◾Teleport Strike: Teleports directly to the target, dealing damage and stunning them for a short duration.

Thoughts: Haven't used, but I'm sure it's elite for dual wielding NBs.

◾Blur: A medium duration self buff that gives attackers a percentage based miss chance when attacking the player.

Thoughts: Complete waste. Buff isn't strong enough, respec'd out of this.

◾Mark Target: Places a mark on a high-health target; while the target is marked, the player deals extra damage to the target. Killing the marked target will heal the player.

Thoughts: Haven't made it here yet. But I've read it's very weak in PvE due to low armor MOBs...plus, the time and magica you just spent marking a target could have been spent just killing it. I'm sure there is a mark target/snipe combo that works, may try WAY down the road.

◾Haste: Increases the attack speed of normal and power attacks for a moderate duration.

Thoughts: Not here yet too. Has potential, but seems weak, especially when I have a ton of stamina and can just rifle off poison arrows.

SHADOW

◾Consuming Darkness: An AoE snare that renders the player invisible. Attacking an enemy removes the invisibility for a short time. Allies can activate the Slip Away synergy, also gaining invisibility.

Thoughts: Tried it, didn't like it. I don't want to run away, I want to win. Respec'd out.

◾Shadow Cloak: Gain invisibility for a short duration.

Thoughts: Must have But, once it gets to morphed stage, I don't have it in my bar. Love that you get bonuses applied to just regular sneaking. Get it, level it, and morph it to get bigger sneak damage bonus. Then, can be on your backup skills bar as an emergency to decrease aggro

◾Veiled Strike: increased damage and stun enemies. Requires Stealth.

Thoughts: Elite, must have. I used it to burn through magica fast to finish a guy off when I have magica to burn...also, for tougher fights, I will sneak up behind someone be blast em with this, then push them away with my bow.

◾Path of Darkness: Deals damage in a path in front of you, increases the player's movement speed along that path.

Thoughts: Ok, maybe i'm missing something here, but this seems useless.

◾Aspect of Terror: Nearby enemies are afflicted with Fear.

Thoughts: Very interesting. Haven't used it yet, but I can see it being awesome for crown control...BUT, where do I put it in my bar? Already too many skills.

◾Summon Shade: Summons a shade which attacks and debuffs the player's enemies causing them to deal less damage.

Thoughts: I've heard this can be decent for PvP simply because poor players will turn their attention and attack the shades. Otherwise they are useless.

SIPHONING

◾Soul Shred: Deals point-blank AoE damage and stuns nearby enemies. Initiates the Leeching Strike synergy.

Thoughts: This is the ultimate to use. I love it. When crap is hitting the fan, I blast this, crushes mobs around me, and I can dispatch them quickly.

◾Strife: Places a DoT on your target which also heals the player for the duration.

Thoughts: I like this one. during a battle, I can get a constant health regen going and it does decent damage. In my active skill bar.

◾Agony: Stuns and DoTs an enemy for a long duration, but the effect is broken by any other damage.

Thoughts: Another one that looks like excellent crowd control, but, I don't use it simply because I have a crowd control bow skill that does just fine.

◾Cripple: Places a DoT on an enemy which gradually decreases its movement speed, transferring an equal speed bonus to the player.

Thoughts: I took this recently, am leveling it (like the idea of stacking DoTs), and...so far, I don't like it. Maybe for PvP for chasing down players trying to escape, but then again, I seem to lean towards skills that do damage. I'll probably respect out of this eventually.

◾Siphoning Strikes: Sacrifices a portion of the player's weapon damage in order to restore a portion of their Magicka and Stamina with every hit.

Thoughts: No idea what the point of this skill is. Seems pointless. Debuff myself, just so I can regain magica and stamina? I'll just use a potion...

◾Drain Power: Debuff the attack power of nearby enemies, transferring a portion of that power to the player for each affected enemy.

Thoughts: Maybe, but again, no idea where this goes.

BOW

◾Poison Arrow: Deals 6 – 9 Poison Damage to enemy. Target takes an additional 8 Poison Damage over 10 seconds.

Thoughts: #1 skill must have. With high stamina you can shoot this over and over and do good damage fast from long range. For a more tactical battle, you can shoot once for good damage and get a DoT going.

◾Volley: Repeatedly fire arrows at target location for 3 seconds, dealing X Physical Damage every 0.5 seconds to enemies in area of effect.

Thoughts: No idea how or why to use this. I CAN see this being good in PvP because so many players are playing vampires, and there is a fire aspect of this attack. I think I may take this down the road again just for PvP.

◾Scatter Shot: Deals 6 – 9 Physical Damage to target, knocks them back 6 meters and disorients them for 5 seconds.

Thoughts: Must have! When it gets morphed so that it knocks you back and knocks/stuns your opponent back...your NB just became much more powerful. If Mobs get close, fire one off, get yourself out of trouble and stun someone. Got two or three coming at you? Hit each on with this. Excellent crowd control AND my favorite...you're doing good damage too. Must have, can't imagine playing ESO without this skill.

◾Arrow Spray: Deals 6 – 7 Physical Damage to target and snares them 40% for 5 seconds.

Thoughts: meh, what's the point? Scatter is better...I guess you can kite in PvE with this skill, but I hate kiting, it's silly, and when I try to do it, mobs end up just run away from me.

◾Snipe: Deals 15 – 18 Physical Damage to enemy.

Thoughts: took it, morphed it...and am still trying to decide best way to use it. Seems like excellent potential for PvP. PvE, seems like your base full attack is just as good. Extra range is nice, but I do see this as potentially respec'ing out.

MY SKILL BAR

ULTIMATE: Soul Shred. Tried all three, like this one best due to good AoE damage.
#1: Siphon strike for healing, damage and DoT.
#2: Veiled Strike to do high damage and burn through magica quickly...plus sneaking damage is elite.
#3: Rotates/deciding. Snipe to level it....Shadow seems best as turning invisible instantly has all kinds of uses.
#4: Scatter shot for crowd control, getting me out of jams, good damage
#5: Poison arrow for a second DoT and if I need to do ranged damage quick even at the expense of a ton of Stamina.

OTHER TIPS:
Provisioning - ALWAYS roll with extra stamina. You can sprint more, and you can fire a near unlimited amount of poison arrows when needed.

You can survive with just using poison arrow and scatter shot...and when times get tough, burn through magaica with Veiled Strike. Siphon is nice in anticipation of rough spots to keep healing going. Times really getting rough? Hit your AoE ultimate or turn invisible to buy some time.

Hope you enjoyed!

reften

Update - I've been using Shadow Cloak on my main bar...and now it's a must have. Mainly to buy just a few seconds when getting pounded on...and even fire off 2 or 3, stop fighting, so MOBs go after more healthy group members. (or just people out-and-about)

Weaken

I mostly agree.
Poison arrow's dot should stack up to 3-5 stacks.

Caelum

You should try and level the shadow ultimate, consuming darkness. One of the moprhs adds an insane amount of damage. I think it's called veil of blades. I can't remember the exact amount of damage done per tick but it ticks every half a second for 15 seconds and snares for 70%. (That's not including the eventual 15% increase in duration of shadow abilities from your final passive).

As long as u can keep the mob in the aoe it far surpasses the siphoning ulti for damage. You lose the stun from soul shred, but if you really need that 3 seconds where you aren't being hit just use shadow cloak (especially because the mobs will stop in their tracks and just stand in the ulti aoe when you vanish.)

I originally used soul shred. Swapped to veil of blades and never looked back.

Dramonicous

Jesus.... why did u even go nightblade? u seem to really hate the class.

Heres a proper nightblade build.
Im a VR7 atm and completed all veteran dungeons, also killed all bosses except bogdan (and the one thats bugged) with special achievement.
I use sword and shield for the bash dmg aswell as more reliable block.
Shadow path for extra AOE but mostly to activate the stamina regen, even though im a magicka focused build then stamina is extremely important to me.
I put magicka enchantments on everything.

My DPS and survivability has gotten to the point that its so high that I can carry a whole newbie group throu veteran dungeons.

http://esohead.com/calculator/skills#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

Jeddahwe

I'm noticing more and more builds use 1h+resto staff and destroying VR mobs faster than any other weapon combo!

Tannakaobi

Dramonicous wrote: »

Jesus.... Why did u even go Nightblade? U seem to really hate the class.

I have to agree, based on the comments about each skill the op would have been better off with a Templar for higher burst ranged damage.

Then again, if I was using a bow as the main weapon I'd hate the nightblade also. Great as a stealth assassin though. Also good tanks, but each to their own...

reften

kylemelhuishb16_ESO wrote: »

Dramonicous wrote: »

Jesus.... Why did u even go Nightblade? U seem to really hate the class.

I have to agree, based on the comments about each skill the op would have been better off with a Templar for higher burst ranged damage.

Then again, if I was using a bow as the main weapon I'd hate the nightblade also. Great as a stealth assassin though. Also good tanks, but each to their own...

Play Nightblade for the sneak attacks...and ability to sneak effectively in PvP. with a bow being such a good weapon, that runs on stamina...I admit the nightblade attacks are secondary to the bow.

But like I said, I like ranged sniping. To me, it's more tactical than non-sneaking or melee.

reften

kylemelhuishb16_ESO wrote: »

Dramonicous wrote: »

Jesus.... Why did u even go Nightblade? U seem to really hate the class.

I have to agree, based on the comments about each skill the op would have been better off with a Templar for higher burst ranged damage.

Then again, if I was using a bow as the main weapon I'd hate the nightblade also. Great as a stealth assassin though. Also good tanks, but each to their own...

Where do I say I hate the nightblade? Love the class. Feel very powerful, ranged sneaking is balanced just right, lots of utility, having fun.

Wonder if you even read the entire OP? Especially this part

"ULTIMATE: Soul Shred. Tried all three, like this one best due to good AoE damage.
#1: Siphon strike for healing, damage and DoT.
#2: Veiled Strike to do high damage and burn through magica quickly...plus sneaking damage is elite.
#3: Rotates/deciding. Snipe to level it....Shadow seems best as turning invisible instantly has all kinds of uses.
#4: Scatter shot for crowd control, getting me out of jams, good damage
#5: Poison arrow for a second DoT and if I need to do ranged damage quick even at the expense of a ton of Stamina.
"

Chryos

I play a nightblade class too. I just like to use bow only, I'd like to see more of a class skill line dedicated for those who just like using a bow. Like a ranger spec or something.

Feimerdre

Good thing in ESO is that all kinds of playstyles will find a build that suits them.
You made some basic faults about the Assassination skill tree tho, I cannot leave
that uncommented.

oren74 wrote: »

◾Death Stroke: Deals damage to the target and reduces their incoming healing. The damage dealt is increased by the Ultimate pool.

Thoughts: Just doesn't seem powerful enough, even fully charged. Respec'd out of it.

This Ultimate takes full profit from stealth. Means you can lierally one-hit almost
anything in you level range and take off LOTS of hp on any open world boss
if you successfully sneak up on him.
Morphed into Soul Harvest you will recharge Ultimate Power much faster so you
can use it on a pretty regular basis.

oren74 wrote: »

◾Assassin's Blade: Deals moderate damage with a large damage multiplier when used against low health enemies.

Thoughts: meh, maybe in PvP it will be good. I respec'd out of it. Just found it to be a drain on magica...maybe it's because I use a bow, but low health targets die quickly anyway.

You have to see this one paired with some passives. Morphed to Killers Blade and
with the Executioner Passive this will be a nice ressource pool for some heal
and magicka when finishing a target with it.

oren74 wrote: »

◾Teleport Strike: Teleports directly to the target, dealing damage and stunning them for a short duration.

Thoughts: Haven't used, but I'm sure it's elite for dual wielding NBs.

Skill was pretty much nerfed past beta - I have seen videos when NBs onehitted
mobs with that attack - in my humble opinion its useless in the current state.
May be of some use in PvP tho.

oren74 wrote: »

◾Blur: A medium duration self buff that gives attackers a percentage based miss chance when attacking the player.

Thoughts: Complete waste. Buff isn't strong enough, respec'd out of this.

Agreed on this one.

oren74 wrote: »

◾Mark Target: Places a mark on a high-health target; while the target is marked, the player deals extra damage to the target. Killing the marked target will heal the player.

Thoughts: Haven't made it here yet. But I've read it's very weak in PvE due to low armor MOBs...plus, the time and magica you just spent marking a target could have been spent just killing it. I'm sure there is a mark target/snipe combo that works, may try WAY down the road.

I regularly weave in Mark in my rotation as OPENER when I go on groups of
Mobs (3-4). Mark one target before attack. Kill a second on opening rotation,
kill marked target = be HEALED! Go on killing the rest.
I use it on my 2nd skill bar, not my active one so it doesnt consume a valuable
quickslot. Reapers Mark for PvE. Piercing Mark for PvP might be a pest tracking
down Vampire NBs

oren74 wrote: »

◾Haste: Increases the attack speed of normal and power attacks for a moderate duration.

Thoughts: Not here yet too. Has potential, but seems weak, especially when I have a ton of stamina and can just rifle off poison arrows.

Morphed in Incapacitate this one adds a nice automatic CC.
Mabye you will overthink that later in the content ;-)

If you make up your thoughts on isolated skills it doesnt mean you reflect its
whole potential counting in synergies and sideeffects from passives.

Hope I could clear up some

Greetings,
Feim

reften

Thanks Feim, great followup!

Tannakaobi

oren74 wrote: »

kylemelhuishb16_ESO wrote: »

Dramonicous wrote: »

Jesus.... Why did u even go Nightblade? U seem to really hate the class.

I have to agree, based on the comments about each skill the op would have been better off with a Templar for higher burst ranged damage.

Then again, if I was using a bow as the main weapon I'd hate the nightblade also. Great as a stealth assassin though. Also good tanks, but each to their own...

Where do I say I hate the nightblade? Love the class. Feel very powerful, ranged sneaking is balanced just right, lots of utility, having fun.

Wonder if you even read the entire OP? Especially this part

"ULTIMATE: Soul Shred. Tried all three, like this one best due to good AoE damage.
#1: Siphon strike for healing, damage and DoT.
#2: Veiled Strike to do high damage and burn through magica quickly...plus sneaking damage is elite.
#3: Rotates/deciding. Snipe to level it....Shadow seems best as turning invisible instantly has all kinds of uses.
#4: Scatter shot for crowd control, getting me out of jams, good damage
#5: Poison arrow for a second DoT and if I need to do ranged damage quick even at the expense of a ton of Stamina.
"

Er... I didn't say you hate the nightblade, that was someone else and it was only said that you make it sound like you hate them. I agreed based on much of the negative comments on most of the skills. I then said that I would hate the nightblade using a bow, not that other people would/should.

I only commented because I was expecting a nightblade love fest, but it does not read that way. Someone pointed this out and I agreed. When you can only point to 3 inches of text on my screen that's positive from a thread that does not even fit on my screen three times then that kind of backs up the point being made.

The reality is that to love a class you only need to love one skill. Thats what is great about ESO. But I clearly read the post, thats how I know you don't like 80% of the Nightblade skills. I'm not knocking it.

reften

nm

SWEtree

Good post,very helpfull. Its ok to dislike 80% of the skills,its common in a new game hehe