2h Nightblades?

Lynx7386 · December 2014

Any out there? I've just returned to ESO after having not played for about 5 months. It seems the 2h line has gotten some good improvements, and stamina/medium armor seem to be pretty good now, but it still feels like my 2handers just dont have any impact, it's like swinging a foam bat instead of a maul or greatsword.

Wanting to stick with 2h, but are there any nightblade builds putting it to good use?

phreatophile · December 2014

I've been leveling a 2H Nightblade recently. Just hit VR3 and I've been fairly pleased with the results. I have 24 pts in health and 28 pts in Stamina and 5 med, 1light, 1 hvy. With sets, vampire, and passives weapon damage and stamina regen are capped. I can solo Dolmens, group challenges, and most world bosses. Not sure how I'd fair in group dungeons and I'm certainly not trial ready.

TheBull · December 2014

Yep, can't put my 2h down. Funny what you say about impact. I tried to run some magicka build a few weeks back and couldnt figure out why it just didnt feel right. It was the lack of impact and all the grunts.

Cody · December 2014

im playin one right now:D

He is my DC toon, currently level 21.

He seems to do well in PvE so far. Once i get rally(morph of momentum) and leeching strikes; i will take him to Black Water blade and test him in PvP

Lynx7386 · December 2014

I'm vet 1 at the moment. 15 magicka, 19 health, 15 stamina, 7/7 medium armor (4 pc night mother's and 4 pc hunding's rage). Using reduce spell cost jewelry, no set on those slots right now. I'm a khajiit, so I'm running at around 60% critical chance right now.

I dunno though, sometimes I take out enemies really quickly/easily and feel like a beast, and other times I randomly just get my rear handed to me or end up having a lot of close calls.

I dont have momentum yet, so maybe that will help out, still a few levels in 2h from getting it.

What kind of hotbar setups are you guys running? I use 2h on both weapon slots. First bar is surprise attack, wrecking blow, reverse slice, shadowy disguise, and Reaper's Mark (will be replacing that with momentum when I get it). Second bar is setup for AoE situations, with twisting path, Brawler, reverse slice, Power extraction, and Siphoning strikes (again, to be replaced with momentum).

I'm probably just using a poor setup, I'd guess. Any advice would be appreciated. I have a lot of issues with aoe pulls - should I try to get sap essence instead of power extraction for the heals? Figured the extra damage would be more worthwhile. Brawler/cleave seems pretty poor when it comes to dealing aoe damage as well, and those multi-mob pulls always tear me up pretty bad. I went with the reverse slice morph instead of executioner primarily for aoe, since I can use impale from my class skills for a single target execute.

Tonturri · December 2014

What kind of hotbar setups are you guys running? I use 2h on both weapon slots. First bar is surprise attack, wrecking blow, reverse slice, shadowy disguise, and Reaper's Mark (will be replacing that with momentum when I get it). Second bar is setup for AoE situations, with twisting path, Brawler, reverse slice, Power extraction, and Siphoning strikes (again, to be replaced with momentum).

Don't have one ability on both bars - except if you need it to keep that ability 'up'. Like Magelight or Siphoning Attacks. Once you use Momentum, you get the buff whether you're on that bar or not until it runs out.

Keep momentum on one bar. I'd replace reverse slice on your 1st bar with something (you already have it on your AoE bar) with something else.

Running Siphoning strikes on one bar seems clunky to me - I'd probably change it, but that's more of a personal preference thing.

Once you get that ability that increases your auto attack speed by 30%, I think it's a possibility you could replace siphoning with it, once morphed to regen stamina.

Cody · December 2014

Unless you plan on taking out your foes in 5 seconds, dont use reapers mark with a melee weapon. It will get you killed a lot faster.

Darkonflare15 · December 2014

Love my 2h Argonian Nightblade. With Rally,killer's blade and leeching strikes on one bare I never really have to worry about health and I have reaper's mark on my aoe bar that allow me to survive multiple enemies. I love doing dolmens with other people and place a mark on somebody else's target and when they kill them I get a instant heal boost.

Lynx7386 · December 2014

Cody wrote: »

Unless you plan on taking out your foes in 5 seconds, dont use reapers mark with a melee weapon. It will get you killed a lot faster.

I dont typically use reaper's mark until a target is almost dead (when I'm fighting several) so I get the big heal from it. It's my go to healing ability right now, hopefully rally will be able to replace it as such.

I'll replace reverse slash on my first bar with impale, right now I'm keeping it there just so that it levels up more quickly. Most of my 2h skills are pretty low rank because I was using dual wield up until recently.

Any opinions on power extraction vs sap essence? Power extraction gives a much higher damage boost (11% per target with 9 targets max for +99% damage VS 6% per target with 6 targets max for +36% damage), but sap has the heal component. Have they done any changes to the weapon damage cap? If I wont be hitting the cap, I think it'd be better to keep power extraction with momentum for +119% damage in aoe situtations.

Also, what's everyone's preference on which type of 2hander to use? I saw that they changed heavy weapons so 2h mauls give +20% armor penetration now. It seems like that might be better than the +5% damage from 2h swords. I'm in the process of researching traits for mauls so i can keep my set bonuses if I switch, but is the armor pen really worth it?

Another thing, in PvP does anyone use wrecking blow, or do you replace it with another primary attack?

Is cleave a good primary attack to rely on for AoE situations? As a nightblade would the brawler morph's survivability bonus be better than carve's extra ultimate generation (for spamming veil of blades)?

Would dawnbreaker's +10% passive damage bonus be worth slotting it over veil of blades or soul tether?

Darkonflare15 · December 2014

Lynx7386 wrote: »

Cody wrote: »

Unless you plan on taking out your foes in 5 seconds, dont use reapers mark with a melee weapon. It will get you killed a lot faster.

I dont typically use reaper's mark until a target is almost dead (when I'm fighting several) so I get the big heal from it. It's my go to healing ability right now, hopefully rally will be able to replace it as such.

I'll replace reverse slash on my first bar with impale, right now I'm keeping it there just so that it levels up more quickly. Most of my 2h skills are pretty low rank because I was using dual wield up until recently.

Any opinions on power extraction vs sap essence? Power extraction gives a much higher damage boost (11% per target with 9 targets max for +99% damage VS 6% per target with 6 targets max for +36% damage), but sap has the heal component. Have they done any changes to the weapon damage cap? If I wont be hitting the cap, I think it'd be better to keep power extraction with momentum for +119% damage in aoe situtations.

Also, what's everyone's preference on which type of 2hander to use? I saw that they changed heavy weapons so 2h mauls give +20% armor penetration now. It seems like that might be better than the +5% damage from 2h swords. I'm in the process of researching traits for mauls so i can keep my set bonuses if I switch, but is the armor pen really worth it?

Another thing, in PvP does anyone use wrecking blow, or do you replace it with another primary attack?

Is cleave a good primary attack to rely on for AoE situations? As a nightblade would the brawler morph's survivability bonus be better than carve's extra ultimate generation (for spamming veil of blades)?

Would dawnbreaker's +10% passive damage bonus be worth slotting it over veil of blades or soul tether?

I find rally as a heal dot that last 30 sec but then it has burst heal after that. This good if your going against a few targets but it would not replace place reaper's mark when your about to die and you need the burst heal when dealing with multiple targets. I would use each one depending on what situation suits it best.

When it comes to sap essence to power extraction there is not much difference to me. I have pretty high weapon damage now even with leeching strikes on. So the damage boosts really does not make a difference unless that raise the weapon power cap.

I am trying out sap essence now and I am still getting good weapon boosts with it. The heal is kind of redundant for me since I use brawler, leeching strikes, and reaper's mark to keep myself alive so I am probably going back to using power extraction because I was killing things a little faster.

When it comes to the maul armor penetration, it is better to use in pvp since pve mobs hardly have armor for you to penetrate. I myself prefer the great sword because of it reach.

The key to a build is to find what feels right to you. I have most of my points in health and the rest in stamina. I find the more health you have the better health you get back from leeching strikes. I mostly have stamina abilities with some night blade utility abilities. I also have two light armor with the rest medium armor because I prefer having the light armor helmets and gloves and this puts a little ease on my magicka usage as well. This works for me.

Lynx7386 · December 2014

Sure would be nice if they'd fix how your character holds two handers while sneaking.

I just have a hard time being immersed in the game when I'm trying to crouch down and sneak around while holding a lightning rod above my head like a big neon sign.

Stannum · December 2014

Here is good 2H/2H NB bars set http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/comment/1408054/#Comment_1408054