TL;DR -- looking for a build to suit my playstyle on NB or at least advice on how to be better as a NB. Skip to last paragraph if you don't want details/context.

So, right now I am liking my Magicka Vampire Templar in PvP. I can sneak at low cost with stealth passives, or in some cases run, right up to a group, launch some Blazing Spears, and Elusive Mist away in 5L/1M/1H with no Impen. This can: troll them into chasing me into siege range or our front line, weaken them and encourage allies to push/charge, and in some cases set them up with enough damage to stay and pour over them with Bats. I can also spam Spear from a ledge, and pick off those at low health with Radiant (I prefer the healing morph). As always, though, I am bad at 1v1, so I try to be near pitched open field battles, keep/outpost battles, or run in a small to medium group. At the same time since I have points in Blessed and a Powered Staff my BoL and Healing Springs can help keep up allies. Overall, I can get plenty of kills and KBs, keep my allies on their feet or grab quick rezzes, and generally feel useful on the battlefield. I am sure I could work on the build and get better, but, I am in a good place with that character and as an Argonian the Update 11 changes will make her even better.

Meanwhile, I have a Magicka Vampire NB, also Argonian, who I've played with a bit in PvP but usually only 1-3 days at a time here and there. Between IC and Thieve's Guild Update, she did OK but not great. I could get in an out of combat when I wanted, so if a target was too strong I had a 75% chance to get away unless it was a really experienced player. I just lacked the spell damage to hit hard enough. Magicka NBs lack the burst of stam, but, even they need to hit hard enough. Now, it feels like Cloak is just an Invisibility potion that slots on my ability bar, and everything takes me out of it or keeps me out of it. I don't mind that there are more counters to stealth, but you don't even need Magelight, Flare, or a Detect Pot. I am considering dropping it for Elusive Mist. I would probably escape more, and I can still run while in regular stealth anyway.

The only builds I've been seeing for magicka NBs are bomb builds with Proxy Det + Bats + Viscious Death. I can't get close enough to zergs for anything to go off before dying and it sounds too situational. NBs are built around being close to targets rather than ranged, at least in class skills, and rely on killing to survive. That's cool. It's a nice change from my Templar and other classes. But right now the mostly single-target, mostly melee range emphasis is feeling slow and ineffectual. My old bars, still good for solo PvE, were:

Bar 2 (Dual Swords): Lotus Fan - Reaper's Mark or Impale - Concealed Weapon - Dark Cloak - Crippling or Crippling Grasp with lots of possible ults
Bar 1 (Resto Staff): Sap Essence - Refreshing Path - Double Take - Shadow Image or something else like Healing Ward - Mass Hysteria and usually Soul Tether for the ult

I stayed in Bar 2 for single targets, with the usual stun by Concealed from Dark Cloak, then Reaper's, Crippling, another Concealed or two, back to Cloak, and repeat. Lotus Fan for fleeing targets. I usually only manage 1900-2200 spell damage unbuffed, so even with pots it was a hard fight. Bar 1 was for running in small to large groups. Sap and Path were good together for AoE damage/heals along with Tether. Double kept me up longer, and Fear was nice to CC enemies while doing the AoE.




I've been experimenting that last day or so with things, and on Bar 1 I replaced Path with Combat Prayer for a more reliable self-heal that still can hit others, and Purge had to replace Shadow Image. But the game play isn't the same. I tried putting Impale for Mark but it seems inferior to both Mage's Wrath from Sorc and Jesus Beam from Templar. I could do just as well with Lotus or another Concealed by the time the target is that low health.

Does anyone run a mostly ranged magicka NB build? Like Resto/Destro? I was think of maybe:

Bar 2 (Destro Staff): Destructive Reach (Frost) - Reaper's Mark - Force Pulse - Unstable Wall of Elements - Crippling Grasp
Bar 1 (Resto Staff): Elusive Mist - Combat Prayer - Double Take - Swallow Soul - Mass Hysteria or Shadow Image

I know it's not conventional, but it might suit me better. Slowing and freezing people is probably good for me. The only issue is that I currently run either 5 piece Julianos or 5 piece Viscious Death and then 3/4 piece Magnus with 3 Willpower. All purple. The four piece on the latter with dual wield gets me the extra spell damage. I know, I know, "Why no Molag Kena, etc?" but basically derp derp derp I is a potato is the short answer. Just assume my crafter is crap and that I don't get much dropped gear so I need to start the build humbly. Gonna replace the 3/4 Mag with 3 Torug's to get the spell damage back and the extra health won't hurt

Anyway, I DO appreciate all constructive and encouraging replies, so, fire away! I am determined to find a NB build that suits me, damn it!!! LOL

(Yes, I am considering a stam blade. The only difference in Update 11 is that I get 3% more magicka, which helps with things like Cloak anyway and I mean I wasn't getting extra stam for being a lizard to begin with so meh. But first I really want to exhaust options for Magblade.)