MagBlade Theorycrafting Changes Thread

Insco851 · August 2019

GhostofDatthaw wrote: »

Insco851 wrote: »

GhostofDatthaw wrote: »

I still love swallow soul, it's just a shadow of what it was though. With that said, it's still too good between the passives and the hot to pass over imo. I see some people using ele weapon or force pulse and I just don't understand, to each thier own I guess. The only reason to not use it is if youre rocking a melee build with concealed, which even then it's kinda nice to back bar, or if you have an arena staff build

Both those others hit a noticeable bit harder with their own passives. Where as SS is a heal/Ulti gen/Siphon passive usage.

When I would put cripple FB, I found much better killing power from ele weapon. But yes, you lose additional passives that bring SS up to snuff.

It helps with bar space alot now since we don't need a destro ability for the passives now. I like to back bar cripple alot so I have a siphon ability back bar, since I don't run siphon like I used to.

I've just switched my build around to more of a shadow cloak based spec. Similar to my old bwb days build skill wise tbh.

My absolute main reason I tend to not run ele is because it screws up my bars/rotations. I’ve always opened with cripple backbar as well.

However I can see more and more builds using siphoning strikes going forth because of the harness nerf and cost increases.

GhostofDatthaw · August 2019

Insco851 wrote: »

GhostofDatthaw wrote: »

Insco851 wrote: »

GhostofDatthaw wrote: »

I still love swallow soul, it's just a shadow of what it was though. With that said, it's still too good between the passives and the hot to pass over imo. I see some people using ele weapon or force pulse and I just don't understand, to each thier own I guess. The only reason to not use it is if youre rocking a melee build with concealed, which even then it's kinda nice to back bar, or if you have an arena staff build

Both those others hit a noticeable bit harder with their own passives. Where as SS is a heal/Ulti gen/Siphon passive usage.

When I would put cripple FB, I found much better killing power from ele weapon. But yes, you lose additional passives that bring SS up to snuff.

It helps with bar space alot now since we don't need a destro ability for the passives now. I like to back bar cripple alot so I have a siphon ability back bar, since I don't run siphon like I used to.

I've just switched my build around to more of a shadow cloak based spec. Similar to my old bwb days build skill wise tbh.

My absolute main reason I tend to not run ele is because it screws up my bars/rotations. I’ve always opened with cripple backbar as well.

However I can see more and more builds using siphoning strikes going forth because of the harness nerf and cost increases.

Yeah I really want to work siphoning into my build but I don't have the room with the one I'm working on. I finally have the room for impale and I want to give it a go. I've missed alot of low hp kills lately because because out heal my spam after a burst. Try out healing the impales you *** Q(-.-Q)

Iskiab · August 2019

GhostofDatthaw wrote: »

Insco851 wrote: »

GhostofDatthaw wrote: »

Insco851 wrote: »

GhostofDatthaw wrote: »

I still love swallow soul, it's just a shadow of what it was though. With that said, it's still too good between the passives and the hot to pass over imo. I see some people using ele weapon or force pulse and I just don't understand, to each thier own I guess. The only reason to not use it is if youre rocking a melee build with concealed, which even then it's kinda nice to back bar, or if you have an arena staff build

Both those others hit a noticeable bit harder with their own passives. Where as SS is a heal/Ulti gen/Siphon passive usage.

When I would put cripple FB, I found much better killing power from ele weapon. But yes, you lose additional passives that bring SS up to snuff.

It helps with bar space alot now since we don't need a destro ability for the passives now. I like to back bar cripple alot so I have a siphon ability back bar, since I don't run siphon like I used to.

I've just switched my build around to more of a shadow cloak based spec. Similar to my old bwb days build skill wise tbh.

My absolute main reason I tend to not run ele is because it screws up my bars/rotations. I’ve always opened with cripple backbar as well.

However I can see more and more builds using siphoning strikes going forth because of the harness nerf and cost increases.

Yeah I really want to work siphoning into my build but I don't have the room with the one I'm working on. I finally have the room for impale and I want to give it a go. I've missed alot of low hp kills lately because because out heal my spam after a burst. Try out healing the impales you *** Q(-.-Q)

Yea, impale’s great if you can find space. Especially against shield stacking sorcs who try and bait people while low health.

GhostofDatthaw · August 2019

Iskiab wrote: »

GhostofDatthaw wrote: »

Insco851 wrote: »

GhostofDatthaw wrote: »

Insco851 wrote: »

GhostofDatthaw wrote: »

I still love swallow soul, it's just a shadow of what it was though. With that said, it's still too good between the passives and the hot to pass over imo. I see some people using ele weapon or force pulse and I just don't understand, to each thier own I guess. The only reason to not use it is if youre rocking a melee build with concealed, which even then it's kinda nice to back bar, or if you have an arena staff build

Both those others hit a noticeable bit harder with their own passives. Where as SS is a heal/Ulti gen/Siphon passive usage.

When I would put cripple FB, I found much better killing power from ele weapon. But yes, you lose additional passives that bring SS up to snuff.

It helps with bar space alot now since we don't need a destro ability for the passives now. I like to back bar cripple alot so I have a siphon ability back bar, since I don't run siphon like I used to.

I've just switched my build around to more of a shadow cloak based spec. Similar to my old bwb days build skill wise tbh.

My absolute main reason I tend to not run ele is because it screws up my bars/rotations. I’ve always opened with cripple backbar as well.

However I can see more and more builds using siphoning strikes going forth because of the harness nerf and cost increases.

Yeah I really want to work siphoning into my build but I don't have the room with the one I'm working on. I finally have the room for impale and I want to give it a go. I've missed alot of low hp kills lately because because out heal my spam after a burst. Try out healing the impales you *** Q(-.-Q)

Yea, impale’s great if you can find space. Especially against shield stacking sorcs who try and bait people while low health.

Yeah I had to drop impale after my heavy build was nerfed and I couldn't run just healing ward. Was around Morrowind if I remember correctly. Once I needed light armor shield it took my executes place

Update, so after playing a big today since I didn't have to work. I really am loving shadowy and impale again. I don't know if it's just the change of pace or if it really is better atm

Update 2.0 so I'm actually really close to dropping cripple for siphoning on my back bar... Mebe I should try degeneration first

Iskiab · August 2019

Cripple and degeneration are a wash imo. They do comparable damage.

Use cripple if you want the Siphoning passives
Use degeneration if you want to use different pots as a source of major sorcery.

Lokey0024 · August 2019

thankyourat wrote: »

I’m thinking building a little tanky next patch may be the way to go after the nerf to damage shields. I was thinking brass/BTB/bloodspawn on a melee magblade. With healing ward and rapid regen as defensive abilities instead of damage shields. My abilities would be merciless, lotus fan, fear, concealed, shadowy disguise, soul tether and back bar would be healing ward, rapid regen, RAT, shade, siphoning attacks, soul harvest. I been trying to figure out how to get at least one of the buffed dots into this build but I can’t figure out what skills to give up.

Might want to take a look at Buffer of the swift set. It's better then brass imo.

GhostofDatthaw · August 2019

Iskiab wrote: »

Cripple and degeneration are a wash imo. They do comparable damage.

Use cripple if you want the Siphoning passives
Use degeneration if you want to use different pots as a source of major sorcery.

Damage wise they a wash, but cripple gives the passives, the snare, and the immobilize which is dope. I think debilitate is even better than degen still because the mag steal.

I'm just a big fan of those ap pots. They so cheap and actually pretty good. Plus I'm a lizard so in a sense it's also a tripot for me.

HowlKimchi · August 2019

Agreed that other spammables deal more damage, and that impale is nice, but i build mine with 2 damage sets with troll king along with high health recovery

GhostofDatthaw wrote: »

Iskiab wrote: »

Cripple and degeneration are a wash imo. They do comparable damage.

Use cripple if you want the Siphoning passives
Use degeneration if you want to use different pots as a source of major sorcery.

Damage wise they a wash, but cripple gives the passives, the snare, and the immobilize which is dope. I think debilitate is even better than degen still because the mag steal.

I'm just a big fan of those ap pots. They so cheap and actually pretty good. Plus I'm a lizard so in a sense it's also a tripot for me.

Yeah I also use the AP major sorc pots on cooldown. Very nice ult gen.

Metemsycosis · August 2019

Any nightblade healers play with Eyes of mara + dragonguard?

Iskiab · August 2019

Metemsycosis wrote: »

Any nightblade healers play with Eyes of mara + dragonguard?

Never tried that combo. I think I see what you’re thinking, I’d try shalk exoskeleton I instead of dragonguard. I’d still stick with 5L, Heavy chest and medium helm.

I play no-CP so like using buffer of the swift as my defensive set.

Metemsycosis · August 2019

Yeah a cheap resto ulti constantly buffed with brp resto and siphoning ability spam.

I havent tried shalks but i might.

brandonv516 · August 2019

Metemsycosis wrote: »

Any nightblade healers play with Eyes of mara + dragonguard?

Tried something similar and got the Resto ultimate down to a measly 65 cost on a Sorcerer.

Iskiab · August 2019

Metemsycosis wrote: »

Yeah a cheap resto ulti constantly buffed with brp resto and siphoning ability spam.

I havent tried shalks but i might.

Added bonus of exo is the combat bug in cyrodiil will go from a minus to a positive. Highly recommend it in cyrodiil so the combat bug doesn’t drive you crazy.

In BGs I’ve never tried it but it could be decent, it’s very easy to get into combat.

Metemsycosis · August 2019

Also checking out malubeth for higher uptime on major vitality, esp for a melee spec.

Iskiab · August 2019

Metemsycosis wrote: »

Also checking out malubeth for higher uptime on major vitality, esp for a melee spec.

Let me know how it goes. I thought about trying that set but it has contradictory conditions. It procs on damage taken but has an 8m range or it breaks.

If it was damage done as a melee magblade I could see attacking someone as melee and trying to keep the beam up. As it is it’s damage taken and under pressure I’d shade or kite away which would break the beam.

thankyourat · August 2019

I’m using BTB/Necro/troll king with mage Mundus and whichmothers. It feels good. Magblade sustain feels kind of meh this patch though.

My bar set up is: merciless, fear, entropy, swallow soul, shadowy disguise, meteor.

Back bar: dampen, rapid regen, RaT, shade, Debilitate, undo

I’m like meteor for the range and ground aoe giving me a small form of area denial. I will use soul harvest when the game isn’t too laggy though. when it gets really zergy I like to have an aoe ultimate as well because a lot of times I need to kill multiple people at one time. I will use soul harvest when dueling as well. I like that entropy is good now because it allows me to use tri pots.

How does everyones sustain feel? I been thinking about adding a few more regen glyphs. I think it was the increase in the cost of the damage shield on top of harness using the sustain passives.

Iskiab · August 2019

I feel like I need to hit 2k regen to sustain well. It’s like they increased the cost of magblade abilities by 15% to negate the NB passive. I’ve ended up dropping some abilities because of it, the abilities are good but the cost makes them impractical; fear, refreshing path, etc...

darkblue5 · August 2019

Pretty sure some of the sustain issues are all the purges messing up Ele drain/Debilitate/Degeneration sustain debuff. The DOTs are also forcing more Shadowy Disguises as well. New Regeneration with the shorter time means some small health decreases that's be covered by 16 seconds of HOT require a cast of Rapid/Radiating Regen.

I think it is mostly on the margins esp. when not using Precise Regeneration and Siphoning Strikes.

GhostofDatthaw · August 2019

Yeah it the constant purges and the cost of out skills keeps getting raised like use 2 image you better have a pot up

HEBREWHAMMERRR · August 2019

Well got to finally hit patch and I’m a bit lost. Played with a new setup of icy conjurer, shackle, skoria w/ bunch of dots. Didn’t do great. Switched to Alfiq lich bloodspawn. Idk it just feels weird. I feel like I need a tad more sustain which I’ll be able to get with an infused back bar setup. I just don’t feel tanky enough. Bloodspawn didn’t let me brawl like I’ve been used to. Haven’t played from stealth in a long time. Honestly might go back to the old morrowind build of trans riposte skoria.

Jeezye · August 2019

I was actually looking forward to play a dot oriented build: with entropy, debilitate and new clench. sadly they messed up master staff which makes clench not viable as spammable options so barspace becomes scarce.

Also what I found is that by now several classes can naturally deal well with dots, that is templars, necros, and wardens to some extend. Against the rest, such a setup is quite viable since you can pressure multiple opponents along the way and finish the deal with SH or AW.

However, in most scenarios you're fighting groups with healeres who mostly relieve the consistent pressure through dots. Without the proper burst, its tough to fight these groups, especially because magblade is hard to sustain defensively.

Not really sure what playstyle to aim for at this point

Iskiab · August 2019

With a new patch it’ll depend on what everyone else is doing imo. Console’s different from PC I think, people have mentioned different classes and comps (in high MMR BGs at least).

I wouldn’t drop the master’s staff though. Clench is still the cheapest ranged stun, and with the cost increase on fear I dropped fear. Fear I always used defensively and offensively, but with the cost increase plus possible cc immunity I found fear ineffective and too expensive.

Defense is way way down, burst is up for whatever reason. Dots you can negate with cloak.

Insco851 · August 2019

Sustain issues. Which means more regen glyphs = less dmg on a build already losing the punch it had before.

VMA resto might help that a bit but yea. Doesn’t feel good right now.

brandonv516 · August 2019

I played a good amount of BGs yesterday and found a few things to note:

-The loss in damage reduction from Merciless stacks and from 2 x Protective jewelry is noticeable on my build.

-Sorcerers seem easier to fight but Templars are more lethal (oddly enough it's Stamplar that's giving me a hard time and not Magplar).

-Rapid Regen + BRP Healing Ward is amazing, especially with the power of the invisibility morph of Cloak.
*I was in consistent matches with people running it and everyone was healing 150-200k+

-The 2s snare removal from RaT is not enough. It needs to be upped to 4s.

-I'm burning through a lot of resources fast, even with almost 2500 magicka recovery in no-CP.
*The culprit is Shade - I know this because I'm the type of player that as soon as I teleport I drop another one - it's too expensive and has me thinking of going Mist Form again to reset.

-Shadowy Disguise is getting broken by a lot more things...it feels like there's something buggy with it (but it's most likely lag).

-Cast times on ultimates are stupid - Soul Siphon needs to be casted a lot earlier or you/your teammates will die, and Soul Harvest feels bland.

thankyourat · August 2019

brandonv516 wrote: »

I played a good amount of BGs yesterday and found a few things to note:

-The loss in damage reduction from Merciless stacks and from 2 x Protective jewelry is noticeable on my build.

-Sorcerers seem easier to fight but Templars are more lethal (oddly enough it's Stamplar that's giving me a hard time and not Magplar).

-Rapid Regen + BRP Healing Ward is amazing, especially with the power of the invisibility morph of Cloak.
*I was in consistent matches with people running it and everyone was healing 150-200k+

-The 2s snare removal from RaT is not enough. It needs to be upped to 4s.

-I'm burning through a lot of resources fast, even with almost 2500 magicka recovery in no-CP.
*The culprit is Shade - I know this because I'm the type of player that as soon as I teleport I drop another one - it's too expensive and has me thinking of going Mist Form again to reset.

-Shadowy Disguise is getting broken by a lot more things...it feels like there's some buggy with it (but it's most likely lag).

-Cast times on ultimates are stupid - Soul Siphon needs to be casted a lot earlier or you/your teammates will die, and Soul Harvest feels bland.

You know the shade change is probably having a huge negative effect on my sustain as well. Because I teleport often and immediately place another shade as well. I also try to keep my damage shield up often to protect me from that random burst combo while I’m distracted fighting another player. The combination of both of those things has made magblade almost unsustainable for me. Often times I’m heavy attacking more than I’m actually fighting.

Shadowy disguise is being broken by weapon enchants. I was trying to cloak away from a group yesterday and my cloak was being broken every time one of their Destro light attacks proc’d their weapon enchants.

Instead of them adding longer snare immunity to RaT I would rather see them add 4 seconds of major expedition back to phantasmal escape. On the bright side shade is actually working finally.

Insco851 · August 2019

The cost increase to shade is absolutely ridiculous. I as everyone else here shade and then drop one almost immediately. Sustain is in the gutter.

Iskiab · August 2019

Worst part about sustain is I adapted to utility being stripped from a lot of magblade abilities by dropping Siphoning Strikes, IDK how to add it back in for better sustain without losing a core ability.

I just increased my regen and don’t hit as hard, I didn’t see a way around it.

brandonv516 wrote: »

-Sorcerers seem easier to fight but Templars are more lethal (oddly enough it's Stamplar that's giving me a hard time and not Magplar

I noticed the same thing but wasn’t sure if console would be the same. There weren’t a lot of Magplars in high MMR but there are quite a few Stamplars, they both seem stronger. Magplars are getting the attention I think because they’re the most improved.

GhostofDatthaw · August 2019

From what I've found with magnb is shadow cloak is the better morph now, and I pretty much need to slot siphon strikes and debilitate. Yeah I don't have the immov but it's a snare and Mana steal. Fear as stun is ok but clench works better for my playstyle and is also added dot pressure. Lotus is out of the picture purely due to bar space.

Anyway, I'm out of eso for now, not having fun anymore. Gonna go play wow classic with my cousin for a while instead.

brandonv516 · August 2019

GhostofDatthaw wrote: »

From what I've found with magnb is shadow cloak is the better morph now, and I pretty much need to slot siphon strikes and debilitate. Yeah I don't have the immov but it's a snare and Mana steal. Fear as stun is ok but clench works better for my playstyle and is also added dot pressure. Lotus is out of the picture purely due to bar space.

Anyway, I'm out of eso for now, not having fun anymore. Gonna go play wow classic with my cousin for a while instead.

Lotus Fan is out of the picture for everyone.

Do not play Melee Magblade in BGs this patch!

Everything about it is terrible, from the cast time added to SH/Incap to going up against those Overwhelming Surgplars.

Play with Meteor, a spammable and at least 1 DoT (or more if you like) all at range.

On another note, I have retired my NB healer for two reasons:

-Using my burst heal to create a self DoT that cannot be purged in the DoT meta is a bad idea.

-The best burst healing ultimate in the game is now junk.

"Oh hey that Warden just casted Permafrost on my group - I'll cast Soul Siphon to heal through that damage - oh I'm stunned...oh you cancelled my non-interruptible ultimate ...oh I'm dead!'"

It's not reliable, plain and simple.

Do not play Magblade Healer in BGs this patch!

fred4 · August 2019

I mostly play CP Cyro and IC.

I'm still a Caluu + Zaan melee magblade. Mag sustain has always been an issue for me. In CP I get away with dual-regen drinks. In no CP I supplement with Deep Thoughts. I don't use the shade, but make heavy use of Shadowy and RAT, as well as Dampen and Healing Ward when out of cloak.

I concluded some time ago that, for my playstyle, I have to let Caluu and Zaan do the heavy lifting. If they ever nerf that, I'm proably done with this game. My raw stats are crap, because I like good sustain and speed. I switched to dual-regen drinks recently (Fisheye Rye) and - for me at least - it's been eye opening how much more fun it is to have decent stamina regen. I can now mix dodge rolls and cloak, a bit like a stamblade. Few things kill the fun for me like being forced into heavy restos or forced to back out of a fight in order to meditate, even if I would have higher burst that way.

I use Steed, all Swift, all cost reduction, Bright Throat's, Breton and Siphoning Attacks. I'm quite at the limit with what mag-sustain I can get and it's good, but I wouldn't want any less. Thought I'd incorporate more DOTs this patch, but Siphoning Attacks works better for my playstyle than, for example, Cripple.

My build mostly functions the same as it has done last patch. Using Cloak as heavily as I do negates DOTs, but I am squishy as ever (extremely) and the new Healing Ward has done nothing to fix that, albeit I don't have a BRP resto. After some tests I concluded that Dampen + Healing Ward is still the best option for me and I have no room to fit Regeneration as well.

In terms of gameplay, fighting templars can be brutal, due to the damage of Sweeps / Jabs alone, although it depends on how good (and specced into damage) they are. The Living Dark stun is ridiculous against me and feels wholly unnecessary. It's not like I can stay in range for long anyway. On the plus-side I can better go toe to toe with most magsorcs, as they don't do the sustained pet damage anymore and seem to be suffering with sustain as well.

My build is ultimately something that will take out new to mediocre players on it's own, but that struggles against good ones, even during a gank. It only becomes really deadly in a group. I imagine the same can be said about many open world builds, though.