Single target rotation for NB Caster?

Marovec · May 2014

I am VR2 and have been running a NB caster with destro staff. Leveling and questing had been a breeze and I love the build. However...

During boss fights, I have noticed my single target DPS is crap - usually around 200-300 according to DPS meters.

I have tried various rotations/abilities but I can't seem to find anything that really ups the numbers. I know we have a lot of bugged/broken abilities and passives that may be impacting that, but I was wondering if anyone had run into a successful single target rotation for NB casters?

Any suggestions? Other than re-roll a sorc

?

jambam817_ESO · May 2014

Hmm, I'll copy and paste what i have here for you to review. No I'm not Vet, but you can take a look and see if you've tried this setup before. It took me 40+ levels to settle on something i enjoy. I have noticed the Single Target dps is just not up there with others unless you get some invis crits. It includes an AOE bar as well

44 Breton Nightblade, primary stat is Magicka, secondary is Health
5 Light / 2 Heavy

My single target bar is a Frost Staff and:
1) Crushing Shock
2) Impale finisher
3) Swallow Soul
4) Leeching Strikes (thinking about respeccing to change this morph)
5) Shadowy Disguise

Crushing Shock is a ranged caster interrupt, it also has low Magika cost and is fairly spammable for multiple elemental effects. Impale is a cheap, high damage finisher. Swallow soul for healing and life regen. I'm very tempted to change Leeching Strikes to have the ability to proc on Skills as well, instead of the measly 2% life. Shadowy Disguise + Swallow Soul for increased healing on crit and a decent Nuke.

My AOE Bar is a Fire Staff and:
1) Refreshing Path
2) Unstable Wall of Elements
3) Impulse (not morphed yet)
4) Leeching Strikes
5) Immovable Brute

Stuff goes BOOM. Can't wait to get Impulse morphed. immovable and refreshing path give me some survivability when I'm pissing all the creatures off with my FIRE!

Marovec · May 2014

jambam817_ESO wrote: »

Hmm, I'll copy and paste what i have here for you to review. No I'm not Vet, but you can take a look and see if you've tried this setup before. It took me 40+ levels to settle on something i enjoy. I have noticed the Single Target dps is just not up there with others unless you get some invis crits. It includes an AOE bar as well

44 Breton Nightblade, primary stat is Magicka, secondary is Health
5 Light / 2 Heavy

My single target bar is a Frost Staff and:
1) Crushing Shock
2) Impale finisher
3) Swallow Soul
4) Leeching Strikes (thinking about respeccing to change this morph)
5) Shadowy Disguise

Crushing Shock is a ranged caster interrupt, it also has low Magika cost and is fairly spammable for multiple elemental effects. Impale is a cheap, high damage finisher. Swallow soul for healing and life regen. I'm very tempted to change Leeching Strikes to have the ability to proc on Skills as well, instead of the measly 2% life. Shadowy Disguise + Swallow Soul for increased healing on crit and a decent Nuke.

My AOE Bar is a Fire Staff and:
1) Refreshing Path
2) Unstable Wall of Elements
3) Impulse (not morphed yet)
4) Leeching Strikes
5) Immovable Brute

Stuff goes BOOM. Can't wait to get Impulse morphed. immovable and refreshing path give me some survivability when I'm pissing all the creatures off with my FIRE!

This is similar to what I run for AoE (and it is great for AoE) but I am noticing a SEVERE lack in the single target damage.

Jaxom · May 2014

I can get to 400-450 dps solo using leetching strikes, swallow soul, cripple, combat prayer and light attacks. I use Resto staff too. Not exactly the run of the mill setup, but it works. Combat Prayer gives 8% damage to my abilities while I can spam Swallow Soul and Light Attacks. I use cripple for that extra dps bump with the dot. It's great against bosses due to the self healing and in dungeon groups, I get a bigger dps bump with some other class buffs.

jambam817_ESO · May 2014

Marovec wrote: »

This is similar to what I run for AoE (and it is great for AoE) but I am noticing a SEVERE lack in the single target damage.

I will agree to that. I've been trying to tweak some builds for better single target, but aside from Magika Assassin which is NOT my playstyle, i don't see a lot of primary damage skills for Nightblades.

EDIT: If certain nightblade DOTs still did damage if their effect was resisted, I think it would be very helpful. Cripple's damage is awesome as well as Agony. However in boss situations, i don't know if the damage component on those 2 spells will take hold.

Marovec · May 2014

Jaxom wrote: »

I can get to 400-450 dps solo using leetching strikes, swallow soul, cripple, combat prayer and light attacks. I use Resto staff too. Not exactly the run of the mill setup, but it works. Combat Prayer gives 8% damage to my abilities while I can spam Swallow Soul and Light Attacks. I use cripple for that extra dps bump with the dot. It's great against bosses due to the self healing and in dungeon groups, I get a bigger dps bump with some other class buffs.

I was under the impression that cripple was "bugged" against bosses as it was not damaging mobs that couldn't be effected by the snare? Also, are you just using the leeching strikes as a passive or are you toggling it on?

After reading some other threads here and on reddit, it seems resto staff is the way to go with the 10% damage buff + mana restore on heavy hit. Kinda sad that the "healing" staff is better for dps than the "destruction" staff...

jambam817_ESO · May 2014

Marovec wrote: »

After reading some other threads here and on reddit, it seems resto staff is the way to go with the 10% damage buff + mana restore on heavy hit. Kinda sad that the "healing" staff is better for dps than the "destruction" staff...

I really hope this is adjusted as well. There seems to be an advantage to the healing staff and no drawbacks. There is no advantage to a destruction staff but it does have a drawback, lower damage and no regen.

Hmm, doesn't sound to good.

Jaxom · May 2014

Marovec wrote: »

Jaxom wrote: »

I can get to 400-450 dps solo using leetching strikes, swallow soul, cripple, combat prayer and light attacks. I use Resto staff too. Not exactly the run of the mill setup, but it works. Combat Prayer gives 8% damage to my abilities while I can spam Swallow Soul and Light Attacks. I use cripple for that extra dps bump with the dot. It's great against bosses due to the self healing and in dungeon groups, I get a bigger dps bump with some other class buffs.

I was under the impression that cripple was "bugged" against bosses as it was not damaging mobs that couldn't be effected by the snare? Also, are you just using the leeching strikes as a passive or are you toggling it on?

After reading some other threads here and on reddit, it seems resto staff is the way to go with the 10% damage buff + mana restore on heavy hit. Kinda sad that the "healing" staff is better for dps than the "destruction" staff...

I have leeching strikes on 100%, on both bars so when I weapon swap, I dont have to waste time reapplying it. The damage decrease is negligible when you compare the utility and longevity it brings you. The reason why I can sustain 400 -450 dps is due to the fact that I keep my magicka bar over 50% most of the time.

As for cripple, I tested it last night and it indeed was ticking even though the snare didnt work. I'm not sure if it did that every time, but enough times for me to notice. Another fun fact is that the power debuff from Mass Hysteria still procs even though you cannot fear or snare bosses immune to it. I was running a vet dungeon and before each boss big attack, I'd cast it so everyone took less damage. I could only tell this was working due to an add-on.