Nightblade Testing: Dark Cloak and DoTs

NordJitsu · May 2014

In response to some requests on the forums to document the bugs with Dark Cloak, I got some guildies together for some controlled testing. Specifically we're testing whether DoTs are not properly being removed and whether they pull you out of stealth. Our findings differ from what many reported and I don't know why. Could be the bug was largely fixed on this patch or it could be, as some have speculated, that the bug only appears in hectic situations like large battles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-mHd_Mvleo

Here's the full write up:

NordJitsu wrote: »

Okay so we tested this on the PTS (which is running version 1.1.1) with the following abilities:

DoTs in the Video

Swallow Soul
Agony (and Prolonged Suffering)
Crippling Grasp
Blood Craze
Venom Arrow
Force Pulse
Elemental Ring
and generic Fire/Frost damage over time from enchantments

All of these DoTs were tested both offensively (NB applying) and defensively (being applied to NB).

Conclusion

We found the only one that did not seem to be working as intended was Crippling Grasp. Currently, a NB cannot go into stealth if he has this active on an enemy target. So if player A applies Crippling grasp to Player B, player A will not be able to use Dark Cloak while that DoT is active.

For each other ability, if it was applied to the NB, Dark Cloak would remove the DoT and the NB would not be pulled out of stealth before the full duration of Dark Cloak had ended. If the NB applied the DoT offensively, they would likewise not be pulled out of stealth even though the DoT would remain active on the target.

Non-DoT's Tested

Since people had reported some other abilities also pulling them out of stealth (non-dots) we also tested:

Back Lash
Reapers Mark
Daedric Curse
Invasion

Conclusion

If a NB is targeted with Invasion, and pops Dark Cloak, the invisibility will break target and the shield charge (Invasion) will not land (this takes timing though). Reapers Mark and Back Lash both stay active on a Night Blade who uses Dark Cloak, but the effects cannot be seen by enemy players while the NB is invisible (which makes sense since these are not DoTs.) Daedric Curse, although its not exactly a DoT, does get removed by Dark Cloak.

DoTs Tested Which Will Not Appear in the Video

I believe everything I mentioned above was recorded. However, we were testing this for a while and more things popped into our heads after I'd stopped recording. So these abilities (plus maybe one or two of the above ones if I made a mistake) do not appear on video, but were tested.

Entropy

And I think that might be the only one we didn't get on film....I'll edit this later if I remember something else.

DoTs We Didn't Test

Searing Strike (and its morphs)
Fiery Breath (and its morphs)

Summing Up

So as far as I can tell this is working mostly as intended on 1.1.1 with the exception of Crippling Grasp, which obviously seems to be a bug since no other DoTs work that way.

Dark Cloak will remove up to 4 damage over time effects (at rank 4) when you enter stealth. This seems to work with each DoT. You will not be pulled out of stealth with these DoTs active.

Dark Cloak also works even if you're the one applying the dot. You can hit someone with Blood Craze, then use Dark Cloak. You will not get pulled from stealth and your DoT will stay active.

Other abilities also do not break Dark Cloak (Curse, Invasion, ect.).

However, any form of ground based AoE like Lightning Splash, Elemental Blockade, Inferno, or Ash Cload will bull you out of stealth if you stand in its area of effect (tested all of those, but don't have all on film.)

So maybe ZOS fixed this? I don't know. I'm not sure why our testing differs so much from people's reports unless ZOS has already worked on this. Remember that this testing was done on 1.1.1 and not the current Live patch. Can you tell us if this has been fixed @ZOS_JessicaFolsom‌ ?

We kept testing some things after I stopped recording.

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom‌ sorry for the long delay.

TheBucket · May 2014

Many of these i knew about, but informative nonetheless! Its a good thorough test mate and a breath of fresh air compared to the thousand of negative posts out there.

Vuron · May 2014

Not only DoTs, but bleed effects sometimes pop my cloak. I tested with the groups of VR10 bears in Bangkorai and it happened pretty regularly. High level bears are good to test on because they spam their bleed attacks. There were also many occasions when they were able to see through my cloak.

The last time that I tested was right after the patch when the mobs were super strength, so it might have been corrected or just bugged out at that time.

I haven't been able to play much during the last week, so haven't been able to do any in depth testing.

NordJitsu · May 2014

@TheBucket‌

The interesting thing is that what we found was so different from what other people found. Not sure why exactly.

We fully expected that the ability wouldn't be working with most of these DoTs since there are tons of reports about that (including from my guildies.)

I saw somewhere that it might only occur in hectic situations, which could explain why most of them were working here.

TheBucket · May 2014

@NordJitsu‌

Yeah, I will add that the passive bleed you get from using 2Hand Axes can cause the cloak to break. I switched to 2H Sword just because of it.

Pyatra · May 2014

Patch notes actually list this as a fixed bug guys.

NordJitsu · May 2014

@Pyatra‌

Actually they don't. Go to Path 1.1.2 and do a Ctrl + F for Dark Cloak. Now do the same for Night Blade.

The only thing they said was:

"Fixed an issue that was causing Nightblade abilities to become unresponsive in high-intensity combat situations. This issue is caused by a number of factors, and we will continue to monitor it after this patch."

And that's not particular to Dark Cloak. Many people say they've had this bug in low intensity situations too.

They do say in the upcoming Night Blade fixes that they WANT to fix it, but not that they have.

"Dark Cloak (Shadow Cloak morph): Dark Cloak is not currently removing damage-over-time (DoT) debuffs as it should be. We’re currently investigating this issue to determine which DoTs are not being removed by Dark Cloak."

In fact, @ZOS_JessicaFolsom‌ specifically asked for players to document which abilities and DoTs were bugging Dark Cloak, which is why I made this.

Jaxom · May 2014

@NordJitsu I think the main issue is the sheer unresponsiveness in Cyrodiil during peak times. The video was very well done. Watching him try to cloak during the shield charge was very interesting to me. I can see how people would say it pulls you out. If you don't time it correctly, it hits you right as you cloak. With server and skill lag, I feel this is the main culprit. Hell, in Cyrodiil the other night, it was taking 4-5 seconds for my stealth to kick in.

NordJitsu · May 2014

@Jaxom‌

Lol, he also was pressing the wrong button the first few times.

Jaxom · May 2014

NordJitsu wrote: »

@Jaxom‌

Lol, he also was pressing the wrong button the first few times.

Well that certainly would do it now, wouldn't it. Haha.

Pyatra · May 2014

NordJitsu wrote: »

@Pyatra‌

Actually they don't. Go to Path 1.1.2 and do a Ctrl + F for Dark Cloak. Now do the same for Night Blade.

The only thing they said was:

"Fixed an issue that was causing Nightblade abilities to become unresponsive in high-intensity combat situations. This issue is caused by a number of factors, and we will continue to monitor it after this patch."

And that's not particular to Dark Cloak. Many people say they've had this bug in low intensity situations too.

They do say in the upcoming Night Blade fixes that they WANT to fix it, but not that they have.

"Dark Cloak (Shadow Cloak morph): Dark Cloak is not currently removing damage-over-time (DoT) debuffs as it should be. We’re currently investigating this issue to determine which DoTs are not being removed by Dark Cloak."

In fact, @ZOS_JessicaFolsom‌ specifically asked for players to document which abilities and DoTs were bugging Dark Cloak, which is why I made this.

Actually you are right.... they posted it somewhere weird but not in the patch notes. I knew I read it somewhere.

Here is the link.
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/100627/nightblade-update/p1

Edit: Has a bunch of stuff. Also in the same section is one on known issues and on going fixes.

Edit: Section Link
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/categories/EN-general-discussion

NordJitsu · May 2014

@Pyatra‌

Yup. And those are upcoming fixes, not things that have already been implemented. I quoted that post to you in my first response.

subecsanur · May 2014

I agree, I think a lot of the mechanics when in casual mode works but in the intense and maybe PVE environment it just doesn't work. Goes along with Giants, Trolls or certain mobs just not effected by invisible at all.

Baphomet · May 2014

Great video, guys.

One of the gap-closers which might cause issues with dark cloak could be stampede because it applies immobilization to the target before the attacker starts to move. I think they made it this way to prevent the ability from overshooting the target. Maybe stampede will still hit a cloaked nightblade because he is fixated.

NordJitsu · May 2014

@Baphomet‌

That could be whats causing the problem for sure. But I believe Invasion applies the stun prior to landing as well, doesn't it?

NordJitsu · May 2014

@Vuron‌

We certainly didn't test all bleeds but we did test Blood Craze in video.

joshisanonymous · May 2014

Thanks for the video. I was particularly interested in AoEs that cancel your stealth. I suppose that's not so bad in general, but did you happen to test basic attacks? It's one thing if the enemy needs to have access to an AoE to nullify your stealth, it's another if all they have to do is keep swinging basic attack at air.

NordJitsu · May 2014

@joshisanonymous‌

Well any damage will pull you out of stealth. So player AoE, siege, ect. The only reason the DoTs don't pull you out with Dark Cloak is because Dark Cloak removes DoTs.

That said, basic attacks require a target. If you don't have your reticule on someone, then your attack won't hit them even if your sword appears to move through them. There's no physical collision detection.

So that shouldn't affect you at all.

sagitter · July 2014

NordJitsu wrote: »

@joshisanonymous‌

. There's no physical collision detection.

That's is what i think, but how to explain , dodging or being hitted by destruction light/heavy staff attacks when u are invisible, idk...
The invisibility of clouding swarm works 100 times better.

Xanthro · July 2014

NordJitsu wrote: »

@TheBucket‌

The interesting thing is that what we found was so different from what other people found. Not sure why exactly.

We fully expected that the ability wouldn't be working with most of these DoTs since there are tons of reports about that (including from my guildies.)

I saw somewhere that it might only occur in hectic situations, which could explain why most of them were working here.

They why is easy to answer. Timing and lag make a huge difference in whether or not a DOT or you, or even a DOT on a target, knocks you out of stealth.
There is a brief moment after you cast a DOT spell that you cannot safely stealth, because it you go into stealth before the DOT lands, it will break you out.
Think of it this way, someone casts a DOT on you, you use Dark Cloak, but the DOT hasn't actually landed yet, it's not there to be removed by Dark Cloak, it hits your stealth and breaks it.
It's why you see stealth breaking more in Cyrodil and other places suffering lag.