VR4 + NB DW/Bow PvE builds?

Phouse87

Hey guys,

I've been loving my NightBlade up until the last week or so when I completed the Alik'r desert at VR4, and moved on to Bangkorai... now I've hit a wall and am really starting to struggle to finish some of the quests that require killing "boss" mobs. I get my ass handed to me every time I try to take on a quest "boss" mob and I'm fast losing interest with running back from the nearest wayshrine only to be put in my place again... and again... and again...

I've had the same build since my early levels, and if nothing else I assume I need a change to be able to survive and enjoy the VR levels as much as I used to. I'm ok vs. groups of 3 - 4 mobs, I can drop them without too many problems - it's boss fights that are letting me down. My armour at the moment is basically whatever I can find from quests / drops (nothing amazing, it's mostly green lol).

I looked at the possibility of an AoE bow xp farming build, but from what I've read this is no longer viable thanks to the latest update(?).

Basically I need some suggestions on what to change and where to look, I tried changing skills around only to end up with exactly the same build again - you could say I'm set in my ways

I've read a few threads on NB builds and read a lot of suggestions but haven't been massively convinced so far, and I'd like to stay DW / bow as for me that's what a NightBlade is about. I'm probably wrong in assuming the DW skills aren't as good as the class skills, but I can't seem to get out of the habit of using the same skill sets.


http://tamrielfoundry.com/topic/nb-dual-wieldbow-pve-dps-build-1-6-6/

This one looks interesting, but I'm still working on the research to be able to craft the Hunding's armor / weapons, so for now I'm stuck.


I've recently changed my attributes around to roughly 60% stamina / 40% health (100% stamina saw me get two hit KOed vs. some of the tougher mobs). I'm working towards a 6 piece hunding set + 4 piece ashen grip set, pretty much as Jeckll's post suggests except I'll consider a mix of health / stamina enchantments for armour in hope of being able to stay alive a bit longer.


The build I'm using is currently (as Khajiit):

http://www.esohead.com/calculator/skills#1.mcsXtg0k9MGy08GFtc8GFlT8IryJ8IrgV8GHau8GHRG8injX8innG8innU8GHau8IrgV8Ir3D8p7XMdBvT6MdBvj6MdBEI6MdBEp6cdBET8t7HMwS3c6MwUlN6MwYle6MwYlv6MwYl28g7XLsXy6rsXx6rsXt6MipLW6MipL46MippV6Mippo6Mippq8C7Xrzqa6Lzqq6Lzqu6LzqI6MGFWc6MGFWi6MGFWA6MGFWn8D7DrzdM6rzdm6LzdR6MIsaM6MIrv36MIrEf6MIrEh8O7RzAZqS8P7RzLp4d6zLncp6cLncn8zz7pctyrG6ztyfm6ctyfV6ctyfR8zf7czNbo6MDVRE6MDVRH8zu7zzHfYE6zHfZd8zG7zzHQ3F8zI7zzJIoX6zJIkL8zN7QsJZcY6mJZuA6cJZuT6cJZuy6cJZug8zA7OsKpUN6zKTkc6cKTko6mKTks6cKTkb8zL7SsK4EX6mK4YF6cK4YK6cK4YQ6cK4YW


DW:

Strategy : Reapers mark, ambush, shadowy disguise, surprise attack, shadowy disguise, Soul Harvest and finish off with killers blade - I use this for single target and groups

DPS vs. single target isn't too bad, but I struggle vs boss mobs where I don't get the heals from Reapers Mark / killers blade. at the moment I fight groups as individual targets, which can take a while but I don't generally die unless it's in a group dungeon I'm trying to solo (damn the one in Alik'r desert!)

Bow:

Strategy - Reapers Mark, Lethal arrow, Poison Injection, Magnum Shot (rinse and repeat). - Poison DoT is nice but I realise shadowy disguise is probably a waste of a slot here.

DPS vs single target is average, the main source of damage is lethal arrow / poison injection, in between those two I'm generally trying not to get hit too much. Vs groups I try to make sure every mob has a DoT ticking away at them, but again it's basically the same strategy as single mob combat.



Question is, does my build need a change or or is it my armour / weapons letting me down, or both?

Any suggestions / comments appreciated - thanks!

UTG_Zilla

How many quests did you skip?

Just wondering because I'm vr5 and on (un-finish able at current time [i mean literally like this time of day, too many people who don't know what to do]) quest in AD 4th region, still got 3 other side quests to do and any other region main quests to do after I finish this one.

UTG_Zilla

Idk how that what was italicized? I didn't use that function..

Bloodgharm

Your skill rotation is very similar to mine, however I'm only level 43 and haven't hit any VR content. That said, you should probably focus on some survivability skills. I have an active skill bar and a buff bar. The only difference is on my dw (active) bar, I'm using blood craze from the dw line for the HoT. It will add some survivability, but not much. Also on my buff bar, I have double take which causes 1/5 of attacks from hitting me and also increases movement speed. It helps a decent amount in staying alive with bosses. Just keep those 2 skills up. Aside from that, use a 2h wep on your off bar and get brawler and rally...they help considerably. However, I'm not a fan of using 2h weapons as I'm sure you're not either.

Phouse87

UTG_Zilla wrote: »

How many quests did you skip?

Just wondering because I'm vr5 and on (un-finish able at current time [i mean literally like this time of day, too many people who don't know what to do]) quest in AD 4th region, still got 3 other side quests to do and any other region main quests to do after I finish this one.

I missed a couple of quests back in shadowfen but went back to do those to get pact hero, other than that the only VR content I've skipped so far is Lions den in AD and a few dolmens. Maybe I need to check my achievements but pretty sure I've cleared all the content up to this point. I'm missing 95% of group bosses everywhere but not sure how much xp / vp they're worth. Pretty sure I've cleared all the quests though.


Been considering going WW for the passive stamina regen but haven't looked into survivability much - will check out that DW skill thanks!

Hardicon

I too was having some of the same problems on my nightblade. I just hit VR2 and had a guildie craft me some hundings and nights silence gear. I also changed my attributes to get to 20k health. This really has made all the difference in the world. Don't listen to all the videos about putting all your points into stamina. I put 30 points into health, and put health enchantments on my head, chest and legs armor pieces, which got me with food up to just over 19k health. The rest I put into stamina. With the armor I do more damage plus I have a lot more survivability. For boss fights I find using blood craze for the heal over time makes boss fights relatively easy. Nights silence only requires 2 traits to craft, just try to join a guild or find a crafter that will craft you the hundings for your level pretty cheap. Main thing though is get a lot of health and maintain between 19k and 20k health, works pretty good for survivability as a nightblade.

Kajimano_ESO

I'd suggest becoming a werewolf
Also if you use a bow and time your dodge rolls good, you can avoid most damage while dealing continuous damage

Reeko

In all honosty if you are still just questing it does not really matter what your build is. I also use Jeckll's guide as a referance. But his guide is geared towards Trials and vet difficulty dungeons. I personally run around useing whatever skills i happen to be leveling up at the time.

Currently on my DW bar i have Quick Cloak, Drain Power, Steel Tornado, Ambush, Surprise Attack, Flawless Dawnbreaker.

My Bow bar has Magnum Shot, Lethal Arrow, Piercing Mark, Mass Hysteria, Bombard, Soul Tether.

Instant_Karma_88

I would suggest dropping DW and picking up 2H because to solo difficult bosses and you need some kind of self healing. Being a stam build, resto staff is outta the question so you need Rally (momentum morph) from the 2H tree.

You need more buffs in general, most of your skills are active abilities. It is more efficient to hone your damage dealing down to just a few skills and the rest be self buffs, (Camo Hunter for crit, Relentless Focus for minor damage and stam regen, etc.)

But again the key thing especially for soloing is picking up Rally, one of the best skills in the game tbh.

Also, change Shadowy disguise to Dark Cloak, as DoTs take you out of stealth. And you really only need that skill on one bar, so that will open up another skill slot for you.

Just some tips from my experience.

Reeko

Also try crafting your own armor/weapons. Improve them y o atleast blue and get the set bonus's if you can. Nights Sience and Ashen Grip only require two traits researched per piece.

Also make sure to keep food buffs up. Maybe down a potion of weapon power. Make sure your gear is repaired and your weapon enchants charged. I don't run any heals outside of Killers Blade and Soul Tether and i have been able to solo bosses just fine.

Phouse87

Awesome thanks guys Merging all your comments together the plan is now to go Werewolf and line up the skills something like this:

http://www.esohead.com/calculator/skills#1.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

Possible changes:

Poison Injection -> Magnum Shot (depends on my dodge skills!)

Power Extraction - just looks immense but need to find a slot for it


Gear wise I think I'm going to try a set of Ashen Grip / Night's Silence until I can craft hunding's.

Attributes will get respecced to 30 heath / remaining stamina with a few health / stamina enchantments, maybe a couple of reduce stamina cost.



Probably going to have to do a bit of grinding to level those skills up and scratch around for some skill points (got a few in crafting I don't need just yet at VR4) but it's all a learning curve, your suggestions have been very helpful so thanks a ton