Nightblade, help me out here...

Swindy

uniq_faznrb18_ESO wrote: »

Violynne wrote: »

AtmaDarkwolf wrote: »

Judging from all the advice, this is simply not possible, everyone wants a nightblade to be the typical 'thief' build who does sneak attacks OR a lame 'mage' type who uses a staff. Neither playstyle is that fun imo.

Unfortunately, it's not really a matter of want, but need, given some passives work directly with such a play style. The guaranteed crit hit on stealth, for example, is just something that requires sneak to get.

I've not seen an NB play with sorc backup, though I'm sure they're out there. Most, like me, used bow for range, given how well scatter shot can be used for quick crowd control.

People swear by NB's DPS output, but the reality is while it may be quick to deliver, it requires twice the delivery time to do the same amount of damage output DKs and sorcs can do with one hit.

I also sat by and marveled how these classes just swooped in and cleared a hole. I was never a fan of mage play in other ES games, but this one changed that for me.

I can even enter crossbone boss areas, ranked level 2 (or however they're tiered), and take them out solo. Yesterday, I wanted to see how awesome I was and took on an area that had 3 level 2 bosses (Argonian pirates, I think) and took them all down solo.

I could never do that with my NB, which is why many remain incomplete in my game.

Hence why NB is a chore to play.

Weird because as a nightblade myself, I solo everything, down from delves to world bosses to public dungeons.. Never had much of a problem other than the occasional oops moments when you are watching *** or something. And my build is somewhat hybrid, tankish melee stamina based dps.

I can take on groups of ten and survive in public dungeons. Perhaps its because I am a tank/dps but ive downed bosses using bows, dual wield, two handers, sword and shields...

Not tooting much but I had my difficulties before, way before when NightBlades were simply unplayable because stats were all over the place and all class skills were still under magicka rules. Its so much better and easier now to play as a nightblade, even if you are going balls out weapons ready melee warrior.

And yes, when I fight the bosses, I can count in one hand how many times I used cloak or its variants.

I've failed so badly trying to tank my Imp NB that I've resigned to medium dps dw spam & pray & simply accepting I cannot kill most bosses or even survive getting to many group delve bosses (eg Craglorn delves) as I (non group aligned nor orientated) solo Pve.
I've solo'd only 1 Craglorn delve so far, and failed on so, so many others.

Any info you're willing to share via post or message on build/tactics would be greatly appreciated...I've tried a heap but I'm still dying more often than not against groups with gold bars & bosses.

I love my NB, he's like family & my only character, but he's run out of solo Pve opportunities until he sees what's on offer in IC.

Violynne

Yep, the same. I solo'd most of the game. Delve bosses were easy (following the steps I used outlined on the previous page) because it was simple pattern battles.

But those gold bar bosses - no way. I mean, I tried everything I had in my arsenal and just kept getting wiped off the map. The damage output just isn't heavy enough to sustain a long battle, to which their damage (if you get hit) is pretty much a one-shot kill for them, because wasting even a second having to potion up is a death sentence.

I will say, though: I should have stuck with provisioning. I'm doing this with my sorc and talk about a major difference. No reason to potion up at all, given the health boost I get has been more than ample to get me through boss fights, regardless how many there are.

I would suggest to the OP to also invest in provisioning, and stockpile anything related to extending health for 35+ minutes.

I'm betting this would have changed the outcome of many battles for me. I was stupid to give it up.

Once I get my sorc up to provisioning some serious food/drink, I'll be transferring to my NB. Perhaps this will help during play in Craglorn. I'll see how that goes.

Swindy

Ya I'm fully skilled in everything but staffs & undaunted, and it helped a lot, but these 3 gold bosses, or mobs of single gold trash, are wiping their arses with my corpse.

RavenSworn

Swindy wrote: »

uniq_faznrb18_ESO wrote: »

Violynne wrote: »

AtmaDarkwolf wrote: »

Judging from all the advice, this is simply not possible, everyone wants a nightblade to be the typical 'thief' build who does sneak attacks OR a lame 'mage' type who uses a staff. Neither playstyle is that fun imo.

Unfortunately, it's not really a matter of want, but need, given some passives work directly with such a play style. The guaranteed crit hit on stealth, for example, is just something that requires sneak to get.

I've not seen an NB play with sorc backup, though I'm sure they're out there. Most, like me, used bow for range, given how well scatter shot can be used for quick crowd control.

People swear by NB's DPS output, but the reality is while it may be quick to deliver, it requires twice the delivery time to do the same amount of damage output DKs and sorcs can do with one hit.

I also sat by and marveled how these classes just swooped in and cleared a hole. I was never a fan of mage play in other ES games, but this one changed that for me.

I can even enter crossbone boss areas, ranked level 2 (or however they're tiered), and take them out solo. Yesterday, I wanted to see how awesome I was and took on an area that had 3 level 2 bosses (Argonian pirates, I think) and took them all down solo.

I could never do that with my NB, which is why many remain incomplete in my game.

Hence why NB is a chore to play.

Weird because as a nightblade myself, I solo everything, down from delves to world bosses to public dungeons.. Never had much of a problem other than the occasional oops moments when you are watching *** or something. And my build is somewhat hybrid, tankish melee stamina based dps.

I can take on groups of ten and survive in public dungeons. Perhaps its because I am a tank/dps but ive downed bosses using bows, dual wield, two handers, sword and shields...

Not tooting much but I had my difficulties before, way before when NightBlades were simply unplayable because stats were all over the place and all class skills were still under magicka rules. Its so much better and easier now to play as a nightblade, even if you are going balls out weapons ready melee warrior.

And yes, when I fight the bosses, I can count in one hand how many times I used cloak or its variants.

I've failed so badly trying to tank my Imp NB that I've resigned to medium dps dw spam & pray & simply accepting I cannot kill most bosses or even survive getting to many group delve bosses (eg Craglorn delves) as I (non group aligned nor orientated) solo Pve.
I've solo'd only 1 Craglorn delve so far, and failed on so, so many others.

Any info you're willing to share via post or message on build/tactics would be greatly appreciated...I've tried a heap but I'm still dying more often than not against groups with gold bars & bosses.

I love my NB, he's like family & my only character, but he's run out of solo Pve opportunities until he sees what's on offer in IC.

Currently I use 5h 2md armour, whitestrake 5 and death wind 4/3. While I know I can get better gear via drops and pledge running, im more at ease with crafting my own gear. My stats are stamina heavy, following a 1:2:5 concept of magicka: health: stamina but my gear I spread it all over, with health on two of my gear, magicka on two as well and the rest on stamina. I use sword and shield for the mitigation and two hander

Pierce armor
Deep slash
Defensive stance
Siphoning strikes
Refreshing path
Veil of blades / bolstering darkness / soul harvest

Brawler / rally
Sap essence
Swallow soul
Siphoning strikes
Relentless focus / evil hunter
Soul tether

Before I start any fight, I buff myself with relentless or hunter ( depending on enemy) and Def stance, rally if bosses, then rush in with ref path, switch weps, sap essence spam till about I drop my relentless. Then switch, spam deep slash and puncture all around while putting ref path all over, weaving medium attack with deep slashes.

I use all forms of health returns, be it provisioning or potions. Pots will increase my ultimate generation, fighting daedra or undead increases it, I eat blue food ( because farming solo requires more time dedication) attuned to max stamina and magicka. This allows me to deal substantial damage via Pierce and deep slash. Its slow going but im basically a bulldozer on the road; unstoppable.

The sap essence / Swallow soul passive combo is awesome. And soul tether works like a charm against big groups. The veil of blades + blocking + stance keeps the melee within veil range and stance stuns the mages. Ref path is truly amazing in this build.

Well hope this helps!

Swindy

I've yet to morph some of those so I'll go get killed a lot practicing...it'll be slow as I'm VR14 with nothing solo left, & too newbie to succeed like this in group delves yet, but meh...I've got time.
I'll go make that armour too.

Many thanks @uniq_faznrb18_ESO

Schnapss

I recommend to use stamina medium armour build with dual dagger/bow setup. Dual dagger for single/dual target dps, bow for area damage.
Actually NB has incredibly high area dps and can sustain it for very long time. NB can solo do most of the group veteran dungeons, except killing some bosses in dd build. NB is almost invincible in tank build. I returned to TESO several weeks ago and noticed that NB has got a huge buff of survivability and damage. You just need to understand some tricks of this class.
pm me if you need some explanation.

AtmaDarkwolf

Schnapss wrote: »

I recommend to use cookie cutter build!

Yea... what I was attempting to avoid. Thanks for advice though.

Schnapss

AtmaDarkwolf wrote: »

Schnapss wrote: »

I recommend to use cookie cutter build!

Yea... what I was attempting to avoid. Thanks for advice though.

You wrote in your first post about low dps in different builds, even with dual daggers. Dual dagger can kill 3 mobs in 9 sec with 3 skills and without aoe abilities. Looks like you did something wrong even in cookie cutter:)

mr_wazzabi

AtmaDarkwolf wrote: »

Damage seems VERY low(Have to spam the SH!T out of skills to kill ANYTHING, very annoying) AoE is... neat (Sap essence and tornado) but again, damage is abysmal. I've tried many different skill/stat setups (Really want to utilize siphoning and dual weapon trees) even single target (which is fine vs 1 mob, but more than one seems I have to spend more time 'regaining' resources via heavy attacks, which sadly, do even WORSE dmg than the others)

I'm vr 3, have had this issue (and spent countless coin respecing and trying others 'builds') since 50/vr1 and am no further ahead(am actually 'behind' what I was before with a siphoning attacks, blood craze, degeneration, swallow soul, and sap essence setup, and I felt THAT was 'weak' after watching people @ my level - or lower - cut though packs of mobs and carry on like it was nothing.)

I am done with spending coin on respecs until I have a better idea of what im doing wrong. I've tried magicka heavy build, stam heavy build, split (hybird) between them all, but even when following others guides (which I admit, are outdated by at least a year) I cannot even remotely see the results they have...

Should I just give up on NB completely (Rather not) or what?

(Current setup is siphoning attacks + mage rune + blue + tornado + sap essence and typical ambush + killers + swallow on 2nd bar)

Forget about hybrid builds. They don't work. Your spell and skill damage scale off your attribute points, including ultimates. By splitting mag and stam, you're only doing gimping yourself by a huge amount of damage. You'll also run out of both mag and stam as you can't stack your jewelery to regen 1 resource type.
Your ultimate scales off your highest attribute, so with a split of mag and stam, your ultimates only do half damage.

If you like dw, go stamina.
Respec your attributes to 10 health, 40+ stamina, 0 magicka.
Drop sap essence for power extraction.
Drop swallow soul.

Use magicka abilities for buffs, cc and stealth, like cloak, mass hysteria and blur.