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Thanks Zenimax
dbwyld
✭✭
Allow me to recount my experiences...
Firstly, I have done no PVP, so anything involving that means very little to me in terms of mechanics or general whining about getting killed in one hit or not being able to hit someone.
Secondly, I've been mainly playing a melee built Nightblade, so this involves only that class. I'm Vet 7, finishing up Reaper's March, so most of my enemies are Vet 5 with a few vet 6.
Before 1.07
I thought the combat mechanics in PVE, open world, solo dungeon, and group dungeon were pretty well done. Every so often you'd have a fight that was just easy enough to be laughable, but more often than not, any small group, even those not scaled to dungeons, offered enough challenge to be a pain if my tactic was off, and yielded a fair amount of satisfaction in their defeat.
With that being said, I am not the most well geared, fancy weaponed, skill built character. I use the weapons, armor, enchants, traits, skills that I like, and that I get a kick out of using, not those that some kid set up and posted on YouTube or that other forum (GF) as "The Best DPS Build Since Yer Momma" or whatever.
Again, before 1.07...
I'd be sneaking along and come up on a few enemies on the outskirts of a bandit camp. By the looks of them, one is a tank, one is a spell caster, and one is an agile roguish type. The rogue or caster is always crouched, but never the tank. "Maybe the armor is too bulky," I think to myself.
I come up closer, still in stealth, and I toss my Reaper's Mark on the rogue. I turn my attention on the caster though, because even though he'll die quick, he's probably going to hurt me the most with his magic.
I Ambush in, onto the caster and knock him down with a ton of critical stealth damage. With a follow up Heavy Attack, he's done for. I immediately spin about with my Whirling Blades, adrenaline pumping and Stamina regenerating, more so because I hit both the tank and rogue.
Before I am able to move back, I get a spinning attack from the rogue to my right and a quick slash from the warrior at my left. I then Roll Dodge straight back and put my attention on the rogue. She's got my Mark, so her defenses are lower, and when she falls, I'll get some health back. Good, because the warrior is setting to charge me, and a nearby bandit archer has noticed the fight and is coming on in.
I Roll Dodge to the left, because I can see the red anger of the archer and warrior both, as they have targeted me. The warrior rushes by just as a spray of arrows blasts through the air, but I managed to move in time, at least from the warrior. I take an arrow to the knee, but I'm not some whiny guard, so I'm gonna keep fighting.
I look for the rogue, but she's vanished. Even though I've marked her, she's unseen, because I utilize the Reaper's Mark and not the Piercing Mark. I Roll Dodge forward, to where I remember her being and spin with my Whirling Blades.
Ha! I got her with a bit of Area Damage, and her stealth is dropped. Because I want her gone, I smack her with an Incapacitating Strike, and she falls to a knee, her head spinning from just how hard I hit. One good Heavy Attack, and she's done for.
I get hit with an arrow, and there is fire at my back. Even though I was healed by the after effect of my Reaper's Mark, these two attacks we're quick to take away about one quarter my life. It would have been more, but good thing I have Robust health recovery from being khajiit, and I recovered a bit just after the fire started.
The fire is coming from the warrior. Ugh, Dragonknight. I should take him out, but the archer is more of a pain, and I turn on him. As he back peddles away and lines up to spray me with arrows, I toss a Reaper's Mark on him. When he falls, here comes the health. Ha! To close the gap between up, I Ambush him from the front, and my dual downward attack takes him to his knee. Just for kicks, I hit him with a Surprise Attack. Since he's already stunned, I know it's not going to stun him any longer, but it does drop his defenses. A couple quick attacks and BOOM, the fire enchantment on my dagger triggers and the bandit catches ablaze just to die quick.
The Dragonknight is behind me, but I'm not sure where, so I Roll Dodge to the right and spin around. Just as I do, I'm hit with a yellow sparkle Heavy Attack, and I'm stuck for a second. I force myself to Break Free but take another Light Attack while doing so. As soon as I'm able, I throw down a Shadowy Disguise and vanish from sight.
Every time I do that during combat, I love that the enemies seem to get so confused. "Where the F did he just go!?" Ha ha ha.
With a quick circle around to the Dragonknight's flank, I give him a little Surprise Attack, and he takes a good critical amount of damage, leaving his head spinning. I spin with my Whirling Blades and Ambush him, just for fun, because nothing is more satisfying than just SMACKING your foe DOWN for that final hit.
I loot the dead and smile, content. Good fun.
Now, I know there were much quicker ways to take them all down, but there is something I find really fun about moving all around the field of combat during a fight, hitting dude here and there and back. It makes me feel like my character is some kind of skilled assassin.
...
After 1.07
I'm sneaking along through a cave, two enemies ahead of me, one facing away, an archer, crouched, and my quest target, a khajiit smuggler who's name I don't remember.
Again, crouched. Ha!
I throw my Reaper's Mark on the archer, and I keep my focus on her. Time for the ol' Ambush. Poof, hit, wait, what. Instead of the nice chunk of about three quarters of her life going away, I barely knock away half, but she's down, head spinning for a bit. Immediately, I spin about with my Whirling Blades, but I don't hit either enemy. Crap!
The khajiit has already done a whirlwind attack and hit me, and the archer is already getting to her feet.
I Roll Dodge back and switch my active ability bar to what I call my "sapping skills." I quickly cast Swallow Soul on the archer, to get a bit of health back, because that whirlwind hurt a lot more than normal.
When I see the red lines of the archer's targeted spray, I Ambush her again, in hopes of interrupting her action and stunning her a few seconds so I can smack on her.
Nope. That didn't work. Even though my character slams down on her, weapons leading the way, all I manage to do is take away about 5% of her health and then eat a face full of arrows.
My screen is flashing red. My health is low, so I quickly down a potion, an Elixir of Weapon Crit, I made. It restores health and gives me bonus to weapon critical for about 20 seconds. I heal, switch back to my primary ability bar, and throw down Shadowy Disguise to rush up and around the archer to smack her down.
Nope. She knows right where I am and shoots me with something that snares me. I Break Free and Roll Dodge straight back.
With the khajiit and archer both in my view, I realize my Reaper's Mark has worn off, so I mark the archer again but Ambush the khajiit to, at least, allow me to focus entirely on the archer a bit.
Not enough Stamina. WHAT THE F%#$!?
Oh yea... Too much Roll Dodging, awesome patch change.
Quick, radial menu, stamina potion, potions still on cool down. SH&%!
Out of nowhere, the khajiit comes at me, then vanishes. I try to spin out some Whirling Blades, like I had used to find the rogue last time.
Nothing.
Instead, I'm guessing I got hit with a Surprise Attack, Veiled Strike, something, because I'm snared again, and the screen is flashing red.
As I swear and curse every word you shouldn't say, I watch a rain of arrows from the archer kill my character.
Not fun.
...
Before patch, I was able to take on some of the world elites, and even some of the mobs in the open party dungeons by myself.
After the patch, I can't even take on a single quest boss and one of his friends.
Thanks Zenimax...
Thanks a lot.
Edited by dbwyld on September 17, 2015 3:48PM Firstly, I have done no PVP, so anything involving that means very little to me in terms of mechanics or general whining about getting killed in one hit or not being able to hit someone.
Secondly, I've been mainly playing a melee built Nightblade, so this involves only that class. I'm Vet 7, finishing up Reaper's March, so most of my enemies are Vet 5 with a few vet 6.
Before 1.07
I thought the combat mechanics in PVE, open world, solo dungeon, and group dungeon were pretty well done. Every so often you'd have a fight that was just easy enough to be laughable, but more often than not, any small group, even those not scaled to dungeons, offered enough challenge to be a pain if my tactic was off, and yielded a fair amount of satisfaction in their defeat.
With that being said, I am not the most well geared, fancy weaponed, skill built character. I use the weapons, armor, enchants, traits, skills that I like, and that I get a kick out of using, not those that some kid set up and posted on YouTube or that other forum (GF) as "The Best DPS Build Since Yer Momma" or whatever.
Again, before 1.07...
I'd be sneaking along and come up on a few enemies on the outskirts of a bandit camp. By the looks of them, one is a tank, one is a spell caster, and one is an agile roguish type. The rogue or caster is always crouched, but never the tank. "Maybe the armor is too bulky," I think to myself.
I come up closer, still in stealth, and I toss my Reaper's Mark on the rogue. I turn my attention on the caster though, because even though he'll die quick, he's probably going to hurt me the most with his magic.
I Ambush in, onto the caster and knock him down with a ton of critical stealth damage. With a follow up Heavy Attack, he's done for. I immediately spin about with my Whirling Blades, adrenaline pumping and Stamina regenerating, more so because I hit both the tank and rogue.
Before I am able to move back, I get a spinning attack from the rogue to my right and a quick slash from the warrior at my left. I then Roll Dodge straight back and put my attention on the rogue. She's got my Mark, so her defenses are lower, and when she falls, I'll get some health back. Good, because the warrior is setting to charge me, and a nearby bandit archer has noticed the fight and is coming on in.
I Roll Dodge to the left, because I can see the red anger of the archer and warrior both, as they have targeted me. The warrior rushes by just as a spray of arrows blasts through the air, but I managed to move in time, at least from the warrior. I take an arrow to the knee, but I'm not some whiny guard, so I'm gonna keep fighting.
I look for the rogue, but she's vanished. Even though I've marked her, she's unseen, because I utilize the Reaper's Mark and not the Piercing Mark. I Roll Dodge forward, to where I remember her being and spin with my Whirling Blades.
Ha! I got her with a bit of Area Damage, and her stealth is dropped. Because I want her gone, I smack her with an Incapacitating Strike, and she falls to a knee, her head spinning from just how hard I hit. One good Heavy Attack, and she's done for.
I get hit with an arrow, and there is fire at my back. Even though I was healed by the after effect of my Reaper's Mark, these two attacks we're quick to take away about one quarter my life. It would have been more, but good thing I have Robust health recovery from being khajiit, and I recovered a bit just after the fire started.
The fire is coming from the warrior. Ugh, Dragonknight. I should take him out, but the archer is more of a pain, and I turn on him. As he back peddles away and lines up to spray me with arrows, I toss a Reaper's Mark on him. When he falls, here comes the health. Ha! To close the gap between up, I Ambush him from the front, and my dual downward attack takes him to his knee. Just for kicks, I hit him with a Surprise Attack. Since he's already stunned, I know it's not going to stun him any longer, but it does drop his defenses. A couple quick attacks and BOOM, the fire enchantment on my dagger triggers and the bandit catches ablaze just to die quick.
The Dragonknight is behind me, but I'm not sure where, so I Roll Dodge to the right and spin around. Just as I do, I'm hit with a yellow sparkle Heavy Attack, and I'm stuck for a second. I force myself to Break Free but take another Light Attack while doing so. As soon as I'm able, I throw down a Shadowy Disguise and vanish from sight.
Every time I do that during combat, I love that the enemies seem to get so confused. "Where the F did he just go!?" Ha ha ha.
With a quick circle around to the Dragonknight's flank, I give him a little Surprise Attack, and he takes a good critical amount of damage, leaving his head spinning. I spin with my Whirling Blades and Ambush him, just for fun, because nothing is more satisfying than just SMACKING your foe DOWN for that final hit.
I loot the dead and smile, content. Good fun.
Now, I know there were much quicker ways to take them all down, but there is something I find really fun about moving all around the field of combat during a fight, hitting dude here and there and back. It makes me feel like my character is some kind of skilled assassin.
...
After 1.07
I'm sneaking along through a cave, two enemies ahead of me, one facing away, an archer, crouched, and my quest target, a khajiit smuggler who's name I don't remember.
Again, crouched. Ha!
I throw my Reaper's Mark on the archer, and I keep my focus on her. Time for the ol' Ambush. Poof, hit, wait, what. Instead of the nice chunk of about three quarters of her life going away, I barely knock away half, but she's down, head spinning for a bit. Immediately, I spin about with my Whirling Blades, but I don't hit either enemy. Crap!
The khajiit has already done a whirlwind attack and hit me, and the archer is already getting to her feet.
I Roll Dodge back and switch my active ability bar to what I call my "sapping skills." I quickly cast Swallow Soul on the archer, to get a bit of health back, because that whirlwind hurt a lot more than normal.
When I see the red lines of the archer's targeted spray, I Ambush her again, in hopes of interrupting her action and stunning her a few seconds so I can smack on her.
Nope. That didn't work. Even though my character slams down on her, weapons leading the way, all I manage to do is take away about 5% of her health and then eat a face full of arrows.
My screen is flashing red. My health is low, so I quickly down a potion, an Elixir of Weapon Crit, I made. It restores health and gives me bonus to weapon critical for about 20 seconds. I heal, switch back to my primary ability bar, and throw down Shadowy Disguise to rush up and around the archer to smack her down.
Nope. She knows right where I am and shoots me with something that snares me. I Break Free and Roll Dodge straight back.
With the khajiit and archer both in my view, I realize my Reaper's Mark has worn off, so I mark the archer again but Ambush the khajiit to, at least, allow me to focus entirely on the archer a bit.
Not enough Stamina. WHAT THE F%#$!?
Oh yea... Too much Roll Dodging, awesome patch change.
Quick, radial menu, stamina potion, potions still on cool down. SH&%!
Out of nowhere, the khajiit comes at me, then vanishes. I try to spin out some Whirling Blades, like I had used to find the rogue last time.
Nothing.
Instead, I'm guessing I got hit with a Surprise Attack, Veiled Strike, something, because I'm snared again, and the screen is flashing red.
As I swear and curse every word you shouldn't say, I watch a rain of arrows from the archer kill my character.
Not fun.
...
Before patch, I was able to take on some of the world elites, and even some of the mobs in the open party dungeons by myself.
After the patch, I can't even take on a single quest boss and one of his friends.
Thanks Zenimax...
Thanks a lot.
6
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OzJohnD✭✭✭✭I am fearful of exactly the same with my stealthy burst DPS NB ... haven't tried him yet, just rebuilding my main's skill set who is a PvE specced sorcerer and took him into Imperial City to have a look ... must say as a non-PvP'er not impressed being ganked by opposing faction PvP specced players in groups in choke points along Imperial City quest routes.
I had suspicions I would cancel my ESO+ and PS4 multiplayer subs if this DLC doesn't suit (to wait on the next PvE DLC) but I will give it another week or so.
Have neglected Witcher 3 for ESOEveryone knows the phenomenon of trying to hold your breath underwater - how at first it's alright and you can handle it, and then as it gets closer and closer to the time when you must breathe, how urgent the need becomes, the lust and the hunger to breathe. And then the panic sets in when you begin to think that you won't be able to breathe - and finally, when you take in air and the anxiety subsides...that's what it's like to be a vampire and need blood.
Francis Ford Coppola - BS Dracula: The Film and the Legend1 -
dbwyld✭✭Adapt or don't
It is much easier to say than do. Given what I've read in these forums and others, many of the other classes have not had such a dramatic change in their ways as the Nightblade to warrant such adaptation.
A friend of mine said it best... "You go through the main story of this game, doing things that many believe impossible, and you rise to the title of The Hero of Tamriel, only to have that suddenly stripped away to become Tamriel's Bit@#."
The fights that were once a simple nuisance, are now a matter of life or death. And those fights that were once a matter of life and death, are now just a means to end you. Regardless of what tactic you have learned, it is as though the game is now punishing you for figuring out what you're good at...
and that's the problem...
This IS a game. By the very definition of the word, is supposed to be meant as a fun way to pass the time. I feel that with such a drastic change, the character I have grown to have a blast with is now nothing more than... well... nothing. A game can be challenging, downright hard sometimes, but by discovering the way to combat that difficulty is meant to yield reward. I discovered that way, at least my way, and it worked, and it was rewarding to take down enemies I was probably not meant to on my own. That reward was taken away.
You don't win a Superbowl ring to have it taken away.
You don't take the NCAA championship just to hear, "Fooled you!"
Next time you suggest to someone "adapt or don't," have someone duct tape your thumbs in under your palms, then sit back and try to play your favorite game the way you always have. Tell me how much fun that is.3 -
Shardaxx✭✭✭✭✭I play NB too and have noticed I'm chewing through stamina faster than before, I haven't looked into the details of what is using more up but something definitely is. Nice descriptions of the combat btw this is how I play too, for the thrill of battle! I might put whirling blades back in and take the extra stamina morph because at the moment I don't have any way to build stamina except for potions, and I need those for emergency healing.
My advice is to soften up your targets with the bow before finishing them in melee, the long range Snipe can usually drop an enemy before they know what's going on and Arrow Spray morphed to Bombard holds regular enemies in place for a few seconds so its great when you get rushed by lots of guys. I also use Venom Arrow which is great for disrupting casters when they are healing their chums. By the time I whip out my scimitars the battle is usually nearly won.PS4 - Europe - Shardaxx - Wood Elf Nightblade - Aldmeri Dominion0 -
Pyro117✭✭Wood Elf - Nightblade. I use stamina regen food and almost all passives I can to keep stamina there and ready for use. I haven't noticed this issue yet. Although I just hit VR1 and still in coldharbour.
I do however tend to use my bow to reduce the number of enemies before I engage. With reapers mark, stealth, focused aim, Poison injection. I can usually take 1-2 enemies out before they get near. Then I can switch to dual daggers and finish off the other 2.
Can I ask what your weapon crit is at? Mine is at 54% with 8 points in health and the rest in stamina (Helmet is heavy armor, the rest is meduim). I use 5 piece hundigs rage and 3-4 pieces of nights silence (depending on if I am using bow or dual daggers).
I am just wondering if you setup is similar and what I am going to experience once I start doing the other factions quest line.
BTW -> I do notice that my VR3 Sorc is having a lot harder time killing as well. That class used to be too easy. Now I have to pay attention to what I am doing while leveling it.0 -
imredneckson✭✭✭✭✭I dropped my NB (because my proxi doesn't hit for very hard anymore) and my DK (because I don't really know how to play it since patch) to roll Templar loving it so far.Legions of Mordor Guild Officer
Member of the GvG Community
Dunmer NB - Merser Frey (DC)
Dunmer DK - Akaviri Battlereeve (DC)- http://orig05.deviantart.net/7ecd/f/2016/013/b/f/you_***_kill_by_eso_picture-d9nrz0q.png
Imperial Templar - Knight of the Blood Oath (DC)-
http://orig00.deviantart.net/5ba3/f/2016/115/a/0/jesus_beam_ftw____by_eso_picture-da09ecj.png
High Elf Templar - Aurí-El (AD)
High Elf Templar - Teutonic Honor Guard (EP)0 -
Tholian1✭✭✭✭✭
✭
This really says it all. They killed any sense of character progression with this latest update. We are forever supposed to feel like we just stepped out of Coldharbour prison and never feel like the hero.
PS4 Pro NA0 -
Rampeal✭✭✭✭✭In any MMO High Damage builds have always been Glass cannons. Sure you can do extremely high DPS, But the trade off is that your survivability is really low. Infinite Dodge rolls and Stam regen Blocks were upsetting the balance. Don't get me wrong I am a little bummed out to about my Nightblade but I guess I will just have to adapt if I want to survive. Before Patch I ran with no self heal or damage reduction, As of now I can see how dependent I was on the dodge rolls and Stam regeb blocks. No more 60 points in all stamina now if I want to survive lol.0 -
dbwyld✭✭Pyro177... Last I checked, my crit was 54% also.
My build was nothing like those found online. I do not follow the gaming "sheeple" in that regard and tend to stray from what is classified as " the best" by user Hamriel_Sandwich, or whatever clever name they've got. Instead, I chose abilities for a combination of damage and survivability. My play style was very melee mobile, and I had spent the points to be that way. This style of play served me just fine from the time I left Coldharbour for the first time until Vet Level 7, then came 1.07.
Now, hearing the numerous suggestions from some of you and other players, it's as though ZOS would prefer that all Nightblades are just clones of one another. That alone defeats everything the Elder Scrolls has been about, making a character the way YOU want him/her.
I played a roguish, assassin-like character the way that felt right. I wore the medium leathery armor, fought with a sword and dagger combo, and constantly moved around the field of battle. It was fun.
I did not lug around a heavy two handed weapon and wear heavy armor, even though ElderHoles420 said it delivered the best dps, or sit back with a bow like The_Dovahspank said was the best pvp spec. Whatever your play style is fine, honestly, and mine was great... until this latest patch.
Side note... I still love playing my sorcerer alt, because I don't see a lot of changes to how he works. My only beef there is the lack of beam animation - makes combat kinda confusing sometimes.Edited by dbwyld on September 22, 2015 11:49AM0 -
Rittings✭✭✭✭✭
✭Stamina builds are pretty much chocolate teapots at the moment in solo PvE. You need a templar with you to throw up shards and keep you in stamina. It's alienated anyone who loves PvE soloing with stamina builds.
I've had to focus my NB on magicka - or if I want stamina build, I have to buff my stamina with my gear, jewelry, potions and provisioning... I'm okay doing that because I've got 6 vet characters to create stuff for any new toons I make - but I feel sorry for anyone just starting out with this game. They've really hit the newer players HARD - and that's ultimately going to lose Zenimax a lot of business when new players go and trade in the game for something else.2
