The Bloodletter: An Evolution to Sap Tanking (Nightblade Tank Build, Morrowind Ready)

pcar944

I love sap tank builds, I want to make one so bad, but I don't want to re-level and re-undaunt-9 and then get all the shards again

my NB right now is a High Elf DD Magblade, could I use her as a Tank? I have 374/381 skyshards with a lot of major skills/passives already taken, I already have a bunch of gear you listed as it is, is it possible?

thanks

Gilliamtherogue

pcar944 wrote: »

I love sap tank builds, I want to make one so bad, but I don't want to re-level and re-undaunt-9 and then get all the shards again

my NB right now is a High Elf DD Magblade, could I use her as a Tank? I have 374/381 skyshards with a lot of major skills/passives already taken, I already have a bunch of gear you listed as it is, is it possible?

thanks

@pcar944
It's more than possible, High Elves synergize really well with this build, especially if you're already a Magicka based character. The only conflicting morphs between Mag DPS and this build is Twisting Path vs Refreshing Path, which Twisting is preferred for DPS but Refreshing is preferred for this build + vMA/solo. I've actually swapped over all of my stuff from my Stamina NB to my Magicka NB and I'm preferring this build much more on it.

gard

I have my altmer NB set up like this.
I love this build. If I can ever get bahrahas weapon and shield it will be perfect.
Now using leeching weapon and shield. Though I will really miss it when my shield no longer insults me.
Also, I'm using Lord Warden's monster set for more resist. Procs like crazy unlike Malubeths.

Gilliam, what would you swap around to take this toon into pvpland?

Brrrofski

I have a solid build too. But I am looking to swap baharas with bloodthorn touch. Just need a heavy Grothdarr shoulder before I can run it. More damage and more sustain. For pledges I honestly don't need 28k health, so with that swap things should get down a bit quicker.

gard

Brrrofski wrote: »

I have a solid build too. But I am looking to swap baharas with bloodthorn touch. Just need a heavy Grothdarr shoulder before I can run it. More damage and more sustain. For pledges I honestly don't need 28k health, so with that swap things should get down a bit quicker.

Bloodthorn is light though. You'll be giving up a lot of mitigation won't you?

phreatophile

gard wrote: »

I have my altmer NB set up like this.
I love this build. If I can ever get bahrahas weapon and shield it will be perfect.
Now using leeching weapon and shield. Though I will really miss it when my shield no longer insults me.

Also running Altmer NB. Working great. Still 2 pieces short of this build. Well, 2.5 if you count that un-enchantable mouthy shield. While I farm the pieces I've been running 5 Bahraha's, 2 Malubeth, and 5 Spectre's.

gard

phreatophile wrote: »

gard wrote: »

I have my altmer NB set up like this.
I love this build. If I can ever get bahrahas weapon and shield it will be perfect.
Now using leeching weapon and shield. Though I will really miss it when my shield no longer insults me.

Also running Altmer NB. Working great. Still 2 pieces short of this build. Well, 2.5 if you count that un-enchantable mouthy shield. While I farm the pieces I've been running 5 Bahraha's, 2 Malubeth, and 5 Spectre's.

The shield is a guaranteed drop for the ICP quest (on normal at least). Now instead of rewarding Grievous Ward (which was part of the endurance set I think), the quest now rewards "Leeching Grievous Ward". So all you need to do is ICP on normal with a CP 160 that hasn't done it yet.

I don't remember where I got my leeching sword from? Anyone know?
What about Bahrahas weapons and shield?

phreatophile

Ya, I know, I have it.. It's just that the shield has a health regen jewelry enchant on it and it can't be changed. I think it's a bug, I've reported it as one.

What really annoys me is that I made it legendary before I realized I couldn't replace the glyph with something useful.

Leeching sword drops from the Lord Warden.

Bahrahas shield drops from chests and world bosses in Hew's Bane.

Gilliamtherogue

gard wrote: »

I have my altmer NB set up like this.
I love this build. If I can ever get bahrahas weapon and shield it will be perfect.
Now using leeching weapon and shield. Though I will really miss it when my shield no longer insults me.
Also, I'm using Lord Warden's monster set for more resist. Procs like crazy unlike Malubeths.

Gilliam, what would you swap around to take this toon into pvpland?

@gard Depends on the size of fights and what the group needs. If it's in condensed areas like tower farms and we have people using immobilizes, I change nothing since Leeching and Bahraha's both can proc in choke points where enemies get locked down and take tons of damage and make me nigh invincible. For more mobile fights I drop Leeching for something like Black Rose for some extra sustain, or Blood Thorn for a more offensive approach. I prefer the non CP campaigns, so that's why I focus on resource management sets, rather than pure tankiness/damage.

gard

I wonder if they plan to fix BC jewelry not dropping in purple?

Also I'm kinda worried about the next patch and what they do to resolve the proc set issue in pvp. I don't think I can sap enough to keep myself up without the proc sets.

Gilliamtherogue

gard wrote: »

I wonder if they plan to fix BC jewelry not dropping in purple?

Also I'm kinda worried about the next patch and what they do to resolve the proc set issue in pvp. I don't think I can sap enough to keep myself up without the proc sets.

Bahraha's drops in purple, I have a full set of Arcane jewelry.

code65536

gard wrote: »

I wonder if they plan to fix BC jewelry not dropping in purple?

It drops from overland sources like treasure chests in a variety of colors, including purple, but only in arcane.

The versions that you get from the various quest reward coffers will only be in blue, but will be available in all three traits. The difference in jewelry color is tiny and inconsequential, and you shouldn't avoid a build just because you're having trouble getting purple jewelry.

SolarCat02

You also have the option of using Leeching jewelry now, as well, if the color matters that much to you. Although I think Healthy is the only option for those?

Gilliamtherogue

SolarCat02 wrote: »

You also have the option of using Leeching jewelry now, as well, if the color matters that much to you. Although I think Healthy is the only option for those?

Correct, which is why it's okay if you can only get blue Bahraha's Curse jewelry. The purple pieces go for ~80k a piece, (maybe lower if you can find a poor soul who doesn't know their worth) but blue is easily under 20k. The difference in stats is under 2% with all 3 pieces, so it's definitely not the end of the world.

roythe2nd

Just wanted to drop a note thanking you for the build. The build is unbelievably fun and is the perfect tank for PUGs. The setup seems to be inspired by the sets but I really appreciate that you still built it around the skills. I've tweaked it to my play style and occasionally throw on an ice staff to mix it up and be more aggressive when I have a good healer.

I also switched to the unique leeching shield that drops as the ICP quest reward because it looks badass and they finally fixed it with the Homestead patch. Did you know the shield has unique Lord Warden voice lines that play occasionally while equipped and even change based on if you are in the the dungeon or not? Made that grind a little more satisfying

Gilliamtherogue

roythe2nd wrote: »

Just wanted to drop a note thanking you for the build. The build is unbelievably fun and is the perfect tank for PUGs. The setup seems to be inspired by the sets but I really appreciate that you still built it around the skills. I've tweaked it to my play style and occasionally throw on an ice staff to mix it up and be more aggressive when I have a good healer.

I also switched to the unique leeching shield that drops as the ICP quest reward because it looks badass and they finally fixed it with the Homestead patch. Did you know the shield has unique Lord Warden voice lines that play occasionally while equipped and even change based on if you are in the the dungeon or not? Made that grind a little more satisfying

Yeah I have both the original Endurance shield and the special new Leeching one because I love the voice quotes from it

theblackmage7

Been getting into a NB, and once I'm at a decent point, plan to make him into this build, looks fun. Just wondering when the Homestead update will come about

Gilliamtherogue

Finally updated some information here, as well as posted a new video for the Homestead patch. You'll find that our gear hasn't really changed much, but our CP allocation and some abilities have seen some big changes.

Iziquiel

I really like the look of this build and am considering starting a Magicka NB.

How would you advise leveling though? Should I equip S+B on one bar and Destro staff the other bar from lvl 15 onward or equip staff on both with just 1-2 S+B skills on the bars to keep them leveling?

Another thought I have had is leveling with DW equipped one one bar but just class skills slotted, no weapon skills - is that possible or am i severely handicapping myself by not having a staff? I would keep a destro staff (or S+B) on the other but I like to try and have a bit of variation if I can while leveling rather than just use the same weapons the whole time..

kylewwefan

Thanks for revising the sap tank. Do you think this setup would be strong enough for Vet Trials? Like could it handle the axes or the warriors channel attack?

Also, what about vampire and invigorating drain. It seems like would go perfect with this kind of build.

The_Undefined

Is this build still viable with homestead? Looking for a nightblade tanking build to follow to do vet dungeons with friends, so I won't have fancy armor or anything.

[EDIT] Nvm, just saw the date of the edit. Thank you very much for editing the build to keep it up to date.

Spidersnacks

I've been using the build for a few days now and I enjoy it a lot. I have 2 malubeth, 5 leeching, and 5 bahraha's because I got lucky with shields and weapons, but they aren't optimal. I don't have the money to afford prismatic enchants and don't want to waste them on non-optimal gear pieces. I'm hovering around 20-21k health unbuffed and I feel like that''s sort of low for a tank?

What should I be looking for before I start tanking vets gear wise?

Also, as someone new to the game and tanking in ESO in general, how do I balance taunting, blocking, and using abilities like sap essence?

Waffennacht

Spidersnacks wrote: »

I've been using the build for a few days now and I enjoy it a lot. I have 2 malubeth, 5 leeching, and 5 bahraha's because I got lucky with shields and weapons, but they aren't optimal. I don't have the money to afford prismatic enchants and don't want to waste them on non-optimal gear pieces. I'm hovering around 20-21k health unbuffed and I feel like that''s sort of low for a tank?

What should I be looking for before I start tanking vets gear wise?

Also, as someone new to the game and tanking in ESO in general, how do I balance taunting, blocking, and using abilities like sap essence?

I'm glad you brought this back. I hope OP has an update and an answer for you. I'm getting back into my NB and this looks cool

Gilliamtherogue

Spidersnacks wrote: »

I've been using the build for a few days now and I enjoy it a lot. I have 2 malubeth, 5 leeching, and 5 bahraha's because I got lucky with shields and weapons, but they aren't optimal. I don't have the money to afford prismatic enchants and don't want to waste them on non-optimal gear pieces. I'm hovering around 20-21k health unbuffed and I feel like that''s sort of low for a tank?

What should I be looking for before I start tanking vets gear wise?

Also, as someone new to the game and tanking in ESO in general, how do I balance taunting, blocking, and using abilities like sap essence?

If you have that gear, then all Veteran Dungeons are easily within reach of your character stat wise. I'd suggest hitting about 25k with Food buffs + Attributes though.

Priority 1 as a tank is to taunt adds that deal a lot of damage. Little guys can be left until last to taunt, or remain untaunted. This game isn't about taunting every little thing and preventing any damage from hitting your allies- but it should be mitigated.

Priority 2 is your buffs and debuffs, ESPECIALLY if they benefit your party. That means things like Warhorn, Pierce Armor (to apply Major Fracture and Breach), Shades (for maim), and Refreshing Path/Sap (to heal) are all things you should be managing.

Priority 3 is your damage. The great thing about this build, is we aren't doing actions to DPS, but to heal. We get free damage for healing, so we don't really have a priority 3. Almost every single ability in your kit benefits your party, so as long as you work on Priority 1 and 2, you'll do great with this build.

Waffennacht

Gilliamtherogue wrote: »

Spidersnacks wrote: »

I've been using the build for a few days now and I enjoy it a lot. I have 2 malubeth, 5 leeching, and 5 bahraha's because I got lucky with shields and weapons, but they aren't optimal. I don't have the money to afford prismatic enchants and don't want to waste them on non-optimal gear pieces. I'm hovering around 20-21k health unbuffed and I feel like that''s sort of low for a tank?

What should I be looking for before I start tanking vets gear wise?

Also, as someone new to the game and tanking in ESO in general, how do I balance taunting, blocking, and using abilities like sap essence?

If you have that gear, then all Veteran Dungeons are easily within reach of your character stat wise. I'd suggest hitting about 25k with Food buffs + Attributes though.

Priority 1 as a tank is to taunt adds that deal a lot of damage. Little guys can be left until last to taunt, or remain untaunted. This game isn't about taunting every little thing and preventing any damage from hitting your allies- but it should be mitigated.

Priority 2 is your buffs and debuffs, ESPECIALLY if they benefit your party. That means things like Warhorn, Pierce Armor (to apply Major Fracture and Breach), Shades (for maim), and Refreshing Path/Sap (to heal) are all things you should be managing.

Priority 3 is your damage. The great thing about this build, is we aren't doing actions to DPS, but to heal. We get free damage for healing, so we don't really have a priority 3. Almost every single ability in your kit benefits your party, so as long as you work on Priority 1 and 2, you'll do great with this build.

Now I have to finish my BHahahahahahahaha grind... thanks man, love the build

Autolycus

Hey Gilliam,

I'm revisiting your guide to see your updates, perhaps learn a few things, etc. If I may, I'd suggest The Thief as a very good alternative Mundus selection. I'm not 100% positive it will synergize as well in your exact setup, but I wanted to throw it out there in the event it benefits someone. Based on what I can see here, it seems like a good fit considering the focus in damage and healing as a priority. I consider The Thief to be one of the most generous Mundus selections, as the potential benefit across the board in both damage and healing potential, while still only changing a single aspect of the build, is quite substantial relative to other Mundus options.

I've found that, in the case with magblades who are comfortable with weaving their light attacks to proc resource returns, magicka recovery can be quite low (in a lot of cases, people might consider it too low, but I run with 900 recovery even in vet trials). Ordinarily, this might mean that The Atronach is unnecessary, and running Divines traits may prove to be beneficial. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this, as I suspect it's something you've considered before. My initial thoughts are that foregoing this recovery would be detrimental to the build, as you are clearly accommodating more damage and healing in this setup than in a traditional setup, and as such a higher recovery might be necessary. You would know better in this setup, so I'm all ears.

As always, thanks for sharing!

P.S. I enjoyed your broom&bucket vMA run!

Gilliamtherogue

Autolycus wrote: »

Hey Gilliam,

I'm revisiting your guide to see your updates, perhaps learn a few things, etc. If I may, I'd suggest The Thief as a very good alternative Mundus selection. I'm not 100% positive it will synergize as well in your exact setup, but I wanted to throw it out there in the event it benefits someone. Based on what I can see here, it seems like a good fit considering the focus in damage and healing as a priority. I consider The Thief to be one of the most generous Mundus selections, as the potential benefit across the board in both damage and healing potential, while still only changing a single aspect of the build, is quite substantial relative to other Mundus options.

I've found that, in the case with magblades who are comfortable with weaving their light attacks to proc resource returns, magicka recovery can be quite low (in a lot of cases, people might consider it too low, but I run with 900 recovery even in vet trials). Ordinarily, this might mean that The Atronach is unnecessary, and running Divines traits may prove to be beneficial. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this, as I suspect it's something you've considered before. My initial thoughts are that foregoing this recovery would be detrimental to the build, as you are clearly accommodating more damage and healing in this setup than in a traditional setup, and as such a higher recovery might be necessary. You would know better in this setup, so I'm all ears.

As always, thanks for sharing!

P.S. I enjoyed your broom&bucket vMA run!

I used to run Thief with the build back when proc sets could crit. Since that's no longer the case I went with Ritual for maximum healing. Thief still does well with the build, as any build, but I prefer Ritual for this setup.

Ranaceleb

Hi Gilliamtherogue!

Thanks for updating your build. A couple of questions tho.

I'm turning my magblade to tank and I'm starting to gather the items for him. Your optimal armor says Leeching and Bahraha's Curse. But how would this build work with Ebon Armory or Tava's Favor instead of Leeching? Or even Seducer?

Thanks in advance,
Ranaceleb

Gilliamtherogue

Ranaceleb wrote: »

Hi Gilliamtherogue!

Thanks for updating your build. A couple of questions tho.

I'm turning my magblade to tank and I'm starting to gather the items for him. Your optimal armor says Leeching and Bahraha's Curse. But how would this build work with Ebon Armory or Tava's Favor instead of Leeching? Or even Seducer?

Thanks in advance,
Ranaceleb

Ebon would be great for group performance, assuming your group is reliable. For pugs I'd go with Tava's so you can use more Veils or Soul Tethers.

Autolycus

Gilliamtherogue wrote: »

Autolycus wrote: »

Hey Gilliam,

I'm revisiting your guide to see your updates, perhaps learn a few things, etc. If I may, I'd suggest The Thief as a very good alternative Mundus selection. I'm not 100% positive it will synergize as well in your exact setup, but I wanted to throw it out there in the event it benefits someone. Based on what I can see here, it seems like a good fit considering the focus in damage and healing as a priority. I consider The Thief to be one of the most generous Mundus selections, as the potential benefit across the board in both damage and healing potential, while still only changing a single aspect of the build, is quite substantial relative to other Mundus options.

I've found that, in the case with magblades who are comfortable with weaving their light attacks to proc resource returns, magicka recovery can be quite low (in a lot of cases, people might consider it too low, but I run with 900 recovery even in vet trials). Ordinarily, this might mean that The Atronach is unnecessary, and running Divines traits may prove to be beneficial. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this, as I suspect it's something you've considered before. My initial thoughts are that foregoing this recovery would be detrimental to the build, as you are clearly accommodating more damage and healing in this setup than in a traditional setup, and as such a higher recovery might be necessary. You would know better in this setup, so I'm all ears.

As always, thanks for sharing!

P.S. I enjoyed your broom&bucket vMA run!

I used to run Thief with the build back when proc sets could crit. Since that's no longer the case I went with Ritual for maximum healing. Thief still does well with the build, as any build, but I prefer Ritual for this setup.

Cool, makes sense. Thanks for the update!