MagDK vs MagNB

imopas13b16_ESO

looking to make my first mag class to take to endgame pve and competitive pvp. what is more viable to play right now for pve and pvp?

DPShiro

mDK for PVE, for pvp I have no clue.

Fvh09NL

Just play what you like, imo every class is viable but some take longer to learn how to play.

I main a mDK and it was my first char as well, for pve it is great in overall damage output but lacks a bit in burst. For pvp, well; it really does the job for me better than the other classes but it took a long time to learn how to play it effectively. It is also probably more effective for me because I hardly play the others in pvp.

XpoZeD_GoD

I've mained a magicka Nightblade since console release and it's by far my favourite class in the game. It is the lowest damage in the game though but it can provide off heals unlike any other class. They are far more viable in PvP and also don't need SnB or Heavy Armour to survive there. They may not be able to kill high health targets as quickly as a mDK but overall I prefer them as they have an execute which DKs lack, good range of heals from the siphoning skill line and lots of great passives.

Mush55

Neither are in a good place at the moment, mag dk has the damage but from what I've seen , heard it's a bit tricky to get the best out of with the playstyle as some of the skills require you to be in melee range.

Mag nd my favourite is fun and has some good group utility but damage is bottom of the magic classes (not by much) has a clunky rotation.

Try them both and pick the one you enjoy sorry not much help but it's like apples and oranges ..

Mojmir

Mag dk it's all about aoes for high dmg,great utility/support class
Magblade is better solo/ sustain and easier rotation.
This is pve opinionated

Kutsuu

The only disadvantage mDKs have in PVP right now (which any DK has) is that they can't just reset fights like NBs and Sorcs can. They are especially nasty in duels, and very good at the Xv1 LoSing playstyle where you kite and kill around rocks/trees and constrict people into tight spaces to bomb them. For some lulz, you could also run Alchemist+Elegant and destro heavy attack people for ~20k from stealth.

Magblade might not be as strong once they stop to stand and fight, but they can pick their fights and reset when desired - with the teleport shade and cloak, it's almost impossible to get locked down.

Autolycus

It depends what kind of pvp you're interested in. For dueling and group pvp, magDK can be quite the powerhouse to tag along with, but for open-world pvp, it can get rather difficult, particularly against pairs or triplets of coordinated players. There are a lot of magDKs that are capable of a 1vX, but it isn't exactly something that comes with the class. Being able to 1vX is a player skill, not a class skill. Just putting on some gear doesn't make you good at it either.

In a duel, you will be fine to choose either one, but playing a magblade is more difficult. Too many players try to build a magblade for these "resets" that seem to be so popular. Imho building a magblade like a sorc or relying on cloak to change the fight for you is a cop-out. Magblades are well-equipped to be a counter-class, or in other words, they are good are turning strengths into weaknesses. If you are one that likes to apply steady pressure, waiting to take advantage of an opening for a wombo-combo, then magblade is probably your class. If you are one to apply heavy pressure and constantly rail on your opponent at the expense of mobility, then magDK is for you.

For endgame pve content, you will do fine to choose either one unless you intend to do veteran trails and hardmode bosses. In the most challenging content, magblades are currently the lowest magicka dps meta and have been locked into proc builds (much like sorcs were locked into overload builds for so long). There is another set or two that aren't proc sets, and they offer comparable parses, but not superior. In any case, magDKs are in high demand for vMoL (because of chains primarily), but also afford considerably higher dps potential (and group buffs) compared to magblades.

Stoopid_Nwah

My mentality in pvp between the two has been that with a mdk I can take some people down with me, but I am going to eventually die because they have zero escape. With my nb I also can take down a few but then get out when I feel I can't handle anymore. Mind you I don't run around in groups, which is where mdks really excel.

For pve, both can clear everything, but I think vma is easier on nb. I know it's my favourite class to clear it with at least.

If you're just going to do group stuff in pvp and pve, I'd suggest dk solely because magblades are super buggy right now. Plus mdks are superior in duels imo just because you can make mistakes more whereas with a magblade you really can't.

Autolycus

Stoopid_Nwah wrote: »

For pve, both can clear everything, but I think vma is easier on nb. I know it's my favourite class to clear it with at least.

This is a really good point and I failed to address this in my own response. MagDK is one of the most challenging builds with which to complete vMA, if not the most challenging. It's the lack of mobility that makes it so challenging. But if you're already experienced with vMA, know the mechanics and kill priorities, and are confident that you can hit your marks promptly and effectively, magDK isn't so bad.