Help me to build a better Nightblade (I die a lot and I am tired)

Apolos

I have all my gears and weapons set to full level (cp160) and my nightblade is

• stamina focus
• have 7 medium armor.
• Dual blades in the first slot and bow in the second.

My problems are during dungeons, when a boss hit me, my half health just boff no more, and I kept dying (I felt sorry for the healer ).

Here is a link to show my slots and attributes:
https://imgur.com/a/denjAS6


Here is my following questions:

1. What abilities should I focus on ? should I change the current abilities that I have ?
2. Where should I spend my CP on ?
3. what potion should I use before and during the fight ?
4. What Mundus Stone should I have ?

I just want to survive longer and become stronger in dungeons.


Thank you guys/girls in advance for helping me

Tucker3711

1. Siphoning
2. Healing related stuff
3. Stamina and health potions
4. One that helps with health

I have one as well... I recommend siphoning abilites because it will heal you... and damage the enemy.

jlb1705

Instead of going 7 medium on the armor, go with 5 medium 2 heavy. Make the 2 heavy pieces your chest and legs with infused traits and max health enchantments. That will make you a little tankier. If you've leveled Undaunted, then go 5-1-1 instead for the 6% increase to all three attributes.

In my opinion you should try changing up your bars a little bit. It looks like you have two or three spammables slotted, and you only need one - Surprise Attack. If you're running Rapid Strikes or Snipe you can replace those with buffs or defensive skills. You should try to have Leeching Strikes up and running as much as possible. If you are light attack weaving between skills, it will return health and stamina with each LA hit. I also run Mirage on my back bar, but check with your group first to see if they are already providing you with those buffs. As a stamblade you should also be running Blade Cloak on your front bar. It gives you 25% damage mitigation against AOE, and does damage for you too.

You may also want to consider slotting Rend as one of your ultimates since it provides a heal.

As for CP... Don't put points into Medium Armor Expert - it doesn't give you as much as putting points into the other defensive nodes that reduce AOE damage taken, DOT damage taken, direct damage taken, or elemental damage taken. Spread your points close to evenly amongst those. Be aware that when you get into spending higher amounts of CP on a node, the returns can start to diminish. You usually don't want to go above 49-56 in any one area - you'll get more benefit spending those points elsewhere after that.

Finally, you probably wouldn't want to do this in a group, but for pure solo play I'm finding success with a DW/2H setup instead of using a bow. I don't have vigor yet, so it has really helped to swap out Endless Hail and Poison Injection in favor of Rally and Brawler. I soloed my first two normal dungeons this past week after switching to that setup thanks to stronger healing and stamina pool sustain. The bow skills should give you superior damage to that though, so in a group they will probably want you to be running those instead.

Apolos

Tucker3711 wrote: »

1. Siphoning
2. Healing related stuff
3. Stamina and health potions
4. One that helps with health

I have one as well... I recommend siphoning abilites because it will heal you... and damage the enemy.

I will slot some siphoning abilities, but the problem with siphoning they are magic focus abilities and my character is stamina focus, but I think when I morph them they become stamina. I will try my best to level siphoning.

Thank you so much for your advice I really appreciate it

Apolos

jlb1705 wrote: »

Instead of going 7 medium on the armor, go with 5 medium 2 heavy. Make the 2 heavy pieces your chest and legs with infused traits and max health enchantments. That will make you a little tankier. If you've leveled Undaunted, then go 5-1-1 instead for the 6% increase to all three attributes.

In my opinion you should try changing up your bars a little bit. It looks like you have two or three spammables slotted, and you only need one - Surprise Attack. If you're running Rapid Strikes or Snipe you can replace those with buffs or defensive skills. You should try to have Leeching Strikes up and running as much as possible. If you are light attack weaving between skills, it will return health and stamina with each LA hit. I also run Mirage on my back bar, but check with your group first to see if they are already providing you with those buffs. As a stamblade you should also be running Blade Cloak on your front bar. It gives you 25% damage mitigation against AOE, and does damage for you too.

You may also want to consider slotting Rend as one of your ultimates since it provides a heal.

As for CP... Don't put points into Medium Armor Expert - it doesn't give you as much as putting points into the other defensive nodes that reduce AOE damage taken, DOT damage taken, direct damage taken, or elemental damage taken. Spread your points close to evenly amongst those. Be aware that when you get into spending higher amounts of CP on a node, the returns can start to diminish. You usually don't want to go above 49-56 in any one area - you'll get more benefit spending those points elsewhere after that.

Finally, you probably wouldn't want to do this in a group, but for pure solo play I'm finding success with a DW/2H setup instead of using a bow. I don't have vigor yet, so it has really helped to swap out Endless Hail and Poison Injection in favor of Rally and Brawler. I soloed my first two normal dungeons this past week after switching to that setup thanks to stronger healing and stamina pool sustain. The bow skills should give you superior damage to that though, so in a group they will probably want you to be running those instead.

Your detailed explanation helped me a lot .
I will try my best to work on my character with your advice.

Thank you so much for your help, I really appreciate your detailed explanation .

TopKicks

These are good guides for Stamina Nightblade builds

http://deltiasgaming.com/eso-stamina-nightblade-dps-build/

https://alcasthq.com/eso-stamina-nightblade-build-for-pve/

Apolos

TopKicks wrote: »

These are good guides for Stamina Nightblade builds

http://deltiasgaming.com/eso-stamina-nightblade-dps-build/

https://alcasthq.com/eso-stamina-nightblade-build-for-pve/

Thank you for the links I will also use them as reference.

FrancisCrawford

I've duoed 11 of the easier dungeons on my stamblade, in a bow/DW setup. What I do for survivability includes:

• Vigor
• Bloodthirst as my main "spammable".
• Briarheart as one of my gear sets.
• Reaper's Mark in trash fights.
• Leeching Strikes (or whichever the stamina morph is)
• Recently also Deadly Cloak.

I don't think my partner, @DarcyMardin, had to heal me all that often. Maybe I'm misremembering.

Frankly, that character is worse than my main magicka ones in every way -- less damage, less survivability, less group utility. But it's not a catastrophe; he can function in dungeons OK.

nihirisutou

Blade Cloak provides damage mitigation.

You get a damage threshold from Shadow skill line passives too. So if surprise attack is your main spammable, this procs too.

You should start PVP to unlock Vigor, you will need the self heal.

Leeching strikes is a good thing too.

BTW since you didn't level the Siphoning skill line, this skill line has important ultimate gain passives too.

Finally always slot potions. Health potions until you have vigor and Stamina after.

nihirisutou

Btw looked at your attributes and you're not using food.

Use food. Can be bought from any guild trader, consumables - > food / drink.

Go for Dubious Camoran throne or Max Stam / Health. They'll significantly buff your health and Stamina. Camoran throne slightly less but will also buff your Stamina Regeneration.

It will provide you with 4/5K extra Stamina and Health which should make you feel muuuuch more comfortable.

Apolos

FrancisCrawford wrote: »

I've duoed 11 of the easier dungeons on my stamblade, in a bow/DW setup. What I do for survivability includes:

• Vigor
• Bloodthirst as my main "spammable".
• Briarheart as one of my gear sets.
• Reaper's Mark in trash fights.
• Leeching Strikes (or whichever the stamina morph is)
• Recently also Deadly Cloak.

I don't think my partner, @DarcyMardin, had to heal me all that often. Maybe I'm misremembering.

Frankly, that character is worse than my main magicka ones in every way -- less damage, less survivability, less group utility. But it's not a catastrophe; he can function in dungeons OK.

I recently fixed my active skills and my armor too, now I can barely survive but much better than before.
Thank you for advice

Apolos

nihirisutou wrote: »

Btw looked at your attributes and you're not using food.

Use food. Can be bought from any guild trader, consumables - > food / drink.

Go for Dubious Camoran throne or Max Stam / Health. They'll significantly buff your health and Stamina. Camoran throne slightly less but will also buff your Stamina Regeneration.

It will provide you with 4/5K extra Stamina and Health which should make you feel muuuuch more comfortable.

IDK why I never thought about food, I should buy some for better chance of survival before every dungeon.
Thank you so much

Nestor

You should always use a Blue or Purple Food to buff attributes. There is a DW skill that bounces off 3 enemies, Shrouded Daggers is the Morph I use. It should be your Goto on your DW bar.

Apolos

Nestor wrote: »

You should always use a Blue or Purple Food to buff attributes. There is a DW skill that bounces off 3 enemies, Shrouded Daggers is the Morph I use. It should be your Goto on your DW bar.

Don't worry I will not get green food (they taste bad), thank you for Shrouded Daggers advice I already noted the skill , but for now I will focus on health to absorb more damage and survive longer.

Apolos

Today I am so proud of myself, all thanks to you guys for helping me out.
I played in many dungeons for now, and I can say I only died once or twice. One of the dungeon we had a boss fight and all my group died and I was the last survival, I don't know how but I got the chance to heal 2 of them and we won.

Now I can survive

Joxer61

Apolos wrote: »

Today I am so proud of myself, all thanks to you guys for helping me out.
I played in many dungeons for now, and I can say I only died once or twice. One of the dungeon we had a boss fight and all my group died and I was the last survival, I don't know how but I got the chance to heal 2 of them and we won.

Now I can survive

Also, very important and one I had to learn....DONT spam your attacks. Hit once and move on to next skill and /or bar swap. Also, Bloodthirst is a very handy morph for DW.

Apolos

Joxer61 wrote: »

Apolos wrote: »

Today I am so proud of myself, all thanks to you guys for helping me out.
I played in many dungeons for now, and I can say I only died once or twice. One of the dungeon we had a boss fight and all my group died and I was the last survival, I don't know how but I got the chance to heal 2 of them and we won.

Now I can survive

Also, very important and one I had to learn....DONT spam your attacks. Hit once and move on to next skill and /or bar swap. Also, Bloodthirst is a very handy morph for DW.

I will put it in my mind, not to spam. For now I don't have the active slot or skill point for a new skill, but later when I test more with my character I will put bloodthirst.

Thank you

Bivo

Do you use food ?
I use Stamina/Health blue recipes : you can make a lot of them and it does a lot to survivability.

Also the Whitestrake's retribution set is easy to craft, is one of the "tank" sets that work better one a glass canon, and may save your butt every 15 seconds by giving your healer more time to get you back on your feet.

ChunkyCat

Are you color blind?

Can you see if you’re standing in the bosses aoe?

You can edit the color of the aoe warning.

Apolos

Bivo wrote: »

Do you use food ?
I use Stamina/Health blue recipes : you can make a lot of them and it does a lot to survivability.

Also the Whitestrake's retribution set is easy to craft, is one of the "tank" sets that work better one a glass canon, and may save your butt every 15 seconds by giving your healer more time to get you back on your feet.

Recently after many people recommended the food, I start using them every time before the dungeon starts.
I really liked the 5 items bonus for Whitestrake's retribution set, I will try to ask my friend to craft me 5 medium for this one. thank you .

Apolos

ChunkyCat wrote: »

Are you color blind?

Can you see if you’re standing in the bosses aoe?

You can edit the color of the aoe warning.

I am not color blind, and of course I see the AOE when the bosses do them.
Certain spells by certain bosses do immediate damage that can not be dodged or blocked, so I die because of them. Recently thanks to the people in this threat I added the required skills and start using food: so now I have greater chance to survive.

thestud2012

jlb1705 wrote: »

Instead of going 7 medium on the armor, go with 5 medium 2 heavy. Make the 2 heavy pieces your chest and legs with infused traits and max health enchantments. That will make you a little tankier. If you've leveled Undaunted, then go 5-1-1 instead for the 6% increase to all three attributes.

In my opinion you should try changing up your bars a little bit. It looks like you have two or three spammables slotted, and you only need one - Surprise Attack. If you're running Rapid Strikes or Snipe you can replace those with buffs or defensive skills. You should try to have Leeching Strikes up and running as much as possible. If you are light attack weaving between skills, it will return health and stamina with each LA hit. I also run Mirage on my back bar, but check with your group first to see if they are already providing you with those buffs. As a stamblade you should also be running Blade Cloak on your front bar. It gives you 25% damage mitigation against AOE, and does damage for you too.

You may also want to consider slotting Rend as one of your ultimates since it provides a heal.

As for CP... Don't put points into Medium Armor Expert - it doesn't give you as much as putting points into the other defensive nodes that reduce AOE damage taken, DOT damage taken, direct damage taken, or elemental damage taken. Spread your points close to evenly amongst those. Be aware that when you get into spending higher amounts of CP on a node, the returns can start to diminish. You usually don't want to go above 49-56 in any one area - you'll get more benefit spending those points elsewhere after that.

Finally, you probably wouldn't want to do this in a group, but for pure solo play I'm finding success with a DW/2H setup instead of using a bow. I don't have vigor yet, so it has really helped to swap out Endless Hail and Poison Injection in favor of Rally and Brawler. I soloed my first two normal dungeons this past week after switching to that setup thanks to stronger healing and stamina pool sustain. The bow skills should give you superior damage to that though, so in a group they will probably want you to be running those instead.

Excellent advice. With the latest patch, I've switched to 2H/Bow. Onslaught can clean up mobs pretty quickly. My favorite food is Orzaga's Trifle (health + stam recovery). I run 3 weapon damage enchants, Spriggans, Hundings, and Agility. I can't decide between 5 Spriggans or 3 Agility.

PVP is very important for stam. Vigor and Caltrops will seriously up your game. Sometimes I use HoT/Inv potions instead of Vigor.

Apolos

thestud2012 wrote: »

jlb1705 wrote: »

Instead of going 7 medium on the armor, go with 5 medium 2 heavy. Make the 2 heavy pieces your chest and legs with infused traits and max health enchantments. That will make you a little tankier. If you've leveled Undaunted, then go 5-1-1 instead for the 6% increase to all three attributes.

In my opinion you should try changing up your bars a little bit. It looks like you have two or three spammables slotted, and you only need one - Surprise Attack. If you're running Rapid Strikes or Snipe you can replace those with buffs or defensive skills. You should try to have Leeching Strikes up and running as much as possible. If you are light attack weaving between skills, it will return health and stamina with each LA hit. I also run Mirage on my back bar, but check with your group first to see if they are already providing you with those buffs. As a stamblade you should also be running Blade Cloak on your front bar. It gives you 25% damage mitigation against AOE, and does damage for you too.

You may also want to consider slotting Rend as one of your ultimates since it provides a heal.

As for CP... Don't put points into Medium Armor Expert - it doesn't give you as much as putting points into the other defensive nodes that reduce AOE damage taken, DOT damage taken, direct damage taken, or elemental damage taken. Spread your points close to evenly amongst those. Be aware that when you get into spending higher amounts of CP on a node, the returns can start to diminish. You usually don't want to go above 49-56 in any one area - you'll get more benefit spending those points elsewhere after that.

Finally, you probably wouldn't want to do this in a group, but for pure solo play I'm finding success with a DW/2H setup instead of using a bow. I don't have vigor yet, so it has really helped to swap out Endless Hail and Poison Injection in favor of Rally and Brawler. I soloed my first two normal dungeons this past week after switching to that setup thanks to stronger healing and stamina pool sustain. The bow skills should give you superior damage to that though, so in a group they will probably want you to be running those instead.

Excellent advice. With the latest patch, I've switched to 2H/Bow. Onslaught can clean up mobs pretty quickly. My favorite food is Orzaga's Trifle (health + stam recovery). I run 3 weapon damage enchants, Spriggans, Hundings, and Agility. I can't decide between 5 Spriggans or 3 Agility.

PVP is very important for stam. Vigor and Caltrops will seriously up your game. Sometimes I use HoT/Inv potions instead of Vigor.

I recently start using Vigor and I am loving the skill. I use food not to recover stamina and health but to maximize them.

nesmewno

Block and Roll-dodge not once will save your life in this game. Do not ignore these)

davey1107

Hmm...let me think if I have add’l tips not covered.


Champion Points

Your character looks like they’re not max CP. if not, then just keep earning them and know that stamblades get A LOT of survivability from them. Invest your reds in ironclad, hardy and elemental defender. Getting fifty in each is going to tank you way up.

In greens you can focus on stam recovery for a long time, then put a few into tenacity. The rest of the greens are about what you use. If you dodge roll a lot, then a few there.

In blue your core passives are mighty, precise strikes and master at arms. Just keep stacking the core power skills, then branch out after your 650th cp.

Alcasthq.com has a 300 CP list on all builds...this might be helpful for you.


Food

Like others said, use it. I like purple tri-stat food because I use a lot of magic. You can do blue max health/stam, and you get a bit more of these than with the purple.

You can also run Dubious Cameron Throne, for max health and stamina, and a big buff to stam recovery. This is great food for dungeons. This recipe comes around once per year during last months jester event. It’s a good recipe to have, and if you can find it for 100k now you might want to grab it if you don’t have friends to craft food for you.


Heals

Like others have mentioned, nightblades need heals. But in dungeons (especially group) it’s a lot about stacking many HOTs over having big bursts. And nightblades have access to a lot of little heals that happen as you deal damage. The ways I get my heals on my stamblade:

Blood craze: I like this better than bloodthirst because you proc it then go on to do other attacks, and get a nice small heal coming in. The heal is 1100 every two seconds, so about 7,000 every 10 seconds.

Briarhearts: this is one of the best sets in the game for a stamblade. You get an insane damage boost, and a small heal coming in. The heal is ~600 per crit hit and can proc one per second. This adds up to 9,000 over 15 seconds.

Rally/Forward momentum: the HOT adds up to 15,000 per 30 seconds, then rally has a burst heal at the end. Bow is stronger dps, but if you need the heals until you get higher CP you can go 2h.

Draining shot: if using bow and you need heals in tough fights you might give up volley’s dps for draining shot. You knock back an enemy and get a 8500 heal. In many fights I will focus on the boss but aggro a trash Npc to me and keep them alive just so I can draining shot them a couple of times. Then I mark and execute...the piddly zombie the boss threw at you can be worth like 40k health if you play it right.

Killers blade / reapers mark: these are core heal skills for NBs, but require strategic use. In big fights with secondary enemies you should be marking and executing them to keep up some pretty giant heals. And see the passives comment below...killers blade is essentially free to cast this way.

None of the above are purely heals. They all come with other benefits. Using a combo of these will help alleviate the stress on your healer, lol.


Know your class passives

More than any other class, nightblades have to understand their class passives and how to use them. You get massive benefits from slotting certain skills, and from using them at the right time. For example, you always want at least one assassin skill on each bar (which you have). This boosts crit damage by 10%...which is huge.

The passive you may be missing in this case is shadow. When you use a shadow skill you get a gigantic buff to your resistance for three seconds. Your resistance is waaaaaaay low, so the buff is going to tank you up by 50%. That’s huge. If you are getting smacked down in melee combat, you may need to bring in surprise attack. It’s cheap, it hits like a truck, and it’ll give you resistance that’s going to reduce a hit by ~5000 hit points.


Siphoning

The only siphoning skills for you as a stamblade are leeching strikes and power extraction, and power extract is a suck skill. Don’t run the other abilities...they’re a waste.

Apolos

davey1107 wrote: »

Hmm...let me think if I have add’l tips not covered.


Champion Points

Your character looks like they’re not max CP. if not, then just keep earning them and know that stamblades get A LOT of survivability from them. Invest your reds in ironclad, hardy and elemental defender. Getting fifty in each is going to tank you way up.

In greens you can focus on stam recovery for a long time, then put a few into tenacity. The rest of the greens are about what you use. If you dodge roll a lot, then a few there.

In blue your core passives are mighty, precise strikes and master at arms. Just keep stacking the core power skills, then branch out after your 650th cp.

Alcasthq.com has a 300 CP list on all builds...this might be helpful for you.


Food

Like others said, use it. I like purple tri-stat food because I use a lot of magic. You can do blue max health/stam, and you get a bit more of these than with the purple.

You can also run Dubious Cameron Throne, for max health and stamina, and a big buff to stam recovery. This is great food for dungeons. This recipe comes around once per year during last months jester event. It’s a good recipe to have, and if you can find it for 100k now you might want to grab it if you don’t have friends to craft food for you.


Heals

Like others have mentioned, nightblades need heals. But in dungeons (especially group) it’s a lot about stacking many HOTs over having big bursts. And nightblades have access to a lot of little heals that happen as you deal damage. The ways I get my heals on my stamblade:

Blood craze: I like this better than bloodthirst because you proc it then go on to do other attacks, and get a nice small heal coming in. The heal is 1100 every two seconds, so about 7,000 every 10 seconds.

Briarhearts: this is one of the best sets in the game for a stamblade. You get an insane damage boost, and a small heal coming in. The heal is ~600 per crit hit and can proc one per second. This adds up to 9,000 over 15 seconds.

Rally/Forward momentum: the HOT adds up to 15,000 per 30 seconds, then rally has a burst heal at the end. Bow is stronger dps, but if you need the heals until you get higher CP you can go 2h.

Draining shot: if using bow and you need heals in tough fights you might give up volley’s dps for draining shot. You knock back an enemy and get a 8500 heal. In many fights I will focus on the boss but aggro a trash Npc to me and keep them alive just so I can draining shot them a couple of times. Then I mark and execute...the piddly zombie the boss threw at you can be worth like 40k health if you play it right.

Killers blade / reapers mark: these are core heal skills for NBs, but require strategic use. In big fights with secondary enemies you should be marking and executing them to keep up some pretty giant heals. And see the passives comment below...killers blade is essentially free to cast this way.

None of the above are purely heals. They all come with other benefits. Using a combo of these will help alleviate the stress on your healer, lol.


Know your class passives

More than any other class, nightblades have to understand their class passives and how to use them. You get massive benefits from slotting certain skills, and from using them at the right time. For example, you always want at least one assassin skill on each bar (which you have). This boosts crit damage by 10%...which is huge.

The passive you may be missing in this case is shadow. When you use a shadow skill you get a gigantic buff to your resistance for three seconds. Your resistance is waaaaaaay low, so the buff is going to tank you up by 50%. That’s huge. If you are getting smacked down in melee combat, you may need to bring in surprise attack. It’s cheap, it hits like a truck, and it’ll give you resistance that’s going to reduce a hit by ~5000 hit points.


Siphoning

The only siphoning skills for you as a stamblade are leeching strikes and power extraction, and power extract is a suck skill. Don’t run the other abilities...they’re a waste.

Thank you so much for your detailed information I already start using the right skills with the right items/food, but now I need to work on my CP