Elsweyr theory-crafted Magblade PvP builds

TheShadower92

Hey guys,
So with the new patch coming today, I thought it would be cool for us Magblades to share our thoughts and theory-crafted PvP builds for Elsweyr meta.
Or non-meta, just some solid cool build ideas

As for me, I currently run Torug's/Mother's sorrow and Slimecraw (for the Merciless nerf). It works, but I feel way too squishy and if a few players gang up on me and I can't shade to saftey, I'm toast.

brandonv516

5 spinners
5 btb
2 pirate skeleton
Spring loaded infusion

I'll definitely be slotting RaT to combine with Cloak + Image.

I won't be squishy with Major Protection (Pirate), Minor Protection (Undo), and the new damage mitigation from Merciless.

godchucknzilla

Skoria
Icy conjurer
Sloads

EdoKeledus

Hi

I don't play mainly MagBlade (MagDk) but I tested every class in PvP and I love theory-crafting, let me suggest you something for Elsweyr.

5 Crafty Alfiq/5 bright-throat’s boast/necropotence (if you use Shadow Image)
5 pariah/fortified brass/Buffer of the Swift/armor master
Monster set depend you style

The main idea is to have a max resource set, a defensive set and for the monster set have the possibility to modulate it.

Iskiab

i know what I’ll be running, but the issue with setting up a build that will work well is a lot depends on what other people are doing.

I think just setup for a balance build until other classes have settled on the meta so you have an idea of what you’ll need.

Some things to consider:
- how prevalent are aoes, deciding how effective cloak will be
- plus testing out new abilities to see how they perform. I’m hoping merciless will allow me to shift some stats from defense to other things

zammo

Chudan - Will only have one shadow skill (shade), which would limit major resistance buffs. I won't even bother putting points into the passive, Chudan has it covered 100%
Necropotence - With purple food and shade up is more raw stats than Bright-Throats Boast with Spring Loaded Infusion.
Amber Plasm - Helps mag and stam regen. Mag, spell damage, plus a little bit of crit to compliment high crit damage.

As @Iskiab says, gotta see how all the changes shake out on other classes also.

brandonv516

zammo wrote: »

Chudan - Will only have one shadow skill (shade), which would limit major resistance buffs. I won't even bother putting points into the passive, Chudan has it covered 100%
Necropotence - With purple food and shade up is more raw stats than Bright-Throats Boast with Spring Loaded Infusion.
Amber Plasm - Helps mag and stam regen. Mag, spell damage, plus a little bit of crit to compliment high crit damage.

As @Iskiab says, gotta see how all the changes shake out on other classes also.

So you aren't slotting either Cloak morph, either Path morph, or even Fear?

I guess Chudan makes sense if you are just running Shade but I still see it as a wasted monster set on mNB (at least for my build).

zammo

brandonv516 wrote: »

zammo wrote: »

Chudan - Will only have one shadow skill (shade), which would limit major resistance buffs. I won't even bother putting points into the passive, Chudan has it covered 100%
Necropotence - With purple food and shade up is more raw stats than Bright-Throats Boast with Spring Loaded Infusion.
Amber Plasm - Helps mag and stam regen. Mag, spell damage, plus a little bit of crit to compliment high crit damage.

As @Iskiab says, gotta see how all the changes shake out on other classes also.

So you aren't slotting either Cloak morph, either Path morph, or even Fear?

I guess Chudan makes sense if you are just running Shade but I still see it as a wasted monster set on mNB (at least for my build).

As it stands right now, that's correct.

Even if you're shadow skill heavy, you'll still get caught with major resistances down at some point (mostly when being ganked).

Always found Shadowy Disguise on magblade too feast or famine, and Dark Cloak healing won't be bursty enough. As much as I like path (and dark cloak for that matter) for HoT builds, same issue re: strength of heal as dark cloak, and i'll be getting expedition now from RAT. Fear is now just a CC, no maim (i'll get from shade), and no snare (i'll get from debilitate). CC will come from Clench.

Of course, all that might change 30 seconds after my first fight...

Iskiab

I considered Chudan before too but really like the fear. What makes those sets so good is the 1 piece 3k resists. Typically for sets it’s 3k either physical or magical so the 1 piece bonus of 3k to physical and magical is powerful.

If you’re a healer unfortunately Chudan doesn’t make sense because you can use refreshing for the resistances, if you use dark cloak it doesn’t make sense too.

Insco851

Ready to go live with Necro, Spinners and Troll King. 1 protective. - nearly 21k resistances. Defending backbar puts me 3-4%~ under armor master. Banking on 100% uptime on minor protection and holding merciless stacks for the additional mitigation.

Iskiab

First BG and I was mostly looking for merciless to see how it performs.

When it’s up it’s great, but it’s been harder to keep stacks then I thought. Who would have thought that the combat bug in cyrodiil would be a good thing, but I think it’ll become a bonus for NBs.

Only did one BG and it was a capture the relic so not a real one. Either way, daily done and onto making a necro.

Insco851

Iskiab wrote: »

First BG and I was mostly looking for merciless to see how it performs.

When it’s up it’s great, but it’s been harder to keep stacks then I thought. Who would have thought that the combat bug in cyrodiil would be a good thing, but I think it’ll become a bonus for NBs.

Only did one BG and it was a capture the relic so not a real one. Either way, daily done and onto making a necro.

Was it falling off or were you using the bow unintentionally?

Iskiab

Insco851 wrote: »

Iskiab wrote: »

First BG and I was mostly looking for merciless to see how it performs.

When it’s up it’s great, but it’s been harder to keep stacks then I thought. Who would have thought that the combat bug in cyrodiil would be a good thing, but I think it’ll become a bonus for NBs.

Only did one BG and it was a capture the relic so not a real one. Either way, daily done and onto making a necro.

Was it falling off or were you using the bow unintentionally?

You lose your stacks every time you leave Combat. I’ve never paid attention before, but you leave Combat a lot... at least in a capture the relic.

likecats

A problem with merciless proc is that every time a person I am focussing LOS for 0.1 second, the proc dissappears and I have to recast to get the procs back. This is even when I am right in the middle of a group fight.

Other times, the proc stays as intended for as long as I am in combat.

I guess its nice that I don't lose the stacks or the mitigation when this bug happens but still super annoying.

MassiveFumes

likecats wrote: »

A problem with merciless proc is that every time a person I am focussing LOS for 0.1 second, the proc dissappears and I have to recast to get the procs back. This is even when I am right in the middle of a group fight.

Other times, the proc stays as intended for as long as I am in combat.

I guess its nice that I don't lose the stacks or the mitigation when this bug happens but still super annoying.

agreed, proc needs to stay when this happens

Insco851

Iskiab wrote: »

Insco851 wrote: »

Iskiab wrote: »

First BG and I was mostly looking for merciless to see how it performs.

When it’s up it’s great, but it’s been harder to keep stacks then I thought. Who would have thought that the combat bug in cyrodiil would be a good thing, but I think it’ll become a bonus for NBs.

Only did one BG and it was a capture the relic so not a real one. Either way, daily done and onto making a necro.

Was it falling off or were you using the bow unintentionally?

You lose your stacks every time you leave Combat. I’ve never paid attention before, but you leave Combat a lot... at least in a capture the relic.

Ah yea. Also a death BGs is gonna reset it.

thankyourat

I'll probably run BTB/spinner/bloodspawn. But honestly any combination of magicka based sets will work. The hard part of theory crafting magblade will be your bar set up.

I was thinking front bar: merciless, ele drain, fear, swallow soul, lotus fan.

Back bar: annulment, healing ward, RAT, shadow image, cloak, soul siphon.

Insco851

thankyourat wrote: »

I'll probably run BTB/spinner/bloodspawn. But honestly any combination of magicka based sets will work. The hard part of theory crafting magblade will be your bar set up.

I was thinking front bar: merciless, ele drain, fear, swallow soul, lotus fan.

Back bar: annulment, healing ward, RAT, shadow image, cloak, soul siphon.

FB: merciless, swallow soul, fear, ele weapon, inner light

BB: cripple/lotus, annulment, rat, dark cloak, shade.

Iskiab

As an aside I’ve been messing around with my new necro. One of the morph’s on the Necro major resolve/ward buffs is a pull to whoever hits them with a projectile.

It’s really fun, but anyways, I bring it up because everything in the magblade toolkit that’s ranged is a projectile.

I’d give it a couple weeks for Necros to be in BGs before finalizing your specs. If that becomes the popular morph magblades will need to adapt.

Insco851

Iskiab wrote: »

As an aside I’ve been messing around with my new necro. One of the morph’s on the Necro major resolve/ward buffs is a pull to whoever hits them with a projectile.

It’s really fun, but anyways, I bring it up because everything in the magblade toolkit that’s ranged is a projectile.

I’d give it a couple weeks for Necros to be in BGs before finalizing your specs. If that becomes the popular morph magblades will need to adapt.

For a BG build in mind that’s a good point. It would only however make me insta react with a fear-shade combo if I didn’t get aoe owned instantly.

MassiveFumes

shade is a must for getting out of situations where cloak isn't viable. With RaT and double take changes, it isn't as potent as last patch but still a must, exclusively for necropotence as well.

thankyourat

Insco851 wrote: »

thankyourat wrote: »

I'll probably run BTB/spinner/bloodspawn. But honestly any combination of magicka based sets will work. The hard part of theory crafting magblade will be your bar set up.

I was thinking front bar: merciless, ele drain, fear, swallow soul, lotus fan.

Back bar: annulment, healing ward, RAT, shadow image, cloak, soul siphon.

FB: merciless, swallow soul, fear, ele weapon, inner light

BB: cripple/lotus, annulment, rat, dark cloak, shade.

I tried ele weapon on a melee build to try to get big damage coming out of stealth but I couldn't figure out how to make it work and I would always let the buff run out lol. It just seemed very complicated for 1vX stuff

Iskiab

Insco851 wrote: »

Iskiab wrote: »

As an aside I’ve been messing around with my new necro. One of the morph’s on the Necro major resolve/ward buffs is a pull to whoever hits them with a projectile.

It’s really fun, but anyways, I bring it up because everything in the magblade toolkit that’s ranged is a projectile.

I’d give it a couple weeks for Necros to be in BGs before finalizing your specs. If that becomes the popular morph magblades will need to adapt.

For a BG build in mind that’s a good point. It would only however make me insta react with a fear-shade combo if I didn’t get aoe owned instantly.

Yea. I don’t run shade so it’ll be problematic. Silver leash has been popular in BGs for the last 2-3 months on PC-NA at least to deal with NBs.

The ability will be like a free leash, but since it’s a passive effect it won’t be as deadly. Leash is usually timed with Warden bugs and fossilize to burst you as soon as you’re pulled, this one’s a passive effect so it will play out differently, but I’d still definitely grab fear and shade as a dps. Think they’ll be mandatory in every magblade dps build.

I usually fear - cloak but with Necros being so aoe heavy I don’t know if that will work.

There’s still a small chance Necros will use Chudan instead, and magicka Necros will likely take the other morph, so it might not be an issue anyways.

HEBREWHAMMERRR

Probably won’t be changing much. 5 btb, 5 shackle (front) w/ black rose resto and skoria or 5 btb 5 spinner + defensive monster set. May throw in necro + btb and Skoria as well for heavy dps. Hard to theory craft as I haven’t played the pts. I imagine I’ll be able to get away with more offensive sets with the added mitigations

kaithuzar

I’m sticking with my build for now, maybe I’ll try something different later but it’s doing well for my playstyle.
5 willows path, 5 alessian, 2 molag kena
Destro resto

Insco851

thankyourat wrote: »

Insco851 wrote: »

thankyourat wrote: »

I'll probably run BTB/spinner/bloodspawn. But honestly any combination of magicka based sets will work. The hard part of theory crafting magblade will be your bar set up.

I was thinking front bar: merciless, ele drain, fear, swallow soul, lotus fan.

Back bar: annulment, healing ward, RAT, shadow image, cloak, soul siphon.

FB: merciless, swallow soul, fear, ele weapon, inner light

BB: cripple/lotus, annulment, rat, dark cloak, shade.

I tried ele weapon on a melee build to try to get big damage coming out of stealth but I couldn't figure out how to make it work and I would always let the buff run out lol. It just seemed very complicated for 1vX stuff

I’m used to casting shalks on a magden and the lineup is pretty much the same with this. Ele>La>Swallow=11-13k burst. But only when the timing is clear.

This setup also gives slightly better heals because ele is the spammable. Letting swallow sit and tick. Plus ele always applying negative effects and you’re stacking an extra small burst on the fifth cast from the psjic passive. Granted that’s an extra mini game to juggle if you are trying to be most effective with it.

Iskiab

Insco851 wrote: »

thankyourat wrote: »

Insco851 wrote: »

thankyourat wrote: »

I'll probably run BTB/spinner/bloodspawn. But honestly any combination of magicka based sets will work. The hard part of theory crafting magblade will be your bar set up.

I was thinking front bar: merciless, ele drain, fear, swallow soul, lotus fan.

Back bar: annulment, healing ward, RAT, shadow image, cloak, soul siphon.

FB: merciless, swallow soul, fear, ele weapon, inner light

BB: cripple/lotus, annulment, rat, dark cloak, shade.

I tried ele weapon on a melee build to try to get big damage coming out of stealth but I couldn't figure out how to make it work and I would always let the buff run out lol. It just seemed very complicated for 1vX stuff

I’m used to casting shalks on a magden and the lineup is pretty much the same with this. Ele>La>Swallow=11-13k burst. But only when the timing is clear.

This setup also gives slightly better heals because ele is the spammable. Letting swallow sit and tick. Plus ele always applying negative effects and you’re stacking an extra small burst on the fifth cast from the psjic passive. Granted that’s an extra mini game to juggle if you are trying to be most effective with it.

What weapon are you using? Typically ele weapon is good with two hander, but with RAT I’d be interesting to try DW swords.

Insco851

Iskiab wrote: »

Insco851 wrote: »

thankyourat wrote: »

Insco851 wrote: »

thankyourat wrote: »

I'll probably run BTB/spinner/bloodspawn. But honestly any combination of magicka based sets will work. The hard part of theory crafting magblade will be your bar set up.

I was thinking front bar: merciless, ele drain, fear, swallow soul, lotus fan.

Back bar: annulment, healing ward, RAT, shadow image, cloak, soul siphon.

FB: merciless, swallow soul, fear, ele weapon, inner light

BB: cripple/lotus, annulment, rat, dark cloak, shade.

I tried ele weapon on a melee build to try to get big damage coming out of stealth but I couldn't figure out how to make it work and I would always let the buff run out lol. It just seemed very complicated for 1vX stuff

I’m used to casting shalks on a magden and the lineup is pretty much the same with this. Ele>La>Swallow=11-13k burst. But only when the timing is clear.

This setup also gives slightly better heals because ele is the spammable. Letting swallow sit and tick. Plus ele always applying negative effects and you’re stacking an extra small burst on the fifth cast from the psjic passive. Granted that’s an extra mini game to juggle if you are trying to be most effective with it.

What weapon are you using? Typically ele weapon is good with two hander, but with RAT I’d be interesting to try DW swords.

Destro. So it’s more hit and miss on certain targets and the combo with swallow takes time to learn when best to try it.

Another reason this stacks well is infused trait. Building a lot more pressure. If you line these things up.

One other thing, this really works better with the old cripple setup more so than with lotus. Don’t need to worry about minor vulnerability with ele weapon and a charged glyph keeping solid uptime on that.

Zer0_CooL

And i always thought a build contains more then just a combination of three various sets.

TheShadower92

Zer0_CooL wrote: »

And i always thought a build contains more then just a combination of three various sets.

Agree.
What skill will you guys be using?
I tried the new Debilitate really wanted to like it for the efficiency of having minor Magicka Lifesteal as well, unfortunately the Immobilize and extra dmg from Crippling Grasp is just too good.

Any things you'd like to share so far?

Insco851

TheShadower92 wrote: »

Zer0_CooL wrote: »

And i always thought a build contains more then just a combination of three various sets.

Agree.
What skill will you guys be using?
I tried the new Debilitate really wanted to like it for the efficiency of having minor Magicka Lifesteal as well, unfortunately the Immobilize and extra dmg from Crippling Grasp is just too good.

Any things you'd like to share so far?

This is one thing I’m wanting to test on my build. But Ive felt like this might be the case....