Effect of attacking from stealth?

Grubsnik

So this is just a very basic question. Are there any default effect of making an attack from stealth? I know that as a nightblade you can get both skills and passives that will either increase your crit or let you stun for a bit. Does it only matter if you have those skills, or are there any "always on" effects as well.

This goes for both melee and ranged attacks.

jdandrews108b14_ESO

Every player is able to "Stealth" in this game, which means becoming hidden while crouching. In a sense, the PvE enemies don't know you're there so they consider you stealthed. Also, every character get's bonuses from attacking from "stealth", which is bonus damage and a stun/off balance opponent.

Nightblades gain an ability that turns them invisible for a short duration (2.5 seconds base) but treats them as if they are "Stealthed" at any time, even staring at the bad guys at point blank while invisible will apply the bonus damage and stun.
Positioning also seems to affect this as hitting an enemy from behind seems to do more damage but I haven't been able to fully test this. It also seems a bit buggy of a spell but for the most part works pretty well.
Veiled Strike is on which stuns the target if you use it from invis, and the Master Assassin passive in Assassination increases both invis and stealth damage.

I would also like to point out that this works in combat, so you can get off a mid-fight stun with Veiled strike.
Alchemy also can make potions of invisibility which applies the same effect on your character as the spell. These are great to stock up on if you really want to play as a stealthy character so you are not reliant on Magicka for everything.

Grubsnik

jdandrews108b14_ESO wrote: »

Also, every character get's bonuses from attacking from "stealth", which is bonus damage and a stun/off balance opponent.

This is the part I was wondering about. It didn't appear to me that I was dealing extra damage on ranged attacks at least. When doing my normal NB stuff, I would be doing Veiled strike, so didn't have anything to compare with.

Hekx

Is there a way this is detected, or more correctly, how am i screwing it up? I was running my NB around newbie island, trying it out on skeletons. But hitting Invis, then veiled strike, didn't seem to ever stun or do extra damage to them.

jdandrews108b14_ESO

Like I said, the system seems a bit buggy and positioning might reflect the damage even more (being behind the target as opposed to the side).
To detect this, you should see your crosshair turn into an eye and slowly close when you press the crouch button. If it is completely closed you are hidden and considered "stealthed". I have noticed that even when in combat with a monster and crouch before using Shadow Cloak the eye will quickly appear and close to show that I am hidden, and the stun duration on Veiled Strike is what I am using as proof that it is indeed treating me as hidden.

Notice that it no where states that a normal attack from stealth will stun, so in order to gain the bonuses even while in stealth you must be crouching. (Crouching and then using shadowcloak will instantly hide you for the bonuses)

BlackSparrow

It's very tricky to pull off a stealth attack without NB abilites (namely, the invisibilty or teleport strike). It can be done, but it takes timing to stay out of their cone of detection, and a lot of enemies will sense you regardles.

I know ranged bow attacks did stealth damage in the betas, but they've since nerfed the mechanic a bit.

Now, positioning matters a LOT, whether ranged or melee. Compare your damage from the front and behind; damage from behind will always be better. This is the best way to use Veiled Strike. Go invisible, use the 2 seconds to get behind the enemy, then strike. It makes a huge difference.

Howl

You have to be in their rear 180 degree arc, hidden and doing a heavy attack. Any melee weapon or a bow will do a stealth attack. Staves and abilities won't work.

EDIT: Any class can do this. It's always worth opening from stealth on groups of three as you can usually one-two shot one of the mobs. Even a sword and shield tank can open from stealth and do massive damage.

nerevarine1138

Grubsnik wrote: »

This is the part I was wondering about. It didn't appear to me that I was dealing extra damage on ranged attacks at least. When doing my normal NB stuff, I would be doing Veiled strike, so didn't have anything to compare with.

Are you behind them?