So Nightblade post 1.2.3, observations

Rylana · June 2014

So after this latest series of changes I dusted off the old VR12 NB DW/Bow Vampire and went on a fact finding mission. I visited at least a dozen places, did some vet quests I hadnt finished yet, did a world boss or three, did some general grinding, even did some craglorn hilarity.

Anyway...

49/0/0 All health enchants, vr12 purple medium armor 3 piece Nightmother 5 piece song of lamae, ring of fire resist 1475, 2 pieces of unassailable for armor and health regen. Glyphs of Crushing on both daggers, fire on bow. Atronach mundus, invigorated pudding (stam/magicka) food.

Running my standard solo/DPS PVE build of Sap/Tornado/Hysteria/Evasion/InnerLight - Devouring Swarm, I was able to, with moderate difficulty, solo groups of 4-7 craglorn mobs. Scorpions, wasps, several groups of NPCs with menders/archers, etc. I did find myself dying sometimes due to CC management, but the raw DPS output was sufficient to drop my enemies before I myself died. I was able to block effectively with the now 105 stamina regen (i dont even STACK for this, i stack for magicka and health regen) and i was able to pop tornado nine times on one bar if I did not block at all.

I was not able with this build, however to handle gargoyles as they cannot be CCed or affected by stuns. The same is true for those big dune lizard things, but only when there was more than 2. I could handle 2 no problem.

On my second bar... PoisonInjection/SilverShards/SwallowSoul/VRune/Maneuvers - Bolstering Darkness I was able to handle literally anything I could CC with Rune or with draining shot when I swapped it instead of shards. Snipe was doing okay, nothing terribly special, but again the new stamina regen made this build do enough single target DPS to handle even a VR5 world boss spawn solo.

PvP Shenanigans to come later. However my bottom line on this latest series of changes is very positive. My character is stronger than she ever has been. I need to take her into a vet dungeon or trial to really see what she can do in a group setting, but for solo play she is absolutely beastmode.

Rylana · June 2014

Oh yes, addendum, these are from memory as I did not get screenshots this time.

Single Target DPS burst - 1550 (full spammage)
Single Target DPS sustain - 710 (long fight with a world boss)

3+ Enemy DPS Burst - 4200 (full spammage + bats)
3+ Enemy DPS Sustain - Anywhere from 1100 - 1600 depending on how fast my ultimates come back and whether or not I can survive the mass damage.

Is it up to DK/Sorc standards? From what I have read its pretty close if not already there, again with group support it should hang in there just fine.

Zabus · June 2014

What do you spam to get such high dps?

Rylana · June 2014

xsfkxnub19_ESO wrote: »

What do you spam to get such high dps?

The 4200 quoted was against a group of 6 craglorn NPCs I waded into, popped Devouring swarm on coming out of stealth, then popped sap essence, light attack, steel tornado in a continuous cycle. I actually got a second bats in and that pushed me over 4k for the brief moment, which is why I said burst.

Also, steel tornados DPS increases when the enemies are low health. That second bats + low health tornadoes is probably what caused it, when that happens each crit off a tornado is like 600+ damage.

As long as I dont die and theres enough enemies left to keep sapping off of, I can sustain 1100+ with this build practically indefinitely. I say practically because eventually Ill have to stop one or the other to catch up a resource bar. (usually six to seven full cycles if I am forced to block heavies, 8 or 9 if I am not).

Gilvoth · June 2014

4200 dps?

Rylana · June 2014

Hlaren_shortsheath wrote: »

4200 dps?

Burst. Its actually possible to take a single target assassin NB over 6000 for a few seconds. Requires everything to crit though. And by this I mean spamming the living hell out of cloak + assassins blade for hits of 1500 + light attacks + an ultimate running.

Very hard to hit, but ive done it in PvP, at least thats what FTC told me.

Sunrock · June 2014

Rylana wrote: »

Oh yes, addendum, these are from memory as I did not get screenshots this time.

Single Target DPS burst - 1550 (full spammage)
Single Target DPS sustain - 710 (long fight with a world boss)

3+ Enemy DPS Burst - 4200 (full spammage + bats)
3+ Enemy DPS Sustain - Anywhere from 1100 - 1600 depending on how fast my ultimates come back and whether or not I can survive the mass damage.

Is it up to DK/Sorc standards? From what I have read its pretty close if not already there, again with group support it should hang in there just fine.

Well as far as I have heard DK could only put out slightly above 1k DPS with with ultimate before. For single target

Rylana · June 2014

Sunrock wrote: »

Rylana wrote: »

Oh yes, addendum, these are from memory as I did not get screenshots this time.

Single Target DPS burst - 1550 (full spammage)
Single Target DPS sustain - 710 (long fight with a world boss)

3+ Enemy DPS Burst - 4200 (full spammage + bats)
3+ Enemy DPS Sustain - Anywhere from 1100 - 1600 depending on how fast my ultimates come back and whether or not I can survive the mass damage.

Is it up to DK/Sorc standards? From what I have read its pretty close if not already there, again with group support it should hang in there just fine.

Well as far as I have heard DK could only put out slightly above 1k DPS with with ultimate before.

Thats sustained, different metric. Sustained for me is 1100 - 1600 depending on how many enemies I am sapping. This value is very hard to measure reliably.

aipex8_ESO · June 2014

I'm also feeling the stamina love. Seems like I can spam Rapid Strike all night and still have stamina! And RS damage is boosted to boot. I wasn't expecting the change to be so drastic. I'm quite pleased.

Zabus · June 2014

Rylana wrote: »

xsfkxnub19_ESO wrote: »

What do you spam to get such high dps?

The 4200 quoted was against a group of 6 craglorn NPCs I waded into, popped Devouring swarm on coming out of stealth, then popped sap essence, light attack, steel tornado in a continuous cycle. I actually got a second bats in and that pushed me over 4k for the brief moment, which is why I said burst.

Also, steel tornados DPS increases when the enemies are low health. That second bats + low health tornadoes is probably what caused it, when that happens each crit off a tornado is like 600+ damage.

As long as I dont die and theres enough enemies left to keep sapping off of, I can sustain 1100+ with this build practically indefinitely. I say practically because eventually Ill have to stop one or the other to catch up a resource bar. (usually six to seven full cycles if I am forced to block heavies, 8 or 9 if I am not).

Sounds like a pretty solid build you got there.

Mind if I inquire about the single target 700 dps? I'd like a stam build, so I can shove the la/resto build in the closet and still get into trials xD

I can get it with DW rapid strikes, then impale but I was wondering if it was possible with bow.

pinstripesc · June 2014

Can I ask what you use Inner Fire for when you're soloing, what's the benefit of it?

Rylana · June 2014

pinstripesc wrote: »

Can I ask what you use Inner Fire for when you're soloing, what's the benefit of it?

20% spell crit

Also I meant Inner Light in my OP. My bad. Mages guild morph of magelight.

See this is why we cant have nice things >_>

Worstluck · June 2014

Inner Fire is the taunt from the Undaunted line. I think you mean Inner Light

Rylana · June 2014

xsfkxnub19_ESO wrote: »

Rylana wrote: »

xsfkxnub19_ESO wrote: »

What do you spam to get such high dps?

The 4200 quoted was against a group of 6 craglorn NPCs I waded into, popped Devouring swarm on coming out of stealth, then popped sap essence, light attack, steel tornado in a continuous cycle. I actually got a second bats in and that pushed me over 4k for the brief moment, which is why I said burst.

Also, steel tornados DPS increases when the enemies are low health. That second bats + low health tornadoes is probably what caused it, when that happens each crit off a tornado is like 600+ damage.

As long as I dont die and theres enough enemies left to keep sapping off of, I can sustain 1100+ with this build practically indefinitely. I say practically because eventually Ill have to stop one or the other to catch up a resource bar. (usually six to seven full cycles if I am forced to block heavies, 8 or 9 if I am not).

Sounds like a pretty solid build you got there.

Mind if I inquire about the single target 700 dps? I'd like a stam build, so I can shove the la/resto build in the closet and still get into trials xD

I can get it with DW rapid strikes, then impale but I was wondering if it was possible with bow.

Depends on if you can CC or not. If you can use draining shot (the knockback) its elementary from there, just keep pewpewing with that and another low cost stamina ranged ability, toss on a single target magicka attack like swallow soul, and i use volcanic rune for the hilarity of watching them bounce >_>

Rylana · June 2014

Worstluck wrote: »

Inner Fire is the taunt from the Undaunted line. I think you mean Inner Light

GAHHHHH youre right LOLOLOL

Light people, blue glowy stuff. Damnit.

pinstripesc · June 2014

Oh that makes more sense, ok. lol

coryevans_3b14_ESO · June 2014

Agreed. My nb is doing more dmg, noticeably. With bow and dw.

killedbyping · June 2014

The DPS stated is a joke. Have nothing to do with real game. And his build is a frigging mess.
I can easy do 3-4k ddamage burst on 1-2 targets, But thats why it is called Burst, it is not DPS.
All the changes to NBs going since start is a NERFS !
Ok, they fixed few passives, but all the kills recived a NERF, instead of buff.

pinstripesc · June 2014

killedbyping wrote: »

The DPS stated is a joke. Have nothing to do with real game. And his build is a frigging mess.
I can easy do 3-4k ddamage burst on 1-2 targets, But thats why it is called Burst, it is not DPS.
All the changes to NBs going since start is a NERFS !
Ok, they fixed few passives, but all the kills recived a NERF, instead of buff.

Gad. Well it's apparently it's a mess that works, so what's the difference?

Hilgara · June 2014

xsfkxnub19_ESO wrote: »

What do you spam to get such high dps?

You don't spam to get high DPS. You prioritize

Aeradon · June 2014

OP.

Use sparks for gargoyles. It does miracles.

Hilgara · June 2014

Aeradon wrote: »

OP.

Use sparks for gargoyles. It does miracles.

Much under rated skill. I hate it the the mobs use it against me though

ForTheRealm · June 2014

Rylana wrote: »

Oh yes, addendum, these are from memory as I did not get screenshots this time.

Single Target DPS burst - 1550 (full spammage)
Single Target DPS sustain - 710 (long fight with a world boss)

3+ Enemy DPS Burst - 4200 (full spammage + bats)
3+ Enemy DPS Sustain - Anywhere from 1100 - 1600 depending on how fast my ultimates come back and whether or not I can survive the mass damage.

Is it up to DK/Sorc standards? From what I have read its pretty close if not already there, again with group support it should hang in there just fine.

Really good news. Now I have a reason to get back to my NB alt!
The DPS you achieved is very similar to the DPS I am getting on my V11 Sorc, and better than on my V12 DK ;-) DKs depended on boosts coming from Utlimates a lot, but after last patches Ultimate points are generating much slower.

Rylana · June 2014

piotreb17_ESO4 wrote: »

Rylana wrote: »

Oh yes, addendum, these are from memory as I did not get screenshots this time.

Single Target DPS burst - 1550 (full spammage)
Single Target DPS sustain - 710 (long fight with a world boss)

3+ Enemy DPS Burst - 4200 (full spammage + bats)
3+ Enemy DPS Sustain - Anywhere from 1100 - 1600 depending on how fast my ultimates come back and whether or not I can survive the mass damage.

Is it up to DK/Sorc standards? From what I have read its pretty close if not already there, again with group support it should hang in there just fine.

Really good news. Now I have a reason to get back to my NB alt!
The DPS you achieved is very similar to the DPS I am getting on my V11 Sorc, and better than on my V12 DK ;-) DKs depended on boosts coming from Utlimates a lot, but after last patches Ultimate points are generating much slower.

Yeah I am pretty happy to see the potential for NB viability making a comeback. As long as it doesnt skew the other direction where the DK becomes less useful, that is.

I personally just want all four professions to have a desirable place on a team.

RivenCsky · June 2014

Play a Templar for a while then you will truely respect and LOVE, LOVE your Nightblade!

Taiminator · June 2014

"•Magicka Flood: This ability now correctly increases your maximum magicka."

Has anyone else found this patch note to be a lie? Still not working for me

Shae · June 2014

Magic nightblade only (and vampire needed).
Where is the up for the stamina build ?

dafraorb16_ESO · June 2014

now the NB is the worst class, in the recent patches we receive heavily nerfs and useless buff(why use Haste when all class has animation cancelling?)