Nightblade- Destruction Staff?

DGVish · March 2014

Heavy Siphoning build with AoE dmg and some heavy CC with Shadow. Also plan to use a Restoration Staff for my 2nd. Only thing I'm worried about is damage at the low levels might be discouraging even for me. Is this more endgame viable?

kgh29 · March 2014

I'm using staffs on my Templar and the damage on the healing staff is pretty low because all of its abilities are heals or buffs. The destruction staffs probably give you some pretty good damage but the mana cost might prevent you from using them too much since you are using a nightblad

JJDrakken · March 2014

Currently leveling a Destruction Staff Nightblade. It's very DoT/Debuff centric, with the Destruction staff attack being the main source of impact DPS.

Really enjoying it quite a bit, thought be ready to be very mobile

DGVish · March 2014

kgh29 wrote: »

I'm using staffs on my Templar and the damage on the healing staff is pretty low because all of its abilities are heals or buffs. The destruction staffs probably give you some pretty good damage but the mana cost might prevent you from using them too much since you are using a nightblad

I've already figured taking "Force Siphon" to increase my healing received with damage dealt and also restore Magicka on hit at like Rank 5 it looks like.

I'm not too worried about Magicka as I plan on going going with a heavy Magicka and Health build. Light armor along with Dark Elf racials I should be pumping out pretty good damage by level 20 or so, I feel. If it does so happen I need more mana more often I plan on taking Siphoning Strikes, but right now I feel it won't be needed in group PvP.

Tamanous · April 2014

I use a resto-staff and will be resto+resto most of the time. I found absolutely nothing with the Dest staff that synergizes with NB.

Once I morph enough main NB powers I have enough to ue for a caster style NB. Support option (as pretty much the only group oriented morphs are support based) for healing build later but also a caster dps build.

Sparky617 · April 2014

I've been very happy with restoration staff and Nightblade spells. D-staff would probably work well, but it will be rough at low levels. Problem with taking the 2 staffs is that you have all magicka abilities. And Night blade is mostly Melee range spells. You also have a completely unused resource...Stamina.

Willowleaf · April 2014

I've made a Dark Elf warlock nightblade with a destro staff, and I plan to get a 2-hands weapon at 15. So far I've been doing well. Here is a video about warlock nightblade:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFnKo1eMMHE&index=13&list=PLlHPIxgE60jJjXj1OavKQr7bcoVzWXOqD

Teloran · April 2014

Once you get Impulse and Drain Power - >Power Extraction you will have the highest possible sustainable AoE DPS in the game. Sorcerers can do a similar combo with Critical Surge, trading raw weapon damage for considerable self healing.

Raubrey · April 2014

As I see it, if the Nightblade doesn't control the threat they will die regardless of what she uses. As long as you kite, block and dodge and optimally have a self-healing, control and high damage ability, you should be OK.

Willowleaf wrote: »

I've made a Dark Elf warlock nightblade with a destro staff, and I plan to get a 2-hands weapon at 15. So far I've been doing well. Here is a video about warlock nightblade:

I switched to the destruction staff at LV 10 after going bow/2H and I'm not looking back...it fits my playstyle and I'm loving it even though it is under-leveled.

My build is therefore gimped until I respec at 15, and with Khajiit, I'm not even an optimum magicka-based race, much like the video.

I mostly utilize Funnel Health, as well as Agony and Shadow as needed -- and Killer Blade (which could be replaced with a Staff skill), at low levels.

My original plan was to go Breton but I do like melee and plan to see this through, then (at some point) create a Breton build and compare the two.

Zormac · June 2014

Teloran wrote: »

Once you get Impulse and Drain Power - >Power Extraction you will have the highest possible sustainable AoE DPS in the game. Sorcerers can do a similar combo with Critical Surge, trading raw weapon damage for considerable self healing.

TRADING damage for self healing? That's a negatory. With Critical Surge you get both - more weapon damage AND self healing.

lathbury · July 2014

^^ I think his point was that crit surges damage bonus is not as substantial as the drain power one. While on the subject sap essence does a heal though not as good as crit surge so it's swings and round abouts. But for aoe impulse spam damage nb a bit more all though squishier than a sorc running crit surge.

DeLindsay · July 2014

At low levels just use the Resto staff as your DPS build, while leveling Destro staff on ur alt weapon bar until you get it high enough for Impulse. A great setup that doesn't require a very high level in anything to get (except Mage's Guild, but Lore books solve that) is:

Strife > Swallow Soul
Assasin's Blade > Impale
Cripple > Crippling Grasp
Mage Light > Inner Light
(whatever you want for 5th, I use Rapid Regen while leveling)

Consuming Darkness > Veil of Blades [Ultimate]

Gear/Glyphs that help:

5 set - Twilight's Embrace
3 set - Willow's Path
Weapon Trait - Crit
Jewelry Glyphs - Spell Damage
Armor Glyphs - 100% Magicka
Armor - 7pc Light Armor

The above build will make you feel nearly invincible at low(ish) levels. It's also a good recipe for high ST DPS at VR, with a few tweaks since you have other options available like the 3 set VR PvP gear with +10% crit.

lathbury · July 2014

^ take funnel health instead of swallow soul

ahspear37 · July 2014

DGVish wrote: »

Heavy Siphoning build with AoE dmg and some heavy CC with Shadow. Also plan to use a Restoration Staff for my 2nd. Only thing I'm worried about is damage at the low levels might be discouraging even for me. Is this more endgame viable?

I agree with DeLindsay here. I think, in my own opinion, that it is best to use a Resto staff in early levels to help restore your magicka and therefore give you a bigger pool for casting spells, which will be your primary damage dealer as that type of build.

My personal build for my NB uses a reto/destroy type build for my character, which is awesome at higher levels because it lets me be a healer or a DPS/AoE style that rivals a mage in PvP. I recommend if you use a Destroy staff that you invest time in the mage's guild for their ultimate spell, which is just awesome with a Destroy staff.

I mean, don't get me wrong, it's possible to play with a destruction staff at early levels, I just personally think it's a bit more difficult with a NB until you can at least get the weapon swap at lvl 15.

Lynx7386 · July 2014

Having siphoning attacks really makes it easier to use a destruction staff at any level.

Using siphoning attacks, I can alternate between light attack and clip the animation with crushing shock, rinse and repeat, and I'll literally never run out of magicka (disclaimer: you do, on occasion, run out of magicka with this setup, if you happen to get unlucky with siphoning attacks' procs, but it rarely happens when soloing).