Here is how I use my NB. I have my skill bars split, one side uses Stamina (bow etc) and the other side uses Mana. I open with Stamina Abilities (Snipe, Scattershot, Poison Arrow etc) then I go to the Mana side when my Stamina runs down. Then move back if I have to. Or, open with Mana, then use Stamina when that needs to recharge. But, since you can get Stamina regen up, it's best to use that first. At least with Imperials.

But, your going to use Mana more than Stamina, then again, Siphon is just so much fun. I also enjoy using Sneak Attacks as those an be quite powerful when done right, most enemies are one hits. That requires a mix of Stamina and Mana. I also use Medium Armor (I know, LA is better) but the Stamina Regen means I sneak the entire dungeon and never budge the Stamina Bar. Plus the movement speed increases you can get from NB/Medium means you can sneak past any mob before they even know you were there.

Thanks for the tips. But it's a bit of a shame to not use more of the DW and bow skills as they are pretty cool.

Does relying so much on magicka abilities, and such little stam pool for CQ combat give you a disadvantage on group of mobs? I mean, by the time you finish off the second mob, aren't you running out of ressources for a third or fourth enemy?

Are your builds full magicka?

I forgot to mention that I also use medium armour as they are very helpfull for sneak and weapon crit. But obviously LA armour would make more sense if the NB is relying as much on magicka

You're right, never paid attention to that. I see now to what extent the skirt and broom will have the upper hand in the game. A real shame for me who prefers weapon based combat. Plus, the skirt doesn't fit on my hairy legs

pitdemon_ESO wrote: »

At V9 I have HP at softcap and stam and magicka both about 150 below. No yellow gear or runes so there's plenty of room for improvement.

Forgive my noobyness, but how is this possible without enchants?

also I mix LA and MA.

I am of the firm belief that 'stamina only' builds are a mutation made by players, and that ZOS fully intended EVERY character and class to use magicka and stamina semi-equally.

As two instances which I feel prove this, all finesse abilities use stamina, and all class abilities use magicka. You could play the game without either, but you'd be really hampering yourself.



This is the way things were. But I've seen that ZOS realizes that players sometimes do things they didn't expect or plan for, and are steadily shifting power towards stamina abilities. The reason it goes so slow, is that the game was built with both in mind, and balancing stamina ability powers up to magicka isn't as simply as just a damage boost.

So we get little shifts at a time.



I play two Nightblade characters, one leveling and one at the upper VR ranks about to finish Cadwells Gold. My archer nightblade is my more powerful character, and he can kill three-mobs of several levels higher than himself. The fights are longer (bow has the least damage output of all weapons), but with some forethought you can manage mobs and control the battlefield.

I'm running VR dungeons, soloing group delves, many world bosses and even dolmens (though I am pot heavy and take more than a share of deaths). The game is incredibly possible for archer builds, and I recently started working on dual-wield again on the side and am learning it's in-s and out-s.



As a suggestion for any build: mix your skills in. Don't just use one resource pool. Throw in a siphon or assassins blade to tap into that magicka pool, and swap between strikes to spread out resource usage.

We aren't as powerful as fully synergized light armor/stave builds yet. But we are definitely fully capable. I think we're at a playability point where we're more likely to see nerfs to magick builds than many more buffs to stamina builds (I recognize just how powerful my character is when I play him well, and content feels balanced for my playstyle).

Good luck, Op. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

@Welka, after recent patches the only thing I've noticed truly 'broken' is the cloak. It will break from any damage you do, and this includes DOTs (which so many of our abilities are), HOTs (also common), and certain buffs/debuff timers.

Cloak can be used effectively, but you have to know your timers well. I've seen one player use it perfectly and it never breaks, and another who it breaks every time.

Realize that the four seconds isn't really enough to break aggro and escape the fight, like it is normally used in MMO's. Instead of using it defensively, I suggest using it offensively, popping it to get the temp armor boost and add damage to your next attack, while disrupting mob targeting a moment.

As with every class, I think, we are cursed with passives sometimes quitting when we die. It's happened on every one of my characters, regardless of class, and I've seen them 'fix' it repeatedly in patch notes. Sure, it happens less now, but it's still worth reporting if you notice it.

There are a few that don't reflect on the character sheet, as well, but are actually adding to the output ability/skill.



As far as factions, that's personal choice. I chose and love the Pact. However, the delves and mob layout in Aldmeri Dominion seem to be better suited for sneaking than I ran into in the other zones. Better spacing, more detail to alternate paths, etc. It's been enough for me to notice a difference.



As a side note to cloak: I use mine on a second bar for simply stealthing past everything. Proper application of about four cloaks can get me past most every group of mobs, allowing me to skip entire solo and group delves and only engage the boss mobs and grab skyshards.

Thanks again @ruze84b14_ESO‌. I can tell you have a passion for NB and you're helpful on the matter. I can understand why cloak break if you deal damage. That's how it worked on Skyrim with invisibility potions or spells, and I can make sense of that. But on buffs and HOTs, that's a different matter altogether and it must make it really hard to manage while in combat.

@Marius87‌ I can see why the khajiit for its stealth passive, but wouldn't a magicka oriented race be more helpful?

ruze84b14_ESO wrote: »

@Welka, after recent patches the only thing I've noticed truly 'broken' is the cloak. It will break from any damage you do, and this includes DOTs (which so many of our abilities are), HOTs (also common), and certain buffs/debuff timers.

Cloak can be used effectively, but you have to know your timers well. I've seen one player use it perfectly and it never breaks, and another who it breaks every time.

Realize that the four seconds isn't really enough to break aggro and escape the fight, like it is normally used in MMO's. Instead of using it defensively, I suggest using it offensively, popping it to get the temp armor boost and add damage to your next attack, while disrupting mob targeting a moment.

As with every class, I think, we are cursed with passives sometimes quitting when we die. It's happened on every one of my characters, regardless of class, and I've seen them 'fix' it repeatedly in patch notes. Sure, it happens less now, but it's still worth reporting if you notice it.

There are a few that don't reflect on the character sheet, as well, but are actually adding to the output ability/skill.

Marius87 wrote: »

Nb khajit dW medium armor. Thats my character in PvP But you go all enchants on magika and infused and try to soft cap magika plus spell dmg enchants, Add food buffs and your stamina stays at 1400 while magika is hard capped which is enough for the rest. with this you need ambush for initiate, veiled strike for dmg,stun and impale for execute, the other 2 skills and ultimate you can swap. And this is how you can kill anyone from stealth with nb/

If you want to go hardcore drop a spell power potion and a mark target everytime you ambush someone- its to easy to kill anyone alone, but alas thats not what pvp is about so you will rarely find this scenario.

100x this^

I have played around with multiple NB builds between three different roles (melee/bow dps, tank, caster dps) and really find the dw/bow combo with the above strategies and skills to be very effective and fun. Flying Blade can keep a snare on your target, from a distance at that, to keep the dw passive for increased damage going, Heated Blades (Sparks morph) is basically an "I win" button for tough melee bosses, and mixing in spells like Ambush, Veiled Strike, and Impale you can efficiently carve through some baddies. Also like Ruze said, using the cloak offensively is awesome. With a big enough magicka pool you can basically stun lock groups of mobs to death or use it to sneak past unwanted encounters

Welka wrote: »

Well the issue is, how can you bypass Nightblade skills when you want to play an assassin or thief. I will try the broom and skirt, but it's never been my cup of tea. I like the idea of being that menace in the shadows, the one strike killer you didn't see coming lol

I play the "Shady Assassin" Nightblade and am still heavily reliant on Stamina. The fact it, though, you can't play a "Nightblade" while completely rejecting the Nightblade skills.

My character is dual-wield only, I don't use any other weapons; I have no notable ranged attacks. I sneak in, strike, and disappear. I rely completely on high single target dps and I take on three-packs one mob at a time, typically dropping the first two before the third can react.

Yeah, I use Magicka, but that's to be expected when you're turning invisible right in front of your target. But the stamina becomes important for that third guy; the one who saw you drop his friends and now wants a straight up fight with you now that your Magicka pool is dry. He's the one you blind with your flashing blades, he's the one perforate with flurry while he bleeds out from Blood Craze.

And when all three are lying dead a your feet... You loot and disappear.

Welka wrote: »

Thanks again @ruze84b14_ESO‌. I can tell you have a passion for NB and you're helpful on the matter. I can understand why cloak break if you deal damage. That's how it worked on Skyrim with invisibility potions or spells, and I can make sense of that. But on buffs and HOTs, that's a different matter altogether and it must make it really hard to manage while in combat.

@Marius87‌ I can see why the khajiit for its stealth passive, but wouldn't a magicka oriented race be more helpful?

When i started the game everyone thought Nb will use stamina so khajjit was the go to race at least for me.

A magika strong race for your NB will probably be better all around now since my dungeon setup is light armor resto staff which needs only magika but for that exact build (pvp Single Killer) you're better off with a stamina strong race. For everything else choose magika.

I have a primary bar with bow that I use when fighting. My 2nd bar is more support type things.

Primary
impale
veiled strike
dark cloak
poison arrow
Mark Target

alt = Siphoning one just to get siphon passives (if I need to fire an alt, I switch tabs

With these group, I can take down anyone.

2nd bar I also have a bow

impale
Mark target (keep NBs from sneaking away)
dark cloak
Inner light (find the sneaking PCs)
Rapid maneuver (+30% speed whenever I want it)

alt = Soul magic one to take down someone fast at range.

I do quite well with this setup.



this is PvP only.

When I switch to PvE, I go duel wield mostly...and bar #1 has flurry on it.

I'm not a fan of rooting skills. I've I'm going

Th

ShedsHisTail wrote: »

Welka wrote: »

Well the issue is, how can you bypass Nightblade skills when you want to play an assassin or thief. I will try the broom and skirt, but it's never been my cup of tea. I like the idea of being that menace in the shadows, the one strike killer you didn't see coming lol

I play the "Shady Assassin" Nightblade and am still heavily reliant on Stamina. The fact it, though, you can't play a "Nightblade" while completely rejecting the Nightblade skills.

My character is dual-wield only, I don't use any other weapons; I have no notable ranged attacks. I sneak in, strike, and disappear. I rely completely on high single target dps and I take on three-packs one mob at a time, typically dropping the first two before the third can react.

Yeah, I use Magicka, but that's to be expected when you're turning invisible right in front of your target. But the stamina becomes important for that third guy; the one who saw you drop his friends and now wants a straight up fight with you now that your Magicka pool is dry. He's the one you blind with your flashing blades, he's the one perforate with flurry while he bleeds out from Blood Craze.

And when all three are lying dead a your feet... You loot and disappear.

thats how I used to play I went through all the original un nerfed vet content inc dungeons like that. But I guarantee you will not clear trials or veteran crypt of hearts playing that way.
There is one way ATM dress and stick sad but true. If you can show me a vid of a melee nb pushing over 700 dps sustained for 4 minutes I'll happily eat my words.

Apparition wrote: »

Forget nightblade, the class sucks. I am a nightblade & all we are in cyrodiil is waterboys for the DK's & Sorc's.
We can't go toe to toe with any of them except Templars & nightblades & don't tell me it's my build, I've mixed & matched my build so much my NB is starting to have an identity crisis.
Quite simply we cannot match DK's & Sorc's for regen or power.
Zenimax has no idea how to balance classes, not even close to the mark yet

This is the first time I said this to another player but ... learn to play.

Nighblade its awesome in 1vs1. Cant match DKs Sorcs regen or power? have you ever heard of siphon attacks?

I'm not sure how well this would work in pvp, as I'm mainly spending my time in pve, however I went with a stealthy assassin build with high burst and good sustain.

Currently vet 3 and I've been using this (in variations) since I started. Nothing I've encountered has posed a huge problem.

I'm a Breton (magicka boost, spell pen, and spell res are great since NB melee skills are powered off max magicka but weapon crit), vampire (stealth speed passive and stam+magicka regen passive are the bomb.

I use 5 medium armour and 2 light. (Again, weapon crit and stealth bonuses).

Weapon crit is a priority (so daggers) and softcap magicka, with as much stam as I can get on top.

Bar 1 is dual weild, with flurry, concealed wep, killers blade, cloak, and (siphoning strikes, swallow soul, mark target, ambush - as appropriate), with the assassination ult.

Bar 2 I've used a resto staff for self heals and groups, but I'm just starting to move into dual weild for that too with the DW dot/bleed skill or flurry (depends on if the mob is bleed immune), concealed wep or heated blades (blades for bosses), sap essence, swallow soul, siphoning strikes, and either veil of blades or the siphoning heal ult. That one is in my head, haven't tested it yet though.

Basic premise is bar 1 lets me stealth at almost sprint speed, and tear through 3-4 packs with ease (5+ is a challenge). When I'm in a bit over my head, or fighting a boss, bar 2 gives serious health and resource regen, with sustainable moderate dps.