skilled NBs, a question for you

StoHelit · November 2014

So I've seen a couple of times how an epic NB charges in a pack of mobs (4-6) and basically stands there, AOEing everything to death. (Sap Essense and VoB, I guess.) It literally made me think of myself as a worst NB ever, to whom every pack of 3+ is a challenge. What I'd like to know is simply how do you manage to stay alive? If I'm not mistaken we are the only class without a good damage shield, and Sap Essence can't cover damage received. The players I saw were wearing Light btw, or possibly a mix of light&med, hard to say from the distance. Do you invest in Armor, or Health, or probably equip Resto for Healing Ward? I'm thinking respec atm, so would really like some survivability advice.

(I realize that might be a stupid question to ask at vr11, but before anyone decides to throw in a "LTP" comment, well, that's what I came here for, to learn.

Do share some wisdom instead.)

SIN-X · November 2014

Ok well in a nutshell, what I do and im not sure if its me you see but I do a lot of mob farming in crag on X-Sinister-X. I use full light with a 5 set of lock and yea you can just sap,sap sap and drop back to back veils.Sap is not a damage reducer but it heals as you sap so you never run low on health. Don't confuse this with a setup that will be welcome to much in trials as the main focus of that setup is group/self survivability. works great for owning groups/solo dugs and delves and does have its uses such as HM mage and add intensive fights but the warlock can leave you wanting in the crit dept so ridic high single target dps isn't a strong point although if the group is solid a siphon nb is an excellent addition to any trial

StoHelit · November 2014

SIN-X wrote: »

Ok well in a nutshell, what I do and im not sure if its me you see but I do a lot of mob farming in crag on X-Sinister-X. I use full light with a 5 set of lock and yea you can just sap,sap sap and drop back to back veils.Sap is not a damage reducer but it heals as you sap so you never run low on health. Don't confuse this with a setup that will be welcome to much in trials as the main focus of that setup is group/self survivability. works great for owning groups/solo dugs and delves and does have its uses such as HM mage and add intensive fights but the warlock can leave you wanting in the crit dept so ridic high single target dps isn't a strong point although if the group is solid a siphon nb is an excellent addition to any trial

Thank you for your reply! And yeah, quite possibly it was you I saw.

So do I understand correctly that it's only mana pool that matters? I wear Seducer + random mana pieces right now, but I guess it's far far inferior to Warlock...guess I'll have to start farming Warlock pieces after all. Also, what weapon do you use, and which Mundus?

Rune_Relic · November 2014

Make sure you are a magicka based NB and not a stamina one.

SIN-X · November 2014

When doing that I use a 1h and shield, it allows me more magicka from shield chant plus ability to sustain block in large groups. I use the thief stone

StoHelit · November 2014

Rune_Relic wrote: »

Make sure you are a magicka based NB and not a stamina one.

Yeah, this one I have figured out, the painful way. I use Bow/Resto atm - been Sniping since the second beta lol - and now it seems it will have to go, along with Med Armor. I heard about some players being mega successful with Resto/Dual Wield, but heard no names. Would love to know how their mixed builds are working though.

Cody · November 2014

its mostly all LA with a shield, block and spamming sap essence, throwing down veil of blades when its ready, and im pretty sure a set like warlock that gives back some magicka.

Darthryan · November 2014

Basically all you have to do is hold block and spam sap essence. Rinse and repeat. O and sometimes I'll use a impulse, the morph that takes away 10% of mobs health. And barrier as an ultimate from the pvp line is good as well.

Suntzu1414 · November 2014

same here.

Sap/Vob will crush almost every mob (in ESO).
S+B - 5LA/2HA (maxed passives) - will give the right mitigation
(i'm typically 100% Health at all times)

Where i differ : max-out spell dam (soft capped).

Kill Well
ST

StoHelit · November 2014

Thank you guys for your comments:)

I went to Crag today to test it and it really works well. Can't believe I ran with Soul Siphon all this time instead of this awesomeness called VoB. My life would have been much easier lol.

TheBull · November 2014

Siphoning Attacks is your friend OP.

StoHelit · November 2014

TheBull wrote: »

Siphoning Attacks is your friend OP.

I'm still kind of wary of this skill. Losing a slot and 25% damage just...doesn't sound right for a dps. However, I've seen much love towards SA (not so much towards LS, but not sure why), so I guess I should try it out.

Sharee · November 2014

StoHelit wrote: »

TheBull wrote: »

Siphoning Attacks is your friend OP.

I'm still kind of wary of this skill. Losing a slot and 25% damage just...doesn't sound right for a dps. However, I've seen much love towards SA (not so much towards LS, but not sure why), so I guess I should try it out.

You only lose roughly 10% damage, when you compare the damage you do with a skill before and after activation siphoning. The tooltip is misleading.

Suntzu1414 · December 2014

Sharee wrote: »

StoHelit wrote: »

TheBull wrote: »

Siphoning Attacks is your friend OP.

I'm still kind of wary of this skill. Losing a slot and 25% damage just...doesn't sound right for a dps. However, I've seen much love towards SA (not so much towards LS, but not sure why), so I guess I should try it out.

You only lose roughly 10% damage, when you compare the damage you do with a skill before and after activation siphoning. The tooltip is misleading.

i've gone back and forth on this one. Does anyone have Hard Numbers?
(dps throughput vs pool generation).

My only issue: SA in running S+B, no proc for Bash

Kill Well
ST

xaraan · December 2014

Sap works great if you are surrounded by a decent amount of enemies. If there is only a couple, it won't do you as much good. Also using VoBs gives you damage mitigation in addition to the damage it does and using VoBs is pretty much what gives you the damage to finish stuff off because sap on it's own doesn't do a ton of damage.

As for siphoning strikes, I don't run without it unless it's a very short fight. If you are sapping away in the middle of stuff and plan to do that a lot, having siphoning on will not only give you extra saps as it gives you magicka back, but will also renew your stamina that is getting used up from possibly blocking. For those worried about it's drop off in dps, I've run without it, I've run other classes with exact same build (sorc) and it makes a huge difference in a real fight (ie a fight lasting more than a few moments). Once your mana or stamina gets low, your dps drops a lot more than just that reduction siphon causes. But I'd recommend building to compensate for siphoning being on and take advantage of the fact you are using it and build other parts of your character around it. If it's not going to be a long fight though, it's not needed. (And siphon does proc, or have a chance to proc, when you bash - it's happened for me many times).

StoHelit · December 2014

Thank you for your comment:)

xaraan wrote: »

(And siphon does proc, or have a chance to proc, when you bash - it's happened for me many times).

...I probably misunderstand that one. Does it mean that bash counts as a basic weapon attack?

xaraan · December 2014

StoHelit wrote: »

Thank you for your comment:)

xaraan wrote: »

(And siphon does proc, or have a chance to proc, when you bash - it's happened for me many times).

...I probably misunderstand that one. Does it mean that bash counts as a basic weapon attack?

I may be thinking wrong as well. I'm talking about the morph that has a chance to proc on any type of attack. My bad.

eventide03b14a_ESO · December 2014

StoHelit wrote: »

So I've seen a couple of times how an epic NB charges in a pack of mobs (4-6) and basically stands there, AOEing everything to death. (Sap Essense and VoB, I guess.) It literally made me think of myself as a worst NB ever, to whom every pack of 3+ is a challenge. What I'd like to know is simply how do you manage to stay alive? If I'm not mistaken we are the only class without a good damage shield, and Sap Essence can't cover damage received. The players I saw were wearing Light btw, or possibly a mix of light&med, hard to say from the distance. Do you invest in Armor, or Health, or probably equip Resto for Healing Ward? I'm thinking respec atm, so would really like some survivability advice.

(I realize that might be a stupid question to ask at vr11, but before anyone decides to throw in a "LTP" comment, well, that's what I came here for, to learn. Do share some wisdom instead.)

Block.

Suntzu1414 · December 2014

xaraan wrote: »

StoHelit wrote: »

Thank you for your comment:)

xaraan wrote: »

(And siphon does proc, or have a chance to proc, when you bash - it's happened for me many times).

...I probably misunderstand that one. Does it mean that bash counts as a basic weapon attack?

I may be thinking wrong as well. I'm talking about the morph that has a chance to proc on any type of attack. My bad.

I have been told. The SA doesn't proc on Bash.
And its "not consider" a basic weapon attack...lol

Kill Well
ST

Shunravi · December 2014

Suntzu1414 wrote: »

xaraan wrote: »

StoHelit wrote: »

Thank you for your comment:)

xaraan wrote: »

(And siphon does proc, or have a chance to proc, when you bash - it's happened for me many times).

...I probably misunderstand that one. Does it mean that bash counts as a basic weapon attack?

I may be thinking wrong as well. I'm talking about the morph that has a chance to proc on any type of attack. My bad.

I have been told. The SA doesn't proc on Bash.
And its "not consider" a basic weapon attack...lol

Kill Well
ST

SA does indeed proc on bash. I know this because when I am tanking, sometimes I will bash to regain resources with SA.

But, yea, its not a basic weapon attack. Its a modified weapon attack.

xaraan · December 2014

Yeah, that's what I meant by thinking wrong about my SA comment. I tank with my NB and it proc's on bash all the time, but I have the morph that gives it a chance to proc with any type of attack. So it's not going off for the initial proc, but for the morph.

Suntzu1414 · December 2014

So with proc you receive 3% (basic weapon attacks). Correct??

I was running tests today, using WK addon

The result of SA (SS morph), It didn't register any return....on Bash
--- it did return the 15% Stam / Mag (but that was random--higher then 10%)

All other Physical Attacks (light/heavy attacks) ..did register 3% return.

Would appreciate further testing...
Don't trust add ons, don't trust my eyes either ...

Kill Well
ST

AssaultLemming · December 2014

Sap essence and vob is great for crag and dungeons. Try soulshine jewellery for spell damage, and divine for spell crit. I use 5 willows path and 4 twilight for the 15% extra regen and dual swords for 5% extra damage. Keep funnel health and impale on your bar as well as sap, siphoning strikes (morphed to work on all attacks) and inner light. My off bar is resto staff. I carry a destro staff for ranged fights but prefer my swords where possible. I'm also a vamp so extra Regen there also. I dont know if it's 100 percent optimal but it does great ae damage, crazy sustain, reasonable single target damage (trade sap for haste or cripple) very fun build to play and fantastic in dungeons or crag.

AssaultLemming · December 2014

By the way forgot to mention that if you wear 4 pieces twilight and 3 willows path and you make your swords willows and your resto staff twilight then you can switch between 5 set bonuses. With swords out get 15% more regen, with resto staff out receive 10% more incoming healing.

StoHelit · December 2014

AssaultLemming wrote: »

By the way forgot to mention that if you wear 4 pieces twilight and 3 willows path and you make your swords willows and your resto staff twilight then you can switch between 5 set bonuses. With swords out get 15% more regen, with resto staff out receive 10% more incoming healing.

Awesome, I think I'll try that. Thank you:) My only doubt is about Inner Light - never thought it very useful - but I guess the Spell Crit chance is worth it...