NB tank

Squa · March 2015

So has any one run one? Any tips? I've been thinking of making my v14 NB into a tank.

Right now I'm looking at 5 piece histbark and 5 piece footmans. It would use skips like immovable, mirage, sap, and siphon.

Basically I want to know if people have tried it and if it is a waste of time (and money) or if it might work lol.

Vandril · March 2015

Yes, NBs can tank. Any class can perform any role roughly as well as any other class.

Unfortunately, I've never done it, so I don't know any particular builds.

Squa · March 2015

Vandril wrote: »

Yes, NBs can tank. Any class can perform any role roughly as well as any other class.

Unfortunately, I've never done it, so I don't know any particular builds.

I generally agree with that too, but I want some advice when I implement it, and to know if it is just sub par before I burn a big chunk of change of footmans. Also, I can't find much about NB tanks, so I hoped this discussion might get that information out there.

On a side note, I tanked on this char from v4-6 and was ok at best as a tank. I'm wondering if things are different now.

Shunravi · March 2015

I've tanked everything in the game with my nightblade. It works fine. (Though you may need to get good at burst healing yourself up with a resto staff if you want to tank vDSA.)

I currently run 5 hist, 5 footmans, and 2 Bloodspawn.

What I have on my bar can vary from fight to fight, but in 1.6, a shadow ability is a good idea in order to activate shadow barrier. I recommend path. Shades can work if you don't plan on using low slash for the debuff.

Sap + Siphoning Attacks will get you through any AOE pull with ease.

Absorb magic, mirage and immovable are all good options to look into.

Also, my associate Panda244 posted this build.

Panda244 wrote: »

"The Nutella Nightblade" - PvP Build
5 Set Hist Bark

5 Pieces of Heavy Armor with Impenetrable, Enchanted with Health/Magicka

2 Set Malubeth's Scourge

2 Pieces of Light Armor with Infused, Enchanted with Stamina

3 Set Dominion's Potentate

Sword/Shield + Neck, with Defending/Impenetrable + Healthy, Enchanted with Disease/Health/Block Cost Reduction

2 Set Cyrodiil's Light

Rings, with Arcane, Enchanted with Spell Damage

Main Bar (Sword/Shield)
Swallow Soul

Sap Essence

Absorb Magic

Invasion

Siphoning Attacks

Ultimate: Veil of Blades

Off Bar (Restoration Staff)
Refreshing Path

Rapid Regeneration

Structured Entropy

Cleanse

Unstoppable

Ultimate: Soul Assault/Replenishing Barrier/Soul Tether

[Attributes]: 16 Stamina, 16 Health, 30 Magicka.

PvP build, works fine in PvE, just change up skills as you go, won't need Unstoppable or Cleanse on the second bar and going to need a taunt on the main bar, I've tanked every vet dungeon and 20+ people in Cyrodiil with this build, it's never failed me, not yet anyway

I also have a few nightblade tanks in my guild who runs some different things. But we all like changing it up from time to time.

Squa · March 2015

Thanks for all that info! Quick question, what kind of magics/stamina/health ratios due you have?

Shunravi · March 2015

0m/57h/5s

Though that is subject to change.

Panda244 · March 2015

Shunravi wrote: »

I've tanked everything in the game with my nightblade. It works fine. (Though you may need to get good at burst healing yourself up with a resto staff if you want to tank vDSA.)

I currently run 5 hist, 5 footmans, and 2 Bloodspawn.

What I have on my bar can vary from fight to fight, but in 1.6, a shadow ability is a good idea in order to activate shadow barrier. I recommend path. Shades can work if you don't plan on using low slash for the debuff.

Sap + Siphoning Attacks will get you through any AOE pull with ease.

Absorb magic, mirage and immovable are all good options to look into.

Also, my associate Panda244 posted this build.

Panda244 wrote: »

"The Nutella Nightblade" - PvP Build
5 Set Hist Bark

5 Pieces of Heavy Armor with Impenetrable, Enchanted with Health/Magicka

2 Set Malubeth's Scourge

2 Pieces of Light Armor with Infused, Enchanted with Stamina

3 Set Dominion's Potentate

Sword/Shield + Neck, with Defending/Impenetrable + Healthy, Enchanted with Disease/Health/Block Cost Reduction

2 Set Cyrodiil's Light

Rings, with Arcane, Enchanted with Spell Damage

Main Bar (Sword/Shield)
Swallow Soul

Sap Essence

Absorb Magic

Invasion

Siphoning Attacks

Ultimate: Veil of Blades

Off Bar (Restoration Staff)
Refreshing Path

Rapid Regeneration

Structured Entropy

Cleanse

Unstoppable

Ultimate: Soul Assault/Replenishing Barrier/Soul Tether

[Attributes]: 16 Stamina, 16 Health, 30 Magicka.

PvP build, works fine in PvE, just change up skills as you go, won't need Unstoppable or Cleanse on the second bar and going to need a taunt on the main bar, I've tanked every vet dungeon and 20+ people in Cyrodiil with this build, it's never failed me, not yet anyway

I also have a few nightblade tanks in my guild who runs some different things. But we all like changing it up from time to time.

Your associate, blasphemy! I'm your employer damn it!

Generally all a Nightblade needs to tank is Swallow Soul + Rapid Regen, that can usually get you to recover from large hits without the healer having to do anything, against groups of mobs, you're virtually invincible, because Sap Essence OP. As @Shunravi pointed out, use Shades or Refreshing Path to keep the Shadow Barrier active to lulzcap your armor and spell resistance, Defensive Posture = Absorb Magic/Defensive Stance, as it increases your block mitigation and decreases block cost, Absorb Magic is also a relatively powerful self heal, but only works on spell projectiles, when I tank in PvE on my NB I spend more time on my Restoration Staff bar spamming Refreshing Path, Swallow Soul, Entropy, and Rapid Regeneration, then I do actually blocking on my Sword/Board... Any damage I take, throw up Healing Ward, the HoTs will heal me to full health before the damage shield breaks, use Bone Shield in 1.6, it also grants a damage shield equal to 30% of your maximum health now. OP AF.

Shunravi · March 2015

Also, I like using Mark Target as it applies the debuff for the group now, and it can be a pretty effective self heal if used correctly. You can also use it to tell the group what you want them to focus fire....

I use calthrops for trash pulls and adds in general. It's an aoe cc, and it tends to make mobs really want to attack you. (Still not 100% if there is a threat table, but it seems to generate high threat.)

Kalinblack · February 2016

http://esoacademy.com/builds/shadow-bulwark/

Autolycus · February 2016

old thread

Stannum · February 2016

I'm using 4 Eyes of Mara + 4(5)Magnus for leveling my NB tank (resto+1H&Sh). Armor = 5h+1m+1l mix. It gives me good spelldmg bonus for making solo leveling faster and also provides good resourse managment in group dangeons I can almost permablock keeping siphoning attacks up. After leveling i'm thinking of switching more to PvP sets. May be black rose or smthing else.

Samphaa · February 2016

Nightblade tanking is awesome

I run Pierce Armour, Twisting Path, Funnel Health, Defensive Posture, Sap Essence

Inner fire, Caltrops, Summon Shade, Double Take, Siphoning Attacks

2 Engine Guardian
5 Twice Born Star
5 Footmans

You get the 5 piece hist bark bonus from double take so it's a waste on a nightblade tank, with TBS you have a choice of mundus stones so can go more resources/more resistance...whichever you prefer.

Unfortunately with the upcoming change to siphoning attacks resource management on a nightblade tank just got a lot harder.

For mobs just activate siphoning attacks, throw a caltrops and twisting path in there and sap essence till everything is dead. For single target, pierce armour provide the debuff, summon shade reduces their damage, and funnel health is your spammable/heal over time. Remember to use twisting path every 10 seconds to proc the shadow barrier passive and get 5.2k resistances. Keep siphoning attacks up 24/7 for unlimited resources....for now.

The beauty of nightblade tanking is they can help alot with dps aswell but have less utility to move enemies around like a DK.

Use the soul harvest ultimate on your sap essence bar as you will build ultimate really really fast, back bar I use veil of blades/shooting star/aggressive warhorn.

If you have your bars set up like me you'll make use of the nightblade passives from each skill line

Samphaa · February 2016

Wow....March 2015.....I think 'necro' is the right word here.