Stealth Confusion

speedbath · July 2015

I'm trying to figure out how to work stealth into my gameplay. I don't really understand ow we're supposed to use the abilities we have. A NB can go invisible for 2.5 seconds. Are you supposed to use this during combat? For escaping combat? To steal things? Other stealth abilities reduce the stamina cost or the proximity, but I'm used to seeing some kind of backstab damage.

Please advise. I am confused and everyone is laughing at me, and I feel like my characters are disappointed in me. Chaos and sadness!

RSN · July 2015

Stealth is a key weapon in any NB build.

Attacking out of stealth (general sneaking) gives you various combat bonuses including damage bonuses, automatic stunning of targets, damaging target's armor and buffing your own. The Shadow Cloak skill - the 2.5 sec invisibility skill - allows you to get these bonuses during an ongoing fight when coupled with other attacks. Not to mention, it is a great way to stop your target from completing a heavy hit/spell as it loses aggro on you if you disappear.

I would take the time to look over these skill trees to get an idea of how they work both separately and together. NBs are really strong DPS toons when built properly. I generally have stuck to the Shadow and Assassination skill trees, but other, more experienced NB players may be able to give you better advice on how to build your NB. I went heavy on stamina and DPS.

Shadow Skills
http://elderscrollsonline.wiki.fextralife.com/Shadow+Skills

Assassination Skills
http://elderscrollsonline.wiki.fextralife.com/Assassination+Skills

Siphoning Skills
http://elderscrollsonline.wiki.fextralife.com/Siphoning+Skills

This is also useful:
http://elderscrollsonline.info/nightblade

Hope this helps

RSN

Lynx7386 · July 2015

Sneaking/stealth and invisibility are two very different things.

You sneak by crouching. An eye symbol will appear on your screen, when it closes all the way it will say hidden, and at this c point nothing sees you. Stealth has a radius around you in which, if you get in front of an enemy, you will be seen. You can get closer to enemies by staying behind them.

When you use a light or heavy attack, or some abilities, when stealthed behind an enemy, the attack will briefly stun the target, and it will always be a critical hit.

Invisibility, gained by using shadow cloak, only lasts for a couple seconds, but while it holds you can be in font of an enemy and they won't see you. Invisibility does not give the auto crit or stun that sneaking does, but veiled strike / concealed weapon / surprise attack (nightblade ability in the shadow tree) will stun your target if used while you are invisible.

speedbath · July 2015

This helped me out! Thanks guys!