Idea - NightBlade Assassin's Blade and Morphs.

Avran_Sylt · April 2017

This is supposed to be a close quarters execute with an optional ranged morph. would love to see it get some interesting changes based around the NB's stealthiness.

My idea would be to add in a stealth component to this skill:

Assassin's Blade:
While in stealth this attack deals 100%-120% more damage (does not stack with the execute, Tier 1 deals 100% more, Tier 4 deals 120% more) or deals 300% more damage if the target is at or below 25% health (in or out of stealth)

Killers Blade:
Stamina Morph, Heals when killing an enemy.
While in stealth this attack deals 130%-150% more damage (does not stack with the execute, Tier 1 deals 130% more, Tier 4 deals 150% more) or deals 300% more damage if the target is at or below 25% health. (in or out of stealth)

Impale:
Becomes Ranged
While in stealth this attack deals 120% more damage (does not stack with execute) or deals 300% more damage if the target is at or below 25% health. (in or out of stealth)

I get that surprise attack is a good attack to hit from stealth, though it is rather odd that assassin's blade is an attack that can only be utilized fully after you beat your enemy around the head a bit, given the name.
So, what do ya think?

BohnT · April 2017

This would be complete trash. Killer's blade doesn't deal much damage to begin with, SA deals more damage out of stealth, gives you 8% damage reduction and deal 8% dmg more against the enemy for 9.6 seconds

mb10 · April 2017

Mate do you realise that the execute is when you've almost killed your target.
How are you going to go into stealth half way through the fight to execute? Makes zero sense

Leave this skill alone the only change I would like to see is the speed of impale to increase because I feel like it takes a while before it hits the enemy compared to other skills

Avran_Sylt · April 2017

@BohnT
It deals about half as much damage as Surprise attack, adding 20% more does beat the 8% bonus from Major Fracture.

@mb10
Mate, I do realize that the execute is for when you've almost killed your target. hence why it will not stack with the execute (that's way too much damage) I propose this in addition to the execute (hence why I said "add in a stealth component"). This is to make the "Assassin's" blade actually usable outside of after you've beaten your target around the head for a while. Surprise attack for the main spammable, this for the assassinate approach.

Avran_Sylt · April 2017

Updated post for clarity.

BohnT · April 2017

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

@BohnT
It deals about half as much damage as Surprise attack, adding 20% more does beat the 8% bonus from Major Fracture.

@mb10
Mate, I do realize that the execute is for when you've almost killed your target. hence why it will not stack with the execute (that's way too much damage) I propose this in addition to the execute (hence why I said "add in a stealth component"). This is to make the "Assassin's" blade actually usable outside of after you've beaten your target around the head for a while. Surprise attack for the main spammable, this for the assassinate approach.

Nope it will never beat SA even with 20% extra damage as you would have to cloak every time you want use it. Don't make NBs rely on invisibility as this will make the class worse with every patch as nb will never get a open field buff just to keep it balanced

Avran_Sylt · April 2017

@BohnT

I don't want it to beat SA in terms of spammability. I want it to beat SA in terms of initial damage application from stealth, I.E. having a sneak damage bonus.

If you want a rotation in PvE: Sneak Assassinate an enemy as the first hit, if they don't die, and are above 25% health, use SA as your reliable spam, until you can execute with your assassinate. Rather than just using SA all the time until you can last hit with the execute.

If you want a rotation in PVP: Sneak assassinate an enemy as the first hit, if they fall under 25% try to finish them off with another assassinate. Otherwise SA followed by an incapacitating strike.

BohnT · April 2017

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

@BohnT

I don't want it to beat SA in terms of spammability. I want it to beat SA in terms of initial damage application from stealth, I.E. having a sneak damage bonus.

If you want a rotation in PvE: Sneak Assassinate an enemy as the first hit, if they don't die, and are above 25% health, use SA as your reliable spam, until you can execute with your assassinate. Rather than just using SA all the time until you can last hit with the execute.

If you want a rotation in PVP: Sneak assassinate an enemy as the first hit, if they fall under 25% try to finish them off with another assassinate. Otherwise SA followed by an incapacitating strike.

It is still stupid as the first 5k more damage mean nothing. Increase the execute range and the skill is a global killer's blade but with additional damage added to stealth you will hurt the nb very hard. Why do you think is stamnb the worst class for trials? Because nbs are build around stealth and making them better in open fights would make other classes obsolete so ZOS decided to make it only worth for bust damage from stealth rather than making it viable in other aspects.

Avran_Sylt · April 2017

@BohnT

I'm confused as to how my change would hurt the NB. it is only a net positive. it adds something onto the skill, it doesn't remove anything at all.

Izaki · April 2017

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

@BohnT

I don't want it to beat SA in terms of spammability. I want it to beat SA in terms of initial damage application from stealth, I.E. having a sneak damage bonus.

If you want a rotation in PvE: Sneak Assassinate an enemy as the first hit, if they don't die, and are above 25% health, use SA as your reliable spam, until you can execute with your assassinate. Rather than just using SA all the time until you can last hit with the execute.

If you want a rotation in PVP: Sneak assassinate an enemy as the first hit, if they fall under 25% try to finish them off with another assassinate. Otherwise SA followed by an incapacitating strike.

Oh yeah, you gonna gank a 80mil health trials boss?

Lol this suggestion is pretty bad, why would you want to add extra functionality to an execute skill? Give similar stuff to other executes then.

Avran_Sylt · April 2017

@IzakiBrotherSs

Sure, you could get a tonne of NB's to initially chunk 2% of the Final bosses health at the start of the battle.

It isn't supposed to be a game changer, rather an accent to the NB class. More noticeable in your lower levels and on squishy targets. For those who do lower level and overland PvE Content, as well as minor usage in PvP.

Izaki · April 2017

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

@IzakiBrotherSs

Sure, you could get a tonne of NB's to initially chunk 2% of the Final bosses health at the start of the battle.

It isn't supposed to be a game changer, rather an accent to the NB class. More noticeable in your lower levels and on squishy targets. For those who do lower level and overland PvE Content, as well as minor usage in PvP.

Yeah, dropping ultimates is much more of burst and besides, there are no NBs in trials anyway.

I'd rather have ZOS make Grim Focus a not so clunky ability. That would give NBs their spot back in trials for sure.

Avran_Sylt · April 2017

@IzakiBrotherSs

In what ways does the Grim Focus ability feel clunky to you? How you apply the conditional damage portion of it?

Izaki · April 2017

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

@IzakiBrotherSs

In what ways does the Grim Focus ability feel clunky to you? How you apply the conditional damage portion of it?

2 casts for measly damage that requires 4 light attacks. Look at it this way: the damage from Merciless = 2 Force Pulses. Except that Merciless has to be cast twice: Merciless Bow Proc + Reapplication = 1 Force Pulse

You're losing more damage than you're gaining cause you waste 2 globals to do the same damage you would do with 1 Force Pulse cast.

Same thing goes for the stamina morph.

Sure it offers great burst, but even then its just clunky AF to use. Not saying hard. I'm saying clunky

BohnT · April 2017

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

@IzakiBrotherSs

In what ways does the Grim Focus ability feel clunky to you? How you apply the conditional damage portion of it?

You have to use Focus twice which feels so stupid plus you have to wait when the bow procs as the bow is a channel that can be easily interrupted.

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

@BohnT

I'm confused as to how my change would hurt the NB. it is only a net positive. it adds something onto the skill, it doesn't remove anything at all.

Any change that increases the damage from stealth leads to an overall damage decrease for all abilities and this hits mainly nbs

Avran_Sylt · April 2017

@BohnT
This stealth damage suggestion is only part of the Assassinate ability, not the class. It is not a class passive. As stated, if the target is below 25% or at 25% health, the ability will function as normal.

@IzakiBrotherSs
Hmm, what about making it an ability that focuses on chaining light/heavy attacks then?

Grim Focus: Focus your deadly intent into your next 4 light/heavy attacks. each attack dealing [x] additional damage with the 4th dealing Twice [2x] that damage

Having the bow be a morph /catering to the ranged part of the class

BohnT · April 2017

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

@BohnT
This stealth damage suggestion is only part of the Assassinate ability, not the class. It is not a class passive. As stated, if the target is below 25% or at 25% health, the ability will function as normal.

@IzakiBrotherSs
Hmm, what about making it an ability that focuses on chaining light/heavy attacks then?

Grim Focus: Focus your deadly intent into your next 4 light/heavy attacks. each attack dealing [x] additional damage with the 4th dealing Twice [2x] that damage

Having the bow be a morph /catering to the ranged part of the class

Yes so it buffs gankers, meaning the forum QQ starts and ZOS nerfs nightblades overall. This and the useless buff make this thread obsolete. Nbs need help and this doesn't help them in any way.

Avran_Sylt · April 2017

@BohnT

Yeah, it does buff gankers, but only gankers who are right on the ass of the person they're ganking, easily countered by many skills and the Sentry set. The bonus damage from the ranged Impale would be negligible and would likely be swapped out for the more powerful snipe + ambush combo which is predominant anyway.

Though, what aspects do you think need improvement on for the NightBlade class?

BohnT · April 2017

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

@BohnT

Yeah, it does buff gankers, but only gankers who are right on the ass of the person they're ganking, easily countered by many skills and the Sentry set. The bonus damage from the ranged Impale would be negligible and would likely be swapped out for the more powerful snipe + ambush combo which is predominant anyway.

Though, what aspects do you think need improvement on for the NightBlade class?

No one runs sentry set believe me. And every good ganker sits at the ass of the enemy as they know how to pick their targets.

I don't have any good ideas for PvE as I mainly pvp.
Make Power extraction useful, give nb some stam class dots buff stam overall

Izaki · April 2017

Just let ZOS do their job man... Suggestions are fun but most of the time ZOS comes up with better stuff even though it never looks like it at first.

Avran_Sylt · April 2017

@IzakiBrotherSs
Yeah, I don't doubt that. I just really like creating things. and theroycrafting set/skills/classes is captivating for me. especially given a forum where I can bounce ideas back and forth to improve upon the basis. I don't actually think that anything I suggest is actually gonna do anything.