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PTS 3.0.4 Nightbaldes Grim Focus. Buff or Nerf ? [Feedback.]. now with Actual Test results...

  • Artis
    Artis
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    Sabbathius wrote: »

    In PvE, honestly, who cares? If you can't beat AI the problem is between the chair and the keyboard anyway.

    Ahahah go take a walk, clear your mind. Yes, we all can beat AI. Most of us can even beat any AI including vet hm mol. But who cares? Well, I for one care if I can come or they will ask a sorc to come instead of me. If you don't understand why PVE balance is important, you probably shouldn't speak about balance.

  • NightbladeMechanics
    NightbladeMechanics
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    makreth wrote: »
    @CavalryPK If you are to talk about magblades exclusively you should change your thread title to magblade instead of NB. The latter includes both stamblades and magblades. Just a clarification because you started talking in general and then cut it down to magblade only.

    He's speaking from his experience with mageblade, but the changes to grim focus apply to both the magicka and stamina morphs. The changes in play style will apply to both classes.

    Fasque wrote: »
    Sabbathius wrote: »
    In PvE, honestly, who cares? If you can't beat AI the problem is between the chair and the keyboard anyway.

    Sorry for Off-Topic but EXACTLY the mindset like this is the reason why Morrowind turned out to be one of the worst patches in the history of this game.

    PVE will struggle not PVP. As long as the power and utility of the class abilities is balanced PVP will always be equal because your opponent has the same benefits or downsides of the patch.

    Really...
    I'm so done with this community and the fact that always the minorities with the loudest voices getting served.

    Shield stackers are annoying, sustain is annoying, burst damage is annoying - I am really wondering why all the PVP guys are still playing PVP since everything seems to be annoying....
    Guess what? Sustain issues will be annoying too. Bazinga!

    But yea let's just not care about the PVE guys because it's their own fault if they can't beat the content anymore they run on a regulary base before. We have to mention that there are a bunch of dps races in the game mechanics which will just be possible to beat with the highest of the underwhelming numers which we all will pull after next patch.

    Sorry for being so bitchy... but what's enough is enough.

    Ps. Best would be to make this ability a toggle anyway. Would fit the intention behind the class the best and wouldn't be the pain as it is to cast in a rotation.
    Frags of a sorc are autoproc too and way stronger than the spectral bow.

    But yea, I guess it would screw up the poor PVP guys, who don't care about the gameplay of teso outside of cyrodiil anyway.

    (I'm sorry for this last one...)

    The premise of your comment (bolded) is flawed because the classes are not influenced equally by any patch. Therefore some players will take each patch harder than others.

    You don't understand PvP balance, and you're just as jaded against PvP as you think some players are against PvE.

    I don't think he understands that this change is a buff to dps (pve) and a nerf to burst (pvp).

    Most of the pve'ers like that don't realise they are just as bad.

    Agreement with both statements. The latter unfortunately goes for most staunchly opinionated people in life.
    Kena
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  • Autolycus
    Autolycus
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    Buff in pve
    Nerf in pvp

    Oh how the tables have changes B)

    Where's the 'sick of pve getting nerfed because of pvp' fanboi's now?

    I'm right here!

    Yes, how the turn tables. Omg so mad cuz pvp fanbois! I will cease whining until the next time pvp causes us major pve nerfs again.
    Edited by Autolycus on May 17, 2017 3:08PM
  • rimmidimdim
    rimmidimdim
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    TheHsN wrote: »
    This Skill should be like cyrstal Frags.. Give it Proc chance when it procs press it insta cast....give it "%30-40 Proc chance" and skill is done....more fun to play easy to control no miss time or cast ....

    This.
  • NightbladeMechanics
    NightbladeMechanics
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    TheHsN wrote: »
    This Skill should be like cyrstal Frags.. Give it Proc chance when it procs press it insta cast....give it "%30-40 Proc chance" and skill is done....more fun to play easy to control no miss time or cast ....

    This.

    Why make mageblade even more like a gimped sorc though? Does class uniqueness mean anything?
    Kena
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  • rimmidimdim
    rimmidimdim
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    TheHsN wrote: »
    This Skill should be like cyrstal Frags.. Give it Proc chance when it procs press it insta cast....give it "%30-40 Proc chance" and skill is done....more fun to play easy to control no miss time or cast ....

    This.

    Why make mageblade even more like a gimped sorc though? Does class uniqueness mean anything?

    Well, because five light attacks and or five heavy attacks in PvP that connect is harder to do than you think. Then when the proc is up you have to cast it, so then you get cc'd and by the time you recover the 20 seconds is over. At least the way mentioned above gives it an actual chance to be used in PvP. I don't know the right answer but this five hits is a huge Nerf in PvP. It just won't work.
    Edited by rimmidimdim on May 17, 2017 10:01PM
  • H4RDFOX
    H4RDFOX
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    Well I ran relentless focus and squeezed out 3 spectral bows within the same time on multiple targets in PVE setting. So no, an increase to the buff time is too much. While buff is active I hit targets that were more tankier, and got the same amount of spectral bows; 3. Also, if after you cast grim focus/whatever morph, and you only get 2 spectral bows, then whats the issue with recast? The NB community wanted a change to grim focus, and we got it. The community wanted a change to Heavy attacks/Light attacks, and we got it. ZoS is doing their job.
    #NoEasyProps
  • ixie
    ixie
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    H4RDFOX wrote: »
    Well I ran relentless focus and squeezed out 3 spectral bows within the same time on multiple targets in PVE setting. So no, an increase to the buff time is too much. While buff is active I hit targets that were more tankier, and got the same amount of spectral bows; 3. Also, if after you cast grim focus/whatever morph, and you only get 2 spectral bows, then whats the issue with recast? The NB community wanted a change to grim focus, and we got it. The community wanted a change to Heavy attacks/Light attacks, and we got it. ZoS is doing their job.

    are you playing stamina or magicka? were you weaving and rotating skills?
    PC EU

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    Paints-With-Frogs - Argonian Nightblade
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  • H4RDFOX
    H4RDFOX
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    I'm trying to get into a BG match to test it out with a current build, but I am unable to get into a match. No weaving of abilities, and its a stamina build. Everything i'm hitting in PVE open world is dying unless I go against a boss, and I can't solo that.
    Edited by H4RDFOX on May 17, 2017 10:30PM
    #NoEasyProps
  • NightbladeMechanics
    NightbladeMechanics
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    TheHsN wrote: »
    This Skill should be like cyrstal Frags.. Give it Proc chance when it procs press it insta cast....give it "%30-40 Proc chance" and skill is done....more fun to play easy to control no miss time or cast ....

    This.

    Why make mageblade even more like a gimped sorc though? Does class uniqueness mean anything?

    Well, because five light attacks and or five heavy attacks in PvP that connect is harder to do than you think. Then when the proc is up you have to cast it, so then you get cc'd and by the time you recover the 20 seconds is over. At least the way mentioned above gives it an actual chance to be used in PvP. I don't know the right answer but this five hits is a huge Nerf in PvP. It just won't work.

    Your light attacks don't have to connect to count toward the proc -- they just have to target an enemy when you fire them. You can wait to fire your proc until you have cc immunity, have cced your opponent(s), or have created some safe distance. And no one obligated you to "have to cast it" when your proc comes up. You don't have to cram multiple bow casts in just because you can next patch, although getting an extra proc or two will be nice given the coming sustain nerfs.

    I agree that 5 hits is an unnecessary nerf to PvP, but you have some L2ping to do if you think Merciless is suddenly or has ever been that troublesome in PvP.
    Kena
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  • NightbladeMechanics
    NightbladeMechanics
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    H4RDFOX wrote: »
    Well I ran relentless focus and squeezed out 3 spectral bows within the same time on multiple targets in PVE setting. So no, an increase to the buff time is too much. While buff is active I hit targets that were more tankier, and got the same amount of spectral bows; 3. Also, if after you cast grim focus/whatever morph, and you only get 2 spectral bows, then whats the issue with recast? The NB community wanted a change to grim focus, and we got it. The community wanted a change to Heavy attacks/Light attacks, and we got it. ZoS is doing their job.

    Getting 3 is typical in PvE. The trouble is getting that theoretical 4th.

    Has anyone tried spamming extra light attacks between some abilities in their rotations in order to squeeze in that last bow? Light attacks can be fired faster than the ability global cooldown, and they did just get their damage buffed. Quickly casting two light attacks after each bow cast might have interesting effects on the rotations.
    Edited by NightbladeMechanics on May 17, 2017 10:40PM
    Kena
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  • H4RDFOX
    H4RDFOX
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    So I weaved in light attacks using two abilities, one has a cast time, and the other doesn't, and I am still able to squeeze out 3 bows. So, that fourth one might be a stretch, but I think it can happen. I'm excited to see how well this plays out in Cyro.
    #NoEasyProps
  • Mojmir
    Mojmir
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    TheHsN wrote: »
    This Skill should be like cyrstal Frags.. Give it Proc chance when it procs press it insta cast....give it "%30-40 Proc chance" and skill is done....more fun to play easy to control no miss time or cast ....

    This.

    Why make mageblade even more like a gimped sorc though? Does class uniqueness mean anything?

    If by unique you mean situtational or pigeon-holed not interested in that.
    Edited by Mojmir on May 17, 2017 11:00PM
  • NightbladeMechanics
    NightbladeMechanics
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    Mojmir wrote: »
    TheHsN wrote: »
    This Skill should be like cyrstal Frags.. Give it Proc chance when it procs press it insta cast....give it "%30-40 Proc chance" and skill is done....more fun to play easy to control no miss time or cast ....

    This.

    Why make mageblade even more like a gimped sorc though? Does class uniqueness mean anything?

    If by unique you mean situtational or pigeon-holed not interested in that.

    Grim Focus does not make it situational or pigeon-holed though.
    Kena
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  • Mojmir
    Mojmir
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    Mojmir wrote: »
    TheHsN wrote: »
    This Skill should be like cyrstal Frags.. Give it Proc chance when it procs press it insta cast....give it "%30-40 Proc chance" and skill is done....more fun to play easy to control no miss time or cast ....

    This.

    Why make mageblade even more like a gimped sorc though? Does class uniqueness mean anything?

    If by unique you mean situtational or pigeon-holed not interested in that.

    Grim Focus does not make it situational or pigeon-holed though.

    The latest change does just that
    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/344737/grim-focus-bugged#latest
    It's not consistent,still clunky on casting,reduce it to 4 light attacks and zos compromise.
  • NightbladeMechanics
    NightbladeMechanics
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    Mojmir wrote: »
    Mojmir wrote: »
    TheHsN wrote: »
    This Skill should be like cyrstal Frags.. Give it Proc chance when it procs press it insta cast....give it "%30-40 Proc chance" and skill is done....more fun to play easy to control no miss time or cast ....

    This.

    Why make mageblade even more like a gimped sorc though? Does class uniqueness mean anything?

    If by unique you mean situtational or pigeon-holed not interested in that.

    Grim Focus does not make it situational or pigeon-holed though.

    The latest change does just that
    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/344737/grim-focus-bugged#latest
    It's not consistent,still clunky on casting,reduce it to 4 light attacks and zos compromise.

    He tried to fire it too early and messed it up. That works the same as on live -- he was impatient and unpracticed with the skill. People in that thread even confirmed that the skill was not bugged.

    You guys will get the hang of using Merciless with practice. Don't automatically assume the skill is bugged or "clunky" just because you haven't learned all of how it works. It has some very involved mechanics under the hood.
    Edited by NightbladeMechanics on May 17, 2017 11:30PM
    Kena
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  • Mojmir
    Mojmir
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    Mojmir wrote: »
    Mojmir wrote: »
    TheHsN wrote: »
    This Skill should be like cyrstal Frags.. Give it Proc chance when it procs press it insta cast....give it "%30-40 Proc chance" and skill is done....more fun to play easy to control no miss time or cast ....

    This.

    Why make mageblade even more like a gimped sorc though? Does class uniqueness mean anything?

    If by unique you mean situtational or pigeon-holed not interested in that.

    Grim Focus does not make it situational or pigeon-holed though.

    The latest change does just that
    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/344737/grim-focus-bugged#latest
    It's not consistent,still clunky on casting,reduce it to 4 light attacks and zos compromise.

    He tried to fire it too early and messed it up. That works the same as on live -- he was impatient and unpracticed with the skill. People in that thread even confirmed that the skill was not bugged.

    You guys will get the hang of using Merciless with practice. Don't automatically assume the skill is bugged or "clunky" just because you haven't learned all of how it works. It has some very involved mechanics under the hood.

    teach us senpai
  • NightbladeMechanics
    NightbladeMechanics
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    Mojmir wrote: »
    Mojmir wrote: »
    Mojmir wrote: »
    TheHsN wrote: »
    This Skill should be like cyrstal Frags.. Give it Proc chance when it procs press it insta cast....give it "%30-40 Proc chance" and skill is done....more fun to play easy to control no miss time or cast ....

    This.

    Why make mageblade even more like a gimped sorc though? Does class uniqueness mean anything?

    If by unique you mean situtational or pigeon-holed not interested in that.

    Grim Focus does not make it situational or pigeon-holed though.

    The latest change does just that
    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/344737/grim-focus-bugged#latest
    It's not consistent,still clunky on casting,reduce it to 4 light attacks and zos compromise.

    He tried to fire it too early and messed it up. That works the same as on live -- he was impatient and unpracticed with the skill. People in that thread even confirmed that the skill was not bugged.

    You guys will get the hang of using Merciless with practice. Don't automatically assume the skill is bugged or "clunky" just because you haven't learned all of how it works. It has some very involved mechanics under the hood.

    teach us senpai

    Ok.

    Grim Focus (including morphs) and Assassin's Will (including Assassin's Scourge) are entirely different abilities. Understanding this is the key to mastering Grim Focus and nightblade as a class. The skill actually works pretty well once you understand its nuances.

    Grim Focus is the buff. Assassin's Will is the proc. They have entirely different properties and behaviors, including entirely different tooltips. Proc Assassin's Will, then hover over it on your ability bar. You'll see.

    Assassin's Will has a .1 second channel time. This is displayed on the tooltip. Attempting to block, roll dodge, or weapon swap animation cancel Assassin's Will too soon will cut into that channel time, interrupting and cancelling the ability. It's exactly the same as blocking, rolling, or weapon swapping while hard casting Crystal Fragments. You wouldn't do that, would you? Frags isn't considered "clunky" or "inconsistent," is it? Follow the same principles, and Grim Focus won't be either.

    Because of the .1 second channel, you also cannot fire the proc at a person who is about to line of sight you. Same as hard casting a Frag at someone about to slip around a tree...if you fire your Assassin's Will or Assassin's Scourge at a target right as they slip around LoS, your proc will vanish.

    There is a brief animation after the channel time that can be animation cancelled. It's the part where you raise the big red bow in front of you and fire the shot, and it can be block, roll, or weapon swap cancelled, eliminating much of the flashy animation. I particularly love cancelling my Assassin's Wills while dodging or blocking a Frag, Dizzying Swing, gap closer, or other telegraphed ability in order to take my opponents by surprise and strike them while they go on the offense. Despite the channel time, animation cancelling the proc properly conceals most of its visible animation. However, animation cancel it too soon, and you clip into that channel time and cancel your proc altogether. It takes practice to master, but it's powerful once you've gotten the muscle memory down.

    Casting the Grim Focus buff can be fully animation cancelled in any way, concealing that you've recasted it. I animation cancel recasts of the ability in the heat of rapid combos all the time in order to take my opponent by surprise with another Assassin's Will soon after the first.

    Your light or heavy attacks do not need to hit the target in order to count toward your proc. As long as you target an enemy while firing the light attacks, they'll count. The opponent can dodge them via rolling or Major Evasion, block them, reflect them, "miss" them via the Blessed set, or even die, and your attacks will still count toward your proc.

    You must wait a split second after firing the final light attack before you can fire the proc, else the proc will fail. @Mojmir this is what that person was doing in the video you linked here. He's trying to fire the proc immediately as he fires that last light attack, even as he hears his "ding" indicator, but that is too soon. This is the ONLY truly clunky feature of the ability. I wish it didn't work this way, but it's such a minor detail that it barely affects the ability's performance. In PvE, this slight delay does not cause casting the proc to exceed the 1 second global cooldown, therefore it does not reduce dps. In PvP, you have to be careful when executing combos in which the light attack weave right before you fire your Assassin's Will/Scourge is the final light attack that procs it. Those combos can still be executed rapidly and successful -- I do them all the time -- but you have to be careful not to botch them. This feature might be a deliberate impediment by the designer of the ability to keep nightblades from comboing in such ways, as Grim Focus is super powerful, but it's likely just a (minor) bug in the ability. That said, I reiterate that once you're used to how this works, the delay is so extremely tiny that it does not impede combos or rotations if you have practiced working around it.

    Assassin's Will and Assassin's Scourge both trigger an audible warning for your target. They both have audio effects for surrounding players and for you, like any ability, but your target gets a special audible queue in addition. It's a louder thump that is unique to these attacks and warns them that the arrow is flying at their face. Try to cc them, hit them in a gap closer or channel, or otherwise take them by surprise to prevent them from dodging or blocking.

    And then there's all the standard stuff that everyone should know... Assassin's Scourge is disease damage, which can apply a healing debuff. Assassin's Will applies a (soon to be somewhat less) nasty snare. Assassin's Will deals more damage than Assassin's Scourge. Relentless Focus gives passive stamina regen..... etc etc.

    I think that's everything... I might add to this comment later if I remember another detail.
    Kena
    Legion XIII
    Excellence without elitism
    Premier small scale PvP

    Legend
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  • Strider_Roshin
    Strider_Roshin
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭
    Remember when Haunting Curse was a buff for PvE, and a nerf for PvP?

    Let's see if Nightblades will get the same treatment that Sorcs got.
  • HuawaSepp
    HuawaSepp
    ✭✭✭
    You must wait a split second after firing the final light attack before you can fire the proc, else the proc will fail. @Mojmir this is what that person was doing in the video you linked here. He's trying to fire the proc immediately as he fires that last light attack, even as he hears his "ding" indicator, but that is too soon. This is the ONLY truly clunky feature of the ability. I wish it didn't work this way, but it's such a minor detail that it barely affects the ability's performance. In PvE, this slight delay does not cause casting the proc to exceed the 1 second global cooldown, therefore it does not reduce dps. In PvP, you have to be careful when executing combos in which the light attack weave right before you fire your Assassin's Will/Scourge is the final light attack that procs it. Those combos can still be executed rapidly and successful -- I do them all the time -- but you have to be careful not to botch them. This feature might be a deliberate impediment by the designer of the ability to keep nightblades from comboing in such ways, as Grim Focus is super powerful, but it's likely just a (minor) bug in the ability. That said, I reiterate that once you're used to how this works, the delay is so extremely tiny that it does not impede combos or rotations if you have practiced working around it.

    It's true that you can fire off the arrow a bit after the skill expires, but I think I can't wait that little moment 4 times in a row.
    If I can only fire off 3 arrows anyways, I can wait for the 6th weave too.
    That was what I want to achieve in my video.
    PTS-EU
  • rimmidimdim
    rimmidimdim
    ✭✭✭
    Well I guess it is a l2p issue then. So my light and heavy attacks count towards the proc as long as I target someone? Even if they roll dodge, dodge, move to far away ect? Even if I'm DW? Is there a distance on this? I guess some practice dummy practice coming up, probably alot of it.
  • PS4_ZeColmeia
    PS4_ZeColmeia
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    I don't know why they couldn't make firing spectral bow mechanics the same and let the firing of the bow, recast the skill.

    This mechanic change only helps off bar PvE. This and path need the 24 second length.
    PSN: ***___Chan (3 _s)
    Hybrid, All-Role NB
  • Strider_Roshin
    Strider_Roshin
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭
    I don't know why they couldn't make firing spectral bow mechanics the same and let the firing of the bow, recast the skill.

    This mechanic change only helps off bar PvE. This and path need the 24 second length.

    Beats me, I would've loved the change
  • NightbladeMechanics
    NightbladeMechanics
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    Well I guess it is a l2p issue then. So my light and heavy attacks count towards the proc as long as I target someone? Even if they roll dodge, dodge, move to far away ect? Even if I'm DW? Is there a distance on this? I guess some practice dummy practice coming up, probably alot of it.

    You need to be in range of the opponent. Destro pew pew will count at range if they dodge. Dual wield light attacks will also count if dodged, but you need to be in melee range.
    Kena
    Legion XIII
    Excellence without elitism
    Premier small scale PvP

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  • NightbladeMechanics
    NightbladeMechanics
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    I don't know why they couldn't make firing spectral bow mechanics the same and let the firing of the bow, recast the skill.

    This mechanic change only helps off bar PvE. This and path need the 24 second length.

    I don't understand what you mean by making firing spectral bow mechanics "the same."

    Making firing the bow recast the skill would be broken in PvP and uninteresting in both PvP and PvE. It would be broken in PvP because mageblade would lose a built in damper to its offensive momentum. We would essentially go from "one shot one kill" behavior with Merciless, saving it for just the right moment, to spamming the procs as they come up without thought. That would be overwhelming.

    It would be uninteresting because it would operate identically to frag normalized for rng.

    33% chance to proc a frag on ability cast = one frag after every 3rd ability cast, on average.
    Spectral bow procs after every 4 light attacks on live. With proper weaving, that's 1 bow after every 3rd ability cast.

    Mageblade would become even more of a gimped sorc.
    Kena
    Legion XIII
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    Legend
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  • CavalryPK
    CavalryPK
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    I don't know why they couldn't make firing spectral bow mechanics the same and let the firing of the bow, recast the skill.

    This mechanic change only helps off bar PvE. This and path need the 24 second length.

    hmm. I think he means ... when you fire the spectral bow. it automatically refreshes grim focus. This is probably the best case scenario for us. If this is the case I would not mind having 5x light attacks to proc the bow. This would probably be a major buff to us. likely never to happen.
    THE CAVELRY HAS ARRIVED! Cav is a professional magblade, (in his not so professional opinion). He is immortal and is fighting for the Pact since 2E 572, amidst the turmoil of the Second Akaviri Invasion. He protects the provinces of Skyrim, Morrowind and Black Marsh.

    Check out his PVP YouTube channel !

    https://youtube.com/TheCavalryPK
  • NightbladeMechanics
    NightbladeMechanics
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    CavalryPK wrote: »
    I don't know why they couldn't make firing spectral bow mechanics the same and let the firing of the bow, recast the skill.

    This mechanic change only helps off bar PvE. This and path need the 24 second length.

    hmm. I think he means ... when you fire the spectral bow. it automatically refreshes grim focus. This is probably the best case scenario for us. If this is the case I would not mind having 5x light attacks to proc the bow. This would probably be a major buff to us. likely never to happen.

    It would be a major buff, but it would also degrade class uniqueness and make the class easier to play, in my opinion unnecessarily. Also remember that with every buff comes a comparable nerf. You see what they did to it in this last PTS -- two careless PvP nerfs in return for one minor PvE buff. If they let firing the bow refresh the buff entirely, they'd probably revert the skill to requiring 7 light attacks per proc like in the old days, and reduce the damage "to be more on par with Crystal Fragments."

    Be careful what you ask for. There's a reason I'm so against tampering with this ability. ZOS doesn't like or understand nightblade. Changes will not end well for us. This is not the Haunting Curse incident of Homestead PTS.
    Edited by NightbladeMechanics on May 18, 2017 4:06PM
    Kena
    Legion XIII
    Excellence without elitism
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    Legend
    NA/PC's original dueling and PvP community guild
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  • ixie
    ixie
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Mojmir wrote: »
    Mojmir wrote: »
    Mojmir wrote: »
    TheHsN wrote: »
    This Skill should be like cyrstal Frags.. Give it Proc chance when it procs press it insta cast....give it "%30-40 Proc chance" and skill is done....more fun to play easy to control no miss time or cast ....

    This.

    Why make mageblade even more like a gimped sorc though? Does class uniqueness mean anything?

    If by unique you mean situtational or pigeon-holed not interested in that.

    Grim Focus does not make it situational or pigeon-holed though.

    The latest change does just that
    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/344737/grim-focus-bugged#latest
    It's not consistent,still clunky on casting,reduce it to 4 light attacks and zos compromise.

    He tried to fire it too early and messed it up. That works the same as on live -- he was impatient and unpracticed with the skill. People in that thread even confirmed that the skill was not bugged.

    You guys will get the hang of using Merciless with practice. Don't automatically assume the skill is bugged or "clunky" just because you haven't learned all of how it works. It has some very involved mechanics under the hood.

    teach us senpai

    Ok.

    Grim Focus (including morphs) and Assassin's Will (including Assassin's Scourge) are entirely different abilities. Understanding this is the key to mastering Grim Focus and nightblade as a class. The skill actually works pretty well once you understand its nuances.

    Grim Focus is the buff. Assassin's Will is the proc. They have entirely different properties and behaviors, including entirely different tooltips. Proc Assassin's Will, then hover over it on your ability bar. You'll see.

    Assassin's Will has a .1 second channel time. This is displayed on the tooltip. Attempting to block, roll dodge, or weapon swap animation cancel Assassin's Will too soon will cut into that channel time, interrupting and cancelling the ability. It's exactly the same as blocking, rolling, or weapon swapping while hard casting Crystal Fragments. You wouldn't do that, would you? Frags isn't considered "clunky" or "inconsistent," is it? Follow the same principles, and Grim Focus won't be either.

    Because of the .1 second channel, you also cannot fire the proc at a person who is about to line of sight you. Same as hard casting a Frag at someone about to slip around a tree...if you fire your Assassin's Will or Assassin's Scourge at a target right as they slip around LoS, your proc will vanish.

    There is a brief animation after the channel time that can be animation cancelled. It's the part where you raise the big red bow in front of you and fire the shot, and it can be block, roll, or weapon swap cancelled, eliminating much of the flashy animation. I particularly love cancelling my Assassin's Wills while dodging or blocking a Frag, Dizzying Swing, gap closer, or other telegraphed ability in order to take my opponents by surprise and strike them while they go on the offense. Despite the channel time, animation cancelling the proc properly conceals most of its visible animation. However, animation cancel it too soon, and you clip into that channel time and cancel your proc altogether. It takes practice to master, but it's powerful once you've gotten the muscle memory down.

    Casting the Grim Focus buff can be fully animation cancelled in any way, concealing that you've recasted it. I animation cancel recasts of the ability in the heat of rapid combos all the time in order to take my opponent by surprise with another Assassin's Will soon after the first.

    Your light or heavy attacks do not need to hit the target in order to count toward your proc. As long as you target an enemy while firing the light attacks, they'll count. The opponent can dodge them via rolling or Major Evasion, block them, reflect them, "miss" them via the Blessed set, or even die, and your attacks will still count toward your proc.

    You must wait a split second after firing the final light attack before you can fire the proc, else the proc will fail. @Mojmir this is what that person was doing in the video you linked here. He's trying to fire the proc immediately as he fires that last light attack, even as he hears his "ding" indicator, but that is too soon. This is the ONLY truly clunky feature of the ability. I wish it didn't work this way, but it's such a minor detail that it barely affects the ability's performance. In PvE, this slight delay does not cause casting the proc to exceed the 1 second global cooldown, therefore it does not reduce dps. In PvP, you have to be careful when executing combos in which the light attack weave right before you fire your Assassin's Will/Scourge is the final light attack that procs it. Those combos can still be executed rapidly and successful -- I do them all the time -- but you have to be careful not to botch them. This feature might be a deliberate impediment by the designer of the ability to keep nightblades from comboing in such ways, as Grim Focus is super powerful, but it's likely just a (minor) bug in the ability. That said, I reiterate that once you're used to how this works, the delay is so extremely tiny that it does not impede combos or rotations if you have practiced working around it.

    Assassin's Will and Assassin's Scourge both trigger an audible warning for your target. They both have audio effects for surrounding players and for you, like any ability, but your target gets a special audible queue in addition. It's a louder thump that is unique to these attacks and warns them that the arrow is flying at their face. Try to cc them, hit them in a gap closer or channel, or otherwise take them by surprise to prevent them from dodging or blocking.

    And then there's all the standard stuff that everyone should know... Assassin's Scourge is disease damage, which can apply a healing debuff. Assassin's Will applies a (soon to be somewhat less) nasty snare. Assassin's Will deals more damage than Assassin's Scourge. Relentless Focus gives passive stamina regen..... etc etc.

    I think that's everything... I might add to this comment later if I remember another detail.

    @NightbladeMechanics thanks for the detailed advice.

    I have trouble weaving swallow soul, it will often cancel my light attack so I tend to do medium weave, it used to work, I'm not sure which update broke it, probably Thieves Guild, is there some trick to it?
    PC EU

    Ixie - Breton Nightblade
    Paints-With-Frogs - Argonian Nightblade
    Swee Troll - Crafter Dragonknight
  • CavalryPK
    CavalryPK
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    CavalryPK wrote: »
    I don't know why they couldn't make firing spectral bow mechanics the same and let the firing of the bow, recast the skill.

    This mechanic change only helps off bar PvE. This and path need the 24 second length.

    hmm. I think he means ... when you fire the spectral bow. it automatically refreshes grim focus. This is probably the best case scenario for us. If this is the case I would not mind having 5x light attacks to proc the bow. This would probably be a major buff to us. likely never to happen.

    It would be a major buff, but it would also degrade class uniqueness and make the class easier to play, in my opinion unnecessarily. Also remember that with every buff comes a comparable nerf. You see what they did to it in this last PTS -- two careless PvP nerfs in return for one minor PvE buff. If they let firing the bow refresh the buff entirely, they'd probably revert the skill to requiring 7 light attacks per proc like in the old days, and reduce the damage "to be more on par with Crystal Fragments."

    Be careful what you ask for. There's a reason I'm so against tampering with this ability. ZOS doesn't like or understand nightblade. Changes will not end well for us. This is not the Haunting Curse incident of Homestead PTS.

    Ye know 2 ESO lives ago. I got comfortable with the fact that they were not going to touch Grim Focus. Although I hated/loved that skill, I got really accustomed to it. With all this changes happening, I am more worried about future changes then excited.

    You are right. I Rather keep my class uniqueness. I sort of feel special when I run around in PVP and I never run into another magblade.

    I am concerned that if they simplify the class then you will end up having magblades running around all over the place. just like that time where every one was a stam sorc.
    Edited by CavalryPK on May 18, 2017 5:03PM
    THE CAVELRY HAS ARRIVED! Cav is a professional magblade, (in his not so professional opinion). He is immortal and is fighting for the Pact since 2E 572, amidst the turmoil of the Second Akaviri Invasion. He protects the provinces of Skyrim, Morrowind and Black Marsh.

    Check out his PVP YouTube channel !

    https://youtube.com/TheCavalryPK
  • CavalryPK
    CavalryPK
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ixie wrote: »
    Mojmir wrote: »
    Mojmir wrote: »
    Mojmir wrote: »
    TheHsN wrote: »
    This Skill should be like cyrstal Frags.. Give it Proc chance when it procs press it insta cast....give it "%30-40 Proc chance" and skill is done....more fun to play easy to control no miss time or cast ....

    This.

    Why make mageblade even more like a gimped sorc though? Does class uniqueness mean anything?

    If by unique you mean situtational or pigeon-holed not interested in that.

    Grim Focus does not make it situational or pigeon-holed though.

    The latest change does just that
    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/344737/grim-focus-bugged#latest
    It's not consistent,still clunky on casting,reduce it to 4 light attacks and zos compromise.

    He tried to fire it too early and messed it up. That works the same as on live -- he was impatient and unpracticed with the skill. People in that thread even confirmed that the skill was not bugged.

    You guys will get the hang of using Merciless with practice. Don't automatically assume the skill is bugged or "clunky" just because you haven't learned all of how it works. It has some very involved mechanics under the hood.

    teach us senpai

    Ok.

    Grim Focus (including morphs) and Assassin's Will (including Assassin's Scourge) are entirely different abilities. Understanding this is the key to mastering Grim Focus and nightblade as a class. The skill actually works pretty well once you understand its nuances.

    Grim Focus is the buff. Assassin's Will is the proc. They have entirely different properties and behaviors, including entirely different tooltips. Proc Assassin's Will, then hover over it on your ability bar. You'll see.

    Assassin's Will has a .1 second channel time. This is displayed on the tooltip. Attempting to block, roll dodge, or weapon swap animation cancel Assassin's Will too soon will cut into that channel time, interrupting and cancelling the ability. It's exactly the same as blocking, rolling, or weapon swapping while hard casting Crystal Fragments. You wouldn't do that, would you? Frags isn't considered "clunky" or "inconsistent," is it? Follow the same principles, and Grim Focus won't be either.

    Because of the .1 second channel, you also cannot fire the proc at a person who is about to line of sight you. Same as hard casting a Frag at someone about to slip around a tree...if you fire your Assassin's Will or Assassin's Scourge at a target right as they slip around LoS, your proc will vanish.

    There is a brief animation after the channel time that can be animation cancelled. It's the part where you raise the big red bow in front of you and fire the shot, and it can be block, roll, or weapon swap cancelled, eliminating much of the flashy animation. I particularly love cancelling my Assassin's Wills while dodging or blocking a Frag, Dizzying Swing, gap closer, or other telegraphed ability in order to take my opponents by surprise and strike them while they go on the offense. Despite the channel time, animation cancelling the proc properly conceals most of its visible animation. However, animation cancel it too soon, and you clip into that channel time and cancel your proc altogether. It takes practice to master, but it's powerful once you've gotten the muscle memory down.

    Casting the Grim Focus buff can be fully animation cancelled in any way, concealing that you've recasted it. I animation cancel recasts of the ability in the heat of rapid combos all the time in order to take my opponent by surprise with another Assassin's Will soon after the first.

    Your light or heavy attacks do not need to hit the target in order to count toward your proc. As long as you target an enemy while firing the light attacks, they'll count. The opponent can dodge them via rolling or Major Evasion, block them, reflect them, "miss" them via the Blessed set, or even die, and your attacks will still count toward your proc.

    You must wait a split second after firing the final light attack before you can fire the proc, else the proc will fail. @Mojmir this is what that person was doing in the video you linked here. He's trying to fire the proc immediately as he fires that last light attack, even as he hears his "ding" indicator, but that is too soon. This is the ONLY truly clunky feature of the ability. I wish it didn't work this way, but it's such a minor detail that it barely affects the ability's performance. In PvE, this slight delay does not cause casting the proc to exceed the 1 second global cooldown, therefore it does not reduce dps. In PvP, you have to be careful when executing combos in which the light attack weave right before you fire your Assassin's Will/Scourge is the final light attack that procs it. Those combos can still be executed rapidly and successful -- I do them all the time -- but you have to be careful not to botch them. This feature might be a deliberate impediment by the designer of the ability to keep nightblades from comboing in such ways, as Grim Focus is super powerful, but it's likely just a (minor) bug in the ability. That said, I reiterate that once you're used to how this works, the delay is so extremely tiny that it does not impede combos or rotations if you have practiced working around it.

    Assassin's Will and Assassin's Scourge both trigger an audible warning for your target. They both have audio effects for surrounding players and for you, like any ability, but your target gets a special audible queue in addition. It's a louder thump that is unique to these attacks and warns them that the arrow is flying at their face. Try to cc them, hit them in a gap closer or channel, or otherwise take them by surprise to prevent them from dodging or blocking.

    And then there's all the standard stuff that everyone should know... Assassin's Scourge is disease damage, which can apply a healing debuff. Assassin's Will applies a (soon to be somewhat less) nasty snare. Assassin's Will deals more damage than Assassin's Scourge. Relentless Focus gives passive stamina regen..... etc etc.

    I think that's everything... I might add to this comment later if I remember another detail.

    @NightbladeMechanics thanks for the detailed advice.

    I have trouble weaving swallow soul, it will often cancel my light attack so I tend to do medium weave, it used to work, I'm not sure which update broke it, probably Thieves Guild, is there some trick to it?

    I try to stay away from medium weave.. especially when you are fighting a stam build or mag DK. since they run back and forth (behind/through you) while you are snared... you some how get stuck in the desrto heavy attack animation can cannot use any skill for a brief second. which is really annoying.. you sort of have to keep medium weave usage to minimum unless you know you can land you burst properly.
    THE CAVELRY HAS ARRIVED! Cav is a professional magblade, (in his not so professional opinion). He is immortal and is fighting for the Pact since 2E 572, amidst the turmoil of the Second Akaviri Invasion. He protects the provinces of Skyrim, Morrowind and Black Marsh.

    Check out his PVP YouTube channel !

    https://youtube.com/TheCavalryPK
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