My main is a stamblade...he's all I pvp with. I don't agree that it's THAT bad currently. However, in pvp the champion point power creep has helped other classes overcome their weaknesses more than NBs. For example, DKs are supposed to be lower damage in exchange for the tankiness. But with unlimited resources they can spam their best abilities and pump everything into damage. Sorcs can run endless shields while pumping everything into damage. Ugh.

Hopefully Morrowind helps some of this. NBs had power in their ability to restore resources...if other classes have reduced resources, NBs might be helped by default. Regardless...it's not impossible to play a stamblade currently. You have some options:

Bow gank build

Marksman, hawks eye and 1 kragh or Molag kena.

Buffed appropriately, I can snipe for 14k. This build,racks up AP in keep defenses and resource AP farms. It has to be picky with targets, and is squishy and hopeless up close. Skills of note: poison inject and snipe, but also relentless focus for dps. I like draining shot as an emergency stun. Ballista for ultimate gives super fun gank opportunities. On back bar of note rally, magelight (for 20% boost to first hit). I share a slot with retreating, propelling shield and rearming trap. If I'm in a keep defense, my propel shield can often give me distance to siege engines. Trap is a fantastic...ER...trap.

Note - due to STUPID Zos decision these sets don't have other weapons any more. You'll have to run a junk 2h...suck.


Melee ganker

Spriggans and alchemist, or Hundings rage.

This build can be a little dangerous in pvp right now. It can be hard to guess which targets are squishy. On the bow, if you hit a sorc and it does 300 damage (wah wah) you can just leave. This build is more commitment...attack without fear or mercy, understanding you'll be visiting the nearest transit shrine a lot.

Here my bow bar becomes a back bar, I keep poison inject, relentless and ballista (ha). I bring magelight over here, and shuffle or mirage. The attack bar is rally, ambush, surprise attack, cloak. It's a hunt and kill or die ultimatum.


Small group / Zerg build

A dw/bow build is viable if you run with a group. On the attack bar relentless, rapid strikes, reading slash or shrouded daggers, ambush. Kinda the same bow retreat bar, and the same gear as the Melee ganker. I find the classic NB dw setup to be the most fun...it's possible in a group because some of the pressuremto heal is reduced, and you can downgrade abilities from "extreme damage" to "lots of damage".


Other note

I find when people say a NB isn't fun in pvp, a lot of time they aren't playing like a NB. These toons are not knights in shining armor. If played by running right into an oncoming group, they will suck. To be fun, they need to be played like an assassin...cloak, move around your targets, strike in a moment of weakness, don't stay stationary, don't stay in one place for very long. Your job as a NB is to confuse, terrorize, distract, obfuscate and annoy.