Stamblade vs Magblade

TheOOB · June 2017

I've seen a lot of threads about whether magicka or stamina is more effective for the Nightblade, but I see less about how they play. I haven't been able to settle on either over the last couple weeks, and I want to hear people's insights. Which is more versatile, which gives more options, how do they pvp/pve. Power aside, why would you pick one over the other?

Etaniel · June 2017

I've only ever played Stamblade, and mostly in PvP.
The way I play it is a "in and out" type of combat, i'll rely on dealing great burst really fast, and my survivability is based on dodging.

With proc sets, i'll try to bite a nice chunk of hp on whichever target seems weakest, dodge once or twice to let the proc cooldown get back up, maybe reapply buffs during that time, and then charging once again to finish.

This can work as a solo ganking setup, but I play that way in a smallscale group (2-6 players) in which i'll either help focusing down targets, or go for the squishier robe wearing players in the back.

I take advantage of the bow roll speed and sprint to get aroudn very fast, using cloak if necessary.

It's very fast paced, and one mistake can be your undoing, but your damage output and sustain is incredible.

I think in PvE you'll use something like a combination of dual wield and bow dots for your dps rotations.

Magblades that I have seen in PvP will wear you down from range.

davey1107 · June 2017

I have vets of both...I have a third that's a melee stamblade, actually. It's my personal favorite class. Magic and stam play quite differently from one another.

The both rely on sneaking, ambushing and laying down an initial onslaught of burst damage. From that point, as the battle continues, they rely on a lot of dodging, kiting and sneaking around behind enemies (especially in pvp). They both get great resource management tools. I'd say a big difference is that stamblades lend themselves more to insane single target dps, while magblades lay down more AOEs.

Pve

Let's distinguish between end game, and the other 98% of the game's pve. In the 98%, all the questing, delves, etc, nightblades rein supreme to me. They just slaughter their way through everything quickly, with the handy cloak when you want to move even faster.

For end game trials and other pve, NBs have been a bit out of favor. A big part of that was that the CP power creep offered every other class some of the NB's core strengths. For example, NBs get amazing resource return tools. But resources were basically unlimited in update 13, so something like a magsorc could span 2-3 wards and their best attacks and never run dry. This made them better in comparison to magblades. Now with the changes, NBs should edge back into competition. Partially owing to buffs to some of their core skills, and partially because other classes being made weaker brings the bar down.

But it's going to take some time to learn and adjust. I've only taken my NBs out on some world boss dailies...it's a big change and it's going to take fine tuning.

Pvp

My stamblade is my pvp main...he's like a level 31 or something. I play my magblade too, and mostly only pvp with my NB'si..I like the play style.

Played correctly, they are lethal killers. But there's a learning curve. Just walking face to face into a battle like a Derp Knight will get you killed. NBs have to attack from stealth, and then employ combat strategies that confuse and irritate the enemy. You can't take as much damage, so you have to cloak, reposition, grab two attacks while the enemies tries to figure out where you are, cloak, reposition, etc.

I like my stamblade in pvp a great deal more. He's just so powerful. He's set up as a bow gank build currently. I haven't played a lot of update 14 pvp (his dps is up), but before that he snipes for like 13k. He just utterly wrecks keep siegers. In open terrain he's highly vulnerable, but the right use of snares and cloak overcomes this.

Overall

Usually when someone is unsure which class to play I tell them to create each character and play them to around level 10. This can help compare classes, but unfortunately I don't think it helps much with nightblade types. Your best abilities are deep in the trees, and at early levels your stamblade will be using the weak ass magic based skills that take time to morph into his strongest stam abilities. But you could still do this to see if it helps you decide.