Depends. I have a Khajiit magblade which I love, but I recently made an Argonian magblade which is more efficient (that healing is simply awesome). Of those you listed, Altmer has a larger magicka pool, so if you don't care for looks or backstory I'd recommend Altmer.

Either Altmer or Dunmer.

Dunmer is probably best, since you'll be using fire staves anyways as a magblade, but Altmer is plenty good too. Breton can have it's niche, if you play PvP, the extra spell resistance is nice if you're fighting magsorcs while in light armor, and don't know how to cloak (which would be me).

If you're thinking about sustain, then, no Altmer are not the best, Bretons are. They have the same 10% max magicka, but also some magicka cost reduction. It's been nerfed, and it's just 3% now, but if you add it up to worm it becomes 7%, which is nothing to scoff at. Personally I prefer cost reduction to magicka regen. Yes, a little bit more regen is nice, but when you think about it, unless you heavily invest in magicka regen. 10% of 800 is 80, so you really only start to see it once you're around 2k regen, and 200 regen more is pretty much a 4th jewelry slot for a glyph.

Altmer give you more versatility, if you want to use a lightning staff, or something, but other than that not much. It's really a better choice for magsorcs, as you can get much more out of the magicka regen passive (I'm talking PvP here).

Def Dunmer if you're going for min-max damage.

Ah, right, if you go for PvP, argonian master race, no doubt about it.

High Elf is a little ahead for sustain, I personally play and enjoy Dark Elf with no issues.
I enjoy the extra bit of stamina, fire resistance (burning immune) and fire damage.

I disagree with the opinion on double fire staff on magNB in terms of vet trials.
NB should have one lightning staff (mostly being equiped on back bar) for two reasons. Firstly gives you a powerful AoE spammable which you don't have with two fire staves. Secondly, it's good to ensure maximum uptime on off-balance via Blockade of Storms.

You know, why would you take a Fire/Fire NB into vet trial instead of another magickaSorc? Sorc has excelent damage, provides synergy for tank to ensure good alkosh uptime and has blockade of storms for off-balance. Fire/Fire NB provides nothing outside of good dps.

This is why I prefer Altmer for magickaNB PvE. It boosts your blockade, both components of llambris. Also it provides more max magicka than dunmer improving all our abilities.

For PvE, the BiS is Dunmer straight up. Double Inferno staves, Light attacks being about 15% of your total damage, as well as both of your ults being flame damage and obviously the strongest skill on your bar (Blockade of Fire) also being flame damage, the 3% extra flame damage that Dunmer offers over Altmer is a pretty big deal.

For PvP, anything goes, but Altmer would be my first choice and Dunmer second. Bretons are behind in damage, but they do have the benefit of sustain.

If you're ever going to be sap tanking, Argonian is the clear choice.

Aisle9 wrote: »

Olupajmibanan wrote: »

I disagree with the opinion on double fire staff on magNB in terms of vet trials.
NB should have one lightning staff (mostly being equiped on back bar) for two reasons. Firstly gives you a powerful AoE spammable which you don't have with two fire staves. Secondly, it's good to ensure maximum uptime on off-balance via Blockade of Storms.

You know, why would you take a Fire/Fire NB into vet trial instead of another magickaSorc? Sorc has excelent damage, provides synergy for tank to ensure good alkosh uptime and has blockade of storms for off-balance. Fire/Fire NB provides nothing outside of good dps.

This is why I prefer Altmer for magickaNB PvE. It boosts your blockade, both components of llambris. Also it provides more max magicka than dunmer improving all our abilities.

If we're talking trials, sorcs should apply blockade of storms, because they lose nothing in terms of damage by doing it, especially if you run netch.

If you have no sorcs, there's usually a healer with a lightning staff.

Magblades don't contribute anything except damage, so why would you gimp that ?

As for AoE... sap, man, just sap

The more lightning staves you have, the greater off-balance uptime. You can't particularly lose there. Plus you get your lightning heavy for AOEing.

Sap Essence... no. It's costly, you get Major Sorcery from pots, and the healing is okay I guess but nothing you can't get with Strife or a healer.

rhapsodious wrote: »

Aisle9 wrote: »

Olupajmibanan wrote: »

I disagree with the opinion on double fire staff on magNB in terms of vet trials.
NB should have one lightning staff (mostly being equiped on back bar) for two reasons. Firstly gives you a powerful AoE spammable which you don't have with two fire staves. Secondly, it's good to ensure maximum uptime on off-balance via Blockade of Storms.

You know, why would you take a Fire/Fire NB into vet trial instead of another magickaSorc? Sorc has excelent damage, provides synergy for tank to ensure good alkosh uptime and has blockade of storms for off-balance. Fire/Fire NB provides nothing outside of good dps.

This is why I prefer Altmer for magickaNB PvE. It boosts your blockade, both components of llambris. Also it provides more max magicka than dunmer improving all our abilities.

If we're talking trials, sorcs should apply blockade of storms, because they lose nothing in terms of damage by doing it, especially if you run netch.

If you have no sorcs, there's usually a healer with a lightning staff.

Magblades don't contribute anything except damage, so why would you gimp that ?

As for AoE... sap, man, just sap

The more lightning staves you have, the greater off-balance uptime. You can't particularly lose there. Plus you get your lightning heavy for AOEing.

Sap Essence... no. It's costly, you get Major Sorcery from pots, and the healing is okay I guess but nothing you can't get with Strife or a healer.

Well the best setup for trials would be fire/lightning for trash and double fire on bosses (mostly because ST is more important on bosses except vHoF because of drain mechanics).
ALso do not forget that Nightblades buff Stamina with wep crit ( dont remember which passive it is, but 100% sure )

The correct answer is argonian.

Ok then,
I'll run Argonian!
Thx guys