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Are Nightblades seriously underpowered?

  • Gilvoth
    Gilvoth
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    nightblade simply dies easy and does less damage then the other classes.
    it has been this way since beta 2013.
    we begged and pleaded and asked over and over for it to be fixed but it is still bad for nightblades.
    now there were changes and helps but the fact remains to this day that nightblade simply dies easy and does less damage then the other classes.
  • Ragnarock41
    Ragnarock41
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    quite the opposite, they are a little overpowered,(Which isnt their fault, some other options got terribly nerfed, putting stamblades in number 1 for open world.) they were always top dogs with the proc meta, but now after the proc meta so many things got nerfed but nightblades didnt see real nerfs. Especially in the hands of a good player they shine.
    Edited by Ragnarock41 on January 7, 2018 5:50AM
  • SydneyGrey
    SydneyGrey
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    My stamina nightblade is my top damage-dealer among all my characters. (PvE, here.) No, it's not under-powered, but there is a steeper learning curve to master the class than there is for the other classes.

    Edited by SydneyGrey on January 7, 2018 7:44AM
  • idk
    idk
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    Koensol wrote: »
    idk wrote: »
    No offense, and not commenting directly on the NB class, but OP has played the game for a matter of a few weeks and is questioning a class because it does not perform as he expects using tactics he thinks should work well.

    It does not make sense.
    @idk It makes perfect sense: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-serving_bias
    Its typical human behavior.

    Although it does tell us one thing. This game sucks at explaining its mechanics to players. ZOS would rather people be snowflakes and then quit playing because they keep failing or getting kicked from groups, in stead of actually teaching the games mechanics and basic rules to players so they can actually be somewhat succesful.

    Not really, actually false altogether. Zos explains the mechanics as well as they should. There is not a MMORPG in existence worth it's salt that explains in detail how to play any class.

    If you disagree, name one major MMORPG that

    Heck, go into many major MMOs where a class has a choice of one weapon and one type of armor and only class specific skills. There are passives that cause one skill to create a proc that benefits another skill. The developers do not explain the rotation needed to benefit from all that. They expect the player base to determine what works best.

    Heck, with any MMORPG, it is members of the player base that end up knowing more than any of the developers do of how the characters play. That is common knowledge.

    So in the end, like any MMORPG, it is by discussion with other players (often within a decent guild) and looking through what the theorycrafters have worked up, that most of the game figures out what works well. If the player chooses to not go this route, it is very much their choice and their problem.
  • steven22
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    quite the opposite, they are a little overpowered,(Which isnt their fault, some other options got terribly nerfed, putting stamblades in number 1 for open world.) they were always top dogs with the proc meta, but now after the proc meta so many things got nerfed but nightblades didnt see real nerfs. Especially in the hands of a good player they shine.

    My opinion is that magicka nightblades are slightly better than the stamina version. But yeah I may be incorrect here . I play both and magicka is very easy in PvP.

    Both sides have their ups and downs I would say .
    Main - Char : Dandriil - Tamriel Hero, Explorer, Stormproof,Overlord

    Nightblade since Beta , ESO Plus , PC EU

    Proud Magicka Nightblade
  • Datthaw
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    Daus wrote: »
    Nah, magblades are top dog in PvP. Stamblades are right there in the middle when it comes to stam builds, but stam is pretty bad as a whole in PvP.

    Ehh idk if I agree with that. Every class in the right hands is powerful. Stam warden has actually won my guilds tournament last couple times.
  • Alqu
    Alqu
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    davey1107 wrote: »
    NBs are powerful, and ifmyou like assassins in other games it’s probably your class of choice. However, they are the hardest class to master. But I always say that people who start as NBs really learn the game and can move into any other class pretty easily, while those who start with like Templars dont necessarily.

    Anyway, people offered some pretty advanced tips. Let’s back this up with some starter tips.

    - a general concept is that low level toon get handicaps that make them more powerful. As you level up, you are supposed to replace these through gear and abilities. This is why your low level toon is doing great damage...don’t stress it.

    - people are correct that you need to focus on either magic or stam. Dunmer can do either, really, but are inclined to magic. Magblades are a little more “dark sorcerer” style of Assassin. They’re fun and powerful. Stamblades are fun too...they’re more your ninja weapons assassins. But play either. Your description of your Trickster Rogue sounds like a magblade. The rotation you describe is pretty much what you need to learn here, just it’s a different system. Yes, a magblade can buff...buff...defense skill...crit attack...aoe, and do massive damage in pvp or pve with it.

    - when you pick a fighting resource, put ALL ATTRIBUTE points into that resource. All in stam or all in magic, for the entire game, then never worry about them again. (You can go reset them in a capital city...Elden root, etc). There is a complicated explanation that you don’t reallt need to understand on why this is.

    - always spend in most every passive you unlock. Especially class skill lines, but also armor, weapons, etc. there is a lot of power in these. Don’t worry, there are a gazillion more skill points in the game than you need now. Spend freely.

    - pay attention to the passives in your class skill lines. More than any other class, nightblades become more powerful by setting up your bar with the right skills. For example, they have a passive where any Assassin line skill slotted increases your critical strike rating. Choosing those skills will increase your power. A lot of their skills offer important buffs, like major brutality / major sorcery. It’ll take you a while to learn all the complex mechanics and be able to set your guy up right...give it time and you’ll figure things out and get more powerful.

    - nightblades reach their full potential further along than most classes. Some of your most powerful skills open late, so don’t worry...you’ll get some better options as you level.

    - think about skill morphs. If a skill morphs to give a choice between stam and magic, it usually means one variation is for a stamblade and another for a magblade. And be aware that damage that is magic, flame, frost or shock are magic damage and should be used by magblades, while physical damage, poison and disease is for stamblades. Some of your skills need to be re-morphed (Capitol city, shrines, ~300 Gold). Like if you’re going to be a magblade, you don’t want surprise attack, you want concealed weapon.

    - use appropriate weapons. Magic builds use staves, while stam builds use the physical weapons. There are exceptions, but for the most part stick to this rule. You use a lot of physical weapon skills. If you love the bow and dual,wield skills, you should try a stamblade.

    - wear a combo of light and heavy armor for magic, medium and heavy for stam. Down the road most players wear a little heavy. Like a 5/2 blend early on is good, so you level the lines.

    - start to learn about gear sets. Your character has 11 or 12 slots. The gear sets in the game are vital to helping you succeed.

    - don’t outlevel gear. In the current game, as you level you have handicaps that fall off and you’re supposed to replace them with better gear. If you get much more than 5 levels above your gear, you will start to suck. It’s a lot of costume changes, but eventually that slows down and doesn’t take as much time.

    - if a magblade, early on join the mage guild and then unlock entropy. This offers +20% spell damage for 20 seconds. It’s an important buff for you that you can get this way even at a low level.

    Oops. That’s a lot of tips. Hopefully that helps. Feel free to ask any other questions you might have. Your NB is off to a good start, it just needs some tweaking.

    This is a great quick list of info.

    I'm a noob too. I have my 1st level 50 which is a nightblade. I cant add to the great advice in this and other posts but I can hopefully offer some hope and empathy from someone recently in the same boat.

    I was about level 30 when I was getting my butt kicked and went online to get some more info. I also had not realized how stamina and magic points worked. I figured, logically, I was using some skills that required magic and some stamina, should put some point in both.

    I found the two guides below really helpful. While I don't have either of these exact builds, understanding how different stats, passives, etc. interrelate led me to respec. I have almost all points in stamina now. DW/Bow in PvE and got enough shards to level 2h/bow for PvP. I don't feel underpowered anymore, even with being undergeared and with merely 40? CPs. Was able to sail through the main quests with the new build.

    Likewise, if you decide to go magic, find a guide, learn from it.

    http://deltiasgaming.com/eso-stamina-nightblade-dps-build/
    http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/371238/the-refabricant-scourge-a-stamina-nightblade-two-handed-pve-dps-vma-build-hotr-ready

    Alqu - Sneaky bosmer dps (sNB)
    Allqu - Whirling dervish redguard dps (Sorc)
    Ocuili - Devout dunmer templar burninator (Temp)
    Ocuilin - Secretive dunmer dps/heals (mNB)
    Tletl - Drunken orsimer tank (DK)
  • Xvorg
    Xvorg
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    Biro123 wrote: »
    ak_pvp wrote: »

    STAMblade and MAGblade play VERY differently to each other.. In fact you can pretty much say that ESO has 10 classes, not 5 - as each can be either a stam or a mag version - and they are THAT different.

    Even Magblades have different type of builds if you go melee or ranged. And melee mageblade even has a distinction between sap tank and CW spammer
    Sarcasm is something too serious to be taken lightly

    I was born with the wrong sign
    In the wrong house
    With the wrong ascendancy
    I took the wrong road
    That led to the wrong tendencies
    I was in the wrong place at the wrong time
    For the wrong reason and the wrong rhyme
    On the wrong day of the wrong week
    Used the wrong method with the wrong technique
  • Koensol
    Koensol
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    idk wrote: »
    Koensol wrote: »
    idk wrote: »
    No offense, and not commenting directly on the NB class, but OP has played the game for a matter of a few weeks and is questioning a class because it does not perform as he expects using tactics he thinks should work well.

    It does not make sense.
    @idk It makes perfect sense: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-serving_bias
    Its typical human behavior.

    Although it does tell us one thing. This game sucks at explaining its mechanics to players. ZOS would rather people be snowflakes and then quit playing because they keep failing or getting kicked from groups, in stead of actually teaching the games mechanics and basic rules to players so they can actually be somewhat succesful.

    Not really, actually false altogether. Zos explains the mechanics as well as they should. There is not a MMORPG in existence worth it's salt that explains in detail how to play any class.

    If you disagree, name one major MMORPG that

    Heck, go into many major MMOs where a class has a choice of one weapon and one type of armor and only class specific skills. There are passives that cause one skill to create a proc that benefits another skill. The developers do not explain the rotation needed to benefit from all that. They expect the player base to determine what works best.

    Heck, with any MMORPG, it is members of the player base that end up knowing more than any of the developers do of how the characters play. That is common knowledge.

    So in the end, like any MMORPG, it is by discussion with other players (often within a decent guild) and looking through what the theorycrafters have worked up, that most of the game figures out what works well. If the player chooses to not go this route, it is very much their choice and their problem.
    I agree with the essensce of what you are telling me. As in that the will to improve will make sure people ask questions and in the end will educate themselves, look for information, etc.

    On the other hand, ESO's combat system and mechanics are pretty convoluted for new players. Many MMO's are very similar in playstyle, and many people (even those I know personally that enjoy playing for good results) simply don't even know they are doing things wrong in ESO. For those of us who have been playing since beta it is a different story, since everyone made the same mistakes at the start, and the game back then was a lot simpler with less room to mess up. No cp, softcaps on stats, less sets, no power creep, the list goes on.

    But who in their right mind would automatically assume that using light attacks in between skills would increase dps? This mechanic is mentioned nowhere in the game, not even in the tutorial. Animation canceling is such an important part of the game, yet we receive no sign or word of it even existing. They don't have to give detailed explanations of every mechanic, but imo sharing the basic principles is the least we could ask for.
  • Emma_Overload
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    Daus wrote: »
    Nah, magblades are top dog in PvP. Stamblades are right there in the middle when it comes to stam builds, but stam is pretty bad as a whole in PvP.

    LOL, wut? Do you only fight against destro ult spamming zergs? Because in every other area of PvP, stamina builds dominate.
    #CAREBEARMASTERRACE
  • Zbigb4life
    Zbigb4life
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    Hi everyone,
    I started off playing ESO Morrowind about three weeks ago, my previous experience with ESO in general being its two-days Open Beta Test. Now, being a fan of TES since TES III: Morrowind from way back in 2003, and wanting to keep my personal tradition of picking Dunmer in every TES afterwards, and considering I also have a fair amount of experience in assassin-type classes in various other MMOs ( I have a lvl 60 Wood Elf Trickster Rogue in Neverwinter, a lvl 45 Stygian Assassin in Age of Conan, and a lvl 40 Mordesh Stalker in Wildstar) I decided that the Dark Elf Nightblade would be my ideal choice of race+class combo.
    My general way of operating such a class is: invisibilty/stealth + an attack that deals critical damage on first hit after stealth = a good deal of initiative damage that would take a huge chunk off the enemy’s health bar, followed by further attacks and/or something to keep me alive if the enemy has proven to be too strong and has not died by then.
    So, I mostly use the following skills.

    Class Skills:
    Shadow Cloak morphed to Shadowy Disguise (Shadow Skills)
    Veiled Strike morphed to Surprise Attack (Shadow Skills)
    Strife morphed to Swallow Soul (Siphoning skills)
    Teleport Strike Morphed to Ambush (Assassination skills)
    Consuming Darkness morphed to Bolstering Darkness ( Shadow skills – Ultimate)

    Weapon Skills:
    Puncture morphed to Pierce Armor (One-handed and Shield skills)
    Twin Slashes morphed to Blood Craze (Dual Wield skills)

    -I also took Bow skills as my secondary long range option-
    Snipe morphed to Lethal Arrow (Bow skills)
    Volley morphed to Endless Hail (Bow skills)
    Scatter Shot morphed to Magnum Shot (Bow skills)

    I raised my count of Skill Points to spend in the above Skills by locating Sky Shards, and am currently lvl 24. Maybe it is still too early to judge, but I’ve had the following experiences so far, in both the PvE and PvP aspects of the game:

    In PvE, since the very beginning, I am always struggling to kill River Trolls and Hungers, which I assume are the most powerful Daedra in early game overworld. I feel like I am not dealing enough damage to them per hit, although with the current skills I use, I apply multiple debuffs to them, while buffing my healing back. Even though I constantly spam Puncture-Veiled Strike-Swallow Soul, a River Troll deals from 4k to 6k damage with its skills, while a Hunger deals from 6k to 10k if it also manages to grab me, whereas my total health as of now is 21k. I started off with medium armor for the Critical Rating passive, but turned to Heavy Armor (the Warrior-Poet full set) for the extra armor just to keep myself alive.

    Compared to my secondary character, a lvl 6 Orsimer Dragonknight that uses Uppercut/Wrecking Blow, Dragon Leap/Ferocious Leap, Spiked Armor/Hardened Armor, Dark Talons/Choking Talons, I feel like my Nightblade is a total sucker. It takes a total of 3-4 minutes and a great risk of painful death to kill a River Troll, and where the Orc deals 8k damage with one Uppercut, the Nightblade deals maximum 4.5k with a Veiled Strike, without calculating the initial 14k critical from stealth. If I manage to slay the Troll, if I’m lucky and it doesn’t start spamming its most powerful attack, Rend, that deals 4k constantly, I always find myself, barely surviving with 35%-25% HP. Meanwhile the Orc doesn’t even break a sweat, ending the fight in 1.5’- 2’ with 85%-75% HP.

    Finally, in PvP, yesterday I dueled the char of one of my irl friends, a by-then lvl 4 Orc Templar with my by-then lvl 22 Dunmer Nightblade, and despite the huge difference in level I had, it felt like I was hitting a brick wall with bare hands. I started critically hit him from stealth for 14k initial damage, then Punctured and Veiled Striked him, then fell back and Lethal Arrowed him, and continued fighting him melee within my Endless Hail. In the end, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I dropped dead, and the Orc had 75% HP still left. After me, the Orc dueled another friend’s Nightblade that by-then was lvl 18 and we witnessed the same results.

    I literally cannot understand if it is the class itself that is underpowered, or I chose completely underpowered skills/combos to use. What are your thoughts ?

    The ending of the words is ALMSIVI.

    Do you have the same CP? Maybe that guy has the max and you don't
  • idk
    idk
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    Koensol wrote: »
    idk wrote: »
    Koensol wrote: »
    idk wrote: »
    No offense, and not commenting directly on the NB class, but OP has played the game for a matter of a few weeks and is questioning a class because it does not perform as he expects using tactics he thinks should work well.

    It does not make sense.
    @idk It makes perfect sense: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-serving_bias
    Its typical human behavior.

    Although it does tell us one thing. This game sucks at explaining its mechanics to players. ZOS would rather people be snowflakes and then quit playing because they keep failing or getting kicked from groups, in stead of actually teaching the games mechanics and basic rules to players so they can actually be somewhat succesful.

    Not really, actually false altogether. Zos explains the mechanics as well as they should. There is not a MMORPG in existence worth it's salt that explains in detail how to play any class.

    If you disagree, name one major MMORPG that

    Heck, go into many major MMOs where a class has a choice of one weapon and one type of armor and only class specific skills. There are passives that cause one skill to create a proc that benefits another skill. The developers do not explain the rotation needed to benefit from all that. They expect the player base to determine what works best.

    Heck, with any MMORPG, it is members of the player base that end up knowing more than any of the developers do of how the characters play. That is common knowledge.

    So in the end, like any MMORPG, it is by discussion with other players (often within a decent guild) and looking through what the theorycrafters have worked up, that most of the game figures out what works well. If the player chooses to not go this route, it is very much their choice and their problem.
    I agree with the essensce of what you are telling me. As in that the will to improve will make sure people ask questions and in the end will educate themselves, look for information, etc.

    On the other hand, ESO's combat system and mechanics are pretty convoluted for new players. Many MMO's are very similar in playstyle, and many people (even those I know personally that enjoy playing for good results) simply don't even know they are doing things wrong in ESO. For those of us who have been playing since beta it is a different story, since everyone made the same mistakes at the start, and the game back then was a lot simpler with less room to mess up. No cp, softcaps on stats, less sets, no power creep, the list goes on.

    But who in their right mind would automatically assume that using light attacks in between skills would increase dps? This mechanic is mentioned nowhere in the game, not even in the tutorial. Animation canceling is such an important part of the game, yet we receive no sign or word of it even existing. They don't have to give detailed explanations of every mechanic, but imo sharing the basic principles is the least we could ask for.

    Pretty much every major MMO requires a player to figure out how to get the most damage. Yet for some reason some players look for the answers since no major MMO provides the info for getting max dps. None.

    So if your Friend was truly interested in improving his dps he's look for the info. It's really easy to find. Extremely easy.
  • Beardimus
    Beardimus
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    On console only two class types have scored 600k+ in vMA to my knowledge

    1st was StamBlade
    2nd MagBlade
    Xbox One | EU | EP
    Beardimus : VR16 Dunmer MagSorc [RIP MagDW 2015-2018]
    Emperor of Sotha Sil 02-2018 & Sheogorath 05-2019
    1st Emperor of Ravenwatch
    Alts - - for the Lolz
    Archimus : Bosmer Thief / Archer / Werewolf
    Orcimus : Fat drunk Orc battlefield 1st aider
    Scalimus - Argonian Sorc Healer / Pet master

    Fighting small scale with : The SAXON Guild
    Fighting with [PvP] : The Undaunted Wolves
    Trading Guilds : TradersOfNirn | FourSquareTraders

    Xbox One | NA | EP
    Bëardimus : L43 Dunmer Magsorc / BG
    Heals-With-Pets : VR16 Argonian Sorc PvP / BG Healer
    Nordimus : VR16 Stamsorc
    Beardimus le 13iem : L30 Dunmer Magsorc Icereach
  • CavalryPK
    CavalryPK
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    Specifically magblades are underpowered. Like seriously, we need a buff. BUFF MAGBLADES !!
    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
  • Koensol
    Koensol
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    idk wrote: »
    Koensol wrote: »
    idk wrote: »
    Koensol wrote: »
    idk wrote: »
    No offense, and not commenting directly on the NB class, but OP has played the game for a matter of a few weeks and is questioning a class because it does not perform as he expects using tactics he thinks should work well.

    It does not make sense.
    @idk It makes perfect sense: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-serving_bias
    Its typical human behavior.

    Although it does tell us one thing. This game sucks at explaining its mechanics to players. ZOS would rather people be snowflakes and then quit playing because they keep failing or getting kicked from groups, in stead of actually teaching the games mechanics and basic rules to players so they can actually be somewhat succesful.

    Not really, actually false altogether. Zos explains the mechanics as well as they should. There is not a MMORPG in existence worth it's salt that explains in detail how to play any class.

    If you disagree, name one major MMORPG that

    Heck, go into many major MMOs where a class has a choice of one weapon and one type of armor and only class specific skills. There are passives that cause one skill to create a proc that benefits another skill. The developers do not explain the rotation needed to benefit from all that. They expect the player base to determine what works best.

    Heck, with any MMORPG, it is members of the player base that end up knowing more than any of the developers do of how the characters play. That is common knowledge.

    So in the end, like any MMORPG, it is by discussion with other players (often within a decent guild) and looking through what the theorycrafters have worked up, that most of the game figures out what works well. If the player chooses to not go this route, it is very much their choice and their problem.
    I agree with the essensce of what you are telling me. As in that the will to improve will make sure people ask questions and in the end will educate themselves, look for information, etc.

    On the other hand, ESO's combat system and mechanics are pretty convoluted for new players. Many MMO's are very similar in playstyle, and many people (even those I know personally that enjoy playing for good results) simply don't even know they are doing things wrong in ESO. For those of us who have been playing since beta it is a different story, since everyone made the same mistakes at the start, and the game back then was a lot simpler with less room to mess up. No cp, softcaps on stats, less sets, no power creep, the list goes on.

    But who in their right mind would automatically assume that using light attacks in between skills would increase dps? This mechanic is mentioned nowhere in the game, not even in the tutorial. Animation canceling is such an important part of the game, yet we receive no sign or word of it even existing. They don't have to give detailed explanations of every mechanic, but imo sharing the basic principles is the least we could ask for.

    Pretty much every major MMO requires a player to figure out how to get the most damage. Yet for some reason some players look for the answers since no major MMO provides the info for getting max dps. None.

    So if your Friend was truly interested in improving his dps he's look for the info. It's really easy to find. Extremely easy.
    Since you seem to have decided to over-interpet everything I say, I will stop repeating myself. I really don't know how you got from "basic combat principles" to "getting max dps".

    I also don't know why you are being so resistant against this. What harm could a little more explanation do? I'd be happy to get more pugs able to do an acceptable job. And anination cancelling in this game is just as important as blocking or dodgerolling to succeed in the veteran content. Why is the former not in the tutorial?
    Edited by Koensol on January 11, 2018 4:58PM
  • Gilvoth
    Gilvoth
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    the weakest class damage dealer in eso and we die the easiest.
    if the devs dont help us out intime no one will be playing it accept me alone, mainly because it is the only stealth class in eso and i only play stealth classes.
    been asking for buffs and help to increase survivablity and damage since beta 2013.
  • Datthaw
    Datthaw
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    CavalryPK wrote: »
    Specifically magblades are underpowered. Like seriously, we need a buff. BUFF MAGBLADES !!

    I would be soooooooooo happy if they made swallow soul unreflectable. We are pretty much useless vs good magdks and wardens, have to get lucky with a fear combo to kill them most the time. Also just fixing the soul swallow weave would go a long way
  • idk
    idk
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    Koensol wrote: »
    idk wrote: »
    Koensol wrote: »
    idk wrote: »
    Koensol wrote: »
    idk wrote: »
    No offense, and not commenting directly on the NB class, but OP has played the game for a matter of a few weeks and is questioning a class because it does not perform as he expects using tactics he thinks should work well.

    It does not make sense.
    @idk It makes perfect sense: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-serving_bias
    Its typical human behavior.

    Although it does tell us one thing. This game sucks at explaining its mechanics to players. ZOS would rather people be snowflakes and then quit playing because they keep failing or getting kicked from groups, in stead of actually teaching the games mechanics and basic rules to players so they can actually be somewhat succesful.

    Not really, actually false altogether. Zos explains the mechanics as well as they should. There is not a MMORPG in existence worth it's salt that explains in detail how to play any class.

    If you disagree, name one major MMORPG that

    Heck, go into many major MMOs where a class has a choice of one weapon and one type of armor and only class specific skills. There are passives that cause one skill to create a proc that benefits another skill. The developers do not explain the rotation needed to benefit from all that. They expect the player base to determine what works best.

    Heck, with any MMORPG, it is members of the player base that end up knowing more than any of the developers do of how the characters play. That is common knowledge.

    So in the end, like any MMORPG, it is by discussion with other players (often within a decent guild) and looking through what the theorycrafters have worked up, that most of the game figures out what works well. If the player chooses to not go this route, it is very much their choice and their problem.
    I agree with the essensce of what you are telling me. As in that the will to improve will make sure people ask questions and in the end will educate themselves, look for information, etc.

    On the other hand, ESO's combat system and mechanics are pretty convoluted for new players. Many MMO's are very similar in playstyle, and many people (even those I know personally that enjoy playing for good results) simply don't even know they are doing things wrong in ESO. For those of us who have been playing since beta it is a different story, since everyone made the same mistakes at the start, and the game back then was a lot simpler with less room to mess up. No cp, softcaps on stats, less sets, no power creep, the list goes on.

    But who in their right mind would automatically assume that using light attacks in between skills would increase dps? This mechanic is mentioned nowhere in the game, not even in the tutorial. Animation canceling is such an important part of the game, yet we receive no sign or word of it even existing. They don't have to give detailed explanations of every mechanic, but imo sharing the basic principles is the least we could ask for.

    Pretty much every major MMO requires a player to figure out how to get the most damage. Yet for some reason some players look for the answers since no major MMO provides the info for getting max dps. None.

    So if your Friend was truly interested in improving his dps he's look for the info. It's really easy to find. Extremely easy.
    Since you seem to have decided to over-interpet everything I say, I will stop repeating myself. I really don't know how you got from "basic combat principles" to "getting max dps".

    I also don't know why you are being so resistant against this. What harm could a little more explanation do? I'd be happy to get more pugs able to do an acceptable job. And anination cancelling in this game is just as important as blocking or dodgerolling to succeed in the veteran content. Why is the former not in the tutorial?

    Again your comparison is not correct.

    Blocking and dodge rolling are significantly more important than animation canceling. Huge cavern of difference between basic survival skills and a technique for increasing ones dps.

    That's pretty much not an over interpretation of what yiu said.

    Besides this topic being a huge tangent from the OP, you seem to want people who are not experts on combat mechanics of the game to take a larger role in teaching players how to play the game.

    That seems to be a horid idea. A major step in the wrong direction. Being that you seem to have played other MMORPGs you should be very aware of this.
    Edited by idk on January 11, 2018 5:28PM
  • Oreyn_Bearclaw
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    Insightful thread. Not only did I learn that Nightblades are underpowered (sorry just fell out of my chair), I also learned that stamina is weak in PVP. Really people? OP is new, let's not fill his/her head with bad information.

    From a PVE standpoint, NBs are the best damage dealers. Magic NBs are the best ranged magic class, period. As to stamina, I wont call them the absolute best, but if you can play one well, they are in the running. A good stamblade is not getting kicked out of a raid, that is for sure. As a class, they do have the highest skill barrier when it comes to true end game rotations (or lack there of), but calling them underpowered is laughably absurd. They probably have the most versitile PVE toolkit of any class. Easy access to just about every buff you need.

    From a PVP Standpoint, mageblade is extremely strong. Great range, mobility, burst, and what they might lack in heals, they make up for in elusiveness. I wont say that stamblades are the best stamina class, but they sure as heck aint the worst. They are arguably the best gankers in the game, and even when not ganking, their burst combos are insane.

    OP, Your problem is one that most people have at the start. Your build is all over the place. My advice is to start with a magic character. As a general rule, they are easier to play, and they tend to be more powerful out of the gate. You can literally clear the entire main quest with a single skill, Strife (Funnel Health). This is your bread damage skill for magic. It does damage from range AND it heals you.

    I am not going to type out a whole build, but try to think about your build a little bit. For example, you dont need strife and veiled strike at the same time. They are both single target damage skills, true to avoid redundancies. Gap closers like ambush can be fun, but in PVE, they really arent that strong. Also, magic plays from range, so why would you want to surrender that advantage. Most PVE builds have a few things in common. Often you start with a spam skill (strife in this case). Next look for a skill to buff your own damage (grim focus does the trick here). You might want to debuff your target (mark target works for this, not as important in a group). Some classes like NB have an execute (impale) which is extremly powerful at finishing off your opponents (25% health and below) but pretty worthless otherwise. Most classes will run multiple ground based AOEs. These are skills that basically turn a given area into a danger zone for a small period of time. SKilled players will get out of them, but NPCs will stand there and take it for the most part. Path of darkness works well here. You also need to consider your resources and survival. Siphoning strikes gives NBs the best resource management in the game, and annulment under the light armor line is a shield that anyone can use.

    So lets say you run up to a group of three bad guys. Well, first buff your self as it wont draw aggro. Cast skills like grim focus, annulment, and siphoning strikes. You could then mark the most threatening target (again wont pull aggro). Then when you attack, start with your ground dots like Path of darkeness (blockade from the destro line is also really strong, so you can put down both). Then you can go nuts on your single target skills like strife. If you see a really low health target, use your execute.

    This is a very simplified example, but try to put a build together so your skills compliment one another. Buff yourself, Debuff your target, Apply Ground AOEs, use single target skills, Execute. Bam, you are a nightblade.

    Edit: this same strategy works with stamblades, as most of the skills I mentioned have both magic and stamina morphs. If you are set on stamina, then go for it, but you need to pick a direction. Dont mix and match between magic and stamina skills as a general rule. Most class skills that dont have a specific stamina morph shouldnt be used by a stamina character with a few exceptions (typically falling under the buff/debuff category). For example, stamblade shouldnt use skills like strife or path, they are magic based damage skills that wont do much if you spec for stam.
    Edited by Oreyn_Bearclaw on January 11, 2018 5:42PM
  • technohic
    technohic
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    CavalryPK wrote: »
    Specifically magblades are underpowered. Like seriously, we need a buff. BUFF MAGBLADES !!
    Datthaw wrote: »
    CavalryPK wrote: »
    Specifically magblades are underpowered. Like seriously, we need a buff. BUFF MAGBLADES !!

    I would be soooooooooo happy if they made swallow soul unreflectable. We are pretty much useless vs good magdks and wardens, have to get lucky with a fear combo to kill them most the time. Also just fixing the soul swallow weave would go a long way

    I think there was some sarcasm there but just getting shadow image fixed would be a start.

    As for reflect issue; what we need is for concealed weapon to be worth using over swallow soul to make it worth going into melee range. I have it slotted for this scenario but it really doesn’t feel rewarding for the added risk over my ranged damage ability that also heals me from a safe distance.
  • Koensol
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    idk wrote: »
    Koensol wrote: »
    idk wrote: »
    Koensol wrote: »
    idk wrote: »
    Koensol wrote: »
    idk wrote: »
    No offense, and not commenting directly on the NB class, but OP has played the game for a matter of a few weeks and is questioning a class because it does not perform as he expects using tactics he thinks should work well.

    It does not make sense.
    @idk It makes perfect sense: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-serving_bias
    Its typical human behavior.

    Although it does tell us one thing. This game sucks at explaining its mechanics to players. ZOS would rather people be snowflakes and then quit playing because they keep failing or getting kicked from groups, in stead of actually teaching the games mechanics and basic rules to players so they can actually be somewhat succesful.

    Not really, actually false altogether. Zos explains the mechanics as well as they should. There is not a MMORPG in existence worth it's salt that explains in detail how to play any class.

    If you disagree, name one major MMORPG that

    Heck, go into many major MMOs where a class has a choice of one weapon and one type of armor and only class specific skills. There are passives that cause one skill to create a proc that benefits another skill. The developers do not explain the rotation needed to benefit from all that. They expect the player base to determine what works best.

    Heck, with any MMORPG, it is members of the player base that end up knowing more than any of the developers do of how the characters play. That is common knowledge.

    So in the end, like any MMORPG, it is by discussion with other players (often within a decent guild) and looking through what the theorycrafters have worked up, that most of the game figures out what works well. If the player chooses to not go this route, it is very much their choice and their problem.
    I agree with the essensce of what you are telling me. As in that the will to improve will make sure people ask questions and in the end will educate themselves, look for information, etc.

    On the other hand, ESO's combat system and mechanics are pretty convoluted for new players. Many MMO's are very similar in playstyle, and many people (even those I know personally that enjoy playing for good results) simply don't even know they are doing things wrong in ESO. For those of us who have been playing since beta it is a different story, since everyone made the same mistakes at the start, and the game back then was a lot simpler with less room to mess up. No cp, softcaps on stats, less sets, no power creep, the list goes on.

    But who in their right mind would automatically assume that using light attacks in between skills would increase dps? This mechanic is mentioned nowhere in the game, not even in the tutorial. Animation canceling is such an important part of the game, yet we receive no sign or word of it even existing. They don't have to give detailed explanations of every mechanic, but imo sharing the basic principles is the least we could ask for.

    Pretty much every major MMO requires a player to figure out how to get the most damage. Yet for some reason some players look for the answers since no major MMO provides the info for getting max dps. None.

    So if your Friend was truly interested in improving his dps he's look for the info. It's really easy to find. Extremely easy.
    Since you seem to have decided to over-interpet everything I say, I will stop repeating myself. I really don't know how you got from "basic combat principles" to "getting max dps".

    I also don't know why you are being so resistant against this. What harm could a little more explanation do? I'd be happy to get more pugs able to do an acceptable job. And anination cancelling in this game is just as important as blocking or dodgerolling to succeed in the veteran content. Why is the former not in the tutorial?

    Again your comparison is not correct.

    Blocking and dodge rolling are significantly more important than animation canceling. Huge cavern of difference between basic survival skills and a technique for increasing ones dps.

    That's pretty much not an over interpretation of what yiu said.

    Besides this topic being a huge tangent from the OP, you seem to want people who are not experts on combat mechanics of the game to take a larger role in teaching players how to play the game.

    That seems to be a horid idea. A major step in the wrong direction. Being that you seem to have played other MMORPGs you should be very aware of this.
    Well it's clear your opinion of what are basic combat principles are vastly different than mine. But you're right lets not derail this.
    Edited by Koensol on January 11, 2018 7:01PM
  • Ulo
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    I think one of the big issues facing, at least stamblades, is that in theory we do very good damage. In practice, meele dps can be at a massive disadvantage in some dungeons compared to ranged builds who generally have a much easier time staying alive.
  • idk
    idk
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    Ulo wrote: »
    I think one of the big issues facing, at least stamblades, is that in theory we do very good damage. In practice, meele dps can be at a massive disadvantage in some dungeons compared to ranged builds who generally have a much easier time staying alive.

    And is the case in every MMORPG. However, in ESO at least, yiu have a ranged option to keep pressure up.

    However, this is not the issue OP has had. Basically he tossed stuff together and is upset it doesn't perform as well s he would like.

    Remember, he's been playing for a very short time.
  • Datthaw
    Datthaw
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    technohic wrote: »
    CavalryPK wrote: »
    Specifically magblades are underpowered. Like seriously, we need a buff. BUFF MAGBLADES !!
    Datthaw wrote: »
    CavalryPK wrote: »
    Specifically magblades are underpowered. Like seriously, we need a buff. BUFF MAGBLADES !!

    I would be soooooooooo happy if they made swallow soul unreflectable. We are pretty much useless vs good magdks and wardens, have to get lucky with a fear combo to kill them most the time. Also just fixing the soul swallow weave would go a long way

    I think there was some sarcasm there but just getting shadow image fixed would be a start.

    As for reflect issue; what we need is for concealed weapon to be worth using over swallow soul to make it worth going into melee range. I have it slotted for this scenario but it really doesn’t feel rewarding for the added risk over my ranged damage ability that also heals me from a safe distance.

    I love concealed because of the movement speed but it's impossible for me to find a slot for it in destro resto. Been trying the 2h style but it always just feel so strange to me because I've been destro resto since I've been playing.
  • technohic
    technohic
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    Datthaw wrote: »
    technohic wrote: »
    CavalryPK wrote: »
    Specifically magblades are underpowered. Like seriously, we need a buff. BUFF MAGBLADES !!
    Datthaw wrote: »
    CavalryPK wrote: »
    Specifically magblades are underpowered. Like seriously, we need a buff. BUFF MAGBLADES !!

    I would be soooooooooo happy if they made swallow soul unreflectable. We are pretty much useless vs good magdks and wardens, have to get lucky with a fear combo to kill them most the time. Also just fixing the soul swallow weave would go a long way

    I think there was some sarcasm there but just getting shadow image fixed would be a start.

    As for reflect issue; what we need is for concealed weapon to be worth using over swallow soul to make it worth going into melee range. I have it slotted for this scenario but it really doesn’t feel rewarding for the added risk over my ranged damage ability that also heals me from a safe distance.

    I love concealed because of the movement speed but it's impossible for me to find a slot for it in destro resto. Been trying the 2h style but it always just feel so strange to me because I've been destro resto since I've been playing.

    I've been trying to play around with it because of that reason. I've been playing around with my builds trying to decide on one class to focus to try to get better rather than bounce around between my templar, NB, and sorc. I feel like I play sorc a little better at range, templar I've played longest so I probably understand it better at the moment but its slow and does not give me the range options I prefer, and the big thing leaning me toward Magblade is the ability to get around quickly in stealth, I can go melee or ranged at any point but I still haven't been able to hit as hard as my sorc using the same gear.

    I'm probably sacrificing some ideal buildouts to fit what I find fun so it might just be a matter of L2P for me while fitting CW in. If only they'd get shadow Image right so I can at least take that into consideration.
  • Oreyn_Bearclaw
    Oreyn_Bearclaw
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    Ulo wrote: »
    I think one of the big issues facing, at least stamblades, is that in theory we do very good damage. In practice, meele dps can be at a massive disadvantage in some dungeons compared to ranged builds who generally have a much easier time staying alive.

    This is why stamina (melee) DPS can AND should (when talking appropriate balance) pull more damage! It is harder, and the risk should come with a reward. There is no piece of 4-man content in the game that prohibits stamina DPS. The only trial where they are problematic is VAS+1 and VAS+2, but even on those trials, groups are already starting to bring stamina. That is not an unusual progression. Progress through a trial or difficult dungeon with magic DPS because they are ranged and have better survival when learning, and once you master the fight, you switch some of your damage dealers to stamina to speed things up.

    Personally, I almost always bring stamina into all the craglorn trials and VMOL, and in VAS and VHOF i bring a ranged character (I have brought stam through VHOF).

  • Betsararie
    Betsararie
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    CavalryPK wrote: »
    Specifically magblades are underpowered. Like seriously, we need a buff. BUFF MAGBLADES !!

    nah
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