Please help with magblade PvE build

ereboz · March 2018

I've mained a mag sorc since first beta and I've heard lots of good things about magblades. I really wanna make it work, but no matter how much I follow alcasts guide I can't get above 12k dps. I don't have any trial gear, so for now I'm just using mech acuity with destruction mastery to get similar numbers stat wise. Please help with my build

Turelus · March 2018

How are you doing on your rotations and upkeep of your ground dots?

A lot of the DPS comes from being able to keep your dots up and weaving those light attacks in to get the bow proc from merciless resolve.

Are you factoring in your penetration as well.

ereboz · March 2018

I'm trying to stay on top of dots though I think I'm refreshing some too early and causing a problem with sustain. Not sure what you mean by factoring in penetration @Turelus

Oreyn_Bearclaw · March 2018

ereboz wrote: »

I'm trying to stay on top of dots though I think I'm refreshing some too early and causing a problem with sustain. Not sure what you mean by factoring in penetration @Turelus

What platform are you on? Mageblade is one of those classes that gives console players a lot of trouble. Buff trackers are really important on mageblade, because their rotation is non-circular. Alcasts guide tries to force the rotation into a circular format, but you wont see the numbers you want if you do it that way. Mageblades that are beating sorcs for damage are juggling their 3-4 DOTS (Path, Grasp, Blockade, *Trap) independently of one another. Trap is more situational, certainly not necessary, especially if you need to be ranged. You also need a tight weave if you want to make merciless function.

I plug it often, but check out LZH's youtube page. He has a current build video up that shows his rotation (or lack there of):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lu6IOwhCMI&index=2&list=PLGl3HrfGSik-1XA7iZg3GEjQM56LXaZJB

He also has one of the cleanest UI's i have ever seen, and he finally published his addon video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjaGXJoEeFE

As to gear, you dont need end game gear on a mageblade. Julianos/Willpower/Skoria is plenty of damage. They only thing you really "need" is a VMA staff, but that's true of any magic build (and stamina needs the bow). Not the end of the world if you dont have it, but nightblades do make good use of it with all their light attacks.

The biggest thing to NB is that you have to have a good weave. The class is not viable without one. Their best damage skill (merciless) and their sustain skill (siphoning) both rely on it. You should almost never need to heavy attack on a mageblade if you are on top of your rotation.

As to the rotation, you can try to cast your three DOTS in order, and you can still hit mid 30's on a dummy that way, but its a hefty DPS loss from doing it independently.

ereboz · March 2018

Ok ty for tips guys. I'm on pc na, I may be weaving wrong even though I've been playing 4 years. Sustain is awful

Krayl · March 2018

Using a build like the Alcast one there are a lot of gear options. your best bet is to just hit up a targetting dummy and get a feel for when buffs drop off.

you need to keep Merciless up and Siphoning attacks up; but you also don't want to waste time casting them until they expire because they are the two skills in your rotation that are not doing damage by being pressed. On the same token you want to get merciless up ASAP so you're not wasting light attacks that aren't adding to bow procs.

Make sure you're hitting light attacks before using every other skill, and before weapon swapping.

Make sure your'e firing your spectral bow as soon as it's available

Make sure you're using your ultimate as soon as it's up

Use pots early and often to keep up your sustain. I see people often wait until they are low on resources to use them.

Using a targetting dummy get used to seeing the buffs and you'll get a rhythm.

ereboz · March 2018

Thanks everyone. Currently still getting some low numbers, but it has gone up a few k, so I think I'm slowly getting the hang of it

Alqu · March 2018

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

ereboz wrote: »

I'm trying to stay on top of dots though I think I'm refreshing some too early and causing a problem with sustain. Not sure what you mean by factoring in penetration @Turelus

What platform are you on? Mageblade is one of those classes that gives console players a lot of trouble. Buff trackers are really important on mageblade, because their rotation is non-circular. Alcasts guide tries to force the rotation into a circular format, but you wont see the numbers you want if you do it that way. Mageblades that are beating sorcs for damage are juggling their 3-4 DOTS (Path, Grasp, Blockade, *Trap) independently of one another. Trap is more situational, certainly not necessary, especially if you need to be ranged. You also need a tight weave if you want to make merciless function.

I plug it often, but check out LZH's youtube page. He has a current build video up that shows his rotation (or lack there of):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lu6IOwhCMI&index=2&list=PLGl3HrfGSik-1XA7iZg3GEjQM56LXaZJB

He also has one of the cleanest UI's i have ever seen, and he finally published his addon video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjaGXJoEeFE

As to gear, you dont need end game gear on a mageblade. Julianos/Willpower/Skoria is plenty of damage. They only thing you really "need" is a VMA staff, but that's true of any magic build (and stamina needs the bow). Not the end of the world if you dont have it, but nightblades do make good use of it with all their light attacks.

The biggest thing to NB is that you have to have a good weave. The class is not viable without one. Their best damage skill (merciless) and their sustain skill (siphoning) both rely on it. You should almost never need to heavy attack on a mageblade if you are on top of your rotation.

As to the rotation, you can try to cast your three DOTS in order, and you can still hit mid 30's on a dummy that way, but its a hefty DPS loss from doing it independently.

I would have thought beast trap wouldn't be added on a magic build? Does it not scale w/ stam? Or it is just for the crit buff?

Forgive my ignorance, original 1st character was mag but switched to stam, just dusting off my second nightblade.

Runefang · March 2018

Alqu wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

ereboz wrote: »

I'm trying to stay on top of dots though I think I'm refreshing some too early and causing a problem with sustain. Not sure what you mean by factoring in penetration @Turelus

What platform are you on? Mageblade is one of those classes that gives console players a lot of trouble. Buff trackers are really important on mageblade, because their rotation is non-circular. Alcasts guide tries to force the rotation into a circular format, but you wont see the numbers you want if you do it that way. Mageblades that are beating sorcs for damage are juggling their 3-4 DOTS (Path, Grasp, Blockade, *Trap) independently of one another. Trap is more situational, certainly not necessary, especially if you need to be ranged. You also need a tight weave if you want to make merciless function.

I plug it often, but check out LZH's youtube page. He has a current build video up that shows his rotation (or lack there of):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lu6IOwhCMI&index=2&list=PLGl3HrfGSik-1XA7iZg3GEjQM56LXaZJB

He also has one of the cleanest UI's i have ever seen, and he finally published his addon video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjaGXJoEeFE

As to gear, you dont need end game gear on a mageblade. Julianos/Willpower/Skoria is plenty of damage. They only thing you really "need" is a VMA staff, but that's true of any magic build (and stamina needs the bow). Not the end of the world if you dont have it, but nightblades do make good use of it with all their light attacks.

The biggest thing to NB is that you have to have a good weave. The class is not viable without one. Their best damage skill (merciless) and their sustain skill (siphoning) both rely on it. You should almost never need to heavy attack on a mageblade if you are on top of your rotation.

As to the rotation, you can try to cast your three DOTS in order, and you can still hit mid 30's on a dummy that way, but its a hefty DPS loss from doing it independently.

I would have thought beast trap wouldn't be added on a magic build? Does it not scale w/ stam? Or it is just for the crit buff?

Forgive my ignorance, original 1st character was mag but switched to stam, just dusting off my second nightblade.

It's just for Minor Force.

The_Lex · March 2018

As a console player, it's a nightmare to properly weave a staff light attack with swallow soul.