Any NB tanks out there or all Wardens/DKs?? (pve)

Joxer61 · November 2018

Just curious if any NB are still going and if so how is it? Or are wardens and DKs the kings and I should just park my little NB butt and get with the program? As you can tell from other posts I am really wanting to like the NB tank, that style kinda fits what I like but I struggle with lacking in cc and such. Might give Time Freeze? a look at but shame you don't get maim from it....but there are Shades.
So yea, if anyone is having success and fun playing a NB tank give a shout out! Or do I embrace that which is fire or ice?

RavenSworn · November 2018

There are still nb tanks out there. Are you looking into endgame vet HM trials or as long as you can pull your weight in vet dlcs?

Joxer61 · November 2018

RavenSworn wrote: »

There are still nb tanks out there. Are you looking into endgame vet HM trials or as long as you can pull your weight in vet dlcs?

Not end game for me but just in general if they are an actual viable thing or are people finding it hard to roll with one? I get that dungeons and such its open book really but maybe vet and dls's?

And I reckon the lack of responses speaks volumes to the question does it not?

RavenSworn · November 2018

well not really, its just that ever since ESO started, NB tanks had a few things going for them. The unfortunate part about it is that what was relatively unique to NB has been taken away, namely Sap Tank and Tava dodge tank. alot of it comes from feedback (whether warranted or unwarranted is another matter) within both the pve and pvp circles.

But are there nb tanks out there? of cos! im one. i know a number in my own guild that are too and im sure other guilds do have them.

Are there a high number of them? not really. its also due to DKs being the 'easymode' tank for newcomers and vets alike. they have all the tools needed for an efficient tank, both trials and dungeons. But NBs can do what they can, albeit with different skills and methods.

I think ive posted in your previous thread before, about not even worrying about CCs since as a healer myself, not only do i heal, i try to help out with the CC as well since i use a sorc healer. That way, i know the tank just needs to worry about the bigger fish, rather than wanting to run all over the place to taunt everything

Joxer61 · November 2018

RavenSworn wrote: »

I think ive posted in your previous thread before, about not even worrying about CCs since as a healer myself, not only do i heal, i try to help out with the CC as well since i use a sorc healer. That way, i know the tank just needs to worry about the bigger fish, rather than wanting to run all over the place to taunt everything

that right there is great to hear!! Hopefully others follow your example, would be nice! Cheers!

dovakiin5574 · November 2018

Nightblade tank is really strong. I run nb for my main tanking set up. I have done vet dlc hm dungeons and veteran trials. I have even done vDSA with x2 dps x1 healer and also with just x3 dps. I haven't tried Blackrose yet but I expect to complete it just fine. You have to build to the NB strengths. The main issue is no one really knows how to build a NB tank, a lot try too hard to make it just like the DK. If requested, I'll post my build

Joxer61 · November 2018

dovakiin5574 wrote: »

Nightblade tank is really strong. I run nb for my main tanking set up. I have done vet dlc hm dungeons and veteran trials. I have even done vDSA with x2 dps x1 healer and also with just x3 dps. I haven't tried Blackrose yet but I expect to complete it just fine. You have to build to the NB strengths. The main issue is no one really knows how to build a NB tank, a lot try too hard to make it just like the DK. If requested, I'll post my build

YES please!!! Cheers!

susmitds · November 2018

dovakiin5574 wrote: »

Nightblade tank is really strong. I run nb for my main tanking set up. I have done vet dlc hm dungeons and veteran trials. I have even done vDSA with x2 dps x1 healer and also with just x3 dps. I haven't tried Blackrose yet but I expect to complete it just fine. You have to build to the NB strengths. The main issue is no one really knows how to build a NB tank, a lot try too hard to make it just like the DK. If requested, I'll post my build

I have tanked vMoL, vDSA, all vet dungeons, all craglorn vet trials HM with my NB tank. The issue is that my DK tank is far easier to tank with and gives a lot of group utility. Hence, most groups force me to switch to DK. Also vDSA is easier with 3 DPS

BejaProphet · November 2018

@dovakiin5574 I’d love to see the build as well.

TiZzA93 · November 2018

@dovakiin5574 Id like to see the build too pls i used to sap tank but after changes shelved him now my only tank is a templar

usmcjdking · November 2018

My NB tank is in Black Rose, Powerful Assault and alternates between Bloodspawn and Lord Warden.

munster1404 · November 2018

I levelled a NB tank during the recent Witches Festival. I don’t subscribe to the Ebon/Alkosh meta (DDs can provide their own buffs, thank you) so it’s not suitable for Trials. In lieu of those sets, I don a Tremor Scale+Knight Errant’s+Bahraha’s curse.

DKs are definitely easier to play as its skills and passives favour tanking.

VaxtinTheWolf · November 2018

Non DLC Veteran Dungeons(Because I don't have any).

After removing Tavas I have replaced it with the Sanctuary set. It is also wearing Dragonguard and Bloodspawn. The original build idea was to stack incoming/outgoing healing anyway, so it it an Argonian too. I still miss the once passive source of Minor Vitality. It's probably enough to keep nearby allies healed through the use refreshing path, funnel health, and Healthy Offering. Around 30k Health and magicka, with about 14k stamina and resistances around 24k when buffed.

Jim_Pipp · November 2018

Hi. I am experimenting with some NB tank builds and have no trouble pugging vet dungeons or normal trials.

My current build is unconventional for a tank but works better than a dk for the content I am doing!

It is based around having high stamina Regen, so you can spam bone shield to avoid most damage, and if you need to block through mechanics your Stam regenerates back so quickly you don't ever need to rely on your healer (although using synergies is still nice). Because I am mostly weaving abilities it plays more like a dps build than the perma-block meat shield tank meta.

My current set up is 1h+s front bar (32k health) and 2 handed on back bar (to use the brawler ability for a powerful damage shield when overwhelmed with mobs). Gear is Ebon body, bone pirates tatters jewels and weapons, and 2 x monster 1 pieces giving extra resistance so I am at the resistance cap (to make your 10k damage shields more powerful).

30k stamina and 3.5k Stam Regen on my back bar because I am a bosmer werewolf. This morning I pugged vet darkshade caverns 2, and it isn't the hardest dungeon but there were 3 points that showed how this build excells.

The netch boss - high Stam Regen means I can spam inner fire and taunt all of the trash mobs that give unco-ordinated groups trouble, but this wasn't enough because the dps was too low during the brief periods you can damage the boss, so I went werewolf while my group surrounded the healer, I would jump between trash mobs putting down dots while my team sniped from safety, and during the window when we could damage the boss I contributed 30% of the damage!

The swarms of dwemer constructs. Similar strategy, my three team members bunched together and dealt with any mobs that targeted them, I ran into the crowd dropping caltrops and spamming brawler - against so many mobs I am unkillable, although the damage isn't great.

Against the engine guardian - my group had trouble with this, and they kept dieing, when the boss was at 60% health they had all died so I went werewolf and finished the boss myself.

Honestly the Stam Regen I have is higher than necessary, so the next version of the build will be torugs pact with powerful assault on a dual wield back bar, but it is still in the design phase.

Thorstienn · November 2018

I have 1 of all class tanks and NB is the most active. The no cc isn't bad as you just kind of dart around grabbing everyone anyway.
I think they make a great health tank to be honest, with bone shield and a big heal, very survivable.
I use ebon and brands of the Imperium on mine.
Key is if you like It, work It: completely viable in all but maybe leaderboard runs (even there, an ultigen offtank could be useful).

Joxer61 · November 2018

All good info and feedback guys!! glad to hear it...has renewed my faith to keep going on my NB tank!!! Cheers!!!

Tasear · November 2018

Don't see any reason why there wouldn't be.

Chains with sliver leash
Best ultimate generation
Off healing
Speed buff
Extra dps
Time stop or mage rune for cc

It's the 2nd most common tank I see.

Joxer61 · November 2018

Tasear wrote: »

Don't see any reason why there wouldn't be.

Time stop or mage rune for cc

It's the 2nd most common tank I see.

that's even better news!! Thanks!!!

DoobZ69 · November 2018

You can pick the worst race for tanking and any class and just build it for tanking and you can get carried through endgame vet with only a single taunt ability on your bar. This is why people say its "viable" any time anyone asks.
The only difference is that a DK is built for tanking and therefore has the best tools for it. So you will run around taunting everything while its running away from you EVERY. SINGLE. PULL. on an NB or unlock and use a non-NB skill. A DK has talons. So buy Summerset and do the Psijic quest and do the Psijic grinding before you have a skill SOMEWHAT resembling the talons skill.
Viable? My ass. Through a lake of *** to get to the other side while the DK sips on his Pina Coladas on a Hawaiian beach. Viable. Pffft. Don't even bother with the forums, no idea here. The only time anything is "viable" is when its used to break through the new content and/or attempt high scores. Currently non-DK is an afterthought in both of those instances and just a follow-up for fun purposes.
If its your main and you want it to be a viable tank and that really matters to you then roll a DK Argonian. Currently everything else is just fluffy clouds and stuff.

xI_The_Owl_Ix · November 2018

If its your main and you want it to be a viable tank and that really matters to you then roll a DK Argonian. Currently everything else is just fluffy clouds and stuff.

This bit really got me. My main is a NB Khajiit with around 60 titles and 25k achievements and eventhough its imo more fun to tank on a NB, I would gladly class change to a DK just because at some point I dont care about fun and want to get end game stuff done.

Listen to this guy, OP. Thats coming from someone who tanked almost every vet content possible.

Joxer61 · November 2018

xI_The_Owl_Ix wrote: »

If its your main and you want it to be a viable tank and that really matters to you then roll a DK Argonian. Currently everything else is just fluffy clouds and stuff.

This bit really got me. My main is a NB Khajiit with around 60 titles and 25k achievements and eventhough its imo more fun to tank on a NB, I would gladly class change to a DK just because at some point I dont care about fun and want to get end game stuff done.

See that's where I am the complete opposite......endgame titles and all..meh, I play for fun and if the build is fun then that's for me. Downer Debbies can go away not helpful but then again does show the other side of the coin so all good.

"imo more fun to tank on a NB" Bam, nails it right there. You got it done and it was fun...'nuff said.

Joxer61 · November 2018

ya know whats really crazy..and silly? You see posts like the one from @Tasear and then the next one like the one from @DoobZ69 …...its just nuts. I mean you cant really call one a liar and the other spot on can you? But given that the majority of the feedback I have seen (here and elsewhere) has been positive its enough for me to give my NB tank a fair go. Who knows.....at some stage I might find out that one of them was right!!

ccfeeling · November 2018

xI_The_Owl_Ix wrote: »

If its your main and you want it to be a viable tank and that really matters to you then roll a DK Argonian. Currently everything else is just fluffy clouds and stuff.

This bit really got me. My main is a NB Khajiit with around 60 titles and 25k achievements and eventhough its imo more fun to tank on a NB, I would gladly class change to a DK just because at some point I dont care about fun and want to get end game stuff done.

Listen to this guy, OP. Thats coming from someone who tanked almost every vet content possible.

Agree .

Tasear · November 2018

Joxer61 wrote: »

ya know whats really crazy..and silly? You see posts like the one from @Tasear and then the next one like the one from @DoobZ69 …...its just nuts. I mean you cant really call one a liar and the other spot on can you? But given that the majority of the feedback I have seen (here and elsewhere) has been positive its enough for me to give my NB tank a fair go. Who knows.....at some stage I might find out that one of them was right!!

enjoy your travels

Joxer61 · November 2018

ccfeeling wrote: »

xI_The_Owl_Ix wrote: »

If its your main and you want it to be a viable tank and that really matters to you then roll a DK Argonian. Currently everything else is just fluffy clouds and stuff.

This bit really got me. My main is a NB Khajiit with around 60 titles and 25k achievements and eventhough its imo more fun to tank on a NB, I would gladly class change to a DK just because at some point I dont care about fun and want to get end game stuff done.

Listen to this guy, OP. Thats coming from someone who tanked almost every vet content possible.

Agree .

care to add more? elaborate any? Im keen to hear the good and the bad...and the ugly...lol!!!

RavenSworn · November 2018

Well if you are on pc na send me a tell and I'll help out what I can. I think alot of people have different opinions on this matter so it's up to you to sieve through it all.

xI_The_Owl_Ix · November 2018

Joxer61 wrote: »

ya know whats really crazy..and silly? You see posts like the one from @Tasear and then the next one like the one from @DoobZ69 …...its just nuts. I mean you cant really call one a liar and the other spot on can you? But given that the majority of the feedback I have seen (here and elsewhere) has been positive its enough for me to give my NB tank a fair go. Who knows.....at some stage I might find out that one of them was right!!

Well to be honest I yet have to see a NB tank in trials or dungeons that isnt me when Im playing on a DD or healer. The most common second tank is a warden not NB.

Also most negativity is coming from NB tanks it seems. Not sure if Tasear mains a NB tank but the points they made arent that true. I think its just frustating for us, who play the class.

Tasear wrote: »

Don't see any reason why there wouldn't be.

Chains with sliver leash
Best ultimate generation
Off healing
Speed buff
Extra dps
Time stop or mage rune for cc

It's the 2nd most common tank I see.

Silver Leash is extremely expensive, combined with the lack of a soft CC you will have to chain a lot of stuff. I rarely use this skill in dungeons its far better to use Swarm Mother combined with Inner Fire and block. By doing so you lose another Monster set.

Not sure if best Ulti Generation but I cant complain about it.

Off healing, no. If you go for trials or harder dungeons you will have to focus on your own survivability. On the other hand sap tanks once were able to off heal. But thats gone.

Speed Buff, lol.

Extra DPS, again same point as above. Sap tanking is gone. I have 2-3k DPS on my tank.

Time Stop is a decent hard CC, but its a hard CC. Tanks need a soft CC so we can chain ads and root them without it you will just chain the ads and watch them walk away again. Like DoobZ said. You literally have to taunt every single ad on every single ad pull. It gets frustating. Especially on the never dungeons where even ads can one bang a tank.

Difference between a hard and soft CC is for example if you chain an ad they get a hard CC immunity. Meaning you can only root them with a soft CC and NBs (and templars) dont have that.

Do yourself a favour OP and make a DK. Learn from our mistakes.

Joxer61 · November 2018

xI_The_Owl_Ix wrote: »

snipped for space.....

but... THANKS heaps for that honest feedback! that's what I have been looking for. And yea, now playing it more while fun as I am seeing some cracks, such as the Silver Leash one...it is costly!!! And the lack of cc just kinda bugs me...its a carry over from tanking other MMo's I reckon ,ones with aoe taunts. A cc for a tank is ESO's answer to that I think. I am not quick enough on the keyboard to run grabbing everything but that's what I have been doing and its crazy! I was (and maybe still am somewhat) really hoping to make it work, for me, since it felt very much like a Deathknight in WOW and that's something I am used to.....comfy sweater and all. But maybe that's something I need to let go of and embrace the classes in ESO and quit trying to make them something else from something else! I reckon DK tank can do decent enough dps to be a help (lower dungeons, dps seems to be really low, as expected) and the class is fun...fire and all!
So yea, thanks again...great info to ponder on. ')

Joxer61 · November 2018

@xI_The_Owl_Ix , let me ask you this though. If it truly is all what you say, and I do believe you btw....why do YOU play one? See that's what I am trying to get to the heart of. If they are so bad, no fun, suck balls, whatever.....then why are you playing one?

xI_The_Owl_Ix · November 2018

Joxer61 wrote: »

@xI_The_Owl_Ix , let me ask you this though. If it truly is all what you say, and I do believe you btw....why do YOU play one? See that's what I am trying to get to the heart of. If they are so bad, no fun, suck balls, whatever.....then why are you playing one?

Hes my main. I play him since launch. I keep swapping back and forth from DPS(PvP) and Tank(PvE). And mostly I enjoy tanking. DPS'ing just seems to focused on doing the rotation, tanking is more active.
Also I guess I just like "making it harder on myself". Gives me self-validation that I did on a subpar class/role. I do have a DK tank, but you can keep holding block on him and do nothing. Which gets boring really fast imo. On my NB I have to heavy attack, use meditate, dodge roll etc. But then again all these things leave room for an ad or boss to one bang you. And if the tank dies its usually a wipe for the group.
Right now Im tanking vHoF for a progression run. After Ive helped the group complete it Ill probably switch him back to PvP DPS.

BejaProphet · November 2018

I’m a DK using silver leash for a number of weeks now. It’s working great for me. I don’t think non DK tanks can complain about that one anymore. Or at least they shouldn’t.