Is Magblade Even a Class anymore?

fred4 · January 2019

I play melee magblade in Cyro and IC, mostly solo. It is still the class with which I get the most kills / AP. That said, I never got used to stamblade and play less stamina overall.

I wouldn't run anything but light armor. I use Caluurion and Zaan with Lotus Fan, Incap (not SH) and Concealed for offense. 3x gold Swift jewelry, Skooma Smuggler, Shade, Cloak, Forward Momentum, Dampen, Healing Ward and Light's Champion for defense.

I also play other classes. Whenever I return to the magblade, I notice how squishy she is. I have tried 3x Protective. It doesn't help much. I've used Troll King in the past. Not enough damage. I feel Zaan is needed for the tankier targets. You can try to be tankier or have better stamina sustain. There are situations where that helps, but not a lot. On balance I prefer the speed. I've added Meditate into the build, so I can get stamina back after cloaking behind a tree. Heavy attacks with the greatsword are not realistic (too slow, too squishy, no damage).

The biggest problem, as others have said, is when you are caught. Even Dampen + Healing Ward together are barely adequate anymore. It's no good if you die so quickly that one cast of Forward Momentum or dropping the shade, instead of spamming shields, equals your death. Can't quite kill someone in a 1vX or AvA and stayed on attack one GCD too long? Sorry, you're dead. Should have ported back to the shade. This is in contrast to, say, a stamblade who I see rolling around with Eternal Hunt in the middle of a brawl or my stamsorc healing like crazy while rolling. That said, I really miss the in-cloak speed I get from Concealed + Skooma Smuggler when I play stamblade.

Datthaw · January 2019

fred4 wrote: »

I play melee magblade in Cyro and IC, mostly solo. It is still the class with which I get the most kills / AP. That said, I never got used to stamblade and play less stamina overall.

I wouldn't run anything but light armor. I use Caluurion and Zaan with Lotus Fan, Incap (not SH) and Concealed for offense. 3x gold Swift jewelry, Skooma Smuggler, Shade, Cloak, Forward Momentum, Dampen, Healing Ward and Light's Champion for defense.

I also play other classes. Whenever I return to the magblade, I notice how squishy she is. I have tried 3x Protective. It doesn't help much. I've used Troll King in the past. Not enough damage. I feel Zaan is needed for the tankier targets. You can try to be tankier or have better stamina sustain. There are situations where that helps, but not a lot. On balance I prefer the speed. I've added Meditate into the build, so I can get stamina back after cloaking behind a tree. Heavy attacks with the greatsword are not realistic (too slow, too squishy, no damage).

The biggest problem, as others have said, is when you are caught. Even Dampen + Healing Ward together are barely adequate anymore. It's no good if you die so quickly that one cast of Forward Momentum or dropping the shade, instead of spamming shields, equals your death. Can't quite kill someone in a 1vX or AvA and stayed on attack one GCD too long? Sorry, you're dead. Should have ported back to the shade. This is in contrast to, say, a stamblade who I see rolling around with Eternal Hunt in the middle of a brawl or my stamsorc healing like crazy while rolling. That said, I really miss the in-cloak speed I get from Concealed + Skooma Smuggler when I play stamblade.

Yeah I'm starting to venture back into the 2h build I ran with swift during that meta. It's squishy, if you catch me. Just goes to show how much snare removal is needed to make cloak viable.

Iskiab · January 2019

If you’re having difficulty with sweeps use the pbaoe fear, sweeps only snares on the last hit.

If you wear light I can’t see you surviving a shield charge stun combo. To each their own but personally I can’t accept dying every time I get knocked down and stunned. Without light your sustain and damage is trash though so I don’t think you have a choice.

SpiderCultist · February 2019

fred4 wrote: »

I play melee magblade in Cyro and IC, mostly solo. It is still the class with which I get the most kills / AP. That said, I never got used to stamblade and play less stamina overall.

I wouldn't run anything but light armor. I use Caluurion and Zaan with Lotus Fan, Incap (not SH) and Concealed for offense. 3x gold Swift jewelry, Skooma Smuggler, Shade, Cloak, Forward Momentum, Dampen, Healing Ward and Light's Champion for defense.

I also play other classes. Whenever I return to the magblade, I notice how squishy she is. I have tried 3x Protective. It doesn't help much. I've used Troll King in the past. Not enough damage. I feel Zaan is needed for the tankier targets. You can try to be tankier or have better stamina sustain. There are situations where that helps, but not a lot. On balance I prefer the speed. I've added Meditate into the build, so I can get stamina back after cloaking behind a tree. Heavy attacks with the greatsword are not realistic (too slow, too squishy, no damage).

The biggest problem, as others have said, is when you are caught. Even Dampen + Healing Ward together are barely adequate anymore. It's no good if you die so quickly that one cast of Forward Momentum or dropping the shade, instead of spamming shields, equals your death. Can't quite kill someone in a 1vX or AvA and stayed on attack one GCD too long? Sorry, you're dead. Should have ported back to the shade. This is in contrast to, say, a stamblade who I see rolling around with Eternal Hunt in the middle of a brawl or my stamsorc healing like crazy while rolling. That said, I really miss the in-cloak speed I get from Concealed + Skooma Smuggler when I play stamblade.

replace skooma smuggler for spinner's
you'll notice the difference for sure

stamdammered · February 2019

I leveled up a MNB right before the murkmire patch and have a LOT of fun playing it recently. It took a lot different builds to find something that worked for me but I’ve had a lot of success with a LA build.

I also really like using force pulse over swallow soul as it’s unreflectable and I love watching wing dependent MDKs throw them up repeatedly expecting to reflect, and 4 pulses later they’re dead.

Sustain and AOE have been big obstacles but I’m able to play around it fairly well, just had a 16-2 bg tonight and I average 600-750k damage/round, sometimes can pull 1-1.2m on longer rounds.

mav1234 · February 2019

stamdammered wrote: »

I leveled up a MNB right before the murkmire patch and have a LOT of fun playing it recently. It took a lot different builds to find something that worked for me but I’ve had a lot of success with a LA build.

I also really like using force pulse over swallow soul as it’s unreflectable and I love watching wing dependent MDKs throw them up repeatedly expecting to reflect, and 4 pulses later they’re dead.

Sustain and AOE have been big obstacles but I’m able to play around it fairly well, just had a 16-2 bg tonight and I average 600-750k damage/round, sometimes can pull 1-1.2m on longer rounds.

I'm finding the most success with force pulse too. I am going to try elemental weapon and force pulse together to see if I can burst harder.

stamdammered · February 2019

stamdammered wrote: »

I leveled up a MNB right before the murkmire patch and have a LOT of fun playing it recently. It took a lot different builds to find something that worked for me but I’ve had a lot of success with a LA build.

I also really like using force pulse over swallow soul as it’s unreflectable and I love watching wing dependent MDKs throw them up repeatedly expecting to reflect, and 4 pulses later they’re dead.

Sustain and AOE have been big obstacles but I’m able to play around it fairly well, just had a 16-2 bg tonight and I average 600-750k damage/round, sometimes can pull 1-1.2m on longer rounds.

I guess I should mention it’s a destro/resto ranged build and I mainly play Xbox NA

Iskiab · February 2019

I used crushing shock too, combined well with the asylum staff and iceheart. Since force pulse hits 3x the uptime on iceheart was pretty good. Back bar 5 lich. I kept looking for another set to combine it with but nothing seemed very competitive. I even tried 5 Stygian transmuted to magicka stats since I used cloak so often but still lacked punch compared with my survivability if I was caught by a melee.

stamdammered · February 2019

Iskiab wrote: »

I used crushing shock too, combined well with the asylum staff and iceheart. Since force pulse hits 3x the uptime on iceheart was pretty good. Back bar 5 lich. I kept looking for another set to combine it with but nothing seemed very competitive. I even tried 5 Stygian transmuted to magicka stats since I used cloak so often but still lacked punch compared with my survivability if I was caught by a melee.

I’m using torugs pact, Btb and skoria with infused flame damage fire staff and infused oblivion damage resto. Torugs has worked well for me, I’ve tried shackle-breaker and didn’t feel like I got enough damage from it.

If you want a defensive set I think armor master pairs really well with the LA active ability. I’ve spent all my money on btb, shackle, and mother’s sorrow and don’t have 9 traits so I haven’t tried it out yet.

If I get caught by melee I’m pretty much *** unless I can get a stun on them, so I just keep my head on a swivel and try to stay ranged if they’re any good. If they’re not I wait til skoria procs and combo it with a soul harvest/spectral bow for a quick kill

Sypherioth · February 2019

I Always played magblade but I realy hate what they have done to it when I returned. I tried stamina but real don't like it beacause 2hand is needed for the oh *** heal. its stupid.

Also i always wondered. Did they mix up Dk skills with NB skills when they created eso?? Because why does a NB has the perfect fear? and a DK has the perfect stun?? realy??

So you gonna be stealthed to fear someone as NB? Also i think magic that is based off dragons like DK use could give a fearsome roar. And because they are best heat taking class a fear would be on its place to reduce heat for moment. A NB is the class that shouldnt take heat at all. So a fear shouldnt be needed but whatever.

I sometimes just feel that a 2h/dw stam DK plays like the NB should have played. Gap close. dot up. and stun + finisher when the time is right.

NB now just feels like either stealth and snipe. Or use 2hander because that is very handy for a stealthing class.....

And I dont get why ambush is not allowed to have a 2 stun on players these days since so much has changed? The dmg is little higher then invasion from 1hand and shield nowadays. And that one stuns for 3 sec. Maybe went the wrong way by giving NB the highest instant dmg. because how i see it all the nerfs the NB gets are due to them being the supposed highest dmg class. I think NB should have had more control and less dmg. So more skill and good timing and use of skills was needed to get the gank kill from stealth instead of 1 button hero.