Trying to find a decent Melee NB 1-bar PvP build for Firesong

Draxund · November 2022

I'm currently using my Nightblade as a ganker in Cyrodiil but want to change to a more melee/brawler playstyle. Ganking can be amusing for a bit, but often I'll be in situations where I need/want to go toe-to-toe with others (or at least have the option to do so with the Armory). Although I run melee PvP builds on my Templar, I became fond of the cloaking/hiding/sneaking capabilities of NB and want to give the melee NB a try. That said, the current meta seems to require beefy defense and high damage.

HERE'S THE CATCH: I really want to run it as an Oakensoul 1-bar setup. I know, I know... Obviously, most of the builds I see are normal 2-bar setups (because they're made by better players than I'll ever be). But I have the most fun with 1-bar setups in PvP because it keeps things simple for my big dumb brain and my big dumb thumbs. So can anyone out there forgive my Oakensoul-liking-blasphemy and direct me to a decent melee NB 1-bar build? I'd greatly appreciate the help!

DrNukenstein · November 2022

I think you can make it work. Slot surprise attack, dark cloak, and refreshing path for a big 9% health boost and HOTs, then class heal for your burst heal and 8% mag. Then pick between your choice of bow proc, execute or root cleanse for your last slot.

definitely go for a defensive 5 piece. Mara's, Rallying Cry, or the extremely underrated Impregnable. Then pick any set that gives two lines damage and one line penetration for it's 2, 3 and 4 bonuses.

You should really try a 5 front 5 back setup though. It gets a lot of use out of your build real estate, and the right combinations sacrifice very little damage compared to a full damage set build while gaining tremendous defense and utility over the latter. On controller, I rebound swap to right stick which makes it a lot less clunky.

Iriidius · November 2022

You really want press nerfed dark cloak and refreshing into a one bar build with only 5 skills?
Rallying cry is actually julianos + 5piecebonus of impregnable as onebarable procset that also gives 5piece of julianos and impregnable to group(a bit reduced).
You should slot vigor, healthy offering, assassins will, concealed weapon, cloak/killersblade/other skill and incap. Probably you want play a bit tankier because it is brawlerblade so you could use daedrick trickery, rallying cry, wretchet vitality or pariah as set.

Theignson · November 2022

To do this, use Surprise attack, killer blade, camo hunter (flex spot), cloak and vigor plus incap.

Then use two offensive sets , put on a celerity and one swift, all weapon damage + oakensoul

You can then easily gank from stealth using standard NB combo

But you will likely die a lot, lol, since you cant brawl and your defense will be cloak plus one heal over time. But you should also be stage 3 vamp

Sets: you could use spriggans plus new moon or even daerloc or night mothers, use dual wield one nirhoned one sharpened

IMO you won't have time to use merciless resolve with this set up

gariondavey · November 2022

Assassin's will (semi flex), concealed weapon, healthy offering, cloak, channeled acceleration, onslaught

1 magma incarnate (or balorgh if you have enough sustain), orders wrath or that new crit damage set from galen, stygian, 1 oakensoul

All medium, all infused jewels, crit damage mundas, jewels of misrule/bear haunch, vamp stage 2 at least

2h greatsword nirn. Essentially roll up and onslaught someone for 25k+ then quickly concealed weapon them for 10k

Turtle_Bot · December 2022

I run 1 bar oaken with nightmothers + 1 piece trainee, monster set + 3 pc potentates.

Nightmothers provides breach on the crit from stealth, for skill bar I have concealed, vigor, invis, blur, offering and incap. While not a traditional brawler build, it can hold its own quite well thanks to the multitude of crazy buffs nb received over the past 2 patches.

For a more brawler-oriented build, swap vigor for refreshing path, blur for shade and invis for whatever you feel is needed most (execute, spec bow, vigor, blur, etc). Nightmothers can be switched out for a different set, rallying will provide the most overall stat density, but depending on what you want, maras, or another set might be better.

NB is one of the best classes to run oaken on in the current meta since it gets so much damage from only 2 skills allowing for much easier flexibility of bar space, even when limited to only 1 bar.