Replies: 73

Introduction

First of all, I’d like to give you a certain idea of how powerful this build is, and what you want to achieve with it. This is a build that focuses on extreme burst damage, both single target and AoE, using Shadow Image and Dark Cloak to get in and out of trouble quickly, while causing alot of chaos. This build works extremely well for ganking, assassinating and such, but doesn’t give you the most out of a Nightblade when it comes to sustain fights, however I will experiment with adjusting it into a more dueling oriented build, that provides you better sustain and whatnot. I would also like to say that im not a very experienced nightblade, there is several more experienced, and more skilled ones out there, but I have found this build to be working really well for me, and got a decent ammount of requests for what I use etc.

The first thing you need to think of, is your mindset as a nightblade. Your job is to take out important targets of groups, squishy targets, and cause alot of chaos. Time for the good stuff.

 Changelog

[spoiler]

1.1 – Updated the build with new bars, racial choises, and more.

[/spoiler]

Core

These are my current stats, and the main things you would want to achieve with your stats, is mainly 18k health while in Cyrodiil, this does the job for me and I don’t feel that you need more. The rest should be dumped into Magicka attribute wise, and for the regeneration you want to achieve roughly 1,5k-2k. It’s very impotant to keep your regeneration high, cause running out of resources will be your certain death.

Gear

At the moment, I am currently using the following;

These items will provide you with the best stats as possible, as far as im concerned. They will give you a mix of burst, yet let you sustain your resources fairly easy.

You can switch out Inferno Staff w/ dual wield (Sword of Torug Pact w/ nirn and master dagger) if you feel trading 15k heavy attacks for 200 spell damage is worth it.

Mundus

You have three options for mundus, and I will write them in my ranking, after a good ammount of testing.

1. Atronach

The clear winner is Atronach, for PvP related content, sustaining your resources is very impotant, and this will help you doing so. It lets me keep my resources up all the time, which allows me to play a bit more loose.

2. Apprentice

For the second place, it’s a hard decision but Apprentice is the winner. In PvP, I’ve had several encounters that stack nirn, and whitestrakes often, which is very hard to dig through with this build. However, with Apprentice it makes my life abit easier, so if you don’t feel you need the magicka regeneration from the Atronach, I would definetly run with this.

3. The Mage

This is a good overall mundus, lets you boost your Magicka up abit, but I dont feel it can even compete with the two other mundu stones. Stay away.

Skills

Mainbar

- Mass Hysteria

The reason why I have decided to slot Mass Hysteria, is for the utility it gives you. It allows you to “stamina fuck” which is really enjoyable, so it lets you skirmish with this build in a way. Also amazing to use it when you try to get away, gives you crucial seconds you will need.

- Concealed Weapon

This will be your main damage skill, and provides insane numbers, while giving you extra movement speed while stealthed. Combined with stealth, this is a deadly skill.

- Teleport Strike

The reason we leave it unmorphed, is simply because Lotus Fan doesn’t give burst, and Ambush scales of stamina. This is your gapcloser, and is very nice for alot of situations. Can also be mixed up with Shadow Image to create alot of confusion.

- Sap Essence

I have decided to slot sap essence aswell, as its great combined with bats. I would perhaps consider slotting fire ring here instead of sap essence, this would require you to go healing bats though, and not invisible ones. However, with the bugs that I’ve had the past few days with invis bats I think it might be worth testing out. However, for now im rolling sap essence.

- Dark Cloak

This is your bread and butter, your more defensive skill. This can be permanently used, while not going below 70% magicka, which lets you pick your targets with care, and timing. Removes dots, great skill.

- Clouding Swarm (Bats)

I have been very skeptical to this change. However, running with bats instead of tether is more viable for the single reason that it grants you stealth, grants you crucial seconds where you can put down alot of burst damage aswell, while the bats hurts like a motherfu**er.

Offbar

- Proximity Detonation

This is a MUST for this build I believe, I could not imagine playing this build without it. Such a great skill that allows you to do so much. Insane burst, AoE, doesn’t reveal you in stealth.

- Double Take

This is a flex slot, which can be flexxed to purge, fear, mark or whatnot you would like to use. Great skill as always, the 20% dodge chance has saved my life several times, gives you a good movement speed boost to, which lets you float around on the battlefield, and mobility is KEY to this build.

- Healing Ward

This is your oh shit ability, if you took a smack, don’t worry, healing ward is here to save your day.

- Efficient Purge

The ammount of times mark has killed me has become slightly annoying, so I’ve decided to slot this with the rise of piercing marks we have out there now. Great against sorcs too.

- Shadow Image

This is a really underestimated skill, and is SO AWESOME. It lets you do alot of flashy things, it lets you get in and out of trouble quickly and if used properly, you cant die.

Situational

- Piercing Mark

I haven’t tested this skill yet, but on paper it seems nice. I don’t feel it fits my playstyle though, which is the reason why I haven’t rolled with it.

- Elemental Ring

If you were to go full AoE nuke, I would switch this out for Concealed Weapon. However, there is too few situations where this is actually superior to Concealed, which is the reason it’s here.

Champion Points

- The Mage

30 points into Apprentice, in Elfborn or Spell erosion, whatever you feel more comfortable with. Mainly to get the Spell Precision passive, but alot of great stuff in here. Rest goes into Thaumatarge, once you maxed out Thaumatarge, then you can put more in the Apprentice.

- The Warrior

There isn’t really any passives you desperately need in here, so I would recommend you to put them here and there. Put points into what you feel you need more resistance against. I’ve personally just done most in The Lady, as it gives me a wide horizon of defensive attributes.

- The Thief

50/50 into Magician and Arcanist.

Races

1. Dark Elves

9% Max Magicka, 6% Stamina, 7% Fire damage, and fire resistance. Compare this with vampirism and you’re as perfect as you can get. If you have the option, GO WITH THIS.

2. Breton & High Elves

The reason why I think these are the top two choises, is simply because of the magicka boost. It might not seem alot, but if you want to get every single point of burst you can obtain, then you should roll one of these. Spell resistance and cost reduction against elemental damage and regeneration, your choice.

3. Imperial

I think Imperial is an overall good class, which lets you flex between several builds. It provides good passives, but not the best ones. This would be my second choise.

4. Woodelves & Khajiit

The reason why these is my third choise, is because of the stealth damage. I prefer woodelves for the in combat stamina regeneration, but both is equally good.

 Rotation

It depends, from situation to situation. There is a few key aspects I’d like you to focus on though. ALWAYS make sure you have your Shadow Image up and running. However, there is a few situations I would like to go more in-depth in.

Squishy targets below 25k Health

If they are immobile, then I usually launch up a proximity detonation, walk over to them, flick inner light and do a concealed and they tend to be dead. If they are mobile, or you don’t see a safe spot to launch up your proximity detonation, then I would do a heavy attack, teleport strike, and concealed.

Tanky Targets

I will give you an example, and that is my typical Abraxus killer. Launch up your proximity detonation, charge a heavy attack, launch the heavy attack, teleport strike, Tether / Harvest, concealed. This usually kills all people. Whitestrakes and alot of nirn stops it though, but after a while you will find your limit.

Groups

Launch up proximity detonation, inner flick, cloak until it goes off and just after it goes of you use Tether. I have jumped into several trains, and gotten everything from 3-15 killing blows. Especially when people repair walls, this is extremely fun. Time it with shadow image for several rounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

- Why should I roll a Magicka Build when I can roll a Stamina build?

– Well, there is alot of discussion about this subject, but I think stamina builds is more efficient for skirmishing. For the moment being, you can be hit by concealed, flame lash and many other skills when you’re dodging, which makes it very vulnerable. If you don’t have Vigor, then I wouldn’t roll a stamina build to put it like that. The burst is about the same on both builds, BUT with a Magicka build you can AoE burst, which is my favourite thing about this build. Stamina builds are also fairly expensive, if you wanna push it to it’s very limits, and also requires high end gear (Vicious Ophidian), however if you can afford it, and got this gear then I would say they’re about equal. At the end of the day, it’s a personal preference.

Why are you running a Destruction Staff when you can run dual wield for more spell damage?

– Reasoning is simple. Inferno heavy attacks are AWESOME. It gives you that extra burst you need against tanky targets. Trading 200 spell damage for 16k heavy attacks, should be an easy decision.

What food buff are you using?

– You will want to use blue magicka and stamina regeneration drinks, this is what gives you the best results and lets you keep your resources skyhigh.

Why are you running Vampire?

– I was very skeptical to this in the start, but after convincing from Prisma, I have decided to roll with it. Bats are awesome, you get 10% regeneration in stamina and magicka, which is amazing. The fire damage isnt really alot, and I haven’t had any problems with it. Health regeneration might be abit annoying, but you get used to spamming ward.

Media

[spoiler] [/spoiler]

- Credits

@Assilma for being a great mentor, and a good teacher.

@Amstelx for inspiration to reroll Magicka after 1.5.

@TehMagnus for advice, probably wouldn’t have written this without you.

And ofcourse, all the smurfs and bananas that made me successfull with this build, especially you Exile members!

– @IWM

• This topic was modified 3 weeks, 1 day ago by  Mashinate.