Nightblade Build discussion

This thread is to discuss builds for the class Nightblade. Post your own, criticize, throw in some wild ideas for others to theory craft.
The list of Nightblade skills can be found here (Not everything is necessarily up-to-date): Link to Skills list. All credits to Rage.

Format:

Quote:Build Name:

• Race:
  
• Class: Nightblade
  
• Stat allocation: [ex. 20 HP / 10 MA / 19 STA]
  
• Weapon:
  
• Armor: [ex. 5 HA / 2 MA]
  
  
  Skills set:
  
  
• Ultimate:
  
  
• 1.
  
• 2.
  
• 3.
  
• 4.
  
• 5.
  
  
  Hotbar #2: (Voluntary)
  
  
• Weapon:
  
  
  Skills set:
  
• Ultimate:
  
  
• 1.
  
• 2.
  
• 3.
  
• 4.
  
• 5.
  

Note: Easiest way to copy-paste the whole thing is to quote the post, copy-paste it and reply without quote!

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Example:

Build Name: Nehemia's Son of Kormac! A PvP tank.

• Race: Nord
  
• Class: Nightblade
  
• Stat allocation: 30 HP / 10 MA / 9 STA
  
• Weapon: Sword & Board
  
• Armor: 5 HA / 1 LA / 1 MA
  
  
  Skills set:
  
  
• Ultimate: Soul Shred
  
  
• 1. Immovable
  
• 2. Aspect of Terror
  
• 3. Blink Strike
  
• 4. Drain Power
  
• 5. Shadow Cloak
  
  
  

Strategy: You blink into the crowd. Use drain power with macro tied in that spams “But the Will of the Templar is Stronger!” into say for unnecessary annoyance. Then you smack in Aspect of Terror to make sure they notice you’re one annoying son of a Kormac. Every time you are target called, you state into VOIP: “Wops, target called” and pop stealth, only to appear poking their supports with your fishy stick again. (Its a very delicate state of mind). So they’ll have to either let you debuff their power constantly, or actually work on their target calling to down you.



Why wouldn’t I base this off damage? Since in PvP, its much easier to make enemies actually focus you if you are truly giving them trouble. Some tank poking less than mediocre DPS at a group isn’t a large threat, but someone who fears their group from time to time and makes sure their whole group stays power cut is something you truly don’t want to hang around (Not to mention larger the group, the HIGHER the tanks damage thanks to Drain Power’s self-buff).

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REGARDING PASSIVES:

Keep in mind that passives have no limit on how many you can use at a time. However passives activate based on what skills you have in your hotbar, how many armor pieces you wield and what weapon you have equipped at the time.

Many passives state "If you have x tree ability equipped" or "per x amount of abilities equipped" "if you have a weapon equipped" "per pieces of armor worn"

So for example, if Light Armor provides 1% spell damage per piece of armor worn, this bonus is multiplied by the amount of armor pieces worn that are of Light armor.

Weapon passives are only active if you have a said weapon equipped.

Skill passives vary, some do not require you to possess anything (constantly active), some require you to possess skills from said skill tree to be active, some are tied to skills directly (meaning that said passive will only give benefit to certain abilities) and some passives multiply per skill of said tree worn.

Examples:
-Increase max health by 3% per shadow ability slotted (Nightblade)
- increase block amount vs melee attacks by 15% while you have a spear ability slotted (Templar)
- increase magicka regen by 10% (Sorcerer, constantly passive)
- increase dmg of Storm calling abilities by 5% (Constantly passive, but only storm calling abilities benefit from this)

So when building a character, it is crucial to go through which passives can be gained from: Armor, hotbar skill selection, weapon and compare and to stack passives to generate the most useful of passives. For example if you have possibility of two similiar skills (let's say charge), the other may be slightly inferior in terms of raw skill power, but may give you a lot more efficient set of passives, in such situtation it is important to weigh which one provides more overall efficiency to your build.

Build Name: Nightingale (or whatever, I like to think of this build as kind of a Nightingale). DPS
Race: Bosmer
Class: Nightblade
Stat allocation: 10 HP / 15 MA / 24 STA
Weapon: Bow
Armor: 7 MA (possibly 5MA + 2 LA)

Skills set:
Ultimate: Consuming Darkness
1. Mark Target
2. Cripple
3. Volley
4. Scatter Shot
5. Snipe

Hotbar #2:
Weapon: Dual wielding

Skills set:
Ultimate: Death Stroke
1. Shadow Cloak
2. Aspect of Terror
3. Strife
4. Flurry
5. Whirlwind

After countless changes of mind I've come up with this.
Stategy: Bow hotbar is based around pure dmg and speed. Mark target + Snipe provides a very good opener. Cripple is fanatastic, puts a DoT on your enemy and makes sure they will never get you. Volley gives me AoE snares and Scatter Shot allows to keep the distance and gives me a few seconds to change to the second hotbar when the enemy is really close.
Dual wielding combines damage and utilities. Shadow Cloak allows quick sneak attacks which stun, so it's great. Aspect of terror looks amazing, lets you disable all enemies around making them easy targets. Strife provides some survivability with a DoT, so it's good in a close combat. Flurry gives a very solid damage and whirlwind comes with an AoE finisher.
In terms of ultimates: I love being sneaky, so consuming darkness is more of a personal choice than something crucial. But I reckon it will be very useful for ambushes in PvP etc. Death Stroke looks slightly better for an open combat: big damage and reduced healing.
Considering unofficial info, I have chosen Bosmer because of the sneak bonus, I want to accumulate as many sneak bonuses as possible.

Build Name: Shadow Crusader

Race:Argonian
Class: Nightblade
Stat allocation: 18 HP / 20 MA / 11 STA
Weapon:Destruction Staff (Frost)
Armor: 4 LA / 3 HA

Skills set:
Ultimate: Death Stroke
1. Impulse
2. Destructive Touch
3. Mark Target
4. Wall of Element
5. Weakness to Element

Hotbar #2: (Voluntary)
Weapon: Sword+Shield

Skills set:
Ultimate: Histskin
1. Puncture
2. Low Slash
3. Summon Shade
4. Drain Power
5. Path of Darkness

I've altered this build multiple times and I'm still a little iffy on some things but I'm overall pleased with it.
Strategy: This is more of a support role than anything else, mixing in the snare effects of Frost staffs and other debuffing effects to allow for allies to maximize their damage output while also granting some field control and self buffs to further. Using Mark Target and Weakness to Element guarantees maximum elemental damage from me while also granting allies with Elemental attacks to also benefit from weakened enemies. Impulse is set for a PBAoE to keep melee at bay and Destructive Touch is sort of a wild card since I have no idea what the "chilled" effect will do ATM.

The secondary load-out is more of a Debuffing Tank build. Low slash is a snare with a damage debuff, punture is an armor debuff with a taunt (not sure how useful a taunt will be in PvP but I'm using it more for the armor debuff) Path of Darkness is a a damage ability with a speed boost with a side effect of allowing for the Refreshing Shadows passive to increase my stamina recovery. Summon Shade summons a debuffing ally while also allowing for a passive stamina recovery. Drain power is to maximize my own damage while also allowing an AoE debuff to enemies.

Just, before a make a build, let me get one thing straight, so, I could have maxed out light-armour, dual-wield, and bow, BUT I can only have two sets of 5 moves,

Also, can I carry more than one weapon, allowing for more than 2 sets of moves

Buildname: Shadow-Beast
Race: Breton
Class:Nightblade
Stat Allocation: 12 Hp /12 Magica /15 Stamina
Armour: All Out Medium Armour
Weapon: Bow

Skill Set 1#:
Ultimate: Consuming Darkness
Hidden Blade
Snipe
Volley
Scatter Shot

Hotbar 2#
Weapon: Werewolf
Unavailable

(November 19th 2013, 09:42 AM)Mukmoo Wrote: Just, before a make a build, let me get one thing straight, so, I could have maxed out light-armour, dual-wield, and bow, BUT I can only have two sets of 5 moves,

Also, can I carry more than one weapon, allowing for more than 2 sets of moves

2 sets of 6 moves if you count in your ultimate

And the weapon swap is essentially how you access your second hot bar if I'm not mistaken. You have a certain set of 6 abilities slotted for one weapon, like your bow. And then you would have another 6 abilities slotted when you swap to your dual wield weapons. This, of course, affects some passives when you swap.

*edit*
Also, I don't think we know how the werewolf/vampire abilites will work yet. Like, for instance, werewolf transformation could be the ultimate on one of your hot bars, allowing you to use a full range of skills and transform to a werewolf once your ultimate bar is filled. I think this is more likely than limiting players to a single weapon set and their "weapon swap" is to transform.

Build Name: Support bow-Scout
[*]Race:Breton / High Elf / Dark Elf
[*]Class: Nightblade
[*]Stat allocation: 19 HP / 15 MA / 15 STA
[*]Weapon: Bow
[*]Armor: 5 MA / 2 LA

Skills set:

[*]Ultimate: Consuming Darkness

[*]1. Poison Arrow
[*]2. Magelight
[*]3. Shadow Cloak
[*]4. Rapid Maneuver
[*]5. Trapping Webs

Simple toon designed as primary snare spammer, Magelight for invis detection, Rapid Maneuver to be spammed for snare / root immunity and movement speed buff for melee, poison arrow & trapping webs for dots & snare. Shadow Cloak for personal dispel. Full resistance gear & bow with bleed proc (these are assumed items available)

What build in game would closest fit the Breton archer in the cinematic trailer?

Are their dagger throwing abilities and is it possible to dual wield a sword and dagger?

(December 9th 2013, 01:04 AM)BryanGTR Wrote: What build in game would closest fit the Breton archer in the cinematic trailer?

Are their dagger throwing abilities and is it possible to dual wield a sword and dagger?

I think there is a Kunai throwing ability in the Dragon Knight class.

(December 9th 2013, 02:23 AM)Idriar Wrote:

(December 9th 2013, 01:04 AM)BryanGTR Wrote: What build in game would closest fit the Breton archer in the cinematic trailer?

Are their dagger throwing abilities and is it possible to dual wield a sword and dagger?

I think there is a Kunai throwing ability in the Dragon Knight class.

I would not have guessed Dragon Knight, but you know I don't know enough about the classes to say.

(December 9th 2013, 01:04 AM)BryanGTR Wrote: Is it possible to dual wield a sword and dagger?

Yep, you can dual wield any combination of one-handed weapons.

(December 9th 2013, 01:04 AM)BryanGTR Wrote: Are their dagger throwing abilities?

Only two that I know of (there may be more):

Dual Wield
Hidden Blade
Instant
20 m. range
32 Stamina

- Throw a dagger that deals 9 Physical damage and interrupts the target
- Snare 40% for 6 seconds

Nightblade
Assassin's Blade (Morph: Impact)
Instant
15 m. range
25 Magicka

- Deals 14 Magic damage
- Low health targets take 300% additional damage

(December 9th 2013, 01:04 AM)BryanGTR Wrote: What build in game would closest fit the Breton archer in the cinematic trailer?

Race: Breton
Class: Nightblade
Armor: Medium/Light
Weapons: Sword/Dagger/Bow
Tree Focus: Assassination/Dual Wield/Bow

(December 10th 2013, 01:25 AM)rabblerouser Wrote:

(December 9th 2013, 01:04 AM)BryanGTR Wrote: Is it possible to dual wield a sword and dagger?

Yep, you can dual wield any combination of one-handed weapons.

(December 9th 2013, 01:04 AM)BryanGTR Wrote: Are their dagger throwing abilities?

Only two that I know of (there may be more):

Dual Wield
Hidden Blade
Instant
20 m. range
32 Stamina

- Throw a dagger that deals 9 Physical damage and interrupts the target
- Snare 40% for 6 seconds

Nightblade
Assassin's Blade (Morph: Impact)
Instant
15 m. range
25 Magicka

- Deals 14 Magic damage
- Low health targets take 300% additional damage

(December 9th 2013, 01:04 AM)BryanGTR Wrote: What build in game would closest fit the Breton archer in the cinematic trailer?

Race: Breton
Class: Nightblade
Armor: Medium/Light
Weapons: Sword/Dagger/Bow
Tree Focus: Assassination/Dual Wield/Bow

Thank you very much appreciated!

Build Name: Undecided
Race: Bosmer
Class: Nightblade
Stat allocation: Undecided, probably 3 health, 2 stamina, 1 magic every six increases
Weapon: Bow
Armor: 7 MA or 6 MA, 1 LA

Skills set:
Ultimate: Consuming Darkness
1. Cripple
2. Strife
3. Summon Shade
4. Mark Target
5. Shadow Cloak OR Veiled Strike

Hotbar #2: (Voluntary)
Weapon: Sword, Destruction/Conjuration

Skills set:
Ultimate: Death Stroke
1. Teleport Strike
2. Drain Power
3. Haste
4. Assassins Blade
5. Path of Darkness

****snip****

@Zim just heads up, Assassin's Blade is a regular skill, however Death Stroke is an ability of similar intent, it deals more damage the more ultimate you have, yet the sweet part is that it applies a 75% healing mantle (Healing reduced to the target by 75%), in addition it morphs nicely so the skill will build up ridiculously fast.

Also, armor slots are limited to 7 pieces, so I believe you'd go for 5 / 2 (which is a good format, since you have only magicka using abilities, and using a shadow ability procs stamina regen)

As a general thumb rule to everyone; I'd discourage you from going high MA / HA (If you aren't going for a meat toon) unless you either possess the required regen ratings for mana, since all class skills use mana. Naturally the more stamina based skills you have on your hotbar, the importance of stam regen rises.

P.S this thread needs more support toons!