Musclemagic asked me for my nightblade build. I know that options on certain abilities differ. But that happens when we dont have all the information. Builds will change when the game is released. As for now, I do agree with musclemagic that its good to have mostly buff abilities or situational abilities in your build and one bread and butter damage skill.
This is a nightblade build is something made mainly for AvA battles. The Idea behind this is fight at the backline of a small group in order to take hold of structures and important objectives in cyrodil.
Depending on the faction that I will play, I have two options:
Nightblade – Kahjit – 5 medium armor, 2 heavy armor, 30% MP, 50% stam, 20% health (Khajit passive to increase 10% critt damage helps + 20% increased critt from nightblade tree. this build will focus on critt + 5% critt bow passive + 6% increased critt rating passive from assassination tree)
Main bar – Bow
Consuming Darkness Ultimate (escape ability + option to swap to 2nd bar and kill counters of the bow bar)
Blur (or evasion) - M (Protection against both ranged and melee)
Haste - M (attack speed increase)
Aspect of Terror - M (2 target fear, good when jumped by melees)
Arrow spray/volley - S (aoe damage + 50% 5 s slow, or long ranged aoe ability)
Immovable - S (invulnerable to cc and 20% damage reduction)
Also the itemization will focus on critt. I think normal or empowered attacks are a very important source of damage, and in most cases the main source (unless you have really high regeneration). From a distance, bow users will be able to repeatedly normal attack without being under pressure. Haste will be a major damage increase. With this build you do not need much regen, and can focus on power. If untargeted, arrow spray or volley will help with aoe, if this is needed.
The kiting comes from aspect of terror in combination with a dodge roll (and passive to get 70% movement speed for 2 s) plus combination with immovable if needed. Then after the roll, arrow spray can be cast to do damage and slow the targets again . I think that aspect of terror will be more than a 2.75 second fear for two targets, because abilities level up. Since this ability does no damage, the fear duration must increase on level up making it a perfect ability to get at a distance again. Also the bow will be enchanted with a frost enchant.
The advantage of this build are:
- You don’t need much stamina for abilities, which means more dodge rolls or constant immovable
- You can kite multiple people
- Lots of damage if untargeted
Secondary bar – Dual wield daggers
Death stroke - Ultimate (high single target damage, anti healer)
Mark target - M (Tank destroy ability)
Assassins blade - M (finisher)
Teleport Strike - M (Gap closer)
Flurry - S (High damage ability)
Immovable - S (unkitable)
Khajist is just too good for this second bar. The secondary bar is just high damage and chasing potential vs targets that would be the weakness of the bow bar. This bar will only be needed if you are up against a high burst mage, or a tank. The mark target will be very important to take down tanks. If it is a high damage reduction tank, it will not do much damage, meaning that you will kill him very quickly while he will not kill you very fast and won’t be able to cc you because of immovable.
Against mages it’s just teleport strike + Flurry + death stroke + assassins blade = dead in 4 seconds, then swap to bow again.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The second build is better, I think, since it increases the survival against Mages. It is overall more defensive.
Nightblade – Breton – 2 medium armor, 5 heavy armor, 50% MP, 30% Stam, 20% HP (The Breton class is very nice against spells because of his ultimate, passive spell resistance and extra magicka, which helps for the Mage bar and also makes hunter abilities cheaper)
Main bar – Bow
Dragon skin - Ultimate (increase survivability)
Blur (or evasion) - M (Protection against both ranged and melee)
Haste - M (attack speed increase)
Aspect of Terror - M (2 targets feared, good when jumped by melees)
Arrow spray/volley - S (aoe damage + 50% 5 s slow, or long ranged aoe ability)
Immovable - S (invulnerable to cc and 20% damage reduction)
Second bar - Resto staff
Barrier – Ultimate (good pvp aoe shield)
Immovable - S (invulnerable to cc and 20% damage reduction)
Evasion - M (Protection against both ranged attacks and melee attacks)
Blessing of Protection - M (Good aoe instant heal + a lot of extra resistances)
Cripple (or agony)– M (kite ability + 8% max magicka from siphoning passive)
Regeneration – M (Heal + Hot)
So this build, is almost the same for bow. Except that it’s better against mages. And the second bar can be used to bring support and healing to your frontline if needed, while also being able to kite. You will be more tanky overall with 5 pieces of heavy armor and the ability to selfheal.
Ahaa, okay, I see exactly where you're coming from! I like it, and I love that you use Aspect of Terror because I think there's going to be a pretty wicked morph for it. XD
I just don't think that Mark Target will help against armor. I think it's strictly a Magic Resistance remover. If this is the case, then I think replacing Mark+Blade with Haste+Siphoning Strikes would be better. But, if you're right that Mark Target removes armor then this would be epic.
I like your 2nd build a lot. I'd actually take Mark Target instead of Haste on your Bow bar for your Breton build if Mark is anti-armor, I think it'd give you more damage where you need it-against heavy users. Well, maybe even then Haste might be better against more people.
Anyway, I think I can see how you play and I like it. I'm looking forward to seeing a more final build from you when we're closer to release date.
Edit: Leveling up for Terror and such will take a while. Any plans for an early-game build?