Magicka Nightblade Build PvP for Elder Scrolls Online

“Leech”

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Changes from the previous version
• Resource Management
• Cyrodiil Setup
  • Gear
  • Skills
  • Champion Points (810, 600, 300)
  • Important Info (Food, Mundus, Race, Potions, Passives, Attributes)
• Battlegrounds
• Combos & How to play
• Gameplay
• Update Log

Introduction

Welcome to the Magicka Nightblade Build PvP “Leech” for Elder Scrolls Online. Make sure to bookmark the link as I will keep updating the build for each new Update of ESO. This build is optimized for Cyrodiil and Battlegrounds.

This Magicka Nightblade PvP Build focuses on stealth and high burst damage. Magicka Nightblades have a lot of good combinations that they can use to burst down an enemy. We have two DoTs that we apply on the enemy, Merciless Resolve and Soul Harvest that pretty much all can go off almost at the same time. This is especially effective if combined with Mass Hysteria fear, like I explain in the combo section of the build.

On this Magblade PvP Build we are using Shacklebreaker, Bright-Throat's Boast and Bloodspawn to get really good max resources, sustain and ultimate regeneration + resistances. Bloodspawn seems like an odd choice, but the set is so nice because it increases your ultimate regeneration by so much and also gives you higher resistances that make you tankier.

• Cyrodiil & Battlegrounds
• Light Armor Destro/ Resto Build
• Crazy Burst Combo
• Good Sustain
• Good Damage Mitigation
• Perma-cloaking

Changes from the previous version

No big changes to the build, some of the skills got small adjustments:

Teleport Strike:

• Lotus Fan (morph):
  • This morph now applies Minor Vulnerability to all enemies hit, rather than the original.
  • Increased the duration to 10 seconds, up from 8.
  • Decreased the damage per tick by approximately 47%.

Grim Focus: 

• Increased the base duration of this ability and its morphs to 40 seconds, up from 20 seconds.
• Removed the minimum travel time of the bow proc from these abilities since they are slower than other projectiles, such as Crystal Fragments or Snipe.

Resource Management

The setup has a lot of sustain already built in so you do not have to actively worry about it too much. One Magicka Recovery Glyphs on the jewelry and Bright Throats regen boost in combination with a drink is already a huge part of the whole package. In addition you have another 2 Magicka Recovery stats from Shacklebreaker and Bright Throats set bonuses. Occasionally you can also use Restoration or Fire Staff heavy attacks to regain a lot of resources if needed.

Your key component to control your resources is the Tri-Stat Potion that you should use, it gives so much overall stats and can be a life saver in tough situation.

• Magicka Recovery Glyphs
• Bright Throats regen
• Heavy Attacks
• Potions
• Elemental Drain

In addition, we also have Elemental Drain that needs to be placed on the enemy to increase sustain AND damage!

Cyrodiil Setup

• Unbuffed: Out of combat
• Buffed: Major Sorcery, Weapon Damage Enchant proc, Shadowy Cloak stealth, Tri Stat Potion, on a Breton with Double Bloody Mara Drink.

Gear

I chose Bloodspawn because it gives overall really nice stats and boosts your resistances. You can run another Monster Set if you want.

Where can I get the gear?

Shacklebreaker: Craftable
Bright-Throat’s Boast: Murkmire Overland, Blackrose Prison, Guildstore
Bloodspawn: vet Spindleclutch II, Maj Undaunted Chest

Skills

Championpoints

If you need help distributing your Champion Points, make sure to check out the Champion Points Calculator!

Championpoints [810]

The Ritual
20 Thaumaturge
The Atronach
72 Master-at-Arms, 26 Shattering Blows, 22 Staff Expert
The Apprentice
56 Elemental Expert, 31 Elfborn, 20 Spell Erosion, 23 Blessed
The Shadow
66 Tumbling, 20 Shadow Ward
The Lover
49 Arcanist, 49 Mooncalf
The Tower
64 Warlord, 21 Sprinter, 1 Siphoner
The Lord
37 Quick Recovery
The Lady
49 Hardy, 37 Elemental Defender, 31 Thick Skinned
The Steed
61 Ironclad, 55 Resistant

Championpoints [600]

The Ritual
20 Thaumaturge
The Atronach
23 Master at Arms, 23 Shattering Blows, 16 Staff Expert
The Apprentice
49 Elemental Expert, 20 Elfborn, 41 Spell Erosion, 23 Blessed
The Shadow
29 Tumbling, 20 Shadow Ward
The Lover
49 Arcanist, 49 Mooncalf
The Tower
31 Warlord, 1 Siphoner, 21 Sprinter
The Lord
37 Quick Recovery
The Lady
49 Hardy, 37 Elemental Defender, 28 Thick Skinned
The Steed
26 Ironclad, 23 Resistant

Championpoints [300]

The Ritual
12 Thaumaturge
The Atronach
11 Master at Arms, 11 Shattering Blows, 8 Staff Expert
The Apprentice
19 Elemental Expert, 11 Elfborn, 9 Spell Erosion, 19 Blessed
The Shadow
22 Tumbling
The Lover
24 Arcanist, 27 Mooncalf
The Tower
13 Warlord, 1 Siphoner, 13 Sprinter
The Lord
23 Quick Recovery
The Lady
21 Hardy, 23 Elemental Defender, 13 Thick Skinned
The Steed
11 Ironclad, 9 Resistant

Important Info for Magicka Nightblade Build PvP

Buff-food

Double Bloody Mara is a drink that works well with Bright Throat’s Boast Set.

You can also use the advanced version which gives you additional very valuable health recovery on top.

Mundus Stone

The Apprentice (Increased Spell Damage)

Race

All magicka based races work for this setup, I usually recommend Breton because it makes sustain a lot easier. If you want to know more about races you can also check out my racial guide for ESO that showcases all the benefits of the different races.

Breton
Altmer
Darkelf
Argonian

Potions

Make sure to use Tri-Stat Potions with this setup, it provides you with the resources you need.

Tri-Stat Potion
(Health, Stamina, Magicka)
(Bugloss, Columbine, Dragonthorn)

Passives

• Assassination: Master Assassin, Executioner, Pressure Points, Hemorrhage
• Shadow: Refreshing Shadows, Shadow Barrier, Dark Vigor, Dark Veil
• Siphoning: Catalyst, Magicka Flood, Soul Siphoner, Transfer
• Destruction Staff: Tri Focus, Penetrating Magic, Elemental Force, Ancient Knowledge, Destruction Expert
• Restoration Staff: Essence Drain, Restoration Expert, Cycle of Life, Absorb, Restoration Master
• Light Armor: Grace, Evocation, Spell Warding, Prodigy, Concentration
• Heavy Armor: Resolve, Constitution, Juggernaut
• Fighters Guild: Intimidating Presence
• Mages Guild: Mage Adept, Everlasting Magic, Magicka Controller, Might of the Guild
• Assault: Continuous Attack, Reach, Combat Frenzy
• Support: Magicka Aid, Combat Medic, Battle Resurrection
• Alchemy: Medicinal Use
• Undaunted: Undaunted Command, Undaunted Mettle
• Racial: All

Battlegrounds

Buff Food

Witchmother’s Brew (Max Health, Max Magicka, Magicka Recovery)

Mundus Stone

If you need further extra sustain you also got the option to change to the Atronach Mundus Stone for extra Magicka Recovery.

Combos & How to Play

Damage & Combo

Magicka Nightblades kill their opponents with combos. That means you want to have your DoTs on the enemy, Lotus Fan and Degeneration. Keep the pressure up with Swallow Soul and wait till your Merciless Resolve is ready. The Merciless Resolve bow proc does a lot of damage and can be combined with Soul Harvest. Before you activate it though, use Mass Hysteria so the enemy gets stunned and can not dodge roll or block the hard hitting ability.  That is your main combo, you can also use your back bar Ultimate Shooting Star and then use Mass Hysteria and then Spectral Bow for a lot of burst damage.

Positioning & Cloak

Movement and stealth are very important to Nightblades, make sure to keep using Shadowy Disguise so the enemy can not hit you and you can recover, move around him while you are in stealth, that way he has to also reposition himself and might miss an attack or two.

Healing

Always keep up your defensive abilities, use Rapid Regeneration before you enter stealth, that way you get a huge burst heal to recover and always make sure to keep Harness Magicka up, so you can face tank some of the enemies damage. Activate potions when you drop low on health, the tri stat potion gives 10k health with one button press!

Weaving

In case you don’t know what what weaving light attacks is, make sure to check out the “Weaving Beginner Guide” which explains how to weave light attacks between abilities, aka animation canceling.

Gameplay

This here is from the old build Spectral that got archived, the playstyle of the new build Leech is similar, that is why I decided to leave the footage here.

Update Log