Magicka Nightblade Build PvP for Elder Scrolls Online

“Leech”

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Resource Management
• Cyrodiil Setup
  • Gear
  • Skills
  • Champion Points (810, 600, 300)
  • Important Info (Food, Mundus, Race, Potions, Passives, Attributes)
• Battlegrounds
• Combos & How to play
• 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.

The 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 from Degeneration and Lotus Fan that ticks on the enemy and on top of that Merciless Resolve and Soul Harvest that pretty much can hit the enemy at the same time if you line up your combo properly. 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 Valkyn Skoria to get really good max resources, sustain and damage.

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

Resource Management

Bright-Throat's Boast in combination with a drink such as the Bloody Mara or Witchmother’s Potent Brew will increase our max Magicka and Magicka Recovery and thus increase our overall sustain. In addition, we also run a Magicka Recovery glyph on one of our jewelry pieces to boost sustain even more.

Heavy Attacks also restore resources, i recommend doing them on the Restoratio Staff bar because you will get a bigger return due to the Cycle of Life passive.

Elemental Drain provides us with a huge damage boost on the enemy and also increase our sustain due to the Minor Magickasteal debuff on the enemy!

Tri-stat potions are the last piece of the puzzle, using them in the right moment will give you plenty of buffs and a big pump in all three resources.

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

Cyrodiil Setup

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

Gear

• Monster Set: You can use a Monster Set of your choice. I like Valkyn Skoria because it procs often and will always hit the enemy.

Where can I get the gear?

Shacklebreaker: Craftable
Bright-Throat’s Boast: Murkmire Overland, Blackrose Prison, Guildstore
Valkyn Skoria: vet City of Ash II, Glirion Undaunted Chest

Skills

Champion Points

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

Champion Points [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

Champion Points [600]

The Ritual
20 Thaumaturge
The Atronach
23 Master at Arms, 23 Shattering Blows, 16 Staff Expert
The Apprentice
49 Elemental Expert, 20 Elfborn, 26 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

Champion Points [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
Khajiit
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

The “Weaving Beginner Guide” explains how to weave light attacks between abilities, aka animation canceling.

Update Log