Stamina Nightblade Bow Build PvE DPS for Elder Scrolls Online

“Focus”

• Introduction
• Changes from the previous version
• Resource Management
• Trials & Dungeons Setup
  • Gear
  • Skills
  • Champion Points (810, 600, 300)
  • Important Info (Food, Mundus, Race, Potions, Passives, Attributes)
• Rotation
• Update Log

Introduction

Welcome to the Stamina Nightblade Bow Build PvE “Focus” for Elder Scrolls Online. Make sure to bookmark the link as I will keep updating the build for each new Update of ESO. The Focus build is a stamina focused bow damage dealer build. It is made for endgame content like Trials and Dungeons.

If you are new to the game I can also highly recommend checking out the Stamina Nightblade Beginner Guide.

This build shows you one possible option of a Stamina Nightblade Bow Build. Please make sure to not forget to adjust the build to your needs, this here should funtion as a template. You will also find beginner gear setup here, but our main setup is with Tzogvin's Warband, Perfect Arms of Relequen and Velidreth. The build is kind of a ranged melee hybrid. We still use Incapacitating Strike and Killer’s Blade which both need to be used in melee range, but everything else can be used at max range. If you prefer to not go melee at all you can swap these two skills out.

• Nightblade Class
• Medium Armor build
• Double Bow setup
• Good sustain
• Good AoE damage
• Good Single Target Damage

Changes from the previous version

Updated the build for the Dragonhold DLC.

From the patch notes:

Relentless Focus (morph): This morph now lasts 60 seconds at Rank IV instead of 30 seconds.

Resource Management

Nightblades can sustain their rotation easier then other classes, just make sure to keep up Leeching Strikes in your rotation. You also want to make sure that Spears or Orbs are used by your healers to activate the synergy for resources. You can also use Stormfist as a main Monster Set to gain another Stamina Recovery bonus or Vicious Serpent set that gives cost reduction and extra stamina on trash fights.

If you manage to keep up Leeching Strikes in your rotation you will have good sustain. However, most of the times players forget to re-activate Leeching Strikes for a while which means you will loose a lot of sustain over time, so make sure to notice when it finished so you can immediately reapply it. Technically, you could also reapply it before it runs out and you will still get a part of the resources back.

Incapacitating Strike now also gives you resources for just slotting it. That is why we always want to either run it on the backbar or the frontbar. That way we benefit from the extra sustain.

• Leeching Strikes
• Orbs or Spears from Healers
• Heavy Attacks resource return (optional)
• Incapacitating Strike
• Potions
• Vicious Serpent Set (optional)

Trials & Dungeons Setup

5x Tzogvin, 5x Relequen, 2x Velidreth, Orc with Artaeum Food

• Unbuffed: Out of Combat
• Buffed: Raid Dummy buffs, Potion and Weapon Damage Enchantment were active

Gear

You will find 3 different setups here. Setup 1 is the preferred setup. For people that do not have all the gear yet can use the Setup 2 which is easier to obtain and beginners can use Setup 3.

• Setup 1 is with Trial Gear
• Setup 2 is without Trial Gear
• Setup 3 is for Beginners

There are a lot of good Stamina Sets available, you can find more viable stamina dps sets in this Stamina DPS Sets Article. I also elaborate on specific sets that are often used in this article to give you a bit more insight as to why they are used.

Gear Setup 1

This setup is optimized for Single Target.

Gear	Set	Weight	Trait	Enchantment
Chest	Perfect Arms of Relequen	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Belt	Perfect Arms of Relequen	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Shoes	Perfect Arms of Relequen	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Pants	Perfect Arms of Relequen	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Hands	Perfect Arms of Relequen	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Head	Velidreth	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Shoulder	Velidreth	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Necklace	Tzogvin's Warband	Jewelry	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage
Ring	Tzogvin's Warband	Jewelry	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage
Ring	Tzogvin's Warband	Jewelry	Bloodthirsty	Weapon Damage
Weapon 1	Tzogvin's Warband	Bow	Precise	Damage Health Poisons IX
Weapon 2	Caustic Arrow	Bow	Infused	Weapon Damage Enchant

Gear Setup 2

Gear	Set	Weight	Trait	Enchantment
Chest	Hunding's Rage	Heavy	Divine	Health
Belt	Hunding's Rage	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Shoes	Hunding's Rage	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Pants	Hunding's Rage	Medium	Divine	Health
Hands	Hunding's Rage	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Head	Stormfist	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Shoulder	Stormfist	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Necklace	Tzogvin's Warband	Jewelry	Robust	Weapon Damage
Ring	Tzogvin's Warband	Jewelry	Robust	Weapon Damage
Ring	Tzogvin's Warband	Jewelry	Robust	Weapon Damage
Weapon 1	Tzogvin's Warband	Bow	Precise	Damage Health Poisons IX
Weapon 2	Tzogvin's Warband	Bow	Infused	Weapon Damage Enchant

Gear Beginner

This gear setup is pretty easy to get, you need to ask a guildmate to craft you Hundings Rage and Night Mothers Gaze. You can buy Agility in Guildstores, if you want really cheap pieces just buy the Healthy Trait ones, then you can actually invest all points into Stamina and you should get to a decent Health level. I also do recommend using Dubious Camoran Throne Drink with this setup to get good sustain.

Gear	Set	Weight	Trait	Enchantment
Chest	Hunding's Rage	Heavy	Divine	Health
Belt	Hunding's Rage	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Shoes	Hunding's Rage	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Pants	Night Mother's Gaze	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Hands	Night Mother's Gaze	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Head	Night Mother's Gaze	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Shoulder	Night Mother's Gaze	Medium	Divine	Stamina
Necklace	Agility	Jewelry	Robust/ Healthy	Stamina Recovery
Ring	Agility	Jewelry	Robust/ Healthy	Weapon Damage
Ring	Agility	Jewelry	Robust	Weapon Damage
Weapon 1	Hunding's Rage	Bow	Precise	Absorb Stamina Enchant
Weapon 2	Hunding's Rage	Bow	Infused	Weapon Damage Enchant

Where can I get the gear?

Tzogvin’s Warband: Frostvault
Perfect Arms of Relequen: Cloudrest
Kra'gh: Fungual Grotto 1
Velidreth: Cradle of Shadows
Twice-Fanged Serpent: Sanctum Ophidia
Vicious Serpent: Aetherian Archive, Sanctum Ophidia, Hel Ra Citadel
Tzogvin's Warband: Frostvault
Stormfist: Tempest Island
Hunding's Rage: Craftable
Night Mother's Gaze: Craftable
Agility: Guildstore
Maelstrom Bow: Maelstrom Arena
Caustic Arrow (Master's Bow): Dragonstar Arena

Skills

Bow Mainbar	Bow-second bar
Slot 1: Acid Spray	Slot 1: Arrow Barrage
Slot 2: Leeching Strikes	Slot 2: Soul Splitting Trap
Slot 3: Lethal Arrow	Slot 3: Poison Injection
Slot 4: Relentless Focus	Slot 4: Mirage
Slot 5: Killer’s Blade	Slot 5: Echoing Vigor Vigor
Ultimate: Flawless Dawnbreaker	Ultimate: Incapacitating Strike

Championpoints for Stamina Nightblade Build PvE

If you need optimized defensive Champion Points for a specific trial I recommend checking out my Maximize Damage Mitigation in Trials Article.

• Calculator: In case you need help distributing your Champion Points, make sure to check out the Champion Points Calculator!

Championpoints [810]

The Ritual
56 Mighty, 37 Thaumaturge, 56 Precise Strikes, 60 Piercing
The Atronach
61 Master-at-Arms
The Apprentice
The Shadow
48 Shadow Ward, 48 Tumbling
The Lover
49 Tenacity, 100 Mooncalf
The Tower
23 Warlord
The Lord
The Lady
56 Hardy, 56 Elemental Defender, 48 Thick Skinned
The Steed
72 Ironclad, 38 Spellshield

Championpoints [600]

The Ritual
43 Mighty, 37 Thaumaturge, 40 Precise Strikes, 36 Piercing
The Atronach
44 Master at Arms
The Apprentice
The Shadow
20 Shadow Ward,  31 Tumbling
The Lover
49 Tenacity, 100 Mooncalf
The Tower
The Lord
The Lady
49 Hardy, 49 Elemental Defender, 23 Thick Skinned
The Steed
61 Ironclad, 18 Spell Shield

Championpoints [300]

The Ritual
31 Thaumaturge, 27 Mighty, 28 Precise Strikes, 1 Piercing
The Atronach
13 Master at Arms
The Apprentice
The Shadow
The Lover
49 Mooncalf, 49 Tenacity
The Tower
2 Warlord
The Lord
The Lady
23 Hardy, 23 Elemental Defender, 23 Thick Skinned
The Steed
31 Ironclad

Important Info for Stamina Nightblade Build PvE

Buff-food

If you do not have the money for Artaeum Takeaway Brooth, then you can also use Dubious Camoran Throne Drink.

Artaeum Takeaway Brooth (Max Health+Max Stamina+Stamina Recovery+Health Recovery)

Mundus Stone

The Shadow (Increased Critical Damage)

Race

If you want to learn more about the different racial passives that each race offers, check out my Race Guide which explains everything in detail.

Orc (recommended)
Redguard
Wood Elf
Khajiit
Dark Elf
Imperial

Potions

Weapon Power Potions 
(Weap dmg, Weap Crit, Stamina)
(Blessed Thistle, Dragonthorn, Wormwood)

Poisons

Damage Health Poison
(Damage Poison, Damage Poison)
(Fleshfly Larva, Nightshade, Nirnroot)

Passives

• Assassination: Executioner, Pressure Points, Hemorrhage
• Shadow: Refreshing Shadows, Shadow Barrier, Dark Vigor, Dark Veil
• Siphoning: Catalyst, Transfer
• Bow: Long Shots, Accuracy, Ranger, Hawk Eye, Hasty Retreat
• Medium Armor: Dexterity, Wind Walker, Improved Sneak, Agility, Athletics
• Fighters Guild: Intimidating Presence, Slayer, Banish the Wicked, Skilled Tracker
• Undaunted: Undaunted Command, Undaunted Mettle
• Racial: All
• Alchemy: Medicinal Use

Attributes

All points into Stamina

---

Rotation

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.

Rotation

The rotation on a Nightblade is a bit more tricky then usual, as you should make sure to use a dynamic rotation. This is mostly the case because you have abilities like Relentless Focus, Leeching Strikes and Incapacitating Strike that do not really fit into the rotation.