This guide gives skills, champion points, and gear for an ESO Beginner Magicka Nightblade Build, intended for the new or returning player!
This build has been updated for the Update 40 patch of the Elder Scrolls Online.
Why Should You Play the ESO Beginner Magicka Nightblade Build?
Welcome to the ESO Beginner Magicka Nightblade Build for The Elder Scrolls Online. This build is intended for the new or returning player who wants a starting build with flexible options for skills and gear! You’ll want to pick this up if you love the range caster playstyle with insane ultimate and survivability.
If you’re looking for a group build click HERE, one bar build HERE or a PvP build HERE. Also, consider watching me on Twitch where you can ask me questions about my current builds.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Unmatched ultimate generation | Can be complex to master |
| Incredible survivability | Top end gear difficult to obtain |
| Excels at single target and AoE |
ESO Beginner Magicka Nightblade Build Playstyle
This skill setup is extremely important to start off ESO on the correct path. At this stage, I’m assuming you’re level three and have completed the tutorial with three skill points to spend. From here, you’ll want to slot one skill from each of your class skill lines, regardless if you use or like the skill. Why? Because you want to reach level 50 with most of your class skill lines leveled up or at least close to max. You only level the skill lines in your class if you have one or more skills equipped. That way you can acquire skill points and max out all the passives which make you stronger WITHOUT having to slot a skill.
Skills
Level 3 Starter – Brand New Character – Fire Staff
Work towards advancing and unlocking skills. It’s especially helpful to change out skills and at least get them to the “morphed” stage. You can always change these later for a very small fee so don’t worry if you make a mistake.
Impale (Morph of Assassin’s Blade | Skill Line : Assassination) – Impale is a great early skill and acts as an single target execute. When a mob reaches 25%, use it as your main spammable. The other morph cost stamina and doesn’t have range but does have some good healing. Consider that morph if you play in melee and need more healing.
Concealed Weapon (Morph of Veiled Strike | Skill Line : Shadow) – As a magicka NB, I typically don’t use this skill outside of PvP and prefer to play at range. I’d just cycle through these skills and morph each one for use later on.
Swallow Soul (Morph of Strife | Skill Line : Siphoning) – One of the best skills in the game for a main spammable because of it’s insane healing! I pretty much keep this on my bar at all times because it’s very strong and the heal over time carries your survivability.
Force Shock (Skill Line : Destruction Staff) – This skill is simply slotted for quick leveling of the destruction skill line.
Grand Healing (Skill Line : Restoration Staff) – This is a good healer skill but really we are using it to unlock restoration which is very helpful upon reaching level 15. Trust me, it seems weird but it’ll be helpful post 50 when you don’t need to level another skill line. Alternatives are dual wield for PvE Mag DPS melee, sword and shield if you want to tank, or even two handed/bow for niche PvP builds. Either way, put another skill line here.
Soul Harvest (Morph of Death Stroke | Skill Line : Assassination) – You won’t be able to get this skill right away, but it’ll generate so much ultimate on your front bar you’ll be shocked. Then you can put Consuming Darkness or Soul Shred on your back bar for a AoE damage ultimate.
Level 15 – Front Bar – Fire > Lighting Staff
At this stage, you should have the ability to bar swap. This comes in very handy to have leveled restoration staff, because you can put healing abilities on your secondary bar and also use resto to fully charge heavy attack to get resources back. I’ll list front bar skills, but in general put armor, healing, mobility, and consuming trap from world soul magic skill line on the back bar. You won’t be getting much XP since nearly all your kills should be on the front.
Mirage (Morph of Blur | Skill Line : Assassination) – You’re not going to use this a whole lot but trying to level the skill line in order to get Grim Focus, morphed in Merciless Resolve. That skill is a game changer giving you huge damage and healing if you land the shot up close.
Twisting Path (Morph of Path of Darkness | Skill Line : Shadow) – By now you should be close to Path of Darkness. Two incredible morphs, one Refreshing Path heals and Twisting Path is one of the best AoE DoTs in the game. You can’t go wrong with either, but chose depending on your survivability.
Swallow Soul (Morph of Strife | Skill Line : Siphoning) – Incredible range spammable, keep it on!
Unstable Wall of Elements (Morph of Wall of Elements | Skill Line : Destruction Staff) – A great skill near the beginning or end game, this acts as a AoE spammable and a great DoT to start off combat. Your other goal is to unlock weakness to elements and morph to elemental drain which is super important for sustain solo later on.
Combat Prayer (Morph of Blessing of Protection | Skill Line : Restoration Staff) – At this point, continue to level and morph skills. Combat pray is a great back bar heal/buff to you and your group and something you can aim for solo or in a group. Continue to slot a restoration staff, dual wield or whatever weapon type you plan on using at end game. If it’s too difficult swap to another skill but it’ll help out tremendously at end game when most of the line is maxed.
Soul Harvest (Morph of Death Stroke | Skill Line : Assassination) – Hello huge ultimate gains! Again put a AoE ultimate on your back for big mob pulls but use this whenever it’s up on bosses.
End Game Level 50 – Front Bar – Fire > Lighting Staff
Now you’ve hit level 50. Continue to progress the skill lines and max out important passives. I’d also work on leveling skills in your flex spot on your front bar, and just swap something in more useful when doing serious content. Now you’ll have options for front bar magicka DPS weapons. Front Bar Weapon Style Choices:
- Flame Staff
- Lighting Staff
- Dual Wield
- Merciless Resolve (Morph of Grim Focus | Skill line: Assassination)
- Dark Shade (Morph of Summon Shade | Skill line: Shadow)
- Sap Essence (Morph of Drain Power | Skill line: Siphoning)
- Swallow Soul (Morph of Strife | Skill line: Siphoning)
- Impale (Morph of Assassin’s Blade | Skill line: Assassination)
- Soul Harvest (Morph of Death Stroke | Skill line: Assassination)
End Game Level 50 – Back Bar – Lighting Staff
This loadout assumes you have a decent hang of the combat but might need a bit more healing/survival than a group or solo master setup. You can put a Restoration skill back here or use a one bar setup if needed.
- Elemental Drain (Morph of Weakness to Elements | Skill line: Destruction Staff)
- Siphoning Attacks (Morph of Siphoning Strikes | Skill line: Siphoning)
- Harness Magicka (Morph of Annulment | Skill line: Light Armor)
- Refreshing Path (Morph of Path of Darkness | Skill line: Shadow)
- Unstable Wall Of Elements (Morph of Wall of Elements | Skill line: Destruction Staff)
- Elemental Rage (Morph of Elemental Storm | Skill line: Destruction Staff)
Gear 1
Leveling
If you have crafting on another character, or can ask a guild member, this will help you out tremendously!
| Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
| Head | light | Armor of the Trainee | Training | Magicka |
| Shoulders | light | Armor of the Trainee | Training | Magicka |
| Chest | heavy | Armor of the Seducer | Training | Magicka |
| Legs | medium | Armor of the Seducer | Training | Magicka |
| Gloves | light | Armor of the Seducer | Training | Magicka |
| Boots | light | Armor of the Seducer | Training | Magicka |
| Belt | light | Armor of the Seducer | Training | Magicka |
| Weapon One | Lighting Staff | Heartland Conqueror | Training | Shock |
| Weapon Two | Restoration Staff | Heartland Conqueror | Training | Berserker (spell damage) |
| Necklace | Heartland Conqueror | Arcane | Magicka Recovery | |
| Ring 1 | Heartland Conqueror | Arcane | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 2 | Heartland Conqueror | Arcane | Spell Damage |
Desktop hover over gear for set bonuses, mobile click once for set bonuses
This gear setup is designed to get you the most experience possible without dying frequently while leveling. Use this as a template for max XP gains while leveling.
Armor of the Seducer: three trait craftable item. Locations are Deshaan, Grahtwood, Stormhaven.
- Why? with zero champion points or limited knowledge of the game, sustaining resources is the hardest thing to do. Getting this early will be a big help while leveling.
Heartland Conqueror: craftable set in Blackwood, 7 traits required. If you don’t own Blackwood, you can have someone craft or buy from traders.
- Why? this unique set doubles weapon trait effectiveness, giving you even more benefit for using the training trait. See flex options below if you don’t have this set.
Armor of the Trainee: obtained in the starter zones in the game from chest and enemies. Location Bal Foyen, Betnikh, Bleakrock Isle, Khenarthi’s Roost and Stros M’Kai.
- Why? gives set bonuses per piece and comes in training trait.
ALTERNATIVE OVERLAND SETS (these are all base game no DLC required)
- Mother’s Sorrow: obtained in Deshaan Ebonheart Pact overland zone drops from delves, world bosses, public dungeons and dark anchors in that zone.
- Why? Great because massive boost to critical = more damage.
- Withered Hand: obtained in Alik’r’ Desert Daggerfall Covenant overland zone drops from delves, world bosses, public dungeons and dark anchors in that zone.
- Why? My favorite overall magicka beginner set due to health/magicka upon killing mobs.
- Spinner’s garments: obtained in Malabal Tor Aldemri Dominion overland zone drops from delves, world bosses, public dungeons and dark anchors in that zone.
- Why? Great damage set due to penetration, but becomes ineffective playing in groups when tanks debuff mobs.
CLASS SPECIFIC 5PC OVERLAND
- Soulshine: obtained in Reaper’s March drops from delves, world bosses, public dungeons and dark anchors in that zone.
- Why? An awesome 5pc for templar who’s main spammable is a channel.
- Necropotence: obtained in Rivensipre drops from delves, world bosses, public dungeons and dark anchors in that zone.
- Why? This is only useful if you have a pet like a Warden, Necromancer or Sorcerer.
- Silks of the Sun: obtained in Stonefalls Ebonheart Pact overland zone drops from delves, world bosses, public dungeons and dark anchors in that zone.
- Why? Perfect for a Dragonknight!
- War Maiden: obtained in Morrowind (now free) overland zone drops from delves, world bosses, public dungeons and dark anchors in that zone. This is great for Nightblade, Templar and Warden.
ALTERNATIVE CRAFTING BASE GAME
- Vampire’s Kiss: five trait craftable item. Locations are Alik’r Desert, Eastmarch, Malabal Tor.
- Why? This is base game and gives great healing received upon kill.
- Hunding’s Rage: six trait craftable item set. Locations Bangkorai, Reaper’s March, The Rift.
- Why? The 3rd item isn’t great for magicka but the five piece is awesome if you can’t craft Law of Julianos.
- Kagrenac’s Hope: eight trait craftable item set. Locations The Earth Forge which is inside Fighters Guild (AD = Reapers March – Rawl’kha // EP = The Rift – Riften // DC = Bangkorai – Evermore).
- Why? It’s close to Hunding’s but has resurrection bonus as well.
- Ashen Grip: two trait craftable item set. Locations Auridon, Glenumbra, Stonefalls.
- Why? Great AoE damage IF playing a melee build. Also a great PvP set.
- Magnus’ Gift: four trait craftable item set. Locations Greenshade, Rivenspire and Shadowfen.
- Why? Another great sustain set you can pair with Seducers for crazy sustain.
- Night Mother’s Gaze: six trait craftable item set. Locations Bangkorai, Reaper’s March, The Rift.
- Why? Great damage set IF your class doesn’t have major breach through a skill.
- Oblivion’s Foe: eight trait craftable item set found in Coldharbour.
- Why? Top notch proc set damage and one of the best in late game PvP to this day. Must use soul trap skill from world skill line.
Level 50 Gear Sets
Use this as a template until you can progress to better gear sets.
| Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
| Head | light | Withered Hand | Divines > Any | Magicka |
| Shoulders | light | Withered Hand | Divines > Any | Magicka |
| Chest | light | Mother’s Sorrow | Magicka | |
| Legs | light | Mother’s Sorrow | Divines > Any | Magicka |
| Gloves | light | Mother’s Sorrow | Divines > Any | Magicka |
| Boots | light | Mother’s Sorrow | Divines > Any | Magicka |
| Belt | light | Mother’s Sorrow | Divines > Any | Magicka |
| Weapon One | Lighting Staff | Willpower | Precise > Sharpened | Shock |
| Weapon Two | Lighting Staff | Willpower | Infused > Charged | Berserker (Spell damage) |
| Necklace | Withered Hand | Arcane | Magicka Recovery | |
| Ring 1 | Withered Hand | Arcane | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 2 | Withered Hand | Arcane | Spell Damage |
Desktop hover over gear for set bonuses, mobile click once for set bonuses
The premise in ESO is base game overland is the easiest gear to obtained. Because at any level, you can go to zone and farm it. Crafting is second as it takes time to unlock traits and my require DLC. Dungeons, on normal are third because it takes certain level requirements or DLC to access so that will be the priority of gear in general. Your priority after obtaining the below gear sets is as follows:
- Start doing undaunted pledges and obtain a base game damage monster helm. My two favorite are Nerien’eth from Crypt of Hearts for damage or Ice Heart from Direfrost Keep for survival.
- Next target is to remove Withered Hand with a higher producing damage set. I suggest checking out the builds page for more suggestions.
- Now start working on obtaining dungeons, trials, and mythics for more damage sets.
Mother’s Sorrow: obtained in Deshaan Ebonheart Pact overland zone drops from delves, world bosses, public dungeons and dark anchors in that zone.
- Why? Great because massive boost to critical = more damage.
Withered Hand: obtained in Alik’r’ Desert Daggerfall Covenant overland zone drops from delves, world bosses, public dungeons and dark anchors in that zone.
- Why? My favorite overall magicka beginner set due to health/magicka.
Willpower: obtained via Imperial City, dungeon finder and very cheap on guild traders.
- Why? great base game two piece se that gives huge stat bonuses.
ARENA WEAPON PROGRESSION
Perfected Crushing Wall: from Veteran Maelstrom Arena in Orsinium.
- WHY? Increase your overall DPS massively due to wall of elements and light attack damage increase.
MONSTER HELM PROGRESSION
- Nerien’eth = great damage and easy to proc perfect for range builds.
- Zaan’s = consider the best overall monster helm for DPS perfect for melee builds.
- Stormfist = always works, easy to obtain and AoE DPS set.
- Iceheart = great for pure survivability.
PROGRESSION 5pc SETS OPTIONS
- Pillar of Nirn = best overall damage set for front bar
- Medusa = great damage set with always on minor force
- Deadly Strike = for DoT builds like Templar and Dragonknight
- Scathing Mage = spell damage dungeon set
- War Maiden = overland great for non elemental users
- Order’s Wrath = best craftable option
MYTHIC PROGRESSION
- Pale Order = best heals per second solo in the game
- Oakensoul= the best one bar build for DPS – 5 Leads are here
- Death Dealer’s Fete = high max stats and requires no effect but in combat
Race
Best Choice
High Elf
All around great race for damage and sustain.
Secondary Choice
Breton
Human appearing and god tier sustain which is very helpful starting out.
Attributes
Health | Stamina | Magicka |
| 0 | 0 | 64 |
Mundus Stone
Thief – Increases the Critical Strike rating by 1212
Champion Points
Consumables
Food
Crown Refreshing Drink
FREE OPTION: these come from daily reward logins and are great starting out because you can get at level 1, carries your sustain. I wouldn’t recommend buying these, but if you get for free use this or the Crown Fortifying Meal.
Witchmother’s Brew
CHEAP: this is another level 1 drink you can get BUT you can also buy from traders or someone can give to you. I’d highly recommend saving up and getting some from the traders, Deshaan is typically the hub in ESO. Increase Max Magicka by 2856, Max Health by 3094, and Magicka Recovery by 315 for 2 hours. Ingredients Nightshade, Bervez Juice, Rice, Small Game
Chicken Breast
VENDOR: this is a level one option you can buy from the provisioning vendor and or you can learn receipe and make at low level. It gives a buff to health, but it’s better than nothing starting out.
Potions
Essence of Spell Power
BEST: These potions can be bought from traders or you can get PvP ones via Cyrodiil Vendor. They are best because they giving you important buffs for which you don’t need to slot an ability or use level Fighters Guild or Mages Guild. Until you get them, just use magicka “trash” pots the simple blue potions that you find throughout the world. Grants major sorcery with increases spell damage by 20% for 47.6 seconds. Grants major prophecy which grants you 2191 spell critical rating for 47.6 seconds. Restore 7582 magicka immediately. Grants you major intellect which increases your magicka recovery by 20% for 47.6. Potions have a 45 second cool down and make sure you have three points into medicinal use passive in alchemy crafting.
Passives
- Class Passives
- Weapon Passives
- Destruction Staff
- Armor Passives
- Light
- Medium
- Heavy
- Guild Passives
- Fighters Guild
- Undaunted
- Mages Guild
- Psijic Order
- Alliance Passives
- Assault
- Support
- World Passives
- Soul Magic
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