The guide gives skills, champion points, and gear for an ESO Magicka Nightblade PvP Build, intended for a PvP player!
This build has been updated for the Update 40 patch of the Elder Scrolls Online.
Why Should You Play ESO Magicka Nightblade PvP Build?
Welcome to our ESO Magicka Nightblade PvP Build which we will give you two options to play. One will be the 1vX style ideal for solo players or dueling. The second is “bomber” which destroys large groups instantly though it has low survivability. Magblades play in the shadows and excel at single-target kills. In the current meta, the Magblade can be argued is the strongest solo class in the game. It has the most burst, the best healing and most single-target kill potential in the game. The major downside is, the skill cap required makes it very challenging to play.
Below is a general PvP Guide that can help anyone understand and develop their PvP knowledge and skill. This video is applicable for every build and should be viewed if you want general ESO PvP knowledge that applies to all aspects, Battlegrounds, Cyrodiil, and Imperial City.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Best Burst | VERY High Difficulty |
| Insane Healing | Constant Buffing |
| 1vX God |
Skills Setup 1vX
SETUP 1: 1vX Build Front Bar
Front Bar Weapon Options: They are all good choices depending on your playstyle and needs. Experiment with what works best.
Dual Wield – best overall damage via passives highest DPS but without a restoration staff or Ice staff on the back bar can be brutal to sustain.
Fire staff – range and most single target damage and pairs well with elemental users.
Lightning Staff: provides easy fully charged heavy attacks for resource sustain and 10% AoE damage when channeling.
Two-handed has the best passives for burst.
Merciless Resolve (Morph of Grim Focus | Skill Line : Assassination) – Use light attacks 5x times while weaving for a spectral bow proc. Use Mass Hysteria to drop block and make target vulnerable and fire.
Power Extraction (Morph of Drain Power | Skill Line : Siphoning) – AoE damage and minor courage buff. Use this as execute since it’s 8 meter range.
Concealed Weapon (Morph of Veiled Strike | Skill Line : Shadow) – melee spammable mainly used to increase damage passively.
Mass Hysteria (Morph of Aspect of Terror | Skill Line : Shadow) – Crowd control used to block drop and shoot a 5x stack of Merciless Resolve.
Camouflaged Hunter (Morph of Expert Hunter | Skill Line : Fighters Guild) – sed for critical buff, minor beserk proc and counter to fellow stealthy targets.
Soul Tether (Morph of Soul Shred | Skill Line : Siphoning) – AoE bursting tool
SETUP 1: 1vX Build Back Bar
Leeching Strikes (Morph of Siphoning Strikes | Skill Line : Siphoning) – Your sustain tool. It may seem odd, but I use a lot of stamina to dodge roll, so I prefer the Leaching morph to make sure I never run out of stamina. Take another morph if you’re magicka starved.
Refreshing Path (Morph of Path of Darkness | Skill Line : Shadow) – Our mobility tool keeps the 10% damage buff up for concealed weapon and a good heal over time.
Lingering Flare (Morph of Revealing Flare | Skill Line : Support) – This is a flex skill, gives us 10% damage reduction which stacks with 5% damage reduction from Temporal Guard. Making you very survivable when you need damage reduction and healing. Use cloak or Phantasmal Escape here for mobility.
Resolving Vigor (Morph of Vigor | Skill Line : Assault) – Stamina based heal over time.
Healthy Offering (Morph of Malevolent Offering | Skill Line : Siphoning) – Burst heal for survivability.
Temporal Guard (Morph of Undo | Skill Line : Psijic Order) – Used for damage reduction on the back bar.
Gear Setup: 1vX
This build is for solo players wanting the most damage and survivability possible.
| Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
| Head | heavy | Balorgh | Well-fitted | Prismatic |
| Shoulders | medium | Balorgh | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Chest | heavy | Armor of the Trainee | Reinforced | Prismatic |
| Legs | light | Back-Alley Gourmand | Well-fitted | Prismatic |
| Gloves | light | Back-Alley Gourmand | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Boots | light | Back-Alley Gourmand | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Belt | light | Rallying Cry | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Weapon One | Mace | Back-Alley Gourmand | Nirnhoned | Flame |
| Secondary | Axe | Back-Alley Gourmand | Sharpened | Disease |
| Weapon Two | Frost Staff | Rallying Cry | Powered | Spell Damage |
| Necklace | Rallying Cry | Infused | Magicka Recovery | |
| Ring 1 | Markyn Ring of Majesty | Swift | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 2 | Rallying Cry | Swift | Spell Damage |
NOTE: this setup with Back-Ally requires “FOOD” so make sure you have that equipped. If you struggle with resources, swap to Jewels of Misrule and Order’s Wrath. Another alternative is to drop Balorgh for Roska the Warped.
Markyn Ring of Majesty = great all-around defensive and offensive mythic
- WHY? awesome set because it comes with zero downsides, unlike Sea-Serpent’s Coil.
FLEX OPTIONS
- Sea-Serpent’s Coil great if you don’t mind the snare, which hinders a nightblade.
- Death Dealer’s Fete = max stats which equates good damage and survivability
- Wild Hunt = easy to obtain mythic making you much faster.
- Gaze of Sithis = drop monster helm for huge survivability.
Balorgh obtained in March of Sacrifices Veteran Dungeon, Wolfhunter DLC.
- WHY? provides the most burst possible and carries your armor penetration when using ultiamte.
FLEX OPTIONS
- Roksa the Warped = Update 37 monster helm that gives great resource sustain without Engine Guardian droid.
- Ozezan the Inferno = is an update 37-monster set that is great paired with heals over time.
- Zaan = is truly god-tier dueling or single-target killer monster helm.
Rallying Cry: Rewards for the Worthy, base game
- WHY? great offensive and defensive set that lowers the burst damage you receive and increases your damage and healing.
FLEX OPTIONS
- WHY? This provides the best overall back bar survivability set.
FLEX OPTIONS DEFENSIVE
- Mara’s Balm = is still the best defensive set, though it doesn’t give any spell damage.
- Powerful Assault = great set to add damage to you and your group and the buff stacks with Rallying Cry.
- Robes of the Hist = great back bar healing set alternate to Mara’s Balm.
- Clever Alchemist = insane burst potential when using potion and combined with Balorgh.
Back-Alley Gourmand: obtained in Overland, Galen and Y’ffelon Firesong DLC required. This set can also be purchased from traders.
- WHY? While it comes in light armor, it provides the most burst possible and stacked with Khajiit passive, Shadow Mundus stone you will see massive one-shot Spectral Bows.
FLEX OPTIONS
- Order’s Wrath = craftable set with huge burst potential.
- War Maiden = decent spell damage set to the front bar.
- Scathing Mage = good front bar that will help with your damage and healing if playing with staff.
Armor of the Trainee: obtained in overland starter areas or guild trader. Added stats with a one-piece item set.
FLEX OPTION
- Druid’s Braid = craftable high isle gives 1pc bonus just smaller.
Skill Setup Bomber
Front Bar: Bomber Playstyle
Concealed Weapon (Morph of Veiled Strike | Skill Line : Shadow) – Buffs our damage if we maintain Refreshing Path.
Power Extraction (Morph of Drain Power | Skill Line : Siphoning) – AoE damage used after our “bomb” combo.
Lotus Fan (Morph of Teleport Strike | Skill Line : Assassination) – Gap closer used to proc our Rush of Agony gear set.
Mass Hysteria (Morph of Aspect of Terror | Skill Line : Shadow) – Used as mass fear and stun to drop block.
Camouflaged Hunter (Morph of Expert Hunter | Skill Line : Fighters Guild) – Used for critical buff on front bar.
Soul Tether (Morph of Soul Shred | Skill Line : Siphoning) – Our bomb ultimate after Proxy Detonation explodes
Back Bar: Bomber Playstyle
Twisting Path (Morph of Path of Darkness | Skill Line : Shadow) – Used for mobility and to proc increased damage via Concealed weapon on the front bar.
Proximity Detonation (Morph of Magicka Detonation | Skill Line : Assault) – This is our bomb skill we try to time with soul tether for instant nuke.
Race Against Time (Morph of Accelerate | Skill Line : Psijic Order) – Mobility tool and pre-buff for bigger critical damage.
Siphoning Attacks (Morph of Siphoning Strikes | Skill Line : Siphoning) – Resource sustaining tool. Slot radiating regeneration for group play if you don’t have sustain issues.
Healthy Offering (Morph of Malevolent Offering | Skill Line : Siphoning) – Burst heal.
Life Giver (Morph of Panacea | Skill Line : Restoration Staff) – Defensive ultimate.
Gear Setup: Bomber
This build is for solo players wanting the most damage and survivability possible.
| Slot | Type | Set | Trait | Glyph |
| Head | heavy | Balorgh | Well-fitted | Prismatic |
| Shoulders | medium | Balorgh | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Chest | heavy | Vicious Death | Reinforced | Prismatic |
| Legs | light | Vicious Death | Well-fitted | Prismatic |
| Gloves | light | Vicious Death | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Boots | light | Vicious Death | Well-fitted | Magicka |
| Belt | light | Vicious Death | Divines | Magicka |
| Weapon One | Dagger | Rush of Agony | Precise | Drain Health |
| Secondary | Dagger | Rush of Agony | Precise | Drain Health |
| Weapon Two | Restoration Staff | Blessing of Potentates | Powered | Spell Damage |
| Necklace | Rush of Agony | Infused | Magicka Recovery | |
| Ring 1 | Rush of Agony | Swift | Spell Damage | |
| Ring 2 | Rush of Agony | Swift | Spell Damage |
Race
Best Choice
Khajiit
Best for pure bursting potential.
Secondary Choice
Dark Elf
Secondary choice because max stats, weapona, spell damage and flame resist with vampire.
Attributes
Health | Stamina | Magicka |
| 32 | 0 | 32 |
Mundus Stone
Shadow – Increases Critical Damage and Healing by 11%
Champion Points
Passives
- Weapon passives
- Armor passives
- Fighter’s Guild
- Mage’s Guild
- Undaunted
- Psijic Guild
- Alchemy Medicinal
- Race
- Assault Alliance
- Alliance Support
- Vampire
Consumables
Food: Orzorga’s Smoked Bear Haunch
GREAT RECOVERY(A great option if you can afford it): Increase Max Health by 4312, Health Recovery by 406 and Stamina and Magicka Recovery by 369 (effects are scaled based on your level) Ingredients: Red Meat (1), Tomato (1), White Cap (1), Frost Mirriam (1), Perfect Roe (1)
Food: Jewels of Misrule
CHEAP: Increase Stamina and Magicka Recovery by 357 and Max Health by 3927 for 2 hours. (effects are scaled based on your level) Ingredients: Rose (1), Mint (1), Lotus(1), Columbine (1), Bervez Juice (1)
Potion: Tri-Restoration Potion or Essence of Health (tri-stat)
Restore 7329 Health, 6618 Magicka, and 6618 Stamina immediately. Grants Major Fortitude, Major Intellect, and Major Endurance which increase your Health Recovery, Magicka Recovery, and Stamina Recovery by 20% for 31.7 seconds. (effects are scaled based on your level) Ingredients: Bugloss, Columbine, Mountain Flower
Poisons: Escapist’s Poison IX
Immobilizes your target and grants you unstoppable, rendering you immune to control effects for 1.6 seconds. This poison will also break you free of ongoing control effects. Inflects hindrance to your target and grants you major expedition, reducing their movement speed by 40% and increasing your movement speed by 30% for 2.3 seconds. Drains stamina from your target, increasing the cost of their stamina abilities by 10% and restores 238 stamina per second to you for 2.3 seconds. (10s cooldown). Ingredients: Columbine, Namira’s Rot, Wormwood
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