In this guide, we'll dive deep into the Nightblade class, exploring its unique characteristics, skills, passives, and our insights on its strengths and weaknesses. By the end of this guide, you'll have a solid understanding of the Nightblade class and even find sample build templates to help you excel in Elder Scrolls Online.

 

• What is the Nightblade Class?
• Nightblade Class Rankings
• Pros and Cons
• Nightblade Skill Lines and Abilities
• Nightblade Passives
• Nightblade Class Builds

 

↖ What is the Nightblade Class?

The Nightblade is reminiscent of the classic rogue or stealthy assassin archetype found in many RPGs. It's a high-damage class that excels at dishing out powerful attacks with a unique stealth mechanic.

 

Nightblades are perfect for players who enjoy playing glass cannon characters and want to shine in endgame PvE or PvP as damage dealers. However, it's important to note that Nightblades have limited tanking and healing abilities compared to other classes, making them less versatile in these roles.

 

↖ Nightblade Class Rankings

Here's how we would rank the Nightblade in various aspects of The Elder Scrolls Online:

Aspect	Tier	Description
PvP (Stamina)	A	Excellent for solo play due to high burst damage, resource sustain, escapability, and mobility. Requires practice but less impactful in large group battles.
PvP (Magic)	B	Excels in massive AoE damage or single-target killing, but these playstyles can be niche and require significant skill.
PvE DPS (Stamina)	A	Great damage dealers with versatility in weapon choices and solid survivability.
PvE DPS (Magic)	S	Top-tier DPS in PvE with unmatched resource sustain, ultimate generation, and damage output for both AoE and single-target encounters.
PvE Support/Healing	C	Requires help in support roles as they lack unique and impactful group buffs or healing abilities compared to other classes.
PvE Tanking	C	Fun but needs more utility and unique abilities compared to other tanking classes, relying heavily on external skill lines for effectiveness.
PvE Tanking	C	Fun but needs more utility and unique abilities compared to other tanking classes, relying heavily on external skill lines for effectiveness.

 

↖ Pros and Cons

Class	Pros	Cons
General Nightblade	High Damage Output Great for Group Play Insane Mobility Superb Stealth Ability to Vanish from a Fight Capable of Providing Effective Healing Support	Not Beginner Friendly Challenging to Master in Endgame Less Common as Tanks and Healers
DPS Nightblade	Amazing Damage Stealth Abilities Fast Playstyle High Mobility Well-Suited for Solo Play	Difficult to Master in Endgame
Tank Nightblade	Good Resource Management Easy Survivability High Damage Mitigation Great Defensive Capabilities Self-Sustaining through Self-Healing	Few Class-Based Tanking Abilities Compared to Other Classes

 

↖ Nightblade Skill Lines and Abilities

Assassination Skill Line

This skill line focuses on dealing damage and offers several powerful abilities:

• Deathstroke: Your ultimate ability, providing a short burst of increased damage.
• Incapacitating Strike/Soul Harvest: Morph options for Death Stroke, with Incapacitating Strike adding disease damage and a potential stun, while Soul Harvest provides excellent ultimate generation.

 

Active Skills:

• Assassin's Blade: An execute ability essential for finishing off enemies.
• Teleport Strike: A gap-closer skill to quickly engage foes.
• Blur: Provides Major Evasion, increasing your survivability against area attacks.
• Mark Target: Marks an enemy, reducing their armor with Major Breach and offering unique effects upon killing them.
• Grim Focus: A unique ability that grants you weapon and spell damage as you build stacks through light and heavy attacks.

 

Shadow Skill Line

This skill line offers utility and stealth abilities:

• Consuming Darkness: An ultimate skill with limited effectiveness due to the availability of Major Protection from other sources.
• Veiled Strike: A melee skill that stuns and deals damage, great for engaging from stealth.

 

Active Skills:

• Shadow Cloak: Provides invisibility for a short duration, perfect for escaping or initiating sneak attacks.
• Path of Darkness: A utility skill that grants Major Expedition to you and your group.
• Aspect of Terror: An AoE stun ability that acts as a fear.
• Summoning Shade: Summons a shadow ally that deals damage.

 

Siphoning Skill Line

This skill line offers healing and resource management abilities:

• Soul Shred: An AoE damage and stun ultimate skill with some healing.
• Strife/Funnel Health: Strife deals single-target damage and heals you and nearby allies. Funnel Health sacrifices damage for more healing.
• Siphoning Attacks: A resource sustain tool for both stamina and magicka Nightblades.
• Siphoning Strikes: A skill that provides resource sustain specifically for stamina-based Nightblades.

 

↖ Nightblade Passives

• Master Assassin: Increases penetration against flanked enemies, encouraging positioning behind or to the side of foes.
• Executioner: Grants resource return when killing enemies, helping with sustain.
• Pressure Points: Boosts critical chance, essential for building a critical-focused Nightblade.
• Haemorrhage: Increases critical damage and provides Minor Savagery to your group.

 

↖ Nightblade Class Builds

PvE Stamina Nightblade

• Main Bar: Dual Wield or Two-Handed for melee damage.
• Back Bar: Bow for ranged damage.
• Skills: Grim Focus, Surprise Attack, Rending Slashes, Killer's Blade, Endless Hail, and Poison Injection.
• Passives: Prioritize all relevant Nightblade passives, Dual Wield, Bow, Medium Armor, and Fighters Guild passives.

 

PvE Magicka Nightblade

• Main Bar: Destruction Staff for ranged damage.
• Back Bar: Restoration Staff for healing or Destruction Staff for additional damage.
• Skills: Funnel Health, Swallow Soul, Elemental Blockade, Impale, Inner Light, and Soul Harvest.
• Passives: Focus on all relevant Nightblade passives, Destruction Staff, Restoration Staff, Light Armor, and Mages Guild passives.

 

PvP Stamina Nightblade

• Main Bar: Dual Wield for melee damage.
• Back Bar: Bow for ranged damage.
• Skills: Surprise Attack, Ambush, Shadowy Disguise, Mass Hysteria, Resolving Vigor, and Soul Harvest.
• Passives: Maximize Nightblade, Dual Wield, Bow, Medium Armor, and Assault Passives.

 

PvP Magicka Nightblade

• Main Bar: Destruction Staff for ranged damage.
• Back Bar: Restoration Staff for healing or another Destruction Staff for additional damage.
• Skills: Swallow Soul, Concealed Weapon, Shadow Cloak, Merciless Resolve, Healing Ward, and Soul Tether.
• Passives: Focus on Nightblade, Destruction Staff, Restoration Staff, Light Armor, and Support Passives.

 

Related: ESO Necromancer New Players Guide.

 

Conclusion:

In summary, the Nightblade class in The Elder Scrolls Online excels at dealing high damage, with a unique stealth mechanic and versatile playstyles. Whether you prefer stamina or magicka builds, the Nightblade offers exciting opportunities for both PvE and PvP content. Keep practising, experimenting, and mastering your Nightblade to become a force to be reckoned with in Tamriel. Thanks for reading this guide, and may your adventures in ESO be filled with success and excitement!