Nightblades in The Elder Scrolls Online are almost entirely oriented around DPS in combat, with the potential for being a decent Support/DPS hybrid through the Siphoning skill tree. When it comes to playstyle and damage output in The Elder Scrolls Online, though, one of the most important things to consider right out of the gate as a Nightblade is your choice of weapon.
The three skill trees available to Nightblades, Assassination, Shadow, and Siphoning, each grant the player access to a variety of methods to control and shred enemies. While Assassination is single-target damage oriented, Shadow has many abilities based on subterfuge and AoE damage. Meanwhile, Siphoning turns the Nightblade into a flurry of damage and healing. It's a class that typically likes to dance around enemies at near-melee range, even in the Support role. With that in mind, here are some of the best tools for dealing damage.
Updated October 6, 2021 by Erik Petrovich: The Nightblade is a class that is fantastic at damage output, pretty good at supporting and sustaining a party, and not that great at taking hits for the team. Although ESO prides itself on the ability of any class to take any dungeon role, the One-Handed and Shield skill tree, which is oriented towards Tanks, is not particularly useful for this class. However, the Dual Wield, Destruction Staff, Two-Handed, and Bow Weapon Skill Trees each have their own ups and downs when it comes to DPS. Typically, Nightblades like to stay close to combat, going in and out as they please, so weapons in the front and back bars that take advantage of this playstyle tend to work better for this class.
6 One-Handed and Shield: Axes, Swords, Maces, Daggers
- Notable Abilities: Defensive Stance, for its enhanced block, Pierce Armor, to reduce enemy defenses, and the ultimate Incapacitating Strike, which increases damage and restores resources
- Pros: Gives Nightblades multiple defensive and debuffing abilities, good self-sustain for solo situations
- Cons: Better Tanking abilities in other classes, lower damage output
The One-Handed and Shield skill tree is built for tanks, utilizing damage mitigation, crowd control, and party support with its defense-oriented abilities. Though technically any Elder Scrolls Online class can take on any role in a party, Nightblades just don't get the job done as well as other classes. They are a class almost solely dedicated to DPS, with a few self-sustain and support abilities thrown in there too.
It's not impossible to go this route with a Nightblade as long as the right skills are chosen. The skill Heroic Slash decreases enemy damage while also giving the player enhanced Ultimate generation, Pierce Armor reduces enemy Physical and Spell resistance, and Defensive Stance can be the difference between making it through an encounter or not. All things considered, though, other classes have abilities more directly tied to playing a Tank, and Nightblades are better off with other weapons.
5 Ranged Physical: Bows
- Notable Abilities: Scatter Shot, for single-target damage and CC, Volley, for its AoE damage, and the Rapid Fire Ultimate, which deals massive damage very quickly
- Pros: Gives Nightblades more ranged attacks and AoE abilities otherwise not available for the class, decent backbar weapon
- Cons: Several abilities are outclassed by Nightblade skills or by other ranged Weapon Skill Trees
The Bow weapon skill tree offers a smattering of AoE, single-target, and cleave abilities that are best used at mid-range. Nightblades tend to move in and out of combat, thanks to the mobility granted by abilities like Path of Darkness and Teleport Strike. This might lead players to believe that the Bow is a good backup weapon at the least for the class.
However, the Destruction Staff and Restoration Staff surpass this weapon. Generally, the bow doesn't add much to the class that it doesn't already get through innate skill trees. The cleave and damage-over-time spell Acid Spray is outclassed by several Nightblade abilities. Scatter Shot is not as useful as the Nightblade's other crowd control abilities, and even the Bow's ranged AoE spell Volley is outclassed by the Destruction Staff's Wall of Elements or Pulsar abilities. The Bow is by no means a bad weapon, but it isn't as helpful for Nightblades as it is for other classes.
4 Two-Handed Weapons: Greatswords, Battle Axes, Mauls
- Notable Abilities: Battle Rush, which restores Stamina, Forward Momentum, which increases damage and resource regeneration, and the morph Brawler for its damage shield
- Pros: Powerful skills that complement Nightblade abilities, lots of self-buffs available, surprisingly mobile
- Cons: Slow attacks don't work as well with the Nightblade's toolkit, though it's not a bad weapon choice overall
Nightblades tend to thrive when they can deal a ton of damage (or apply damage-over-time debuffs) and then quickly move onto a new target. The Two-Handed Weapon skill tree offers the Nightblade some good utility. For example, the powerful Battle Rush passive boosts Stamina Regeneration upon killing an enemy. The Forward Momentum ability gives a huge boost to Weapon Damage and Stamina Regeneration, as well as removing immobilization debuffs.
The downside of the Two-Handed weapon tree for Nightblades, though, is that it relies on slow, powerful swings rather than a flurry of attacks. The Nightblade can make some use of its abilities, especially the skills mentioned above. Ultimately, though, it is better served with weapons that complement its unique class skills more effectively.
3 Ranged Support: Restoration Staffs
- Notable Abilities: Combat Prayer, for its multi-heals and buffs, Steadfast Ward, for its party shield, and Siphon Spirit, for its party resource regeneration
- Pros: Makes the Nightblade a viable Support class, as its skills fill in the gaps that the Siphoning tree leaves.
- Cons: Nightblades aren't the best Support option in ESO, but they can make for a decent off-healer with this equipped in the back bar
Nightblades might come across as a bunch of knife-wielding killer-in-the-night types, but they can actually be played nicely in the Support role as well as DPS. The Siphoning skill tree specifically is home to a number of party-wide heals and buffs as well as powerful damage-support hybrid spells. A Restoration Staff gives the Nightblade a number of similar spells, making it the go-to Support weapon for both the primary and back weapon slots.
The Siphoning skill tree gives powerful multi-target heals like Funnel Health, and the self-sacrifice spell Malevolent Offering. The Restoration Staff skill tree offers additional powerful abilities that don't directly damage opponents. The skill Combat Prayer is a go-to for many Support builds for its AoE heal and buff effect, while Steadfast Ward gives the Nightblade the ability to shield allies. In the back bar, it can make the Nightblade an effective off-Support, in case the party's main Support needs a little assistance.
2 Ranged Magical: Lightning Staffs, Inferno Staffs, Ice Staffs
- Notable Abilities: Elemental Drain, for its resource regeneration, Elemental Blockage, for its Crowd Control, and the Ultimate Eye of the Storm, for its pulsing AoE damage output
- Pros: Arguably the best ranged Weapon Skill Tree in The Elder Scrolls Online, high damage output alongside useful buffs and CC abilities
- Cons: Few, Nightblades tend to like Stamina-based builds, though Magicka-based ones are equally effective
When it comes to dealing damage at a range, there's no better option (for most classes) than the Destruction Staff. In the secondary weapon slot, it gives the player access to spells that complement the Nightblade's close-combat class trees. The Ultimate Eye of the Storm is a great pairing with the Nightblade's mobility. Meanwhile, the Magicka-draining ability Elemental Drain can be helpful in refreshing the player's resources before switching back to a close-combat weapon.
While the Destruction Staff is a great weapon for the Nightblade's back bar, it doesn't do so well in the main bar for either a DPS or Support build. Nightblades spend the majority of their combat time in close combat. Thus, the primary weapon slot is much better suited for something that can do lots of burst damage.
1 Dual Wielding Weapons: Axes, Swords, Maces, Daggers
- Notable Abilities: Blade Cloak, for its close-range thorns effect, Shrouded Daggers, for its interrupt, and Rapid Strikes, for its raw DPS output
- Pros: Fast attacks and unrelenting skills that keep the Nightblade constantly active on the battlefield, plus lots of access to self-sustain and buffing morphs
- Cons: Few, though the skill tree does require the player to be almost exclusively a DPS character - which the Nightblade happens to excel at
The One Handed Weapon and Shield skill tree is, all things considered, only okay for Nightblades; it focuses on Tanking abilities and self-defense. However, the Dual Wield tree is the Nightblade's signature weapon of choice. Players can unlock this by equipping and using two One-Handed weapons at once. Interestingly enough, it is equally as good at damaging enemies as it is debuffing and healing the Nightblade, much like the Siphoning skill tree.
The Bloodthirst and Blood Craze abilities are must-takes for soloing Nightblades for their self-sustain. Abilities like the thorny buff Blade Cloak and the powerful damage-buff-cc hybrid spell Shrouded Daggers are also go-to picks. One thing to keep an eye on, though, is what types of One-Handed weapons characters have equipped. The passives Twin Blade and Blunt grant special bonuses that depend on the weapons in the primary and secondary slot. This mostly depends on the player's preferred playstyle.