Welcome to Nirnstorm.com‘s Magicka Nightblade ( Magblade ) PvP build for the Blackwood patch!
This build was made and written by Heresya– more information about the author at the bottom of the page.
This build is a burst build which is based on Critical Damage. It is a great build for open world PvP (Cyrodiil) and for battlegrounds. Unlike most Nightblade builds, it’s not so much of an “assassin” but more of a “brawler” type of build.
Setup
Race
The best race for this build is Khajiit, due to the Critical Damage bonuses from it’s passives that fit perfectly with Mechanical Acuity‘s burst.
Breton serves as a good alternative, as it’s the best race for most Magicka Nightblade builds thanks to it’s passives that fit the class perfectly.
Mundus Stone
We use the Atronach mundus stone to gain additional Magicka regeneration which will help us sustain our Magicka pool in long fights.
Mortality
Mortal is best for most races, as cost increases are too brutal on a Magicka Nightblade, which makes Vampire difficult to sustain due to the penalties it gives.
If you play as a Breton, sustaining Vampirism Stage 3 is possible for the Undeath passive.
Skills
Mechanical Acuity’s Dual Wield
Maelstrom’s Restoration Staff
Skills Explanations
Front Bar – Mechanical Acuity’s Dual Wield
- Lotus Fan – Acts as a gap closer, applies Minor Vulnerability and is a decent DOT (Damage Over Time) that deals quite a bit of damage with Mechanical Acuity up.
- Merciless Resolve – The best burst ability in the game, a must-have damage skill on every Magicka Nightblade.
- Sap Essence – A really useful damage skill to use against roll-dodgers (as it is undodgeable), an effective way to break enemies’ cloak and gives the Major Sorcery buff. In addition it’s helps dealing an AoE (Area of Effect) burst.
- Soul Tether – A really good for the AoE undodgeable burst with Balorgh, which needs to be timed with Mechanical Acuity (I recommend using the “Cooldowns” addon to track the set’s uptime). This skill can also be used as a burst heal in melee fights (Warning: It has a cast time so can be cancelled by incoming stuns).
Back Bar – Maelstrom’s Restoration Staff
- Race Against Time – Gives mobility and additional Critical Damage. Use it when snared or to get Major Expedition when kiting enemies.
- Shadow Image – A must have skill to kite enemies and reposition yourself.
- Dark Cloak – A good heal over time effect which also grants additional mitigation.
- Life Giver – An ultimate ability you want to use when taking heavy damage from range.
Passives
Assassination Nightblade
All Passives
Shadow Nightblade
All Passives
Siphoning Nightblade
All Passives
Light Armor Armor
All Passives
Medium Armor Armor
All Passives
Heavy Armor Armor
All Passives
Dual Wield Weapons
Unlock only Dual Wield Expert and Twin Blade and Blunt
Restoration Staff Weapons
All Passives
Undaunted Guilds
All Passives
Psijic Guilds
Unlock all passives except Deliberation as it’s not relevant for this build.
Assault Alliance War
All Passives
Racial Character
All Passives
Alchemy Crafting
Unlock only Medicinal Use
Provisioning Crafting
It’s recommended to unlock Gourmand as we are using a very expensive food
Gear
Reinforced
Tri-Stat
heavy
Impen
Tri-Stat
medium
Reinforced
Tri-Stat
heavy
Impen
Tri-Stat
light
Well Fitted
Tri-Stat
light
Impen
Tri-Stat
heavy
Impen
Tri-Stat
light
Triune or Swift
Spell Damage
Triune
Spell Damage
Triune
Spell Damage
Nirnhoned
Fire Damage
Sharpened
Shock Damage or Magic Damage
Front Bar
Powered
Escapist’s Poison
Back Bar
Sets Explanations
Mark of the Pariah is used to gain some tankiness to be able to fight hard hitting targets.
Balorgh & Mechanical Acuity are used to empower your burst, which is Soul Tether followed by Merciless Resolve.
Consumables
Orzorga’s Smoked Bear Haunch
Buff Food
We use the Orzorga’s Smoked Bear Haunch food. This food increases our max Health and gives us Health, Magicka and Stamina sustain. Between this food and the Atronach mundus, we have all the sustain we need.
Potions
We use Tri-Stat potions (made with Bugloss, Columbine and Mountain Flower) as we already have Major Sorcery from Sap Essence and don’t need Major Prophecy since Mechanical Acuity guarantee our critical hits. In addition the burst healing from this potion is very useful and makes it best in slot.
Poisons
We use Escapist’s Poison on the back bar (Restoration Staff Bar) on this build (Made with Columbine, Wormwood and Namira’s Rot). We use this potion to apply a root to more difficult enemies and gain CC immunity for 4 seconds.
Champion Points
Craft (0) 
Warfare (520) 
Fitness (542) Increases your Critical Damage done by 3% per stage against enemies you are flanking.
BONUS
15% Critical Damage done
Increases your damage done with direct damage attacks by 2% per stage.
BONUS
10% direct damage
Reduces your damage taken by single target attacks by 2% per stage.
BONUS
10% damage reduction
Increases your Healing Done with single target heals by 2% per stage.
BONUS
10% Healing Done
Grants 160 Critical Chance per stage.
BONUS
320 Critical Chance
Increases your Critical Damage done by 3% per stage against enemies you are flanking.
BONUS
15% Critical Damage done
Grants 260 Max Magicka per stage.
BONUS
520 Max Magicka
Increases your Healing Done by 1% per stage.
BONUS
2% Healing Done
Increases your Healing Done with single target heals by 2% per stage.
BONUS
10% Healing Done
Grants 260 Max Stamina per stage.
BONUS
520 Max Stamina Extended Might
Grants 350 Offensive Penetration per stage.
BONUS
700 Offensive Penetration Extended Might
Increases your chance to apply a Magical status effect by 30% per stage.
BONUS
60% increased chance Extended Might
Increases your chance to apply a Martial status effect by 30% per stage.
BONUS
60% increased chance Extended Might
Grants 100 Weapon and Spell Damage to Magical attacks.
Affects Magic, Flame, Frost, and Shock Damage.
Extended Might
Grants 100 Weapon and Spell Damage to Martial attacks.
Affects Physical, Poison, Disease, and Bleed Damage.
Staving Death
Increases your Healing Taken by 1% per stage.
BONUS
2% Healing Taken Staving Death
Reduces the damage you take from Magical attacks by 1% per stage.
ffects Magic, Flame, Frost, and Shock Damage.
BONUS
2% damage reduction Staving Death
Reduces the damage you take from Martial attacks by 1% per stage.
Affects Physical, Poison, Disease, and Bleed Damage.
BONUS
2% damage reduction Staving Death
Reduces your damage taken from non-player attacks by 2% per stage.
BONUS
10% damage reduction
Reduces your damage taken by single target attacks by 2% per stage.
BONUS
10% damage reduction
Increases your damage done with direct damage attacks by 2% per stage.
BONUS
10% direct damage Grants 34.6 Armor per stage.
BONUS
1730 Armor
While under the effects of Crowd Control Immunity, you take 2% less damage per stage.
BONUS
10% damage reduction
Grants 3 Health, Magicka, and Stamina Recovery per stage.
BONUS
150 Health, Magicka and Stamina Recovery
While afflicted with a Status Effect, your core combat skills cost 5% less per stage.
BONUS
25% cost reduction
Grants 34.6 Armor per stage.
BONUS
1730 Armor
Grants 3 Health, Magicka, and Stamina Recovery per stage.
BONUS
150 Health, Magicka and Stamina Recovery
Reduces the cost of Roll Dodge by 120 Stamina per stage.
BONUS
240 cost reduction
Reduces the cost of Break Free by 110 Stamina per stage.
BONUS
220 cost reduction
While under the effects of Crowd Control Immunity, you take 2% less damage per stage.
BONUS
10% damage reduction
Reduces the duration of Elemental Status Effects applied to you by 5% per stage.
BONUS
25% reduced duration
Reduces the cost of Sprint by 20 Stamina per stage.
BONUS
40 cost reduction
Increases your movement speed when Sprinting by 2% per stage.
BONUS
4% Movement speed
Grants 280 Max Health per stage.
BONUS
560 Max Health
Increases your Stealth Detection by 1 meter per stage.
BONUS
3 meters
While afflicted with a Status Effect, your core combat skills cost 5% less per stage.
BONUS
25% cost reduction
Return to life after resurrection with 5% more resources per stage.
BONUS
10% more resources
Reduces the cost of Block by 20 Stamina per stage.
BONUS
40 Block cost reduction
Increases the amount of damage you can block by 2% per stage.
BONUS
4% Block mitigation
Increases your Movement Speed while Bracing by 3% per stage.
BONUS
6% Movement speed
Reduces the cost of Bash by 45 Stamina per stage.
BONUS
90 cost reduction
Increases your Bash damage by 60 per stage.
BONUS
120 increased damage The Craft CP tree doesn’t effect combat directly, and is entirely up for each player to set up for their own playstyle.
Our personal suggestions will be added soon.
Heresya is a veteran Magblade player on PC EU, and one of the best Magblade players in the game. He has 6 GO Magblade characters, has a ton of experience playing them in 1vX, smallmans and organized raiding, and has won countless of 1v1 tournament using them as well. While he's experienced with most classes in the game, Magblade is definitely his main, and he uploads builds and gameplay of it in many game modes to his YouTube channel, so make sure to check it out!
