ESO Nightblade Class Overview - Elder Scrolls Online
Learn all you need to know about Nightblade Class in ESO on this page! Here you can find Skills, Guides and other important information for the Nightblade class!
Table of contents
Nightblade Overview
The Nightblade class in The Elder Scrolls Online excels in stealth, high burst damage, and resource sustainability. Nightblades use shadow magic and assassination techniques to eliminate enemies quickly while sustaining themselves through siphoning abilities. They are particularly effective in both PvE and PvP, offering a mix of melee and ranged combat options.
With three distinct skill lines—Assassination, Shadow, and Siphoning—Nightblades can adapt their playstyle to focus on lethal attacks, deception, or life-draining magic. This class is a perfect choice for players who enjoy strategic and fast-paced combat with an emphasis on agility and precision.
Nightblade Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✅ High Burst Damage: Nightblades can deal massive damage in a short window, making them excellent assassins.
- ✅ Strong Resource Sustain: Siphoning abilities allow Nightblades to regain health and resources quickly.
- ✅ Stealth: Their passive skills and invisibility abilities make them great for sneaky tactics.
- ✅ Versatility: Can play as DPS, tank, or even healer depending on skill setup.
- ✅ Strong PvP Presence: With high burst and escape potential, they excel in player-vs-player combat.
Cons
- ❌ Fragile: Nightblades lack strong defensive abilities and can be squishy in prolonged fights.
- ❌ Requires Precise Execution: Their rotations and playstyle demand timing and skill.
- ❌ Not Ideal for Beginners: The class has a higher learning curve compared to others.
- ❌ Heavily Relies on Critical Hits: Without critical strikes, damage output can suffer.
- ❌ Can Struggle in Group Play: Stealth-based mechanics do not always fit well in coordinated team settings.
Nightblade Skill Lines
The Assassination skill-line is part of the Nightblade toolkit and has a focus on offensive abilities. In addition to powerful abilities, you can also select passives that increase your damage capabilities even further. The Assassination skill-line is the first out of three Nightblade focused skill-lines.
- Death Stroke: Ravage an enemy with a swift strike, dealing 3716 Magic Damage and causing them to take 20% more damage from your attack...
- Incapacitating Strike: Ravage an enemy with a swift strike, dealing 3840 Disease Damage and causing them to take 20% more damage from your attacks for 8 seconds. If cast wi...
- Death Stroke: Ravage an enemy with a swift strike, dealing 3716 Magic Damage and causing them to take 20% more damage from your attacks for 8 seconds.
The Shadow skill-line is part of the Nightblade toolkit and has a focus on offensive abilities and stealth gameplay. In addition to powerful abilities, you can also select passives that increase your support capabilities even further. The Shadow skill-line is the second out of three Nightblade focused skill-lines.
- Consuming Darkness: Conjure a ring of shadow, reducing the Movement Speed of enemies by 70% and granting you and your allies Major Protectio...
- Shadowy Disguise: Cloak yourself in shadow to become invisible. When moving your Magicka Recovery is disabled and when not moving Shadowy Disguise is half cost. Your ne...
- Twisting Path: Create a corridor of shadows for 10 seconds, granting you and allies in the area Major Expedition, increasing Movement Speed by 30% which persists for...
The Siphoning skill-line is part of the Nightblade toolkit and has a focus on offensive drain abilities and sustain. In addition to powerful abilities, you can also select passives that increase your support capabilities and ultimate regeneration even further. The Siphoning skill-line is the third out of three Nightblade focused skill-lines.
- Soul Shred: Ravage nearby enemies' souls with a night rune, dealing 3486 Magic Damage and stunning them for 4 seconds. An ally can...
- Soul Shred: Ravage nearby enemies' souls with a night rune, dealing 3486 Magic Damage and stunning them for 4 seconds. An ally can target a ravaged enemy and ac...
- Soul Siphon: Sanctify your soul and the souls of nearby allies with a night rune, healing for 3600 Health and an additional 9384 Health over 4 seconds. You and yo...
Nightblade Recommended Builds
DPS Builds
Maximizes burst damage and sustain.
Tank Builds
Utilizes defensive abilities and sustain for tanking
Healing Builds
Utilizes Siphoning skills for powerful heals and sustain.
Solo Builds
Balanced for survivability and sustained damage in solo play.
PvP Builds
Designed for high burst damage and mobility in PvP scenarios.
Nightblade Beginner Tips & Guides
If you're new to The Elder Scrolls Online and looking to start with the Nightblade class, this guide will help you build a strong foundation. Nightblade is very versatile, capable of dealing high damage, tanking, and even offering some support capabilities. Here are a few key tips to get started:
Tips for New Nightblade Players
- Use Stealth – Stay hidden and strike first for maximum impact.
- Manage Resources – Use Siphoning Strikes to sustain stamina or magicka.
- Master Burst Combos – Chain Surprise Attack, Relentless Focus, and Incap Strike.
- Stay Mobile – Dodge, cloak, and reposition to avoid damage.
- Choose the Right Build – Stamina for melee burst, Magicka for ranged sustain.
- Engage Smartly – Pick fights wisely and disengage when needed.
Essential Beginner Guides
For more in-depth beginner guides, check out the following resources:
Related Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
- For stamina DPS: Khajiit, Orc, and Dark Elf provide strong stamina passives and critical damage bonuses.
- For magicka DPS: Dark Elves, High Elves, and Bretons offer valuable magicka sustain and spell damage benefits.
- For healing: Bretons and Argonians are excellent due to their magicka sustain and healing bonuses.
While racial passives help optimize performance, any race can play Nightblade effectively.
- Stamina DPS: Dual wielding and two-handed weapons maximize damage output. Bows are also popular for ranged playstyles.
- Magicka DPS: Destruction staves (Inferno or Lightning) enhance spellcasting damage.
- Healing: Restoration staves provide strong healing abilities and sustain.
- Tanking (if attempting): One-handed and shield help with defense, though this is an unconventional Nightblade role.
Your playstyle and build will determine the optimal balance.
- Killer’s Blade – A strong melee execute ability.
- Teleport Strike (Lotus Fan or Ambush) – Good for mobility and gap-closing.
- Grim Focus (Merciless Resolve or Relentless Focus) – Boosts damage and provides a powerful ranged attack.
- Shadowy Disguise – Grants invisibility and a guaranteed critical hit.
- Surprise Attack or Concealed Weapon – Powerful direct damage skills.
- Dark Cloak or Healthy Offering – Provides defensive or healing benefits.
- Swallow Soul – A great self-healing and damage ability.
- Sap Essence – A useful AoE attack that also heals.
- Leeching Strikes – Restores resources and enhances sustain.