Nightblade Psychology 101: 5 Dirty Ganking Secrets in Elder Scrolls Online

Many Nightblade/ganking videos talk about gear and skills, but very few discuss the basic tactics you can apply to make your life in the shadows that much easier. So I made a video about exactly that.

[@Degonyte]

Hi there! I recorded this in the middle of the night after a busy workday, so apologies for my decreasing ability to read and speak English. I normally would've rerecorded some of these takes, but after several delays I really wanted to get this video out there.

[@dangrimes6200]

Actually, as a linguistics nerd, I was continually impressed by your command of the language...you use so many expressions better than many native speakers, and your speech patterns flowed nicely. I would assume you have been speaking English since early childhood, but yeah...I wish I were as proficient in any of the other languages I speak :/ Good job :)

[@Degonyte]

@@dangrimes6200 It's more that when I get very tired, I start to slur my speech as if I were drunk, which is why I wasn't fully satisfied with the final take on some parts. Ah well, the life of a perfectionist. And yeah, I started learning English when I was about 7 and always kept an active interest in improving it, so I'm still reaping the rewards.

[@egorus63]

This is insane!! 9:25 lowest health i've ever seen - 104 hp (0.4%) Thanx for tips, realy helps!!

[@dangrimes6200]

Phenomenal video :) As other posters have said, so many videos are just about the build (which is only as good as the player wearing the gear). This info is valuable, and well presented. Although...you could probably just tell people to read The Art of War, haha. Pretty much covers it. Like, each and every point :) Great video, and I'll be subbing. Keep using your ability to explain things in a fun, educational way.

[@Degonyte]

Thanks! And yeah, a lot of advice for Cyro boils down to basic combat tactics. That's also what's fun about PVP - outsmarting a human opponent is much more rewarding that outsmarting an NPC.

[@fpixel7190]

These dirty dark secrets took me thousands of hours and countless deaths to figure out myself. I've personally got sick of ganking and padded my resistances and recovery to get a few 1vXs in. Still though, I use all of these tactics all the time. Great tips man.

[@Arttea]

brb, spreading the word that you can not 1vX 😌

[@Degonyte]

come alik'r

[@martinhill9561]

Awwww shiiiiit

[@fredeso7844]

Very honest and astute video. Agree about all. Wouldn't call it dirty (the obligatory clickbait) but nightblade facts of life. On second thought, maybe "dirty" is exactly the right word. IMO many KZbin videos paint a distorted view of ESO combat realities. My own most-viewed video consists of a series of ganks against weak players at Sejanus. Makes it tempting to produce cherry-picked content. Where I differ is only in two minor things. I usually don't use Shadow Image, but then you need very high speed. You basically need to be at the cap, or as close as you can get, making you as fast or faster than your opponents. All Swift jewelry and sustaining RAT in Cloak indirectly takes it's toll on your damage. Oakensoul is one of the best compromises to make up for that at present. The other thing is, I do take resources on my own. There is some security to be had from either movement or perma-blocking, Radiant Magelight, or Zoal. It's hard not to plump for Balorgh with Oakensoul, otherwise I find Zoal in conjunction with Slippery CP the single biggest life-saver on a squishy melee nightblade.

[@Degonyte]

I (sadly) dropped Shadow Image when Oakensoul became a thing as I just don't have the space for it on my bar. I still find good Shade usage the biggest lifesaver on Stamblade, but on Magblade I just need to make sure I can LoS somewhere close as just invisibility by itself is too unreliable for escaping. And yeah the 'dirty' part is that you kind of need to pick your battles wisely, which is what a lot of content doesn't really show as it would go against all the 'OP', "Godmode' and 'Insane damage!!!' taglines on the video thumbnail. Especially around Midyear/Whitestrake's Mayhem it results in 19k health Caluurion gankers expecting to drop the fully buffed Templar in one hit, so I wanted to throw beginning NBs a lifeline.

[@alkohol9230]

Very helpful, thanks! Good KZbinr.

[@badrianna421]

I'm gonna be so good at the pvp now, thanks! Really excellent video tho, good job! :) Can't wait to see more!

[@Degonyte]

You're going to be the best Nightblade tourist out there!

[@Biellopes9102]

What an amazing video! Thank you ;-))!! What you think about the anxiety fed by Reaper`s Mark? Controversial, maybe! XD

[@xnbk-yotiex5247]

My main has always been a Mag Nightblade. I’m really bad with him in pvp but… I have the most fun with him in pvp playing him. I run a extremely high crit build. 80% crit before buff and 62CD before buff. 4200 SD Still beed to be selective in targets

[@guillaumemayan8400]

hey, awesome video! what motif are u using for your outfit ?

[@Valskyr]

being a champ 440 bomber with like 21k hp has taught me more about ganking than any video, apart from this video lol

[@hecotrone3061]

Nice video :D BTW what outfit are u using look's amazing ? GG

[@jonnvessel]

All good advice for new players.

[@NordicEagleVids]

what sets would you typically recommend for gankblades? :) mag or stam. i’m looking to revive my old gankblades from the viper/alchemist era and i’m looking for some options

[@Degonyte]

On Magblade I use Luca Cash's proc gank build, which is Caluurion's Legacy + Ashen Grip + Selene's, full Divines. Balorgh or Maarselok might work better as a monster set but I haven't yet tried it out. Easy to use and super strong, as you can delete a lot of people with 1 heavy attack and Soul Harvest, although you're squishy af yourself as an offset. On Stamblade I run something that isn't really a ganking set up but will still delete people just as easily as a Magblade ganker, which is Caluurion front-bar, Clever Alchemist backbar, Balorgh and Markyn mythic (1x Reinforced, 3x Impen, 3x Well-Fitted). Something like Stygian or New Moon Acolyte would probably work better for pure gank. I dunno how Clever Alchemist worked in the past, but now you have to be in combat to be able proc it. In any case, I think Stamblades have such a strong damage output that it's not necessary to go the full ganking route. Bow ganking is dead in the water, at least on EU.

[@NordicEagleVids]

@@Degonyte Interesting… thanks for the response! :)

[@JLBPowerWashingLLC]

@@Degonyte I am running venemous and new moon with balorgh, no mythic and I’m telling you it is wrecking people bad. Nirnhoned on the 2H new moon. There’s some tanky people I can’t really gank but by being sneaky and picking people off sometimes I can kill 5 people in just a few seconds. It’s crazy

[@wrongthinkwallace1528]

What was the two-handed/destro staff build you were using in this video?

[@Degonyte]

Honestly can't remember. The heavy attack one was some basic proc build with Ashen Grip and some other set that acted similarly. Selene monster set, though even at the time Maarselok was probably better. I haven't really played a ganking build since making this video so I don't know what the current meta is in that regard.

[@raphael2407]

these are some decent NB tips, but the true secret to Nightbalde supremacy is: the style! Wanna be a proper nightblade, you sure gotta look like one. YOu can not gank people while looking like a walking trashcan when you pop out of stealth :D

[@davidfalloutbandit]

what do you suggest type of armor should a gankblade where?

[@ReadyDaddy]

As a new player who went directly for Stamblade ganker, i can only suggest other new players - go stamtank DK/Warden. I have had semi success with the ganks, but for a new player like me, it's mostly stress. in cyro/IC you will mostly run into 2k+ CP veterans who will literally ruin your will to continue playing. so i was using 105% of my brain and using all the tips i could find online to have a little bit of success and had not that much fun. Then i said ah well, screw it, let's go tank meta. Now i use 0 brain, and just faceroll my abilities and im doing really good. I know it's not a flex, but at least I'm having lots of fun. not to mention BG's... i rarely ever had 20+ kills as stamblade (only if enemy team is made of complete tools). With my stam DK i REGULARLY go 30+ kills and little to no deaths against skilled players. Best advice in my opinion would be this - play other classes and learn how they function. Only when you figure out all the mechanics of other classes, go back to Nightblade and exploit the weaknesses that you now learned. :D

[@Tavis_aka_Kalik]

Since fashion is endgame, what is this ninja outfit made of. Thanks

[@CHAMPDOGZ]

What add on is that poping up skill reminder

[@Spacepotato9000]

Zeg makker, mooie video groetjes uit Twente

[@ChrisM-tn3hx]

@3:40 - Classic blunder. Never chase a nightblade lol.

[@zemtov]

7:44 what sword is that on your back i neeeeeeeed it

[@Degonyte]

The Tsaesci Greatsword with Bedlam Purple / Void Pitch / Overlord's Purple dyes.

[@zemtov]

I appreciate it man, i stay asking you were you get the drip lmaoooo@@Degonyte

[@DerElia]

❤

[@mihailogavric37]

Very educational video,please teach me nb milord

[@Degonyte]

Advanced classes only for true faction loyalists, sorry. 8)

[@Sk0lzky]

6:30 40k hp 25k+ res people with full heal specced blue tree make me wish Hrothgar didn't get nerfed ;_; Especially cuz I don't run a dedicated glasscannon gank build (PC EU here indeed)

[@Degonyte]

I honestly didn't think Hrothgar was that bad. I loved using it on my Sorc until they ninja nerfed it.

[@adamknight1387]

I love killing using my nightblade to kill other nightblades. lol. good vid.

[@lirimramaj7161]

What’s your build

[@Agrartechnik_Fan]

like it

[@daydazed69]

OK Nathan

[@epstiendidntkillhimself1435]

Bow ganks need help newer updates have kinda crushed my build. I was ganking 30k health people now I struggle too.

[@fedeph665]

Yea i have tried like 4 or 5 diferent bow builds and every single one suck ass, can't kill anybody in Cyrodiil.

[@epstiendidntkillhimself1435]

@@fedeph665 super cheese but still works. Nightblade...caluriaan, gryphons monster helm of choice. It's 1 of the build I have that still works. Just over 30k it struggles.

[@nomad4594]

The zilla blade really broke the game for current meta

[@jeromecaldwell7152]

All zilla blade minions are trash nightblades

[@nomad4594]

@@jeromecaldwell7152 its kinda sad but now we gotta deal with everyone hitting like trucks cause of oakensoul.

[@jesseleeshoemakerjr5461]

You must get a lot of love letters in your pms

[@Degonyte]

You'd be surprised. People are usually fine with getting ganked/bombed. It's when you kill a 1vX'er that you get love in your inbox.

[@3RST-GAMING]

Nb psychosis is a real thing

[@ZombroESOGod]

I'm late to the party as I just discovered your channel but you forgot to mention making sure to animation cancel 2 skills and 2 heavy attacks at once so the 4 things hit at the exact time on your opponents screen 🙃

[@BlackCatOnline-]

Most of the players I run into on PS NA have 30k health or more. Also a ton of templars and DK's lately 😐

[@Degonyte]

Yeah, the meta has shifted a bit since I recorded this video. There's some nice bursty Magblade builds available now though with the use of Oakensoul. Definitely more powerful than the Magblade build I played in those clips.

[@pjoterem141]

first

[@Degonyte]

I was in fact first.

[@leocasalvilla2502]

Making us nightblades look bad that’s why we receive nerfs