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Magicka Nightblade DPS Build - ESO Guide

DPS Two Bar Magicka Pure Class Nightblade
Up to date for: Update 50 - 20th June 2026
Last changed: Update 50 - 20th June 2026

Magicka Nightblade (MagBlade) DPS Build for ESO Update 50. This build has very good single target damage, a very strong execute with , and solves sustain issues.

Nightblade also has extremely good Ultimate generation in Dungeons thanks to . This build uses Vampire Stage 2 for , which gets triggered by .

Parses 181.2k in the Single Target setup.

This is a group build for Dungeons and Trials. If you're looking for a Solo build, check out the Magicka Nightblade Solo Build.

Simulated Parse Tables

I built a simulator that takes the current setup from the guide and plays it through the listed priority rotation. It uses the listed gear, skills, Champion Points, race, Mundus, food, potions, target armor and target health. It tracks skill casts, light attacks, bashes, DoT ticks, cooldowns, execute scaling, crits and status effect rolls. It assumes 97% of light attacks hit, a 0.025 second weave average, and bash weaving.

Comparison tables in this guide use the deterministic sim on the 21 million HP Iron Atronach trial dummy. The Base Setup is treated as the default.

For comparison tables I keep the setup identical and change one thing at a time. That makes the tables better for comparing options than random dummy parses, where one run can get better crits, different status effects or a better execute window.

Base Setup

Run DPS
21m deterministic sim
155.2k DPS
100 random 21m sims
Lowest 151.8k DPS
Highest 161.0k DPS

Single Target Setup

The Single Target setup changes the Base Setup: replaces , and replace , replaces , replaces , replaces , and replaces

Run DPS
21m deterministic sim
178.9k DPS
Real 21m CMX parse
181.2k DPS
100 random 21m sims
Lowest 174.3k DPS
Highest 185.3k DPS
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Class Mastery

Class Masteries are a new U50 system where each class picks 2 of 5 passive bonuses (Class Mastery Points, not Skill Points). Activating subclassing disables Class Mastery, so it's a tradeoff between keeping your native skill lines or subclassing.

Default

Nightblade Class Mastery

An Eye for Exploitation

Every strike, every stab, is a step towards execution.

Increases your Weapon and Spell Damage by up to 2000, based on your target's missing Health.

Reduces your damage taken by up to 20%, based on your attacker's missing Health.

Both effects are halved against targets with Battle Spirit.

Notes

Simply the best damage option that also greatly increases your survivability, especially in execute.

Nightblade Class Mastery

Above and Beyond

An assassin is only as good as their reputation.

Increases your Critical Damage and Healing by 25%. This effect is reduced to 5% against targets with Battle Spirit.

Increases your maximum Critical Damage and Healing by 30%.

Notes

Simply the best damage option.

Not worth it

Nightblade Class Mastery

Nocturnal Inspiration

The Night Mistress rewards those who strike without reservation.

Upgrades rank 2 of to have a chance to generate 2 Ultimate. This effect can occur once every 0.3 seconds and the chance is equal to your Weapon Critical chance.

Notes

Not useful for this setup.

Nightblade Class Mastery

Cutthroat's Focus

This duel will be their last. For you, it's just another dance.

Activating a Nightblade ability while bracing causes you to dodge attacks for 0.3 seconds.

Whenever you dodge an attack, your attacker's psyche suffers, increasing their damage taken by 5% for 5 seconds, increasing to 20 seconds against monsters.

Notes

Not useful for this setup.

Nightblade Class Mastery

Share the Spoils

Secrets and coin are tools as sharp as the daggers you wield.

Upgrades rank 2 of to grant group members 250 Magicka and Stamina, 2 Ultimate, and doubles the Ultimate you gain when it activates.

Notes

Not useful for this setup.

Skill Setups

Base Setup

A base setup that will work for most situations and which should be your starting point when making situational setups

Front Bar Back Bar
Slot 1: Concealed WeaponMorph of Veiled Strike Slot 1: Dark ShadeMorph of Summon Shade
Slot 2: ImpaleMorph of Assassin's Blade Slot 2: Barbed TrapMorph of Trap Beast
Slot 3: Relentless FocusMorph of Grim Focus Slot 3: CarveMorph of Cleave
Slot 4: Shadowy DisguiseMorph of Shadow Cloak Slot 4: StampedeMorph of Critical Charge
Slot 5: Sap EssenceMorph of Drain Power Slot 5: Siphoning AttacksMorph of Siphoning Strikes
Ultimate: Soul HarvestMorph of Death Stroke Ultimate: Shooting StarMorph of Meteor
  • - a strong spammable which will deal increased damage after leaving invisiblity, which will get triggered by
  • - an execute you should switch to when enemy is below 25% HP
  • - an ability that will cause your Light Attacks to generate stacks. You can spend 4 stacks to fire a powerful arrow that also heals you if you're in Melee range. It also grants you and
  • - an ability that will increase your damage done by 15% for 10 seconds after being cast. It also triggers and increases 's damage for 15 seconds
  • - your AoE spammable. It also provides and , but it won't matter most of the time because you'll get from anyway, so it's only relevant when switching to . It's slotted so you have a skill to spam in AoE and to trigger passive.
  • - a cheap ultimate that increases target's damage taken from you by 20%. Having it slotted will also cause you to regain 10 Ultimate whenever you deal a final blow against an enemy
  • - an ability that deals constant AoE damage. It's a lot of damage per cast
  • - a DoT that applies the status effect at the start and grants , increasing your Critical Damage by 10%
  • - AoE attack which applies a 12 second DoT to all hit enemies which gets 10 seconds longer each time you refresh it, lasting up to 32 seconds on third cast. It also grants you a damage shield after casting it.
  • - a gap closer which leaves a ground DoT under your target which will constantly proc your enchantment and increase your Direct Damage done thanks to set
  • - this ability will passively heal you and improve your sustain. It can also be used to trade Health for a burst of Stamina and Magicka
  • - an ultimate that deals damage in an AoE, leaves a ground DoT and grants you Ultimate for each enemy hit with the initial blast

Whenever you need to slot situational skills, replace unless stated otherwise

  • - extremely good ability for trash packs, you can pre-buff it a few seconds before entering combat
  • (Disease, Cavalier's Charge, Heroism) - another extremely good ability for trash packs, you can cast it as you're running into them
  • (Flame, Lingering Torment, Force) - good ability for trash packs
  • - a self-heal you'll need for some fights
Rotation Simulated Parse Damage Change
Priority List
155.2k DPS
Baseline
Static Rotation
144.9k DPS
-6.6%

Priority List

This is just a list of priorities. Simply recast abilities when they run out and follow this list of priorities when there are multiple things to refresh.

  • 1. if it's ready
  • 2.
  • 3.
  • 4.
  • 5.
  • 6.
  • 7. if the enemy is below 25% Health
  • 8.
  • 9.

Pre-buff

These abilities can be pre-cast before entering combat

Other Setups

A few examples of final setups you could end up with after applying the situational skills to the base setup

Example of a setup you can use for trash packs

Front Bar Back Bar
Slot 1: TrampleDisease / Cavalier's Charge / Heroism Slot 1: Dark ShadeMorph of Summon Shade
Slot 2: ImpaleMorph of Assassin's Blade Slot 2: Proximity DetonationMorph of Magicka Detonation
Slot 3: Relentless FocusMorph of Grim Focus Slot 3: Ulfsild's ContingencyFlame / Lingering Torment / Force
Slot 4: Shadowy DisguiseMorph of Shadow Cloak Slot 4: StampedeMorph of Critical Charge
Slot 5: Sap EssenceMorph of Drain Power Slot 5: Siphoning AttacksMorph of Siphoning Strikes
Ultimate: Soul HarvestMorph of Death Stroke Ultimate: Shooting StarMorph of Meteor

EXPLANATION

  • replaces
  • replaces
  • replaces
  • replaces

Skill Setup Comparison

Setup Simulated Parse Damage Change
Single Target
160.5k DPS
+3.4%
Base Setup
155.2k DPS
Baseline

Passives

Some trees are only needed when using situational skills, for example Mages Guild provides nothing without

Class

Weapon

Armor

Guild

Racial

Craft

Class - Ardent Flame

Combustion - High Priority

Traumatic Burns - High Priority

Fan the Flames - High Priority

A Soul Ablaze - High Priority

Gear

A base setup that will work for most situations and which should be your starting point when making situational setups. It assumes your group provides , , and nothing more

Switching gear for trash packs isn't worth it unless you're using gear-swap addons

Light Armor gives penetration through the passive, so it doesn't depend on your group composition. Medium Armor can be stronger but needs your group to provide penetration, for example through . Use Light Armor if you don't know what your group brings, Medium Armor if you do.

Gear Slot Set Weight/Type Trait Enchantment
HeadHead Medium
ShouldersShoulders Light
ChestChest Light
HandsHands Light
BeltBelt Light
LegsLegs Light
FeetBoots Light
NeckNecklace Jewelry
RingRing Jewelry
RingRing Jewelry
MainhandFrontbar Main Hand Dagger
OffhandFrontbar Off Hand Dagger
MainhandBackbar Main Hand Greatsword

This setup does 155.2k DPS

Fallback Gear

Body (Light)
Whorl of the Depths - Trial Set (Dreadsail Reef)

If you don't have it, use in order

  1. - Crafted
  2. - Crafted
Weapons and Jewelry
Advancing Yokeda - Trial Set (Hel Ra Citadel)

If you don't have it, use in order

  1. - Dungeon Set (Unhallowed Grave)
  2. - Crafted
  3. - Crafted
Monster Helm
Selene - Monster Set (Selene's Web)

If you don't have it, use in order

  1. - Crypt of Hearts II

Gear Set Comparisons

Damage comparison for the set options.

Body (Light)

Compares X Light set + weapons and jewelry.

Source
Body Set Source Simulated Parse Damage Change
Trial - Dreadsail Reef
155.2k DPS
Baseline
Crafted
147.4k DPS
-5.0%
Crafted
146.3k DPS
-5.7%
Crafted
142.3k DPS
-8.3%
Overland - Deshaan
141.3k DPS
-9.0%
Crafted
3 Stacks 141.3k DPS
0 Stacks 140.3k DPS
-9.0% -9.6%
Crafted
140.3k DPS
-9.6%

Front Bar Weapons

Daggers are the default weapon. Lightning Staff is the best ranged weapon for when mechanics make melee annoying, with Bow, Inferno Staff and Greatsword close behind.

Front Bar Weapon Simulated Parse Damage Change
Dual Wield Daggers
155.2k DPS
Baseline
Lightning Staff
151.8k DPS
-2.2%
Bow
150.7k DPS
-2.9%
Inferno Staff
148.5k DPS
-4.3%
Greatsword
148.5k DPS
-4.3%
Ice Staff
144.6k DPS
-6.8%
Sword and Shield
141.3k DPS
-9.0%
Restoration Staff
141.3k DPS
-9.0%

Only the front bar weapon changes. Daggers use and . Every one-weapon option uses a weapon and keeps the same backbar Greatsword. Sword and Shield uses a sword plus a shield.

Situational Swaps

Alternative setups for different goals and content types

Content-Specific Swaps

  • Use in AoE fights

Use the Penetration Calculator to fine-tune your penetration for different content. Overland enemies have 9,100 armor while Instanced enemies (Arenas and Dungeons) have 18,200.

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Champion Points

Unlock Order

WarfareWarfare
6% Direct Damage
Because more than 60% of your damage is Direct
6% Single Target
Because more than 60% of your damage is Single Target
205 Weapon and Spell Damage
Next strongest CP damage-wise
8% Critical Damage and Healing
Next strongest CP damage-wise
Critical Damage Cap
Replace with if your supports are providing enough Critical Damage for you to reach the 155% cap without
More Healing
is a decent Champion Point if you need more HPS
FitnessFitness
1400 Max Health
Survivability
1731 Armor
Survivability
10% Movement Speed
Movement Speed
90 Health, Stamina and Magicka Recovery
Sustain
CraftCraft
20% Movement Speed out of combat
Extremely useful utility
Quality of Life
Green Champion Points don't affect Combat, choose whatever Quality of Life you prefer

Race

The difference between best and worst race is about 4% of DPS and there is no content in the entire game that you'd be blocked from completing because of choosing a bad race.

High Elf
Best for 12-Man
High Elf
Why pick this
Provides Max Magicka and Weapon/Spell Damage. In Trials that's usually stronger than Khajiit's Critical Damage racial, because with 4 supports your team will (usually) provide enough Critical Damage buffs for you to reach the cap regardless
Spell Recharge ~104 lower resource per second, 5% less damage taken while channeling
Syrabane's Boon 2000 Max Magicka
Elemental Talent 258 Weapon & Spell Damage
Dark Elf
Best for 12-Man
Dark Elf
Why pick this
Provides Max Magicka and Weapon/Spell Damage. In Trials that's usually stronger than Khajiit's Critical Damage racial, because with 4 supports your team will (usually) provide enough Critical Damage buffs for you to reach the cap regardless
Dynamic 1910 Max Stamina & Magicka
Resist Flame 4620 Flame Resistance
Ruination 258 Weapon & Spell Damage
Khajiit
Best for 4-Man
Khajiit
Why pick this
Khajiit's Critical Damage is more valuable than High Elf/Dark Elf's Weapon/Spell Damage in 4-man content, because it's unlikely your two supports (or in many cases a single support) will be able to provide enough Critical Damage buffs for you to reach the 125% Critical Damage cap
Feline Ambush 12% Critical Damage
Lunar Blessings 915 Max Health, Stamina and Magicka
Robustness 90 Health, Stamina, Magicka Recovery
Race Simulated Parse Damage Change
Dark Elf
155.2k DPS
Baseline
High Elf
155.2k DPS
+0.0%
Khajiit
155.2k DPS
+0.0%
Orc
152.9k DPS
-1.5%
Breton
151.8k DPS
-2.2%
Argonian
149.6k DPS
-3.6%
Wood Elf
148.8k DPS
-4.1%
Redguard
148.8k DPS
-4.1%
Imperial
148.8k DPS
-4.1%
Nord
148.8k DPS
-4.1%

Mundus

The Thief
Default
5.53% Critical Chance (9.04% with 7 Divines)
When to use
Use in all content
The Lover
Situational
2744 Penetration (4489 with Divines)
When to use
An option if you're using Medium Armor and your group isn't providing enough penetration, but a Light Armor set with Mundus is always going to be stronger

Attributes

You should always put all 64 attribute points into Stamina.

Health
0
Stamina
64
Magicka
0
All points into Stamina

Food

This build doesn't have sustain issues so you only need to choose between damage and survivability

Artaeum Pickled Fish Bowl
Default
Max Health Max Magicka
Use for most content.
Tomato Garlic Chutney
Full Damage
Max Magicka
Max Magicka only. Use for content where you can get away without Max Health.
Setup Simulated Parse Damage Change
155.2k DPS
Baseline
156.4k DPS
+0.8%

Potions

Spell Power Potion
Default
Restore Magicka Spell Critical

Use the Spell Power potions. They'll provide and Major Prophecy.

Craft with: Online:Lady's_Smock Lady's Smock Online:Namira's_Rot Namira's Rot Corn Flower Corn Flower
Heroism Potion
Situational
Restore Stamina Restore Magicka

Heroism potions provide 100% uptime on which generates Ultimate, but they're extremely expensive.

Craft with: Dragon Rheum Dragon Rheum Online:Dragon's_Blood Dragon's Blood Columbine Columbine
Setup Simulated Parse Damage Change
155.2k DPS
Baseline
157.0k DPS
+1.1%

Parses

All parses are recorded on the 21 million Target Dummy.

Single Target, Medium
181,240 DPS
Single Target, Medium
181,240DPS
21mil Iron Atronach Dummy
Patch
Update 50
Armor
6 Medium / 1 Light
Gear Setup
Single Target, Medium
Skill Setup
Single Target
Potion
Food
Mundus
Race
High Elf
CMX Parse
CMX Parse - Single Target
CMX Setup
CMX Setup - Single Target
Recording
Parse recording

Gameplay

Dreadsail Reef
Trial
Dreadsail Reef
Trial Veteran
Dreadsail Reef Veteran Log

FAQ

The Single Target setup parses 181.2k DPS. It has very good single target damage, very good execute damage, easy sustain through , and strong Ultimate generation in Dungeons through .

deals very good single target damage. This build also uses Vampire Stage 2 for , which gets triggered by . Vampire Stage 2 is not required, but it adds roughly 1.5% DPS to the Base Setup.

Light Armor gives penetration through the passive, so it doesn't depend on your group composition. Medium Armor can be stronger but needs your group to provide penetration, for example through . Use Light Armor if you don't know what your group brings, Medium Armor if you do.

Yes, you can replace the Dual Wield Daggers with other weapons. Replacing the backbar Greatsword is not recommended because of the set which requires a Two Handed weapon.

Dark Elf is the best race for Nightblade DPS in 12-man Trials, and Khajiit is the best for 4-man Dungeons. The difference between best and worst race is about 4% - see the Race section for more details.

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