Nightblade Damage Dealer: Double Inferno
Two Inferno Staves and Swallow Soul, all from range. Damage over time on the boss, a shade that shoots from where you leave it, and no Light Attack weaving.
Overview
The classic magicka Nightblade, played from 28 metres. 
Swallow Soul is the spammable: a big Magic Damage hit that heals you over 10 seconds and hits harder the more Health you have. 
Crippling Grasp, 
Barbed Trap and 
Unstable Wall of Elements keep damage ticking while you cast it.
Both bars carry an Inferno Staff, so you keep the Flame staff's Heavy Attack and Burning on either bar. 
Velothi Ur-Mage's Amulet gives you Penetration and 15% more damage to monsters in exchange for weak Light Attacks, so you just cast skills back to back. Every Siphoning skill keeps 
Magicka Flood on, and 
Merciless Resolve gives you Major Savagery while it builds to its big hit.
There's no published parse for this exact build yet. We expect it to land around 120k on the 21 million Health dummy, below the melee Nightblade but well above the one-bar Heavy Attack build.
Strengths
- Fully ranged: every skill and both staves work from 28 metres.
- No Light Attack weaving: cast one skill after another.
- Self-healing from Swallow Soul and
Healthy Offering, and Minor Maim on the boss from 
Shadow Image.
Weaknesses
- Less damage than the melee Nightblade.
- Two bars of damage over time effects to keep up.
- No published parse yet: the damage is our estimate.
Buffs and debuffs you bring on bosses
Enemies get
Your group gets
Class Mastery
Pure-class characters with all three class lines at rank 50 can slot two Class Mastery passives (added in Update 50).
Up to 2000 Weapon and Spell Damage as your target loses Health, and less damage taken from low attackers.
25% more Critical Damage, and a higher Critical Damage cap so it isn't wasted.
DPS Simulation
The Boss setup played by the DPS Simulator on the 21 million Health Trial dummy, with its group buffs and debuffs, Light Attack weaving and a full Ultimate bar to start. It's #6 of 16 for single target on the tier list, #6 overall.
- Simulated DPS
- 154,357
- Fight
- 136.1 s
- Front bar
- 8,623 damage · 75% crit · 155% crit damage
Where the damage comes from
- Swallow Soul25.5%
- Merciless Resolve19.1%
Impale12.7%
Elemental Rage7.6%- Unstable Wall of Elements7.3%
- Crippling Grasp6.0%
- GLFlame glyph5.5%
- Barbed Trap5.3%
- …Everything else11.1%
Damage type
- Frost1.1%
- Flame22.0%
- Shock1.1%
- Magic70.3%
- Bleed5.5%
77.4% direct, 22.6% over time.
Group buffs it leans on most
Major Vulnerability−14.0k
Major Courage−11.9k
Major Slayer−10.2k
Minor Vulnerability−5.3k
Minor Brutality−5.2k
Minor Courage−4.1k
DPS lost if the group didn't bring it.
A simulation, not a parse: it uses UESP tooltip numbers, plays a clean rotation and assumes you sustain it. Light Attack, status effect and pet damage are estimates. Open this run in the DPS Simulator to change gear, buffs or the rotation and see the full breakdown.
Skill Setups
Every damage dealer build has a Boss setup for single targets and a Trash setup that swaps a slot or two for packs. The gear stays the same for both.
Single target: every slot either hits the boss harder or buffs you. Keep your damage over time effects and buffs up, then spam your spammable in between.
What this setup brings
Enemies get
Your group gets
Front bar
Inferno staff
1234
5RBack bar
Inferno staff
1
234
5R| Slot | Skill |
|---|---|
| Front 1 | Swallow Soul Siphoning Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 10 secondsCost: 2,700 Magicka Your spammable: a big hit that heals you over 10 seconds. It hits harder the more Health you have, so stay topped up. |
| Front 2 | Merciless Resolve Assassination Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresCost: 1,890 Magicka Major Savagery while slotted. Your attacks build stacks; at five, cast it for a big ranged hit. |
| Front 3 | Barbed Trap Fighters Guild Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 3,240 Stamina Bleed trap that gives you Minor Force (10% Critical Damage) while it's out. Recast it as it ends. |
| Front 4 | Crippling Grasp Siphoning Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 20 secondsCost: 2,700 Magicka 20 seconds of damage on the boss. A Siphoning skill, so it helps keep Magicka Flood on. |
| Front 5 | Shadowy Disguise Shadow Cast time: InstantCost: 2,700 Magicka / 1s 15% more damage for 15 seconds after you cast it. |
| Front R | Elemental Rage Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 7 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate A storm on the target area for 7 seconds, 15% stronger with an Inferno Staff. |
| Back 1 | Unstable Wall of Elements Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantDuration: 10 secondsCost: 2,970 Magicka Area damage that explodes when it ends; recast it early on a pack that's about to die. |
| Back 2 | Elemental Susceptibility Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantRange: 35 metresDuration: 30 secondsCost: 3,240 Magicka Major Breach on the boss for 30 seconds, if your tank or group doesn't already cover it. |
| Back 3 | Shadow Image Shadow Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 3,780 Magicka A shade that stays put and shoots your target for 20 seconds, with Minor Maim. Recast to teleport to it. |
| Back 4 | Healthy Offering Siphoning Cast time: InstantCost: 3,510 Magicka Your heal, and a Siphoning skill for Magicka Flood. |
| Back 5 | Leeching Strikes Siphoning Cast time: InstantCost: 4,000 Health Slotted, your damage heals you; cast it when you're low on Magicka. |
| Back R | Elemental Rage Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 7 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate The same Ultimate on both bars, so it's ready whichever bar you're on. |
Open the Boss setup in the Build Editor to change skills, gear and stats.
Simulate it on the Trial dummy to see its DPS, where the damage comes from and what each buff is worth.
The same bars. Unstable Wall of Elements, Barbed Trap and Elemental Rage hit the whole pack, and the wall explodes when you recast it. Cast Swallow Soul on whatever will live longest.
What this setup brings
Enemies get
Your group gets
Front bar
Inferno staff
12345RBack bar
Inferno staff
12345R| Slot | Skill |
|---|---|
| Front 1 | Swallow Soul Siphoning Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 10 secondsCost: 2,700 Magicka Your spammable: a big hit that heals you over 10 seconds. It hits harder the more Health you have, so stay topped up. |
| Front 2 | Merciless Resolve Assassination Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresCost: 1,890 Magicka Major Savagery while slotted. Your attacks build stacks; at five, cast it for a big ranged hit. |
| Front 3 | Barbed Trap Fighters Guild Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 3,240 Stamina Bleed trap that gives you Minor Force (10% Critical Damage) while it's out. Recast it as it ends. |
| Front 4 | Crippling Grasp Siphoning Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 20 secondsCost: 2,700 Magicka 20 seconds of damage on the boss. A Siphoning skill, so it helps keep Magicka Flood on. |
| Front 5 | Shadowy Disguise Shadow Cast time: InstantCost: 2,700 Magicka / 1s 15% more damage for 15 seconds after you cast it. |
| Front R | Elemental Rage Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 7 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate A storm on the target area for 7 seconds, 15% stronger with an Inferno Staff. |
| Back 1 | Unstable Wall of Elements Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantDuration: 10 secondsCost: 2,970 Magicka Area damage that explodes when it ends; recast it early on a pack that's about to die. |
| Back 2 | Elemental Susceptibility Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantRange: 35 metresDuration: 30 secondsCost: 3,240 Magicka Major Breach on the boss for 30 seconds, if your tank or group doesn't already cover it. |
| Back 3 | Shadow Image Shadow Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 3,780 Magicka A shade that stays put and shoots your target for 20 seconds, with Minor Maim. Recast to teleport to it. |
| Back 4 | Healthy Offering Siphoning Cast time: InstantCost: 3,510 Magicka Your heal, and a Siphoning skill for Magicka Flood. |
| Back 5 | Leeching Strikes Siphoning Cast time: InstantCost: 4,000 Health Slotted, your damage heals you; cast it when you're low on Magicka. |
| Back R | Elemental Rage Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 7 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate The same Ultimate on both bars, so it's ready whichever bar you're on. |
Open the Trash setup in the Build Editor to change skills, gear and stats.
Simulate it on the Trial dummy to see its DPS, where the damage comes from and what each buff is worth.
Flex skills
Swap these in when the fight or your group calls for it.
Execute: swap it in for Shadowy Disguise once the boss is under 25% Health.
A heal over time in Leeching Strikes' slot, for fights with steady damage.
Passives
The passives that shape this build. They come with the skill lines, so there's nothing to slot.
More Max Magicka and Stamina with a Siphoning skill slotted: four here.
More Critical Damage with an Assassination skill slotted, and Minor Savagery for the group when you crit.
Critical Chance for each Nightblade skill slotted: seven across both bars.
3% more Weapon and Spell Damage with a Fighters Guild skill slotted.
12% more Critical Damage from 6 Medium pieces.
Offensive Penetration from 1 Light piece.
Gear
Tide-Born Wildstalker on five body pieces is a crafted set anyone can make. 
Mora Scribe's Thesis on the boots, both rings and the front staff adds Critical Chance and Critical Damage for every buff on you. 
Slimecraw is a one-piece helm for Critical Chance, and the mythic Velothi Ur-Mage's Amulet gives Penetration and more damage to monsters, since you don't need your Light Attacks. The back staff's set doesn't count toward a bonus; only its Flame glyph matters.
Buffs and debuffs with this gear
Gold entries come from your gear; the rest come from your skills and passives.
Enemies get
Your group gets
Slots
| Slot | Set | Trait |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Slimecraw Medium (monster) | Divines |
| Shoulders | Tide-Born Wildstalker Medium | Divines |
| Chest | Tide-Born Wildstalker Medium | Divines |
| Hands | Tide-Born Wildstalker Medium | Divines |
| Waist | Tide-Born Wildstalker Medium | Divines |
| Legs | Tide-Born Wildstalker Medium | Divines |
| Feet | Mora Scribe's Thesis Light | Divines |
| Neck | Velothi Ur-Mage's Amulet Jewellery (mythic) | Bloodthirsty |
| Ring 1 | Mora Scribe's Thesis Jewellery | Bloodthirsty |
| Ring 2 | Mora Scribe's Thesis Jewellery | Bloodthirsty |
| Front: main hand | Mora Scribe's Thesis Flame staff (two-handed) | Precise |
| Back bar | Tide-Born Wildstalker Flame staff (two-handed) | Charged |
Sturdy and Divines are interchangeable on armour. Tri-Stat glyphs on jewellery are a fine swap if you need more resources.
What the sets do
1 piece · Wayrest Sewers I (veteran) + Undaunted chest
Only 1 of 2 pieces, so the top bonus is off.
- (1 item)Adds 657 Critical Chance.
- (2 items)Adds 113 Critical Chance.
- (2 items)Gain Minor Berserk at all times, increasing your damage done by 5%.
5 front / 7 back · Crafted at a set station
- (2 items)Adds 129 Weapon Damage and Spell Damage.
- (3 items)Adds 657 Critical Chance.
- (4 items)Adds 1487 Offensive Penetration.
- (5 items)Increase your direct damage done to monsters by 15%.
5 front / 3 back · Sanity's Edge
Full bonus on the front bar only.
- (2 items)Adds 657 Critical Chance.
- (3 items)Gain Minor Slayer, increasing damage done to monsters by 5%.
- (4 items)Adds 129 Weapon Damage and Spell Damage.
- (5 items)Increase your Critical Chance by 154 for every Major Buff active on you, up to 1536 Critical Chance. Increase your Critical Damage done by 1% for every Minor Buff active on you, up to 12 Critical Damage done. Current Bonus: 0 Critical Chance and 0% Critical Damage.
1 piece · Antiquities: Telvanni Peninsula
- (1 item)Adds 1650 Offensive Penetration.
- (1 item)Increase your damage done to monsters by 15%, gain Minor Force at all times, and reduce your total damage done with Light and Heavy Attacks by 99%.
Alternative sets
Swap for Mora Scribe's Thesis if your group doesn't bring many buffs.
Trial body set in Tide-Born Wildstalker's place, for more damage.
Mythic swap for Velothi if you'd rather Light Attack weave and hold your Ultimate.
Champion Points
Slottable stars only. Spend passive points in each tree along the path to these stars.
- Deadly Aim
More damage with single-target attacks. Swap it for Biting Aura on trash.
- Master-at-Arms
More direct damage.
- Wrathful Strikes
Weapon and Spell Damage on every damaging skill.
- Fighting Finesse
Critical Damage until your group's buffs take you to the 125% cap.
- Boundless Vitality
Max Health, so one-shot mechanics don't kill you.
- Fortified
Armor, for the hits you can't block.
- Celerity
10% Movement Speed, which
Banner Bearer's Cavalier's Charge turns into Weapon and Spell Damage. - Rejuvenation
Recovery for all three resources.
- Steed's Blessing
Run between pulls faster.
- Gifted Rider
Faster mount.
Good swaps
More damage with area attacks. Swap it in for Deadly Aim on trash.
More damage over time, for builds whose damage is mostly DoTs.
Weapon and Spell Damage, in place of Fighting Finesse once you sit at the 125% Critical Damage cap.
Critical Damage when you hit from the flank. Strong when the tank turns the boss away.
More damage against Off Balance targets, if your group keeps Off Balance up.
Heals you when you kill an enemy. Good on trash with a fragile build.
Race
Max Magicka, Weapon and Spell Damage, and casting restores your lowest resource.
- also good
Dark ElfMax Magicka and Stamina and Flame damage. Strong on every build.
- 4-player
KhajiitCritical Damage and Healing. Better in dungeons, where you rarely hit the Critical Damage cap.
Mundus
More Critical Chance. Divines on the armour makes it bigger.
- Penetration
The LoverPenetration, if your group doesn't bring Crusher, Alkosh or Tremorscale.
Attributes
Every skill you cast scales from Max Magicka and Weapon and Spell Damage. Food and Boundless Vitality give you enough Health for normal content; move points into Health only if you keep dying to mechanics while you learn a fight.
Food
Max Health and Max Magicka. Enough Health to live, and Magicka for damage.
Potions
Restores Magicka and gives Major Brutality and Major Savagery: Weapon and Spell Damage and Critical Chance.
- Ultimate
Heroism potionMinor Heroism for more Ultimate. Swap Banner Bearer's affix to Berserk or Courage when you drink these.
Gameplay
- 1Open from range: Shadow Image, Elemental Susceptibility, Crippling Grasp, Barbed Trap, Unstable Wall of Elements and Shadowy Disguise.
- 2Fill every other global with Swallow Soul. Refresh each damage over time effect as it runs out, and cast Merciless Resolve at five stacks.
- 3Don't Light Attack: Velothi makes them weak. Cast skills back to back, and use a Heavy Attack only when you're out of Magicka.
- 4Swap Impale in for the last 25% of a boss.
FAQ
What's the difference between the Boss and Trash setups?
The same bars. Unstable Wall of Elements, Barbed Trap and Elemental Rage hit the whole pack, and the wall explodes when you recast it. Cast Swallow Soul on whatever will live longest. Your gear stays the same.
What gear do I need for the Nightblade damage dealer?
Slimecraw, Tide-Born Wildstalker, Mora Scribe's Thesis, Velothi Ur-Mage's Amulet. The Alternative sets list easier sets to start with.
Why two Inferno Staves?
An Inferno Staff on both bars means your Heavy Attack and status effects are the same whichever bar you're on, and Elemental Rage is 15% stronger with one. Since Velothi Ur-Mage's Amulet makes Light Attacks weak, the staff is there for its glyph and Heavy Attack, not for weaving.