Brood Shadow Nightblade

The bar optimiser's best Nightblade: Shadow for Mirage and permanent Major Resolve, Draconic Power for the group buffs, and Daedric Summoning for Bound Aegis. The highest self-survival of any build we've scored.

Update 51ExperimentalPvE · TankSubclassedAdvancedShadow · Draconic Power · Daedric Summoning

Theorycrafted, not tested in game yet

This build comes from a research pass over Update 51 tooltips and passives, scored with the tier list model. It replaces nothing: the Nightblade tank build is still the main page for the class. It drops Assassination and Siphoning.

Overview

This build came out of the bar optimiser on the experimental page. Of every Nightblade combination, it scores highest for your own survival while still bringing real group buffs.

Shadow keeps Shadow Barrier, Major Resolve for 22 seconds after any Shadow cast in 5 heavy pieces, and Mirage for Minor Resolve and Major Evasion (20% less area damage). Refreshing Shadows adds 15% to all your recoveries.

Draconic Power replaces Siphoning. Blood of the Elder Dragon and Protect the Brood give the group Major Fortitude, Minor Courage and Minor Protection, and Elder Dragon keeps Minor Brutality up. Burnished Scales adds 10% more damage blocked.

Daedric Summoning replaces Assassination. Bound Aegis gives Minor Resolve and Minor Protection while slotted and the block cap when cast, and Daedric Protection takes another 5% off.

Strengths

The highest self-survival score in the bar optimiser: Major and Minor Resolve, Major and Minor Protection, Major Evasion, Major Vitality and the block cap.
Group Minor Protection, Major Fortitude, Minor Courage and Minor Brutality, which the pure Nightblade doesn't bring.
Every defensive buff comes from your own kit; only the shield is scribed.

Weaknesses

No Siphoning Attacks: sustain leans on Refreshing Shadows, Ulfsild's and potions.
No Class Mastery: Share the Spoils and Cutthroat's Focus are gone.
Shadow Barrier needs a Shadow cast at least every 22 seconds, and Mirage is your only one.

Buffs and debuffs you bring on bosses

Research notes

Why it's worth trying, in the order the research ranked things: survival and sustain, debuffs, then buffs.

Survival: the most of any build we've scored: Shadow Barrier and Mirage for Major and Minor Resolve and Major Evasion, Revealing Flare, Bound Aegis and Protect the Brood for Major and Minor Protection, the block cap, Daedric Protection and Major Vitality.
Sustain: Refreshing Shadows, Ulfsild's Minor Intellect and Endurance and Elder Dragon's Health Recovery, but no Siphoning Attacks.
Debuffs: the standard ice staff and Goading Throw set, with Turning Tide and Archdruid Devyric for Major Vulnerability.
Buffs: group Minor Protection, Major Fortitude, Minor Courage and Minor Brutality from Draconic Power, which the pure Nightblade doesn't have. Share the Spoils and Aggressive Horn go.

What to test

Shadow Barrier uptime: Mirage is your only Shadow cast, so it has to go out every 20 seconds.
Magicka without Siphoning Attacks. If it runs dry, swap Protect the Brood for Dark Cloak or the monster set to Roksa the Warped.

Score

This build against the current Nightblade build and the best tank overall, on the experimental scoring. The full table is on the Experimental overview.

#	Build	Overall	Self	Enemy	Group
1	Tidebreaker DragonknightExperimentalArdent Flame · Draconic Power · Earthen Heart	A83	A85	S94	C59
2	Brood Shadow NightbladeExperimentalShadow · Draconic Power · Daedric Summoning	A82	S100	S94	C52
19	NightbladeAssassination · Shadow · Siphoning	B60	B60	A83	C26

Skill Setups

Every tank build has a Boss and a Trash setup. On bosses you taunt with the scribed Shield Throw (Goading Throw) for its heal and Major Maim; on trash you keep Inner Rage and its Radiate synergy.

Taunt with Shield Throw scribed as Goading Throw instead of Inner Rage. It heals you each time the shield comes back and keeps Major Maim on the boss, so the boss hits 10% softer. Inner Rage's Radiate synergy is lost, which matters less on one target.

What this setup brings

Front bar

One hand & shield · Turning Tide

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3

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Back bar

Ice staff · Turning Tide

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Slot	Skill	Why it's slotted
Front 1	Bound Aegis Daedric Summoning Cast time: InstantDuration: 3 secondsCost: 4,050 Magicka Minor Resolve and Minor Protection while slotted on either bar. Cast it right before a heavy hit for 50% more damage blocked, which takes your block to the 90% cap.	Minor Resolve and Minor Protection while slotted on either bar. Cast it right before a heavy hit for 50% more damage blocked, which takes your block to the 90% cap.
Front 2	Shield Throw Scribed as Goading Throw Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresCost: 2,538 Stamina Scribed as Goading Throw: your boss taunt. It heals you on return and keeps Major Maim on the boss. Recast it every 10 seconds.	Scribed as Goading Throw: your boss taunt. It heals you on return and keeps Major Maim on the boss. Recast it every 10 seconds.
Front 3	Blood of the Elder Dragon Draconic Power Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 4,320 Magicka Your heal: heals you and nearby allies with Major Fortitude and group Minor Courage. As a Draconic Power cast it keeps Elder Dragon's group Minor Brutality up.	Your heal: heals you and nearby allies with Major Fortitude and group Minor Courage. As a Draconic Power cast it keeps Elder Dragon's group Minor Brutality up.
Front 4	Ulfsild's Contingency Scribed as Warding Contingency Cast time: InstantDuration: 22 secondsCost: 2,808 Magicka Your damage shield: scribed with the Intellect and Endurance affix for you and the group.	Your damage shield: scribed with the Intellect and Endurance affix for you and the group.
Front 5	Revealing Flare Support Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 5 secondsCost: 5,130 Magicka Major Protection (10% less damage taken) just for having it slotted. You never need to cast it.	Major Protection (10% less damage taken) just for having it slotted. You never need to cast it.
Front R	Reviving Barrier Support Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate Shields and heals you and nearby group members for raid-wide damage.	Shields and heals you and nearby group members for raid-wide damage.
Back 1	Elemental Susceptibility Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantRange: 35 metresDuration: 30 secondsCost: 3,240 Magicka Boss Major Breach; its Chilled and Concussion add Minor Maim, Brittle and Vulnerability.	Boss Major Breach; its Chilled and Concussion add Minor Maim, Brittle and Vulnerability.
Back 2	Elemental Blockade Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantDuration: 15 secondsCost: 2,970 Magicka Area Chilled for Minor Maim and Brittle, and Minor Breach on Chilled targets.	Area Chilled for Minor Maim and Brittle, and Minor Breach on Chilled targets.
Back 3	Protect the Brood Draconic Power Cast time: InstantDuration: 6 secondsCost: 4,050 Magicka Group Minor Protection for 20 seconds and half damage from projectiles for you. Also a Draconic Power cast.	Group Minor Protection for 20 seconds and half damage from projectiles for you. Also a Draconic Power cast.
Back 4	Wield Soul Scribed as Leashing Soul Cast time: InstantRange: 22 metresCost: 4,234 Magicka Scribed as Leashing Soul with the Vitality affix: the pull, and 12% stronger heals and shields on you.	Scribed as Leashing Soul with the Vitality affix: the pull, and 12% stronger heals and shields on you.
Back 5	Mirage Shadow Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 3,510 Magicka Minor Resolve and Major Evasion for 20 seconds. It's your Shadow cast, so recasting it also keeps Shadow Barrier's Major Resolve up.	Minor Resolve and Major Evasion for 20 seconds. It's your Shadow cast, so recasting it also keeps Shadow Barrier's Major Resolve up.
Back R	Summon Charged Atronach Daedric Summoning Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 15 secondsCost: 200 Ultimate An ally takes its Charged Lightning synergy for group Major Berserk, and its storm keeps Concussion on the boss.	An ally takes its Charged Lightning synergy for group Major Berserk, and its storm keeps Concussion on the boss.

Scribing

Scribed skill

Goading Throw

Shield Throw · Taunt / Sage's Remedy / Maim

Cast time: Instant
Target: Enemy
Range: 28 metres
Cost: 2,538 Stamina

Taunt

Focus script: Deals 2,145 Physical Damage to an enemy and taunts them for 15 seconds.

Sage's Remedy

Signature script: Heals you for 2,591 Health on return, scaling off your Max Health.

Maim

Affix script: Afflicts the enemy with Major Maim for 10 seconds, reducing damage done by 10%.

Goading Throw: a 28m taunt that heals you when the shield comes back and puts Major Maim on the boss for 10 seconds, so the boss deals 10% less damage.

Scribed skill

Warding Contingency

Ulfsild's Contingency · Damage Shield / Gladiator's Tenacity / Intellect and Endurance

Cast time: Instant
Target: Self
Duration: 22 seconds
Cost: 2,808 Magicka

Damage Shield

Focus script: Grants a damage shield to you and your allies that absorbs 5,622 damage for 8 seconds, scaling off the higher of your Max Health or Magicka and capped at 55% of your Max Health.

Gladiator's Tenacity

Signature script: Reduces damage taken by 8% for 8 seconds.

Intellect and Endurance

Affix script: Grants Minor Intellect and Minor Endurance for 22 seconds, increasing Magicka and Stamina Recovery by 15%.

A shield on your next cast for you and nearby allies, 8% less damage taken while it holds, and Minor Intellect and Endurance for 22 seconds. Minor Resolve would mostly be wasted near the armor cap.

Scribed skill

Leashing Soul

Wield Soul · Pull / Druid's Resurgence / Vitality

Cast time: Instant
Target: Enemy
Range: 22 metres
Cost: 4,234 Magicka

Pull

Focus script: Deals 2,803 Magic Damage to an enemy, pulls them to you, and taunts them for 16 seconds if they are not already taunted.

Druid's Resurgence

Signature script: Restores 600 Magicka and 600 Stamina.

Vitality

Affix script: Grants Major Vitality for 10 seconds, increasing healing received and damage shield strength by 12%.

Leashing Soul: pulls and taunts an add, refunds 600 Magicka and Stamina, and gives you Major Vitality for 10 seconds, so every heal and shield on you is 12% stronger. Recast it on the boss between Goading Throws.

Open the Boss setup in the Build Editor to change skills, gear and stats.

Taunt with Inner Rage; up to three allies can use its Radiate synergy. Pulsar takes Elemental Susceptibility's slot and spreads Chilled over the whole pack. Razor Caltrops replaces Protect the Brood for AoE Major Breach. Reverberating Bash replaces Revealing Flare to trigger Void Bash and stack the pack.

What this setup brings

Front bar

One hand & shield · Void Bash

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3

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R

Back bar

Ice staff · Powerful Assault

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Slot	Skill	Why it's slotted
Front 1	Bound Aegis Daedric Summoning Cast time: InstantDuration: 3 secondsCost: 4,050 Magicka Minor Resolve and Minor Protection while slotted on either bar. Cast it right before a heavy hit for 50% more damage blocked, which takes your block to the 90% cap.	Minor Resolve and Minor Protection while slotted on either bar. Cast it right before a heavy hit for 50% more damage blocked, which takes your block to the 90% cap.
Front 2	Inner Rage Undaunted Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresCost: 1,620 Magicka Trash taunt: 28m range, and up to 3 allies can use its Radiate synergy.	Trash taunt: 28m range, and up to 3 allies can use its Radiate synergy.
Front 3	Blood of the Elder Dragon Draconic Power Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 4,320 Magicka Your heal: heals you and nearby allies with Major Fortitude and group Minor Courage. As a Draconic Power cast it keeps Elder Dragon's group Minor Brutality up.	Your heal: heals you and nearby allies with Major Fortitude and group Minor Courage. As a Draconic Power cast it keeps Elder Dragon's group Minor Brutality up.
Front 4	Ulfsild's Contingency Scribed as Warding Contingency Cast time: InstantDuration: 22 secondsCost: 2,808 Magicka Your damage shield: scribed with the Intellect and Endurance affix for you and the group.	Your damage shield: scribed with the Intellect and Endurance affix for you and the group.
Front 5	Reverberating Bash One Hand and Shield Cast time: InstantRange: 7 metresCost: 2,700 Stamina Trash: a stun on the target, and the bash that triggers Void Bash to pull the pack into one stack.	Trash: a stun on the target, and the bash that triggers Void Bash to pull the pack into one stack.
Front R	Reviving Barrier Support Cast time: InstantDuration: 30 secondsCost: 250 Ultimate Shields and heals you and nearby group members for raid-wide damage.	Shields and heals you and nearby group members for raid-wide damage.
Back 1	Pulsar Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantCost: 3,780 Magicka Trash: Chilled on the whole pack for Minor Brittle and Minor Maim, Minor Mangle, and Minor Protection for you.	Trash: Chilled on the whole pack for Minor Brittle and Minor Maim, Minor Mangle, and Minor Protection for you.
Back 2	Elemental Blockade Destruction Staff Cast time: InstantDuration: 15 secondsCost: 2,970 Magicka Area Chilled for Minor Maim and Brittle, and Minor Breach on Chilled targets.	Area Chilled for Minor Maim and Brittle, and Minor Breach on Chilled targets.
Back 3	Razor Caltrops Assault Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 10 secondsCost: 2,295 Stamina Trash: AoE Major Breach and a snare on the pack, and a Powerful Assault trigger.	Trash: AoE Major Breach and a snare on the pack, and a Powerful Assault trigger.
Back 4	Wield Soul Scribed as Leashing Soul Cast time: InstantRange: 22 metresCost: 4,234 Magicka Scribed as Leashing Soul with the Vitality affix: the pull, and 12% stronger heals and shields on you.	Scribed as Leashing Soul with the Vitality affix: the pull, and 12% stronger heals and shields on you.
Back 5	Mirage Shadow Cast time: InstantDuration: 20 secondsCost: 3,510 Magicka Minor Resolve and Major Evasion for 20 seconds. It's your Shadow cast, so recasting it also keeps Shadow Barrier's Major Resolve up.	Minor Resolve and Major Evasion for 20 seconds. It's your Shadow cast, so recasting it also keeps Shadow Barrier's Major Resolve up.
Back R	Summon Charged Atronach Daedric Summoning Cast time: InstantRange: 28 metresDuration: 15 secondsCost: 200 Ultimate An ally takes its Charged Lightning synergy for group Major Berserk, and its storm keeps Concussion on the boss.	An ally takes its Charged Lightning synergy for group Major Berserk, and its storm keeps Concussion on the boss.

Scribing

Scribed skill

Warding Contingency

Ulfsild's Contingency · Damage Shield / Gladiator's Tenacity / Intellect and Endurance

Cast time: Instant
Target: Self
Duration: 22 seconds
Cost: 2,808 Magicka

Damage Shield

Focus script: Grants a damage shield to you and your allies that absorbs 5,622 damage for 8 seconds, scaling off the higher of your Max Health or Magicka and capped at 55% of your Max Health.

Gladiator's Tenacity

Signature script: Reduces damage taken by 8% for 8 seconds.

Intellect and Endurance

Affix script: Grants Minor Intellect and Minor Endurance for 22 seconds, increasing Magicka and Stamina Recovery by 15%.

A shield on your next cast for you and nearby allies, 8% less damage taken while it holds, and Minor Intellect and Endurance for 22 seconds. Minor Resolve would mostly be wasted near the armor cap.

Scribed skill

Leashing Soul

Wield Soul · Pull / Druid's Resurgence / Vitality

Cast time: Instant
Target: Enemy
Range: 22 metres
Cost: 4,234 Magicka

Pull

Focus script: Deals 2,803 Magic Damage to an enemy, pulls them to you, and taunts them for 16 seconds if they are not already taunted.

Druid's Resurgence

Signature script: Restores 600 Magicka and 600 Stamina.

Vitality

Affix script: Grants Major Vitality for 10 seconds, increasing healing received and damage shield strength by 12%.

Open the Trash setup in the Build Editor to change skills, gear and stats.

Flex skills

Swap these in when the fight or your group calls for it.

Dark Cloak
A second Shadow cast and Minor Protection while slotted, in place of Protect the Brood if you'd rather not depend on Mirage alone.
Refreshing Path
Group Major Expedition and Minor Intellect and Endurance, if the group needs mobility more than Minor Protection.
Regenerative Ward
A 10 second shield with group Minor Intellect and Endurance, in place of Ulfsild's.

Passives

The passives that shape this build. They come with the skill lines, so there's nothing to slot.

Shadow Barrier
Major Resolve for 22 seconds after any Shadow cast with 5 heavy pieces.
Refreshing Shadows
15% more Health, Magicka and Stamina Recovery, always on.
Burnished Scales
10% more damage blocked, always on.
Daedric Protection
5% less damage taken while a Daedric Summoning ability is active on you.
Sword and Board
20% more damage blocked with your shield on the front bar.
Undaunted Mettle
6% Max Health, Magicka and Stamina, since your gear has all three armour weights.
Constitution
Health Recovery and a little Magicka and Stamina from each Heavy Armor piece when you take damage.

Gear

The front bar swaps Void Bash for Turning Tide. Goading Throw already keeps Major Maim on the boss, and a single target has nothing to gather, so the extra pieces let Turning Tide work from both bars.

Pick a set for each block. The build's recommended gear is selected to start with.

Body

Chest, hands, waist, legs and feet

Jewellery & back bar

Neck, both rings and the ice staff

Front-bar weapons

One-handed sword and shield

Monster set

Head and shoulders

Buffs and debuffs with this gear

Gold entries come from your gear; the rest come from your skills and passives.

Slots

Slot	Set	Type	Trait	Enchant
Head	Archdruid Devyric Medium (monster)	Medium (monster)	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Shoulders	Archdruid Devyric Light (monster)	Light (monster)	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Chest	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Hands	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Waist	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Legs	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Feet	Lucent Echoes Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Neck	Turning Tide Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 1	Turning Tide Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 2	Turning Tide Jewellery	Jewellery	Infused	Reduce Spell Cost
Front: main hand	Turning Tide One-handed sword	One-handed sword	Infused	Crusher
Front: off hand	Turning Tide Shield	Shield	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Back bar	Turning Tide Ice staff (two-handed)	Ice staff (two-handed)	Infused	Crusher

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

Archdruid DevyricMonster

2 pieces · Earthen Root Enclave (veteran) + Undaunted chest

(1 item)Adds 1487 Offensive Penetration.
(2 items)When you deal damage with a Heavy Attack, after 1.2 seconds deal 650 Shock damage to up to 6 enemies in a 7 by 5 meter line on your target, applying Major Vulnerability to them for 7 seconds. Once every 15 seconds.

Lucent EchoesTrial

5 pieces · Lucent Citadel (Gold Road); perfected on veteran

(2 items)Adds 4% Healing Taken.
(3 items)Gain Minor Aegis, reducing damage taken from monsters by 5%.
(4 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(5 perfected)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(5 items)While you are above 50% Health, group members within 28m who aren't wearing Lucent Echoes gain 11% Critical Damage and Critical Healing. At 50% Health or below, you take 20% less damage from monsters.

Turning TideDungeon

5 pieces · Shipwright's Regret (Ascending Tide)

(2 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(3 items)Adds 1096 Max Stamina.
(4 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(5 items)When you Block, your next Bash within 10 seconds deals 2223 Magic damage to up to 6 enemies in a 5 by 10 meter line and applies Major Vulnerability for 10 seconds. Scales off Max Health. Once every 15 seconds.

Archdruid Devyric often misses moving packs, so the helm becomes a one-piece Magma Incarnate for recovery and the shoulders Spaulder of Ruin: crouch to give up to 6 allies 260 Weapon and Spell Damage. Lucent Echoes becomes Turning Tide for short pulls: block, then bash, to cleave the pack and give it Major Vulnerability. Turning Tide becomes Powerful Assault: you don't want to spend Ultimates on trash, and Razor Caltrops triggers it. Void Bash on the front bar pulls the pack together when you bash with Reverberating Bash, then puts Major Maim on all of it. That's for dungeons: trial adds can't be crowd controlled, so in trials keep the Boss front bar on trash too. The back-bar ice staff takes the Charged trait so Pulsar almost always applies Chilled, and the jewellery goes Swift for running between packs.

Pick a set for each block. The build's recommended gear is selected to start with.

Body

Chest, hands, waist, legs and feet

Jewellery & back bar

Neck, both rings and the ice staff

Front-bar weapons

One-handed sword and shield

Buffs and debuffs with this gear

Gold entries come from your gear; the rest come from your skills and passives.

Slots

Slot	Set	Type	Trait	Enchant
Head	Magma Incarnate Medium (monster)	Medium (monster)	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Shoulders	Spaulder of Ruin Light (mythic)	Light (mythic)	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Chest	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Hands	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Waist	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Legs	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Feet	Turning Tide Heavy	Heavy	Sturdy / Reinforced	Prismatic Defense
Neck	Powerful Assault Jewellery	Jewellery	Swift	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 1	Powerful Assault Jewellery	Jewellery	Swift	Reduce Spell Cost
Ring 2	Powerful Assault Jewellery	Jewellery	Swift	Reduce Spell Cost
Front: main hand	Void Bash One-handed sword	One-handed sword	Infused	Crusher
Front: off hand	Void Bash Shield	Shield	Sturdy	Prismatic Defense
Back bar	Powerful Assault Ice staff (two-handed)	Ice staff (two-handed)	Charged	Crusher

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

Magma IncarnateMonster

1 piece · The Dread Cellar (veteran) + Undaunted chest

Only 1 of 2 pieces, so the top bonus is off.

(1 item)Adds 129 Magicka Recovery and 129 Stamina Recovery.
(2 items)When you heal yourself or a group member with a single target heal ability, grant the lowest Health group member within 28 meters Minor Courage and Minor Resolve for 10 seconds. The effect then bounces to a nearby group member within 8 meters, up to 3 times. Once every 15 seconds.

Spaulder of RuinMythic

1 piece · Antiquities (The Deadlands)

(1 item)Crouch to toggle Aura of Pride: up to 6 group members within 12m gain 260 Weapon and Spell Damage, and you lose some Health, Magicka and Stamina Recovery per ally affected.

Turning TideDungeon

5 pieces · Shipwright's Regret (Ascending Tide)

(2 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(3 items)Adds 1096 Max Stamina.
(4 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(5 items)When you Block, your next Bash within 10 seconds deals 2223 Magic damage to up to 6 enemies in a 5 by 10 meter line and applies Major Vulnerability for 10 seconds. Scales off Max Health. Once every 15 seconds.

Powerful AssaultPvP

3 front / 5 back · Imperial City Tel Var merchants

Full bonus on the back bar only.

(2 items)Adds 1206 Max Health.
(3 items)Adds 1096 Max Stamina.
(4 items)Adds 129 Weapon and Spell Damage.
(5 items)When you cast an Assault ability in combat, you and up to 5 group members within 12m gain 307 Weapon and Spell Damage for 15 seconds.

Void BashArena

2 pieces · front bar · Vateshran Hollows (Markarth); perfected on veteran

(2 perfected)Adds 965 Max Health.
(2 items)When you deal damage with Power Bash, you gain Call of the Void for 2 seconds, pulling enemies within 12m to you. When it ends, enemies in the area get Major Maim for 10 seconds. Once every 13 seconds.

Alternative sets

Roksa the Warped
Monster swap if Magicka runs dry without Siphoning Attacks.
Pearlescent Ward
Body swap for progression: group damage while everyone is alive, less damage taken as people die.
Saxhleel Champion
Group Major Force on every Ultimate, in place of Turning Tide if Vulnerability is already covered.

Champion Points

Slottable stars only. Spend passive points in each tree along the path to these stars.

Warfare cuts single-target and direct damage, and Fitness adds Max Health, Armor and stronger shields.

Warfare

Ironclad
Less damage from direct attacks, which covers most boss mechanics.
Duelist's Rebuff
Less damage from single-target hits.
Bulwark
Free Armor with a shield or frost staff. Swap for Enduring Resolve at the armour cap.
Focused Mending
Stronger single-target heals, which boosts your own self-heals and Goading Throw's heal.

Fitness

Boundless Vitality
Max Health is the base of every heal and shield you have.
Fortified
Armor until you hit the cap.
Rejuvenation
Recovery for all three resources.
Bastion
Stronger shields from skills and sets.

Craft

Steed's Blessing
Run between pulls faster.
Gifted Rider
Faster mount.

Celerity replaces Rejuvenation so you get between packs faster.

Warfare

Ironclad
Less damage from direct attacks, which covers most boss mechanics.
Duelist's Rebuff
Less damage from single-target hits.
Bulwark
Free Armor with a shield or frost staff. Swap for Enduring Resolve at the armour cap.
Focused Mending
Stronger single-target heals, which boosts your own self-heals and Goading Throw's heal.

Fitness

Boundless Vitality
Max Health is the base of every heal and shield you have.
Fortified
Armor until you hit the cap.
Celerity
Trash: movement speed for running between packs.
Bastion
Stronger shields from skills and sets.

Craft

Steed's Blessing
Run between pulls faster.
Gifted Rider
Faster mount.

Good swaps

Unassailable
Less AoE damage taken. Swap it in for Focused Mending on fights where the damage is mostly area attacks.
Enduring Resolve
Less damage over time. Swap it in for Bulwark once you're at the armour cap, or for fights that are mostly damage over time.

Race

Nord
Max Health, Armor and Ultimate whenever you take damage.

Mundus

The Atronach
Magicka Recovery, since most of a tank's casts cost Magicka.
below the armour capThe Lady
Adds Armor. Take it over The Atronach while your gear and CP leave you short of the armour cap.

Attributes

64 Health

Max Health is what every heal and shield you cast scales from. Food, mundus and Reduce Spell Cost jewellery cover your Magicka and Stamina. Keep Max Stamina above Max Magicka, though: the Combustion synergy restores whichever is higher, and you want it to be Stamina. If passives or sets push your Magicka up, put just enough points into Stamina to stay ahead and the rest into Health.

Food

defaultJewels of Misrule
Max Health with Magicka and Stamina Recovery, at a fraction of the price of Bear Haunch.
bestOrzorga's Smoked Bear Haunch
Adds Health Recovery on top, so it's slightly better, but it costs much more.

Potions

Essence of Health
Tri-stat: restores Health, Magicka and Stamina at once.
situationalHeroism potion
Minor Heroism for more Ultimate, when your resources hold up without tri-stats.

Gameplay

1Taunt bosses with Shield Throw (Goading Throw) and trash with Inner Rage.
2Recast Mirage every 20 seconds: it's Major Evasion, Minor Resolve and the Shadow cast behind Shadow Barrier.
3Alternate Blood of the Elder Dragon and Protect the Brood so Minor Brutality and group Minor Protection never drop.
4Cast Bound Aegis right before a heavy hit and block it, and recast Wield Soul on the boss between Goading Throws for Major Vitality.
5Block the boss's heavy attacks and bash right after for Turning Tide, then Heavy Attack every 15 seconds for Archdruid Devyric.

FAQ

What does the Nightblade tank bring to the group?

On bosses it gives the group 7 buffs, including Major Fortitude and Major Berserk, and puts 7 debuffs, including Major Breach, Major Vulnerability and Major Maim on the boss. The full list is under Overview.

What's the difference between the Boss and Trash setups?

Bosses taunt with the scribed Shield Throw (Goading Throw) for its heal and Major Maim. Trash keeps Inner Rage for its Radiate synergy and swaps in skills and gear for packs of adds.

Should I play this instead of the Nightblade tank build?

Not yet without trying it. It does better on paper (see Score), but it hasn't been tested in trials. Check the points under Research notes first, and keep the Nightblade tank build if your group relies on what it drops (Assassination and Siphoning).