Uploaded August 2019 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This is a Magicka Nightblade PVE build and Iron Atronach Parse for the Scalebreaker patch.
There have been loads of changes across the board for combat in ESO. I would recommend you to read the relevant patch notes.
Skills that are useful for Magicka DPS that previously were not:
- Degeneration
- Destructive Reach
- Scalding Rune
- Consuming Trap (Single Target) or Soul Splitting Trap (Cleave)
- Mystic Orb
I am using the Max Magicka/Magicka Regen food, with 64 points into Magicka for all Magicka Setups in these rotations. This is simply for comparison purposes in this test environment.
Gear used here:
5x Mother's Sorrow Body, 5x Siroria front-barred, 2x Zaan. (See build screenshot for full details).
Other gear that is perfectly suitable for different situations include:
False God, Spell Strategist, Burning Spellweave
The Magblade toolkit is naturally geared towards strong direct damage. In Scalebreaker, DOTs are really important, and so this class isn't able to comfortably take full advantage of this. However, it is still going to be a strong class for certain fights, such as vAS, and it still feels really satisfying to play, in my opinion.
CMX Parse - https://i.imgur.com/QQXnGVg.png
CMX Build Screenshot (Skillbars, Gear, CPs) - https://i.imgur.com/G3cqyFd.png
---
Rotation
This Magicka Nightblade rotation somewhat resembles those in previous patches, except with 1 or 2 extra DOTs, predictably.
I have chosen to use a spammable here, as using Incap an ultimate makes it worthwhile to use for maximum burst. I have gone with Swallow Soul here, because I need a Siphoning Ability on each of my bars for the Magicka Flood passive (increase Max Magicka by 8%). On my backbar I will have Crippling Grasp to fulfil this quota, since I feel for many situations there is no reason to slot Siphoning Attacks for sustain anymore. Of course, if you do wish to slot it, then you can move Crippling Grasp to the front bar and use a different spammable, it's up to you.
The general premise is to reapply DOTs as they run out. 5 Light attacks with Merciless Resolve gives you a Bow Proc, so if you have that, you can go ahead and prioritize that. Otherwise, when you use Incap (by the way I prefer this morph because of the extra sustain passives), then try and fit in as much direct damage as you can via spammables and Bow Procs. You won't be able to get all the timings perfect so don't worry if you are reapplying a few DOTs during this stage too.
There isn't really any special prioritization of the DOTs except for Unstable Wall for the vMA Staff bonus to be active.
During execute, keep up your DOTs if you think you will get at least 80% of the duration of the DOT. Therefore in short execute phases, it can be quite likely that applying your DOTs before execute, then Impale spam whilst only keeping up Blockade is still the way to go. If you cast Incap during execute, try and do so with DOTs up, and only cast Impales following the Incap for maximum damage.
Other abilities that can be used are Mystic Orb, Twisting Path, and Scalding Rune, so there are definitely options. If you want to remove a skill for a Shield, I would personally choose the Shades.
I also got fairly similar results by removing Merciless Resolve and replacing it with one of the abilities above. It wasn't definitely better, and some good burst damage is always valuable, and to keep the flavour of the Magblade from before, I wanted to show this rotation here.
You may have noticed that I have made use of Bash weaving on many of my skills. Since 5.0.10, bashes also scale with Max Magicka and Spell Damage on Magicka characters, so it is well worth it, if you're comfortable adding the extra layer of complexity and resource management. It is also now more relevant, because if you were to use the new Martial Knowledge Set, then having less than 50% Stamina is a requirement for activating that set.
If anyone knows a good Static Rotation, feel free to post it in the comments.
Thanks for reading. If you got this far, and if you don't have anything specific to post in the comments, write something to confuse everyone: "Wow I can't believe Magblade is still the best Magicka class!".
---
Music provided by HearWeGo
Artist: Everbeat & Wiljan
Title: Wither
Listen on Youtube: youtu.be/yVJGxfGR8n8
This is a Magicka Nightblade PVE build and Iron Atronach Parse for the Scalebreaker patch.
There have been loads of changes across the board for combat in ESO. I would recommend you to read the relevant patch notes.
Skills that are useful for Magicka DPS that previously were not:
- Degeneration
- Destructive Reach
- Scalding Rune
- Consuming Trap (Single Target) or Soul Splitting Trap (Cleave)
- Mystic Orb
I am using the Max Magicka/Magicka Regen food, with 64 points into Magicka for all Magicka Setups in these rotations. This is simply for comparison purposes in this test environment.
Gear used here:
5x Mother's Sorrow Body, 5x Siroria front-barred, 2x Zaan. (See build screenshot for full details).
Other gear that is perfectly suitable for different situations include:
False God, Spell Strategist, Burning Spellweave
The Magblade toolkit is naturally geared towards strong direct damage. In Scalebreaker, DOTs are really important, and so this class isn't able to comfortably take full advantage of this. However, it is still going to be a strong class for certain fights, such as vAS, and it still feels really satisfying to play, in my opinion.
CMX Parse - https://i.imgur.com/QQXnGVg.png
CMX Build Screenshot (Skillbars, Gear, CPs) - https://i.imgur.com/G3cqyFd.png
---
Rotation
This Magicka Nightblade rotation somewhat resembles those in previous patches, except with 1 or 2 extra DOTs, predictably.
I have chosen to use a spammable here, as using Incap an ultimate makes it worthwhile to use for maximum burst. I have gone with Swallow Soul here, because I need a Siphoning Ability on each of my bars for the Magicka Flood passive (increase Max Magicka by 8%). On my backbar I will have Crippling Grasp to fulfil this quota, since I feel for many situations there is no reason to slot Siphoning Attacks for sustain anymore. Of course, if you do wish to slot it, then you can move Crippling Grasp to the front bar and use a different spammable, it's up to you.
The general premise is to reapply DOTs as they run out. 5 Light attacks with Merciless Resolve gives you a Bow Proc, so if you have that, you can go ahead and prioritize that. Otherwise, when you use Incap (by the way I prefer this morph because of the extra sustain passives), then try and fit in as much direct damage as you can via spammables and Bow Procs. You won't be able to get all the timings perfect so don't worry if you are reapplying a few DOTs during this stage too.
There isn't really any special prioritization of the DOTs except for Unstable Wall for the vMA Staff bonus to be active.
During execute, keep up your DOTs if you think you will get at least 80% of the duration of the DOT. Therefore in short execute phases, it can be quite likely that applying your DOTs before execute, then Impale spam whilst only keeping up Blockade is still the way to go. If you cast Incap during execute, try and do so with DOTs up, and only cast Impales following the Incap for maximum damage.
Other abilities that can be used are Mystic Orb, Twisting Path, and Scalding Rune, so there are definitely options. If you want to remove a skill for a Shield, I would personally choose the Shades.
I also got fairly similar results by removing Merciless Resolve and replacing it with one of the abilities above. It wasn't definitely better, and some good burst damage is always valuable, and to keep the flavour of the Magblade from before, I wanted to show this rotation here.
You may have noticed that I have made use of Bash weaving on many of my skills. Since 5.0.10, bashes also scale with Max Magicka and Spell Damage on Magicka characters, so it is well worth it, if you're comfortable adding the extra layer of complexity and resource management. It is also now more relevant, because if you were to use the new Martial Knowledge Set, then having less than 50% Stamina is a requirement for activating that set.
If anyone knows a good Static Rotation, feel free to post it in the comments.
Thanks for reading. If you got this far, and if you don't have anything specific to post in the comments, write something to confuse everyone: "Wow I can't believe Magblade is still the best Magicka class!".
---
Music provided by HearWeGo
Artist: Everbeat & Wiljan
Title: Wither
Listen on Youtube: youtu.be/yVJGxfGR8n8
