Nightblade Subclassing Tank PvE Build ESO

Build Written By: Dottz Gaming & DoctorSarge

Role: Tank

Patch: Season of the Worm Cult (Update 46)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Setup
   1. Gear
   2. Attributes
   3. Skills
   4. Vampire vs. Mortal
   5. Champion Points
   6. Other Important Info (Food, Mundus, Race, Potions, Passives)
3. Contact Info
4. Update Log

Introduction

Welcome to DottzGaming.com’s nightblade Tank Build PvE for the Elder Scrolls Online!

Nightblades can make really solid tanks if built and played correctly. While most people like to think that nightblades are incapable of tanking higher level content, that is not the case. If you play on the strengths that the nightblade has, you can create a powerful nightblade tank that can take on not only vet DLC dungeons, but veteran trials as well. This build has run through multiple Vet DLC dungeon achievement runs, as well as vet trial hard mode runs, so if you choose to run this setup you’ll be building your character up for success!

There are a lot of factors that vary in this build depending on if you are tanking dungeons or trials. Some are different gear choices and some are different skill choices, and all of this will be outlined below!

This guide features two skill setups for the build: one without subclassing, and one that takes advantage of subclassing.

Setup

Gear

NOTE: The sets needed for a trials group will vary per group. Be sure to check with your group’s leader to see what sets they want you to run.

Attributes

What your attribute distribution is going to look like is based on the race you choose. You should have at least 30k health, but no more than 45k health unless you’re in a fight that needs high health. After that, dump the rest into stamina and magicka (just make sure to have more stamina than magicka). I personally try for around 35-40k health depending on the setup and situation.

Skills

Main Bar – Sword and Shield: Pierce Armor, Heroic Slash, FLEX, Dark Cloak, Leeching Strikes, Aggressive Horn

Back Bar – Ice Staff: Silver Leash, Destructive Clench, Refreshing Path, Elemental Blockade, Mirage, Soul Siphon

Flex Skill Options

The build has 1 primary flex spot on the front bar; you can fill that slot based on what build you’re using and what is needed at the time. In terms of any changes to the back bar, most of the time, Silver Leash is used. But, if I am in a specific fight where Silver Leash is not necessary, I’ll also swap in another flex skill. The options for flex skills are as follows:

• Defensive Stance
• Deep Thoughts
• Sap Essence
• Overflowing Altar
• Shielded Assault
• Bone Surge
• Mass Hysteria
• Efficient Purge

I also recommend getting Shield Discipline, the ultimate from the One-handed and Shield skill line. In certain fights where stamina sustain is going to be a real challenge and dropping block isnt the best option, this can be substituted in for Aggressive Horn to significantly help with stamina sustain.

Subclassing Skills List

Class Lines

• Arcanist (Soldier of Apocrypha and Curative Runeforms)
• Nightblade (Siphoning)

Front Bar Skills

• Runic Sunder
• Runeguard of Freedom
• Rune of the Colorless Pool
• Cruxweaver Armor
• Impervious Runeward
• Replenishing Barrier

Back Bar Skills

• Elemental Blockade
• Overflowing Altar
• Destructive Clench
• Flex
• Flex
• Aggressive Warhorn

NOTE: Subclassing makes your builds extremely flexible in what you can provide. I gave an example build here that focuses on using a class that is stronger for Tanking (Arcanist) and then using our Nightbalde skills and passive to complement it. This ends up being mostly Arcanist but with our Siphoning skill line for a ton of ult gen. This is just an example. Now more than ever it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to coordinate with the team you are running with to get the gear and skill combinations that they need. There is not a cookie cutter build that will get you through everything as group compositions will vary widely.

Vampire vs. Mortal

For this build you’re going to play as a mortal. There are simply to many drawbacks to justify using vampirism, and Werewolf doesn’t serve a purpose here.

Champion Points

The list below showcases the slottable CP stars you should be taking. The Warfare CP perks increase your damage, healing and mitigation and are the most important, the Fitness tree has some miscellaneous sustain and defensive perks and the Craft tree has crafting and non-combat bonuses. The Craft CP points are entirely customizable to however you want.

CHAMPION POINT SETUP
WARFARE (BLUE)

• Duelist’s Rebuff
• Enduring Resolve
• Unassailable
• Ironclad
• Focused Mending (Flex Slot)

FITNESS (RED)

• Boundless Vitality
• Fortified
• Rejuvenation
• Expert Evasion (Flex Slot)
• Strategic Reserve (Flex Slot)
• Spirit Mastery (Flex Slot)

Other Important Info

Buff Food

Longfin Pasty w/ Melon Sauce or Bewitched Sugar Skulls (Max Health, Magicka & Stamina)

Mundus

Atronach – Increased Magicka Recovery

Race

1. Imperial
2. Nord
3. Argonian

Potions

Tri-Stat (Restore HP, Mag and Stam) (Bugloss, Columbine and Mountain Flower)

Passives

Class (all), Medium Armor (all), Heavy Armor (all), One-Handed and Shield (all), Destruction Staff (all except tri-focus), Fighters Guild (All except intimidation), Undaunted (all), Racial (all), Alchemy (Medicinal Use)

Contact

If you have any questions about the build, join our discord server and ask @Dottz about the build!

Update Log

7/7/2025 – Build updated for subclassing