Sunday, June 19, 2011 at 10:33 PM |  
I've had tremendous success in PvP using a Nightblade PvP build. With this spec, I've been able to kill healers and even R6 clerics in WFs and 1v1. It offers strong survivability, especially as valor increases and though it is reliant on 2 min cooldowns, it has a lot of them.

Dunsparrow's Nightblade: 44NB / 16Inf / 6 Rang

This spec offers what I consider to be the best combination of damage, utility/versatility and survivability. The combination of Fell Blades and Anathema is enough to kill a healer when timed well, and cooldowns allow you to take out your target and survive against heavy odds. It can deal good ranged damage and Crippling Shot allows you to slow. I skip Improved Twilight Force because I feel those points are better spent elsewhere, since you have a ranged snare already.

Macros Used:

Kill Macro
cast Dusk Strike
cast Twilight Force
cast Primal Strike
cast Fiery Spike
cast Quick Shot

Snare Macro
cast Crippling Shot
cast Twilight Force
cast Fiery Sike
cast Quick Shot

Finisher Macro
#show Scourge of Darkness
cast Scourge of Darkness
cast Blazing Strike
cast Flame Thrust
cast Head Shot

Finisher Macro 2
cast Blazing Strike
cast Flame Thrust
cast Head Shot

Cooldowns
#show Ebon Fury
cast Words of War
cast Ebon Fury

The 2nd finisher macro is for targets that are nearly dead and you don't want to cast a SoD that won't get used. This spec revolves around pounding people down from melee range while still being able to deal reasonable damage out to 30m.

The points in Ranger not only give you a 30m CP-generator and finisher, but also 5% crit, 46 attack power, and a ranged snare.

The macros are designed to prioritize your abilities based on distance, so you'll use the most powerful ability you have at a given range. Flame Thrust is worth it (imo) because of Lingering Flame, even though you could use Head Shot. I try to throw a Fiery Spike on people right at the start.

For fighting mages and caster clerics, you have Cleanse Soul, which absolutely wrecks casters. You can use it to immune the most powerful abilities like Incinerate, Stream of Reclamation, Degeneration, Mortality etc. If you need another magic immunity, you have Twilight Transcendence. Of course, Blackout will work too on incoming spells.

For fighting melee, you have fewer options. If a rogue gets the jump on you, you can pop Twilight Transcendence to go immune to his Impale, and then dip into Twilight Shelter to reduce his DoT damage while you beat him up. Against Warriors you're screwed against tanks (just ignore them) but you can usually pop Blackout and Ebon Fury and just win a head to head match against any 2h user.

Against healer clerics, you have Fell Blades and Anathema. When used in combination, they reduce a cleric's healing on himself by 75%. Typically you want to jump a cleric, get 5 CPs, then pop SoD and go to town. Once you get the cleric to 50%, pop Anathema and your Ebon Fury macro and go for the finish. If a big heal is going to get off when he's low and Anathema is gone or almost gone, use Dark Containment as an interrupt. Watch for Fell Blades getting purged and re-apply it.

I find this spec to be highly effective in group and solo situations and ran with it almost exclusively from Rank 4 to 6. I'm working on a variation of it right now and have not yet decided if its worth it. My PvP video is going to showcase this build primarily.
Posted by Dunsparrow Labels:

7 comments:

Melty72 said...

What sort of weapons are you using for the beast spec? Or for the matter of any spec?

July 11, 2011 at 4:58 AM  
Dunsparrow said...

Currently using the Serpent Stiletto from GSB in mainhand and R6 sword in offhand with R6 gun.

For some of the video I did not have this gear yet, so I was using Warmaster's Hammer from RoS (tanking weapon), or the one-hand axe from Herald Gaurath, and for a gun using a mediocre stat gun from GSB.

July 12, 2011 at 12:48 PM  
LUNATIC said...

Hey Dun i love your build but im new to rift and new to keybinding (sad i know) can you give me and exact layout of you skills and your exact macro and order list so this way i can see what your doing and learn something lol. I hope its not too much to ask and ty for your time... great vid's!!

July 14, 2011 at 8:23 PM  
LUNATIC said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
July 14, 2011 at 8:23 PM  
Anonymous said...

sorry if this is a baddie question.

in the CD macro. what is this Words of War ability? i cant see it anywhere in my talent tree or abilites window :s

July 16, 2011 at 5:09 AM  
Dunsparrow said...

Hey Words of War is the PvP trinket obtained from Reputation in the Codex. Its currently the best DPS trinket in the game.

http://rift.zam.com/en/item/E4B0B4F00201010101/Words-of-War

Guardian version is called Whispered Silence

http://rift.zam.com/en/item/91DDA8F80601010101/Whispered-Silence

July 17, 2011 at 5:42 PM  
Miller said...

Hey Dun. I am a level 32 rogue and still very new to the game (my highest level character ever). I have two PVE specs I am using, but want to try something more PVP oriented.

While I am working to bring this down to level 32, could you make some comments on what are must haves to keep in and maybe give a target spec for 35 and 40?

Anyway, nice site and good work.

Thanks,

Miller

August 2, 2011 at 9:13 AM