“The Kirito Build”

Armor Types

Gear and Item Set Info

Why the Medium armor?

We want 5 pieces of Medium, so that we can get good Stealth radius and improved weapon damage.  Ideally, you should use either a heavy chest or pant slot, since that's a slot that maximizes armor contribution, and a light belt, since the belt slot always grants the lowest armor contribution of any slot.

What sets?

On our chest, belt, hands, pants, and feet, we want to run the 5/5 Mechanical Acuity set from Clockwork City (crafted).  While it has a lengthy cooldown, guaranteed crits are absolutely necessary in our build, and we can't just spam Stampede - we're often in too close to reasonably do that.  You'll want all of these pieces enchanted with Stamina, because this is a Stamblade build.  For traits, I recommend at least two Impenetrable for PvP, everything else should use Divines to extract the most value from our Mundus stone.

If you don't have Clockwork City, consider Shacklebreaker from Morrowind, as it's a really excellent companion set.  If you don't have Morrowind, consider Night's Silence from the vanilla game.  It's easy to get (2-trait) so that even a character with a relatively casual relationship with crafting can get it, but it works pretty well with the build - it grants Max Stamina, Stamina Recovery, and Crit rate, while annulling the sneak speed penalty entirely.

A set that I consider thematically appropriate for the body slots, but highly impractical, is Morkuldin.  As a 9-trait set, it tends to be expensive.  It gives good stats for a Stamina fighter like this build is, and as its 5-piece bonus summons an animated sword periodically, but really, I'd prefer to play the game instead of doing my best impersonation of a stock broker.  So, we're going with more attainable - and effective - things instead.  Still, if you can pull it off, let me know how that goes in the build's comments.

In our rings, necklace, and weapons, you have some choices.  You can take 5/5 Briarheart for the improved crit rate as well as fact that our crits have a 10% chance to proc a buff that raises our weapon power appreciably, and lets our crits heal us, thus granting the build better sustain.  If you think this build has enough sustain, Night Terror gives you some improved Stealth, Health, and a poison counter attack.  If you'd rather have more attack power, consider Essence Thief if you can get it; if you need a more easily-accessible alternative, though, consider Flanking Strategist (no, I'm not kidding.)  Essence Thief is superior by far, but Flanking provides a good balance of crit, power, and grants a buff for exploiting positional advantage. 

You'll want the jewelry glyphed up with Weapon Damage, unless you're having stamina problems - in which case, you can add Stamina Regen glyphs as needed.  Your two hander should be enchanted with Disease damage, and your dual wielders should be running both Crusher and Physical Damage.

For your monster set, I favor Swarm Mother.  That way when some bowman or mage gets uppity and decides to go after the random swordsman...well, they'll regret that mistake, won't they?  Once again, keep your eyes on the ideal setup of two Impenetrable, all other armor slots Divines, unless you decide your situation warrants something different.  Enchant for Stamina on the Monster pieces.

General Info

Background

This build is inspired by the character Kirito (AKA Kirito the Pimp, Our Lord and Savior Jesus-kun, Anime Jedi Jesus) from the anime series Sword Art Online.  Everything about this build is themed around swords and blades of every description.  If you get PMs asking how many blades your character has, and requests on where your character is hiding them all, you are playing the build correctly.

Races

I think Nord is the best bet for a "Kirito" swordsman Nightblade, but an Imperial, Redguard, or Dark Elf are all compelling choices as well.  Redguards are more glass-cannons, while Imperials come off to me as a little bit tankier.  Dark Elves probably have the weakest justification for taking the Kirito build, but the inherent buffs to Magicka and the Dual Wield bonus are probably at least as helpful as the Nord bonuses.

Passives

You should take all Racial passives, Nightblade passives, all Medium Armor, all Dual Wield, and all Two-Handed passives.  3/3 Slayer is important for your main bar, since you're going to be using Dawnbreaker.  Raising Alchemy enough that you can take 3/3 Medicinal Use is very useful to maximize the benefit from drinking potions, and 3/3 Connoisseur makes your Dubious Camoran Thrones even less of a drain on your finances or resources.

Banish the Wicked and Skilled Tracker are helpful due to how often it seems like one gets jumped by Vampires and/or Werewolves in both PvE and PvP, but if you need points in something else, you could probably skimp on those.

Supplies

As a Stamblade, Dubious Camoran Thrones are a prerequisite.  Secure a source for these tasty little drinks - though, as a Nord, they'll last longer for you.

For your potions, your Main Battle Potion should be the Health / Stamina / Weapon Crit potion brewed from Dragonthorn / Mountain Flower / Water Hyacinth.  Your Assault Potion is Stamina / Damage / Speed, brewed from Blessed Thistle / Dragonthorn / Namira's Rot.  Lastly, your GTFO Potion should probably be Blue Entoloma / Blessed Thistle / Namira's Rot, for when you eventually find yourself in a position that you realize that discretion is the better part of valor.  Use what you find appropriate.

Outfit

At your friendly neighborhood Outfit station, be sure to dye your armor black and white like Kirito, because you're an edgelord. 

Your chest should be glamoured to be the Mercenary Robe, because it looks like a badass longcoat.  I personally prefer all other slots to be Outlaw, because I like how Outlaw armor looks.  Hide your helmet, though, you're going to have a hard time getting the attention of all the girls if your head is hidden. 

For your weapon glamours, your two-hander should be glamoured Ebonshadow Greatsword if you can, since it's the closest I can find to something like the Elucidator (and, that's a stretch.)  Your dual wield bars should be glamoured as Ebonshadow Sword on the main hand, and Ancient Elven or Daggerfall Covenant Sword on the off-hand, reminiscent of the Dark Repulsor that Kirito gains late in the Aincrad arc.

And, if you have real money, try to find the most Anime-like haircut you can buy.  It won't actually help you, but it's totally appropriate in a game themed in something like the high middle ages, and that's why you should do it.

How to Kirito properly

This build is a dueler and ganker.  You want to focus on finding solitary targets, and eliminating them with extreme prejudice - preferably mages, archers, and other assassins.  Try to avoid challenging tanks, though you can probably wear them down due to your back bar ultimate and all your ways of inflicting DoTs and making their armor less effective.  Fights you win, are fights you start.  If you're on the defensive, though, don't panic - you've got the durability to turn the tables in your favor.

For your rotation, start under stealth in your main bar if possible.  Use Leeching Strikes and Dark Cloak immediately, then either launch a Surprise Attack if you're close, or Stampede if you're at distance.  You need to get in a Surprise Attack to compromise your opponent's armor, so do that.  Weave in some light/heavy attacks, throw a Dizzying Swing, so that you can switch to your backbar.

In your backbar, use Swallow Soul to get some passive regeneration happening, use a light or heavy attack or two, throw your Whirling Blades to get some improved Stamina regeneration going on, then throw another Surprise Attack to keep the armor debuff up.  Use Rending Slashes to stop any escape attempts they might have planned and put a bleed on them. 

At this point, you have two options - either use Incapacitating Strike if they're not down yet, to prevent them from being able to recover from your onslaught, or swap to your main bar and hit them with Dawnbreaker of Smiting.  If you can do neither, use Dark Cloak for some regeneration and armor, then restart the rotation until you can either Incap or Dawnbreaker them.  Chances are you should be able to drop your opponent by this point, but if not, that's cool too.

When you drop a foe, don't stick around.  Get back under stealth, and find another unaware target.  While you can be relatively tanky for a medium armor wearer, you really shouldn't rely on that.  Your power stems from your high damage output, and ability to simultaneously debuff enemies, while empowering yourself.  No amount of badass clothing can stop you from dying to both other enemy teams in Battlegrounds, or a zerg in Cyrodiil.

Champion Point Tips

I don't like advising on CP, because I think it's just a layer of customization, and thus that it's really up to you.  Also, I'm a nerd who prefers non-CP campaigns and battlegrounds.

If I had to suggest anything, though, I'd recommend CPing into Physical Penetration, reduced Dodge Roll cost, reduced Break Free cost, improved Stamina Regen, improved Health Regen, improved Healing Taken, improved Damage over Time, and improved Healing Reduction effects.  That's just me, though - optimize to your playstyle and situation.

Build Rating