I need help w/ my PVE stamina Sorc

Gern_Verkheart

I know, stamina sorc has a lot of issues, and I don't want to talk about that here. There are enough threads about that.
EDIT: I put the details in "spoiler" sections to help alleviate the overwhelming wall of text.

What I need, is help improving my DPS against bosses on my stam sorc. Despite the drawbacks of stam sorc, I know I should be able to pull better numbers than I am. I am currently only able to pull between 9K and 12K DPS in boss fights, usually hanging out around 10K. I am convinced there is something wrong with either my build, or my skill. So please give any constructive advice that you have.

My build.
Race:
Nord

Mundus
Warrior

Armor: Right now I have all medium armor, I will equip a light belt and heavy chest once I get the undaunted bonus (currently level 6.5 in undaunted)

Head: Ashen Grip V16, Legendary, Legendary Stamina Enchant
Chest: Hunding's Rage V15 Epic, Epic Stamina Enchant
Belt: Hunding's Rage V15 Rare, Epic Stamina Enchant
Boots: Hunding's Rage V15 Rare, Epic Stamina Enchant
Legs: Hunding's Rage V15 Epic, Epic Stamina Enchant
Hands: Hunding's Rage V15 Rare, Epic Health Enchant
Shoulders: Ashen Grip V15 Epic, Epic Health Enchant

Jewelry

Neck: V16 Healthy Agility w/ Legendary Reduce Stamina Cost Enchant
Ring#1: V16 Arcane Agility (until I can get a robust or healthy) w/ Legendary Reduce Stamina Cost Enchant
Ring#2: V15 Rare Healthy ring w/ Epic Increase weapon damage enchant

Weapons

Weapon #1: V16 Legendary Agility Greatsword w/ Legendary Berserk enchant and Powered Stat
Weapon #2: 1 V16 Epic Agility Dagger w/ Legendary Berserk Enchant and Precise Trait, 1 Epic V15 Ashen Grip Mace w/ Legendary Berserk Enchant and Sharpened Trait.

Champ Points:

Blue: 34 Mighty, 10 Piercing, 24 Precise Strikes.
Red: 20 Hardy, 20 Elemental Defense, 4 Thick Skinned, 25 Quick recovery.
Green: 25 Warlord, 25 Moon calf, 18 Tumbling

Primary Stats:

64 points in stamina
Max Health: 14774 unbuffed
Max Stamina: 22862 unbuffed (24690 unbuffed w/ bound armaments up, which I keep up all the time, obviously)
Stamina Recovery: 833 unbuffed (I never have problems with stamina)
Weapon damage w/ Bar#1 equipped: 3010 unbuffed. Bar #2: 2976 unbuffed
Weapon Crit w/ Bar#1 equipped: 38.3% unbuffed. Bar #2 equipped: 46.4%

Weapon Bar #1, This is my primary weapon bar for boss fights: Executioner, Wrecking Blow, Critical Surge, Thundering Presence, Bound Armaments, Flawless Dawnbreaker for Ultimate.

Weapon Bar#2, this is my AOE bar: Empowered Ward (this slot is pretty much just for the "Expert Mage Passive," I swap it out for Dark Deal if I feel that I need it), Steel Tornado, Blood Craze, Thundering Presence, Bound Armaments, Flawless Dawnbreaker Ultimate.

I use Distillate of Weapon crit during all fights to keep Major Savagery up and increase my stamina recovery, and I have all 3 points into Medicinal use.

I do well in AOE situations, always maintaining above 26K DPS, even against just 3-4 mobs. Basically I just keep up Critical surge and thundering presence, and spam Steel tornado and pop Flawless Dawnbreaker whenever it's up. I don't think I need work in this area.

In Single target/boss encounters, it is a different story. I once again keep critical surge and Thundering Presence up at all times, and I try to keep Blood Craze on the boss the whole time. Other than that, I mainly use Wrecking Blow with heavy attacks weaved in and pop Flawless Dawnbreaker whenever it's up. Despite this, I still only pull around 10K DPS in every boss encounter. What am I doing wrong?

Emma_Overload

My current (one day old!) 2H/DW Stam Sorc build is very similar to yours, except that I have a bit less weapon power and a bit more stamina regen. My armor is purple 7/7 Medium (5 pc Hundings, 3-4 pc Nightmother). I have a little less than 400 CP.

I currently average an honest 12K DPS on world bosses, giants and mammoths etc, simply by weaving Wrecking Blow with medium attacks. I think you're losing DPS when when you swap weapons to keep up Blood Craze. Dawnbeaker could be slowing you down, too, if you have to pause and mash Ultimate 5 times just to get it to fire.

Gern_Verkheart

I'm not sure why I would have to pause and mash my ultimate 5 times to get it to fire. I've never had that problem. If that is what you have to do than it sounds like you have a problem with your mouse or keyboard.

I transferred all my gear over to my V16 Stamina DK to see if the problem was inherent to my sorc. However, on my DK I as still only pulling about 12k DPS on boss fights. I even took him into vet16 spindleclutch to test it, and I only got as high as 13k DPS against the Gargoyle boss.

This means it's either a problem with how I am playing or a problem with gear, or a combination of both. The gear I can't do anything about immediately, all I can do is keep trying to get better gear from ICP. But with my DPS so low, I don't know how I can do that, because I will drag the group DPS down too much and we won't be able to clear. If the problem is with how I am playing, I also can't think of what I can do to change it. I tried swapping out and using rapid strikes as my main damage dealing ability, but I didn't see any increase in my DPS.

I am at a loss, and I really need some good advice.

Jar_Ek

Thoughts...

Why thundering presence on both bars? Why flawless on both bars? What is your damage with power overload?
Would another DoT be fittable in somewhere? Caltrps or even liquid lightning at a push.
If you're fighting unread or daedra then maybe getting evil hunter on for the small proc for extra damage?

Run some vet dungeons as a pug to get a monster set is also an option longer term.

Anyway just some thoughts... not advice as I run a tank atm.

Erock25

The only thing your single target DPS is missing is good racials, anti-cavalry caltrops, monster helm sets, and full weapon damage enchants. My two set ups are going to be 5 hunding, 2 nerienth, 3 agility, 2 night silence (daggers) or I will be using 5 hunding, 1 molag kena, 3 agility, 2(3) ashen grip (daggers). You could also go full single target and use 2h/2h with just wrecking blow on the primary bar to stack another sorc skill for 2% dmg.

When comparing to what people post on the forums for their DPS numbers, remember that they most likely have Warhorn and short fights which really increases overall DPS.

Gern_Verkheart

Yeah, I've been desperately trying to get the nerienth set for a while now, but the RNG for it is terrible. I actually haven't gotten a single monster shoulder from the Gold pledge chest in over a month, and no helm has dropped for me except the stupid bogden one.

Johngo0036

i do only silver pledges and have attained 3 shoulders from only 10 keys..

VR16 blue shoulders from silver..

Gern_Verkheart

Johngo0036 wrote: »

i do only silver pledges and have attained 3 shoulders from only 10 keys..

VR16 blue shoulders from silver..

Yeah, I do blue and gold every day. Except the days that it's WTG or ICP.

Gern_Verkheart

I really want to get heavily into the new IC dungeons, but I can't because my DPS is too low, and I can't figure out how to do better. I swapped out thundering presence on my primary weapon bar for Evil Hunter, and took blood craze off my AOE bar, swapping it for liquid lightning, just for the sorc weapon damage passive. I now just stay on my main weapon bar for the entire boss fight. These changes have added about 1k-2k more DPS against Deadra and undead bosses, but that is obviously not enough.

It's really starting to bother me! Nothing I try different is working!

Gern_Verkheart

Still looking for help.

Erock25

Gern_Verkheart wrote: »

Still looking for help.

I already told you what you are missing. There is nothing else.

Gern_Verkheart

Erock25 wrote: »

Gern_Verkheart wrote: »

Still looking for help.

I already told you what you are missing. There is nothing else.

Well, I don't want to re-roll just for different racials. So, according to what you said, the only things I need is the 2 piece nierineth set, and caltrops. If I use niereneth I will lose the weapon power bonus from ashen grip, does the damage of the neirenth set and caltrops really make up for that much of a loss in weapon power?

Steel_Brightblade

I would suggest you drop ashen grip for night mothers gaze, the set has been updated and now its 2, 3 and 4 piece bonuses are, weapon critical, weapon damage and weapon critical.

Erock25

Gern_Verkheart wrote: »

Erock25 wrote: »

Gern_Verkheart wrote: »

Still looking for help.

I already told you what you are missing. There is nothing else.

Well, I don't want to re-roll just for different racials. So, according to what you said, the only things I need is the 2 piece nierineth set, and caltrops. If I use niereneth I will lose the weapon power bonus from ashen grip, does the damage of the neirenth set and caltrops really make up for that much of a loss in weapon power?

Nerienth Set is only good for stationary targets and yes the DPS from it makes up for any other losses on stationary targets and in AOE situations.