Sorcerer single target dps

Valmond

Just wondering how other people find the sorcerers single target dps to be.

I started the game using Crystal Shard and Velocious Curse, but somewhere around Coldharbour i found that the dps from those simply started to get too low, with enemies dps going up too high, that i just could not fight a group of enemies with them and expect to survive.

So now i use combination of Volcanic Rune and Pulsar to keep groups constantly CC'd while i aoe them down (sometimes using Dark Conversion instead of Pulsar to get back magicka), with Inner Light providing extra crit and Twilight Matriarch healing me if things go bad.
Individual mobs go down only slightly slower, but unlike with single target, i can take down group of 1 and group of 5 with pretty much same effort.

Just wondering if anyone here has tips and tricks to getting some decent single target dps out of a sorcerer, without having to switch to aoe build the moment you see more than one enemy?

steinernein

Here's a universal build since you're asking for answers;
1. Crystal Shards 2. Volatile Imp 3. Conjured Ward/Restraining Prison 4. Dark Conversion 5. Magelight 6. Anything. Weapon: Resto staff.

You can manage 600+ DPS (600+ normal hits with crits nearing or over 1k, 30-40% crit rate) with that by V2. Sustained probably a bit lower since you have to use dark conversion. Imp can also provide a distraction before you detonate it.

Valmond

how good is that build against multiple enemies?
main issue is that unless you really go for defensive build with high health and heavy armor, i just don't see single target dps standing on its own at veteran ranks.

steinernein

Imp explosion deals 400+ damage ae and is cheaper than impulse with higher damage. Less radius but it is merely a positioning issue. You have ward to provide an extra 1k plus HP.

Valmond

Interesting, if i had not morphed imp into clannfear i'd try it.

Still, nobody else have ideas about sorcerer dps?
Don't feel constricted to sorcerer abilities, mainly seeking thoughts on magicka based dps builds, but as i am a sorcerer i thought putting this in sorcerer forum would be most appropriate.

Omniphonic

my first char was a tank storm sorc orc. didn't turn out that great. After I'm done with my NB healer i'm going to try a crit archer sorc. archers have the best single-target dps, easiest control over encounters, and bows are really easy to combo abilities with.

Of course, I'll be on my 6th or so character by then. No, I wasn't in the PTS. Yes, I am an altoholic.