Official Discussion Thread for "Battlemaster’s Corner – The Storm Conduit"

ZOS_GinaBruno · June 2014

This is the official discussion thread for the blog article Battlemaster’s Corner – The Storm Conduit. We hope you enjoyed reading about this build! If you'd like to be featured in a future Battlemaster's Corner, be sure to email us your build with a screenshot.

tordr86b16_ESO · June 2014

Heavy armor? Most of these skills are magicka based and two of em (surge, lightning spash) costs 1/3 of your mp pool without light armor mp reduction passive.

Knightmare200 · June 2014

This is very similar to the build I run, so I'm glad to see my build is viable. Curious though, you listed 7 abilities (though you do mention that you swap out Momentum and Reverse Slash depending on situation). Was that an error, or do you just swap out between those abilities all the time?

someuser · June 2014

Well first of all, its not all about min/maxing your build man. Sometimes its about having fun, trying new things, and doing things "different"... Having said that, I would have done a few things different then the OP did... Crystals Shards is a must and not having it just doesn't make sense for a mage or battlemage (unless he did have that and I didn't notice).

Also, I would probably recommend wearing some light armor (atleast 4 pieces) for the magika passives... You can make up by wearing heavy chest/pants/boots and then get the set bonus that adds 100 armor (3 pieces) and then use the set bonus for magika regen (4 light + your weapon)...

I have a battlemage like that, and its loads of fun

Ragnar_Lodbrok · June 2014

Its not a stick and skirt build so will ultimately be useless.

tordr86b16_ESO · June 2014

from: http://elderscrollsonline.wiki.fextralife.com/Stats

Weapon Damage - This attribute effects the amount of damage you do with any skill found in the Weapon Skill Line.

NOTE: It does not matter if the skill uses Magicka or Stamina as long as it is a Weapon Skill, it is governed by this Attribute. Anything that increases Weapon Power, increases this stat for a temporary duration.

Heavy Armor passive Juggernaut (http://esohead.com/skills/29804-juggernaut)

This should amount to 7% Weapon Damage with 7/7 but what concerns me is the last statement on the tool tip: "with melee attacks by 1% per piece of Heavy Armor equipped"

To ZOS: Does this only affect the damage of the equipped item or does it work like any other weapon damage stat equal to surge, which effects all the weapon skill lines?

If it's the latter then you really need to change it. It would go a long way making heavy armor a bit more useful.

RAMAO · June 2014

Knightmare200 wrote: »

This is very similar to the build I run, so I'm glad to see my build is viable.

Not really, one of my builds was featured in this section and I was crushed in the veteran levels. The Battlemaster's corner is more about the craziest builds than the best ones.

Djursnerb16_ESO · June 2014

It is depressive to see Zenimax pick a casual role player's skill line time after time. Zenimax is just doing this to vaguely keep alive their commitment to the fact that they stated that a player could be anything he would like and needed not to pick specific abilities and skill points. We all know that you are an unskilled roleplayer if you are not using light armour and a staff.

tordr86b16_ESO · June 2014

RAMAO wrote: »

Knightmare200 wrote: »

This is very similar to the build I run, so I'm glad to see my build is viable.

Not really, one of my builds was featured in this section and I was crushed in the veteran levels. The Battlemaster's corner is more about the craziest builds than the best ones.

Crazy, unhelpful ones?

keto3000 · June 2014

I am new to MMOs, so I read as much as I can on these forums and the other ESO websites to better educate myself. Currently, my main (& very first)toon is an Altmer Sorcerer, level 42.

I started out focusing on ranged dps/aoe build with destro-staff (flame). However, when asked to join dungeon groups, I have often been asked if I can heal, so I decided, since this is my first and training toon, to create a strong resto-staff based healer build, as well.

For solo PvE, I keep my destro dps/aoe build on bar 1, and setup my resto-staff healer build on bar 2. I can finally toggle between both bars while in combat with ease.

For group dungeon groups, I frequently play a dedicated healer, but I can do a good deal of damage, when necessary.

I am just starting to venture into Cyrodil and join in the PvP fun there, but my current build using 5 light/2 heavy armor seems to die way too easily.

I am considering trying a tankier build for PvP so I read the OP posted build with interest!

Can you elaborate on how you distribute your attribute points & passives with your tank sorcerer build?

Any good veteran advice out there for my budding career in PvP is greatly appreciated.

Ser Lobo · June 2014

Djursnerb16_ESO wrote: »

It is depressive to see Zenimax pick a casual role player's skill line time after time. Zenimax is just doing this to vaguely keep alive their commitment to the fact that they stated that a player could be anything he would like and needed not to pick specific abilities and skill points. We all know that you are an unskilled roleplayer if you are not using light armour and a staff.

It's inspiring that they refuse, time after time, to give min-maxers any more focus than they already take. Gives me the impression that ESO gives more consideration to players who are here to have fun, over those who are 'forced' to pick certain things cause they can't stand being less than optimal.

Woot to ESO. And nice build, Op. I run a similar one on my sorcerer (though it was focused on sword and shield).

Mazra · June 2014

Djursnerb16_ESO wrote: »

We all know that you are an unskilled roleplayer if you are not using light armour and a staff.

Yes, free will equals incompetence. Clearly.

Westcoast14_ESO · June 2014

Hmm seem like a somewhat weak build. It's a hybrid (stamina + magicka) which is inherently less forgiving to build. No idea why they have heavy armor for their build. It looks like a recipe for disappointment at VR. Maybe there are enablers that make it viable post level 50, but none are listed in the article. Kills are going to be slow, physical mitigation won't give sufficient survivability in the absence of a healing skill, and the player will struggle with resource management. Also, having so many sources of weapon damage augments isn't super effective with diminishing returns in effect. Maybe its only meant as a tank.

fambaab16_ESO · June 2014

Wait when you play sorcerer your first skillbar gets 6+1 slots for skills? wonderful! How do I activate that on my sorcerer?

Who is the dev writing the builds? Because you just submit it when Endless FUry is fixed? Finally?

Heavy armor with this build is useless btw, no stamina for Critical Charge, no Magicka to cast all that fancy stuff (Critical Surge almost costs 400 magicka)

Its the exact same build I used in the first week of the game in Headstart btw its superold. But in PvP I got fed up by the swarms of vampire DKs, if anyone can remember. Now its pretty viable for Solo PvP in 1v1.

To enable it for group pvp you need to have the Teleport morph that disables foes when you teleport through them. Oh wait no magicka for that oops...

Cyberwolffe · June 2014

To me this sounds like it could be fun to try out. I'll give it a try after the servers come back up and we can play again.

Westcoast14_ESO · June 2014

fambaab16_ESO wrote: »

Wait when you play sorcerer your first skillbar gets 6+1 slots for skills? wonderful! How do I activate that on my sorcerer?

...

lol I missed that it used 6 skills + an ultimate on the main skill bar.

Anyways I get the impression that no one one the ZoS side actually tested the build against basic VR6+ PvE content or in PvP. So what could very well happen is someone will invest a lot of time in the build in good faith, and then hit an impassable wall of disappointment at some later point in the game.

That's just beyond foolish. If the build pans out the way I would expect it to, it's just going to make ZoS look either incompetent and/or untrustworthy. By now, ZoS should know their build system is not intuitive. Promoting what looks like a marginal build is a sure fire way to augment player frustration and distrust.

Seriously. ZoS please put yourself in the position of a player that is trusting you to point them green pastures (as opposed to a treacherous minefields). Imagine how you would react if you later found out the build you had invested a massive amount of time in was not suitable for PvP or VR PvE. You would probably be justifiably angry at what you would have correctly perceived as the either incompetent and/or self-serving advice provided by the development/marketing crew.

Builds don't have to be min-maxed, but they should be play tested for solo viability at VR (or it should be described a as a group build) and in PvP (or it should be described as a PvE build), and if the build is difficult to play, it should come with a "challenging" sticker.

james_tim · June 2014

You guys keep complaining about one thing or another. No one will ever be completely satisfied with anything as a group. I like the Ops build. In saying that though, I have a VR12 Nightblade that I leveled in 5H/2L with a destro staff in hand. When I got to around VR4 I noticed it was very difficult to play that way. So, I switched it up. I went all Medium and dual wield, and my other build all Light and resto/destro staff. Being some things in MMOs are stronger until they're balanced I had a way easier time solo'ing by myself with Light Armor and resto/destro staff than anything else.

I love the idea of builds like this and hopefully with balance changes and tweaks here and there they'll all balance themselves out in the end.

Shunravi · June 2014

I got through the vet zones fine with my 2 hander. Yea, it was annoying when a restro/destro came by and insta-nuked something that took me a bit of planning and strategy (not to mention luck when it came to lagspikes) to beat, but i did it. In full medium too (most of the time). But if you asked me my 'build' I honestly couldn't tell you. I've used a bit of everything at one time or another. The point is though, I've played the way I wanted, and that's what matters.

Yolokin_Swagonborn · June 2014

V12 Sorc here that experimented with a few 2H sorc builds in PvP and PvP leveling. As much as I love the concept of a Melee Battle Mage, this post and the replies gave me a good laugh.

First off, before you rip this guys build to shreds, realize that there are plenty of people that are subscribed to this game that enjoy frolicking around Nirn picking flowers and talking to ghosts for days and days. If they wipe to the same boss 100 times, they take it as an "adventure."

They don't care about optimizing DPS or damage mitigation for survivability and getting a decent time in trials. And they shouldn't have to. More power to them.

But some parts of this build just made me chuckle and wonder if we are playing the same game.

Critical Charge (Critical Rush): This is my gap closer, and (better yet) if the baddie tries to run away, they only end up taking more damage.

Are we talking PvP or PvE here? Since when have you ever seen an NPC run away? Even skeevers at 25% health will brazenly attack a man in full heavy armor like they are on bath salts and have no fear of death. The only time NPCs run away is when you pull them too far from their spawn anchor and they de-agro. When that happens, the game resets their health and REFUSES to let you target them even if you wanted to until they run back to their magic "base" and pretend you never attacked them in the first place.

So lets assume we are talking PvP for the sake of argument. Then we get to this:

With all of the extra armor, I am virtually a walking fortress, surviving even the hardest-hitting blows.

Do "Hard hitting blows" include Invasion + Talons + Lava Whip? Let's see how much health your walking fortress has after that. If you manage to get out of stunlock before you burn to death, I'm guessing about 33% health remaining - which you won't have for long with a decent DK around in melee range.

I like that Zenimax wants to support creative sorc builds like this one. Melee sorc builds are FUN FUN FUN while you are alive - they need a bit more fine tuning to increase survivability and melee synergy.

Overload Ultimate is very clunky at the moment. It needs to scale on weapon damage and not spell damage. That would give an incredible synergy with crit surge. Also the bound armaments morph does not buff overload heavy attack and it should. They are a few other things I could mention if anyone is interested.

I am glad they added stamina ability cost reduction to medium armor but there are a few more tweaks that ZOS could make to sorc skills that would make melee sorcs much more viable in PvE and PvP without relying so heavily on dresses, damage shields and resto staves.

fyrefenix · June 2014

if you are a templar or nightblade you run away you dont stand a chance

Shunravi · June 2014

jdnchaosb14a_ESO wrote: »

V12 Sorc here that experimented with a few 2H sorc builds in PvP and PvP leveling. As much as I love the concept of a Melee Battle Mage, this post and the replies gave me a good laugh.

First off, before you rip this guys build to shreds, realize that there are plenty of people that are subscribed to this game that enjoy frolicking around Nirn picking flowers and talking to ghosts for days and days. If they wipe to the same boss 100 times, they take it as an "adventure."

They don't care about optimizing DPS or damage mitigation for survivability and getting a decent time in trials. And they shouldn't have to. More power to them.

But some parts of this build just made me chuckle and wonder if we are playing the same game.

Critical Charge (Critical Rush): This is my gap closer, and (better yet) if the baddie tries to run away, they only end up taking more damage.

Are we talking PvP or PvE here? Since when have you ever seen an NPC run away? Even skeevers at 25% health will brazenly attack a man in full heavy armor like they are on bath salts and have no fear of death. The only time NPCs run away is when you pull them too far from their spawn anchor and they de-agro. When that happens, the game resets their health and REFUSES to let you target them even if you wanted to until they run back to their magic "base" and pretend you never attacked them in the first place.

So lets assume we are talking PvP for the sake of argument. Then we get to this:

With all of the extra armor, I am virtually a walking fortress, surviving even the hardest-hitting blows.

Do "Hard hitting blows" include Invasion + Talons + Lava Whip? Let's see how much health your walking fortress has after that. If you manage to get out of stunlock before you burn to death, I'm guessing about 33% health remaining - which you won't have for long with a decent DK around in melee range.

I like that Zenimax wants to support creative sorc builds like this one. Melee sorc builds are FUN FUN FUN while you are alive - they need a bit more fine tuning to increase survivability and melee synergy.

Overload Ultimate is very clunky at the moment. It needs to scale on weapon damage and not spell damage. That would give an incredible synergy with crit surge. Also the bound armaments morph does not buff overload heavy attack and it should. They are a few other things I could mention if anyone is interested.

I am glad they added stamina ability cost reduction to medium armor but there are a few more tweaks that ZOS could make to sorc skills that would make melee sorcs much more viable in PvE and PvP without relying so heavily on dresses, damage shields and resto staves.

I'm one of those guys who could care less about min/maxing. It usually takes me 1-2 tries on a boss to beat it, I'm not wiping 100 times. My characters hands are probably stained green from all of the flowers I've picked. I have a min/maxed build planned out, but I would need to get my staves to lvl. With siphoning strikes, I have few sustain issues, and with drain power, my aoe potential with impulse etc. is pretty good. But that's just not my thing.

I see npcs run all the time! I've got a fear though...

I also lol'd about the armor. My Mark target (when it works) makes me laugh at yo armor.

But yea, don't go harshing a build because it's not the best. Not everyone plays that way.

fyrefenix wrote: »

if you are a templar or nightblade you run away you dont stand a chance

ROTFLOL

stonelisticub17_ESO · November 2014

Would you elaborate on what you suggested for this build to work well in a PvE environment? What light armor do you recommend wearing for magicka passives? What set bonus do you suggest one uses that adds 100 armor for the heavy chest/pants/boots? What set bonus do you recommend for the magicka regen bonus of four light and two handed Mace weapon?

someuser wrote: »

...I would probably recommend wearing some light armor (atleast 4 pieces) for the magika passives... You can make up by wearing heavy chest/pants/boots and then get the set bonus that adds 100 armor (3 pieces) and then use the set bonus for magika regen (4 light + your weapon)... I have a battlemage like that, and its loads of fun

Any advice is much appreciated!