Support Playstyle

Ladiev · April 2015

Hello, I'm mainly looking for answer from well-traversed PvPers with experience in both medium and larger groups.
I just recently started looking a lot into doing PvP, but my experience is limited as I have only achieved the rank Veteran through my time since early access.

I'm a sorcerer and considering to take on the role as a support. Currently having one bar for "I'm being focus/OH ***" and another for mainly party buffs and heals consisting of a mix of the following skills depending on situation (but not exclusively)

Grand Healing
Rapid Maneuver
Siege Shield
Purge
Daedric Mines
Caltrops
Barrier (Ultimate)
War Horn (Ultimate)
Negate Magic (Ultimate)

So, anyone with greater experience is PvP in above mentioned group sizes know whether this type of role is desired in a group, or if it is prefered to just have a player sustain himself and deal damage?

Thanks in advance!

Panda244 · April 2015

Barrier is typically the go-to support Ultimate, Negate is great as well, I'd run both on both bars.

Healing Ward and Grand Healing are awesome, especially if you have the Master's Restoration Staff.

Caltrops is nice, but isn't really needed, all it does is help find stealthers, any enemy group with a brain will use Rapid and run right through it.

Daedric Mines, definitely, as they can't be ignored with Rapid and will catch a few people in the enemy group.

Purge. Obviously.

Siege Shield, again, not really needed, anyone with a brain will dodge the red circle, although it does help.

Rapid... Is nice, again, not really needed.

I can't tell ya what to put to make the bars better, you're not a DK so you can't really spam Igneous Shield to keep your group alive, but Grand Healing and Cleanse (Other morph of purge) are great combinations for keeping a large party alive. You just have to be able to sustain that magicka drain.

Ladiev · April 2015

Panda244 wrote: »

Siege Shield, again, not really needed, anyone with a brain will dodge the red circle, although it does help.

Even in organised groups I see so many people soak that siege damage, but from my experience purge + Grand Healing is usually more effective than the Siege Shield.

In terms of sustain, there's no issue as I have plenty of gear, but I'm mostly wondered if I am a wasted slot in a group if I focus mainly on support/sustain my group, and very little on offense? (sometimes I use Meteor/Overload)

Thanks for the reply

Draxys · April 2015

Not a Sorc, but I play regularly with 2-3 Sorcs that run this kind of build often.

If you can manage your Magicka well enough, cleanse > efficient purge.

The "clap heal" (no idea what it's called) is super good now.

Despite negate being nerfed hard this patch, being able to clear the ground of damaging effects is very useful, I'd run that and barrier.

I would drop maneuvers and caltrops and leave those for Templars and stam builds. Also, if you're using mines for the CC, use the root skill instead. Much more useful.

Armitas · April 2015

Combat prayer is pretty nice too.

Ladiev · April 2015

Draxys wrote: »

Not a Sorc, but I play regularly with 2-3 Sorcs that run this kind of build often.

If you can manage your Magicka well enough, cleanse > efficient purge.

The "clap heal" (no idea what it's called) is super good now.

Despite negate being nerfed hard this patch, being able to clear the ground of damaging effects is very useful, I'd run that and barrier.

I would drop maneuvers and caltrops and leave those for Templars and stam builds. Also, if you're using mines for the CC, use the root skill instead. Much more useful.

Thanks for the input, definitely put into consideration :-)