"Shaman" - a stam sorc build for PvP

Jitterbug · May 2015

SHAMAN - a stamina sorcerer build for PvP

Hi guys,

I've been toying around with a stamina build for my sorcerer since launch, and having recently reached vr14 (I don't have much time to play), I wanted to share what I've come up with so far in a hope to get some feedback and critique, and maybe even see a few more stam sorcs out there.

First, I'll show you a picture from eso-skills.com

Skills

Main bar: Two-handed

Rally (morph of Momentum - 2H)

This provides a much needed heal and a damage buff. I have been playing around with Critical Surge as well and would much prefer to run with that instead since it synergizes so well with Critical Rush, but the magicka cost has shown to be too high, and the heal too unreliable.

Dark Deal (morph of Dark Exchange - Dark Magic)

I use this when not being pummeled and when I need stamina. It's the only reliable way for my sorcerer to get some stamina back.

Streak (morph of Bolt Escape - Storm Calling)

Wth, streak on a stam build!? Well, yes. I use it sparingly. It can be used in tight situations or when you've overreached to get away, back to your team, but the real reason I have it slotted is for a cool combo I'll describe below.

Executioner (morph of Reverse Slash - 2H)

Used both for finishing off low health opponents directly, and for the passive buff to weapon damage.

Critical Rush (morph of Critical Charge - 2H)

Pretty self explanatory, but this is the bread and butter gap closer for this build.

Ultimate: Flawless Dawnbreaker (morph of Dawnbreaker - Fighter's Guild)

I slot this for the passive bonus to weapon damage.

Secondary bar: Bow

Efficient Purge (morph of Purge - Alliance War, Support)

I love this skill, and to me it's a must have since I am a vampire.

Razor Caltrops (morph of caltrops - Alliance War, Assault)

A great way to run circles around your opponent, and also it makes Ravaging proc a lot.

Boundless Storm (morph of Lightning Form - Storm Calling)

The other bread and butter skill of this build. I keep it up at all times for the boost to armor, and if you pop this, dodge roll, and jam sprint you move incredibly fast. It's fun!

Poison Injection (morph of Poison Arrow - Bow)

Keep the dot up on your opponent at all times.

Magnum Shot (morph of Scatter Shot - Bow)

This is the stun of the build and can also be used in a combo with Critical Rush.

Ultimate: Clouding Swarm (morph of Bat Swarm - Vampire)

I use this when trying to finish someone off, or sometimes to get away.

Gear
I run with 5-piece Ravaging (jewelry, gloves, greatsword), 5-piece Way of the Air, and 2-piece Night's Silence on my bow bar for a bit of extra stamina. 6 medium and 1 heavy.
A case could most certainly be made for other sets but I like these, I love my Air set. My weapon damage peaks around 3600 and all of my gear isn't even vr14 yet.
Everything is enchanted with Stamina, except for necklace that has fire resist, and rings that have stamina regen.

Attributes
Easy enough, I put everything into Stamina.
This puts me at around 3300 weapon damage, 20k health, 23k stamina, 1500 stam regen, and 11k magicka. I run tri stat food buff. When I run tristat drink I'm at about 17k health, 20k stamina, 8k magicka and 2k stam regen.

Race
I run as a Bosmer, but Redguard and Imperial, possibly even Dunmer would go very well. I really like stealthy gameplay so I prefer Bosmer.

Playstyle
I'll just come out and admit it: I'm extremely gungho, maybe even yolo

I like to storm in, click all my buttons, and either kill or die - this build is very do or die.
It can be used to hang in the back of a group plunking arrows at the other group but when I see someones' health drop low I can't resist the temptation to rush in and either kill or die myself.
I dodge ALOT, and sprint ALOT. In trouble? Bow bar -> Boundless -> Dodge -> Sprint = You're on the other side of the battle field in a matter of seconds.
It's an extremely mobile, high burst build and should be played as such. It's theoretically built for 1vX, but I really don't have the skills for that... yet.

My main "move" is Bow heavy attack -> Poison Injection -> Caltrops -> switch to 2H -> Crit Rush -> 2H heavy -> Executioner weaved with a bash -> Streak to stun -> Dodge roll -> Crit Rush -> 2H heavy -> Executioner weaved with a bash -> switch to bow -> Magnum Shot -> start over :-)

I've added a short video demonstrating the rotation below. I don't have the rig to record well in Cyrodiil so the PvP video will probably have to wait / never happen, but I've recorded this fight against a vr10 troll just to demonstrate how the basic rotation of the build works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMjI-3rWCsQ

Thank you for reading, and as I started out by saying, please offer your thoughts, critique, etc. If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask them.

Lastly, a shout out to @JackDaniell for the basis of this build, I could not have made it without him.

PS. I'm working, albeit slowly, on some footage showcasing the build.

Yolokin_Swagonborn · May 2015

Great build concept. I have been wanting to try stam again once I unlocked vigor. If you are using 5 Ravager (with sword) and 5 Air, you could even squeeze in the bloodspawn shoulders or helm for one more stam regen boost. That leaves nothing to pair with your bow but it would be active on both bars and (if you use a light piece,) would allow you to go 5/1/1 for the undaunted passives.

Are you using food or drink with this build? It seems to have enough regen from sets that food might be better although mathematically it seems that it is better to attribute/damage stack with sets and use drink for all regen.

Are you using champion points for elemental defender? I think vamp really helps this build but I haven't tried vamp in 1.6 after the jewelry enchant nerf.

Overall great build discussion. Would love to see some gameplay footage.

Paging @Erock25 @Snit @Teargrants

The overall question to answer right now is with magicka sorc being so powerful, is there anything in the current sorc toolkit that makes stam sorc actually better than a (theoretical) classless stam build? 2H makes this build powerful, not sure there is much sorc in the stam sorc build.

Edit: Another good thread about stam sorc
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/169441/how-to-build-a-stam-sorc/p1

Cathexis · May 2015

as another stam sorc once said they are like wet noodles in combat realistically.

However, stamina hybrid sorcs do *** FANTASTIC I've got a killer build I've finally put together

Jitterbug · May 2015

Yolokin_Swagonborn wrote: »

Are you using food or drink with this build? It seems to have enough regen from sets that food might be better although mathematically it seems that it is better to attribute/damage stack with sets and use drink for all regen.

Jitterbug wrote: »

I run tri stat food buff.

I have tried with regen as well but food just feels better to me.

Cathexis wrote: »

as another stam sorc once said they are like wet noodles in combat realistically.

Not quite sure what you mean tbh. This hits really hard and die as fast / slowly as any other glass cannon. It can actually survive quite a few group play situations due to the extremely high mobility. Or maybe Im nor understanding you right?

Jitterbug · May 2015

Yolokin_Swagonborn wrote: »

Are you using champion points for elemental defender? I think vamp really helps this build but I haven't tried vamp in 1.6 after the jewelry enchant nerf.

Overall great build discussion. Would love to see some gameplay footage.

Paging @Erock25 @Snit @Teargrants

The overall question to answer right now is with magicka sorc being so powerful, is there anything in the current sorc toolkit that makes stam sorc actually better than a (theoretical) classless stam build? 2H makes this build powerful, not sure there is much sorc in the stam sorc build.

1. Yes, I run elemental defender. It's still pretty much click every oh sh*t button if hit by siege.
2. I know, which is why I would love to run Surge instead of Rally to make it more Sorc-y but as I said, it's too unreliable.
There are still things in the playstyle that makes me want to prefer sorc for this build like the constant Major Armor, and the Streak. Plus, Dark Deal is actually growing on me. It's nice to have a "give me stam"-button.

Jitterbug · May 2015

Yolokin_Swagonborn wrote: »

If you are using 5 Ravager (with sword) and 5 Air, you could even squeeze in the bloodspawn shoulders or helm for one more stam regen boost. That leaves nothing to pair with your bow but it would be active on both bars and (if you use a light piece,) would allow you to go 5/1/1 for the undaunted passives.

I don't really PvE so the undaunted passive is probably out of the question for me, but you are absolutely right.
A Masters Bow and a monster-set shoulder would fit nicely - I obviously wear the Air head because it looks too cool :P

Cathexis · May 2015

@jitterbug I'm sure you do quite well. I used to run a very similar damage spec, but I can tell you after running a dozen damage oriented full stam builds, I do miles better with a hybrid build. I used to die maybe 20 times a night to pull out a large kill score, but now I die maybe 2 times a night and do just as well.

I'm just saying consider partial stamina builds, they can be a lot more competitive with sorcs being mana oriented.

cozmon3c_ESO · May 2015

how are you getting 3.3k weapon damge from those sets? are you talking buffed and getting lucky with ravager proc?

Jitterbug · May 2015

cozmon3c_ESO wrote: »

how are you getting 3.3k weapon damge from those sets? are you talking buffed and getting lucky with ravager proc?

yes

edit: cant check right now, but i think its around 3260 fully buffed, 2800-something without ravage. will confirm when I can.

Jitterbug · May 2015

Cathexis wrote: »

@jitterbug I'm sure you do quite well. I used to run a very similar damage spec, but I can tell you after running a dozen damage oriented full stam builds, I do miles better with a hybrid build. I used to die maybe 20 times a night to pull out a large kill score, but now I die maybe 2 times a night and do just as well.

I'm just saying consider partial stamina builds, they can be a lot more competitive with sorcs being mana oriented.

Oh, I didn't take offense

I'm very curious as to your build, and you are more than welcome to share some secrets

Cathexis · May 2015

Share builds?! Nonsense! Spies everywhere!

Jitterbug wrote: »

Plus, Dark Deal is actually growing on me. It's nice to have a "give me stam"-button.

I've reached a point with dark deal where not only could I not imagine a build without it, I now use it aggressively in offensive combat. I've playing around with it; it only drops you out of stealth for the initial cast and I think it can also be block casted.

Jitterbug · May 2015

Cathexis wrote: »

Share builds?! Nonsense! Spies everywhere!

Jitterbug wrote: »

Plus, Dark Deal is actually growing on me. It's nice to have a "give me stam"-button.

I've reached a point with dark deal where not only could I not imagine a build without it, I now use it aggressively in offensive combat. I've playing around with it; it only drops you out of stealth for the initial cast and I think it can also be block casted.

Yeah, that sneak thing is really valuable.
I don't know about block casting though, I practically only block when meteor'ed :-P
I've got a lot to learn

Snit · May 2015

Interesting build. I've not tried a Stamina Sorc at vet levels yet, but I may give it a try.

I think the Streak morph is a difficult decision. As nice as your combo is, I wonder if you might not be better off with the defense provided by Ball of Lightning. Once you learn when and how to use it, it nullifies a whole lot of incoming damage.

Also, have you tried Caltrops? I've heard it procs the Ravager 5-piece, such that you'll have near 100% uptime on the buff.

One last suggestion -- try blue drink. It provides more stamina/ magicka regeneration, which I suspect will be far more helpful to you than the health recovery of the purple drank.

Jitterbug · May 2015

Snit wrote: »

Interesting build. I've not tried a Stamina Sorc at vet levels yet, but I may give it a try.

I think the Streak morph is a difficult decision. As nice as your combo is, I wonder if you might not be better off with the defense provided by Ball of Lightning. Once you learn when and how to use it, it nullifies a whole lot of incoming damage.

Also, have you tried Caltrops? I've heard it procs the Ravager 5-piece, such that you'll have near 100% uptime on the buff.

One last suggestion -- try blue drink. It provides more stamina/ magicka regeneration, which I suspect will be far more helpful to you than the health recovery of the purple drank.

Thanks I'll definitely try that out

As to the caltrops, I hadn't even thought of the proc thing - that sounds awesome.

I really just took the streak morph out of habit I think. I'll give BoL a try.

Thank you!

Cathexis · May 2015

Caltrops also stacks with evil hunter, absolutely ROASTS vamps. Have seen people die to trops alone with 10k hunter procs.

Definitely take BoL, stacks really well with roll dodge. You wont get the same utility out of streak in a stamina build anyway since (im pretty sure) it scales with magicka, and BoL will absorb things like those 15k shards

Jitterbug · May 2015

Snit wrote: »

Also, have you tried Caltrops? I've heard it procs the Ravager 5-piece, such that you'll have near 100% uptime on the buff.

It does, and it's awesome. Thanks!

Jitterbug · May 2015

Updated the build with Caltrops

Jitterbug · May 2015

Updated the OP with a short video.

Sunwell · May 2015

Please feel free to link, some of the hybrid builds