What should I focus on as a Destruction Sorcerer to better myself in PvE?

ArchMikem

I've gotten the feeling that, even though there's no REAL way to play ESO wrong, I've still been playing it wrong. My character is currently a Veteran 4 Khajiit Sorcerer and I've been relying for the most part on Destruction Staves and Storm Calling magic to get through the PvE Questing since start. Since the beginning I've struggled the whole way, getting overwhelmed by groups of enemies three or more, losing multiple times to bosses, and being about 2-4 levels under the region's level. Now that I'm in the Veteran ranks though going through the other Alliances quests It's somewhat gotten "easier" for me, yet I still get horribly outmatched at times. For example I was doing a side quest in Stormhaven and I had to defeat these two Slaver bosses. I lost four times in a row. I had to actually plug in my headset, search out the nearest player and ask him for help just to finish a side quest. So obviously I'm doing something wrong with my Mage.

Could you guys give me advice/tips on bettering my character so I'm more capable of surviving in PvE as a Destruction magic Sorcerer?

Here is my current build using the Calculator.

Joy_Division

The way ESO works right now, it is weak to try and make a "hybrid" class, that is one that uses stamina skills (sword and shield) and one that uses magic (destruction staff), which is what you are trying to do.

The most basic (and I'd argue efficient) way for a sorcerer to quest solo is to use a destruction staff and a restoration staff.

Using the twilight pet is perfectly fine if you are comfortable with it.

To make things simple, this is what I would quest with if I used a twilight.

Destruction bar:
1. Endless fury (this is your execute). It's a big help when enemy is at low health.
2. Crystal fragments. Use this whenever you get the free cast.
3. Elemental ring. This is your AoE.
4. Crushing Shock. This is your main attack skill.
5. Twilight. Your pet is useful for doing damage, drawing aggro and helping you sustain.

Restoration bar:
1. Daedric Mines. This is a really good skill to keep melee enemies off you as they get immobilized when they run into them.
2. Healing Ward. This is your main heal. Use it whenever you health goes below 50%.
3. Power Surge. This increases your damage and also helps heal you.
4. Hardened Ward. This shield spell is amazing! Always make sure this is up.
5. Twilight. See above.

EDIT: The Storm Atronach is very useful ultimate when questing solo. It will let you win fights that normally you cannot.

This is very simple and effective setup that can deal with any questing content in the game all by yourself (even public dungeons). Your Khajit will do just fine with such a setup.

I would recommend for right now at least 6 pieces of light armor (maybe use 1 heavy for the chest). 5 pieces of the Seducer set + 3 pieces of Torug's Pact is a good low level set combination that will ensure you never run out of magicka. 5 pieces of Kragernac's Hope or Julianos are higher level sets to use instead of Seducer if you want more damage.

aLi3nZ

For vet4 sourc that is dying quite. You could try this tanky build

1x Heavy Chest Peice, 1x Heavy Leg Piece - 5x Light peices

Whitestrake's Retribution x5
Warlock x5 necklace and rings etc

Destro Fire Staff:

Crystal Frags
Hardened Ward
Crushing Shock
Impluse or Curse
Lightning form or streak
Overload ultimate



Restro Staff:

Healing ward
powersurge (this should be active as much as possible)
annulet/harness magika
-
-

ArchMikem

Would you suggest I still use the summoned twilight though? Ever since trying that out it's become pretty handy in distracting, and morphing it into the healing one has saved me on several occasions.

Also how good is the Hardened Ward really? I just unlocked Conjured Ward and at level 1 it protects me from maybe two hits from a Zombie at most before needing to be cast again. Does it get a lot better?

aLi3nZ

The more magika you have the stronger your ward will be. It does need to be cast a lot though. healing twilight is pretty good, most higher levels don't use them but instead use summoned astronauch instead. Also that armour set 5 peice bonus pretty much does the same thing as summoned twighlight Whitestrake's Retribution

Cinnamon_Spider

You'll definitely want to use hardened ward. Equip a resto and use healing ward as well, if you're having trouble.

Mojmir

Shield,rotation,resource management,stay outta the red

Acsvf

No offense, but the damage from your skill bars is, well, nonexistent. Damage isn't that important, but with that setup you won't really be doing enough to get through.

I'm not too familiar with sorcerers, but your bar has a couple of issues.
First, your second bar doesn't really do anything. Sword and Board is fine for a magicka build, but the abilities shouldn't be used for anything other than utility. Puncture could be used in groups for occasional aggro, defensive posture is awesome against bosses, and the stuns are useful as well. The maim could also be useful. But generally, you shouldn't have 3 on your bar if you're a magicka dps. Defensive posture is really the only one you should use, because it's useful for any player. When you go for a magicka build, go for mostly magicka abilities. Your abilities are scaled off of your maximum magicka for magicka abilities, and max stamina for stamina abilities.

Second, dark conversion shouldn't be double bar'ed. Just use it on one bar(second or third is probably best). It's not a toggled ability.

Third, your single target damage doesn't exist. Impulse is fine for AOE, but you don't really have anything for single target damage. I suggest force shock(either morph) and crystal fragments. Use force shock until you get a proc and then use crystal fragments, or just keep on casting crystal fragments until something dies. Either one is perfectly fine for leveling and will get you rather far. Or you could put curse in there somewhere.

Fourth, you lack sorcery and prophecy. They aren't exactly necessary, but having them really helps. I suggest you get magelight and surge/entropy somewhere on your bars.

Fifth, twilight isn't that useful unless you're going for a pet build. If you want to use a pet, clannfear is much better to take a bit of damage for you. But both aren't really that good at veteran levels.

Sixth, you have a less than desirable race choice for this type of build but there isn't that much of an impact, so it's fine. Next time you make a character though, I suggest you look at something more optimal- unless you really like a particular race.

I would also suggest you use overload or negate magic instead of soul assault.

I've spent about 2 minutes speedily putting together a build somewhat based on your previous build, and I suggest you use it as a starting point(as in try it out and see what works for you and modify it).

http://esohead.com/calculator/skills#1.mM0zey9k8A4hs8AIPH8hMZg8hmKy8NNgi8AISz8A4hs8Niak8AIPr8AISP8fXiE8NUVP8y7rMR3a8e7CMaqT6daqS8H7JNzf26Nzwm6NbHm8J7JrziB6MziD6IziO6qziX8K7JIkg6qzuu6bzuI6MzuN6bzuj6Lzun8O7mzdeB6mdeF8zf7zzNbo8zu7zzHfYE6zHfZd8zG7zzHQ3F8zI7zzJIoX6zJIkL8zN7zzJZcY8zA7zzKpUN8zL7zzK4EX

Magdalina

ArchMikem wrote: »

Would you suggest I still use the summoned twilight though? Ever since trying that out it's become pretty handy in distracting, and morphing it into the healing one has saved me on several occasions.

Also how good is the Hardened Ward really? I just unlocked Conjured Ward and at level 1 it protects me from maybe two hits from a Zombie at most before needing to be cast again. Does it get a lot better?

She can actually be a source of rather nice dps, not sure if they have or have not entirely removed the pets taunting so can't comment on that. She does die too easy though if someone goes for her.

Hardened Ward is OP if you have a lot of magicka. By v16 a lot of people run 38-40k but even at lower numbers, that morph is gooooooood(it also protects your pets by the way). Inner Light from Mages guild skilltree provides a nice boost to your magicka and spellcrit by the way, most magicka people run it on both bars(since toggle) in PvE.
If you're struggling with surviveability I'd suggest Resto staff over s&b, Healing Ward stacks with Hardened Ward and gives some pretty amazing defence altogether, plus that heal. Guess most stuff has been said already though - try something like
Main bar: Crushing Shock - Crystal Frags - Impulse - Hardened Ward - Inner light
Offbar: Surge - Healing Ward - whatever you like, Streak for mobility perhaps? - whatever - Inner light
Overload is a great ultimate, though an extremely buggy one(one of the morphs also restores magicka on hits so it helps with magicka management if you're struggling). Atro can also be nice sometimes(also good for hiding behind his wide back ).

That's just the generic "what leveling mag sorc normally runs" line of though, of course you can replace something in there if you prefer other skills more but something like that should probably get you through.

EDIT: To provide some numbers, at ~40k magicka Hardened Ward provides something about 24k damage shield. That's with 90 points in Bastion though but still.

Therium104

We did City of Ash on veteran 16 by bolstering a Sorc (Vet 3) in all white armor with no runes. He was bolstered up to ~2,300 spell damage. We just had the guy save ultimate and use overload light attack. I am not kidding. This is last boss and the dps check. Sorc is easy mode dude. They are so easy does not take skill, gear, or brain power. Just use ultimate and spam light attacks..... Thank ZOS. Rotation? Play a more demanding class.

Oh yea. He crafted the armor but had no materials to upgrade. We hooked him up after dungeon.

ArchMikem

Acsvf wrote: »

I've spent about 2 minutes speedily putting together a build somewhat based on your previous build, and I suggest you use it as a starting point(as in try it out and see what works for you and modify it).

http://esohead.com/calculator/skills#1.mM0zey9k8A4hs8AIPH8hMZg8hmKy8NNgi8AISz8A4hs8Niak8AIPr8AISP8fXiE8NUVP8y7rMR3a8e7CMaqT6daqS8H7JNzf26Nzwm6NbHm8J7JrziB6MziD6IziO6qziX8K7JIkg6qzuu6bzuI6MzuN6bzuj6Lzun8O7mzdeB6mdeF8zf7zzNbo8zu7zzHfYE6zHfZd8zG7zzHQ3F8zI7zzJIoX6zJIkL8zN7zzJZcY8zA7zzKpUN8zL7zzK4EX

I tried your ability loadouts and even though it has merits it's very different from what I've been getting by on. I'm so used to trying to pump out as much damage as I can as quickly as I can that using up slots with passive abilities that instead give me buffs requires a more cautious battle style. Usually my playstyle is to use an ability like flame clench to do damage and knock them back, and then as they're knocked away I unload other attacks before using clench again. Shard Fragments do the same thing and probably do higher damage but the casting time gets me in trouble here and there, even with the chance instant morph.

Restoration Staff abilities are pretty much a godsend for me, why in Hell did I not invest in them earlier in the game is beyond me though I think the game made it sound like I could only heal other players and not myself. But after using those healing abilities they've proven to be really useful, though they take up so many slots that I can't use any pure damage abilities. If only the controller had more buttons! Having to switch to the alt ability bar and back is such a hassle during fights with groups.

Whitestrake's Retribution x5

I read that crafting armor sets require you to have learned a bunch of traits in order to do it. I've been so focused on questing that I haven't spent any time doing the research. My Clothier skill isn't even high enough yet to craft light armor for my level, and I haven't put any time at all into leveling Blacksmithing.

And by now I'm sure you guys are cringing at my self harm. I know now that I chose probably the worst race character to be a Sorcerer, but I did because I both love the Khajiit and I love Magic. I also wouldn't be nearly this worse off if I spent more of the early game actually developing my skills and ability to craft more appropriate armor. I'm just not a very hardcore MMORPG guy. But I do appreciate the tips.

Acsvf

ArchMikem wrote: »

And by now I'm sure you guys are cringing at my self harm. I know now that I chose probably the worst race character to be a Sorcerer, but I did because I both love the Khajiit and I love Magic. I also wouldn't be nearly this worse off if I spent more of the early game actually developing my skills and ability to craft more appropriate armor. I'm just not a very hardcore MMORPG guy. But I do appreciate the tips.

Race choice isn't that significant(especially for leveling), and equipment doesn't matter that much for leveling. If you use what you pick up from quests, you should do fine.

ArchMikem wrote: »

I tried your ability loadouts and even though it has merits it's very different from what I've been getting by on. I'm so used to trying to pump out as much damage as I can as quickly as I can that using up slots with passive abilities that instead give me buffs requires a more cautious battle style. Usually my playstyle is to use an ability like flame clench to do damage and knock them back, and then as they're knocked away I unload other attacks before using clench again. Shard Fragments do the same thing and probably do higher damage but the casting time gets me in trouble here and there, even with the chance instant morph.
.

The best way to play is the way you prefer.
However, if you want to do damage, then I suggest you add some damage abilities to your bar.

LadyNalcarya

aLi3nZ wrote: »

For vet4 sourc that is dying quite. You could try this tanky build

1x Heavy Chest Peice, 1x Heavy Leg Piece - 5x Light peices

Whitestrake's Retribution x5
Warlock x5 necklace and rings etc

Destro Fire Staff:

Crystal Frags
Hardened Ward
Crushing Shock
Impluse or Curse
Lightning form or streak
Overload ultimate



Restro Staff:

Healing ward
powersurge (this should be active as much as possible)
annulet/harness magika
-
-

Whitestrake is a terrible choice for non-tanking char.
As a sorc, he can use wards and resto off-bar, and it will be better than tanking a single mob for 5 minutes while hitting like a wet noodle.
Kagrenac's hope is much better, it gives magicka regen, magicka, hp and spell damage.
@ArchMikem, if you're on pc/EU, feel free to add me (@Koshka-Murka in game) and I will craft you that set.

ArchMikem

KoshkaMurka wrote: »

Whitestrake is a terrible choice for non-tanking char.
As a sorc, he can use wards and resto off-bar, and it will be better than tanking a single mob for 5 minutes while hitting like a wet noodle.
Kagrenac's hope is much better, it gives magicka regen, magicka, hp and spell damage.
@ArchMikem, if you're on pc/EU, feel free to add me (@Koshka-Murka in game) and I will craft you that set.

Unfortunately I play the game on Xbox One in North America. My PC probably is capable of playing it and I wouldn't have to pay for Xbox Live, but I picked it up for console anyway. Thanks for the offer though.

@Joy_Division Thanks for the suggestion, I'll try that loadout as well. I actually did use (spam) Crystal Shards a lot during the early game. Would you say Power Surge is more beneficial to have slotted than Lightning Form?

nbksaske

ive got a V12 high elf sorc, when i started i put skills into clanfear (my dinosaur) and twilight with greater storm atro, kept using hardened ward and they rarely died, they are handy for a group of enemies. also with leveling, i started in auridon and wouldn't move on to gratwood till i got the master explorer and found i was always a higher level, not much help but try doing every quest, dolmen, caves etc in each area you can

Joy_Division

ArchMikem wrote: »

@Joy_Division Thanks for the suggestion, I'll try that loadout as well. I actually did use (spam) Crystal Shards a lot during the early game. Would you say Power Surge is more beneficial to have slotted than Lightning Form?

Yes. Lightning form is a decent ability, but your shield and your healing ward better cover your defenses (besides, the armor buff you get from lightning form doesn't work with shields). Power surge will increase the damage of all of your skills while also healing you whenever you critically hit. Just be sure to pick the morph that increases your spell damage (the name escapes me at the moment).

Good luck!

ArchMikem

[/quote]Good luck![/quote]

If only that existed for me.

I'm so close to leveling to VR5 and decided to go back and clear some Black Anchors in the earlier regions. I cleared a VR1 Anchor solo, but it took me three lives to do it. A VR2 Anchor took five lives.

What on Earth am I doing wrong.

Cuyler

Bar1: Magelight (morph innerlight), Bound armor (morph Bound Aegis), Impulse (morph elemental ring), conjured ward (morph hardened ward), force shock (morph force pulse), meteor (morph shooting star).

Bar 2: Magelight (morph innerlight), Bound armor (morph Bound Aegis), Lightning splash (morph liquid lightning), Lightning form (morph boundless storm), Surge (morph power surge), Overload (morph energy overload).

Bar 3 (overload bar): Magelight (morph innerlight), Bound armor (morph Bound Aegis), Lightning splash (morph liquid lightning), Lightning form (morph boundless storm), Summon Winged Twilight (morph summon twilight matriarch), Overload (morph energy overload).

With this setup you've got bound aegis and boundless storm providing a lot of resistances, power surge to give life on hit (LoH) and hardened ward as a spammable shield. While overloading the matriarch can heal you at low health as well. Lots of survivability without suffering damage by using a resto staff. Most of the mechanics in this game that kill you can be avoided by doing more damage and killing them before they can kill you.

Sorc is one of the best classes in terms of survivability while putting out serious damage. Don't gimp your damage using a resto staff unless your set on being a healer. MAKE SURE YOUR POWER SURGE IS UP 100% OF THE TIME. It's the only source of healing you'll have but you'll have a very large shield (hardened ward) to mitigate a lot of the damage before it even hits your HP pool.

Rotation:
start on bar 2, boundless storm>power surge>liquid lighting>switch bars>ele ring (AOE) or force pulse (single target)>apply shield as necessary>switch bars when power surge is over>repeat. Look into light attack weaving your force pulse (this makes a huge difference) there are videos out there that explain how.

Save overload for any tough bosses. Keep close to the enemy so your boundless storm will apply it's lightning DOT.

Gear:
bar1 - Inferno w/nrinhoned or sharpened and w/lighting or prismatic enchant
bar 2 - DW swords w/nirnhoned or sharpened w/no enchant needed (don't actually use the swords, it's just for additional damage). You'll need to get all the twin blade and blunt passive in DW.

For leveling use 5pc julianos w/divines, willpower jewelry w/HP or mag, fill the rest with either magnus' or a mix of magnus' and torug's pact. Mundus is thief or shadow. Have 1 heavy chest, 1 medium head or legs, and the rest light (5/1/1). Make sure to have the undaunted passives to get the additional base stats from this.

CPs:
Red - even split between hardy and elemental defender. Put a few into thick skinned after you got a few into those.
Blue - Put 10 into staff expert, 1 into spell erosion and the rest into elemental expert. When ele expert is 100, put the rest into elfborn.
Green - Fill up magician first, then put into arcanist.

Oreyn_Bearclaw

My go to bars for Solo/bad group content are:

Destro Staff: Crushing shock, Crystal Frags, Liquid Lightening, Pulsar, Inner Light, Overload
DW: Power Surge, Hardened Ward, Boundless Storm, Mages Wrath, Inner light, overload.

There are situational uses for other ultimates, but Overload is a magic sorc's best friend. Only time I use a pet is if I am going for absolute max DPS on my overload bar. Pets can be useful for soloing, but I prefer the magic and crit bonus from Inner light.

Resto staff is a viable replacement for DW. You are trading damage for survivability. On a sorc, you just dont need it IMO. Between your heals from surge and your hardened ward, you should have plenty of survivability.

When I am running in good groups, trials, or VMA, I run double toggles of inner light and bound aegis. The extra magic is a noticeable DPS increase. This means I usually need to drop my shield and my power surge and run pots to get my spell power. This makes you pretty darn squishy, which is why a good group is important. Another thing I do sometimes is to keep my power surge and then switch between Ele Ring and Frags depending on whether fight is AoE or single Target. The best sorc I know always runs this way, but if you forget to switch your loadout, you can find yourself in trouble.

For VMA, I have tried everything, but have found simple works best.
Destro: Crushing Shock, Frags, Hardened Ward, Bound Aegis, Inner Light Overload
DW: Power Surge, Mages Wrath, Hardened Ward, Bound Aegis, Inner Light Overload

Most really competitive players dont double slot ward and run something like elemental drain for the major breach or liquid lightening for some AoE, but I find this is a much safer setup. I am not trying to break records, just get through with my hide in one piece.