Help me build a good solo PvE / pug PvP Magicka Sorcerer!

Dao_Jones

I've read all of the guides for Sorcs out there, and almost all of them are focused on endgame PvE vet content. Those few PvP guides seem to have a focus around dueling or 1:1 PvP fighting.

However, I prefer soloing in PvE: doing group/public dungeons, delves, world bosses, etc. I also prefer large-scale PvP (sieges and group battles); dueling isn't really my bag anymore.

So what I'm looking for is a MagSorc build that does those two things reasonably well. Solo PvE and PvP share some similar build requirements: survivability, resource management over straight damage, and the ability to apply pressure to small groups (whether mobs, or players trying to breach a wall or cap a flag).

I'm specifically looking for advice for skill loadouts. Nothing that requires gear or CP to make it work; I'm just looking for the right skills to have on my bar. I'm hoping to keep the skill swaps to a minimum; I'm fine with 1-2 swaps between PvE/PvP, but I'd rather not run 3-4 entirely separate bars.

Here are my thoughts so far; I'd love input, critiques, and suggestions:

Front Bar
1. Crystal Fragments
2. BLANK
3. Hardened Ward
4. Inner Light
5. Unstable Clannfear (swap to Bound Aegis for PvP?)
ULT: Energy Overload (?)

Back Bar
1. Haunting Curse
2. Lightning Flood (or Elemental Blockade?)
3. BLANK
4. Power Surge
5. Unstable Clannfear (Bound Aegis)
ULT: BLANK

Could use advice on filling in the blanks. I also have a few general questions:

Mage's Wrath: How useful is this, really? It's useless on targets over 20% health, and even under 20% it only does as much as a hard-cast Crystal Fragments. (Albeit with a small AoE.)
Streak/: is this a "must have" for PvP? (I haven't unlocked it yet, so I haven't had a chance to test.)
Boundless Storm: I like using this skill, and the bonus resistances are handy, but is it worth taking a spot on one of my bars?

Thanks in advance!

Biro123

You're really going to have to resign yourself to having very different bar setups for PVP/Group PVE. You can do overland/questing pve etc fine with your PVP setup - but no dungeons..

Generally with PVP you are focussing on single target burst and defence with a bit of mobility too. Unless part of an organised group (which it sounds like you're not aiming for) in which case, you'll be looking more at timed AOE burst too.

With PVE - its generally consistent AOE dps that you need, not burst - must of which comes from ground-targeted AOE's which the mobs can be herded together into. (PVPers will just move out of the way). you don't need much defence or mobility.


So, that being said.... for PVP in a zerg, I'd say..:

Must haves for burst:
Crystal Frags
Mages Wrath
Haunting Curse

Must haves for defence:
Hardened ward
harness mag
Some kind of heal (usually healing ward)

Useful:
Streak (mobility or on-demand stun)
Overload - for extra bar only to fit in mines/retreating manoevers/defensive rune.


If you are happy to use a pet - they die fast when its zergy - but you can get away with the twilight matriarch as long as you're on PC so can keep it passive. I often use this as my heal, but you have to remember to watch your pets health and shield it with hardened ward too - and have a plan for resummoning when it dies..

Many sorcs use boundless storm - I simply don't have the bar space for it. The resistance buff doesn't help you while your shields are up and the speed boost is short. Not needed if in a zerg imho.

Merlin13KAGL

Dao_Jones wrote: »

Front Bar
1. Crystal Fragments
2. BLANK
3. Hardened Ward
4. Inner Light
5. Unstable Clannfear (swap to Bound Aegis for PvP?)
ULT: Energy Overload (?)

Back Bar
1. Haunting Curse
2. Lightning Flood (or Elemental Blockade?)
3. BLANK
4. Power Surge
5. Unstable Clannfear (Bound Aegis)
ULT: BLANK

Could use advice on filling in the blanks. I also have a few general questions:

Mage's Wrath: How useful is this, really? It's useless on targets over 20% health, and even under 20% it only does as much as a hard-cast Crystal Fragments. (Albeit with a small AoE.)
Streak/: is this a "must have" for PvP? (I haven't unlocked it yet, so I haven't had a chance to test.)
Boundless Storm: I like using this skill, and the bonus resistances are handy, but is it worth taking a spot on one of my bars?

If you use Overload, you have access to a third bar. It is on this bar that you will place longer duration buffs such as Power Surge and Lightning form. A shield (Hardened Ward) is also placed here - deactivating OL isn't always responsive as it should be. If you're running Aegis or one of the familiars, they will have to be placed here, as well. This leaves you one slot open for Dark Conversion, Daedric Mines, Rapids, or the skill of your choosing.

Bar one slot 2 can have Healing ward. (Familiars die sometimes) Encase/Streak can be useful here, as well.

Bar 2 Slot 3, add Elemental Blockade in addition to Liquid Lightning (slot 2 - it ticks higher in situations where your enemy is locked down, such as when encased.) You can replace one of these with Mage's Wrath for PvP.

Force Pulse/Crushing shock is a good spammable in PvP that can replace Blockade or LL for single target.

Slot 4 is for streak in PvP.

Regarding your other questions, streak is not an absolute must have but it can be the difference between winning and losing quite often, especially when outmatched or outnumbered. It stuns, does some damage, but more importantly, it helps you to relocate and reposition yourself quickly. It can also be used to escape in some cases, or access areas of the terrain otherwise inaccessible to other players. It takes some getting used to (distance, timing, etc) but it's worth the investment. Most other players are going to have a gap closer, you'll want one too, or a counter to theirs.

The armor increase with Aegis is not significant enough in PvP to protect you that much (~8% damage reduction), though the increased magicka pool is nice. And, regarding Mage's Wrath, it's well worth having in PvP and PvE. It's spammable, if necessary above 20%, but near the 20% mark, the bonus damage is too good to pass up. The range is good, it's a guaranteed proc (plus possibly bonus damage from implosion passive), it's cheap, and it's harder to dodge than 'instant' frags.

(You will almost never be hard casting frags due to dodge, reflect, and cost, btw.)

Second Ult can be Dawnbreaker of Smiting, Shooting Star, Soul Assault, Devouring Swarm, or Destro Ult, depending on the scenario and whether you're wanting AoE, single target, and/or healing. Negate even still has the occasional use.

You can check out @Alcast 's builds (he has some new gear friendly versions) and @Thelon 's for solo content.

alcasthq.com/

tamrielfoundry.com/topic/the-unholy-herdsman-thelons-pet-build-one-tamriel/

The biggest thing here is this: Don't get hung up on a specific skill set - adjust it for what works for you.

Biro123 wrote: »

You're really going to have to resign yourself to having very different bar setups for PVP/Group PVE. You can do overland/questing pve etc fine with your PVP setup - but no dungeons.

As @Biro123 said, you'll not generally be able to rung the same skills for both scenarios.

And when you've mastered those, there's Imperial Sewers, which has the hybrid of PvP and PvE, both of which you have to be able to handle.

Good luck!