Mag Sorc

jkloza

Hey all,

Looking for some advice on my mag sorc build for DB. I’ve got pretty much every dungeon / crafted set available to me and I’m looking for some recommendations for DPS.

Is pet sorc any better or worse than a standard ranged magicka build for 4 mans/ trials? I’ve got dual VMA lightning staves, but no flame.

For the pet build, what set would best accompany necro? I have groth, illambris, skoria, but no zaan yet.

Without moondancer, is willpower a suitable replacement until I get the required drops?

What about gear setups for non pet builds?

Thanks!

Maulkin

You wouldn't wear Zaan cause you're not gonna be melee in trials. Also you're also mostly in them for your AoE, your off-balance and your attro buff, not your single target dmg. Magblades will always out-DPS you in single target.

Pet setup is Ilambris, Necro, 4x Moondancer/Infalllible frontbar (shock), Maesltrom backbar (shock). Change Necro to Mechanical Acuity for non-pet build. Make sure your front bar is infused with a shock enchant.

Highly recommend pet build because it's certainly a lot easier to play and manage the timers. And you'll get better AoE dmg to boot which is kinda your core job as a MagSorc.

Alcast's site is actually quite helpful for new players -> Pet Sorc

jkloza

Thanks, much appreciated!

What do you recommend replacing the moondancer/infall with while working on getting the trial gear? I’ve got 5x necro, willpower, illambris, Juli, acuity.

I’ll check out alcasts site as well!

Maulkin

For pet build? 1 pet or 2?

Generally since pets don't crit and their damage only scales with max magicka and penetration (and not spell damage), the more pets you have the more max magicka in favour of spell crit that you want. Hence Acuity (mostly crit) and Julianos (mostly crit and spell damage) are both non-optimal.

If you can't get the Minor Slayer from Moondancer/Infallible/Master Achitect then I guess the next best option for a front bar set is something that gives 2xMagicka and 1xSpell Damage. Like Spinner's or Shadow Dancer. You can buy and transmute either.

For non-pet builds crit and spell damage are superior to max magicka, especially in trial content, so I'd go 4p Wise Mage. If you don't have that either, then pick any of the sets that give Magicka, Crit, Damage from 4 pieces. Many sets do that: Destruction Mastery, Netch Touch, Ysgramor, War Maiden etc.

Last option is Willpower jewels with any gold infused firestaff.

But yeah, you should find a Trials guild and ask for a couple of vAA runs in hardmode. It's the easiest trial by far. You will get Infallible gold jewels and a firestaff quite easy from 12 people x 2 runs. Otherwise you spend gold mats on sets you'll replace pretty soonish.

Lord-Otto

Maulkin gave sound advice. Only thing I'd personally add would be using a fire glyph on front with pet, just to proc Ilambris. I typically have another sorc with me in trials, so Concussion isn't an issue.

Willpower is a good substitute for trials gear. I hear some people claim getting higher numbers with 3 Willpower vs 3 MD/MA/IA.

Lifemocker

Well if you don't have Infallible or Moondancer, I guess you could go with 4 piece Netch's touch or Martial knowledge. Or just Willpower with a crafted staff until you get Moondancer or Infallible.

Runefang

Maulkin wrote: »

For pet build? 1 pet or 2?

Generally since pets don't crit and their damage only scales with max magicka and penetration (and not spell damage), the more pets you have the more max magicka in favour of spell crit that you want. Hence Acuity (mostly crit) and Julianos (mostly crit and spell damage) are both non-optimal.

*snip*

FYI pets can crit which makes Juli, Acuity and even Mother's Sorrow all viable sets to wear. Thief and Shadow could also be viable mundus stones depending on the set up.

I've seen some pretty nice pet sorc numbers from a Mother's Sorrow + Shadow set up.

Waffennacht

Only pets from sets don't crit all others do.

Familiar is just the bee's knees for PvE

S1ipperyJim

I run a pet magsorc build for vet trials with my guild. Basically what works best for highest DPS (and also simplest rotation and unlimited sustain) for us is as follows:

2xIllambris
4xmoondancer (jewellery and front lightning staff with fire glyph)
5xNecropotence
1xlightning maelstrom staff backbar (spell damage glyph)

Personally I don't have a lightning moondancer staff so I use a random lightning staff and 3xIA jewellery, as a result I lose perhaps 1-2k DPS over my guildmate who has the same build with 4xmoondancer.

Keep in mind although pets can be used against almost all trial bosses, for the last boss in AA and HoF you will need an alternative non pet build (I use julianos over necro and add force pulse frags)

Believe it or not we found thief mundus works best, but you could also use apprentice

Make sure you have extra CP points in heavy attack damage (heavy attacks are highest DPS skill)

You're looking at 36-7k DPS on a 6 mil dummy self buffed if you keep flawless uptime on pulse etc, with raid buffs around 45k DPS

skills look like:
Bar 1:Daedric Prey>volatile familiar->flappy bird pet->hardened ward->inner light->shooting star
Bar 2: liquid lightning->blockade->volatile familiar->flappy bird pet (either is fine, heal morph is actually more useful, as rotation doesn't allow activation except for emergency heal)->mages light->atro or elemental rage

rotation is light attack->liquid lightning->light attack->blockade->light attack (barswap) heavy attack->familiar pulse->heavy attack->daedric prey (barswap) repeat

This is all off the top of my head, hope it helps and I haven't forgotten anything

Lord-Otto

Jim, put a destro skill on front, you're losing the 8% AoE passive!