Sorc Tank (PvE)

xGhost91x

Hey all.

I've played a DK tank for a long time and I'm looking to try something new. With the change to Silver Leash, are Sorcerers competitive in the end-game trials scene now? If so, can I run with the Lord Warden, Ebon, Alkosh combo and be good to go? What skills would I use?
Thanks to anyone that can provide any information.

jypcy

Depends on what you mean by competitive I guess. If you’re asking whether sorc tanks are the new go-to for score pushing, then no, I don’t think so. Imo there’s nothing meaningful to score pushing that a sorc tank does better than a dk tank.

If you’re asking whether it’s possible to tank on a sorc in vet trials, then yeah I’d say so. I’d say dks, wardens, and nbs are the best to tank vet trials with, but with a willing group, templar and sorc should be fine too. I don’t think there’s currently any vet trial content that’s so demanding on the tank that only optimal classes could complete it. Maybe vCR hm— haven’t tried it on a sorc tank so idk how the self survivability/sustain is for the build in that instance, but I’d imagine it’s doable.

There’s another thread on sorc tanking that I believe is still on the front page of this forum. Sets/builds have already been discussed at some length in there so I’ll let you reference that for your build-related questions: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/429737/need-advice-for-sorc-tanking#latest

Tasear

ESO is designed to play as you want. What determines how far you get is skill

Things Sorcs tanks have on edge of classes for tanking is ulimate cost reduction, block cost reduction, and lots of options for sustain.

xGhost91x

Thanks for the replies! Yeah, I figured that Sorc tanks weren't ideal scores. I was just wondering how good they were vet trials on general.

TBois

I believe implosion damage scales on health. It seems that may be an advantage. This is coming from a mostly pvper who has a pve dps setup to get all gear including trials if needed but i mostly do dungeons and vdsa

Tasear

xGhost91x wrote: »

Thanks for the replies! Yeah, I figured that Sorc tanks weren't ideal scores. I was just wondering how good they were vet trials on general.

Only thing in way is enfluging flames. Otherwise it's all skill of the player.

xGhost91x

Yeah, missing out on Engulfing Flames is one of the things I'm worried about. I guess I just have to hope for a MagDK in the group, haha.

Tasear

xGhost91x wrote: »

Yeah, missing out on Engulfing Flames is one of the things I'm worried about. I guess I just have to hope for a MagDK in the group, haha.

or dk healer, but such concern is noted among class reps already.

DocFrost72

Clanfear is a great health based skill, mind the cost though. Having it slotted also increases health and stam recovery, and having it active gives max health.

Unless you need hurricane for pve take boundless for the uptime and magicka utility skill. Speed can also be nice.

Empowered ward will make your mag dps and healers love you (only if you don't have a magwarden with shrooms).

Encase means you don't have to run an ice staff for root, which can be nice. Also heals you based on the blood magic passive.

Liquid lightning (or flood) means you don't have to run a lightning staff back bar to contribute to off balance uptime.

Helpful hint: ult cost doesn't work like it does on dk because you already have lowering passives. Things like dragon or potentate work with the already lowered cost percentage, making them less impactful investments as they are percent based. Conversely, you see a theoretical increase in bloodspawn efficacy as it is a flat number.

Surge + hurricane/boundless = laugh at trash packs. It also means you can use clanfear for the really big moments and not all healing.

If you're on PC, holding "Y" and right clicking will return the clanfear to your side as a passive pet. It can still be damaged, but will not attack anything. Similarly, heavy attacks will focus its aggression to your target.

As one person noted, implosion proc damage is based on health. It's possible to get wild numbers like 40-60k dmg.

Happy hunting!

xGhost91x

@DocFrost72 I'm on Xbox

xGhost91x

I'm thinking of running the following sets and skills:

Race: Imperial

2 Lord Warden
5 Ebon
5 Alkosh

All heavy, sword and shield on front bar, lightning staff on back bar.

Front Bar: Sword and Shield

-Dark Deal
-Absorb Magicka
-Boundless Storm
-Pierce Armor
-Heroic Slash
-Ult-Barrier (for magicka regen. (More Dark Deal's) Sword and shield Ult for situations like axes in vAA.)

Back Bar: Lightning Staff

-Restraining Prison
-Wall of Elements
-Crit Surge
-Inner Fire
-Silver Leash
-Ult-Aggressive Warhorn

DocFrost72

xGhost91x wrote: »

I'm thinking of running the following sets and skills:

Race: Imperial

2 Lord Warden
5 Ebon
5 Alkosh

All heavy, sword and shield on front bar, lightning staff on back bar.

Front Bar: Sword and Shield

-Crit Surge
-Absorb Magicka
-Boundless Storm
-Pierce Armor
-Heroic Slash
-Ult-Barrier (for magicka regen. Sword and shield Ult for situations like axes in vAA.)

Back Bar: Lightning Staff

-Restraining Prison
-Wall of Elements
-Dark Deal
-Inner Fire
-Silver Leash
-Ult-Aggressive Warhorn

Looks solid. I'd suggest dark deal front and surge back. Surge has a 30 second ish uptime, so reapplying is easy enough. I always keep dark deal because you are vulnerable to cc and heavy attacks/lots of damage while both bar swapping and channeling dark deal.

xGhost91x

Yeah, I noticed that and was in the process of editing my comment when you replied, haha. I was going to switch around Surge and Dark Deal.

jypcy

Also, if you haven’t made the character yet, I really would recommend argonian. I made one for my second nb tank just to see what all the fuss is about (but more importantly because the argonian tsaesci helmets look awesome) and it’s pretty ridiculous how strong that race is compared to imperial (the plurality of my tanks are imperial, so I know the race well).

Bars look solid. You might change absorb magicka to perhaps bound aegis or even immovable brute (to make sure your dark deal casts don’t get interrupted), or to move another backbar skill to your front so that you can slot crushing shock or ele drain there.

Morgul667

I love my magsorc tank

Not the best but encase dark deal hardened ward bound arnament matriarch arr nice skills

I enjoy playing it as tank heal for dungeons and so on

Vet trials never tried, could be possible as pure tank but sure needs practice

GimpyPorcupine

Storm Atronach synergy gives 8 seconds of Major Berserk. This is huge, possibly better that Aggressive Horn.

DocFrost72

GimpyPorcupine wrote: »

Storm Atronach synergy gives 8 seconds of Major Berserk. This is huge, possibly better that Aggressive Horn.

If you're in a raid and the healers have it, perhaps a good idea. Better source would still be a nightblade or warden with war machine or architect I feel like.

GimpyPorcupine

DocFrost72 wrote: »

GimpyPorcupine wrote: »

Storm Atronach synergy gives 8 seconds of Major Berserk. This is huge, possibly better that Aggressive Horn.

If you're in a raid and the healers have it, perhaps a good idea. Better source would still be a nightblade or warden with war machine or architect I feel like.

Aren't those Major Slayer?

DocFrost72

I did a Derp, you are correct. They are slayer.

xGhost91x

Oh yeah. I know it's going to need some getting used to. Honestly, I've tanked just about everything in the game with a Nord DK, so I feel like I'll do alright on an Imperial.

xGhost91x

Also, wouldn't Absorb Magicka be preferable to Bound Aegis during something like Rakkhat's machine gun attack?

DocFrost72

xGhost91x wrote: »

Also, wouldn't Absorb Magicka be preferable to Bound Aegis during something like Rakkhat's machine gun attack?

If you can sustain it, it makes the attack laughable. Just make sure it is the absorb and not reflect. Don't ask how I know that

jypcy

Yeah, imperial should definitely work. My sorc tank is a redguard and I did vAS hm with him. I think that argonian will perform the best, but other races should be perfectly viable as well.

Edit to add: and yeah I think absorb magicka will be good to have for certain situations, but I’m just thinking for most cases you can probably get better use out of a different skill. I’d consider it a flex spot, that you can pop whichever skill the current situation demands in there. Absorb magicka, bound aegis, overflowing altar, shield charge... you name it.

xGhost91x

Oh, one more question. Do the Minor Ward and Minor Resolve from Bound Aegis stack with the Lord Warden proc?

DocFrost72

xGhost91x wrote: »

Oh, one more question. Do the Minor Ward and Minor Resolve from Bound Aegis stack with the Lord Warden proc?

They absolutely do. Lord warden proc is a unique buff and will stack with everything but other lord warden procs.

GreenHere

xGhost91x wrote: »

Oh, one more question. Do the Minor Ward and Minor Resolve from Bound Aegis stack with the Lord Warden proc?

Yes, unless they changed it with the update yesterday and I missed it. Lord Warden provides just flat resistance, not any Major/Minor resists. So no worries about it not stacking with anything.

Chudan provides Major resists, but the Minor resists you're asking about would even stack with that as well.

xGhost91x

Awesome! Yeah, I was considering the Absorb Magicka spot as a flex spot. I think I'll keep it as Bound Aegis most of the time unless I need Absorb Magicka for certain situations. The change to Bound Aegis seems pretty nice. Glad I don't have to double bar it anymore.

xGhost91x

So, say I'm tanking The Warrior (or any boss where I need to hold block for an extended period of time on certain mechanics) and the healer isn't the best at giving Shards for me to get my stamina back. What would be the best way for me to regain stamina safely in that situation? As a DK you can just hold block and spam Igneous Shield, but what would you do as a Sorc? Bound Aegis and Dark Deal?

Liofa

xGhost91x wrote: »

So, say I'm tanking The Warrior (or any boss where I need to hold block for an extended period of time on certain mechanics) and the healer isn't the best at giving Shards for me to get my stamina back. What would be the best way for me to regain stamina safely in that situation? As a DK you can just hold block and spam Igneous Shield, but what would you do as a Sorc? Bound Aegis and Dark Deal?

Onky thing you need to block is the Thousand Cuts. You should also block Starfall but that's optional. Everything else is just a matter of awareness as you should block the CC from adds as well. You can sustain better than DK in any fight as long as you know when to block. Dark Deal gives 4k stamina for 3k magicka cost while Igneous Shield costs 4k magicka but gives 1k stamina. On a DK, you can be braindead and spam Igneous without dropping block but on Sorcerer, it rewards the player for smart gameplay, knowing when to block and being aware of your surroundings.

jypcy

Probably. I haven’t been in that situation myself, but since the warrior has breaks between his swipes, I’d get the most out of a dark deal or two there and then go back to blocking. Shield discipline ult is another go to for sustained blocking because you can heavy attack while it’s active (just be careful because I think either when you activate it, the effect wears off, or both, you drop block for a split second as it switches from the ult blocking to manual blocking). Group members might complain about you not using a war horn if you go with the latter, but A) if you can’t rely on your healers, that’s a bigger issue B ) I’m sure they appreciate you surviving so they don’t have to tank swipes more than their deeps numbers (warrior isn’t a great fight for parsing anyways).

xGhost91x

Thank you guys! The Thousand Cuts was exactly what I was worried about. I trust my healers but mistakes can happen.