Today, I'll be discussing options on what to improve on the proc set scaling that will come in the blackwood patch.
Currently, on the PTS, stam characters and (hybrids for that matter) are the the only build types that can utilise and reach the 6574 weapon damage soft cap for damage proc sets. Not saying you cannot reach that on a magicka character but it is significantly harder and you end up sacrificing a lot by changing cp passives, munduses, sets, weapon types or skills. On the other hand, healing proc sets, which rely on magicka or stamina whichever is higher can be easily obtainable on magicka classes. On a PvE perspective however that 39,901 soft cap is somewhat hard to obtain from what I've read and heard. Proc sets that require health or resistances is relatively easier to stack since these resources is in abundance wearing heavy armor. This stacking into one specific stat essentially leads to 0 diminishing returns and stam, mag and health based characters cannot utilise sets in some cases and in other cases are abusing a single stat to utilise a set.
At this point, Zenimax is treating proc sets like abilities and there isn't anything wrong with that however more should be done. I honestly reckon they should treat proc sets like abilities and scale them based on the common 10.5 ratio between max stats and weapon/spell damage unless specified. I'm also leaning towards nerfing every single proc set in the game to reintroduce proc sets that can utilize critical chance and damage since it is an essential aspect of the game. Especially since crit is so hard to obtain unless you actually build for it, I think this is a good change.
An actual fix for proc set abusing is firstly making proc sets scale with a maximum of 2 different stats so no one goes and stacks a single stat and experiences no diminishing returns on stat stacking.
Secondly I'd nerf all proc sets by a maximum of 40% to reintroduce crittable proc sets since critting is an important aspect of the game and is now, harder to obtain than it was a few years ago when people in heavy armor who weren't using savagery buffs were hitting 34% critical chance with ease.
I know this isn't a popular opinion but Zenimax is pretty much treating proc sets like abilities by removing the chances on a set actually proccing and now by scaling it with stats. When proc sets were able to crit pre homestead patch, that was at a time where the systems in place for eso were so easily abused with the old-old cp trees (maximum percentages of 25% mighty/elemental expert or critical damage were actually obtainable with the 561 cp cap in One Tamriel patch for reference).
Why by a maximum of 40%? Because nerfing proc sets by 40% so they can be crittable is actually significant damage loss. Anything below 40% is fine as 40% is a maximum value of what proc sets imo should be nerfed since anything higher would kill proc sets in the game. Minimum value would be roughly 20-25% since we have to consider average critical damage. When we talk about critical chance and damage in comparison to proc sets that can't crit we have to consider the average critical damage (which is Critical chance*Critical damage) to make sound adjustments. So in conclusion, anything below 40% is fine, 40% imo, is the maximum at what proc sets should get nerfed by in order to reintroduce proc sets being crittable since this will have serious implications where pve, proc sets are strong and in pvp, where its the opposite.
Once again I KNOW making proc sets crittable in the game isn't a popular opinion since proc sets do a lot of damage on the live servers and slightly less in the PTS, however following these changes IMO would be the best route for the game's proc sets. Please agree or disagree civilly and give suggestions on what else Zenimax can do. I'm pretty certain I have missed some important points.