The Gold Road Chapter – which includes the Scribing system – and Update 42 is now available to test on the PTS! You can read the latest patch notes here: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/656454/
Some thoughts on the proposed changes to sorc for U37.
Turtle_Bot
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I've had a bit of time now to sit down and properly test out these changes and would like to note a few things.
While the changes will help the class in the short term, the main pain points of the class were not addressed and as such the issues with the class still remain.
Healing:
Lack of buff/debuff access, notably crit modifiers:
Class Identity:
Fixes, changes, comments:
Overall, the buffs will help the class in the short term. But they will be exactly like the previous buffs the class received, where they can potentially be seen as "OP" or potentially used in "OP" ways by some very smart and talented players, but they don't actually do anything to fix the issues that the class has. Also, as per usual, the other classes also got access to something that was supposed to make sorcerer unique, meaning why play sorcerer anymore when you can play the other classes and still be playing sorcerer just with better skills.
While the changes will help the class in the short term, the main pain points of the class were not addressed and as such the issues with the class still remain.
Healing:
The shield buff was a step in the right direction for shield builds, it has definitely given them an alternative to the 5 year old max mag stacking build. But it hasn't fixed the defensive issues the class has in pvp and only really reinforces the notion of build a high health tank or a squishy dd.
The class's heals have not kept up with the damage and speed of the modern game and no amount of buffs to shields outside of ridiculously broken changes will fix this because the flaws with the class's healing is not tied to numerical values, it's tied to the functionality of the skills themselves.
The class still relies on dealing critical damage to get healing over time while lacking proper access to basic crit chance and crit damage modifiers. This is elaborated on in the next spoiler tab.
The class's heals have not kept up with the damage and speed of the modern game and no amount of buffs to shields outside of ridiculously broken changes will fix this because the flaws with the class's healing is not tied to numerical values, it's tied to the functionality of the skills themselves.
The class still relies on dealing critical damage to get healing over time while lacking proper access to basic crit chance and crit damage modifiers. This is elaborated on in the next spoiler tab.
Lack of buff/debuff access, notably crit modifiers:
This was touched on in the healing spoiler tab, but most notably the class relies heavily on dealing critical damage to proc their heal over time to have enough passive healing to keep up with the current game, but the class lacks any inherent access to major prophecy/savagery and crit damage buffs that would help make this more synergistic and reliable which is what passive healing over time needs to be.
The class still lacks many buffs/debuffs, even common ones such as breach and the afore mentioned prophecy/savagery, it is also tied for the lowest amount of named buff access in the game, with multiple of its buffs being tied to abilities that are unusable if you want to do more than overland questing/roleplaying.
The class still lacks many buffs/debuffs, even common ones such as breach and the afore mentioned prophecy/savagery, it is also tied for the lowest amount of named buff access in the game, with multiple of its buffs being tied to abilities that are unusable if you want to do more than overland questing/roleplaying.
Class Identity:
This is not a direct nerf or buff to sorc, but reworking mist form to essentially be a better Ball of Lightning skill that every class can use was not good for sorcs already fast fading class identity as the fast paced mobile damage dealer. While I do actually like what they did with mist form, it removes the last unique thing sorcs had in this game and gives it to every single class to stack alongside those other class's already superior defensive capabilities.
Fixes, changes, comments:
There's actually 2 really simple fixes for the class.
1. Give the class a proper burst heal, the same as every other class in the game. Either rework dark exchange and morphs or make 1 of the shield morphs into a heal instead if people are worried about shields + healing being too strong.
2. Give the class access to more buffs/debuffs. Notably, crit modifiers to help tie crit surge better into the class kit. Add these to passives or to abilities that are worth slotting, there are far to many abilities in the class kit that aren't worth using that only giving a needed buff to them would not help them get onto a bar with the limited bar space that class already has.
3. With every class having access to essentially a better BoL, make sorcs offensive kit a bit more reliable to give them their niche as a strong ranged dd back. Faster travel time on frags and overload would help a lot with this. No damage increase, just faster travel time to give less time to roll dodge these projectiles.
Note: For years now, everyone has been crying about streak as the main reason for sorcs to not get a reliable burst heal, or have their abilities be made more reliable in general or even give them more/better buff/debuff access, well now that every class essentially has access to BoL, it should only be fair that sorc finally gets access to what every other class already has, a reliable burst heal that only takes up 1 bar slot, cannot be killed, scales with damage and has no cast time or delay.
1. Give the class a proper burst heal, the same as every other class in the game. Either rework dark exchange and morphs or make 1 of the shield morphs into a heal instead if people are worried about shields + healing being too strong.
2. Give the class access to more buffs/debuffs. Notably, crit modifiers to help tie crit surge better into the class kit. Add these to passives or to abilities that are worth slotting, there are far to many abilities in the class kit that aren't worth using that only giving a needed buff to them would not help them get onto a bar with the limited bar space that class already has.
3. With every class having access to essentially a better BoL, make sorcs offensive kit a bit more reliable to give them their niche as a strong ranged dd back. Faster travel time on frags and overload would help a lot with this. No damage increase, just faster travel time to give less time to roll dodge these projectiles.
Note: For years now, everyone has been crying about streak as the main reason for sorcs to not get a reliable burst heal, or have their abilities be made more reliable in general or even give them more/better buff/debuff access, well now that every class essentially has access to BoL, it should only be fair that sorc finally gets access to what every other class already has, a reliable burst heal that only takes up 1 bar slot, cannot be killed, scales with damage and has no cast time or delay.
Overall, the buffs will help the class in the short term. But they will be exactly like the previous buffs the class received, where they can potentially be seen as "OP" or potentially used in "OP" ways by some very smart and talented players, but they don't actually do anything to fix the issues that the class has. Also, as per usual, the other classes also got access to something that was supposed to make sorcerer unique, meaning why play sorcerer anymore when you can play the other classes and still be playing sorcerer just with better skills.
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ESO_Nightingale✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭i think sorc should focus more on shock damage, and it'd be super nice if support sorcs had a unique group buff to apply like aoe minor force from a reworked unused morph.PvE Frost Warden Main and teacher for ESO-U. Frost Warden PvE Build Article: https://eso-u.com/articles/nightingales_warden_dps_guide__frost_knight. Come Join the ESO Frost Discord to discuss everything frost!: https://discord.gg/5PT3rQX2 -
ESO_Nightingale wrote: »i think sorc should focus more on shock damage, and it'd be super nice if support sorcs had a unique group buff to apply like aoe minor force from a reworked unused morph.
Sorcs do have a unique buff already, minor prophecy.0 -
Turtle_Bot✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭TheSpunkyLobster wrote: »ESO_Nightingale wrote: »i think sorc should focus more on shock damage, and it'd be super nice if support sorcs had a unique group buff to apply like aoe minor force from a reworked unused morph.
Sorcs do have a unique buff already, minor prophecy.
that they do, but they have so little in their class kit that makes effective use of it. Not to mention you can completely ignore it if you have a NB in group and invest into weapon crit instead which pairs much better with the current top tier class in DK which provides minor brutality (weapon damage). It's much easier and cheaper to make potions for weapon damage + weapon crit than it is to make weapon damage + spell crit pots.0 -
Turtle_Bot wrote: »TheSpunkyLobster wrote: »ESO_Nightingale wrote: »i think sorc should focus more on shock damage, and it'd be super nice if support sorcs had a unique group buff to apply like aoe minor force from a reworked unused morph.
Sorcs do have a unique buff already, minor prophecy.
that they do, but they have so little in their class kit that makes effective use of it. Not to mention you can completely ignore it if you have a NB in group and invest into weapon crit instead which pairs much better with the current top tier class in DK which provides minor brutality (weapon damage). It's much easier and cheaper to make potions for weapon damage + weapon crit than it is to make weapon damage + spell crit pots.
I don't disagree with any of that, was just pointing out for accuracy that they had a buff already
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AdamLAD✭✭✭✭✭They need to buff other forms of wards like healing ward and light armour wards. They are truly awful and lower the cost. Whilst yes I'm glad sorcerer specifically is getting a extremely small buff, wards are now just trash in general. Pure paper.0
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acastanza_ESO✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭Everything in the post here is 1000% correct and ZOS needs to actually, finally, listen.Edited by acastanza_ESO on February 1, 2023 6:02AM0