Looking for a decent AOE build for destruction staff sorc

Kyosji · November 2014

Hello all. I've come back after ~6 months to play some more. I am currently VR2, and hitting that grind wall that's driving me nuts. I figured that mob killing would be a faster alternative to questing, so I was hoping to find a decent build for a sorc with destruction staff that can maximize my kill count per hour. Can anyone help out here?

Magdalina · November 2014

Well, if you don't like questing, there's always grinding in Craglorn(I think people are grinding Spellscar now?).

Far as sorc aoe goes, pretty sure it's still crit surge+impulse. With Charged Atronach for ulti. And optional Evil Hunter for daedra/undead( I believe spellscar is vastly populated with those 2).

EDIT: Right, forgot Inner Light. That goes by default^^

yodased · November 2014

depends on what you have going.

Crit surge + inner light + impulse is always my go to for the sorc aoe damage.

If you are alone lightning flood is pretty useless, if you have someone to synergize it then its worth it. That being said if you get an undaunted dps set (CoA, EH or CoH) Then lightning flood IS worth it because each tic can proc the undaunted effect.

So you probably want bound armor or hardened ward on, maybe even lightning form if you can handle the hit to your regen.

Shadow Prison is also a good choice if you are doing a lot of mobs.

You can also streak through them all for a stun/damage.

the three skills that you must have is impulse, critical surge and inner light.

the other two you are going to have to play around with and find what fits for you.

Nestor · November 2014

Yep, Impulse-Surge-Inner Light is the AoE of choice. With Evil Hunter added for Daedra rich areas. When doing this I tend to put skills on my bar that I want to build up, not necessarily use for the AoE.

Note, there is a real difference between dungeon mobs and overland mobs in the exp I am getting. I get much more exp overland than in dungeons, even at or near my level. So, keep that in mind, public dungeons are no longer the exp grind they used to be. Still good for Loot though.

Kyosji · November 2014

Take it Elemental wall is nowhere near as useful as it once was?

yodased · November 2014

Well, Elemental wall is great for chokepoints and the explosion isn't AOE limited so you build ultimate real fast in groups, but its a situational spell I find.

Play around with it if, talons + elemental wall is great, but as far as a sorc, i dunno.

Kyosji · November 2014

From your suggestions, this is what I'm thinking:

http://www.esohead.com/calculator/skills#mMkXeek9Mxu0mir8Nfj28hzJO8NikH8A3Hk8AuO08NP1A8Nfj28hzJO8LyAx8A3Hk8AuO08NP1A8L7JcdoQr6MdoQF6MdoQC6MdoQK6MdoQJ8e7HIaqS6Mi4bD6Mi4bU6Mi4b16Mi4b46Mi4bX8H7JIzwc6MNieT6MNieA6MNieh6MNiey6bzfQ6IbHm8J7DMNUIc6MNUIz6MNUIN6MNUIi6IziD6IziZ6qziB8K7DIzuj6MANRQ6MANRU6MANRW6MANRZ6Ikg8O7kqdeF6zAZqS6MA3FL8P7sqdYi6zLp4d6cLncn6cLncp6zLyjz6zLncy847pzxLCe6cxLDm6cxLDo6cxLDs8zf7czNbo6MDVRC6MDVRH6MDVRE8zu7zzHfYE6zHfZd8zG7zzHQ3F8zI7zzJIoX6zJIkL8zN7zzJZcY8zA7asKpUN6zKTzj6cKTkb6cKTko6cKTks6cKTkc8zL7asK4EX6zK4PZ6cK4YW6cK4YK6cK4YF6cK4YQ

Think it may work?

Kyosji · November 2014

bars 1 and 2 is just a swap between the 2. It's just 2 possibilities.

Tripwyr · November 2014

Ditch Weakening Prison, use Shattering Prison instead.

Kyosji · November 2014

Wish these skill calculators had a more accurate listing of damage.

Cuyler · November 2014

Crit surge, inner light, impulse. Stack mag recovery and don't forget to block cast

If your getting hit harder than you can mitigate with blocking, lightning form or bone shield helps.

Cuyler · November 2014

Oh and you don't need crit surge on both bars. It's a little more work swapping weapons but frees up another slot.

Kyosji · November 2014

I was only making it for 1 bar, I was just doing *example A* and example B*

axiomaticb14a_ESO · November 2014

Inner light > Crit Surge > Impulse > Elemental Wall (fire staff for 10% more dmg) > Bound armor (for survivability) -or- Shattering Prison (for CC, except it doesnt work against flying enemies so swap to Volcanic Rune for those mobs)

SRIBES · December 2014

1) Elemental Drain
2) Crushing shock
3) Elemental ring
4) Crystal Fragment/ can replace with other things if needed like shattering prison or dark exchange for kiting/ can also replace with thundering pressence if to squishy.
5) Inner light
U: Absorption Field
1) Critical Surge
2) Healing Ward
3) Streak
4) Mages Wrath
5) Inner light
U: Geeater Storm atronach
Use warlock+seducer set, solo pretty much anything by kiting and sustain through weaving with ele drain/crushing shock and crit surge+ ele ring spam.