This is a copy & paste of a quick beginners sorc guide I did in a different site. My sorc is also VR7 now as it happens and I'm still using this as my solo / questing build... still soloing Dolemns, public dungeons, world bosses etc... with about 70 CPs now.

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So.. I started a new sorc after the 1.6 patch and this time I used the "new and improved" pets.

My gear consists of 2 pieces of heavy armor (pretty well a requirement these days with the nerf to light armor values) - the chest and legs and 5 pieces of light armor.

I use the same 2:1 formula I typically use for my stats. Twice as much into magicka over health and 0 into stamina. I also use + magicka & health blue food and the Mage mundus stone for magicka - all my armor is also + magicka (love the removal of soft caps!) and my jewelry either + magic damage or magicka regen.

I decided to use a Healing Staff and a 1HD + shield as my two weapons although I hardly ever use any weapon skills (except when I heal dungeons where I use a totally different set-up hat I won't talk about here.)

And I still use Overload for my ultimate although I use it differently now that the single-target light overload attacks got a huge buff.


I use the Restoration Staff bar for my single target skills:

Crystal Fragments (I open with this for single targets and follow immediately with Endless Fury - otherwise use when it proce for 1/2 cost and +20% damage)
Endless Fury
Unstable Clanfear (the morph that heals you for 1/3 to 1/2 your total health if your clanfear dies or you unsummon it)
Restoring Twilight (A bit of DPS and magicka regen buff for you and your party)
Healing Staff skill of your choice (eventually you'll replace this with Hardened Ward - probably the best damage shield in the game but it takes a while to unlock it)
Energy Overload (the magicka-restoring morph. I used to prefer the other morph but I almost never use the AOE strong attack of Overload now, so this is better than the expanded AOE cone morph.)

My 1HD + Shield bar is also my AOE bar (and btw, the passives from this skill line reduce the cost of blocking significantly):

Lightning Flood (I like this morph better for the larger radius)
Shattering Prison (The morph that does damage when the root ends - you lock the group of mobs down with this to let the Lightning Flood do its full effect)
Unstable Clanfear
Restoring Twilight
Defensive Stance (I prefer this more offensive morph that reflects the spell back and stuns over the one that absorbs the spell and heals you)
Either Overload here too or whichever other Ultimate you want, (I tend to use Greater Storm Atronach in dungeons - especially when I'm healing since you can't use any weapon skills when Overload is active. But I tend to use Overload here as well so I don't accidentally use a different ultimate in the middle of fight.)

The Overload bar (yes, Overload is a toggle ultimate and while it's active you have a 3rd unique bar) looks like this:

Lightning Flood
Shattering Prison
Unstable Clanfear
Restoring Twilight
Boundless Storm (very good + armor and + spell resistance and a speed boost for kiting)

I typically only use Overload in boss fights or when I'm soloing a dolmen. I find it quite easy to solo many group bosses, both in the world and in public dungeons with repeated use of light overload attacks - it hits like a truck now.

So there you have it... it's a very simple build that is also very, very powerful and versatile for all PVE situations. I'm VR1 now and I just soloed the "group challenge" public dungeon boss fight in Crow's Wood yesterday quite easily.

should I be using the mage boon? Sorry I think I have things set up mostly as you described.

runagate wrote: »

That build above is good for critters in sub-endgame but will not serve you well in a couple of ranks.

Look on Tamriel Foundry for good builds. The game has changed A LOT, so you'll have to let us know how many Champion Points you have, and what kind of access to Sets you have (PvE, PvP, crafted, etc.) Needless to say, if you're rich things will be a lot easier, too. If you need something crafted let me know if you're in NA.

When exactly will it stop serving me well? I know it's not an "end-game" raiding spec... for those, yes, the Tamriel Foundry Theorycrafting forums are second to none... but those forums are also lacking on the intermediate leveling specs that get you to the point when you'll carefully want to match your gold gear sets.

I wrote that guide when I was VR1 and got the same comments then from some. Yet here I am at VR7 still soloing "group content" with it.

Also... I should have mentioned, I use an add-on called SWAPS that saves multiple skill bar sets. I have a different set without pets for higher DPS in dungeon groups, a group healer set-up, a PVP set-up and one just for turning in quests where I level-up other skills for morphing