Sorcerer Current Issues
This is an attempt to capture the current concerns / issues of the sorcerer community with regards to their class skill trees. This considers both magicka and stamina builds (however as I play a stamina sorcerer primarily I have a better insight into that build style).

The intention of this post is for sorcerers to be able to present their class concerns in a single location – I will try to keep the OP up to date with perceived issues.

If @zos would like to comment on any / all of these issues, I will include those comments in the OP.

If any non-sorcerer would like to comment… please try to keep it constructive and if you have specific issues with your own class then please create your own thread along the same lines… maybe we could end up with one per class!

TDLR: Here is a list of perceived class concerns, issues and suggestions for change. The suggestions are not all intended to be applied simultaneously – it is simply a list of suggestions for change.
Please read and comment.

Magicka PvE: Most Used Class Skills
DPS: Power Overload, Hardened Ward, Crystal Fragments, Liquid Lightning, Boundless Lightning, Bound Aegis – maybe Mages Fury, Power Surge
Tank: Hardened Ward, Boundless Lightning, Bound Aegis, Encase, Dark Deal – maybe Negate, Ball of Lightning
Healer: Empowered Ward, Boundless Lightning, Bound Aegis, Power Surge – maybe Crystal Fragments

Magicka PvE: Concerns
Toggle skills:
Number of toggles: Sorcerers have 2x summon toggles, 1xutility toggle; 1xultimate toggle
Inflexibility of toggles: Toggles must be slotted on all bars to avoid the toggle dropping
No active component: Toggle skills have no active components (i.e. only summon/de-summon)
Pet effectiveness: Lack of proper pet control, limited pet survivability, and limited pet damage
Effectiveness: Multiple slot cost vs effectiveness is poor

Sustainability of DPS at end-game:
End-game DPS vs bosses is heavily based on Overload damage
Sustained DPS without Overload is perceived to be relatively low? Is this still true?

Minimal support for healer playstyle:
One morph provides a minor mending buff and even that comes at a relatively high cost [33% less powerful shields than the other morph].
There are no other abilities that support healers within the sorcerer class – arguably Power Surge might be considered useful

Magicka PvP: Most Used Class Skills
DPS: Overload, Hardened Ward, Crystal Fragments/Blast, Boundless Lightning, Bound Aegis, Velocious Curse, Mages Fury, Bolt Escape, Power Surge,
Daedric Mines
Tank: As per DPS
Healer: As per DPS

Magicka PvP: Concerns
Lack of build diversity
PvP sorcerers almost universally use Hardened Ward, Crystal Fragments/Blast, Velocious Curse, Mages Fury, Bolt Escape, maybe Daedric Mines and then potentially shield stack and then use their role specific abilities (i.e. Force Shock for DPS, Restoration abilities for Healers, etc). There is little to no variation in the core skills used between Tank, Healer or DPS build for magicka sorcerers in PvP.

Pet builds in PvP are difficult to use as the pets are difficult to control / use.
Pets are still sometimes be visible when you are in stealth, can aggro random mobs [especially in IC], and can run off to attack random mobs – all of which are very bad in a PvP environment.
Also Pet damage and the level of threat the pet implies to players is low.

Overreliance on specific skills
Magicka Sorcerers are forced to rely heavily on Hardened Ward and/or Bolt Escape for survivability as there are a limited number of alternative options (Restoration Staff or Surge healing as reliance on CC does not equate to survival in PvP – Dark Exchange is not an effective survival tool on its own). Thus there is a concern with the shield breaker set which bypasses the class shield and the fact that the escape has been made increasingly expensive to use.

Stamina PvE: Most Used Class Skills
DPS: Overload, Thunderous Presence, Bound Armaments, Streak, Critical Surge
Tank: Overload, Boundless Lightning, Bound Armaments - maybe Streak or Ball of Lightning
Healer: Stamina healers are not viable.

Stamina PvE: Concerns
Synergy with passives:
There is very limited synergy with the class passives – energised, disintegrate (to some extent), exploitation, blood magic, persistence, rebate, expert summoner are of limited benefit as they primarily affect magicka based skills that are difficult (expensive) or ineffective (scale off magicka) for a stamina build to use. That is over ½ the class passives.

Lack of damaging stamina morphs:
There are no class stamina damaging morphs – unless you count Thunderous Presence which is a utility ability with a front-loaded DoT component

Survivability:
There are no survivability skills that support stamina builds other than Lightning Form (and arguably Critical Surge if you stack critical) as Conjured Ward (both morphs) scales with magicka and Bolt Escape is too expensive to use to escape for stamina builds. The class has no other effective defensive or healing abilities (Dark Deal is not effective due to the size and time for the heal to take effect)… this includes no effective defensive ultimates (Negate provides a stun which does not work vs a boss).

Lack of build diversity:
Due to the limited range of useful class skills, there is a lack of build diversity. The vast majority of stamina sorcerers end up with a 2H weapon either for Critical Charge (and hence a Surge heal), Wrecking Blow for damage, or Rally/Forward Mometum for healing (at least until they get Vigour).

Pet builds are not used by stamina sorcerers in general (except whilst levelling to 50) as they do not scale with stamina – the exception being the Clannfear which is occasionally used for the de-summon heal or as an off-tank (by tank builds).

Stamina PvP: Most Used Class Skills
DPS: Overload, Lightning Form, Bound Armaments, Streak, Critical Surge, Rune Prison
Tank: Overload, Boundless Lightning, Bound Armaments, Streak
Healer: Stamina healers are not viable.

Stamina PvP: Concerns
The issues with PvE are broadly replicated in PvP, but pets are not used at all as they suffer from the issues of both Magicka PvP and Stamina PvE users.

Lack of burst capability
Stamina builds have no class burst capabilities, making them class neutral with regards to damage and increasing their issues in PvP. This is in stark contrast to magicka builds who are very burst biased.

Concerns related to Class Passives
The class passives should provide benefit for a variety of builds, styles and roles – as well as help define the flavour of the class.

Energised
Issue:
This passive provides minimal benefit to non-magicka builds because the only abilities that benefit from the passive are magicka based and scaled – the exceptions being Thunderous Presence and Overload.
Suggestions:
Provide a stamina scaled damage morph for Mages Fury

Disintegrate
Issue:
This passive provides minimal benefit to non-magicka builds because the only abilities that benefit from the passive are magicka based and scaled – the exceptions being Thunderous Presence and Overload.
Suggestions:
Provide a stamina scaled damage morph for Mages Fury
Trigger off physical weapon attacks when Surge is active

Exploitation
Issue:
This passive is only provides a spell critical buff making it of little benefit to non-magicka builds. In earlier versions of the game it provided a weapon and critical buff for the caster.
Suggestions:
Modify such that the passive provides a group spell critical buff and a personal weapon critical buff – do the equivalent for all class based group buffs as appropriate.

Daedric Protection:
Issue: This passive provides limited support to stamina builds as only one morph of one skill is designed for stamina builds [Bound Armaments]. This provides a very limited choice for access to the buff for stamina builds.
Suggestions: Modify all pet summons such that the summoned pet scales with magicka or stamina.

Rebate:
Issue:
This passive only relates to ½ of the skill tree abilities [i.e. pet summons]
The magicka return on pet death is a fixed value and is too small for the cost of re-summoning, and does nothing for the re-summon cast time.
This passive provides little benefit to stamina builds as summoned pets [with the exception of the Atronach] only scale with magicka – making the inclusion of a pet unlikely for the majority of stamina builds [there is some logic in using a Clannfear for some roles].
Suggestions:
Increase the magicka return based on the time the pet has been summoned for, up to a significantly larger maximum [5x].
Cast time for a re-summon (50%) is reduced for a limited time (5s) after Pet death.
Combine this passive with the Expert Summoner passive and add a new passive that supports the other ½ of the skill tree (Expert Conjuror).
Modify all pet summons such that the summoned pet scales with magicka or stamina.

Expert Summoner:
Issue:
This passive only relates to ½ of the skill tree abilities [i.e. pet summons]
This passive provides little benefit to stamina builds as summoned pets [with the exception of the Atronach] only scale with magicka – making the inclusion of a pet unlikely for the majority of stamina builds [there is some logic in using a Clannfear for some roles].
Suggestions:
Modify all pet summons such that the summoned pet scales with magicka or stamina.
Combine this passive with the Rebate passive and add a new passive that supports the other ½ of the skill tree (Expert Conjuror)

Expert Conjuror:
This passive would provide a passive effect based on the use of the non-pet skills within the tree, or the slotting of non-pet skills.
Example effects could be:
Bound Armour provides a minor vitality (4/8%) buff whilst active.
Daedric Curse applies a minor DoT or debuff on the target until it explodes.
Increase Conjured Ward duration by 5/10% and strength of pet wards by 5/10%

Concerns related to Class Skills
In much the same way as the class passives, the active abilities should provide abilities that support a variety of builds, styles and roles – as well as help define the flavour of the class.

Mages Fury
Issues:
This ability is ineffective for stamina builds
Base damage is too low to use as a filler ability outside of Execute phase
Both morphs are relatively uninspiring and limited in scope
Suggestions:
Provide a stamina scaled morph (to synergise with Energised and Disintegrate) that is short / melee range.
Increase base damage, slightly reduce bonus execute damage (to keep overall damage in execute phase the same)

Lightning Splash:
Issues:
This ability is ineffective for stamina builds
Morphs provide limited / little real differentiation in ability
Suggestion:
Have one morph that is ground targeted (increased range/duration) and one morph that anchors to your target and moves with them.

Lightning Form:
Issues:
Thunderous Presence mobility boost is a little too short
Suggestion:
Increase the Thunderous Presence mobility boost slightly

Surge:
Issues:
Does not provide heals from all skills/abilities
does not provide heals from DoTs
does not provide heals from channels
does not provide heals from time-delayed abilities (i.e. Curse)
Does not work correctly against shields (provides a small flat heal)
Suggestion:
Allow surge to work with channels and time-delayed abilities (but not DoTs)
Allow surge to work with all abilities (AoE abilities only trigger it once)
Have surge provide a chance to activate Disintegrate from melee attacks whilst active
Remove surge cooldown
Ensure heals provided against shields are calculated off the potential critical damage, even if the shields do not take that damage

Bolt Escape
Issues:
Cost increases impact stamina builds disproportionally compared to magicka builds
Ball of Lightning morph projectile absorption duration is slightly too low
Suggestion:
Streak morph if it causes damage to an opponent has its costs reset when an attack is made in melee range (i.e. you streak in and hit a foe with a follow-on attack, then it resets cost)
Slightly increase Ball of Lightning duration

Overload
Bugs: Repeated fast light overload attacks or light overload attacks that are borderline overload medium attacks cause the skill to be bugged and only allow heavy overload attacks. Sprinting or dodge rolls sometimes reset this.
Issues:
No weapon abilities may be used from the overload bar – making it less effective for stamina builds as their major damage sources are weapon based
There is no stamina equivalent of the Energy morph
Skill bar does not return to normal when ultimate is reduced below the amount required for a single light attack
Does not scale well with stamina builds due to damage type (different champion point assignment, etc)
Weapon swap does not drop you out of overload.
Suggestions:
Provide a morph that charges your weapons with lightning and returns stamina. Weapon abilities may be used from the overload bar.

Crystal Shards
Issues:
This ability is of limited effectiveness for stamina builds
The ability is very obvious during the long cast and flight times
Suggestions:
Provide a stamina scaled morph (to synergise with Blood Magic) that is melee range and operates in a similar manner to crystal fragments (i.e. chance to be instantly cast).
Make the casting effect slightly less obvious

Encase:
Issues:
Ability is overly expensive
Shape of effect can be difficult to use
Too long a time delay between cast and effect occurring
Bug:
Does not correctly affect enemies within the stated area of effect – only affects a reduced area
Ability does not always seem to be cast / apply effects.
Suggestion:
Reduce magicka cost
Fix area of effect, placement and application of effect bugs
Have one morph that can be placed as a circular AoE (as per lightning splash)

Rune Prison
Issues:
Not aware of any
Suggestion:
N/A

Dark Deal:
Issue:
Cost to return ratio is too low compared to cast time
Suggestion:
Reduce cast time or allow animation clipping of ability

Daedric Mines
Issue:
Too expensive for effectiveness
This ability is ineffective for stamina builds
Tomb morph less effective / useful than Volcanic Rune
Ability has reduced effect against “boss” mobs
Suggestion:
Slightly reduce cost
Provide a stamina scaled morph (to synergise with Blood Magic).
Allow ability to provide some effect if a “boss” hits more than one mine
Change Tomb morph to create a single AoE mine, that has a 15m proximity detonation
Make all mines stealthed (visible with detection potions, mages light, etc)

Negate Magic
Issue:
Provides limited benefit to caster, especially in terms of defence against boss mobs (which are immune to the stun).
Suggestion:
Provide the caster (only) with a major protection buff whilst negate is active in Suppression Field morph

Summon Familiar:
Issues:
Does not scale with stamina
Does not scale with battle spirit correctly
Limited ability to control pets
Not effective enough given the relative cost of use [i.e. 2/3 slots used]
Limited active usage [i.e. only active use = summon and de-summon]
Pets do not always stealth correctly
Pets tend to automatically attack without “permission”
Pets tend to grab aggro unexpectedly
Base damage is too low
Suggestion:
Allow summoned pets to scale with stamina or magicka
Provide additional key-binds for pet control – as a minimum:
Attack, Defend, Passive
Provide an active ability to summons

Daedric Curse:
Issues:
Does not trigger Surge healing
Damage bonus for pets from prey morph does not cover the DPS loss compared to velocious morph
Suggestion:
Allow Surge to gain heals from Daedric Curse
Increase deadric prey pet bonus for non ultimate pets

Summon Winged Twilight:
Issues:
Does not scale with stamina
Does not scale with battle spirit correctly
Dies too easily
Limited ability to control pets
Not effective enough given the relative cost of use [i.e. 2/3 slots used]
Limited active usage [i.e. only active use = summon and de-summon]
Pets do not always stealth correctly
Pets tend to automatically attack without “permission”
Pets tend to grab aggro unexpectedly
Base damage is a bit low
Suggestion:
Allow summoned pets to scale with stamina or magicka
Allow Twilight to heal itself [30s cool-down not shared with heal on caster]
Provide additional key-binds for pet control – as a minimum:
Attack, Defend, Passive
Provide an active ability to summons

Bound Armour:
Issue:
Armour/Spell Resistance provided is too low
Not effective enough given the relative cost of use [i.e. 2/3 slots used]
Limited active usage [i.e. only active use = summon and de-summon]
Suggestion:
Provide minor protection instead of current minor armour buff
Aegis gains both Armour and Spell Resist as the morph change
Provide an active ability to summons

Conjured Ward:
Issue:
Empowered ward relative usefulness is limited as the mending buff only lasts for the duration of the ward and is only minor
This ability is ineffective for stamina builds
Suggestion:
Change Empowered ward to scale off health such that it is usable by stamina builds and change Empowered ward to provide a major mending buff rather than a minor ward such that it is possible to heal through SpellBreaker hits [but with a smaller shield].

Summon Storm Atronach:
Issue:
Static, cannot move
Dies too easily
Limited ability to control pet
Suggestion:
Provide additional key-binds for pet control – as a minimum:
Attack, Defend
Provide the Atronach with a lot more HP or do not allow it to die until the duration has ended [as it has no taunt and cannot move]
Allow Atronach to move:
maybe as a morph
either moved by caster [as Shifting Standard]
or moves towards its designated/current target


Overall Analysis
There are significant issues with pets that make them unattractive to use and yet 2 class passives are directly tied to their use and they account for 3 skills [+ those skill morphs] and a separate skill morph. They are also ineffective in terms of damage without stacking maximum magicka and keeping a specific targeted buff up (Daedric Prey) – even then they are not exactly outstanding as they are fairly limited with regards to skill choice (2x Pet toggles (4xslots); 1xDaedric Prey for mediocre single target damage).

Stamina builds have little direct synergy with class passives and could do with some abilities that do synergise with the class passives / a better selection of class active abilities. This is broadly true of all classes [Nightblades being a potential exception].

There are a number of morphs that are appear to be relatively under-used as their effectiveness drops off towards the end-game, they are relatively weak compared to the alternative morph, or they are not effective in their design/usage.


Updated.