What would you do as a Sorc in DB? Share your knowledge of the game!

NativeJoe · May 2016

There are a lot of comments out there saying You don't need shields...do what everyone else does.

So here I ask that question: what will you do , or what would you do?

Besides the typical L2P comments lets try to give this some constructive thought please. preferably screen shot or video to explain your build.

Builds I'm particularly curious about are Niche builds, tank builds, PvP, and VMA builds.

Things from my point of view have gotten exponentially worse, having both our main damage mitigation technique nerfed and heals nerfed, and thus our dps nerfed as well. To the point where I'm honestly stocking up on materials for a complete overhaul.

NativeJoe · May 2016

For pvp builds... remember you also have to take into consideration of poisons making skills cost 60% more along with drains.

For PVE you have to take in consideration shield spamming with sets like molag kena simply do not work out.
And our heals have been nerfed down to 2~3k a second.

For tanking (shield tanking at the very least) Any stuns will run out the limited stamina, and cost time possibly causing the boss to one shot you.

For pet builds: dps on live is currently horrendous, More so next patch since curse doesn't count as a dot.
Also proxy is going to rip apart a fully invested pet build.

Lucky28 · May 2016

I'm playing on My Magblade. Sorc is shelved.... never thought i'd be forced to give up my favorite class because one patch butchered it.

Daraugh · May 2016

NativeJoe wrote: »

For pvp builds... remember you also have to take into consideration of poisons making skills cost 60% more along with drains.

For PVE you have to take in consideration shield spamming with sets like molag kena simply do not work out.
And our heals have been nerfed down to 2~3k a second.

For tanking (shield tanking at the very least) Any stuns will run out the limited stamina, and cost time possibly causing the boss to one shot you.

For pet builds: dps on live is currently horrendous, More so next patch since curse doesn't count as a dot.
Also proxy is going to rip apart a fully invested pet build.

I bolded the part that made me go huh?? I haven't been following the sorc notes on the pts as closely as the others, but I really don't remember that one. It's a skill that you use and after a few seconds...does damage. It's the essence of a dot.. I'm very confused.

Fallen_Ray · May 2016

I"ll keep using hardened ward as it at least lasts long enough to protect me while I heal on low health, definitely will swap power surge and use degeneration as the heals from degeneration will be more and I'll endure. I love mages, I'm not quiting my sorcerer because of ZOS lack of decision making skills.

Flaminir · May 2016

Daraugh wrote: »

NativeJoe wrote: »

For pvp builds... remember you also have to take into consideration of poisons making skills cost 60% more along with drains.

For PVE you have to take in consideration shield spamming with sets like molag kena simply do not work out.
And our heals have been nerfed down to 2~3k a second.

For tanking (shield tanking at the very least) Any stuns will run out the limited stamina, and cost time possibly causing the boss to one shot you.

For pet builds: dps on live is currently horrendous, More so next patch since curse doesn't count as a dot.
Also proxy is going to rip apart a fully invested pet build.

I bolded the part that made me go huh?? I haven't been following the sorc notes on the pts as closely as the others, but I really don't remember that one. It's a skill that you use and after a few seconds...does damage. It's the essence of a dot.. I'm very confused.

It used to be seen as a dot, but not now.

And I'd say that is correct.... it doesn't do any damage over time.... its just a delayed single hit ability.... like something with a cast time.

A Dot has multiple damage ticks over a period of time. The main part being the multiple ticks... if a skill does damage in a single chunk its not a dot.

Daraugh · May 2016

Flaminir wrote: »

Daraugh wrote: »

NativeJoe wrote: »

For pvp builds... remember you also have to take into consideration of poisons making skills cost 60% more along with drains.

For PVE you have to take in consideration shield spamming with sets like molag kena simply do not work out.
And our heals have been nerfed down to 2~3k a second.

For tanking (shield tanking at the very least) Any stuns will run out the limited stamina, and cost time possibly causing the boss to one shot you.

For pet builds: dps on live is currently horrendous, More so next patch since curse doesn't count as a dot.
Also proxy is going to rip apart a fully invested pet build.

I bolded the part that made me go huh?? I haven't been following the sorc notes on the pts as closely as the others, but I really don't remember that one. It's a skill that you use and after a few seconds...does damage. It's the essence of a dot.. I'm very confused.

It used to be seen as a dot, but not now.

And I'd say that is correct.... it doesn't do any damage over time.... its just a delayed single hit ability.... like something with a cast time.

A Dot has multiple damage ticks over a period of time. The main part being the multiple ticks... if a skill does damage in a single chunk its not a dot.

Ok, I can see that sort of. Like they put the cast time on the mob instead of the caster. Ugh, what is and is not a dot gives me utter fits in this game. Thanks @Flaminir!

NordSwordnBoard · May 2016

I'm gonna zip around with bolt escape as my only skill slotted and not wear any clothes. I will use the nameplate to put "Greased up deaf guy" as my name a la family guy. Call it a niche build.

Really though, I'm already experimenting with 5 Heavy 2 Light (2Torug, 2Seducer, 5MagnusDW/4MagnusResto for sustain) going with and without shields slotted. (I understand that answer may be more ridiculous than my first to many people.) I'm only VR13 and just starting to shop for end game armor etc now, so the use of my input here is limited.

iam117 · May 2016

tanking in pve with triminac, tavas, and bloodspawn/skoria might be really cool, run pet(s?) and dots, added dps and some healing as needed.

tennant94 · May 2016

Reroll.

NativeJoe · May 2016

lol So I see everyone feels about as positive as I do about this haha. But no seriously... where are the Sorc commenters now that I'm asking a legit question. how would you proceed?

You know the people that say we got nothing but buffed this patch, don't slot shields because it's a dps loss and your a newb for doing so anyway, Don't run shields put your points into health and CP into resistances, go heavy armor, L2P, what are the rest of us supposed to do without effectively 100k hp (just do what we do)etc?

In my opinion the changes to surge will pretty much keep me from using our broken ult overload indefinitely. The lost of dawnbreaker to stamina classes hurts a bit...but we might still get some use out of it since it's physical damage and technically speaking...we could proc implosion off it! My pet build isn't doing so hot, and niether are any of my other thingies. The only thing that hasn't taken a massive hit is my cookie cutter build which sucks because thats the build I hate the most x.x

anyway I want some legit suggestions from the peanut gallery. the elites. I know there is a wicked build with proxy, that one dolman set, and something else I don't remember. I know a solid build for pve is to discard all your helpful abilities, go full dps and wear twice born.. No shields, No pets, no heals, just 6 attacks and inner light and bound armor.

Tyrion87 · May 2016

I have only one char and it is magicka sorc. I love it so much right now. But DB ruins my identification to this char, my playstyle (I focus on PvE), and tries to force me to play in a way which is not fun for me at all and makes me feel that I am not good in any role compared to other classes. So after DB release I will stop playing the game and wait till they reverse somehow those horrid changes. If that doesn't happen, I'll quit for good.

iam117 · May 2016

well i do want to try out the tanking build i mentioned in my previous comment. i feel like it could actually be viable, even with the changes.

with the db patch i will continue to use my sorc to dps in pve, the "standard" build there does not change, and for my purposes the nerfs do not effect it.

for pvp, i really only ever gank/small group on my magicka sorcerer and will likely continue to do so, glass cannon, still with dw and resto, i did not use sorc ward before so i cant comment on that (only healing ward and i dont stack in bastion anyways), but i think running surge with mutagen and entropy/degeneration will accomplish what i was already doing, or atleast be enough, by adding 1 skill (mutagen) to my bars (thinking about what to remove will suck tho) to get a little more. yes its a bandaid, but sorc is still the funnest for me to play small scale in pvp, so i will figure it out. gank builds are 1 trick pony anyways, if you dont kill quick you die quick, so fortunately for me, it wont have a huge effect.

for vma, not gunna comment much, thats for my nb, although it looks like healing ward (resto) is likely to be the only way to do it, unless stacking hots will work in conjunction with surge, but this causes issues with having to remove multiple skills to get it done, but i think someone will find a way to work it, really sorcs were not super OP in there anyways, their scores are only like 3-4k above nb and that gap was already closing? i dont care about the ward nerf, but surge wasnt really needed, even for pvp.

waterfairy · May 2016

I'll be constantly reminded how much I hate nerfs and the people that cry for them

Browiseth · May 2016

Rise of the stamina sorc: try even harder edition
can't wait

btw it's really rediculous that these magicka sorcs are expecting to be as tanky as they are damaging with their damage shields

Duiwel · May 2016

Ask Sithis for a dagger

Skinless_Jerk · May 2016

i'll play if i can be arsed but i'll play knowing battlefield 1 will rescue me from this shambles of a game, soon enough

BlackguardBob · May 2016

I'm not changing anything for the DB DLC but ZoS is more than ever, dictating to me how I should play rather than how I want to play. My magicka sorc has become a dodge healer with the occasional crystal frags if it doesn't come up as "IMMUNE" for the hundredth time as opposed to a pure spell caster with staff in hand causing mayhem to the mobs.

NateAssassin · May 2016

Play the exact same, only thing that changes is the shield time, just have to think and plan when I cast it.

STEVIL · May 2016

NativeJoe wrote: »

There are a lot of comments out there saying You don't need shields...do what everyone else does.

So here I ask that question: what will you do , or what would you do?

Besides the typical L2P comments lets try to give this some constructive thought please. preferably screen shot or video to explain your build.

Builds I'm particularly curious about are Niche builds, tank builds, PvP, and VMA builds.

Things from my point of view have gotten exponentially worse, having both our main damage mitigation technique nerfed and heals nerfed, and thus our dps nerfed as well. To the point where I'm honestly stocking up on materials for a complete overhaul.

Been working with higher resistance builds for a little while now.

Current ongoing... still all magica, all divines, all max damage etc type stuff like light julianos, shadow dancer and torgu. Haven't regeared.

All bars have clanfear (heal) and bound aegis
Bar 1 (ult devour swarm)
pow surge, absob magic (SnB absorb and heal), Boundless storm (major resists plus AOE DOT)
Bar 2 (ult overload)
Ring of fire (burst aoe plus dot), shattering prison (aoe root plus dark magic procs blood magic heal), streak (mobility, aoe dmg)
Bar 3 (overload)
Liquid lightning (aoe dot), mage's wrath (execute aoe), crystal frags (blammo when proced blood magic.)

Now, right now the dot procs for crit sure dont function but they will in DB. However, looking at the "show me only crit damage" text streams i am proccing crit surge often enough to keep its heal constant.

With the root and streak, keeping enemies close and inside even the ground dots is easy.

So for most encounters, prep with bar 1, rush in with bar two root then and weave destro staff and the fire burst, streak when appropriate.

For a really big single target, do the normal until its riff raff are gone then swap to the opverload bar for single target combat - even if you dont ever fire the overload. I dont have the root on this bar since most of the time the bigger single target enemies it wont work against.

Overall, for sustaining the higher resists combined with the surge, blood magic and the rare clanfear heal works out. Did not put in surge a couple times and it still held up but required an extra hit or two off the clanfear so when the dot start proccing in DB, that will be fine. means streaking thru and past the enemy not only buys me time but time is healing.

Honestly not missing shields.

GEAR Changes UNDER CONSIDERATION:
Honestly right now no major changes in consideration but have as an option for experiment:
FOR EXTRA TOUGHNESS
5xPariah (3 jewel+2hvy), 5xJul (lt), 1xwhatever
This build would lower my magic top end slightly, but pariah adds a TON of resistance and scale upward as the health drops to likw 10k+ at 30% health. Combined with vampire boosted mitigation at lower health this has tended to make that last 50% health last a LONG LONG while and make even low value constant heals at that point massively effective. If it turns out i need more protection under Db this one is a definitely contender.

FOR EXTRA MAGICA
If necopotence cp160 exists in DB, and esp if it shows up with jewelry, its on the must have list for this char. The massive magica boost is a way i want to go, even at the expense of some of the juliano boosts to damage if necessary. Will eye companion sets that boost magica AND crit but i want to run this for a bit.

For the number crunching aspects
Against groups your dps is up there due to mostly aoe and constant dot effects hitting multiple targets a second.
Fort big solo, well, you are in overload with cfrags and an aoe dot... so its decent even without the weave. (FYI even against things like giants and mammoths (bigger than normal but not world boss types) though I just stick with bar 2 and they drop quick.)

All in all this higher resistance build has been fine.

Still have the option of slipping in a shield somewhere, esp now that the pet friendly shield is 10sec for a case where i need it.

YMMV, may not be ulti-meta-min-max-uber-death-squad-killer but its a lot of fun so i really hope they dont take the advice of the folks who didn;t like this pts and delete the class entirely.

EDIT TO ADD

Also planning on adding a khajit stam sorc and MIGHT convert my second sorc to STAM SORC since char is already skilled in melee weapons. But the latter depends on the sum of the changes and whether i see more diversty in the magic side or the stamina side as far as "what can i do different from the other".

Since i will be full respec everyone anyway, the time for changes is now. Also have three templars - currently two mag and one sta where one of the mags could go stam easily on respec and use skills already maxed.... but again, will decide after seeing changes and deciding which route would be most diverse.

very excited to see what happens.

Mirelurk · May 2016

I'll be unsubbing, parking my favourite sorc toon and seeing if alts can hold my interest.

KingYogi415 · May 2016

Enjoy my new OP shield stacking.
Do the complainers even play a sorc, im constantly throwing wards when I tank dungeons and in PVP.

Flaminir · May 2016

STEVIL wrote: »

NativeJoe wrote: »

There are a lot of comments out there saying You don't need shields...do what everyone else does.

So here I ask that question: what will you do , or what would you do?

Besides the typical L2P comments lets try to give this some constructive thought please. preferably screen shot or video to explain your build.

Builds I'm particularly curious about are Niche builds, tank builds, PvP, and VMA builds.

Things from my point of view have gotten exponentially worse, having both our main damage mitigation technique nerfed and heals nerfed, and thus our dps nerfed as well. To the point where I'm honestly stocking up on materials for a complete overhaul.

Been working with higher resistance builds for a little while now.

Current ongoing... still all magica, all divines, all max damage etc type stuff like light julianos, shadow dancer and torgu. Haven't regeared.

All bars have clanfear (heal) and bound aegis
Bar 1 (ult devour swarm)
pow surge, absob magic (SnB absorb and heal), Boundless storm (major resists plus AOE DOT)
Bar 2 (ult overload)
Ring of fire (burst aoe plus dot), shattering prison (aoe root plus dark magic procs blood magic heal), streak (mobility, aoe dmg)
Bar 3 (overload)
Liquid lightning (aoe dot), mage's wrath (execute aoe), crystal frags (blammo when proced blood magic.)

Now, right now the dot procs for crit sure dont function but they will in DB. However, looking at the "show me only crit damage" text streams i am proccing crit surge often enough to keep its heal constant.

With the root and streak, keeping enemies close and inside even the ground dots is easy.

So for most encounters, prep with bar 1, rush in with bar two root then and weave destro staff and the fire burst, streak when appropriate.

For a really big single target, do the normal until its riff raff are gone then swap to the opverload bar for single target combat - even if you dont ever fire the overload. I dont have the root on this bar since most of the time the bigger single target enemies it wont work against.

Overall, for sustaining the higher resists combined with the surge, blood magic and the rare clanfear heal works out. Did not put in surge a couple times and it still held up but required an extra hit or two off the clanfear so when the dot start proccing in DB, that will be fine. means streaking thru and past the enemy not only buys me time but time is healing.

Honestly not missing shields.

GEAR Changes UNDER CONSIDERATION:
Honestly right now no major changes in consideration but have as an option for experiment:
FOR EXTRA TOUGHNESS
5xPariah (3 jewel+2hvy), 5xJul (lt), 1xwhatever
This build would lower my magic top end slightly, but pariah adds a TON of resistance and scale upward as the health drops to likw 10k+ at 30% health. Combined with vampire boosted mitigation at lower health this has tended to make that last 50% health last a LONG LONG while and make even low value constant heals at that point massively effective. If it turns out i need more protection under Db this one is a definitely contender.

FOR EXTRA MAGICA
If necopotence cp160 exists in DB, and esp if it shows up with jewelry, its on the must have list for this char. The massive magica boost is a way i want to go, even at the expense of some of the juliano boosts to damage if necessary. Will eye companion sets that boost magica AND crit but i want to run this for a bit.

Part of the problem in the game is that you can run any build you like solo (Except vMA) and do just fine when questing, against standard world bosses etc and it will feel ok & viable.

Take that build into group stuff & the DPS will be super low... I mean REALLY low..... and in PvP it would just get wrecked.

So it all comes down to my usual comment of 'Everything depends on what parts of the game you enjoy playing'.

The problem with sorcs isn't in the solo side.... it's the group, utility, and now survivability fronts.

P.S. Bad news on the Necropotence front I'm afraid.... no changes to this in DB, so no V16 version.

ToRelax · May 2016

I'll probably not change much. Maybe try out vampirism, Negate, Purge.

DHale · May 2016

I won't be playing my sorc. I got 7 other toons. Reapplying shields every 6 seconds reminds me of my blazing shield days. You know when it was a useful skill.

NBrookus · May 2016

Since I PvP on my sorc, but am not a shield stacker and always found surge useless compared to popping a Healing Ward... the sorc nerfs are not affecting me too much. I outlined the changes/adaptations I expect elsewhere for an @NativeJoe thread so I won't repeat those.

Cost increases and poisons are of more concern to my sorc. I can probably manage the base skill costs with using more potions since I already run more regen than the typical PvP sorc. The joker in the deck is poisons... and at least initially everyone will be using them. I run in small groups so I will HAVE to find room on an already overcrowded bar for purge and somehow make it work in a regular rotation of damage skills already being nerfed. Whether (expensive) poisons continue to be in constant use versus running regular, now buffed, weapon enchants remains to be seen. Gank builds will use them, of course, but frankly with the shield duration nerf light armor sorcs have little hope of surviving a competent burst gank attack anyway.

I feel like sorcs who aren't overload/shield stackers will be pushed into a tanky sustain sort of build to survive the poison meta, but may not have enough damage nor CC skills to be worth playing at that point.

So what a expect I'll end up doing is play my NB or Templar instead.

Kildayen · May 2016

I have somewhere around 140 days /played on my sorc. He is my main character and the only one I've ever enjoyed playing. Unfortunately due to what I've seen so far and the testing I have done on PTS, this game will not be the same for me anymore. In my opinion they have totally destroyed what the sorc class meant to me. They have taken all my joy from it and forced me to play in a style other than my own. If the changes on PTS are not reversed, the subscription I have had since February of 2014 will be cancelled and I will be forced to wait for another game that does it right. I'm so disappointed in the lack of communication from the developers on the changes. The lack of respect for their player base makes me sick to my stomach. I just wish they would make us feel like they cared.

NativeJoe · May 2016

@kildayen

I completely agree with you... But there are a few builds out their I've been looking into. They're killing our class...but we might be able to skate by if we make the right choices. Some of them might even be fun choices. I'm trying to be optimistic ...at least till Zos nerfs my optimism that is.

On the otherside of things did u catch my other post about my 75k hp sorc on pts? lol

Useless...but for trials it could proly do it's job.

Lucky28 · May 2016

KingYogi415 wrote: »

Enjoy my new OP shield stacking.
Do the complainers even play a sorc, im constantly throwing wards when I tank dungeons and in PVP.

i have 3 srocs. leveled them all in PvP. i know how to play a sorc. problem is i found playing my sorc boring on the PTS. which is why i'm giving up on it, i don't want to play a class i'm not having fun with.

CasNation · May 2016

My sorc will not be changing playstyles that much, but they will be solely played in Azuras Star PvP. I have already been divesting myself from hardened ward when I PvP, mainly using it to allow my Rapid Regen to tick up. Poisons are my biggest concern. Other than that, I am going to keep running the basic cookie-cookie - cutter sorc build, with the caveat of no mines, and using inevitable det for part of my burst combo.

As for the rest of the game? I am taking the opportunity to get into my magblade and templar since they will both be leveled to cap come DB. I am disappointed in the changes, but I am using them as an excuse to enjoy different classes. Doesn't help those who have already done this though...

rotaugen454 · May 2016

I have a VR16 in every class, so I just switch classes around until the nerfing moves on to another class. I'm over cap in CP and have most skills maxed, so it isn't a big deal to switch around. After VR goes away, will have even more choices, and another 4 character slots to boot.