Sorc Tank PVE/PVP without lightning effects

Fellwitch · October 2016

Is it even possible to build a viable magicka or stam based sorc tank without using the self lightning buff with resists?

I personally find the whole look extremely repulsive (as do I find the DK dragon blood effect) but rather like the rest of the abilities in other trees.

I have 165 CP and split my time evenly between solo, pve grouping, and pvp. I prefer heavy armor.

Thank you for the help

ScottishTornado85 · October 2016

Well, to get the buff that you get from that skill you could use Immovable from the heavy armour skill tree. This isn't recommended as it is nicer to save your stamina for blocking but it is your call.

Fellwitch · October 2016

Damage Shields use mitigation or ignore it?

Shaiba · October 2016

Hi

For PvE as a magicka sorc tank the problem is that if you use Immovable instead of Boundless Storm (Magicka morph) you won't make use of Elemental Drain (from your healer) which help you sustaining your magicka (it adds some comfort), and you'll lose speed buff + not a big problem but it costs stamina (stamina recovery isn't a problem for magicka sorc tank anyway but It needs to be mentioned). EDIT : And Boudless Storm lasts longer than Immovable.

For PvP, I really don't know.

ScottishTornado85 · October 2016

My understanding is that damage shields do not use the mitigation but I am not sure, I do know that Hardened Ward is stronger based on your max magika

CreepyPahuska · October 2016

Damage shields ignore mitigation from resistances and blocking, but they don't ignore mitigation from Champions Points into Hardy & Elemental Defender.
However you should not rely only on hardened ward. It's important to have good resistances behind it, cause at some points, attacks will get through, you need those resistances as a backup solution.

I agree with everything @Shaiba said about boundless storm.

xRIVALENx · October 2016

Most certainly is viable, one would just lose out on the benefits of running Lightning form or its morphs with critical surge. Could always run the Chudan Monster set to replace the resistance lost from not running the skill.

DocFrost72 · October 2016

xRIVALENx wrote: »

Most certainly is viable, one would just lose out on the benefits of running Lightning form or its morphs with critical surge. Could always run the Chudan Monster set to replace the resistance lost from not running the skill.

This. And the great thing about sorc tanks is the stamina recovery option. Dark deal = easy mode resource returns and big heal. All you have to do is not time it poorly. GL on axes in HM AA though lol

Tremors · October 2016

Axes in HM AA is fine, you just taunt with inner fire, only thing you use stam for in that fight is blocking. Potions and shards offer enough support here.

Lightning form is too good to pass up man, been a sorc tank since day one on XBOX NA and as annoying as the animation gets, it's just tooooooo OP.

ScottishTornado85 · October 2016

Hey, could I ask what you run on your Sorc tank? I have a sorc just sitting doing nothing just now, would be nice to try out tanking.

ScottishTornado85 · October 2016

Hey, could I ask what you run on your Sorc tank? I have a sorc just sitting doing nothing just now, would be nice to try out tanking.

serenity_painted · October 2016

Hurricane/Boundless Storm+Crit Surge is too good to pass up so i'd say no.With enough crit(i sit at about 40%) it's basically a HoT for 3-6k every second, that will help mitigate a lot when doing vet dungeons. Not only that it can proc implosion/disintegrate.
It's one of the things that make Sorc tanks good and giving that up isn't a good idea if you ask me. Especially if you're stam.

psychotic13 · October 2016

Thread also has me interested in doing a sorc tank, what's some of your guys full set ups for some insight

CreepyPahuska · October 2016

personnally, on my magicka sorc tank (PvE), I use 4x Spectre's Eye, 4x Seducter, 2xEndurance and 2xWillpower.
I have 35k magicka, with 28k HP, & 16k Stam.
I focus on magicka recovery (1988 atm) to be able to spam Hardened Ward & Dark Deal.
Resistances are over 30k
I'm thinking about trading Spectre's Eye for Kagrenac for even more Recovery.

I'll try to post a detailled build tonight or tomorrow (it's already written, but I need to translate it from french)

EDIT : https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/297694/build-magicka-sorcerer-tank-pve

serenity_painted · October 2016

psychotic13 wrote: »

Thread also has me interested in doing a sorc tank, what's some of your guys full set ups for some insight

I tank on my stam sorc, so CP is all dps specced but i managed to pretty much 2 man Kena on HM with a DPS since the other DD and healer kept dying, so CP not really needed unless you want to tank vet trails. Very self sufficient.
Note that i use this only to tank normal trails and vet dungeons.

Gear set up is: Swarm Mother/Blood Spawn depending on fight. Swarm Mother is invaluable in anything with adds and trash to make the run go smoother and maximize the groups AoE damage.
Rest is 5 Tava's Favor: Chest, Leggs Infused, Boots Divines. 1h Sword Decisive, 1h Axe Defending(swap these to main hand as needed) 2 Shields Reinforced.
5 Akaviri Dragon Guard. Gloves, Belt in divines. Amulet, 2x rings with block enchants. HP enchants on everything.

All of this is for ulti generation is mainly for warhorn, becouse of sorc inate 15% reduction and the dragon guard set Aggressive Warhorn costs only 183 ultimate, and thanks to our ulti generation we can crank them out like nobodies business..

So why Divines instead of Sturdy on small pices? Well, because of crit surge and the thief mundus i use. More crit=more heals=less damage and as a sorc, our stamina is almost infinite unless we absolutely have to block non stop, and in the event we do need to use dark deal under pressure the 8k heal and crit surge will cover our ass.
With experience you will get better at timing your deals/heavy attacks so you won't get caught in a power attack.

Bars i use most of the times are:

1: Pierce Armour
2: Heroic Slash- Generates 6 ulti over 9 seconds and applies minor main
3: Dark Deal -3k magicka for 8k hp and 5k stam, our baby, this never leaves the bar.
4:Hurricane -Constant Crit Surge proccs, Major Resolve/Ward and speed buff on top of that implosion crits as high as 30k.
5:Bound Armaments
Ulti: Aggressive Warhorn - Huge boost to the party dps, and we can spam that thing like it gives us candy.

Bar 2: Buff and Utility bar

1:Encase - Crowd Control is a big part of a tanks role in dungeons, you can't taunt every mob at once and this ensures intial aggro and so they don't just run past you and stay clumped up. Further more, your DWing stam dps get a 15% damage boost to any mob trapped in it. Spam this mofo if you have stam dps in your group. It also has fairly long range so if you see your dps/healer getting pressured by more adds than you can taunt, send this puppy out and give them some breathing room.
Must have in most content but a flex spot where it isn't as important or useless.
2:Inner Fire - I keep this unmorphed and magica so i can be a bit more flexible with my resources since it's so expensive, but morph to taste.
3:Shuffle - I'm not using any medium armor so this works best for me. Not only is this a great defensive skill granting us 20% dodge but it alows us to proc Tava's 5pc bonus, granting us even more ulti.
4:Critical Surge - Heals you, i keep this up with Hurricane at all times.
5:Bound Armaments
Ulti: Absorbtion Field - Even more heals in a pinch and stunning a large group of mobs can help your group out more than Warhorn in some situations. Very useful to turn a situation going titts up, titts right again.

Other skills that i use every now and again:
Streak - When mobility is needed, like 2nd boss in vCoS and Lord Warden
Absorb Magic - Magic heavy fights if needed, like Lord Warden. Block passive is also nice but there are skills i prefer.
Shield Charge - When things need to be charged with your shield. Streak has the same function ofc but it can be nice to have a cheap stam alternative if you need to save your magica for Dark Deal/Inner Fire/Surge and even more mobilit with streak. This is rare tho
Vigor - For Velidreth with an inexperienced healer. You will hardly need this, but if you really want to be your own personal healer, here you go. It also heals everyone around you so can be useful if the DPS are having trouble surviving.