Help, I suck at this game!

Night_Wolf2112 · December 2017

Khajiit - Stam / Sorc (solo PvE, dungeon, vMA farming)
Hundings - Spriggan - Viledreth (6 med / 1 heavy)
DW / Bow (sword & dagger)

I own Morag Tong and Night Mothers as well....
But I don't have all the BiS stuff.

Is there any suggestions or better ways I can go about farming the gear I need/want?

VaranisArano · December 2017

Your gear looks fine, so honestly, the biggest increase you are going to get in DPS comes from practice. Hundings/Spriggans/Velidreth is a fine combo for gear.

In terms of raw DPS, you need to practice your rotation of damaging skills so that you have good uptime on all your DOTs and you can sustain the skills you are using. If your problem is DPS, practice that rotation. If you don't already have a rotation you are using, look at recent stam sorc builds and find one that works for you.

If your problem is sustaining a rotation, make some small adjustments. Do you need more stam recovery or more heavy attacks? A rotation you can sustain is better than a high damage rotation you can't sustain. I've simplified a roation by double-barring two skills I need to have even if my lag means I can't bar swap, so making the adjustments you need in order to make it work for you is just fine.

If your problem is self-heals, make sure you've got the skills you need. For Stam Sorc, that's Crit Surge, Dark Deal, and Vigor. For my solo PVE and dungeon DPS, Crit Surge is sufficient for most content, though I keep Vigor on my bar for a backup. For Vet Melstrom, having Crit Surge up and using Vigor proactively makes a big difference. So again, its back to practice and working out how those fit with the rotation. If you still need Vigor and want advice on getting that in PVP, just let me know.

As for farming Vet Maelstrom, again, its practice. Success in Maelstrom has more to do with learning the mechanics and spawn locations forward and backward than it does more gear or how hard your skills hit (though those obviously make it easier). I believe most people running stam sorcs recommend Vicious Ophidian for VMA, but if you can't run the trials for that yet, you'll just need to put in a lot of practice with VMA or practice with the rotation to get to trials-level DPS.

Night_Wolf2112 · December 2017

DW Bar - Blood Craze, Shrouded Dagger, Deadly Cloak, Hurricane, Bound Armaments, Rend
Bow Bar - Poison Injection, Rearming Trap, Endless Hail, Crit Surge, Bound Armaments, Ballista

My current set up.... any suggestions on skills to swap in/out? I do not have Vigor or Caltrops unlocked yet on this toon. I am not very good at PvP or AP farming. I have 680cp.

VaranisArano · December 2017

I've got a slightly different set up, though yours looks fine. Mine is aimed at using Fighter Guild abilities to up my Weapon Damage on the DW bar.

DW: Crit Surge, Bloodthirst, Evil Hunter (savagery + extra wep dam), Rearming Trap, Hurricane - Flawless Dawnbreaker (I'll swap Evil Hunter to Steel Tornado in group dungeons for trash mobs, Deadly Cloak would be a great flex skill here too)
Bow: Crit Surge, Poison Injections, Vigor, Endless Hail, Hurricane - Negate, Suppression Field (Vigor is the self-heal, though Dark Deal could substitute, Negate is great for bosses with lots of adds, otherwise not really.. I also double bar Hurricane and Crit Surge pureply for ease of use, I have a lot of lag and I need those two up constantly without having to bar swap).

Then my rotation is just what I've worked out that I can sustain easily.
Crit Surge -> Hurricane -> Endless Hail -> Poison Injection -> barswap -> Rearming trap -> Bloodthirst/Heavy attack anim cancel spam until I need to redo the DOTs. Dawnbreaker is usually the fastest ultimate to come back with the Fighters Guild passives and gives me extra weapon damage on the bar its equipped on.

I really do suggest getting Vigor. Stam Sorcs have more self-heal options than the other stam builds except Warden, so Vigor isn't absolutely necessary for a stam sorc the way it is for a StamDK or a StamNB, but its still a very solid self-heal-over-time that can be used proactively in VMA or to help your group in group dungeons. Caltrops is nice, but Endless Hail is already a pretty potent DOT.

As for PVP, I'll offer the advice that worked for me on my stam sorc. I got my AP for Vigor and Caltrops with her over 4-5 days playing for several hours each day on a populated campaign using the slow horse method I described where I focused on defending keeps. This is geared towards a stam build, since magic users have it easy. If you were magicka, I'd say "Find a group, equip a resto staff, and spam heals." For stam users the basic advice that worked for me was "Find a group, equip and bow, and spam attacks."

Joy_Division has an amazing guild for new PVPers and PVEers who just what to get this over with. Its like the Cyrodiil 101 of guides: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/360956/joy-s-advice-for-midyear-mayhem-event/p1
Grab impenetrable gear. Impen trait gear is pretty useless in PVE but without critical resistance in PVP you will feel like you pop like a balloon. You can wear any type of armor you want, though you'll probably feel a little squishy in medium compared to heavy. Its okay, you'll probably die a lot - I know I did.
If you have a fast mount, you can ride to where the fight is and probably make it in time. You can figure out where the fights are by watching the map for crossed swords to pop up, watching zone chat for people talking about where the fight is or which keeps/resources need to be defended, or join a group.
If you have a slow mount, its going to be a slower but steady method of getting AP by sitting and defending keeps rather than riding out to capture keeps and maybe missing the AP tick at the capture. You definitely want to pay attention to zone chat calling out which keeps need to be defended.
If you can, find a group to follow around. Often you can type LFG in zone chat and see if someone will pick you up. Otherwise as you are defending keeps, if you see an organized group, try to follow them. Its hard for a new solo player to do much on their own, so follow a group is a great way to make AP.
In a fight, use that bow to hit as many players as you can. If you hit the enemy with a light attack, you'll get some AP for helping to kill them, so spam away! Poison Injection is a beautiful skill for this.
Be prepared to die. It'll happen a lot. It's okay. If you feel super squishy, don't be afraid to get more health, run heavy armor or a tanky medium set (my stamwarden is running medium Fortified Brass right now while I'm learning to PVP with her)

monktoasty · January 2018

Isn't it better to use two swords or two daggers? You get a bonus if I recall.

Using two swords is damage Bonus
Two daggers is crit Bonus
Two axes I forget

VaranisArano · January 2018

monktoasty wrote: »

Isn't it better to use two swords or two daggers? You get a bonus if I recall.

Using two swords is damage Bonus
Two daggers is crit Bonus
Two axes I forget

You get the bonus from any type of weapon whether doubled or one of each. Axes are a bleed effect, maces give more armor penetration. I believe that technically you get better DPS from daggers, axes, or axe/dagger than you do from swords thanks for how the percentages are actually figured, but I use double swords anyway. It makes a very small percent difference in overall DPS.

skoomatrait · January 2018

Some top stamsorcs might correct me if i'm wrong but here's kinda best what you can do atm.

Gear.
Veli trials/boss Stormfist solo/packs (Veli is very good anyway ), Automaton, Vicious Ophidian. 6/1 or 7med if u ok with mechanics. Thats for raid, u can keep it for solo as well but it may be better swap VO for spriggan for you since u already have it. Stam enchant all, divines.
Dual wield daggers or dagger-axe/ bow. Daggers nirn main with poison, infused off-hand weap damage. Bow nirn/precise/infused/sharp with poison equiped double health damage. Maelstrom bis/Master vdsa/spriggan/any.

Skill.
For solo i personally prefer - DW: trap-shrouded daggers-deadly cloak-hurricane-bound armaments/dawnbreaker bow: hail-caltrops-bound armaments-poison injection-surge(vigor)/ballista.
For trials DW: rendering slash-shrouded daggers-deadly cloak-hurricane-bound armaments/dawnbreaker bow: hail-caltrops-bound armaments-poison injection-trap/ballista.

Rotation solo: precast surge/cloak/hurricane then LA hail LA caltrops LA injection bar swap(animation cancel) HA trap HA shroud daggers(2 time) LA cloak LA hurricane bar swap.
Rotation trials: precast cloak/hurricane then LA hail LA caltrops LA trap LA injection bar swap(animation cancel) HA slashes HA shroud daggers(1-2 time) LA cloak LA hurricane bar swap.
Endless Hail is your most dmg ability so track it using addons once it run out u must be bar swaped from DW to bow and recast it thus repeat rotation.

CP. (my phys penetration 3542 automaton/VO)
Thats when i'm not sure its best setup but i'm running it currently for dailies/ norm trials/ msa.
blue:
thaumaturge/precise strikes 51
mighty 56
piercing 41
master at arms 31
you may took some points like 11 from piercing and put them into physical weap expert and try.
green:
warlord 28
mooncalf, tenacity 75
tumbling shadow ward 26
red:depends on trial if u do one
ironclad 51
spell shield 22
hardy, elemental 49
thick skinned 40
quick recovery 19

Mundus warrior or even thief for trials but crit chance for khajit should be high enough.

notes.
install addon CritDamage for example and track your or your grp penetration.
grind caltrops and vigor (no other option)
grind msa its easy just need practice spend u time there (no other option)
get vamp for recovery
most of your damage comes from correct rotation so train urself a lot, thats best advise.(no other option)

Night_Wolf2112 · January 2018

Thx for the insight you two! I appreciate the help. Time to hit grind and practice up!

Bobby_V_Rockit · January 2018

Me too buddy, I’m at 850cp, over two years playing, have all the BiS gear (except maelstrom gear) but still cant beat stage 5 of vMA (thus no maelstrom gear).

The trick is to find contentment with what you can do and play to those strengths

xenowarrior92eb17_ESO · January 2018

a sorc player suck at playing...a...sorc. I wouldn't want to see you play a stamblade then.

Night_Wolf2112 · January 2018

That's the thing...... I am not a Sorc player.... but I heard this was the best/easiest class for solo PvE farming and vMA is easier with this. Is this not accurate information? I just am more of a solo play guy, so I was looking for an easier way to complete some content. I don't even want to try mag/sorc though... I may go that way if this doesn't work out. I really don't like the Magicka or Sorc play style... I have a Mag/NB too... but can't bring myself to learn it yet. I like Stam toons.

Nestor · January 2018

Night_Wolf2112 wrote: »

and vMA is easier with this.

Have you done Normal Maelstrom Arena yet?

How many times have you tried Vet?

Oreyn_Bearclaw · January 2018

Night_Wolf2112 wrote: »

That's the thing...... I am not a Sorc player.... but I heard this was the best/easiest class for solo PvE farming and vMA is easier with this. Is this not accurate information? I just am more of a solo play guy, so I was looking for an easier way to complete some content. I don't even want to try mag/sorc though... I may go that way if this doesn't work out. I really don't like the Magicka or Sorc play style... I have a Mag/NB too... but can't bring myself to learn it yet. I like Stam toons.

I will say that Sorc is the easiest way to farm VMA, but it's not the easiest to get on the leaderboards if that is important to you. Magic NB is just as easy as magic sorc, but from a stamina point of view, I think Stam Sorc is your best bet. If you have never cleared VMA, I am not sure I would suggest learning on Stamina, but it's certainly doable.

For a VMA farming Stamina toon, you really want to get yourself a set of VO gear. The jewelry is fine in any color, and the armor is worth running, even in bad traits (until you farm enough crystals to change them). Join any group running nSO. It really shouldnt take that many runs these days. VO gear does three things all at once, Damage, Sustain, Movement speed, all of which are important in the arena. You also really need to get into PVP. Getting Caltrops and Vigor can be done in an evening. Find a zerg and stick to crown. Caltrops is one of your bigger damage skills on a sorc, and Crit surge is not enough to get you through VMA the first few times.

kylewwefan · January 2018

Night_Wolf2112 wrote: »

DW Bar - Blood Craze, Shrouded Dagger, Deadly Cloak, Hurricane, Bound Armaments, Rend
Bow Bar - Poison Injection, Rearming Trap, Endless Hail, Crit Surge, Bound Armaments, Ballista

My current set up.... any suggestions on skills to swap in/out? I do not have Vigor or Caltrops unlocked yet on this toon. I am not very good at PvP or AP farming. I have 680cp.

I’m just getting started farming Maelstrom gear. I’m also high CP. the regular trials Min/Max was t working so great for me in here so I changed things. Mighty %10, thermaturge%15, Master at arms %15, piercing all the rest. %22 tumbling.

DW: bloodthirst, bloodcraze, deadly cloak, Crit surge, Bound Armor Dawnbreaker
Bow: endless, Caltrops,hurricane, Vigor, Bound Armor. Ballista/ negate (the healing one)

VO is great and I’m really digging well fitted atm. I’m redguard. Don’t knkw how much difference that makes. Briarhearts may be a little better than Hundings since the proc can stay on the bow bar for a little bit.

Atm, I’m using VO/agility/Veledreth w/ masters daggers and Maelstrom Bow. I know it sucks if your trying to get it still but it’s a game changer for Stam DPS.

You need to get Vigor and Caltrops asap. Those will make A bigger difference for you than any gear I think.