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Sorcerer's Bolt Escape

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Saphayla
Saphayla
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Hello. For a vast majority of my playtime (~900 hours), I've been playing as a Sorcerer. One ability, called Bolt Escape, from the Storm Calling skill line, stands out as being surprisingly... useless. Every other Storm Calling ability ranges from fairly useful to great, but I have no idea what use Bolt Escape might have. Perhaps it is a PvP oriented ability, and since I'm only interested in PvE, it's of no use to me, but most abilities seem to have morphs that make them more PvE or PvP oriented, so it seems weird to me for an ability as a whole to be PvP oriented. What are your opinions on it?
Edited by Saphayla on March 5, 2018 10:03AM
  • TelvanniWizard
    TelvanniWizard
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    I think like you. Have played sorc for a long time, and never even bothered unlocking that skill. Seems so useless. Perhaps in Cyro has some use, but... I don´t like running with the bolt between the legs B)
  • Vaoh
    Vaoh
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    Bolt Escape is like..... the singular reason I decided to main Sorcerer since launch :/

    It’s mostly a PvP ability but does have uses elsewhere.
    Edited by Vaoh on March 5, 2018 10:12AM
  • Yakidafi
    Yakidafi
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    it is very good in pvp, but also for pve if you want to skip some area or get to places you otherwise can not.
    Moons and sands shall be your guide and path.
    PC EU/NA
  • Lord-Otto
    Lord-Otto
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    It used to be an AoE alternative to Pulsar. Before it got the cost stack nerf and when sorcs would use DW on their DoT bar. Now everyone uses lightning heavy for AoE, of course.
    It is still useful in special boss fights. Atronach in WGT, or Voidcallers in MoL, for example. But its main use is indeed in PvP, and it is one of the absolutely most important sorc skills there. I know not one single sorc who doesn't slot it outside if duels.
  • Tasear
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    The issue is reduction in well length to fix MOL exploiters has made this pretty bad skill. I tried before and you can run same distance as 1 blot escape meaning you will have to use two more more for effect to matter. If this was to be looked at I suggest 10 meters, or even 20 meters (siege shield only works on ability > 20) . Even nothing else the cost should be looked at once again.
  • Feanor
    Feanor
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    It’s a shadow of the skill it once was.
    Main characters: Feanor the Believer - AD Altmer mSorc - AR 50 - Flawless Conqueror (PC EU)Idril Arnanor - AD Altmer mSorc - CP 217 - Stormproof (PC NA)Other characters:
    Necrophilius Killgood - DC Imperial NecromancerFearscales - AD Argonian Templar - Stormproof (healer)Draco Imperialis - AD Imperial DK (tank)Cabed Naearamarth - AD Dunmer mDKValirion Willowthorne - AD Bosmer stamBladeTuruna - AD Altmer magBladeKheled Zaram - AD Redguard stamDKKibil Nala - AD Redguard stamSorc - StormproofYavanna Kémentárí - AD Breton magWardenAzog gro-Ghâsh - EP Orc stamWardenVidar Drakenblød - DC Nord mDKMarquis de Peyrac - DC Breton mSorc - StormproofRawlith Khaj'ra - AD Khajiit stamWardenTu'waccah - AD Redguard Stamplar
    All chars 50 @ CP 1900+. Playing and enjoying PvP with RdK mostly on PC EU.
  • Tasear
    Tasear
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    Feanor wrote: »
    It’s a shadow of the skill it once was.

    Notice... how mysteriously what we would consider most useless skills are in skill adviser. This actually a skill for sorc healer. I been trying to figure out or understand how tanks will find this when it stuns mobs like pets... but in greater numbers O.o
  • Saphayla
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    Yakidafi wrote: »
    it is very good in pvp, but also for pve if you want to skip some area or get to places you otherwise can not.
    Yes, the trouble is that I hardly ever see places like that, making the skill a small quirk that's equipped for 1 minute and then taken off. As for skipping, I find that Twilight Matriarch + Hardened Ward makes me almost indestructible.
  • Yakidafi
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    Saphayla wrote: »
    Yakidafi wrote: »
    it is very good in pvp, but also for pve if you want to skip some area or get to places you otherwise can not.
    Yes, the trouble is that I hardly ever see places like that, making the skill a small quirk that's equipped for 1 minute and then taken off. As for skipping, I find that Twilight Matriarch + Hardened Ward makes me almost indestructible.

    I did not mean to skip monster :)
    Moons and sands shall be your guide and path.
    PC EU/NA
  • Saphayla
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    Yakidafi wrote: »
    I did not mean to skip monster :)

    What did you mean, then?
  • troomar
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    This skill has its usage in PvE too.

    1) Sorc Tank: Streak + Restraining Prison. First one stuns trash mobs, second one roots them. Easy peasy CC combo.
    2) WGT, Planar Inhibitor. Nobody but you can kite the the boss during the blue flame stage.
    3) QoL in dungeons. Wayrest Sewers: You can teleport from one bank to the other side; City Of Ash: You can teleport between isles on the last boss. And many other places in dungeons.
    4) Speed runs.
    Yes.
  • Maulkin
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    Ever since the cost increase it’s not usable as a PvE skill. It’s a PvP skill much like cloak for NBs.

    Do bear in mind that shortly after nerfing Streak they changed/buffed Liquid Lightning from utterly useless to arguably the strongest ground aoe in the game (perhaps Endless Hail buffed by maelstrom bow being the only exception). So they did a give and ale which is fine.

    There’s plenty of skills on each class that are PvP or PvE only. It’s not even also the only skill for Sorc, mines and rune cage are hardly ever used outside of Cyrodiil/BGs too. It’s nigh on impossible to balance some skills for both PvP and PvE so the expectation that every skill will have a PvE and PvP morph is quite unrealistic.
    EU | PC | AD
  • Tasear
    Tasear
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    troomar wrote: »
    This skill has its usage in PvE too.

    1) Sorc Tank: Streak + Restraining Prison. First one stuns trash mobs, second one roots them. Easy peasy CC combo.
    2) WGT, Planar Inhibitor. Nobody but you can kite the the boss during the blue flame stage.
    3) QoL in dungeons. Wayrest Sewers: You can teleport from one bank to the other side; City Of Ash: You can teleport between isles on the last boss. And many other places in dungeons.
    4) Speed runs.

    Interesting on a tank... still going to place doubts on healer build from skill adviser.
  • Tasear
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    Okay technically you could if super skilled miss mechanics that suppose to kill you... like in mol. Seen it happen before. You can avoid metors in PvP or hrc with it.
  • Saphayla
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    Tasear wrote: »
    troomar wrote: »
    This skill has its usage in PvE too.

    1) Sorc Tank: Streak + Restraining Prison. First one stuns trash mobs, second one roots them. Easy peasy CC combo.
    2) WGT, Planar Inhibitor. Nobody but you can kite the the boss during the blue flame stage.
    3) QoL in dungeons. Wayrest Sewers: You can teleport from one bank to the other side; City Of Ash: You can teleport between isles on the last boss. And many other places in dungeons.
    4) Speed runs.

    Interesting on a tank... still going to place doubts on healer build from skill adviser.

    I'm a Sorcerer Healer who's done many, maaany Veteran Dungeons, a couple Normal Trials and even one Veteran Trial. To me the skill is useless. It does seem interesting on a tank, though. It's not that it has absolutely no use, but that it has so little use that it's not enough to justify keeping it on my skill bars.
    Edited by Saphayla on March 5, 2018 12:19PM
  • NyassaV
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    It's the only reason I'd play a sorc really. even in some situations in PvE it has it's momments
    Flawless Conqueror ~ Grand Overlord
    She/Her ~ PC/NA | I record things for fun and for info
    https://youtube.com/channel/UC0WuLVnsW177WKkKcvNuuYA
  • Saphayla
    Saphayla
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    Hollery wrote: »
    It's the only reason I'd play a sorc really. even in some situations in PvE it has it's momments
    Vaoh wrote: »
    Bolt Escape is like..... the singular reason I decided to main Sorcerer since launch :/

    It’s mostly a PvP ability but does have uses elsewhere.

    Can you explain why?
  • Dracane
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    Bolt Escape is the reason why I play sorcerer and not magicka warden :) It's the only characteristica Sorcs have.
    I like to use it in certain boss fights (from a tanks perspective, that has to carry CP100 people in group finder who die instantly): Lord Warden (to reach the portals or dodge them and to retreat after the crash), basically vs all scalecaller bosses, endboss of fang lair to escape the scarabs, the planetar inhibitor in wgt when she enters the blue phase. I also find it very nice vs Rilis in Banished Cells II .

    With that being said, bolt escape is not usefull for a DD or a healer. But when you tank, it can be really helpfull. Perhaps not essential when your group is good, but I never find good groups.
    Edited by Dracane on March 5, 2018 12:37PM
    Auri-El is my lord,
    Trinimac is my shield,
    Magnus is my mind.

    My debut album on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Gleandra/videos
  • Tasear
    Tasear
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    Saphayla wrote: »
    Tasear wrote: »
    troomar wrote: »
    This skill has its usage in PvE too.

    1) Sorc Tank: Streak + Restraining Prison. First one stuns trash mobs, second one roots them. Easy peasy CC combo.
    2) WGT, Planar Inhibitor. Nobody but you can kite the the boss during the blue flame stage.
    3) QoL in dungeons. Wayrest Sewers: You can teleport from one bank to the other side; City Of Ash: You can teleport between isles on the last boss. And many other places in dungeons.
    4) Speed runs.

    Interesting on a tank... still going to place doubts on healer build from skill adviser.

    I'm a Sorcerer Healer who's done many, maaany Veteran Dungeons, a couple Normal Trials and even one Veteran Trial. To me the skill is useless. It does seem interesting on a tank, though. It's not that it has absolutely no use, but that it has so little use that it's not enough to justify keeping it on my skill bars.

    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/349428/sorcerer-healers-collection-dragon-bones-updated#latest

    You review this yet ;)
  • Vaoh
    Vaoh
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    Saphayla wrote: »
    Hollery wrote: »
    It's the only reason I'd play a sorc really. even in some situations in PvE it has it's momments
    Vaoh wrote: »
    Bolt Escape is like..... the singular reason I decided to main Sorcerer since launch :/

    It’s mostly a PvP ability but does have uses elsewhere.

    Can you explain why?

    .....because it’s cool.

    That’s pretty much why. @Dracane listed far more convincing reasons lol.
    Edited by Vaoh on March 5, 2018 2:45PM
  • Apache_Kid
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    It is one of the best abilities for a sorc in PVP. Sorcs already have great survivability and amazing timed burst damage with having a ranged, timed, execute and haunting curse, and Bolt escape allows them for great mobility as well. Not only that but it can stun. Great for escaping to rocky outcrop to kite pugs around.

    Also, it has its uses for PvE. During a vet AA run i got glitched behind the bookcases at the beginning after a lag spike and bolt escape allowed me to get out from behind them by streaking through a small crevice. Also it is an essential ability in my opinion for SR runs.
  • Dracane
    Dracane
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    Apache_Kid wrote: »
    Not only that but it can stun. Great for escaping to rocky outcrop to kite pugs around.

    Indeed. My guerilla tactic with bolt escape has saved my friend many times. When we get overwhelmed and I call the retreat, he as a stam Dk doesn't have it as easy I do. When the enemy group is on him, I turn around, streak through them and reatreat again. It distracts and confuses them. Always works to save him.
    Auri-El is my lord,
    Trinimac is my shield,
    Magnus is my mind.

    My debut album on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Gleandra/videos
  • Apache_Kid
    Apache_Kid
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    Dracane wrote: »
    Apache_Kid wrote: »
    Not only that but it can stun. Great for escaping to rocky outcrop to kite pugs around.

    Indeed. My guerilla tactic with bolt escape has saved my friend many times. When we get overwhelmed and I call the retreat, he as a stam Dk doesn't have it as easy I do. When the enemy group is on him, I turn around, streak through them and reatreat again. It distracts and confuses them. Always works to save him.

    Nice of you to not leave your friend behind on his class with poor mobility :D

    But yeah it's one of my favorite abilities.
  • Dracane
    Dracane
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    Apache_Kid wrote: »
    Dracane wrote: »
    Apache_Kid wrote: »
    Not only that but it can stun. Great for escaping to rocky outcrop to kite pugs around.

    Indeed. My guerilla tactic with bolt escape has saved my friend many times. When we get overwhelmed and I call the retreat, he as a stam Dk doesn't have it as easy I do. When the enemy group is on him, I turn around, streak through them and reatreat again. It distracts and confuses them. Always works to save him.

    Nice of you to not leave your friend behind on his class with poor mobility :D

    But yeah it's one of my favorite abilities.

    It's all I really can do for him :) Should it fail, then I must let him wander into nothingness :neutral:
    Auri-El is my lord,
    Trinimac is my shield,
    Magnus is my mind.

    My debut album on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Gleandra/videos
  • Didgerion
    Didgerion
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    Saphayla wrote: »
    Hello. For a vast majority of my playtime (~900 hours), I've been playing as a Sorcerer. One ability, called Bolt Escape, from the Storm Calling skill line, stands out as being surprisingly... useless. Every other Storm Calling ability ranges from fairly useful to great, but I have no idea what use Bolt Escape might have. Perhaps it is a PvP oriented ability, and since I'm only interested in PvE, it's of no use to me, but most abilities seem to have morphs that make them more PvE or PvP oriented, so it seems weird to me for an ability as a whole to be PvP oriented. What are your opinions on it?

    It is not the skill - its PVE!
    Streak is as useful in PVP as it is in PVE - works exactly the same.
    Maybe ask ZOS to make PVE more challenging where you would need to kite and stun mobs not just one shot them.
  • idk
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    It’s the best escape in PvP. It still has some use in PvE beyond enjoying blinking through an area. MoL is a great place to use it.
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