When the shield nerfs were announced, ZOS also said that they were looking into revamping magSorcs specifically and magicka characters. To that end, I've made a bit of a wishlist. Please take this as a wishlist knowing that not all (and maybe none) will ever happen. If they all were to happen, the game wouldn't be balanced in favor of magicka instead of stamina (which I don't want). Please add to the discussion.
Change defensive mechanic calculations
Good read with all the math. A pic halfway through the post is a good overview.
TL;DR Change dodge roll and break free to a base cost plus percent of max stamina. Medium builds should stay the same, but magicka will be able to use these mechanics more effectively without being cornered into specific sets/food to stack stam.
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/5478612#Comment_5478612Dark/Blood/Oblivion Magicka Weapon Line
I'd like to see another option for magicka players come from a new weapon line. Attacks would be magic unless specifically marked as oblivion.
~One handed weapon (All skills can be used with one and shield or dual wielding. DW only increases spell damage)
~Focus on much closer range (Max 20 meters)
~Light Attacks and Heavy attacks are melee
Weapon Skills
~Hard CC
~Self-buff (Sorcery for 30 seconds, Snare Removal/Immunity for 4 seconds or Healing received for 30 seconds)
~Execute that scales starting at 50%
The last two and the ultimate are flexible but here are ideas:
~DoT that does Oblivion damage (change oblivion to scale on spell damage/magicka and work like bleeds w/Crit, no resistance, but add protections, etc that currently apply to bleeds)
~Single target debuff that applies minor breach/defile with a morph that changes them to Major, but you get minor versions. (or other seldom used/poison only minor debuffs)
~Toggle that when on stops all healing received and adds an oblivion DoT but makes your light and heavy attacks oblivion damage for 3 seconds
~Ultimate - 10 Seconds that all attacks ignore Spell Resistance (going with the oblivion theme. This ability would be similar to Corrosive Armor offensively but without the defensive component)
~Ultimate - Costs 75 ultimate to activate and stops ultimate generation once activated but does drain all ultimate. Buffs the damage of your next Ultimate by X %. Basically, save ultimate a little longer, cast this buff, bar swap, cast a buffed ultimate of choice. (like toggling on overload so you can bar swap and drop a more powerful version).
~Passives focus on damage (crit, execute damage, spell damage modifier, etc) and ultimate generation
Encourage a melee playstyle with magicka characters that typically avoid melee range (magSorcs) and synergize with playstyles that already operate in melee range (magDK, magPlar). The damage could pair very nicely with magSorcs since they already do a good bit of damage. Classes lacking an execute in PvE and PvP would benefit. Lastly, this gives a fair way for both mag and stam to have higher damage in close range and lower damage at longer range.
Magicka Classes
MagDen
~Give them a stun
~Lose the double cast swarm for something else. (Honestly, most double cast or skill pairing buffs are trash. Asylum staff and bow as the exceptions)
~A lot more can be said here, just make sure it helps close the gap between MagDen and StamDen
MagSorc
~Buff their damage. With the shield change, they are glasscannons.
~Lower the increased cost on streak
MagPlar and MagDK
~Both would benefit most from a new magicka melee weapon line, but could use other buffs. Would love to hear from you on these!
MagBlade
~Allow Soul Harvest at range with less damage or at melee range with buffed damage. Magblades in No CP still use Incap because Soul Harvest is so far behind
~Make Cripple non-reflectable (it's used more for the CC than the DoT in PvP)
~Decrease the total heal on Swallow Soul but make it instant and not a HoT (It's evolved into a spammable, give the heal up front. PvE gets better DPS from Elemental Weapon now anyway)
These are just ideas and opinions. Most are not new as I've seen most of these in discord, forums, youtube, or experienced in game. I don't know the pain points for each class so please add to (or shoot down) this list as you see fit.