Bow/Sorc Turned Squishy at 16 ?

psyncro_ESO · April 2014

I've been buliding a Breton sorc with light armor and a bow. Mainly using crys shard, bow venom and an upgraded pet. At level 16, my spec is mag 7, health 3, bow 5. I'm wearing all light armor and have upgraded magicka regen/max skills from armor and racials.

Now at 16 in new zone, it seems I'm squishy, even with lightning armor. Taking on 2-3 equal level mobs from questing, they seem to outdamage me and get me killed. It seems like either my damage is too weak now or I'm just not tanky enough. Spells and melee hit me hard all of a sudden.

I've been having a great time up until today. What do you guys think? Should I go medium armor and upgrade my bow/health skills or is there some other way I should spec as a sorc to survive.

I know how to avoid spells, block, and basic mechanics. It just seems like there's something wrong with my build currently and am not sure which way to go. I wouldn't be getting anything done if it wasn't for helpful passing templars, healers. Hmm.. should I use my alternate spec for a restorating staff or something? A little lost.

Thanks or any help.

jla231445 · April 2014

I also went bow/sorc (level 19 at the moment) and I seem to be successful with 2-3 mobs. I went Medium armor from the beginning of play and put most of my points in Stamina. As much as possible I try not to get hit. I try to identify casters first and focus fire on them, when melee guys get close to me I use the push back bow shot(scatter shot) to keep distance from them. If multiples get to me, I use Encase to root them all or most.

Typical fight against 2 mobs...
Power bow show, followed by Poison arrow, then Crystal shards. Scatter shot any mob close to me, then poison arrow, maybe crystal shards or more regular bow shots. Both mobs typically die around the same time.

Most of my skill points are in Bow, Racial abilities (wood elf to enhance the bow), Medium armor for stamina boosts and + to Crit, then Dark Magic for additional crowd control.

I'm having fun with that build so far.

Knovah · April 2014

My alt is a sorc ( been playing her more than my main now) and is only at lvl 16 ad side. Knovah

I am using sword/board with mix of med/ light or heavy /light.. I have mix of heavy/ light on atm

I am deeper into summoning and use both pets and even the UA ability in summoning is upgraded and it is NICE I pull it out on big groups or save it for the mini bosses and have a ball.

I went some into dark magic and a few into storm because the insta lightening cast helps with bot rage in dungeons when trying to kill a boss.
weapon swap I am using the restro staff for her.

but between the two pets and the sword and board I have not had any troubles. Slice dice spell sling and watch my lovely pets devour it all.

Love this build but it is not for everyone…I suggest messing around with it a little, just armor swaping might help…Good luck

Krivaan · April 2014

It gets easier at higher levels when you have a lot of crowd control abilities.

Volcanic Rune from the Mages Guild tree (stuns for 3 seconds), then Restraining Prison, which snares for 40% for 4 secs. (Morphed from Encase in the Dark Magic tree) and they won't even get near you. All whilst using your Bow AoE's.

MongooseOne · April 2014

Only one thing to add to what others have said. If you are not putting any points into armor passives then I suggest wearing 5/1/1 heavy/medium/light armor. Just split that way to gain armor exp across the board. Without the armor passives only thing you are doing not wearing heavy is taking more damage, assuming you are not soft capped.

Dorgon · April 2014

Been running a bow Sorcerer for 33 levels. I have 5 medium and 2 light armor and did use a pet now and then. I found groups of mobs easier to deal with once I got the Rune Prison spell. Summons seem to attack the last mob you hit so they will break the 16 second stun right after you cast it which is why I stopped using them for now.

I also have Magnum Shot which stops a second mob for a few seconds as long as it doesn't take damage. I open with run prison then hit another mob running at me with magnum shot. After that I place a curse on the third guy with a poison arrow and normal bow shots to finish him off.

I can just about kill that one guy before the second starts moving to which I repeat my spells on the 2nd. After he is dead the prison is about to break so I finish off the last guy with the same rotation. I switch in silver bolts as needed.

Edit: Health + food helps me a lot as well.

BluntedJ · April 2014

I am glad to hear people are doing Bow/Sorcerer. I am only level 11, but I had this problem between level 7 and 10 - in fact, I couldn't get ANY quests done at 8 or 9 because it was too hard. I was dying a lot. I could handle 2 mobs, but in quests that sent you to an instanced place I died ALOT. Also, the end "boss" fights were too tough.
I then realized my problem was not really my armor, but rather the fact that I didn't have enough offensive spells. I wound up getting the basic Lighting skill and it made a HUGE difference.
I am mixing my armor, so I have at least 3 light and mix in medium and heavy. I put in passives for light armor (to get extra magicka + regen).
I don't really use the encase much (sometimes if I get another add).
I generally start the AOE Bow attack. By the time it lands I am almost done casting Crystal Shard. I immediately follow-up with that instant cast lighting skill. Most times, the mob is dead (if not 1 or 2 bow shots follow-up to kill). If it's a boss, I throw in Poison Arrow, then start the rotation again. If it's not a boss, and there is a second mob (usually melee) on me I start kiting. Yes, kiting. Something I knew of in other MMO's but really could not use much (i.e., most other games if you moved your lost your cast).
All in all, it may just be that you need to up your offensive skills, is my point. Yes, I know I am only level 11 now, but I think our problem may be similar. It appears that this "build" has some peaks/valleys.
Keep trodding along, I bet it gets better.