IIRC it started off as unblockable, was made blockable and then later reverted back to being unblockable. Here is a thread from 2019 from when it was last made unblockable:

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/486057/why-bolt-escape-streak-ball-of-lightning-is-unblockable-at-pts/p1

Some points from that thread:

-It's melee range, so therefore puts the sorc in threat range (more of an issue for magsorcs).
-Exponential cost, so can't be spammed.
-Locks the user up and has them face the wrong direction meaning no time for follow up frags if used against a good player
who knows how to break free.
-The counter is immovable pots.
-Rune cage is telegraphed and dodgeable.

Using streak as an offensive stun comes with drawbacks.
Magsorc, a full ranged build, has to go meele for it. On Stamsorc its exponentially harder to use because you have to make sure to end up in meele range immediatly after streak. That means either casting it from just the perfect range or against a wall when the opponent stands next to it. Doing that consistently is not easy at all.

It does nothing that other stuns dont already do. Fossilize, arctic blast, mass hysteria and turn undead can all achieve the same results.
What you describe is more an issue with break free delays as well as vate 2h going off of medium attacks, meaning you have no chance to use counterplay against it. It truly is viper 2.0

My advice would be do not run a build that will die to Medium weave 2h vate type combos.

Its not just this combo, but there are many that are similar.

Again just make a build tanky enough to CC break + Dodge roll and recover.

Stop being squishy or dont expect to survive a successful burst combo

Best damage, best speed, best shield, best pets.
Sorcerer has everything, it has no weaknesses and is the strongest.
Where is the game balance?

FriedEggSandwich wrote: »

-Locks the user up and has them face the wrong direction meaning no time for follow up frags if used against a good player
who knows how to break free.

It feels like it has 70% chance to be an unbreakable too. I mean, you know, when you somehow can not break free (despite having full stamina bar). Often bugs like this occur. Streak feels like it is prone to cause this, as most often it happens when some one streak though. This happens also with other CCs, like fear, but not as often.

divnyi wrote: »

Name a few combos that I can't block/dodge and that doesn't require ultimate.

Unless youre squishy to an unhealthy degree there is no combo without an ultimate that will one shot you before you can react at all.
But i will name a few burst combos that are similiarly hard to avoid without a streak:

curse - endless fury - meteor - rune cage - frags
the standard age old magsorc combo. can be done from 40 meters away. magsorcs often use streak in this combo only to save barspace

cloak - incap (-mass hysteria) - spectral bow - vate medium - execute cancel
you will never block a cloaked incap from a top stamblade except by chance. the bow will land almost guarenteed. in anything but a duell you will definetly not see it coming

(deep breath) - fossilize - molten whip/vate medium - leap - execute cancel
If the dk dots ate too much of your hp away prior, this is a death sentence. Due to leaps regular desyncing, fossilize might not even be needed.

arctic wind - shalks - dizzy - vate medium - execute cancel
a potential one shot without even an ult.

blastbones - spammable - turn undead - vate medium/graveyard - execute cancel
you can even throw in a colossus for good measure or not.

All of these burst combos use an unavoidable cc. Whats the counterplay? Be tanky enough, keep your health high and hots/shields up.
Crystal weapon - streak - vate medium - exe cancel requires slightly less preparation and is less telegraphed but has the same counterplay. And it deals less damage.

divnyi wrote: »

I disagree. Procs or not, this is a question of counterplay. All telegraphed actions should have counterplay

For that to be true all unavoidable stuns would need to be removed. But then block would be absolutly op and zos doesnt want to nerf that because of pve tanking.

divnyi wrote: »

I'm afraid using it to burst will die off completely if it would require full heavy. Not that I will miss it or anything, but that's just a fact.

Vate 2h not having real counterplay is the main culprit as to why stamina burstcombos in general are out of controll. You can only build tankier to avoid death. There is a good reason as to why every single stam class is running around with that p2w weapon.

fbours wrote: »

I see why you want streak nerfed. You are the one shot 3 or 4 proc magblade that posted that video showcasing the build.

I have 8 chars and I swap builds like every several weeks or so.

fbours wrote: »

Streak counters your build directly.

No, it does not. That char doesn't die to this burst because 30k HP, except if that's with Dawnbreaker.

fbours wrote: »

Let's nerf streak if we agree to nerf cloak

Create your thread and propose option that will mean exactly nerf, without nuking the skill to oblivion. Don't derail this one.

divnyi wrote: »

Raeyleigh wrote: »

curse - endless fury - meteor - rune cage - frags

200 ulti. Requires LOS for 4 GCDs.

Raeyleigh wrote: »

cloak - incap (-mass hysteria) - spectral bow - vate medium - execute cancel

120 ulti, 3 GCD - thus last part is blockable and dodgeable. Even incap is blockable and dodgeable with good internet connection if you know that NB is near.

Raeyleigh wrote: »

(deep breath) - fossilize - molten whip/vate medium - leap - execute cancel

Implies close range. 125 ulti, 4 GCD. Thus, leap is blockable, execute is dodgeable. And I don't even know why would you fossilize when you have leap ready, as it has stronger stun.

Raeyleigh wrote: »

arctic wind - shalks - dizzy - vate medium - execute cancel

Implies close range. Stuns at 3 ticks -> can be preemptively escaped. Dizzy and execute is blockable/dodgeable without stun. Dizzy + medium attack sounds incredibly slow too.

Raeyleigh wrote: »

blastbones - spammable - turn undead - vate medium/graveyard - execute cancel

You just made it up? I never seen anyone running turn evil on necro. Without it, the whole combo is blockable, even the blastbones.

You see, all of above have counterplays before it hits some ~20-25k damage numbers. Or requires ulti. Or both.

Now, again, I don't even mind high damage numbers on combo. Give counterplays. Even if they aren't easy ones, like blocking streak before it hits (nothing forbids to apply this combo from stealth btw, so everything you can say about cloaks applies here too).

Hint, drink a immov pot or LOS the sorc, playing a sorc open field is dumb unless you are a dk, templar, necro or a warden all which can eat ults like no one, oh wait... If you have 8 characters I sure hope one is a sorc so you learn how to counter play one.

[Edit to remove bait]

divnyi wrote: »

Ranger209 wrote: »

When you balance the game around proc sets you get classes that suck without proc sets. Class imbalance and the need to use proc sets to fill holes in a particular class toolkit sometimes, and in what you are suggesting, have a cause and effect relationship. I would rather remove procs than weaken class toolkits. When a class becomes too strong because procs make it's toolkit OP it is the fault of procs, not the toolkit. This is part of the problem with procs, and one of the reasons that the classes are becoming less and less unique.

I disagree. Procs or not, this is a question of counterplay. All telegraphed actions should have counterplay - you can dodge or block snipes, you can do the same for telegraphed incap, except if it started with fear (but that reduces damage, as you don't damage with stun move). Telegraphed sorc burst can only be countered with ellusive, which means you are forced to spend GCD ahead of time, means you don't even plan to do any offensive actions for ~3 GDC, which itself leads to even worse situation.

First you say there is no counterplay, and then turn around and list a method of counterplay. You don't like the method of counterplay, but it is still there. Others have listed additional methods, immov pots, LOS, there is also the CP auto break free, and the fact that if you see them telegraphing their burst you can stun them to screw it all up and make them reset their burst, then fall back on any of the above listed methods once you have done that.

In your burst combo listed in the OP you specifically called out 2h vat in the combo. If the combo can't kill you without that in it then it isn't as dangerous as you are making it out to be. The time for counterplay is before the streak when you see them telegraphing their burst.

Cloak into Concealed that procs Cal and Blossom that both insta hit due to melee range, guaranteeing both land as you CC break before u can dodge can be coupled with another ability.

Concealed that CCs u and procs both sets, then while u CC break hits you again. Thats over 40k TT damage b4 u can respond

divnyi wrote: »

fbours wrote: »

Hint, drink a immov pot or LOS the sorc

There is no LOS requirement in the setup of stamsorc burst.

Ranger209 wrote: »

First you say there is no counterplay, and then turn around and list a method of counterplay. You don't like the method of counterplay, but it is still there. Others have listed additional methods, immov pots, LOS, there is also the CP auto break free, and the fact that if you see them telegraphing their burst you can stun them to screw it all up and make them reset their burst, then fall back on any of the above listed methods once you have done that.

BGs are no-cp. Streak stuns you first at that range, whatever you throw at it. No LOS required, except for the streak itself.

You can't count elusive as counterplay. It is not a reactive play, elusive requires full GCD to set up and next few GCD to avoid stun. And that if enemy will streak into it at all. There is no cost of not doing so. There is no cost of streaking and throwing few spammables. There is no cost of streaking into it, throwing burst into mist, try to finish you up and streak out through you if it didn't work - you are not stun immune at that point.

Your answer makes me question if you know how to LOS. Stamsorc burst is quite predictable. 9/10 stamsorcs use crystal weapon now days. Second hint, stamsorcs cast crystal weapon they are about to burst you/streak you - LOS/drink pot/cast heal spell - believe me it will make a huge difference.

Also, if a stamsorc streaks out from your same location, guess what now the sorc is not within melee range.

[snip]

[Edited for Baiting]

divnyi wrote: »

fbours wrote: »

Your answer makes me question if you know how to LOS.

When people talking about "breaking LOS", they mean "combo has 2-3 parts, I got hit with first and I break combo by breaking line of sight".

Streak combo on stam has only one component: streak. You advice me to run away and hide as soon as I see stamsorc or what?

You over complicate things, beyond my mind. My advise to you is to learn how to play a stamsorc - you will learn that there are my counters to streak/stam sorc combo. Anyway, pointless conversation. Have a good one.

master_vanargand wrote: »

Joy_Division wrote: »

Yes.

It incentivizes the magicka sorcerer from doing something other than continually blasting away at 40 meters away in having a good skill that can (much) more reliably inflict a stun, but compels them to do what they don't want to: be in melee range and thus vulnerable to close quarters combat. It also encourages them to take this morph rather than the awful Ball of Lightning, which just makes me want to throw me computer out the window. I don;t main a sorc and I'd prefer to fight an aggressive one that takes risks, so I've been fine with Streak for the past 5 or 6 years or so.

I disagree.
In reality, Sorcerer only keeps a favorable distance in the Streak.
In large areas like Cyrodiil and Imperial City, there is no chance of killing a Sorcerer that uses Streak properly.

Not true for many. I myself use streak offensively more than defensively. Yes I use it defensively, but not nearly as often as I use it offensively. As a mag sorc I use it for the stun, and it puts me momentarily in melee range if all goes well. If all does not go well I am in melee range way more than I want to be. Stam Sorcs which the OP seems more concerned with I thought primarily use BoL. Is this the result of nerfing BoL? Nerf the other morph as well?

all spells have 3 beneficial effects to them. Some have 4 because 1 is a negative.
streak has too many benefits to it. Gap closer, gap maker (this and nightblade shade are the only ones in the game), unavoidable, cc, deals damage. There's 5 benefits instead of 3. You could say 4 because 1 is negative being increased cost,
but

FriedEggSandwich wrote: »

-Exponential cost, so can't be spammed.

streak is literally spammed in cyrodiil and bgs and everywhere, even in no-cp. Idk what cost is that but it's ignored entirely, especially when you stop for 1-2 seconds to cast a deal and regain all ur mag back.

and, even so, spell is overtuned. It needs to lose something to be in line with others. For example nb shade also has no counter, and is a gap closer and a gap maker, but does not cc you.

jaws343 wrote: »

Sergykid wrote: »

all spells have 3 beneficial effects to them. Some have 4 because 1 is a negative.
streak has too many benefits to it. Gap closer, gap maker (this and nightblade shade are the only ones in the game), unavoidable, cc, deals damage. There's 5 benefits instead of 3. You could say 4 because 1 is negative being increased cost,
but

FriedEggSandwich wrote: »

-Exponential cost, so can't be spammed.

streak is literally spammed in cyrodiil and bgs and everywhere, even in no-cp. Idk what cost is that but it's ignored entirely, especially when you stop for 1-2 seconds to cast a deal and regain all ur mag back.

and, even so, spell is overtuned. It needs to lose something to be in line with others. For example nb shade also has no counter, and is a gap closer and a gap maker, but does not cc you.

Dark Conversion provides 2400 magicka over 20 seconds. No sorc is just regaining the magicka costs for Streak in 1-2 seconds.

Streak costs around 3600 magicka at base. And increases by 33% each cast. Just 3 casts of streak has a cost in the area of 15K. Sorcs are not regaining that with one Dark Conversion. And it takes more than 3 casts of streak to get far enough away from a fight to flee. Especially when they have most likely already expended magicka during the fight they are fleeing from.

[snip] Go into a main campaign in cyro and roam overland around keeps. Sorcs are streaking forever, then have the resources to also come back and nuke you. All this while not dropping health below their hp under shields.

[Edited to remove Baiting]