I just began to use it and still optimizing the abilities for my pet sorcerer. But I like the effects it provide. Hope it stays like that and don't get nerfed more. I am on PTS experimenting with different armor and weapon sets and checking how more easier it becomes to clear veteran dungeons solo (only the vanilla ones, the DLC ones hand my ass just at the dungeon entrance).

It's definitely still worth using for certain builds/fight scenarios, imo. Not as OP as before, but still good damage buffs and mitigation.

jaws343 wrote: »

ssewallb14_ESO wrote: »

Until they fix the maelstrom staff it's the strongest set for sorc heavy attack builds without raid buffs.

I'm planning on running it with the Maelstrom staff and Maw. Not sure on the body set yet. But without having to bar swap, the maelstrom staff will work really well with Oaken, and and provide a nice amount of damage per tick to all enemies on top of the Oaken buffs.

The Unstable Wall of Elements explosion nerf is getting me to use Elemental Ring for the first time in years. But loss of a skill slot aside, the Maelstrom staff change is a buff to AoE damage.

As for Oakensoul -- I actually only got it right before the nerf. And all I've used it for is to vaporize overland enemies, which it seems to still be fine at.

(Extreme example of overkill -- using an Oakensoul build for yesterday's mudcrab endeavor. )

jaws343 wrote: »

FrancisCrawford wrote: »

jaws343 wrote: »

ssewallb14_ESO wrote: »

Until they fix the maelstrom staff it's the strongest set for sorc heavy attack builds without raid buffs.

I'm planning on running it with the Maelstrom staff and Maw. Not sure on the body set yet. But without having to bar swap, the maelstrom staff will work really well with Oaken, and and provide a nice amount of damage per tick to all enemies on top of the Oaken buffs.

The Unstable Wall of Elements explosion nerf is getting me to use Elemental Ring for the first time in years. But loss of a skill slot aside, the Maelstrom staff change is a buff to AoE damage.

As for Oakensoul -- I actually only got it right before the nerf. And all I've used it for is to vaporize overland enemies, which it seems to still be fine at.

(Extreme example of overkill -- using an Oakensoul build for yesterday's mudcrab endeavor. )

I've never really cared for Unstable wall in solo/4man content because the smaller area means less enemies in the wall in more chaotic scenarios. But yeah, the Maelstrom staff change is going to be a nice buff.

the main reason i like the unstable wall is (before the change) if it lasts full duration it would do more dmg than blockade, but it also serves as a quick burst if you do need to recast it early

i havent done a comparison now (post patch), and also havent tested if the maelstrom destro buffs the explosion dmg (assuming it does, but again havent confirmed) to see which one would be better, although unstable still has the benefit of the explosion if you need to recast early

merpins wrote: »

thoughts on the Oakensoul nerf in pve?

what is Oakensoul?

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

jaws343 wrote: »

FrancisCrawford wrote: »

jaws343 wrote: »

ssewallb14_ESO wrote: »

Until they fix the maelstrom staff it's the strongest set for sorc heavy attack builds without raid buffs.

I'm planning on running it with the Maelstrom staff and Maw. Not sure on the body set yet. But without having to bar swap, the maelstrom staff will work really well with Oaken, and and provide a nice amount of damage per tick to all enemies on top of the Oaken buffs.

The Unstable Wall of Elements explosion nerf is getting me to use Elemental Ring for the first time in years. But loss of a skill slot aside, the Maelstrom staff change is a buff to AoE damage.

As for Oakensoul -- I actually only got it right before the nerf. And all I've used it for is to vaporize overland enemies, which it seems to still be fine at.

(Extreme example of overkill -- using an Oakensoul build for yesterday's mudcrab endeavor. )

I've never really cared for Unstable wall in solo/4man content because the smaller area means less enemies in the wall in more chaotic scenarios. But yeah, the Maelstrom staff change is going to be a nice buff.

the main reason i like the unstable wall is (before the change) if it lasts full duration it would do more dmg than blockade, but it also serves as a quick burst if you do need to recast it early

i havent done a comparison now (post patch), and also havent tested if the maelstrom destro buffs the explosion dmg (assuming it does, but again havent confirmed) to see which one would be better, although unstable still has the benefit of the explosion if you need to recast early

I just tested 3 hits, with 1 crit in each case, against a dummy, with Maelstrom staff equipped.

Elemental Ring totalled 27, 482 damage.
Unstable Wall of Elements (burst part only) totalled 22,849 damage.

So if one casts a couple of other skills between the Wall of Elements spam, it could actually hit harder. On the other hand, Shock Ring scales with the number of enemies, and I don't know what the scaling factor is.

Unstable Wall hits 144 square meters. Elemental RIng hits 112 or so, in a different shape. That's close enough to be outweighed by other considerations (damage, range/shape, secondary effects like Shock Wall setting concussed enemies off-balance).

Thes numbers, by the way, are with an Oakensoul ring, an Infused gold staff with a weapon damage enchantment, and otherwise dubious light armor gear (irrelevant 5-piece bonus, Training traits, regen jewelry enchantments, etc.)