Maintenance for the week of April 6:
• PC/Mac: No maintenance – April 6
• PC/Mac: No maintenance – April 6
Sorcerer rework, new class, new systems, house building, and various improvements for ESO
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BretonMage✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭I don’t know that morphing a Pet into a ground based AoE really support the idea of “pets” per se and Sors already have a slew of AoE skills as it is. If we were going to keep the pets the changes or morphs need to focus on the pet (beings) themselves. Morphing one into a ground based AoE only adds a nail into their coffin, IMO
It was just an example of a possible non-pet skill. I do think that there should be more in Daedric Summoning for non-pet sorcs, given that not all sorcs want pets. I assume ZOS intends for all three lines to be attractive to pet and non-pet sorcs alike.
And perhaps you're right in that we want $50 worth of goods in a $25 basket, but I'm hoping ZOS can work something out.1 -
spartaxoxo✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭.
Re-targeting takes multiple input commands; it’s not a single button press and in combat where timing is critical Sorc Pets need to be able to react lightning quick.
No. You just recast Daedric Prey or use a heavy attack. My pets only attack what they want when I don't care about their target. They could shift it to a light or medium attack if they wanted to make it respond faster and not rely on Daedric Prey for fast swapping. They can increase the movement speed while in combat to make their repositioning faster.
Liquid Lightning is another AOE that could be and should be changed to give a better ground aoe. It already is the ground aoe.
Rune Cage can be a sticky dot. It already is on bosses.
One of the morphs of crystal frags should also be more spammable.
Mage's Fury needs buffs so the class has a proper execute.
Daedric Summoning Passives can have different effects depending on if a pet is active or not. So it could be like X extra weapon/spell damage. You get additional weapon/spell damage if no pet is active or additional health if it's not. Or better yet, additional benefits if any Daedric Summoning skill is slotted because there are actually non-pet skills in that skill line like Haunting Curse.Edited by spartaxoxo on February 21, 2026 5:36PM2 -
NxJoeyD✭✭✭spartaxoxo wrote: ».
Re-targeting takes multiple input commands; it’s not a single button press and in combat where timing is critical Sorc Pets need to be able to react lightning quick.
No. You just recast Daedric Prey or use a heavy attack. My pets only attack what they want when I don't care about their target. They could shift it to a light or medium attack if they wanted to make it respond faster and not rely on Daedric Prey for fast swapping. They can increase the movement speed while in combat to make their repositioning faster.
Liquid Lightning is another AOE that could be and should be changed to give a better ground aoe. It already is the ground aoe.
Rune Cage can be a sticky dot. It already is on bosses.
One of the morphs of crystal frags should also be more spammable.
Mage's Fury needs buffs so the class has a proper execute.
Daedric Summoning Passives can have different effects depending on if a pet is active or not. So it could be like X extra weapon/spell damage. You get additional weapon/spell damage if no pet is active or additional health if it's not. Or better yet, additional benefits if any Daedric Summoning skill is slotted because there are actually non-pet skills in that skill line like Haunting Curse.
Yeah, you can heavy attack but a heavy attack takes a full 2 seconds to complete and in combat, that’s a long time, especially for the purposes for retargeting a pet. A recast of DP is the quickest option but, in all fairness, it’s almost a tax on Sorcs because the recast cost full pool resource. The “free” option to redirect pets via inputs is cumbersome and can be painful when you’re dealing with targets that have high mobility. .. This is why I have such an issue with their AI. In combat one of the things I’m looking for is reliability. If I spend a resource I want reliability that the skill or effect I trigger is going to land where I need it to land at the time I trigger it. … Pets do synergize well with HA builds but any other pure Sorc build is going to have more struggles.
I would like to see pets have a much better AI and control interface that enables them to keep up with the extremely fast pace of combat that we find in latter game PvE & PvP. This is one of my biggest gripes with pets and it’s my biggest apprehension with thinking the Devs can fix that in the current state of the game.
There’s also the 2 bar penalty for Pets. I know people have complained about this and with the CURRENT state of pets I agree with them simply because the Pets are currently weak .. but .. if the Devs did defy the odds and figure out a way to re-write Sorc pet mechanics then I would agree with having to slot Pets on both bars to prevent the caster from becoming OP.
My feeling is that if they did go to a world Conjuring line then enable them to be active on either ability bar so Sorcs wouldn’t have to double slot them. Have them focus on lore oriented buffs and or debuffs and concentrated damage elements. This way the AI really isn’t as relevant because the damage wouldn’t be the focus the summoned empowerment would.
It’s no shock to anyone that we have more server side latency in gameplay than ever and various bugs to deal with. That’s all fine and acceptable but we have to also realize that anything we might ask for has to work in the scope of all that latency and I haven’t seen a single thing, from the Developers or the game itself that says to me that we can get Sorc pet mechanics fixed in a way that makes them more appealing in those latter game content scenarios.
I agree with you 100%, all of those abilities are stale and need reworks and you do have a good point about flexible passives. That is one good way to have passive available for both pet and non pet.
Now, if that same logic could be applied to a base skill itself, say, at the time the base skill is unlocked the Sorc either had to choose between the Pet variant or the Non Pet variant then I’m 100% ok with leaving them in the class. .. I don’t mean morphs, I mean the initial unlock of the skill would see the player choosing the “concentration” by selecting either the pet variation of the skill OR a non pet variation of the skill. Then onward each of those skills would have their own morphs and level ups accordingly.
I do think that sounds a bit complex for the Devs, but, we have UI menus now so we’re only talking about adding one additional selection layer which shouldn’t be too difficult. This would be unique to Sorc because no other class out there has such a concentration split like Sorc does so maybe this is one way to have our cake and eat it too?3 -
spartaxoxo✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭spartaxoxo wrote: ».
Re-targeting takes multiple input commands; it’s not a single button press and in combat where timing is critical Sorc Pets need to be able to react lightning quick.
No. You just recast Daedric Prey or use a heavy attack. My pets only attack what they want when I don't care about their target. They could shift it to a light or medium attack if they wanted to make it respond faster and not rely on Daedric Prey for fast swapping. They can increase the movement speed while in combat to make their repositioning faster.
Liquid Lightning is another AOE that could be and should be changed to give a better ground aoe. It already is the ground aoe.
Rune Cage can be a sticky dot. It already is on bosses.
One of the morphs of crystal frags should also be more spammable.
Mage's Fury needs buffs so the class has a proper execute.
Daedric Summoning Passives can have different effects depending on if a pet is active or not. So it could be like X extra weapon/spell damage. You get additional weapon/spell damage if no pet is active or additional health if it's not. Or better yet, additional benefits if any Daedric Summoning skill is slotted because there are actually non-pet skills in that skill line like Haunting Curse.
Yeah, you can heavy attack but a heavy attack takes a full 2 seconds to complete and in combat, that’s a long time, especially for the purposes for retargeting a pet. A recast of DP is the quickest option but, in all fairness, it’s almost a tax on Sorcs because the recast cost full pool resource. The “free” option to redirect pets via inputs is cumbersome and can be painful when you’re dealing with targets that have high mobility. .. This is why I have such an issue with their AI. In combat one of the things I’m looking for is reliability. If I spend a resource I want reliability that the skill or effect I trigger is going to land where I need it to land at the time I trigger it. … Pets do synergize well with HA builds but any other pure Sorc build is going to have more struggles.
I would like to see pets have a much better AI and control interface that enables them to keep up with the extremely fast pace of combat that we find in latter game PvE & PvP. This is one of my biggest gripes with pets and it’s my biggest apprehension with thinking the Devs can fix that in the current state of the game.
There’s also the 2 bar penalty for Pets. I know people have complained about this and with the CURRENT state of pets I agree with them simply because the Pets are currently weak .. but .. if the Devs did defy the odds and figure out a way to re-write Sorc pet mechanics then I would agree with having to slot Pets on both bars to prevent the caster from becoming OP.
My feeling is that if they did go to a world Conjuring line then enable them to be active on either ability bar so Sorcs wouldn’t have to double slot them. Have them focus on lore oriented buffs and or debuffs and concentrated damage elements. This way the AI really isn’t as relevant because the damage wouldn’t be the focus the summoned empowerment would.
It’s no shock to anyone that we have more server side latency in gameplay than ever and various bugs to deal with. That’s all fine and acceptable but we have to also realize that anything we might ask for has to work in the scope of all that latency and I haven’t seen a single thing, from the Developers or the game itself that says to me that we can get Sorc pet mechanics fixed in a way that makes them more appealing in those latter game content scenarios.
I agree with you 100%, all of those abilities are stale and need reworks and you do have a good point about flexible passives. That is one good way to have passive available for both pet and non pet.
Now, if that same logic could be applied to a base skill itself, say, at the time the base skill is unlocked the Sorc either had to choose between the Pet variant or the Non Pet variant then I’m 100% ok with leaving them in the class. .. I don’t mean morphs, I mean the initial unlock of the skill would see the player choosing the “concentration” by selecting either the pet variation of the skill OR a non pet variation of the skill. Then onward each of those skills would have their own morphs and level ups accordingly.
I do think that sounds a bit complex for the Devs, but, we have UI menus now so we’re only talking about adding one additional selection layer which shouldn’t be too difficult. This would be unique to Sorc because no other class out there has such a concentration split like Sorc does so maybe this is one way to have our cake and eat it too?
The resource tax on Daedric Prey is pretty negligible because Pet Sorcs already have good sustain, especially on heavy attack builds. 5 of your skill slots are already taken by the pet build so the amount of stuff you need to cast and keep up with is lower than non-pet builds. That's one of the things that makes them such a good accessibility option. If you have the matriarch over tormentor (most do in my experience) then you're also not casting that skill often either. The scamp like other dots has a long uptime (20 seconds) and doesn't require a lot of casting. They could up his combat movement speed so he can reposition faster.
I would be fine with being able to swap out the pets for a different Daedric pact as that allows both groups to maintain their play style. It actually sounds pretty cool and Iirc Diablo 4 has something similar with its necromancer.Edited by spartaxoxo on February 21, 2026 8:07PM1 -
ZhuJiuyin✭✭✭✭✭
✭spartaxoxo wrote: »The resource tax on Daedric Prey is pretty negligible because Pet Sorcs already have good sustain, especially on heavy attack builds. 5 of your skill slots are already taken by the pet build so the amount of stuff you need to cast and keep up with is lower than non-pet builds. That's one of the things that makes them such a good accessibility option.
No, the easy part is the heavy attack, not the pet playstyle.
In fact, the pet playstyle is the root cause of Sorc's single-target damage issues; against targets without Daedric Prey, the pet's damage is ridiculously low. To make the pet deal damage, Daedric Prey must be managed every 6 seconds, which is a terrible skill. As other players and me have mentioned, Daedric Prey was originally created as a crutch to salvage Sorc. Giving the pet 50% pet damage just to make it keep up with other classes illustrates the predicament Sorc faced in U35. Furthermore, other aspects of this skill are very poor. To allow the pet to switch targets, it must be cast again before Daedric Prey explodes, thus losing at least one GCD and one instance of damage.
If we compare Daedric Prey with other similar skills, Purifying Light deals damage twice within 6 seconds, so the loss from repeatedly casting it before the explosion is relatively small. In addition, its overall damage is higher than Daedric Prey, it also has area healing, and casting the skill can trigger two very useful passives that are very effective at increasing damage – Prism and Illuminate. As for Subterranean Assault, we all know how powerful this skill is.
"是燭九陰，是燭龍。"──by "The Classic of Mountains and Seas "English is not my first language,If something is ambiguous, rude due to context and translation issues, etc., please remind me, thanks.1 -
BretonMage✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭To allow the pet to switch targets, it must be cast again before Daedric Prey explodes, thus losing at least one GCD and one instance of damage.
If we compare Daedric Prey with other similar skills, Purifying Light deals damage twice within 6 seconds, so the loss from repeatedly casting it before the explosion is relatively small. In addition, its overall damage is higher than Daedric Prey, it also has area healing, and casting the skill can trigger two very useful passives that are very effective at increasing damage – Prism and Illuminate. As for Subterranean Assault, we all know how powerful this skill is.
Yes, this is the part of Daedric prey which I dislike. However, I don't really want it removed, since it's useful to send pets to target enemies you don't want to deal with yourself. It does need to be reworked so that the disadvantages of recasting aren't so pronounced.0 -
NxJoeyD✭✭✭spartaxoxo wrote: »The resource tax on Daedric Prey is pretty negligible because Pet Sorcs already have good sustain, especially on heavy attack builds. 5 of your skill slots are already taken by the pet build so the amount of stuff you need to cast and keep up with is lower than non-pet builds. That's one of the things that makes them such a good accessibility option.
No, the easy part is the heavy attack, not the pet playstyle.
In fact, the pet playstyle is the root cause of Sorc's single-target damage issues; against targets without Daedric Prey, the pet's damage is ridiculously low. To make the pet deal damage, Daedric Prey must be managed every 6 seconds, which is a terrible skill. As other players and me have mentioned, Daedric Prey was originally created as a crutch to salvage Sorc. Giving the pet 50% pet damage just to make it keep up with other classes illustrates the predicament Sorc faced in U35. Furthermore, other aspects of this skill are very poor. To allow the pet to switch targets, it must be cast again before Daedric Prey explodes, thus losing at least one GCD and one instance of damage.
If we compare Daedric Prey with other similar skills, Purifying Light deals damage twice within 6 seconds, so the loss from repeatedly casting it before the explosion is relatively small. In addition, its overall damage is higher than Daedric Prey, it also has area healing, and casting the skill can trigger two very useful passives that are very effective at increasing damage – Prism and Illuminate. As for Subterranean Assault, we all know how powerful this skill is.
Agreed.
When I talk about the fundamental mechanics of pets its details like this (and others) that all add up.
I don’t think DP is a good control mechanic for pets because it levies a tax on Sorcs to simply control an ability we already pay resource to summon and then pay again to trigger damage or healing and then pay again-again to re-target.
A heavy attack build is literally the only playstyle that’s going to have enough sustain to make that sort of constant cost feasible. And is that what we’re saying? Sorc skill and playstyle should be concentrated around HA? That would make Sorc a proverbial “one trick pony”. If we’re not going to say that then DP isn’t resource cost effective for anyone besides HA builds, which is basically entry level combat.
Combat in ESO is more challenging, we’re getting more complex mechanics that feature small windows for the team to manage or address the mechanic to avoid an insta-wipe .. We’re getting more trash mobs with one taps .. we’re getting more intermediate mobs that are taunt resistant and with aggro based more on role or output .. we’re getting more mechanics that are hard hitting ground AoE based … Sorc pets aren’t mechanically beneficial in any of those situations.
Sorc pets need faster movement, better AI target priority logic, a better mechanic of applying damage, and better environmental awareness. .. all of those things go to mechanics and I’m not convinced that the Devs are going to dig that deep in the toy box to re-write those key aspects of our pets.2 -
spartaxoxo✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭No, the easy part is the heavy attack, not the pet playstyle.
It is both. The pets are much easier to command than it is to weave. Getting them to target something else is no different than repositioning other aoes when the enemy moves out of those too. It's one button press. Pets also take aggro. And they provide a burst heal that you can use reactively. The burst heal is easy enough to source elsewhere. The aggro not as much. When we're talking about accessibility builds it is not about putting out meta level damage.
Pet builds do not generally hurt for resources. Pets do not need to be constantly picking a new target in most fights. In some fights they actually stick to the target better than a regular AOE because they pet will continue to target the boss even when they're not visible and are hiding somewhere.Edited by spartaxoxo on February 22, 2026 8:02AM0 -
ZhuJiuyin✭✭✭✭✭
✭spartaxoxo wrote: »
It is both. The pets are much easier to command than it is to weave. Getting them to target something else is no different than repositioning other aoes when the enemy moves out of those too. It's one button press.
No, they're not the same. You're comparing a single-target skill to a ground-dot AOE skill.
Daedric Prey deals absolutely no damage before exploding, so if the boss enters invulnerability or a similar state within 6 seconds, or disappears for exactly 1 second, the Daedric Prey is completely wasted. Any DoT damage or ground-dot AOE skill, even if the boss enters invulnerability or disappears early, only results in a small loss of damage, not all of it.
Furthermore, Daedric Prey requires aiming at the correct target, because if other add die prematurely, the entire Daedric Prey's damage is wasted. Dot skills and ground-dot AOE skills don't have these issues.In some fights they actually stick to the target better than a regular AOE because they pet will continue to target the boss even when they're not visible and are hiding somewhere.
This is only a very minor advantage, and most of the time the pets simply arrive at the location where the BOSS is going to appear and make an attack gesture, but they don't actually cause any damage.
Moreover, even if damage is inflicted, the pet's attack power is not high. Not to mention that when the mechanism of the BOSS disappearing and reappearing occurs, Daedric Prey is usually cleared or has already become ineffective, so this slight advantage has almost no impact on the pet's damage.
"是燭九陰，是燭龍。"──by "The Classic of Mountains and Seas "English is not my first language,If something is ambiguous, rude due to context and translation issues, etc., please remind me, thanks.1 -
NxJoeyD✭✭✭Sorc pets don’t take aggro as a rule anymore.
Yes, there’s still content where they do, but there’s just as much where they don’t.
Let someone run Vet Coral Aerie with Sorc pets and see how much is aggro resistant to the pets .. and even have one taps. .. moreover, play any Vet DLC boss that’s heavy AoE oriented, that’s an Achilles heel for Sorc pets because they can’t get out of the AoEs reliably, they don’t carry enough damage output, and they take zero aggro … and that’s just Vet DLC, we’re not even talking Trial or PvP.
The damage values on pets could be increased but their damage application mechanics are still questionable.
I agree that they align with heavy attack Sorc play styles but they don’t align with anything else Sorc outside of that. Heavy attack is such a narrow focus to have a significant portion of the class to be built around.
I will admit that using DP to command a pet is easier than weaving but, although weaving is an intended mechanic and is an advised tactic to learn, it’s not essential. If you’re playing endgame content and you’re putting out proper endgame DPS (100k - 120k DPS), only around 10% to 16% is going to come from the light attacks fired while weaving so it’s not end of the world if a player doesn’t master it but it’s definitely helpful. And btw, those expected output values aren’t as of subclassing that’s been an end game standard for some time.
I don’t believe Sorc needs to be the meta or that pets have to be built to be at or near the meta but what I do expect that they have to do is contribute a “worthwhile value” toward combat “regularly and reliably”; and with a lot of the newer PvE content as well as PvP content we can’t say that.
All of that is before factoring in subclassing. If part of the idea is to encourage people not defaulting to a subclass then that means that the opportunity cost of running a Sorc skill can’t be significantly lower than choosing a subclassed skill that performs better.3 -
Lekjih✭✭✭Let someone run Vet Coral Aerie with Sorc pets and see how much is aggro resistant to the pets .. and even have one taps. .. moreover, play any Vet DLC boss that’s heavy AoE oriented, that’s an Achilles heel for Sorc pets because they can’t get out of the AoEs reliably, they don’t carry enough damage output, and they take zero aggro … and that’s just Vet DLC, we’re not even talking Trial or PvP.
They don't need to get out of aoe in four man or twelve man, they won't die in vet dungeons or trials unless the player does.
671d played, 257 on a Warden.
Lucent clannfear suggestion sketch on my profile1 -
NxJoeyD✭✭✭Let someone run Vet Coral Aerie with Sorc pets and see how much is aggro resistant to the pets .. and even have one taps. .. moreover, play any Vet DLC boss that’s heavy AoE oriented, that’s an Achilles heel for Sorc pets because they can’t get out of the AoEs reliably, they don’t carry enough damage output, and they take zero aggro … and that’s just Vet DLC, we’re not even talking Trial or PvP.
They don't need to get out of aoe in four man or twelve man, they won't die in vet dungeons or trials unless the player does.
They can and will die in Arenas, any solo content, overworld content or the IA, they don’t get the damage immunity in any of those. There are some PvE mechanics that do bypass the pet immunity, there’s not many but I believe there are a couple.
As for the Vet DLC dungeons, the issue with them not getting out of the AoE isn’t that they’ll die but moreover they either aren’t doing anything contributive to the fight while they are in them, or worse, if the boss summons trash mobs and those mobs do happen to be vulnerable to aggro / taunt they can screw with the tank pulling & grouping.2 -
spartaxoxo✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭They don't die in IA either.
They do die in overworld and arenas but they also take aggro there so it's a fair trade off.
They can contribute to damage while in an AOE.1 -
ZhuJiuyin✭✭✭✭✭
✭spartaxoxo wrote: »They don't die in IA either.
They do die in overworld and arenas but they also take aggro there so it's a fair trade off.
They can contribute to damage while in an AOE.
What? I seriously doubt you've ever played Sorc. The AI is one of the easiest places for pets to die, and many boss mechanics still kill pets today."是燭九陰，是燭龍。"──by "The Classic of Mountains and Seas "English is not my first language,If something is ambiguous, rude due to context and translation issues, etc., please remind me, thanks.4 -
spartaxoxo✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭spartaxoxo wrote: »They don't die in IA either.
They do die in overworld and arenas but they also take aggro there so it's a fair trade off.
They can contribute to damage while in an AOE.
What? I seriously doubt you've ever played Sorc. The AI is one of the easiest places for pets to die, and many boss mechanics still kill pets today.
I meant to AOE. They don't take damage in there to AOE. I actually don't have a ton of issues with pets dying in IA but I seldom go past Arc 4 so maybe that's part of it.Edited by spartaxoxo on February 26, 2026 10:01AM0 -
NxJoeyD✭✭✭spartaxoxo wrote: »They don't die in IA either.
They do die in overworld and arenas but they also take aggro there so it's a fair trade off.
They can contribute to damage while in an AOE.
They do die in the IA.
The damage output pets contribute in the grand scheme of the required DPS in a Trial or even Vet dungeon is way sub par.
Yes, damage could be increased but that still leaves issues with the mechanics of how our pets apply the damage as well as the AI that doesn’t enable them to maintain strong DPS output.
Those two things are the elephants in the room that I don’t believe the Devs can or would be able to address. So even by turning up the damage would make the pets look good on paper, but in practical application I believe they’d still fall short.2 -
YandereGirlfriend✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭Pets definitely get giga-clapped in the IA.
To which I have never really understood why they are immortal in some content and allowed to die in others. I suppose that the devs do not want players to have pets drawing permanent aggro in solo content with no downside to the player. But it does render them unusable beyond the first few Arcs, which is... unfortunate... given their prominence in the Sorc kit.
I would definitely trade their ability to draw aggro/body-block for immortality in all PvE content so that you do not have to worry about your burst heal getting one-tapped by a Marauder.1 -
spartaxoxo✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭Yeah, as I already said, I meant to AOE. The topic was on which AOE they could and couldn't die to, so I was saying they couldn't die in IA to that. But I clearly should have been more specific as what I said is much broader than I meant it. I don't go past Arc 4 much and didn't have much trouble the few times I did but I used harden ward and had a tank as well. So I'm not sure if they're hard to keep up past Arc 4.
I'd also ditch aggro for no AOE damage anywhere but I know some people like the aggro as an accessibility thing in the content that allows for it (arenas, overland, IA)
Edited by spartaxoxo on February 26, 2026 9:58PM0 -
Emphatic_Static✭✭✭✭✭Alright. I'll throw my hat into the ring.
I've been a pvp stamina sorcerer since BETA. Those dark days BEFORE hurricane, let alone crystal weapon or bound armaments...
Almost everyone in this threads perspective is from a non stamina mentality - I would like to point out that for well over a decade the stamina sorc kit has been completely reliant upon weapon, world, and guild skill lines.
Crystal weapon should have been Stam Frag, obviously... It hardly gets used because light attacks are difficult to utilize reliably in certain aspects of gameplay. It misses a lot, and is punishing if you use the skill compared to others available. It just feels bad and always has. If it were a spammable, it would have been ok, but tying it to light attacks never made sense and sucks when it's dodged constantly, just unreliable. A regular spammable has the chance to hit, then a light attack weave has a chance to hit, but when your attack is tied to that light attack you are effectively trying to rely on 1 attack to land in any given global cooldown that would otherwise be at LEAST a light attack landing. But nope -- WHIFF. Either make it a spammable or a stam frag. period.
Armaments is cool, but once again is light attack focused - why is stam being pushed into light attack gameplay? Currently it's in a weird skill line so it's hard to justify using over other classes lines that are jam packed with stam love... Stam frag should have been like this skill but not tied to light attacks, just a proc but multiple projectiles rather than one frag like mag, making it more prone to missing or whatever but maybe different buff applied to balance that or something... but to put it with summoning is, well.... DUMB.
Hurricane has been the only stam skill that was any good for sorc. I think it was always dumb to make it grow over time and only be good damage for the later part of the duration - visually cool but would just be more consistent in anything other than a parse if it just had the same tick each time. Not the end of the world though, a good skill.
aaaaaand.... That's it. Every other class is offering more to the stamina side of things than sorc. Any build I've ever made in the last decade plus I end up saying to myself "Man... this would really slap on XXX class..."
The ONLY thing stam sorc has going for it is the mobility, but that is just a testament to how good streak is, a MAG skill, and less of a brag for stam sorc now that it has been outsourced to everyone else via subclassing.
We need some more morphs for stam. 3 is a joke. I agree with making summoning a tank focused skill tree, then you have your lightning based tree for mag, but what could be more on theme with dark magic than STAM MAGIC?
We need a tree that's catered to stam. I've been dealing with class identity crisis for far too long. If there's going to be a rework, STAM NEEDS SOME LOVE!
My pvp setup right now has ONE SORC SKILL..... And that is.... DARK DEAL! That's a shame. I'm a shell of a sorc. By the end of the year I'd like to stop living this way :-DEdited by Emphatic_Static on February 28, 2026 12:55AMStatic
Stamina sORCerer1 -
NxJoeyD✭✭✭Emphatic_Static wrote: »Alright. I'll throw my hat into the ring.
I've been a pvp stamina sorcerer since BETA. Those dark days BEFORE hurricane, let alone crystal weapon or bound armaments...
Almost everyone in this threads perspective is from a non stamina mentality - I would like to point out that for well over a decade the stamina sorc kit has been completely reliant upon weapon, world, and guild skill lines.
Crystal weapon should have been Stam Frag, obviously... It hardly gets used because light attacks are difficult to utilize reliably in certain aspects of gameplay. It misses a lot, and is punishing if you use the skill compared to others available. It just feels bad and always has. If it were a spammable, it would have been ok, but tying it to light attacks never made sense and sucks when it's dodged constantly, just unreliable. A regular spammable has the chance to hit, then a light attack weave has a chance to hit, but when your attack is tied to that light attack you are effectively trying to rely on 1 attack to land in any given global cooldown that would otherwise be at LEAST a light attack landing. But nope -- WHIFF. Either make it a spammable or a stam frag. period.
Armaments is cool, but once again is light attack focused - why is stam being pushed into light attack gameplay? Currently it's in a weird skill line so it's hard to justify using over other classes lines that are jam packed with stam love... Stam frag should have been like this skill but not tied to light attacks, just a proc but multiple projectiles rather than one frag like mag, making it more prone to missing or whatever but maybe different buff applied to balance that or something... but to put it with summoning is, well.... DUMB.
Hurricane has been the only stam skill that was any good for sorc. I think it was always dumb to make it grow over time and only be good damage for the later part of the duration - visually cool but would just be more consistent in anything other than a parse if it just had the same tick each time. Not the end of the world though, a good skill.
aaaaaand.... That's it. Every other class is offering more to the stamina side of things than sorc. Any build I've ever made in the last decade plus I end up saying to myself "Man... this would really slap on XXX class..."
The ONLY thing stam sorc has going for it is the mobility, but that is just a testament to how good streak is, a MAG skill, and less of a brag for stam sorc now that it has been outsourced to everyone else via subclassing.
We need some more morphs for stam. 3 is a joke. I agree with making summoning a tank focused skill tree, then you have your lightning based tree for mag, but what could be more on theme with dark magic than STAM MAGIC?
We need a tree that's catered to stam. I've been dealing with class identity crisis for far too long. If there's going to be a rework, STAM NEEDS SOME LOVE!
My pvp setup right now has ONE SORC SKILL..... And that is.... DARK DEAL! That's a shame. I'm a shell of a sorc. By the end of the year I'd like to stop living this way :-D
I agree, you’re 100% right on a lot of this here.
I think part of the reason you’re seeing so much Mag Sorc input is that if we’re talking about the fundamental class identity, Sorc falls more into a Magicka lore than a Stam one. This could be one of the bigger reasons why Sorc never got proper Stam attention or allocation.
I’m not opposed to an expansion of Stam focused skills for Sorc, but, I will say that this opens the door to much bigger problem when it comes to any class where range DPS is a core part of the class identity, and that is Stam has become a FAR too over prioritized resource, especially in PvP, to a much lesser degree in PvE but PvP is a big part of end game ESO content and Sorc has to be viable in both PvE & PvP.
The problem with Stam is that it gravitates around melee skills which have a much lower accuracy threshold and therefore a higher reliability of strike than ranged DPS where reticle & hit detection in both PvP & PvE is atrocious.
Further, Stam based builds see their damage scaling tied to the same resource that’s used as primary counter play for evasion, damage mitigation, and break free. Mag based builds can’t break free from CC using Magicka, nor can they dodge with Magicka. A Stam player that can allocate resource into the Stam pool gets both the extra ability to block, dodge, & break free sustain all while having their damage scale off that resource, that’s a 2 for 1 benefit that Mag doesn’t get. And currently it’s not though Mag scaling is higher than Stam scaling to account for this.
So if we’re going to talk about expanding resources for Stam based Sorcs we need to really talk about and make sure we’re including some sort of utility passive or Skill that enables Mag based Sorcs to keep pace in light of the growing priority Stam has in combat; otherwise we risk Sorc pivoting to Stam based a baseline in order to be competitive which greatly affects the class.
We want to be inclusive of play styles but not to the point that they ever undermine the fundamental of the class, unless, we’re going to redefine the class.
One idea might be that Sorc skills work similar to how some of the Arc skills work whereby the scaling is based off of your max resource (either Mag or Stam). In this way a player can select a skill and utilize its function and have it run off of their main resource, and, the game can scale so that Stam isn’t continuously over prioritized.Edited by NxJoeyD on February 28, 2026 8:28PM5 -
ZhuJiuyin✭✭✭✭✭
✭I agree, you’re 100% right on a lot of this here.
I think part of the reason you’re seeing so much Mag Sorc input is that if we’re talking about the fundamental class identity, Sorc falls more into a Magicka lore than a Stam one. This could be one of the bigger reasons why Sorc never got proper Stam attention or allocation.
I’m not opposed to an expansion of Stam focused skills for Sorc, but, I will say that this opens the door to much bigger problem when it comes to any class where range DPS is a core part of the class identity, and that is Stam has become a FAR too over prioritized resource, especially in PvP, to a much lesser degree in PvE but PvP is a big part of end game ESO content and Sorc has to be viable in both PvE & PvP.
The problem with Stam is that it gravitates around melee skills which have a much lower accuracy threshold and therefore a higher reliability of strike than ranged DPS where reticle & hit detection in both PvP & PvE is atrocious.
Further, Stam based builds see their damage scaling tied to the same resource that’s used as primary counter play for evasion, damage mitigation, and break free. Mag based builds can’t break free from CC using Magicka, nor can they dodge with Magicka. A Stam player that can allocate resource into the Stam pool gets both the extra ability to block, dodge, & break free sustain all while having their damage scale off that resource, that’s a 2 for 1 benefit that Mag doesn’t get. And currently it’s not though Mag scaling is higher than Stam scaling to account for this.
So if we’re going to talk about expanding resources for Stam based Sorcs we need to really talk about and make sure we’re including some sort of utility passive or Skill that enables Mag based Sorcs to keep pace in light of the growing priority Stam has in combat; otherwise we risk Sorc pivoting to Stam based a baseline in order to be competitive which greatly affects the class.
We want to be inclusive of play styles but not to the point that they ever undermine the fundamental of the class, unless, we’re going to redefine the class.
One idea might be that Sorc skills work similar to how some of the Arc skills work whereby the scaling is based off of your max resource (either Mag or Stam). In this way a player can select a skill and utilize its function and have it run off of their main resource, and, the game can scale so that Stam isn’t continuously over prioritized.
Agreed. I'd also like to add that most Stamina skills are melee, thus they have a 10% damage bonus, resulting in higher damage than magic skills. Stamina also has a faster regeneration rate than magic .
And many magic skills are forcibly tied to healing and resource effects. Therefore, for the sake of balance (at least to appear balanced in the spreadsheet), these magic skills are often weaker than Stamina skills. This isn't limited to Sorc; it includes other classes like Punctuating Sweep, Endless Fury, Burning Embers, etc. This further widens the damage gap between Stamina and magic skills, which is why Stamina builds are the mainstream in PvE.
If each class's spam skills and at least one burst skill were based on the Highest/Lowest Max Resource, like Arc, I think it would help increase build diversity and optimize some niche playstyles.
Edited by ZhuJiuyin on March 1, 2026 2:14AM"是燭九陰，是燭龍。"──by "The Classic of Mountains and Seas "English is not my first language,If something is ambiguous, rude due to context and translation issues, etc., please remind me, thanks.3 -
NxJoeyD✭✭✭I agree, you’re 100% right on a lot of this here.
I think part of the reason you’re seeing so much Mag Sorc input is that if we’re talking about the fundamental class identity, Sorc falls more into a Magicka lore than a Stam one. This could be one of the bigger reasons why Sorc never got proper Stam attention or allocation.
I’m not opposed to an expansion of Stam focused skills for Sorc, but, I will say that this opens the door to much bigger problem when it comes to any class where range DPS is a core part of the class identity, and that is Stam has become a FAR too over prioritized resource, especially in PvP, to a much lesser degree in PvE but PvP is a big part of end game ESO content and Sorc has to be viable in both PvE & PvP.
The problem with Stam is that it gravitates around melee skills which have a much lower accuracy threshold and therefore a higher reliability of strike than ranged DPS where reticle & hit detection in both PvP & PvE is atrocious.
Further, Stam based builds see their damage scaling tied to the same resource that’s used as primary counter play for evasion, damage mitigation, and break free. Mag based builds can’t break free from CC using Magicka, nor can they dodge with Magicka. A Stam player that can allocate resource into the Stam pool gets both the extra ability to block, dodge, & break free sustain all while having their damage scale off that resource, that’s a 2 for 1 benefit that Mag doesn’t get. And currently it’s not though Mag scaling is higher than Stam scaling to account for this.
So if we’re going to talk about expanding resources for Stam based Sorcs we need to really talk about and make sure we’re including some sort of utility passive or Skill that enables Mag based Sorcs to keep pace in light of the growing priority Stam has in combat; otherwise we risk Sorc pivoting to Stam based a baseline in order to be competitive which greatly affects the class.
We want to be inclusive of play styles but not to the point that they ever undermine the fundamental of the class, unless, we’re going to redefine the class.
One idea might be that Sorc skills work similar to how some of the Arc skills work whereby the scaling is based off of your max resource (either Mag or Stam). In this way a player can select a skill and utilize its function and have it run off of their main resource, and, the game can scale so that Stam isn’t continuously over prioritized.
Agreed. I'd also like to add that most Stamina skills are melee, thus they have a 10% damage bonus, resulting in higher damage than magic skills. Stamina also has a faster regeneration rate than magic .
And many magic skills are forcibly tied to healing and resource effects. Therefore, for the sake of balance (at least to appear balanced in the spreadsheet), these magic skills are often weaker than Stamina skills. This isn't limited to Sorc; it includes other classes like Punctuating Sweep, Endless Fury, Burning Embers, etc. This further widens the damage gap between Stamina and magic skills, which is why Stamina builds are the mainstream in PvE.
If each class's spam skills and at least one burst skill were based on the Highest/Lowest Max Resource, like Arc, I think it would help increase build diversity and optimize some niche playstyles.
Yeah the 10% has always been a bit of a head scratcher for me.
I understand the idea of a melee player incurring a certain risk to approach a target but ZoS essentially gave melee players a gracious allowance of a 7m melee range, which is nearly 29% MORE than what, IMO, a reasonable melee range would be at 5m.
Most melee skills don’t require precise reticle targeting and can strike multiple opponents where’s most magic skill that are AoE based are more often ground AoE oriented with only a small minority being player based AoE.
Further, a good amount of self-targeted opponent approach counterplay & CC skills do observe a 5m range which gives melee players basically a free 2m grace to deal damage without risking some counterplay.
The extra damage scaling for melee never really made sense and it makes even less sense after subclassing.1 -
SavioRamonSoul Shriven1. Introduction
Hello everyone. The Sorcerer was my first class and my main for a very long time. I chose it for the Daedric Summoning and Dark Magic themes, but over time I also grew to love the Storm Calling line.
I'm writing this now because ZOS is currently gathering feedback for the Sorcerer rework (confirmed for Season Two), and I want to collaborate and support ideas that I agree with. My goal is to contribute suggestions that respect the class identity, solve long-standing mechanical issues, and make the Sorcerer more interesting for both pet users and those who prefer other playstyles.
2. General Issues
Before going into detail on each skill line, I want to list the main problems I see:
Pets take up 2 skill slots: this limits builds and is frustrating.
Weak passives: Rebate, Blood Magic, and Expert Summoner are underperforming.
Stamina Sorcerer neglected: there is a lack of support for stamina builds that want to use the class identity.
"Dead" skills: Encase, Rune Prison, and Daedric Mines are practically unviable at the moment.
3. Dark Magic
Crystal Fragments
This is one of the most iconic skills in the class. The proc that makes it instant-cast is an excellent mechanic and should serve as a model for a larger synergy system within the class.
Suggestion: as others have mentioned, there could be some adjustment to the cast time or the damage.
Stamina morph: the stamina version (Crystal Weapon) looks odd visually — crystals floating around the weapon. I suggest the crystals be absorbed into the weapon, creating an aura of arcane energy.
Dark Exchange
The idea behind this skill is good, but the visual (three crystals on the ground) is ugly and uninspiring. Additionally, the cast time makes it less appealing than other sustain skills.
Suggestion: remove the cast time or reduce it drastically, and revamp the visual to something darker (e.g., absorption of dark energy instead of crystals).
Dead Skills
Encase, Rune Prison, and Daedric Mines are practically unused. Specifically:
Encase: visually interesting, but mechanically weak. I believe it already does what it's supposed to — applies a slow or root and deals light damage (if I'm not mistaken, one morph heals) — but no one uses it.
Rune Prison: both the effect and the visual are poor. It could be replaced or completely reimagined, but I don't have a clear idea of what could take its place.
Daedric Mines: I believe this needs a complete overhaul. The mine system isn't very viable because enemies have to walk over them, and there are issues with the duration they stay on the ground and how far allies might be during combat.
Negate Magic (Ultimate)
Visually interesting. I have no suggestions for improvement.
4. Storm Calling
Streak
It takes too long to fire. For a lightning spell, it should be faster and more instantaneous.
Suggestion: reduce the wind-up — as mentioned in the forums, perhaps add a brief moment of invulnerability during the dash.
Mage's Fury
I like the resource return, but the animation needs to be faster.
Suggestion: speed up the animation or reduce the time between trigger and damage (as others have mentioned).
Lightning Form
I like the skill, but the "ghost" visual isn't interesting. It would be better to keep part of the character's silhouette, perhaps with lightning surrounding the body instead of replacing it.
Surge
I use this a lot. No mechanical change suggestions.
Overload (Ultimate)
The light attack looks nice, but the heavy attack resembles the "Sparks" spell from Skyrim — visually too weak for an ultimate.
Suggestion: revamp the visual of the heavy attack to something more impactful, like a concentrated lightning beam or an explosion.
5. Daedric Summoning
This is my favorite skill line, so I'll go into more detail.
5.1. The 2-Slot Problem
I agree with the community that the biggest issue with pets is that they take up 2 skill slots. My proposals, based on the ones I liked most from what was suggested or what I thought of, are:
Different skills on front bar and back bar — the pet would have an offensive function on the main bar and a defensive/utility function on the secondary bar. If using Oakensoul (one bar only), the player can simply choose the most suitable morph.
Pets persist when swapping bars — no need to use 4 slots. (Balance concern: this might require a resource drain on the off-bar to compensate.)
System similar to companions — the pet would be equipped like a companion, with its own skills that the player could customize. This would preserve the Sorcerer's identity as a summoner, but would require a more complex system. I believe this is less likely, but it's a suggestion.
5.2. Pets Die Too Easily
This isn't fun. I know this ties into the Rebate passive (which needs adjustment), but someone summoning a pet doesn't want it to die to recover resources and then have to resummon it.
Suggestion: increase pet resistance or adjust Rebate to reward pet survival rather than its death — or limit where they can take damage from (or a mix of these ideas).
5.3. Pet Visuals
We need more aesthetic options. A banekin or imp would be more fitting than the scamp (though I do like the scamp).
Regarding skill styles: I didn't like the approach used for the Warrior — a ghostly red skin tied to a constellation. My suggestion isn't to make it fully red, but to shift the purple tones toward red while maintaining the class identity.
Artist Ognevka Fenella showed some interesting ideas in this regard:
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Oo2Azw
5.4. Specific Pet Skills
Summon Unstable Familiar (Base)
Front bar: engages in melee combat, gaining a minor defense buff (e.g., Minor Resolve) and an attack bonus, with a stun every third hit.
Back bar: moves away from the target and uses ranged magic. It could also taunt or roar, causing a silence effect on nearby summoners.
Morph: Volatile Familiar
Front bar: maintains melee combat, with increased damage and an area stun (as it currently is).
Back bar: could provide a Minor or Major Evasion buff to the group.
Note: its damage could scale with Magicka, encouraging Magicka-based builds.
Morph: Unstable Clannfear
I like this pet, but I often set it aside because the Twilight's heal is more viable and its tank role isn't very useful. We need to strengthen its defense and increase its HP.
Front bar: leap that applies breach to the target's defenses (I don't know if the mob version or Werewolf leap apply breach, but our pet's leap could).
Back bar: a few possible options — a tail swipe that causes stun in a cone, a roar that applies taunt in an area, or mauling a target to heal itself.
Note: its health could scale with the player's Max Health, supporting tank builds, while its damage scales with Stamina, encouraging Stamina builds.
Note on taunt: the Clannfear already has taunt in its current version. My suggestion is to make this an option the player can toggle on or off, perhaps via a passive or toggle. This would work especially well combined with the different front/back bar skills proposal.
Summon Winged Twilight (Base)
Front bar: quick dive with a tail attack that deals constant damage for a few seconds and returns to its original position.
Back bar: heal (as it currently is).
Morph: Matriarch
Front bar: magical attack that deals area damage and restores Stamina or Magicka to its master, depending on which resource the character uses.
Back bar: maintains the current heal, with a visual upgrade.
Morph: Tormentor
We need a visually more brutal or threatening upgrade. The current ability is very poor — it's only useful when the enemy is above 50% health, which is theoretically half the fight.
Front bar: lunges and grapples the target, dealing damage and applying Major Breach. (Not a stun, but can reduce speed. The opponent can use the "break free" ability to escape, but the Major Breach debuff remains; the slow effect is removed.)
Back bar: flies to the master and grants a small shield (less powerful than Hardened Ward) that reflects projectiles. It can also restore a small amount of HP to both (much less than the Matriarch version), and if the shield is broken, the heal is applied immediately.
5.5. Other Skills in This Line
Daedric Curse
I believe it could deal small amounts of constant damage until the final explosion. It currently already functions as a skill to proc Crystal Fragments.
Morph Daedric Prey: I like this idea and use it a lot. I enjoy the first-person visual effect. I suggest adding constant damage until the explosion.
Morph Haunting Curse: in addition to constant damage, it could increase the Sorcerer's own damage — this would serve players who don't use pets.
Conjured Ward
I really like this shield and its appearance. No change suggestions.
Bound Armor / Bound Aegis
I find them interesting and like the visuals. They need mechanical improvements, but I'm not up to speed since I don't play Sorcerer as a tank.
Morph Bound Armaments: I prefer weapons that the player wields — floating daggers feel strange to me. It could keep the charge system, but with runes that explode on the next attacks.
Summon Storm Atronach (Ultimate)
One of my favorite ultimates. It has impact and brings an interesting presence to combat. I'd love aesthetic options for other atronachs (fire, frost), since we have those options in other Elder Scrolls games.
6. Synergies and Combos (No Fixed Rotations)
I want the Sorcerer to function better with internal synergies, using the Crystal Fragments proc as a model.
Currently, Crystal Fragments already has an excellent mechanic: any skill can trigger its proc, making it instant and more powerful. This is flexible and doesn't force a fixed rotation — you play normally and are rewarded when the proc happens.
My suggestion is to expand this logic to other skills:
Storm Calling: some skill (perhaps Streak or Mage's Fury) could have a similar proc, becoming instant or dealing increased damage after using other spells from the same line.
Daedric Summoning: pets could have interactions with each other or with other skills — for example, using Daedric Curse could activate a stronger version of pet abilities.
Important: these synergies should be optional and organic, not a mandatory sequence. Just as Crystal Fragments doesn't force you to use specific skills to trigger it (any skill works), other synergies should follow the same principle: you play your way, and the combo happens naturally.
This aligns with ZOS's vision for the Sorcerer in the January 2026 deep dive, where the class was described with a focus on "spell synergy and combining abilities" — spell synergy and skill combination, not rigid rotations.
The goal is more build freedom, not less. We want the Sorcerer to have viable options for different playstyles (pet, lightning mage, stamina, hybrid), and within each playstyle, interesting synergies that reward the player without dictating a fixed order.
7. Considerations on Subclassing
All of this is even more relevant now with the subclassing system implemented by ZOS. Other classes can access Daedric Summoning skills, which makes it even more important for the Sorcerer to maintain its unique identity as the master of summons.
If any class can have a pet, the Sorcerer needs to stand out with:
Passives that enhance pet usage;
Unique interactions between its pets and other skills;
Internal synergies that other classes cannot replicate.
Otherwise, the class identity gets diluted. That's why I advocate that the Daedric Summoning skill line be enhanced, not removed or diluted.
8. Conclusion
I'm sharing my opinion as someone who truly loves the franchise, the game, and its story, but who is currently a bit out of touch with how skills function mechanically and with the current balance.
I think it would be a huge mistake to remove the Daedric Summoning skill line. If it's going to be made accessible to all classes via the scribing system, I believe the developers would need to offer a class-change system for existing characters.
I agree that the Stamina Sorcerer is very neglected. I want to go back to playing the way I used to. Currently, I'm playing a heavy attack build, but I don't have the same enthusiasm as before. I particularly wish I could play an effective Stamina or hybrid Sorcerer that can use pets, with those pets having a more participatory role.
I hope my suggestions are considered. Thank you for your time.2 -
NxJoeyD✭✭✭SavioRamon wrote: »1. Introduction
Hello everyone. The Sorcerer was my first class and my main for a very long time. I chose it for the Daedric Summoning and Dark Magic themes, but over time I also grew to love the Storm Calling line.
I'm writing this now because ZOS is currently gathering feedback for the Sorcerer rework (confirmed for Season Two), and I want to collaborate and support ideas that I agree with. My goal is to contribute suggestions that respect the class identity, solve long-standing mechanical issues, and make the Sorcerer more interesting for both pet users and those who prefer other playstyles.
2. General Issues
Before going into detail on each skill line, I want to list the main problems I see:
Pets take up 2 skill slots: this limits builds and is frustrating.
Weak passives: Rebate, Blood Magic, and Expert Summoner are underperforming.
Stamina Sorcerer neglected: there is a lack of support for stamina builds that want to use the class identity.
"Dead" skills: Encase, Rune Prison, and Daedric Mines are practically unviable at the moment.
3. Dark Magic
Crystal Fragments
This is one of the most iconic skills in the class. The proc that makes it instant-cast is an excellent mechanic and should serve as a model for a larger synergy system within the class.
Suggestion: as others have mentioned, there could be some adjustment to the cast time or the damage.
Stamina morph: the stamina version (Crystal Weapon) looks odd visually — crystals floating around the weapon. I suggest the crystals be absorbed into the weapon, creating an aura of arcane energy.
Dark Exchange
The idea behind this skill is good, but the visual (three crystals on the ground) is ugly and uninspiring. Additionally, the cast time makes it less appealing than other sustain skills.
Suggestion: remove the cast time or reduce it drastically, and revamp the visual to something darker (e.g., absorption of dark energy instead of crystals).
Dead Skills
Encase, Rune Prison, and Daedric Mines are practically unused. Specifically:
Encase: visually interesting, but mechanically weak. I believe it already does what it's supposed to — applies a slow or root and deals light damage (if I'm not mistaken, one morph heals) — but no one uses it.
Rune Prison: both the effect and the visual are poor. It could be replaced or completely reimagined, but I don't have a clear idea of what could take its place.
Daedric Mines: I believe this needs a complete overhaul. The mine system isn't very viable because enemies have to walk over them, and there are issues with the duration they stay on the ground and how far allies might be during combat.
Negate Magic (Ultimate)
Visually interesting. I have no suggestions for improvement.
4. Storm Calling
Streak
It takes too long to fire. For a lightning spell, it should be faster and more instantaneous.
Suggestion: reduce the wind-up — as mentioned in the forums, perhaps add a brief moment of invulnerability during the dash.
Mage's Fury
I like the resource return, but the animation needs to be faster.
Suggestion: speed up the animation or reduce the time between trigger and damage (as others have mentioned).
Lightning Form
I like the skill, but the "ghost" visual isn't interesting. It would be better to keep part of the character's silhouette, perhaps with lightning surrounding the body instead of replacing it.
Surge
I use this a lot. No mechanical change suggestions.
Overload (Ultimate)
The light attack looks nice, but the heavy attack resembles the "Sparks" spell from Skyrim — visually too weak for an ultimate.
Suggestion: revamp the visual of the heavy attack to something more impactful, like a concentrated lightning beam or an explosion.
5. Daedric Summoning
This is my favorite skill line, so I'll go into more detail.
5.1. The 2-Slot Problem
I agree with the community that the biggest issue with pets is that they take up 2 skill slots. My proposals, based on the ones I liked most from what was suggested or what I thought of, are:
Different skills on front bar and back bar — the pet would have an offensive function on the main bar and a defensive/utility function on the secondary bar. If using Oakensoul (one bar only), the player can simply choose the most suitable morph.
Pets persist when swapping bars — no need to use 4 slots. (Balance concern: this might require a resource drain on the off-bar to compensate.)
System similar to companions — the pet would be equipped like a companion, with its own skills that the player could customize. This would preserve the Sorcerer's identity as a summoner, but would require a more complex system. I believe this is less likely, but it's a suggestion.
5.2. Pets Die Too Easily
This isn't fun. I know this ties into the Rebate passive (which needs adjustment), but someone summoning a pet doesn't want it to die to recover resources and then have to resummon it.
Suggestion: increase pet resistance or adjust Rebate to reward pet survival rather than its death — or limit where they can take damage from (or a mix of these ideas).
5.3. Pet Visuals
We need more aesthetic options. A banekin or imp would be more fitting than the scamp (though I do like the scamp).
Regarding skill styles: I didn't like the approach used for the Warrior — a ghostly red skin tied to a constellation. My suggestion isn't to make it fully red, but to shift the purple tones toward red while maintaining the class identity.
Artist Ognevka Fenella showed some interesting ideas in this regard:
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Oo2Azw
5.4. Specific Pet Skills
Summon Unstable Familiar (Base)
Front bar: engages in melee combat, gaining a minor defense buff (e.g., Minor Resolve) and an attack bonus, with a stun every third hit.
Back bar: moves away from the target and uses ranged magic. It could also taunt or roar, causing a silence effect on nearby summoners.
Morph: Volatile Familiar
Front bar: maintains melee combat, with increased damage and an area stun (as it currently is).
Back bar: could provide a Minor or Major Evasion buff to the group.
Note: its damage could scale with Magicka, encouraging Magicka-based builds.
Morph: Unstable Clannfear
I like this pet, but I often set it aside because the Twilight's heal is more viable and its tank role isn't very useful. We need to strengthen its defense and increase its HP.
Front bar: leap that applies breach to the target's defenses (I don't know if the mob version or Werewolf leap apply breach, but our pet's leap could).
Back bar: a few possible options — a tail swipe that causes stun in a cone, a roar that applies taunt in an area, or mauling a target to heal itself.
Note: its health could scale with the player's Max Health, supporting tank builds, while its damage scales with Stamina, encouraging Stamina builds.
Note on taunt: the Clannfear already has taunt in its current version. My suggestion is to make this an option the player can toggle on or off, perhaps via a passive or toggle. This would work especially well combined with the different front/back bar skills proposal.
Summon Winged Twilight (Base)
Front bar: quick dive with a tail attack that deals constant damage for a few seconds and returns to its original position.
Back bar: heal (as it currently is).
Morph: Matriarch
Front bar: magical attack that deals area damage and restores Stamina or Magicka to its master, depending on which resource the character uses.
Back bar: maintains the current heal, with a visual upgrade.
Morph: Tormentor
We need a visually more brutal or threatening upgrade. The current ability is very poor — it's only useful when the enemy is above 50% health, which is theoretically half the fight.
Front bar: lunges and grapples the target, dealing damage and applying Major Breach. (Not a stun, but can reduce speed. The opponent can use the "break free" ability to escape, but the Major Breach debuff remains; the slow effect is removed.)
Back bar: flies to the master and grants a small shield (less powerful than Hardened Ward) that reflects projectiles. It can also restore a small amount of HP to both (much less than the Matriarch version), and if the shield is broken, the heal is applied immediately.
5.5. Other Skills in This Line
Daedric Curse
I believe it could deal small amounts of constant damage until the final explosion. It currently already functions as a skill to proc Crystal Fragments.
Morph Daedric Prey: I like this idea and use it a lot. I enjoy the first-person visual effect. I suggest adding constant damage until the explosion.
Morph Haunting Curse: in addition to constant damage, it could increase the Sorcerer's own damage — this would serve players who don't use pets.
Conjured Ward
I really like this shield and its appearance. No change suggestions.
Bound Armor / Bound Aegis
I find them interesting and like the visuals. They need mechanical improvements, but I'm not up to speed since I don't play Sorcerer as a tank.
Morph Bound Armaments: I prefer weapons that the player wields — floating daggers feel strange to me. It could keep the charge system, but with runes that explode on the next attacks.
Summon Storm Atronach (Ultimate)
One of my favorite ultimates. It has impact and brings an interesting presence to combat. I'd love aesthetic options for other atronachs (fire, frost), since we have those options in other Elder Scrolls games.
6. Synergies and Combos (No Fixed Rotations)
I want the Sorcerer to function better with internal synergies, using the Crystal Fragments proc as a model.
Currently, Crystal Fragments already has an excellent mechanic: any skill can trigger its proc, making it instant and more powerful. This is flexible and doesn't force a fixed rotation — you play normally and are rewarded when the proc happens.
My suggestion is to expand this logic to other skills:
Storm Calling: some skill (perhaps Streak or Mage's Fury) could have a similar proc, becoming instant or dealing increased damage after using other spells from the same line.
Daedric Summoning: pets could have interactions with each other or with other skills — for example, using Daedric Curse could activate a stronger version of pet abilities.
Important: these synergies should be optional and organic, not a mandatory sequence. Just as Crystal Fragments doesn't force you to use specific skills to trigger it (any skill works), other synergies should follow the same principle: you play your way, and the combo happens naturally.
This aligns with ZOS's vision for the Sorcerer in the January 2026 deep dive, where the class was described with a focus on "spell synergy and combining abilities" — spell synergy and skill combination, not rigid rotations.
The goal is more build freedom, not less. We want the Sorcerer to have viable options for different playstyles (pet, lightning mage, stamina, hybrid), and within each playstyle, interesting synergies that reward the player without dictating a fixed order.
7. Considerations on Subclassing
All of this is even more relevant now with the subclassing system implemented by ZOS. Other classes can access Daedric Summoning skills, which makes it even more important for the Sorcerer to maintain its unique identity as the master of summons.
If any class can have a pet, the Sorcerer needs to stand out with:
Passives that enhance pet usage;
Unique interactions between its pets and other skills;
Internal synergies that other classes cannot replicate.
Otherwise, the class identity gets diluted. That's why I advocate that the Daedric Summoning skill line be enhanced, not removed or diluted.
8. Conclusion
I'm sharing my opinion as someone who truly loves the franchise, the game, and its story, but who is currently a bit out of touch with how skills function mechanically and with the current balance.
I think it would be a huge mistake to remove the Daedric Summoning skill line. If it's going to be made accessible to all classes via the scribing system, I believe the developers would need to offer a class-change system for existing characters.
I agree that the Stamina Sorcerer is very neglected. I want to go back to playing the way I used to. Currently, I'm playing a heavy attack build, but I don't have the same enthusiasm as before. I particularly wish I could play an effective Stamina or hybrid Sorcerer that can use pets, with those pets having a more participatory role.
I hope my suggestions are considered. Thank you for your time.
These are all solid suggestions. The only thing I think it leaves out is that the Sorc skill kit doesn’t currently have a reliable main spammable.
Most Sorcs are either using Crushing Shock Destro skill or the Crystal Weapon if Stam. Crystal Frags isn’t viable due to its cost & cast time.
Sorcs are lacking when it comes to strong controlled burst. The only skills that really have any burst potential is the proc of frags and Haunting Curse, which, is a delayed burst.
In PvE there’s so many heavy direct burst options that Sorcs having to, essentially, “wait” for all their damage to apply will see them feel less competitive as other DPS defeat enemies while the timer ticks for Sorcs. In PvP it’s easy to just self out heal those skills.
Something needs a complete overhaul to give us that direct, heavy, burst that we see in subclassed builds or even what we see in terms of power coming out of the new DK refresh. We don’t have anything that mechanically works to delivery power in a comparable way and we need it.
I agree with the concept of flexibility but also think that a good portion of flexibility comes from subclassing itself, enabling players to tweak classes in ways that suit a particular play variety that the base class may not have been optimized for. That supports theory crafting and making use of many of the games assets (weapon & gear varieties).
I would like to see Sorcs excel is a lore-centric scope. In most cases that means classes should bring a certain amount to the table but have clear counter play elements to them as well.
I’m a little on the fence as to the whole nature of the Sorc lore going forward. I know, historically, it’s been a summoner class and acknowledge that but at the same time I also see Necro and I also see what the Devs wrote about Sorcs with synergies and Daedric pacts and I also noticed it said nothing about summoning.
I really don’t know what this means for Sorc. If pets are staying within the class then the ideas you’ve suggested are really good approaches, albeit I agree some of them would require complex overhauls and I don’t know if we can expect that much.
One way or another I’m curious to see what ends up with on PTS when it’s our turn.2 -
SavioRamonSoul ShrivenYou're absolutely right, the lack of a reliable spammable and strong controlled burst is a real issue. I was also paying attention to the fact that ZOS didn't mention summoning in their description, but since we're all just waiting and speculating, I wanted to have some fun with the ideas the community has been sharing here. I really enjoyed reading everyone's suggestions and wanted to contribute as well.
Either way, let's wait and see what they actually bring to the table, and how we can help with feedback when the time comes.
And I agree that subclassing already gives us a lot of flexibility, so maybe the Sorcerer's core identity can afford to be more focused on what makes it unique.0 -
ZhuJiuyin✭✭✭✭✭
✭I'm not a big fan of tying permanent pets to Sorc, but considering that permanent pets are mentioned in the class mastery section, I guess Sorc will still retain at least one permanent pet, likely Twilight, which already has a skill skin.
However, besides permanent pets (Warden also has permanent pets, and Necromancers will have a chance to obtain them when classes refresh), I think Sorc's uniqueness lies more in mobility and maximizing resource stacking.
Sorc has movement skills like Streak and Hurricane, but the speed cap is very easy to reach in PvP now, making it difficult to see the advantages of these skills in many situations. In PvE, the advantage of movement speed is even less significant.
I think the upcoming class mastery, FONT OF POWER, is excellent and aligns with Sorc's past image of maximizing power through resource stacking. It also fits the new class description's feature of gaining power through contracts and dark magic. However, even with FONT OF POWER, stacking maximum resources is still not the best option for Sorc, because it is equivalent to giving up the chance of critical hits from the set bonus. Moreover, Sorc still lacks penetration and critical e. I think it should be similar to FONT OF POWER, adding another skill to Sorc that converts maximum resources into penetration, critical, and critical hit damage."是燭九陰，是燭龍。"──by "The Classic of Mountains and Seas "English is not my first language,If something is ambiguous, rude due to context and translation issues, etc., please remind me, thanks.0 -
ZhuJiuyin✭✭✭✭✭
✭If I were to rework Sorc, I would adjust it like this:
All: Change all Sorc damage to shock damage.
Dark MagicNegate MagicNegate Magic remain unchanged.
Increases the damage dealt by Suppression Field and inflicts Major Brittle on affected targets.
Reduces the duration of Absorption Field and cancels healing effects. The effect is changed to stunning (silenced for players) affected targets, inflicting 10,000 Heal Absorption, and reducing their physical and spell resistance by 3,000.
Comment: Makes Dark Magic's ultimate ability more competitive in both PvP and PvE, and attempts to alleviate the issue of healing stacking in PvP.
Crystal ShardCrystal Shard：Renamed Energy Crystal, Cast Time removed.
Power Weapon: Transforms into Stamina ability for 30 seconds. Adds extra shock damage to each light and heavy attack and reduces the target's armor by 1000 for 10 seconds.
Energy Fragment: Each time this skill deals critical damage, it also deals damage to targets within 8 meters of the target.
Comment: Gives Sorc a viable spam skill and increases area-of-effect damage. Also provides a more manageable team buff for Endurance Sorc and tanks.
EncaseEncase: Unchanged.
Shattering Spines: Renamed Lightning Cage. First, deal direct damage to targets within an 18x4 meter radius in front, then inflict continuous damage over 20 seconds. This skill deals double damage to monsters. Inflicts 4 seconds of Immobilize and 10 seconds of Major Maim on affected targets.
Vibrant Shroud: Unchanged.
Comment: Provides Sorc with viable area-of-effect damage.
Rune PrisonRune Prison: Renamed Impact Rune. Effect changed to: Applies a magically charged rune to a single target within 28 meters, dealing damage and inflicting Minor Breach for 15 seconds.
Rune Cage: Renamed Destruction Rune. Upon hitting a target, it inflicts stunned for 3 seconds after a 1.5-second delay and always inflicts Concussion.
Defensive Rune: Renamed Guardian Rune. Grants the caster Minor Evasion, Minor Endurance, and Minor Intellect for 20 seconds, and inflicts Minor Uncertainty and Minor Cowardice on the attacker.
Comment: Resolves the issue of the previous Rune Cage's damage conditions being difficult to achieve, and slightly buffs its damage. The Guardian Rune's effect is no longer a one-time event, but rather a continuous effect.
Dark ExchangeDark Exchange: Grants Minor Berserk when equipped in any slot. Cast time reduced to 0.5 seconds. Duration reduced to 10 seconds.
Dark Deal: Converts Magicka into Health and Stamina instead. Stamina restored is increased to 5000 and 4000 respectively.
Dark Conversion: Magicka restored is increased to 5000 and 4000 respectively.
Comment: Lowering the difficulty of using this skill and increasing the restoration amount makes it more attractive.
Daedric MinesDaedric Mines: Renamed Daedric Wells. Casts an energy well with a 12-meter radius around a designated area within 28 meters. The caster or up to 6 allies can activate the energy well's synergy, restoring 3000 Stamina and Magicka, and gaining Minor Courage for 20 seconds.
Daedric Tomb: Renamed Daedric Field. Casts an energy field with a 12-meter radius around a designated area within 28 meters, lasting 15 seconds. The field pulsates every 5 seconds, dealing damage to targets within its area and immobilizing them for 3 seconds. If your maximum resources exceed 30,000 when you cast this skill, the damage of Daedric Field is increased by 10%, and it inflicts Major Cowardice on the target.
Daedric Refuge: This skill also applies a damage shield to allies activating the energy well, absorbing up to 10,000 damage, not exceeding 43% of the target's health.
Comment: Attempt to make Daedric Tomb a reliable area denial tool and a viable damage skill in both PvP and PvE. Increase the appeal of Daedric Refuge.
Passive AbilitiesUnholy Knowledge: Unchanged:
Blood Magic: Renamed Malice. Penetration increased by 3000. Each use of a Dark Magic ability restores health based on a percentage of maximum health.
Persistence: Renamed Absorb Energy. Each use of an ability that consumes Magicka or Stamina increases the maximum Magicka and Stamina by 1% for 20 seconds, stacking up to 10 times.
Exploitation: When you cast a Dark Magic ability, gain Minor Prophecy to you and your group, and increase your direct damage by 10% for 20 seconds.
Comment: Slightly adjusted Dark Magic's Passive Abilities to make it more competitive.
Storm CallingOverloadOverload: When equipped in any slot, gain Empower.
Energy Overload: Increases damage by 10%, everything else remains the same.
Power Overload: Consumes 30 Ultimate Points each time it is activated. When you deal damage with any class skill, it deals additional shock damage to targets affected by that skill and always inflicts Concussion.
Comment: Trying to make Energy Overload more competitive and to make Power Overload usable in conjunction with Velothi Ur-Mage's Amulet.
Mages' FuryMages' Fury: Remains unchanged.
Mages' Wrath: Deals up to 350% damage to targets below 33% health and other targets within 8 meters.
Endless Fury: Costs Stamina instead. Deals up to 280% damage to targets below 33% health and other targets within 8 meters, with a higher chance to apply Concussion.
Comment: Makes the two morphs of Mages' Fury more unique and provides a Stamina version.
Lightning FormLightning Form: Remains unchanged.
Hurricane: Initial range changed to 8 meters, maximum 12 meters, everything else remains the same.
Boundless Storm: Charges towards the target, dealing shock damage. The storm then envelops the caster, dealing shock damage to targets within range for 20 seconds. This skill has a higher chance of inflicting concussion.
Comment: This makes the attack range of Hurricane and Boundless Storm closer to modern standards. It also makes Boundless Storm more competitive.
Lightning SplashLightning Splash: Unchanged.
Liquid Lightning: Costs Stamina instead.Damage increased by 10%. Affected targets take 10% increased shock damage. If Overload is enabled, this ability has a higher chance of causing Concussion.
Lightning Flood: Range 28 meters, radius 8 meters. Channels storm energy at a designated location, dealing shock damage every 0.6 seconds for 4.8 seconds. Affected targets take 10% increased shock damage.
After fully channeling this ability, your critical damage is increased by 10% for 10 seconds.
If Overload is enabled, this ability has a higher chance of causing Concussion.
This ability is considered direct damage.
Comment: This gives Sorc a channeling ability, allowing players with low APM to deal decent damage.
SurgeSurge: Duration reduced to 30 seconds, healing increased by 10%.
Power Surge: Healing increased by 10%, cooldown reduced to 2 seconds.
Critical Surge: When you inflict Critical Damage, you also deal an additional shock damage to the target. This damage occurs every 2 seconds.
Comment: To make Power Surge more competitive with Critical Surge, and to try making the skill's duration an integer for easier player monitoring.
Bolt EscapeBolt Escape: Reduces the penalty time for consecutive uses to 3 seconds.
Streak: Removes the stunning effect from enemies between the starting and ending positions. Now only deals damage and stunning to targets within 8 meters of the endpoint. As compensation, the penalty for consecutive uses of More Magicka is reduced to 28%.
Ball of Lightning:
Comment: Reduces the threat level of Streak, but enhances its ability as an escape method.
Passive AbilitiesCapacitor: Unchanged.
Energized: Increases Shock Damage by 5% and Concussion Damage by 12%. Doubles damage dealt to monsters.
Amplitude: Named Storm Barrier. Effect changed to: When you deal damage using Blink, Charge, Jump, Teleport, or Pull abilities, you take 10% less damage for 10 seconds.
(*Note: Encouraging mages to use movement abilities more often. Also balancing the skill tree to avoid overpowering abilities.)
Expert Mage: Weapon and Spell Damage increased to 150 per sorceress skill.
Daedric Summoning
Summon Storm AtronachSummon Storm Atronach: Allows self-synergy.
Greater Storm Atronach: Renamed Storm Behemoth, summons a Storm Atronach Senche for 20 seconds. Deals damage to the target every 2 seconds and reduces the target's movement speed by 70% for 4 seconds. Storm Behemoth's damage is increased by 10% when you have other permanent pets.
Summon Charged Atronach: Remains unchanged.
Comment: Increases summon diversity and allows pets to buff each other, increasing pet appeal.
Daedric CurseDaedric Curse: Renamed Daedric Arrow. Instead consumes stamina. Casts a demonic arrow on the target, dealing shock damage. Also inflicts Major Lifesteal, Attacking the enemy restores 1200 health per second for 10 seconds.
Daedric Prey: Equipping this skill in any slot increases the damage dealt by your permanent pets by 30%.
Haunting Curse: Duration reduced to 10 seconds. After being cast on a target, it deals a weaker instance of damage, followed by damage every five seconds, each instance increasing by 30%. If the target dies prematurely, or Haunting Curse is removed, it deals 100% damage to the target and targets within 8 meters.
Comments: Makes Daedric Prey easier to use and benefits all permanent pets, and provides stam sorc feasible spam. Experiments with making Haunting Curse in PvE so that premature target death does not result in damage loss. Also, makes this skill a countermeasure against PvP cleansing.
Summon Winged TwilightSummon Winged Twilight: Unchanged.
Summon Twilight Tormentor: Active skill changed to: Increases Twilight Tormentor's attack by 20%, dealing damage to the target and targets within 8 meters with each attack, lasting 20 seconds.
Summon Twilight Matriarch: Unchanged.
Comment: Increases the competitiveness of Twilight Tormentor's active skill.
Conjured WardConjured Ward: Remains unchanged.
Hardened Ward: Changed to 72% of Max Health or Max Resources.
Regenerative Ward: Healing increased by 5%.
Comment: Allows Endurance Sorc to better utilize Ward.
Bound ArmorBound Armor: Unchanged
Bound Armaments: Damage increased by 10%
Bound Aegis: Unchanged
Comment: Slightly improves the competitiveness of Bound Armaments.
Passive AbilitiesRebate: When your permanent pet attacks, you recover 100 Magicka and Stamina. This effect occurs every 2 seconds.
Power Stone: Remains unchanged.
Daedric Protection: Changed to Daedric Temptation. Each time you use the Daedric Summoning skill, it increases your damage dealt by 2% for 20 seconds. Stacks up to 5 times. Doubles damage dealt to monsters.
Expert Summoner: Increases your Magicka and Stamina by 10%. When you have a permanent pet, increases Max Health by 10% and increases the damage dealt by all types of pets by an additional 20%.
Comment: Increases the appeal of using permanent and non-permanent pets while ensuring the viability of a pet-free playstyle.Edited by ZhuJiuyin on March 23, 2026 7:32AM"是燭九陰，是燭龍。"──by "The Classic of Mountains and Seas "English is not my first language,If something is ambiguous, rude due to context and translation issues, etc., please remind me, thanks.2 -
Malyore✭✭✭✭✭
✭You know, I'd gotten pretty cozy with my sorc after multiclassing. Then tonight I looked at all of arcanists abilities and passives from the other lines I can't slot, and it was a painful reminder of how little sorcerer provides. If only arcanist existed when I bought the game.
I'm hoping that the refresh/masteries at least brings the class up to par with damage shields and aoe damage of current arcanist, even if they don't have all of the named buffs or same rotation design. I feel sorcs passives definitely would need a lot of reworking. 5% shock damage boost to its non-shock spammable of throwing a singular rock at a singular enemy...4 -
NxJoeyD✭✭✭Sorc passives need updating but, IMO, all 3 skill trees need an overhaul.
I might be alone on this and that’s ok, but, I think that for Sorc to be competitive in the grand scheme of the game, that’s PvE & PvP we have to look at what kind of power that both the new refreshed classes bring as well as what subclassing is capable of, because Sorcs have to compete with both.
Sorcs have had a historic lore set and what seems like a small number of pretty linear play styles. If I’m honest, in my opinion, Sorcs have one of the narrower scopes in terms of play styles and that’s due, in part, to how much is being crammed into the Sorc class. …. Currently we’ve got summoner, non-summoner, & stam based … that’s 3 different directions that don’t align, all in one class. … now look at Necro, for example, they’ve got a versatile skill set that not only supports their lore but delivers on mechanics and output in ways that offer lots of flexibility. This is because all Necros start from, basically, the same base philosophy and players can build outward from there in ways that they enjoy and find creative.
Sorcs, on the other hand, don’t. Stam Sorcs have few class skill morphs and those don’t align with much else. Pet skills take up two slots in the skill tree but only have one, partial, passive that does anything for them; there’s not really any additional pet-centric reinforcement. As for non-pet Sorcs, that’s even more woeful because they have the same access to redundant utility skills but don’t have the pets to body block which means if you want to run as a non pet Sorc you’re really just cherry picking from mostly Storm Calling then running to World skills to try and make a build.
Subclassing made some Sorc skills nearly untouchable. The Dark Deal morph of Dark Exchange might be viable for a Stam build sustain but that’s really questionable as it doesn’t return enough Stam, IMO, to warrant slotting it. And no Magicka build would dare slot it, in PvE it’s cheaper to just HA and in PvP there’s so much incessant CC spam that it’s not feasible.
Sure, we have shields and heals and crowd control but we have no good burst; plus, half of our CC (mechanically) is incredibly poor, seeing tiny AoEs that are easily avoidable, or are cleanseable, plus, with the additional sources of CC immunity now available to everyone those skill have even less potential, save for trash mobs in base PvE.
Prior to subclassing the majority of my skills as a Sorc came from world skill lines. I venture to say that a lot of Mag Sorcs had to lean on Crushing Shock or avail themselves to being the heavy attack one-trick-pony build that Sorcs got a reputation for. Even to hit high parse numbers the build required just pouring resources into the Mag pool, borrowing World skills and just HA 99% of the time.
Now, with subclassing, it’s become even more dynamic. now everyone has access to more shield sources .. people used to think Streak was a powerful skill, but now everyone has access to gap closers and mobility buffs to the point that Streak (used defensively) is more of a liability in PvP and sees a better use case in PvE but as Devs continue to create area wide negative AoEs Streak still sees less effectiveness, especially given the progressive penalty it carries.
The DK refresh showed us that the Devs can raise the ceiling on power in class skills but we also saw a major flaw. Skills like Lava Whip and its morph Flame Lash should have been restricted to base (non-subclassed) DK only, but instead, the Devs enabled anyone to subclass the skill AND get the conversion of Power Lash for the bonus damage and healing. .. those attributes make sense if confined to DK but are game breaking in the hands of a subclasses build.
It just shows that the Devs can make the same mistakes with these refreshes that they did with subclassing in the first place.
I don’t expect Sorcs to come out perfect but I do hope that the Devs are able to see that in the context of what is available now (build wise) that Sorcs have too much redundant utility & skills that are slow to react & perform. I feel like Sorc is going to be one of the harder classes to refresh because unlike DK or Warden or NB that might just need some reorganization and tuning changes, Sorc needs an actual overhaul.Edited by NxJoeyD on March 23, 2026 11:26PM2 -
ZhuJiuyin✭✭✭✭✭
✭
I don’t expect Sorcs to come out perfect but I do hope that the Devs are able to see that in the context of what is available now (build wise) that Sorcs have too much redundant utility & skills that are slow to react & perform. I feel like Sorc is going to be one of the harder classes to refresh because unlike DK or Warden or NB that might just need some reorganization and tuning changes, Sorc needs an actual overhaul.
If the reworked Sorc retains the current number of themes, a perfect rework is impossible.
Sorc definitely needs a rework, especially when it's crammed into too many themes. With the current limited number of skills, satisfying multiple playstyles is extremely difficult. I think this is one reason why Dragoon removed poison damage.
Assuming skills are equally effective in PvP and PvE (like the new-DK's whip), players still need to configure tanks/healers/DPS from a pool of 12*3 skills. That means each role only gets about 12 skills on average, barely enough for 2bar requirement, and that's only for a single theme. Don't forget, if DPS is divided into magic and stamina, 12 skills might still be far from enough, even without distinguishing between PvE and PvP! Not to mention some skills have two DPS or two healing types; in reality, each tank/healer/DPS might only have 6-8 class skills to choose from, making the choices even restrictive.
Perhaps ultimately, multi-themed classes like Sorc and Warden will need to make trade-offs, retaining only one or two unique features and pushing them to their limits, just like Dragoon currently focuses on fire damage.
Assuming that Sorc cannot achieve "Cost Determined by Highest Max Resource" like Arc for any technical reason, I guess Sorc will eventually abandon pets, physical damage, magic damage (shock damage), and stamina versions, retaining only shock damage (or magic damage) and magic versions, and at most possibly retaining one pet and a small number of stamina skills.Edited by ZhuJiuyin on March 24, 2026 9:32AM"是燭九陰，是燭龍。"──by "The Classic of Mountains and Seas "English is not my first language,If something is ambiguous, rude due to context and translation issues, etc., please remind me, thanks.0