Replies: 38

The Lightning Ward

Sorcerer Tank

Updates

• 07/25/15 – VDSA complete with this build!  Also added more thoughts on a dps-tank build in the Final Notes section.
• 08/15/15 – Recorded and posted video tanking vet Crypt of Hearts.
• 11/20/15 – Updated for 2.1/2.2 (IC/Orsinium) with my (vampire!) build and vWGT footage.

Foreword Notes

• I have a lot of fun with this build and I bet you will too. Yes, sorcs aren’t the default tanking class, but they can do really well once you get good at it.
• Since the original iteration of this build I have moved towards max stats with a side of regen and cost reduction. The IC patch introduced no stamina regen while blocking, so having high stam regen is down on the priority list. One thing has stayed the same though – because you don’t have a solid self-heal like the DK’s GDB or various Templar skills, it’s all about having your Hardened Ward up all the time.
• I’ve been tanking as a vampire since Imperial City and it’s been great. There are times when I’d like to try a health regen build, and I’d still like to at some point, but for now I’m enjoying the +10% magicka and stamina regen, the Undeath passive, bats, and the sneak speed in PvP.
• This is not trial approved yet, although I’m confident it would do well with some tweaks here and there. I would probably switch to 7/7 heavy to reach the armor cap to start with.
• You don’t have to be a vampire – I just like it for both PvE and PvP!

Race

I’m a Breton, for the max magicka, spell cost reduction, and spell resist, but an Altmer would also work, for max magicka, magicka recovery and elemental damage passives. Any of the other tanking races (Imperial, Nord, Orc) would also be fine.

Mundus

I ran with The Mage for a long time, but switched to The Atronach for magicka recovery even before I switched to drinks and saw a huge benefit, so I’ve stuck with it.

Champion Points

Current Champion Rank: 486.

The Warrior

Recommended priority:

1. Bastion to 10%
2. Block Expertise to 75 points for the Shield Expert passive
3. Heavy Armor Focus to 5% and/or balanced with Spell Shield (I don’t need it at the moment because Breton)

If you are a vampire:

IV. Elemental Defender to 10%

And the rest into Block Expertise. If you feel you don’t need it/have extra CP for the red trees, put them into Thick Skinned and Hardy.

Current allocation:

The Steed

• Block Expertise (89) – 23%

The Lady

• Elemental Defender (27) – 10%

The Lord

• Bastion (28) – 10%
• Heavy Armor Focus (18) – 5%

The Thief

Recommended Priority:

1. Magician to at least 8%
2. Arcanist to at least 10%
3. Tumbling to 5%
4. Bashing Focus to 5%

If you are just starting out, do 2:1 Magician:Arcanist, and once you’ve gotten Arcanist to 10%, max out Magician, then go back into Arcanist. Definitely spend the points into Tumbling and Bashing Focus, as tanks do need to dodge roll, break free, and bash.

Current allocation:

The Tower

• Magician (100) – 16%
• Bashing Focus (10) – 5%

The Lover

• Mooncalf (10) – 5%
• Arcanist (39) – 12.9%

The Shadow

• Tumbling (13) – 5%

The Mage

Recommended Priority:

This is really up to you where you focus for damage, but I have a more dps-tank build utilizing the Sorc’s amazing elemental damage skills and the destro staff. I tried to do a Magic Damage oriented build (Crystal Frags, Trapping Webs) but it just didn’t get the same results as Overload, etc. In PvP, I focus on elemental damage and self-healing with Power Surge (although yes, my crit is only around 25% in heavy armor) hence spending into Elfborn. Spell penetration is for PvP as well.

Current allocation:

The Apprentice

• Elemental Expert (100) – 25%
• Elfborn (51) – 15.6%
• Spell Erosion (10) – 5%

The Ritual

• Thaumaturge (1) – 1%

Gear

• 1.7/2.1 cranked up the difficulty a little bit on all veteran dungeons, and introduced vWGT and vICP (which were tougher than they are now) and it really made me focus on straight tanking for the likes of vCOA, vWGT, etc.
• I switched from drinks to food for PvE because stamina recovery is way less important, and I also have almost no health recovery as a vamp. With more max magicka, my shields are stronger, and with more stamina and block cost reduction I’m not relying on stam recovery.
• Malubeth I chose because I can always use extra healing/increased healing received. Through my testing I’ve learned that when a set says “% chance when hit” it doesn’t count when they’re hitting your shields. The set does get a chance to proc when a boss or other damage is hitting through your shield and into your health, however, and if I’m getting hit enough through my shields then chances are I do need that great 30% healing received. Engine Guardian, Lord Warden, and Bloodspawn are also great options.
• Spectre’s Eye may be an unconventional choice, but the health, max magicka, and magicka recovery all help this build out, and the dodge chance is up every 3/6 seconds due to me constantly casting skills that cost magicka. In my opinion all the set bonuses serve me better than Hist Bark, and better than spending stamina on Elude.
• 2-piece Willpower for that bonus max magicka, and 3-piece Endurance for the big health bonus, and the stam recovery helps too in the end although not as much. If you are a race with health or stam passives, arcane Endurance jewelry is a great way to get your magicka up. I like the extra stam from the Robust rings for my particular setup.
• 5H/1L/1M for the Undaunted Mettle passive.

Attributes & Stats

With:

• VR15 Purple Tri-food
• Boundless Storm up (Major Resolve, Major Ward)
• Bound Aegis toggled (Minor Resolve, Minor Ward)
• Purple gear, gold enchants

Skills

Veteran Dungeons & VDSA

 ———————————————–

Bosses

• Bound Aegis – More armor, spell resist, and max magicka. Keep it on both bars so it stays toggled.
• Boundless Storm – Keep this up all the time. Armor, spell resist, a small DoT that gives a chance to proc Disintegration, and makes you look cool as hell.
• Defensive Stance – For the extra block cost reduction while you deem it necessary. In dungeons/areas where I take a ton of spell damage, I replace it with the Light Armor active skill Harness Magicka. The other morph is also perfectly acceptable – I just like to reflect in PvP.
• Pierce Armor – Your standard taunt and debuff.
• Hardened Ward – Your extra 15k+ (~18k+ with my current build) health that will take anything you can throw at it. Keep this up all the time.
• Devouring Swarm – Mostly for the increased vampire regen, although I will use it if needed if the healer is indisposed, or in a pack of trash in order to drop block and help dps a bit. For bosses, I switch to my other bar, blow Warhorn, and then switch back.

General usage:

Make sure Bound Aegis is toggled, pop Boundless Storm, Hardened Ward, Aggressive Warhorn if it’s up, run in and taunt boss.  Make sure Boundless Storm and your Hardened Ward are up all the time. Keep your shield(s) up and Warhorn for your team.

AoE/trash

• Bound Aegis – As above.
• Shattering Prison – Your DK Talons equivalent that will also heal you on doing damage (Blood Magic passive). It’s cast in front of you though, so positioning is important. The other morph of this is also fine to snare mobs/players.
• Elusive Mist – Mostly here for the vampire regen passive. There are a few times where it comes in handy, like the Daedroth’s stomp in vCOA.
• Inner Fire – Your ranged taunt.
• Dark Conversion – Convert your extra stamina to magicka and health. Use after trash mobs/sometimes during a boss to fill up your magicka.
• Aggressive Warhorn – Extra dps and resources for everyone, and as a Sorc it costs less than other classes. Use it!

General usage:

Pop Boundless Storm and Hardened Ward from first bar, switch to second bar, Inner Fire the biggest threat, watch them all run towards you, cast Shattering Prison once or twice until most are rooted, Inner Fire/switch to bar one for Pierce Armor the remaining big threats/all mobs, reapply Shatterin Prison. Bats if you’re taking heavy fire.

Don’t be afraid to ask your healer/a Templar for shards and Repentance. Heavy attack the boss if you see an opening and you have your shields up. For bosses/trash that you have to bash constantly/CC break constantly, extra stamina is much needed. Mystic Orbs on trash doesn’t hurt either, although almost no one runs them anymore. This build is mostly self-sufficient.

Footage

Updated footage of the bosses in vWGT! Bonus me noobing it up at the very end.

Final Notes

• If I was going to go into trials with this build, I’d stack more health and more resistance and sacrifice some extra max magicka.
• This build works really well (with some practice) for vDSA, you just need a DK friend with chains for the rounds to go faster OR use the splits method.
• If anyone is interested in my tank-dps build for quick vet dungeons/vDSA speed runs, I can post a bit more about that.

• This topic was modified 3 hours, 41 minutes ago by  KaPoTun.