[SORC] Is it doable?

[SeamusFD]

Ok, so I rolled a sorcerer character the other day I like the lore and I really want to love the idea of a dark magic based offensive caster. However I have some problems (obviously)

Starting around lvl 5 I began to notice that my dmg output was extremely small compared to other classes I have played (even archmage xD) And by the time I had reached lvl 9 I was not even able to kill mobs two ranks under my lvl without being put at 25-30% health. Taking on groups of enemies is out of the picture. So I say to myself, let me try and see how rvr/pvp is. It is about as abysmal as I expected, I hit like a wet noodle and if I am extremely lucky people leave me alone on the battlefield ignoring my putrid attempts at damage dealing, or (more than likely) they immediately rush towards me forcing me to 1. run for my god damn life, or 2. be killed in about 5-6 seconds. Now I understand that a lot of this has to do with my skill as I am by no means a proficient pvper, and as I understand timing and spacing for sorc is very important and is acquired over time. However I feel as if there is some other variable which is causing my grief aside from these.

Although most importantly, I have talked with people and couldn't get a good idea but, does it get better? I understand that sorc is one of the hardest classes to play in RoR and I realise it may take some time and skill for me to get good at pvp in this game, but is sorc really that good in end-game and is it really worth it to stick it out to the end or would I be better served throwing myself into a wood-chipper than playing this class seriously. Any help would be appreciated

Note: I am rank 15 now

[Mausini]

Do you know how the class mechanic of Sorc works? A lot of her damage comes from it. Also, get yourself a healer and stack crit and int.

[Foomy44]

If your goal is to solo pve Sorc isn't the best choice, their mechanic should have made that pretty obvious. I really doubt AMs are putting out more DPS than you though, and am positive in BiS gear at endgame that is far from the case.

[adamthelc]

Leveling through PvE on a Sorc is a little harder on a Sorc than some other classes, but it's not hard. You just have to balance your combustion and damage. The real pain comes from getting agro from things you didnt prepare for. The Dark Elf racial tactic that heals on a kill is something I got a lot of use from while leveling.

PvP is different. Sorc, like BWs, are needy dps. In order to do good damage you need to have decent heals and avoid getting focused.

In any case Sorc damage is very good. I doubt an AM burst ceiling is as high as a Sorcs. But an AM doesnt need as much support as a Sorc and has access to a heal debuff. Sorc is the only non eng/magus which doesnt have a HD.

So if you pug a lot you will probably do better than a Sorc. But if you have a decent group or can play one well, Sorc is better imo and more fun. Having said that dps AM is in a pretty good spot right now and compares well to dps in a lot of cases.

[michela89]

Sorc one of the hardest classes?
I dunno , is sorc similar to Bw ? It should be at low levels where both have not yet their builds and uniqueness. I levelled a bw to around 31 , it was melting people. I'm used to melee toons, playing one of these mages even if they are very needy on heals considering their mechanic (but who isn't anyway?) was a walk in the park compared.

I would suggest u revisit your rotation, skills , keybinds and whatever because you should already be doing fine.
I am not sure about your war experience but if your sorc is hitting like a wet noodle it kinda tells me you didn't quite get how the class and its mechanic work.

[SeamusFD]

Thank you all for your posts so far. The common thread I am seeing is that of not knowing sorc mechanics, and that may be it. My meager understanding is that dark magic works like a lot of the other class systems where as you use certain abilities your dark magic increases, increasing your dmg output. However the difference that dark magic has is the backfire mechanic, if I remember rightly at 100 dark magic, there is a 35% (may be wrong) chance of a backfire. I may need to take a look back at the rotations I am using, it may also have to do with my build, although at rank 15 there isn't much going on in a build as you have to sink at least 3 specialisation points in any given tree to get to any ability. Though this is just pure speculation.

I will try grouping up, the fact that I almost exclusively pug may be contributing to my frustration as most healers don't seem to focus on me.

I'll revisit my binds and rotations, lvl up some more try a few other things and hopefully I can be on track to be be useful in RvR

[adamthelc]

You are right spec doesnt have a lot to do with it at your level.

Use Ice Spikes to set your mechanic to the level you want before you start the fight. Use Gloomburst a lot. Try to get a lot of your abilities to do damage at the same time. Which will means you will have to account for cast time, travel time and Word of Pain expiration time. That is for single target obviously.

If you are trying to AoE you can either spam Shattered Shadows or risk getting closer to do more damage.

I dont really use Dhar Wind unless I am trying to finish off a tank with no other enemies around or am about to die and someone is focusing me. If I am not getting heals, but not getting attacked I prefer to just back off. Or depending on my mood I will kill myself to try and get a kill. You have that option!

Those are basic tips, if you already know that stuff you should be doing just fine as long as you have heals.

[anarchypark]

word of pain + any other skill land on same time stamp = big burst. stealing time to react or heal.
numbers are 3k~4k.
iirc you can start that rotation from lvl 10.
though you might need pocket healer.
all solo glass cannon dps is hard, not just sorc.

[Nidwin]

Sorcs can be tricky to play.

The irony at your level (15) is that Dhar Wind is your most reliable source of damage, you just need to timestamp it at 71% Dark Magic.

What you can try to achieve is to have 1 DoT tic from Chillwind hit together with Doombolt (traveling time of the bolt) and Dhar Wind for a little instant triple damage hit. For Dhar wind try to be at 71% Dark Magic before using it.

For PVE (leveling solo), pull single npcs at a time at max distance, safe non aggro distance. And try to let them die close to your toon. A little practice and you should be fine. Be carefull to not pull pairs, annoying and it makes you lose xp time as you'll have to regen HPs.
Don't try champions and forget to solo PQ's. Don't listen to the bunch of clowns who are going to argue and claim they solo level 101 Champions, Heros and Lords and nearly solo Gunbad on their Sorc. You don't and won't be able to do that, my word.

Once 16+ and in T2+ oRvR focus on the third aoe Mastery Tree for warband play for the time being. Destruction warbands want your bolstered aoe damage to counter order gameplay.
You stay at proper distance and 1 Black Horror (Ini debuff) and spam Shattered Shadows, and you Dhar Wind after 2-3 Shattered Shadows Spam at 100% Dark Magic max.

You need to get comfortable with the Sorc mechanics first and the aoe in oRvR does actually helps a lot, not the single JoeSixPack target way of playing. Take everything one at a time and add things to your rotations. Do it step by step and experiment to see what you're comfortable with and what annoys you.

One last thing. You're not a BW but a Sorc and it's going to take time, a lot of time and tears, before you'll slot Close Quarters and do what BW's are doing at the moment in the lakes.

Good luck and enjoy the ride.

[Pkunk]

I just leveled a sorc. Just got up to 40 with rr 48. Mixed rvr and pve.

For pve, go racial zone and quest. Use Close Quarters tac so you can burst down anything that get too close. If its more than one mob you use shattered shadows (works great with CQ). You will burst down whatever hitting you before it kills you. Be careful with getting too many adds if you are going solo. Do not bother to dot stuff in pve. Just spam your dd hard hitting spells.

As long as you keep your gear updated bolster will make you kill stuff in rvr. Just stay in the backline and leech. As soon as you get Triumphant Blasting tac, use it in keep sieges to annoy gun-midgets if you are on assault or do mass-punting off the keep if you are on def.

About gear; do get the t2 epic quest rewards. Its worth it and you can do it solo without dying. I often see people with empty talisman slots. When I ask them about it they mostly say that they are waiting for putting in a good talisman when they can afford it. That is dumb. Fill those slots even if all you can get is blue talismans. They are cheap. If there is none on the ah you just ask on chat.