ESO Solo Sorcerer Magicka Build for PvE

This guide explains how to use the best Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) Solo Sorcerer Magicka Build for PvE, skills, gear, champion points, and more!

ESO Magica Sorcerer Solo PvE World Boss

This build has been updated for the Update 41 patch of the Elder Scrolls Online.

Why Should You Play ESO Solo Sorcerer Magicka Build for PvE?

The ESO Solo Magicka Sorcerer PvE build is for players looking to complete solo content with a well-rounded class. The Solo Magicka Sorcerer PVE build shines in both single targets and is highly survivable. If you are a beginner or looking to play solo, the Magicka Sorcerer is very forgiving, as it has a lot of shields and heals in its tool kit.

In ESO, the Magicka Sorcerer is perfect for everyone looking for a simple-rotation survival class with a complete set of tools for solo PvE gameplay. So, if you are the shadow assassin with blood magic and the power to control the elements, this is the build for you!

ESO Solo Sorcerer Magicka Build for PvE Playstyle

Use the following rotation as the starter point. After, apply your buffs and cast the DoT skills on cooldown for the best, highest DPS. The Damage over Time skills (DoTs) do more damage than your main spammable. Thus, they need to be cast less often and are easier to maintain, for example, The Degeneration from Mages Guild or the Barb Trap from Fighters Guild. Maintain DoTs and use your spammable skill as filler until you reapply the DoTS.

Replace your spammable with your in-class or weapon execute at certain percentages if you have one in this build. Executes are the skills that deal more damage the lower the opponent’s health. Ideally, these are meant to replace your main spammable skill at anywhere between 35% (Radiant Oppression) all the way to 20% (Mages’ Fury). At a high level, execute skills become so strong that the lower the enemy’s health, the fewer DoTs you maintain because it does so much damage.

Use the healing skill when your health drops below 50% or the shield skill when you anticipate damage. Also, always use the suggested food and potions as they significantly increase your damage, survivability, and resource sustain.

If you run out of resources, do a heavy attack and return to your rotation. Remember that a heavy attack on off-balance enemies will return double the resources. Additionally, if you are a beginner or struggle with sustain, you can flex in the Consuming Trap skill instead of a DoT skill. The Consuming Trap floods both resources when a target dies.

ESO Solo Sorcerer Magicka Build for PvE Features and Mechanics

Below are some of the features found using the Solo Sorcerer Magicka Build for PvE in the Elder Scrolls Online:

  • Class – Sorcerer
  • Weapon One – Flame Staff
  • Weapon Two – Lightning Staff
  • Armor Types – 5 Medium, 2 Light
  • Mythic – Pale Order
  • Race – Dark Elf
  • Attributes – 64 Magicka
  • Mundus Stone – Thief

Skills

Front Bar – Flame Staff

Front Bar Weapon Style Choices:

  1. Flame Staff
  2. Dual Wield
  3. Lighting Staff

Crystal Fragments (Morph of Crystal Shard | Skill Line : Dark Magic) – This is your main spammable which you can recast instantly when proc’d.

Mages’ Wrath (Morph of Mages’ Fury | Skill Line : Storm Calling) – This execute is useful for longer duration fights and provides AoE damage on explosion. If you struggle with sustain, pick the other morph

Daedric Prey (Morph of Daedric Curse | Skill Line : Daedric Summoning) – Always keep this on target for huge damage increase

Bound Aegis (Morph of Bound Armor | Skill Line : Daedric Summoning) – Big max magicka increase, go with inner light if you want to use tri pots instead.

Summon Volatile Familiar (Morph of Summon Unstable Familiar | Skill Line : Daedric Summoning) – Huge damage and boost to single target and AoE damage.

Flawless Dawnbreaker (Morph of Dawnbreaker | Skill Line : Fighters Guild) – reworked in latest update to give spell damage of 300 for 20 seconds and passive spell damage of 3% for slotting on our spammable bar. This is a low cost alternative to use when trying to finish fights and needing a bit of burst

Back Bar – Lightning

Back bar options:

  1. Lighting Staff
  2. Two Handed
  3. Inferno Staff

Blockade of Storms (Morph of Wall of Elements | Skill Line : Destruction Staff) – AoE deals magic damage plus additional effect depending on type of staff

Hurricane (Morph of Lightning Form | Skill Line : Storm Calling) – One of the best AoE damage and single target abilities we have, plus armor!

Elemental Susceptibility (Morph of Weakness to Elements | Skill Line : Destruction Staff) – Applies Major Breech to enemy and afflicted with the Burning, Chilled, and Concussion status effect every 7.5 seconds.

Critical Surge (Morph of Surge | Skill Line : Storm Calling) – God tier survivability can be swapped out for another ability.

Summon Volatile Familiar (Morph of Summon Unstable Familiar | Skill Line : Daedric Summoning) – Double bar to keep summon up.

Summon Charged Atronach (Morph of Summon Storm Atronach | Skill Line : Daedric Summoning) – Strongest single target ulimate for Sorc.

Passives Skills

Consider taking all of the passives in the below skill trees to increase your ESO Solo Sorcerer builds performance without slotting any skills:

  • Dark Magic (class skill line)
  • Daedric Summoning (class skill line)
  • Storm Calling (class skill line)
  • Destruction Staff (weapon skill line)
  • Light Armor
  • Medium Armor
  • Undaunted
  • Fighters Guild
  • Mages Guild (if using inner light)
  • Psjiic Order
  • Racial
  • Alliance War Support
  • Alliance War Assault
  • Crafting, Alchemy Medicinal Use

Gear – Best in Slot

Use the below gear template for the ESO Solo Sorcerer when playing solo arenas and Veteran dungeons:

SlotTypeSetTraitGlyph
HeadLightPerfected False God’s DevotionDivinesMagicka
ShouldersLightValkyn SkoriaDivinesMagicka
ChestMediumTzogvin’s WarbandDivinesMagicka
LegsMediumTzogvin’s WarbandDivinesMagicka
GlovesMediumTzogvin’s WarbandDivinesMagicka
BootsMediumTzogvin’s WarbandDivinesMagicka
BeltMediumTzogvin’s WarbandDivinesMagicka
Weapon OneFlame StaffPerfected False God’s DevotionPreciseFlame
Weapon TwoLightning StaffPerfected Merciless ChargeInfusedWeapon Damage
NecklacePerfected False God’s DevotionBloodthirstyWeapon Damage
Ring 1MythicPale OrderBloodthirstyWeapon Damage
Ring 2Perfected False God’s DevotionBloodthirstyWeapon Damage
ESO Solo Sorcerer Magicka Build for PvE

In PvE, high-end DPS builds, magicka, and stamina builds run similar gear setups, including medium armor. Medium is more robust due to not reaching the penetration cap of light armor. However, Light armor can provide a shield with greater sustain. Below are various options.

Monster Helms and Mythic

Valkyn Skoria: obtained in City of Ash II veteran. Gives a mighty one-piece bonus for penetration. Alternative: Slimecraw.

Ring of the Pale Order: Mythic obtained by collecting five pieces. This gives great healing for doing damage and allows you to focus on pure damage.

FLEX OPTIONS (if you switch to monster setup, drop the ring and replace it with Vicious or flex piece)

  1. Stormfist â€“ always works, easy to obtain and  AoE DPS set.
  2. Balorgh = is incredible for boss burns in Veteran Maelstrom Arena saving up ultimate for 500 burns.
  3. Kra’gh â€“ one piece is great for a pen, two-piece does good single-target damage
  4. Iceheart = is great for survivability.
  5. Perfected Merciless Charge = must change out Unstable Blockade for Stampede, good damage but requires melee skills.
  6. Perfected Thunderous Volley = good alternative to play at range with back bar. Swap out Unstable Blockade for Endless Hail bow skill.
  7. Agility = Base game set that gives you extra damage.
  8. Veloth Ur-Mage’s Amulet: new mythic that is incredible damage if you have good survivability and don’t require Pale Order.
  9. Mora’s Whisper = set and forget high critical mythic but requires a collection of Mages Guild books.
  10. Death Dealer’s Fete = high max stats and requires no effect but in combat.
Gear Sets

Perfected False God’s Devotion: Trial set that drops in Veteran Sunspire, Elsweyr Chapter. Reduces overall cost of Magicka abilities by 8% and boosts movement speed on enemy death.

Tzogvin’s Warband: Dungeon set that drops in Frostvault, part of Wrathstone DLC. Boosts Critical chance and critical damage.

Perfected Crushing Wall: From Veteran Maelstrom Arena in Orsinium. Increase your overall DPS due to the ability of the wall of elements and more damage.

FLEX OPTIONS

  1. Vicious Serpent = Best sustain set for stamina along with movement speed.
  2. Perfected Coral Riptide = god tier damage if you run low stamina (dodge roll a bit before pull)
  3. Perfected Sul-Xan = insane damage if you can reliably pick up the essence/soul (blue orb) left behind
  4. Briarheart = (OVERLAND) Overland can be bought from traders great option for healing and weapon damage boost
  5. Order’s Wrath = (CRAFTING)Best overall crafting damage option
  6. Pillar of Nirn = (DUNGEON) great overall proc set damage.
  7. Spriggan’s Thorns =  (OVERLAND) Base game and decent penetration on the front perfect for a beginner offensive set
  8. Mechanical Acuity = (CRAFTING) the highest burst combined with Balorgh for VMA boss nukes

Gear – Beginner

This setup is for someone who just started and doesn’t have access to Monsters, Mythics, Trials gear

SlotTypeSetTraitGlyph
HeadlightWithered HandDivinesMagicka
ShoulderslightWithered HandDivinesMagicka
ChestlightMother’s SorrowDivinesMagicka
LegslightMother’s SorrowDivinesMagicka
GloveslightMother’s SorrowDivinesMagicka
BootslightMother’s SorrowDivinesMagicka
BeltlightMother’s SorrowDivinesMagicka
Weapon OneInferno StaffWillpowerPreciseFlame
Weapon TwoInferno StaffWillpowerInfusedBerserker
NecklaceWithered HandArcaneMagicka Recovery
Ring 1Withered HandArcaneSpell Damage
Ring 2Withered HandArcaneSpell Damage
  • Withered Hand â€“ found in Alikr Desert overland or in build traders. Gives resources back on kills.
  • Willpower â€“ is obtained in dungeon daily rewards or cheaply from build traders. Gives you a big magicka stat boost.
  • Mother’s Sorrow â€“ found in overland Deshaan or bought from guild traders. Useful for high critical and base game easy to obtain.

Race

The best racial choice for the Magicka Sorcerer is below:

  1. Dark Elf: Gain max magicka, stamina, and weapon and spell damage. The flame resistance is also helpful and considered the strongest overall PVE DPS race.
  2. High Elf: Gain resource sustain passive, max magicka, and weapon and spell damage. The downside of High Elf is a lack of stamina or flame resistance.
  3. Khajiit: This race gets recovery, max stats, and critical damage and healing. Consider the Khajiit a great option if you aren’t over the critical cap of 125%.

Attributes

The best choice is 64 magicka, which increases damage, healing, and DoTs.

Mundus Stone

The Thief is the best Mundus Stone for PvE Builds because it gives Increases Weapon and Spell Critical Strike a chance.

Champion Points – The Solo Sorcerer Magicka Build for PvE

Warfare Constellation Champion Points

ESO Warfare Champion Tree

Below is a step-by-step method for slotting your champion points in the Warfare tree (blue).  We have used the minimum possible to reach 4 slottable selections all maxed out.  If you have more CP, consider taking more in the passives for optimal performance.

Below are recommended Warfare Champion Point selections for The Solo Sorcerer Magicka Build for PvE:

  1. Precision 10
  2. Wrathful strikes (slottable) 50
  3. Fighting Finesse(slottable) 50
  4. Extended might – sub con – piercing 10
  5. Masters at arms (slottable) 50
  6. Deadly  aim (slottable) 50

This would be the bare minimum setup, spending 220 CP (660 total required). The next step is to max out passives, that do not require a slottable but increase performance.

  1. Precision 10
  2. Piercing 10
  3. Tireless discipline 20
  4. Eldritch insight 20
  5. Blessed 20
  6. Quick recovery 20
  7. Flawless ritual 40
  8. War mage 30
  9. Battle mastery 40
  10. Mighty 30
  11. Elemental aegis 20
  12. Hardy 20
  13. Preparation 20

This would max out the Warfare tree with all active and passive champion points at 520 spent 1,560 total spent.

Fitness Constellation Champion Points

ESO Fitness Champion Tree

Below are recommended Fitness Champion Point selections for The Solo Sorcerer Magicka Build for PvE:

  1. Fortified (slottable) 50
  2. Boundless vitality (slottable) 50
  3. Rejuvenation (slottable) 50
  4. Sprinter 10
  5. Winder chaser – sub con – hasty 8
  6. Hero’s Vigor 10
  7. Siphoning spells (slottable) 50

This would be the bare minimum setup, spending 228 CP  (684 total required). The next step is to max out passives, that do not require a slottable but increase performance. 

  1. Hero’s Vigor 10
  2. Tumbling 30
  3. Sprinter 10
  4. Defiance 20
  5. Hasty 8
  6. Tireless guardian 20
  7. Fortification 30
  8. Nimble 6
  9. Mystic tenacity 50
  10. Tempered soul 50
  11. Piercing gaze 30
  12. Savage defense  30
  13. Bashing brutality 20

This would max out the fitness tree with all active passive champion points at 542 cp spent 1,626 total spent.

Craft Constellation Champion Points

ESO Craft Champion Tree

Below are recommended Craft Champion Point selections for The Solo Sorcerer Magicka Build for PvE:

  1. Steed’s blessing (slottable) – 50
  2. Breakfall 10
  3. Wanderer 15
  4. Steadfast 10
  5. Treasure hunter 50 (slottable)
  6. rationer (slottable) 30
  7. liquid efficiency (slottable) 75

xaThis would be the bare minimum setup, spending 240CP (720 total required). The next step is to max out passives, that do not require a slottable but increase performance.

  1. Steadfast enchantment 40cp
  2. Breakfall 40 cp
  3. Wanderer 60
  4. Fortunes favor 10
  5. Friends in low places 25
  6. Out of sight 30
  7. Fleet of Phantom 40
  8. Soul’s Reservoir 33
  9. Gilded fingers 50
  10. Fortunes favor 40
  11. Inspiration boost 45
  12. Infamous 30

This would max out the crafting tree with all active passive champion points at 683 cp spent 2,049.

Consumables

Food

Clockwork Citrus Filet

OVERALL: Increase Max Health by 3724, Health Recovery by 351, Max Magicka by 34,58, and Magicka Recovery by 319 for 2 hours.

Witchmother’s Brew

CHEAP: Increase Max Magicka by 2856, Max Health by 3094, and Magicka Recovery by 315 for 2 hours.

Ghastly Eye Bowl

DPS Parse: Increase Max Magicka by 4256 and Magicka Recovery by 425 for 2 hours.

Potions

Essence of Spell Power

Grants major sorcery with increases spell damage by 20% for 47.6 seconds. Major prophecy which grants yoa u 2191 spell critical rating for 47.6 seconds. Restore 7582 magicka immediately. Grants you major intellect which increases your magicka recovery by 20% for 47.6. Potions have a 45-secondec cooldown. Make sure you have three points into medicinal use passive in alchemy crafting. (INGREDIENTS: Corn Flower, Lady’s Smo,ck and Namira’s Rot)

Build Summary – The Solo Sorcerer Magicka Build for PvE

Class: Sorcerer

Race: Dark Elf

Attributes: 64 Magickaia

Mundus Stone: Thief

Weapon One: Flame staff

Weapon Two: Lightning Staff Staff

Armor Set 1: Perfected False Gods

Armor Set 2: Tzogvin’s Warband

Monster Helm: Valkyn Skoria

Mythic: Pale Order

Armor Weight: 5 Medium, 2 Light

Skill Bar 1

  • Crystal Fragments
  • Mages’ Wrath
  • Daedric Prey
  • Bound Aegis
  • Summon Volatile Familiar
  • Flawless Dawnbreaker (Ultimate)

Skill Bar 2

  • Elemental Blockade
  • Hurricane
  • Elemental Susceptibility
  • Critical Surge
  • Summon Volatile Familiar
  • Summon Charged Atronach (Ultimate)

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