Beta sorceress guide

[Akis]

Copy/paste (mhn 3exnate einai beta info, h telikh morfh mporei na diaferei):
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Aikau's Guide to the Sorceress

The Sorceress

Basic Gameplay:
The Sorceress/sorcerer is the highest damaging RDPS in Warhammer (arbitrary: Destruction only, we're hoping!). The sorceress must pay the ultimate price to enjoy this benefit: their life. The sorceress mechanic has changed since originally announced. In an effort to make the class more potent, the ante has been upped, so to speak.

Now,

* 1-10 Dark Magic= 5% crit chance, 10% crit damage, 5% backlash chance
*
11-30 DM = 10% crit chance, 20% crit damage, 10% backlash chance
*
31-70 DM = 20% crit chance, 40% crit damage, 20% backlash chance
*
71-90 DM = 40% crit chance, 80% crit damage, 40% backlash chance
*
91-100 DM = 50% crit chance, 100% crit damage, 50% backlash chance



Previously, the dark magic(DM) would disappear after a backlash. This is NOT the case now. You can backlash multiple times in a row until you let your DM meter go down. The backlash damage sits at around 275 until full DM at which point it goes up to around 650 backlash damage. To put in perspective, at level 33, my sorceress has 4300 life. You are literally losing 15% of your life every time you backlash at full DM. You can actively expel the DM by casting a spell called Dhar Wind. The spell has a 1s cast time and the more DM you have, the more damage it does. At 91-100 DM, it does about 316 damage at level 33.
There is another price to the high damage: utility. The sorc has one 5s snare that has a 2s cast and a curse prerequisite, a 30 foot AoE root that has a 50% chance to break on any damage for up to 5 seconds, an action point drain, a silence, and a disarm. This seems like a lot, but we go down very easily despite these tools. This is also in stark contrast to most classes that have AoE knockbacks, snares, and stuns.

Masteries:
The three spec lines for the sorc are: Agony (DD), Calamity (DoT), and Destruction (AoE). I will quickly go over the 3 spells and the rank 4 morale for each mastery. The tactics do things to enhance the spells in each line, like making them longer range or reducing cooldown, etc, so they are less interesting and I've chosen to omit them.


Mastery Abilities:
Keep in mind that the damage listed on your abilities scales with your level AND with how many points you have in that mastery, so the actual damage at level 40 will be much higher once you attain that level and you have points in that mastery. I will address these from easiest/lowest to get to hardest/highest.


Agony: (100ft unless otherwise noted)

Echo of Power

Cast time: Instant

Cooldown: None

Action Points: 40

Builds 10 DM
An instant blast of damage that deals 195 corporeal damage to your target and can not be defended against. Must be used after a spell has been disrupted.


Impending Doom

Cast time: Instant

Cooldown: 10s

Action Points: 45

Builds 40 DM
You slam your target with a powerful blast of force, dealing 237 damage.


Shades of Death

Cast time: Instant

Cooldown: 5s

Action Points: 30

Builds 0 DM
Your target is haunted by spectres of death and doom for up to 10 seconds, causing an additional 65 corporeal damage each time that they suffer damage. This effect will occur up to 5 times before fading.


Soul Stealer (Rank 4 Morale)

Cast time: Instant

Cooldown: 60s
Your target and all other enemies within 30 feet of them suffer 1064 damage and lose 125 action points. You gain 638 health and 125 action points.


Calamity: (100ft unless otherwise noted)

Gloom of Night

Cast time: 2s

Cooldown: 10s

Action Points: 30

Builds 20 DM

80ft range
A cloud of gloom clings to your target for 15 seconds, dealing 114 spirit damage to them every 3 seconds and all other enemies within 20 feet of them.


Absorb Vitality

Cast time: Instant

Cooldown: 20s

Action Points: 30

Builds 5 DM
A curse which siphons away your enemies life dealing 460 corporeal damage over 15 seconds and healing you for all of the damage dealt.


Hand of Ruin

Cast time: Instant

Cooldown: 11s

Action Points: 10AP/Sec

Builds 15 DM
Tendrils of dark energy dart forth from your hand and slice into your target for up to 6 seconds, dealing 230 spirit damage every 2 seconds. This effect will end if you break your concentration or run out of action points.


Crippling Terror(Rank 4 Morale)

Cast time: Instant

Cooldown: 60s
Your target and all other enemies within 30 feet of them are silenced and disarmed for 7 seconds, making them unable to use melee, ranged, or magic abilities. This effect is not subject to diminishing returns.


Destruction: (100ft unless otherwise noted):

Absorb Vitality

Cast time: Instant

Cooldown: 20s

Action Points: 30

Builds 5 DM
You create a maelstrom of evil power which deals 216 corporeal damage to your target and all other enemies within 20 feet of them, and reduces their initiative by 42 for 10 seconds.


Disastrous Cascade

Cast time: Instant

Cooldown: 8s

Action Points: 30 AP/Sec

Builds 15 DM
You allow dark powers to flow freely through your body for 3 seconds, dealing 130 spirit damage to all enemies within 30 feet. This effect will end if you break your concentration or run out of action points.


Shadow Knives

Cast time: Instant

Cooldown: 13s

Action Points: 20 AP/Sec

Builds 15 DM
[Tooltip is incorrect but you cast on an enemy and it does 172 every 2 seconds to your enemy and all enemies within 20 feet of them.]


Paralyzing Nightmares(Rank 4 Morale)

Cast time: Instant

Cooldown: 60s
All enemies within 30 feet suffer 1038 damage and become rooted, making them unable to move for 7 seconds. This effect is not subject to diminishing returns.


My Thoughts:


I love this class. In a group, the sorc's damage is devastating. It's hard to portray the true damage using these numbers, because when compared to the health I listed above, these spells seem weak. However, when you combine that the spells become about twice as strong once you spec in the mastery tree with the fact that at 100 DM, you are critting constantly with extra crit damage bonus, it truly becomes powerful. To give an example, specced Agony at level 33 my Impending Doom was critting for over 1100 damage and above it's just listed for 220(ish) damage.


There is a really unique feel with each mastery, as well. When specced Destruction, you can really help set the tone of the RvR fight by fending off melee classes that try to advance. Specced Agony, you can kill someone in under 10 seconds, easily. You don't have the overall impact in RvR but you make up for it in your ability to quickly dispatch people. If I see a healer that has allowed himself to get too low, I can put myself at risk for under 3 seconds and nearly guarantee a kill. I haven't played Calamity as much, but it is extremely strong. With some DoTs each tick can crit... so you can see where this is going.
This is all assuming you have strong healing behind you. Left to my own devices, I often find myself in situations that I have done more damage to myself than my opponent has to me and, if I'm not careful, can be killed in an instant. Playing the DM game is crucial to mastering this class in a solo environment or when you find yourself suddenly without healers.

Playing the sorc, I really feel like the glass cannon that every game since RPG day 1 has promised me. When picking a class for MMOs, I don't necessarily have a type, but I like something that seems unique. When playing WoW, the druid's shape shifting was very intriguing to me and coming to WAR, this class' DM mechanic immediately interested me. I think, if you are like me or someone that just likes to do damage, you will not be disappointed with this class. The recent changes to DM have made the class even better. It makes me sad when other people in WAR are not enjoying their class as much as I am enjoying mine. I hope that Mythic can figure out how to bring every class up to the sorc's level.