I know this has been addressed already, but... are they kidding?! Lightning is crap, and it should be a dps spec, but instead it's the worst speck in term of damage output. I play since 2012, and I think Bioware does a good job, but if Sorcerer is only viable as a healer, I will go play another mmo. And there is a guy who is saying that Lightning is still the best dps speck for operations, but I think he drinks too much coffee or something. So, after my childish complain I would like to know, if they plan on putting back lightning to a decent level. And I am not only speaking for myself here, think about all these new players forced to change class after hitting 70, because they found out that this speck is sooooo bad. Bioware, you are my favorite gaming company, do something please, and I would appreciate a feedback on what is planned in a near future for this class, because it is my favorite class and I am certain that I am not the only one. And don't tell me to play Merc, cause I hate these truck drivers, they are lacking in style, and I hate to be forced to play flavor of the year class.

If you're talking about lighting dps as something for an operation, it's by far NOT the worst. Aside from gods which is stupidly specific on classes (it really only doesn't work / isnt the best for nahut) it's a good dps spec. You probably just aren't using it correctly. I'm not sure why you think it's so bad, would you care to elaborate on what specific issue you are referring to?

With you having 258 gear and content being balanced around 242 (apart from Gods Nightmare), everything is viable as DPS, even Sorcs.

can you maintain about 50 apm or more in a raid (boss encounter)? If not, play a spec that reaches its potential closer to 35-40 apm.

If you're talking about lighting dps as something for an operation, it's by far NOT the worst. Aside from gods which is stupidly specific on classes (it really only doesn't work / isnt the best for nahut) it's a good dps spec. You probably just aren't using it correctly. I'm not sure why you think it's so bad, would you care to elaborate on what specific issue you are referring to?

 

 

I am using my sorcerer pretty well, maybe I didn't explain correctly. What bothers me is that the class and spec is one of the worst dps, in pvp and pve. The spec is still bad, worst than many other specs. That is my point.

I am using my sorcerer pretty well, maybe I didn't explain correctly. What bothers me is that the class and spec is one of the worst dps, in pvp and pve. The spec is still bad, worst than many other specs. That is my point.

 

It's not. Lighting has some of the best passive aoe and some of the best and most versatile AOE in the game. It's single target leaves a bit to be desired but the rest of it makes up for the spec a lot. I actually have by request a lighting sorc on my team. Both for its debuff and because it's actually good in a lot of circumstances.

 

Where are you drawing your conclusions from that it's bad

It's not. Lighting has some of the best passive aoe and some of the best and most versatile AOE in the game. It's single target leaves a bit to be desired but the rest of it makes up for the spec a lot. I actually have by request a lighting sorc on my team. Both for its debuff and because it's actually good in a lot of circumstances.

 

Where are you drawing your conclusions from that it's bad

 

Speaking only in regards to endgame pve content, sorc dps is quite honestly far behind other classes and specs, Io Merc or Virulence Snipers out damages both sorcs specs by quite a bit, assuming, of course, equal skill and gear. However, even with less gear and less experiance a marauder or Powertech can quite easily out dps a more experienced and geared sorc. Naturally, these kinds of considerations only apply in Hardmode/Nightmares and with 258 gear now one or two sorc DPS is perfectly fine to bring to even the hardest of bosses, although maybe not optimal if you want easy clears heh.

Aside from very few content ling sorcs are good depending on your gear, play style, rotation etc. but a little buff may be needed to be on equal footing with other classes. However this class also comes with very good passive skills and utilities. so its a tough call how to balance this class as good and exceptional players will outdo majority players and then there will be call for nerfs.

I am using my sorcerer pretty well, maybe I didn't explain correctly. What bothers me is that the class and spec is one of the worst dps, in pvp and pve. The spec is still bad, worst than many other specs. That is my point.

 

It's a fact that Lightning is the 3rd lowest parsing single-target spec in the game with only Marksman and Arsenal parsing lower (all ranged burst specs parse low compared to melee sustained, as the devs seem to have intended). Is it bad though? Not really, but you have to play it incredibly well to excel at it. Like others have said, with 258 gearing you should be able to clear almost everything.

 

There is one very important thing to remember when using Lightning: Alacrity! Here are the optimal stat distributions & gearing: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tTZEODvA4-N_wLXlizG654Ii1z9gI88HavBk1WbTsk0/edit?usp=sharing. (Thanks to Smarty)

 

1. You need to run 10.65%~ alacrity so that when you have 5 Focal Lightning stacks, you hit the 1.3s GCD threshold at 15.65%~.

 

2. You need to use Polarity Shift + Adrenal in tandem because the +30% alacrity buff granted by PS greatly reduces the cooldown of your next adrenal usage. This means you can use more adrenals than any other class / spec during long boss encounters.

 

3. APM - If you can't mash buttons fast enough to get 50+ apm in this spec, then it will probably perform poorly for you.

 

Personally, I prefer Lightning for PVE, and Madness for PVP.

 

PS - 6.0 Lightning is looking pretty good on the PTS, in my opinion. Lots more double procs.

Edited August 14, 2019 by Rion_Starkiller

This topic - lightning is bad - is so old... And seeing here 'in 258 you should be able to clear everything', Beside gods nim, You can clear every piece of content in 248 with 228 augs - on lightning sorc too, in 258 it just becomes a joke.

 

Lightning far as damage goes is bottom of the barrel, but it's good enough, Defensive wise, lightning is OP. You have a passive damage reduction off 50% on char panel(23% standart +15% from Fulgurious Fortification) and 10% from the Deionized debuff), with 65% every 20 seconds using unatural vigor and 88% every 45 seconds using passive, unatural vigor and cloud mind utilty, add to this the absorb from static barrier - the fact unatural preservation is a huge self heal, and god immunity bubble and other self healing. and you have a seriously tanky class.

 

there was some video of 4 sorc dps clearing brontes NiM in 248's if you think i'm just talking trash, however it doesn't seem to be online anymore, here's the reddit post all the same.

Edited August 14, 2019 by Folcwar

Nightmare Brontes is a terrible gauge of viability. There isn't a hard enrage on that boss. Your chances of a successful kill go up with higher dps, but good tanks and healers (both in class and in skill) can buy you more time.

 

Idk what your point is. We're in 5.0. Current benchmark is gods nightmare. On those bosses, sages/sorcs represent from 0-5 % of total dps classes, based on starparse stats. TK/Lightning less than half of those.

 

Yes, the topic is old. But so is the meta. God I miss the times of class balancing every few months.

Nightmare Brontes is a terrible gauge of viability. There isn't a hard enrage on that boss. Your chances of a successful kill go up with higher dps, but good tanks and healers (both in class and in skill) can buy you more time.

 

Idk what your point is. We're in 5.0. Current benchmark is gods nightmare. On those bosses, sages/sorcs represent from 0-5 % of total dps classes, based on starparse stats. TK/Lightning less than half of those.

 

Yes, the topic is old. But so is the meta. God I miss the times of class balancing every few months.

 

On GotM nim dot classes rule ... that is how that op is designed. Now on sorc the dot class is slightly under the "average" dps of all classes while viru/io is slightly above or at average...so there you go. I think the dot spec sorc is viable in nim gods but suffers a lot on nahut and needs to be carried somewhat on that specific fight, on the other fights in that op it is fine.

It's not. Lighting has some of the best passive aoe and some of the best and most versatile AOE in the game. It's single target leaves a bit to be desired but the rest of it makes up for the spec a lot. I actually have by request a lighting sorc on my team. Both for its debuff and because it's actually good in a lot of circumstances.

 

Where are you drawing your conclusions from that it's bad

 

The single target dps is a joke compare to other class. But I am glad to read that you were asked to use a lightning sorcerer in a team. My point is not to demolish publicly the class, and your feedback is interesting. Perhaps I can be wrong on some points, but when fighting the same opponents with different classes I can notice a sever difference.

in pvp its different and I can't speak to how good sorcs are. They do usually end up at the top of the dps chart and it can be a good class if you get good at it. It's just about knowing what dcd's they have running, what part of their rotation they are at and other things. Sorc in pvp also gets a LOT of DR and SELF HEALS. Try being a mara in pvp, that **** is brutal.

 

Single target lighting sorcs arent terrible. They are kinda **** on a dummy, but so is carnage and I've mained that and succeeded very much so with it in every tier of gear. When I say I had a sorc main on my raid team, i meant things up to and including doing sales runs, nim gods and obviously all of the old nightmare stuff.

 

in terms of parsing in raid sorcs tend to be who I think i will have to compete against the most and the only time i've legitimately seen them struggle is on brontes burn and even then they can still parse just fine.

Thanks, I got a more clear idea of what is wrong and how to get around my problem. Edited August 15, 2019 by LordGhoried

in pvp its different and I can't speak to how good sorcs are. They do usually end up at the top of the dps chart and it can be a good class if you get good at it. It's just about knowing what dcd's they have running, what part of their rotation they are at and other things. Sorc in pvp also gets a LOT of DR and SELF HEALS. Try being a mara in pvp, that **** is brutal.

 

Fury maras are the second best pvp class after mercs (and are the best in tank/heal games) and are far better than both sorc specs in pvp, just to let you know.

Which one of you turds reported the juicy posts? I'm annoyed by the deletions

I guess some people just can't handle it when others tell them just how wrong they are. Funny that my post got removed, but it doesn't change the fact that whiny threads like these are childish, misinformed, and have been reposted so many times over the years i can't tell if the people making them are trolling or just too lazy to actually look up any information on the topic.

I guess some people just can't handle it when others tell them just how wrong they are. Funny that my post got removed, but it doesn't change the fact that whiny threads like these are childish, misinformed, and have been reposted so many times over the years i can't tell if the people making them are trolling or just too lazy to actually look up any information on the topic.

 

Didn't report your post, but returning players who have question regarding performance because they worry about pve and especially pvp balance in 2019, is understandable in my opinion, perhaps it's not yours. I didn't see your post, but from what you write here, it seems that this tread is making you upset. Why don't you just do something else, you are not really helpful, forum is full of other topics. Of course you do what you want, and so do other people, if you don't like their questions, no one forces you to answer; and if this has been addressed already in the past, keep in mind that we are not all hooked all year on this forum, and that some of us are returning after few months or years. I didn't know it was a crime to ask about the state of a class, doesn't piss me off when a new player ask class questions online on the fleet, and if it would, then I wouldn't answer. Swtor is not leading my life, but it seem pretty important to some, maybe too much.

Edited August 17, 2019 by LordGhoried

On GotM nim dot classes rule ... that is how that op is designed. Now on sorc the dot class is slightly under the "average" dps of all classes while viru/io is slightly above or at average...so there you go. I think the dot spec sorc is viable in nim gods but suffers a lot on nahut and needs to be carried somewhat on that specific fight, on the other fights in that op it is fine.

And that's was a very helpful answer, thank you very much. I won't come back here since it is too toxic, but thanks to good players like yourself and others who gave some useful feed backs, which helped me to move on and to understand a bit more..