Sorcerer Build

[Archibald Meatpants]

How do I make a decent sorcerer build?

[LexCondran]

its probably better to just train magic skills
leveling them is a pain
requires like 100 casts per level

[chomskyhonk]

Drain Health is absolutely broken. So long as your enemies don't pack Reflect Magicka, you can one-shot basically anything in your path for single digit magicka points.

[Innocent]

Originally posted by Archibald Meatpants:

Sorry I missed so much, had stuff to do. Anyways this question is directed towards theo. Now that I know that magic isn't something that I can just "spam" to defeat my foes, is it possible to compensate with a staff? I'm trying to avoid swords and daggers if I can.

Staffs are phenomenal for mages, and if you join the Mage's Guild you will come across a couple of very powerful ones. It's low key what is "expected" of a mage (although there is nothing stopping you from being an axe wielding mage if you want...).

The Ebony Staff also has the single highest enchantment potential in the whole game, although you will need a TOOON of money and a powerful soul gem to take advantage of this.

Also note that staffs are part of the Blunt Weapon category, meaning you will also be proficient in wielding maces and hammers if you can handle staffs. There are a couple of really powerful maces and hammers in this game.

[slayor3000]

Using staves for mages/ sorcerers is something I try to keep away from. Yes the stave should be one of the weapons of choice, but personally I do not believe for a role playing experience that having mages/ sorcerers with so much strength is correct. I always see this type as having lowish strength and endurance. Or they have the stave for its enchantment and having middling strength (50) they never increase the damage output unless they use fortify strength over x seconds.
Go for full strength and you end up using a hammer or mace more than magic, may as well go Battlemage.

[The Flying Rodent]

Originally posted by chomskyhonk:

Drain Health is absolutely broken. So long as your enemies don't pack Reflect Magicka, you can one-shot basically anything in your path for single digit magicka points.

It's less broken in Morrowind than it was in Oblivion. The base cost for Drain Health is 4 (in Oblivion it was like, 1 or 2?), whilst the base cost for Fire/Frost damage is 5, 'and' spell costs favour DoT spells rather than 1 sec duration/instant spells.

Sounds like a lot has already been said, but I guess to highlight a point: It is absolutely possible to make a 'spammy' mage in Morrowind; but you'll need either the Atronach sign and/or decent Alchemy skill & a boatload of homemade Restore Magicka potions to do it. I've played pure mage characters before that only touched weapons to complete plot objectives, and used spells for everything else.

[Archibald Meatpants]

So slayor3000, when I talked about staves, I was more thinking along the line of something that could shoot a fireball, or other means of magic so I can still dispense some magical punishment while being able keep my magicka in check. Not so much a quarter staff.

[LexCondran]

Originally posted by Archibald Meatpants:

Sorry I missed so much, had stuff to do. Anyways this question is directed towards theo. Now that I know that magic isn't something that I can just "spam" to defeat my foes, is it possible to compensate with a staff? I'm trying to avoid swords and daggers if I can.

Staff or Scrolls
Golden Saints are the best, but you need a Grand soulgem
Enchant a staff, ebony staff, which has 900 enchantment, golden saint is 400 charge
add whatever spell you want on it.

https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Ebony_Staff_(Morrowind)#:~:text=Ebony%20Staff%20is%20a%20weapon%20in%20The%20Elder,a%20different%20worth%20from%20the%20normal%20ebony%20staff.

[theo]

Why not, staves also have big enchantment value, someone will correct me if I'm wrong. But default option for mages is summon dagger spell you get at the start

[slayor3000]

Originally posted by Archibald Meatpants:

So slayor3000, when I talked about staves, I was more thinking along the line of something that could shoot a fireball, or other means of magic so I can still dispense some magical punishment while being able keep my magicka in check. Not so much a quarter staff.

2 cheap damage rings are available early in Caldera, 1 is fireball the other shock damage. You will find or be able to buy many more through the game. Enchanted items regain there charge while you walk around or use a soul gem to recharge them.
Or become good at enchant (takes a long time and grind) or have enough money to use the enchant service.
Enchant a ring with a fireball spell or any other spell you like. Enchantments like that are like machine guns firing the damage.

I have an Enchanter, who can now enchant rings/ amulets (I find jewellery is best for this, its light and can hold a lot of charges) with 100+ damage, enchant is high enough so it only costs 5 for each cast, so a large enough soul gem and I get 60 plus casts.

[slayor3000]

Originally posted by theo:

Why not, staves also have big enchantment value, someone will correct me if I'm wrong. But default option for mages is summon dagger spell you get at the start

Short blades are my backup weapon of choice for a mage.
They are very light and quick (usually 2.5 speed). Speed is the governing attribute.(mages need some speed and agility).
Always imagine a mage with a dagger hidden up their sleeve.
Conjured dagger is always a good starter.

There are some great enchanted short swords/ daggers you can acquire quite early. Ones I can think of straight away are.
Glass Jinkblade - weighs 1.8 does 10 seconds paralyze. (Hloramen, Dunmer stronghold).
Soul Drinker [Daedric Dagger] - Soultrap for 30 secs on Touch.(Mage quest).
Dark Brotherhoods viper blades(daggers that do poison damage).
There is one later on I believe that does some decent absorb health, but I never do Morag Tong quest.

[LexCondran]

Originally posted by Archibald Meatpants:

How do I make a decent sorcerer build?

https://www.nexusmods.com/morrowind/mods/50847?tab=description
i have a derp mod that changes the game up a bit
i just "edited" the staffs a bit, for enchanting
Added an npc just because this post inspired me too
Reeks sells staffs, custom potions, and lets you reset/rebirth your character

my mod does a bunch of stuff

[Archibald Meatpants]

So slayor3000, are you saying that I can use these enchanted rings to cast spells from my staff?

[slayor3000]

Originally posted by Archibald Meatpants:

So slayor3000, are you saying that I can use these enchanted rings to cast spells from my staff?

No. You use the rings to cast the spell. Go into inventory and magic items. Click on the item. it is now ready to cast. So press R and use just as a normal spell.
I have a pair of "extravagant pants" which can do 30 to 60 fire damage. Use them exactly the same way. Use any magic item that way.

[Innocent]

Originally posted by Archibald Meatpants:

So slayor3000, are you saying that I can use these enchanted rings to cast spells from my staff?

You can enchant any item and use the enchantment from it. You can cast fireballs from your pants if you want :D

[Archibald Meatpants]

Most excellent. Now I can finally have my wizar... I mean sorcerer build with magic only!