The Elder Scrolls Online’s Sorcerer class is almost solely devoted to dealing damage, though there are a few spells that buff allies or help to bolster the player’s defenses. The class usually relies on Magicka as a resource, though there are some outlierElder Scrolls Onlinebuilds that make the class Stamina-based and even give it the capability to Tank.
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For this reason, most of the useful armor sets available for Sorcerers are Light Armor sets, though some Heavy Armor sets also confer good Magicka enhancements too. Any set that allows Sorcerers the ability to cast more spells for more damage will be a shoo-in, though some high-tier setscome with great bonusesfor having a full set equipped.
Updated August 03, 2025 by Erik Petrovich:Sorcerers in The Elder Scrolls Online are a class that typically prefer Magicka-based armor sets, but just like every class in the game, they are just as capable of picking up a Two-Handed weapon and Heavy Armor as they are casting spells. The best Sorcerer builds tend to add flat damage or bonuses to Spell Critical, allowing the player to cast more powerful spells with a higher chance to deal huge bursts of DPS. Each armor set has bonuses based on the number of pieces equipped by the player, and some of the best don’t require the player to wear all five pieces to still gain huge buffs.
The Bahsei’s Mania Set
The Bahsei’s Mania set is a Light Armor, Weapon, and Jewelry set thatincreases damage in multiple ways and increases Critical Chance. ItsFull Set bonus is only useful for Magicka-based Sorcerers, but the Two, Three, and Four items equipped bonuses are each powerful for both Stamina and Magicka builds (though Sorcerers tend to go Magicka over Stamina).
This set can be found in theRockgrove Trial included in the Blackwood DLC, considered by some to be one of the more difficult Trials in recent memory.Thanks to the recent updateto Armor Set loot tables that was implemented alongside theDeadlandsDLC, players thankfully won’t have to run Rockgrove too many times to complete the set.
The Maw of the Infernal Set
The Maw of the Infernal armor set is aMonster Set acquired through the Undaunted questline, and only has two pieces in total: a Helmet and a Shoulder piece. With one piece of the set equipped the playergains 1096 Max Magicka, but with both the Sorcerer gains achance to summon a Daedroth with each Light or Heavy Attack. The Daedroth’s attacks deal Fire Damage and it can use three unique abilities.
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The beast’s damage scales with the player’s Weapon or Spell Damage, whichever stat is higher, and can be proccedonce every 15 seconds. It can take damage for the Sorcerer while summoned anddeal out plenty of its owntoo, and it can be used in ranged builds or close-combat battlemage builds alike. This Monster Set isfound in the Banished Cells II dungeon.
The Magnus' Gift Set
The Magnus' Gift set is acraftable setthat gives Magicka-based Sorcerersa lot of beneficial passivesto work with. Itincreases Max Magicka, Magicka Recovery, and Weapon and Spell Damagewith its low-tier armor bonuses. Itsfull set bonus is a powerful Magicka-conserving effectthat procs more often than it at first might seem.
The Magnus' Gift set is crafted in three locations:Arangana in south Greenshade, Vaewend Ede in north Rivenspire, and Xal haj-ei Shrine in northeast Shadowfen. It requires players to haveresearched at least four traitson weapons and armor they wish to craft with these set bonuses.
The Plague Doctor Set
The Plague Doctor armor set is an extremely simple armor set that turns out to be one of the most useful sets for Sorcerers who prefer toget up close and personal. At two, three, and four pieces equipped the player isgiven 1206 Max Health, and atfive total pieces equipped the Sorcerer is given 2804 Max Health– thistotals to 6422 Max Healthfrom the set’s full bonus.
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Though Sorcerers tend to shy away from close combat, being the most fragile class of the six inThe Elder Scrolls Online, this set makes melee-oriented builds more viable. Because Sorcerers typically have invested so many points exclusively into Magicka, there’s hardly any Skill Points to allocate into Health, and this armor set sets that straight. Pieces to this set arefound throughout Shadowfen content.
The Mother’s Sorrow Set
The Mother’s Sorrow armor set is widely used across multiple Magicka-based builds in every class, including of course the Sorcerer. With two pieces equipped itgrants 1096 Max Magickato the player, and at three and four items equipped itgrants 657 Spell Criticaleach. When a full set of five pieces is equipped a further1528 Spell Critical is given to the player, for a total of 2842 extra Spell Critical with the set’s full buff.
It might seem like a simple armor set but its huge increase to critical hit chancemakes it more than worthwhile, especially when paired with sets that proc off of Critical Hits. The set it put to best use by DPS Sorcerers, but it’s also not a bad choice for Support Sorcerers as Spell Critical also increases Critical Healing Chance. The Mother’s Sorrow set isfound in overland content throughout Deshaan.
The Elder Scrolls Onlineis available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series S|X
