Return of Reckoning

I was hesitant to post this at first because I thought it could be revealing some secret sauce but I figured I would ask anyway and see if people were willing to share...

My sorc is about to hit 80 and if I'm in a warband with proper support (guard + healers), I always go AOE with my typical spec looking like this:
RoR.builders - Sorcerer / AOE Destruction / Frozen Fury

I run 5 sovereign, 3 triumphant currently (almost saved up enough for my triumphant jewel so that'll bring me to 4), and bloodlord witchstaff.

I do pretty well with this -- almost always top damage in my group and also close to or top death blows. However, I'm wondering if any more experienced warband-oriented sorcs have tips to share on more advanced rvr strategies. The following are some of the tactic questions I have.

Triumphant Blasting
I've heard some folks in game mentioning use of Triumphant Blasting tactic ("Any time you critically hit with a Path Of Destruction ability, the victim will be knocked backwards a moderate distance and mobs will be knocked down.") and this seems like it could be devastating to an approaching melee death ball but I am not quite sure how it would be in practice... Presumably this knockback gives immunities which would render pulls and punts ineffective and really upset my tanks and marauders. Is anyone experienced with this that could shed some light on the tactic?

Frozen Fury vs Infernal Gift
I've also been debating whether it's best to run Frozen Fury for the added 200+ corp dmg for my group (including me) or Infernal Gift (10% to my group but not me). Does Infernal Gift's damage bonus just apply to whatever damage type is being dealt by my group-mate or is it a certain type of damage always? Frozen Fury seems better IMO but I am wondering what others opinions / experience says.

Piercing Shadows
How about Piercing Shadows? I would like to run that instead of the Endless Knowledge (extra int) tactic but that would take me way off the soft cap, unfortunately... I'm running at like 1056 int right now without an int pot (I use wounds + magic crit pie typically + armor pot). It just seems to me that our fights are usually pretty quick and I am not sure of (a) what kind of damage is actually delt from Piercing Shadows and (b) how much would it actually hit for in short fights. Frozen Fury seems like it provides more consistent damage versus the 375 damage resulting from reflection of 750 backlash via Piercing Shadows. Thoughts?

Other Strategies
What other strategies should my group be trying? Specific group make-ups? Pairing particular classes with sorc? etc. For this particular post I'm specifically interested in oRVR warbands, not smaller single target (ST) kite/punt groups.

Hey there!

I have a thread on Sorc AoE builds here: viewtopic.php?f=73&t=40341

All-in-all the build you linked is pretty much exactly what I run in warbands when I can count on having the proper support.

Sightbringer wrote: Thu Dec 08, 2022 5:21 pm
Triumphant Blasting
I've heard some folks in game mentioning use of Triumphant Blasting tactic ("Any time you critically hit with a Path Of Destruction ability, the victim will be knocked backwards a moderate distance and mobs will be knocked down.") and this seems like it could be devastating to an approaching melee death ball but I am not quite sure how it would be in practice... Presumably this knockback gives immunities which would render pulls and punts ineffective and really upset my tanks and marauders. Is anyone experienced with this that could shed some light on the tactic?

Triumphant Blasting is an interesting one.

The issue with it is that whenever you're trying to damage something under normal circumstances, the punting will be undesirable and probably hamper your team.

Where it does shine however is during keep sieges. The constant stream of AoE punting will greatly hamper the enemy that is trying to get in. It buys the defenders time to prepare, and wastes valuable seconds the enemy has on their tank M4s.

I think this is a very situational, but very powerful tool.

Sightbringer wrote: Thu Dec 08, 2022 5:21 pm

Frozen Fury vs Infernal Gift
I've also been debating whether it's best to run Frozen Fury for the added 200+ corp dmg for my group (including me) or Infernal Gift (10% to my group but not me). Does Infernal Gift's damage bonus just apply to whatever damage type is being dealt by my group-mate or is it a certain type of damage always? Frozen Fury seems better IMO but I am wondering what others opinions / experience says.

In my opinion, Infernal Gift is generally not worth running unless there are more than two DPS in your group. Like you said, Frozen Fury adds a lot of damage already, and also to yourself.

It might have a niche in Ranked where it has seen some use.

Sightbringer wrote: Thu Dec 08, 2022 5:21 pm

Piercing Shadows
How about Piercing Shadows? I would like to run that instead of the Endless Knowledge (extra int) tactic but that would take me way off the soft cap, unfortunately... I'm running at like 1056 int right now without an int pot (I use wounds + magic crit pie typically + armor pot). It just seems to me that our fights are usually pretty quick and I am not sure of (a) what kind of damage is actually delt from Piercing Shadows and (b) how much would it actually hit for in short fights. Frozen Fury seems like it provides more consistent damage versus the 375 damage resulting from reflection of 750 backlash via Piercing Shadows. Thoughts?

I know some Sorcs like to run Piercing Shadows. If you're going for a maximum damage build you may want to pick it up. In my opinion it isn't worth the trade-off. EK gives a lot of intelligence, which in turn gives room for some investment into wounds. Also tactics like Frozen Fury, Lengthening Shadows and Neverending Agony simply seem to good to pass up, and the value they provide is consistent.

I feel like this tactic would be better if Surging Pain could proc backlash.

Sightbringer wrote: Thu Dec 08, 2022 5:21 pm

Other Strategies
What other strategies should my group be trying? Specific group make-ups? Pairing particular classes with sorc? etc. For this particular post I'm specifically interested in oRVR warbands, not smaller single target (ST) kite/punt groups.

The build you linked is pretty much what most sorcs will be running in organized warbands. Some might opt for taking Shadow Knives for an extra instant damage tick. I personally like running Paralyzing Nightmares because it's a really powerful tool if you're good at building/keeping morale between fights.


If you find yourself in warbands that do not give you the support to go bombing, medium range AoE specs are also quite powerful. They tend to rely on strong hitting DoTs with Gloom of Night and Ice Spikes / Chilling Gusts.

This: Path of Calamity Hybrid Build (Open Warband) is a very fun, versatile build that is capable of respectable single-target and AoE damage at long and medium ranges respectively, and provides added defensive bonuses to your group. The Frozen Fury/Tapping the Dark combo is very potent, as is Chilling Gusts which make your Ice Spikes and Chillwind hit very hard and boosting both ST and AoE damage. I think this is a very good build if you play in open warbands a lot.


Sorc tends to pair well with Magus, since Magus brings an AoE spirit resistance debuff. Magus seems to be less popular these days, though.

If you're wanting to try something weird, you may try to put multiple Sorcs and a Magus in a group with medium-range AoE, with one Sorc running infernal gift. Trying to get the most out of the class synergies.

IMO Piecing shadows > endless knowledge. I'm running 5-2-2 for the extra int, the unmitigated morale damage piecing shadows does is incredibly useful. Frozen Fury as well is a must IMO, with how proc damage works.

I would also drop lengthening shadows and take shadow knives (I use it as a filler), and/or echo of power - it's great for finishing tanks due to being undefendable.

m1 maybe swap to misdirection for RvR to escape ranged pew pew from order

There is this variation to increase the damage output of ice spikes with the rest of your aoe kit.

https://builder.returnofreckoning.com/c ... ,9528,9517

P.S. lengthening shadows for orvr and piercing shadows for City sieges.