As a Magicka Warden in The Elder Scrolls Online, your choice of morph for the Scorch ability can define your damage output and group utility. The two options, Deep Fissure and Subterranean Assault, are often debated. While both stem from the same base skill, they cater to different builds and playstyles. This guide provides a definitive comparison to help you decide which morph suits your Magden best.
Understanding Deep Fissure
Deep Fissure is the Magicka morph of Scorch. It deals Magic Damage to enemies in a targeted area after a short delay. Crucially, it applies Major Breach to affected foes, reducing their Spell Resistance by 5948 for 10 seconds. This debuff directly amplifies your own Magic Damage and benefits any group members using magical attacks. The skill scales with your Maximum Magicka, Spell Damage, and Spell Critical, making it the natural choice for pure Magicka DPS Wardens.
Understanding Subterranean Assault
Subterranean Assault is the Stamina morph. It deals Poison Damage and applies Major Fracture, which reduces Physical Resistance by 5948. This morph scales with Maximum Stamina, Weapon Damage, and Weapon Critical. On a typical Magden with high Magicka and low Stamina pools, the damage output is negligible, and the debuff does little for personal DPS since Magdens primarily deal Magic or Frost damage. However, in group content where physical damage dealers lack a source of Major Fracture, some support-oriented Magdens may consider it for utility.
Key Differences at a Glance
- Damage Type: Deep Fissure deals Magic Damage; Subterranean Assault deals Poison Damage.
- Resource Scaling: Deep Fissure scales with Magicka; Subterranean Assault scales with Stamina.
- Debuff Applied: Deep Fissure inflicts Major Breach (lower Spell Resistance); Subterranean Assault inflicts Major Fracture (lower Physical Resistance).
- Visual and Timing: Both have an identical delay and area-of-effect radius, though the visual effects differ (crackling earth vs. green poison tendrils).
When to Use Deep Fissure
For the vast majority of Magden builds, Deep Fissure is the superior option. Its damage scales directly with your primary stats, and Major Breach ensures your Light and Heavy Attacks, along with skills like Screaming Cliff Racer and Winter’s Revenge, hit harder. In solo content, this self-applied debuff is invaluable for burning down enemies quickly. In group PvE, your healer or tank often provides Major Breach, but having it on demand ensures 100% uptime, freeing them to focus elsewhere. For PvP, the burst Magic Damage and penetration make it a staple in offensive rotations.
When to Consider Subterranean Assault
Subterranean Assault is rarely optimal on a Magden. It may only be considered in specific hybrid or support scenarios: if you are the sole source of Major Fracture in a trial group stacked with Stamina damage dealers, or if you’re running an unorthodox build that invests in Stamina for weapon skill lines. Even then, the loss of personal DPS usually outweighs the group benefit. In PvP, the Poison Damage can be useful for applying status effects like Poisoned, but other class skills typically fulfill that role more efficiently. Unless you are explicitly building a Stamina Warden, stick with Deep Fissure.
Synergies and Rotation Impact
Deep Fissure synergizes exceptionally well with other Magden abilities. After landing a Deep Fissure, the following skills benefit from Major Breach: Destructive Touch (Frost Clench), Arctic Blast, and any Destruction Staff skills. Additionally, the Advanced Species passive increases your damage by 2% for each Animal Companion ability slotted, and Deep Fissure counts toward that bonus. In a standard rotation, you cast Deep Fissure every three to four skill casts to maintain the debuff and maximize burst timing. For Subterranean Assault, the rotation would be similar, but the damage contribution is minimal unless you weave Stamina-based attacks, which is inefficient on a Magicka build.
Gear and Passive Considerations
Because Deep Fissure deals Magic Damage, it benefits from sets that boost Spell Damage, Magic Damage, or Spell Critical. Popular Magden sets like Bahsei’s Mania, Kinras’s Wrath, and Mother’s Sorrow all amplify its effectiveness. The Frost Staff passive Ancient Knowledge also increases your damage by 10% if you use a Frost Staff, further favoring Deep Fissure. If you forcibly use Subterranean Assault, you would need to stack Weapon Damage and Stamina recovery, which conflicts with typical Magden itemization. Passives from the Animal Companions skill line (like Savage Beast) grant ultimate when you deal damage with an Animal Companion ability; both morphs trigger this, but Deep Fissure’s higher damage yields faster ultimate generation.
