best 5th level spell for blaster sorcerer

[Shadeus]

You have a lot of redundancy in your spell list. Scorching Ray and Acid Arrow? Pick one (scorching ray) and drop the other for mirror image or some other defensive spell.

Fireball and lightning bolt? Pick one and then get the Energy Substitution metamagic to see how far that takes you. That gives you a new 3rd-level spell to pick as well (like fly).

As for 5th-level spells, as others have said, empowered fireballs are your friend. I would get a more utility spell like a hold monster, baleful polymorph, or overland flight (9 hours of flying isn't too shabby).

Just some thoughts.

 

[Pbartender]

As someone who is currently playing an "artillery" Sorcerer...

For a few levels, I had Cone of Cold. Honestly, I never used it, and especially so once I grabbed Disintegrate as a 6th level spell. I use Teleport and Overland Flight far, far more often.

And don't underestimate the usefulness of Cloudkill.

 

[CTSparky]

Feats et all

Yes I have 4... the last one I forgot was Empower spell. So I already have that covered. I guess I was just waiting until this next level to use it.

Although my DM would probably allow it I'm going strict for full round actions for using metamagic feats. Aslo the DM allowed me to change from Improved Counterspell (Since this was my first attempt with 3.5e) but I said I'd stick with it. Again while I don't want to hamstring the group, it isn't about min/maxing.

I do have some redundency with blast spells at level. BUT I like to use MAA and perhaps I'll do it empowered b/c there is no SR, and it causes concentration checks on the caster, and is a long range spell. Scorching ray is nice, but I have to make sure that I don't hit other party members. Although I have to do the same with melfs.

I just found out about energy substitution and you can bet that my next feat will be this. We are running Shackled City, and we just finished the Test of the Smoking Eye. I managed to go into the flame and I'm going to get a template, so says the DM. So maybe that will help too. (Don't know what the template will be or what so I'm waiting)

BTW we have 5 members in the party so I'd need 4 teleports. Also with the low GP level of Cauldron we are going to need transport to get higher level magic items.

 

[Pbartender]

Concerning feats...

I've found that, if the DM allows them, the Sudden metamagic feats from the Complete books are great for blast-'em-up Sorcerers. My Sorcerer's got Sudden Widen, Sudden Maximize and Sudden Empower. Those feats have saved the day more than once.

 

[paradox42]

BTW we have 5 members in the party so I'd need 4 teleports. Also with the low GP level of Cauldron we are going to need transport to get higher level magic items.

Well, there is the standard trick of overburdened mages everywhere. If your party has a Portable Hole, or can somehow get access to one, you can have party members beyond the Teleport limit ride along in that. My games usually see 6-character parties, so I'm used to this trick. A Small character might even be able to fit inside a Bag of Holding if you have one of those. Of course, these do potentially count as "higher level items," so perhaps it won't solve your immediate problem. Still, I've seen (on several occasions) PCs pooling funds to buy a Portable Hole for the whole party, in part so they could use this trick.

Of course, it does open up one big "gotcha" for the DM- if he can set up an ambush at the Teleport destination somehow, or anyway start a combat, the character(s) sitting in the Portable Hole is/are SOL until somebody has time to open it up and let them out. But that's the risk you take for doing in one spell what would otherwise take 3 (technically it's only 3, since you go once with 3 of the other 4 characters, come back with spell #2, and go again using spell #3 with the remaining 1 passenger).

That said, I agree with other posters on the point of offensive 5th-level spells- go with Empowered Fireball or other 3rd-level spells for now. If you really must have an offensive 5th-level spell, Telekinesis and Cloudkill are probably the best ones.

 

[DM_Matt]

I would recommend ignoring all that utility and versatility stuff, and blowing stuff up proper! Firebrand is perhaps the best spell for AoE, as you can almost always hit every target without including a friendly. It does get a bit pricy though, requiring an alchemists fire as material component.

As far as burn is concerned, I second that. 1 target/level is NICE. I prefer the 3.0 (d6/level, cap 15) to the quite fundamentally different 3.5 (d6/level, cap 10d6, round two, d6/2 cap 5d6), though, although the 3.5 is great for keeping down enemy spellcasters.

Teleport is nice, but until you can teleport the whole party, its really not that good.

 

[Plane Sailing]

When you start swapping out spells, I would think that high on your list should be

a) ditch protection from missiles (which is pretty feeble) and pick up the vital See Invisible... at the moment your party apparently doesn't have any means of seeing the invisible and one invisible foe could put you in an awful position

b) If you wanted to be protected from arrows, drop either l-bolt or f-ball and pick up wind wall - it is so much superior to protection from missiles because it can actually protect you from all arrows and bolts (magic arrows zip straight past protection from missiles, unfortunately).

Another top 2nd level spell for sorcerers is Resist Energy (since it is now resistance 20 and soon becomes resistance 30) and False Life (especially when empowered... after about 10th level sorcerers never have to run out of hit points!)

Cheers

 

[Maldor]

i always liked summon spells at higher level you can use your new slave for offensive, definsive, and utility

telekinesis and dominate person are nice to

PS: just a reminder your not a cleric and can summon any monster on the list.

 

[CTSparky]

right.. Portable Hole forgot about that

Well, there is the standard trick of overburdened mages everywhere. If your party has a Portable Hole, or can somehow get access to one, you can have party members beyond the Teleport limit ride along in that. My games usually see 6-character parties, so I'm used to this trick. A Small character might even be able to fit inside a Bag of Holding if you have one of those. Of course, these do potentially count as "higher level items," so perhaps it won't solve your immediate problem. Still, I've seen (on several occasions) PCs pooling funds to buy a Portable Hole for the whole party, in part so they could use this trick.

Of course, it does open up one big "gotcha" for the DM- if he can set up an ambush at the Teleport destination somehow, or anyway start a combat, the character(s) sitting in the Portable Hole is/are SOL until somebody has time to open it up and let them out. But that's the risk you take for doing in one spell what would otherwise take 3 (technically it's only 3, since you go once with 3 of the other 4 characters, come back with spell #2, and go again using spell #3 with the remaining 1 passenger).

That said, I agree with other posters on the point of offensive 5th-level spells- go with Empowered Fireball or other 3rd-level spells for now. If you really must have an offensive 5th-level spell, Telekinesis and Cloudkill are probably the best ones.

Right. Portable Hole I forgot about that. Also As someone said 3 teleports not 4. I'm leaning on getting Teleport. It will be just so usefull from going to Redgorge, brindinford, and Cauldron (in our game).

 

[Dave Turner]

You also have to realize that I'm the ONLY Arcane caster in the group. Right now my spell list looks like this:
1st
Charm person, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Shield, Sleep (Which I will replace)
2nd
Knock (I used it once in the game and I still like it), Protection from arrows, Scorching Ray, Melf's Acid Arrow
3rd
Dispel Magic, Haste, Lightning Bolt, Fireball
4th
Greater Invisibility, Wall of Fire
5th
????

I agree that Cone is a bit unwieldy (I'm a DDM player), and it requires I get in the face of an opponent (Not so bad if I have greater invis).
I know in DDM you can use higher level spells to cast lower level effect, but where is that in the D&D PHB or DMG?

What other spells am I missing? Is there anything i overlooked?
Also I never wanted to min/max, so here are my feats:
Scribe Scroll, Craft Wand, Improved Counterspell (Which I never used), Summon Familiar

What does it say about D&D spell and game design that I was able to predict the sorcerer's spell list with near-perfect accuracy before I saw it?

On topic, you have enough firepower. Wall of Force has a variety of uses and can save the party's butt in a fight by walling off the enemy, battlefield positions permitting. Otherwise, go with Telekinesis