Can a Sorcerer qualify for Mage of the Arcane Order

[Mistwell]

FWIW the WotC Character Optimization boards are pretty confident that a Sorcerer can take the class and make use of its features (it is/was a staple in most sorcerer builds), so while it might be dubious/cheesy, it's evidently legal.

Although take it with a grain of salt.. the CO boards are known to ignore errata and Sage Advice/Customer Service rulings when it's not beneficial to them.

I have not seen ignoring errata, but I have seen ignoring the FAQ and sage advice both there and here on this board. In fact, sometimes it seems like it's the norm rather than the exception to ignore those two sources.

 

[amethal]

FWIW the WotC Character Optimization boards are pretty confident that a Sorcerer can take the class and make use of its features (it is/was a staple in most sorcerer builds), so while it might be dubious/cheesy, it's evidently legal.

Why would it be dubious?

Whats the difference between a 5th level sorcerer with Arcane Preparation and a 5th level wizard? (Apart from the wizard effectively having 3 more feats.)

What's cheesy about it?

A sorcerer is using up a fair amount of resources to qualify for the class (more than a wizard, and anyway a waizard gets bonus feats to help meet what cost he does have), and can't benefit from all of the class features (adding spells to a spellbook).

If its cheesy for a sorcerer, then its cheesy for a wizard as well.

Also, there are people who feel the sorcerer's lack of versatility makes him a poor choice to fill the arcane caster "role"; this helps mollify such people.

 

[wayne62682]

It's cheesy because the Sorcerer's lack of spells known is supposed to be the balancing factor against Wizards (something I don't agree with, personally). MotAO pretty much eliminates that restriction, and personally it just doesn't sit well with the concept of the Sorcerer.

The fact that nearly all the CO board builds for Sorcerers have levels in it typically means its too good for what it does - just like Abjurant Champion. The class itself isn't cheesy, but it becomes cheesy when it's pretty much a "must take" option.