Mulkhoran said:All I can say here is that I have NO idea what all that still, silent 4 to 5 times a round stuff you're talking about means. Sorcerers use metamagic feats like everyone else, only it takes a full round. But maybe that's not what you're referring to, I just can't tell.
You're welcome to your definition of flexibility. I'm just pointing out that sorcerers get very few spells known, and if your spells known are no good in situation X, then you're no good.
Ok, let me clarify it: How many Mages prepare a silent Dispel magic in order to get rid of a silence cast on them? How many prepare two, in case the fdoes not work? How many prepare a silent Dimension Door in case they need to make a getaway when silenced? How many mages prepare a still Dispel Magic to dispel a hold person?
A sorcerer will be able to use such spells with the appropriate metamagic on the fly. If held he can use a still dispel magic, as often as it takes to get free, but if it is not needed - and a silent dispel magic is what it takes, then he can use that instead (provided he has taken those feats). If you need 4 Dimension Doors to clear an obstacle, a sorcerer will be able to do it, while few mages will have 4 dimension doors prepared. OTOH, if no obstacle requiring 4 dimension doors are encountered, the sorcerer can use those four slots for 4 haste spells, if there are enough battles. Or Energy Immunity. A sorcerer with that spell can cover a whole party with the appropriate immunity right when it is needed, but if it is not needed he can spend those slots on teleport without error instead, or empowered cones of cold.
A sorcerer with the right mix of spells can cover a vast amount of situations, since he is a spontaneous caster. He may not have the ideal spell, but odds are he has a spell that works - and he can cast it as often as needed. With the right mix of metamagic feats that flexibility is even greater. If suddenly all your spells need to be silent, or still, a sorcerer can cast all his spells silent or still (if he has the feat), just one level higher. A wizard rarely has prepared that many silent or still spells.
It is not that hard to build a sorcerer that can cover almost any area reasonably well, and such charcters have a flexibility that is almost without peer.
A sorcerer just needs to have one spell that helps, and then he can cast it as long as he has slots. A wizard is stuck with the number of useful spells appropriate for one situation he has prepared. And if he has not prepared enough of the right spells he is no good.