First Time DM'ing 3.5 Sorcerer... Should I Be Worried?

[dragonlordofpoondari]

I'd worry about their d4 HD. Bump it up to d6 and make everybody happy.

Other than that, much easier to DM than a Wizard. The worst thing you have to deal with is repetitiveness. It's not that different than a Fighter that always likes his favorite enchanted +1 Longsword, +3 vs. Variety.

 

[pawsplay]

I'd find out if they plan to prestige and into what... sometimes people choose funky things and don't understand quite how the rules work (Rainbow Serpent throws some people off) or they may have underestimated the investment (Sorcerers only have one knowledge skill, they don't get 4th level spells until 8th level, etc).

As far as having a good time goes... don't pooh-pooh those repetitive spells. The most fun you can have is for the sorcerer to figure out creative uses for what they have. Encourage the player to choose spells with flexible functions.

If the player is interested, Heritage feats can give sorcerers a little kick. Disposable arcane items will help the sorcerer perform important utility functions.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I'd find out if they plan to prestige and into what... sometimes people choose funky things and don't understand quite how the rules work (Rainbow Serpent throws some people off) or they may have underestimated the investment (Sorcerers only have one knowledge skill, they don't get 4th level spells until 8th level, etc).

As far as having a good time goes... don't pooh-pooh those repetitive spells. The most fun you can have is for the sorcerer to figure out creative uses for what they have. Encourage the player to choose spells with flexible functions.

If the player is interested, Heritage feats can give sorcerers a little kick. Disposable arcane items will help the sorcerer perform important utility functions.

All good advice. I agree, in general, try and put the sorcerer in situations where he's using the same spells, but for a different purpose than normal. If you want more casting variety, put out a lot of wands and scrolls in the treasure so he has some variety in options. If you leave it up to the player, he may just stick with constant effect items and only take a handful of disposable items for basic things like penetrating SR. Metamagic rods/feats can alter the same boring spells in interesting ways, especially sculpt spell. The eternal wands in MIC are unlimited use 2/day, so it's almost like having extra spells known in a way. Great for non-offensive choices like Benign Transposition. There are also of course the Runestaves in that same book to expand the spell list more, but those are too expensive to get early on.

 

[Graybeard]

I have played many Sorcerers under different DMs. You have nothing to be concerned about. The limited spell selection takes away much of the surprise element you get with Wizards and Clerics who can choose from a larger variety of spells. In the games I've played in, the players of Wizards and Clerics would choose spells each day based on what we would be facing (not always known but sometimes).

I agree about allowing D6 hit die instead of D4. I believe Monte Cook has a variant Sorcerer with D6 hit die but a more limited selection of spells to choose from.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

The HP won't be a problem. All the PCs get maximum HP for their level.

 

[Dice4Hire]

Really? Max of d4 is not much, compared to max of d10 or d12.

He'll still be relatively fragile. Plus if you boost damage to account for the massive hit points....... Is there a cleric in the house?

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Really? Max of d4 is not much, compared to max of d10 or d12.

He'll still be relatively fragile. Plus if you boost damage to account for the massive hit points....... Is there a cleric in the house?

Damage isn't boosted.

1d4 is just fine. That's part of the game balance for wizards/sorcerers.

 

[Dausuul]

If you're able to deal with people playing wizards, you should have no problem dealing with a guy playing a sorceror. And sorcerors are much easier for a new player to master.

 

[amethal]

If you're able to deal with people playing wizards, you should have no problem dealing with a guy playing a sorceror. And sorcerors are much easier for a new player to master.

The only problem with sorcerers for a new player is that they are fragile.

If your sorcerer isn't already in the safest spot on the battlefield, then move!

 

[Felon]

I've had little experience with sorcerers (most of my players would rather play wizards) but the one time I do recall is someone playing a high-level sorcerer and it was the same spell (disintegrate) over and over and over again, ad nauseum. It became, "Oh, he passed his save? I cast it again. And again, and again, until he fails." Very cheesy, IMO.

Casting the same spell repeatedly is what the class was built to do. If it's any consolation, many a spellcaster has felt it cheesy that he should just have one disintegrates that invariably fails to take effect when he throws it at a monster of any significance due to invariably lucky saving throws. I've often felt like the sorcerer's relentless recasting was good for making the DM's pokerface twitch a little bit as the cheeseball fudged from behind the safety of his DM screen.

"Oh DM, my DM. How many times can you mark yourself for a liar while the accusing eyes of the players gaze upon you?"