Help me choose my lucky 13th level spells

[sadsam345]

My sorcerer has just reached 13th level and I need some suggestions on what my new spells should be. I am un-inspired by the lvl 6 choices in particular. Please explain you reasoning if you would. Thanks in advance.

Known feats: silent spell, empower spell, heighten spell, improved toughness, energy affinity (acid)

Basically using Core rules only, help decided by suggesting the following number of new known spells:
1 x 4th, 1 x 5th, 1x6th.

My current known spells are as follows:

1st
Grease
True Strike
Mage Armor
Magic Missile
Ray of Enfeeblement

2nd
Glitterdust
Darkvision
False Life
Resist Energy
Scorching Ray

3rd
Fireball
Lightning Bolt
Suggestion
Slow

4th
Solid Fog
Invisibility, Greater
Polymorph

5th
Teleport
Telekinesis


6th
Dispel Magic, Greater

 

[Thanee]

Some ideas:

4th: Evard's Black Tentacles
5th: Cloudkill
6th: Analyze Dweomer (if no wizard in the party)

4th: Dimensional Anchor
5th: Wall of Force
6th: Contingency

4th: Stone Shape
5th: Wall of Stone
6th: Disintegrate

Summon Monster VI is also nice.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Caeleddin]

SadSam - If you have a high Dex, Disintegrate is always a good choice. Otherwise, Chain Lightning is great since it is target specific (no what is now called collateral damage). With your Energy Affinity, you get it in Acid as well.

For fifth level, Cone of Cold is a staple, as is Cloudkill. What level is Wall of Fire and Displacement? 4th? 5th? Those are other good spells to have on hand.

I note that you don't have a blasty spell every level. That is usually my first spell to get (except for Haste at 3rd level if there is a lot of fighter types in the party). However, that is based on my personal preferrence of not using scrolls, wands, staffs, etc., that have charges in them. Also, I do not like Summon spells. Your preferrences may be a lot different.

 

[KarinsDad]

You already have a good array of offensive spells.

I would suggest more defensive and miscellaneous spells.

6th: Legend Lore - You are at the level where legendary stuff starts happening. Find out all you can before going on adventures.

5th: Wall of Force - Nothing beats separating your opponents into smaller bites that can be chewed on a few at a time. Plus, this makes a great defensive spell which can give your group a much needed breather.

4th: Dimensional Anchor - There is nothing more frustrating than mostly beating the enemy spell caster and then having them Dimension Door or Ethereal Jaunt away. This one spell often changes the best laid plans of mice and men and DMs.

 

[sadsam345]

Some good ideas there.

Thanee: Analysis Dweomer - how often do you use this? Is it every combat against a mage or just when you need that bit of an edge? Does it ID supernatural/extronaniary abilities of creatures or just buff spells on them?

Legend lore is a good idea but not I am not sure how much use it will be in this, a modual campaign. I can see it being used only a couple of times -I could swap it out at 14th but was hoping to was out solid fog next level after picking up acid fog.

I agree that I have a lot of blasty spells and am looking for something else. Wall of force sounds ideal, as wall of stone leaves a mess behind after combat

Dimensional anchor sounds worth a second look at.

 

[Iku Rex]

6th: Disintegrate. I've been in several campaigns at this level (+) and I can pretty much guarantee that you won't regret picking disintegrate. It's an excellent combat spell against opponents with low fortitude saves and it doubles as a utility spell.

5th: Wall of force. Again, I speak from personal experience. Once you've gotten used to using it you'll never want to go back to the sad, desperate days when the party had to fight groups of enemies all at once.

4th: Evard's Black Tentacles. I haven't seen the 3.5 version in action, but on paper it looks very nice and it should work well with solid fog and/or wall of force and/or slow.

 

[Nightfall]

Sorry no can help since I feel there only a FEW worth while spells in the core when you reach around..12th-13th level.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Other 4th level spells you could consider:

Stoneskin - costly component, but if you end up in melee it can be a life saver
Fire Shield - good discouragement from other attackers
Wall of Fire - good defensive spell, insanely good against undead
Enervation - as a sorcerer being able to blast away with as many of these as you like can take down the bad guys quickly - especially if you empower it.


5th level spells
Magic Jar is always an interesting option
Baleful Polymorph might be a fun option

6th level
You could take acid fog (and swap out 4th solid fog for something else interesting)
Greater Heroism gives some nice bonuses, but it is a shame about the paltry duration.
Contingency is worth it as one of the few ways that a sorcerer can get a "quickened" spell.

 

[nameless]

Mass Suggestion is an excellent spell at that level as well, it hits all of the enemies with a (hard) will save and while it won't usually kill them, a creative use will take them out of the combat while probably also causing them to use either hit points or resources.

Plus it doubles as a utility spell against large numbers of noncombatants who are in your way (multiple guards at a castle gate, for instance).

 

[Jack Simth]

Except that you skipped all the Magic Circle spells, I might suggest a "summoner's kit" of Planar Binding (6th) , Dismissal (5th), and Dimensional Anchor (4th) in case your party's cleric is the one that needs to be raised (you can summon up a 12 HD creature that can cast cleric spells, such as a Trumpet Archon (casts as Cleric 14th, although would need a day to prepare Ressurection for you) for the material costs only (which is the cost of the ressurection spell, as Planar Binding and Magic Circle against Good don't have expensive material components), and it's always fun to summon up a Lantern Archon to add Continal Flame to stuff - for free.

As for not using Wall of Stone due to post-combat cleanup - well, that's what Disintigrate is for, no? Also - it's really useful for building bridges, shelters, and the like - at 13th, 13 full-thickness 5-ft squares, or 26 half-thickness 5-ft squares. With the 26 half-thick, you could make a complete 10-ft cube with one casting, including the floor, to rest up in. Need some way to get out, though (that's what Disintigrate is for, I suppose - could get rid of the entire 10-ft cube in one casting of Disintigrate... or just leave a door when making it).

Prying Eyes (5th) can cover scouting rolls without much danger.

Telekenesis (also 5th) is one of the very few ways to deal 3d6 damage a level (by getting lots of oversized Greatswords in a portable hole (they would be heavy, and need to be unsheathed already - PH doesn't have sharp item restrictions)) as well as operating as a utility spell (at 13th, you can pick up 325 lbs this way) and making for some fun grappling options (use your caster level as BAB, your key ability modifier in place of Str/Dex, and you don't have to be very close to your target to do so (long range); no reactive attempts, no will save (but normal grapple save and SR)).

Shadow Evocation (also 5th....) can give you an additional flexibility boost, as can Shadow Conjouration (4th).

Illusory Wall (4th) makes a great combination with Disintigrate (6th) for quick traps

Really, it greatly depends on what you are after - Combat monster? Combat support? Healing (seriously - Planar Binding lets you fill that role, outside of combat, with no feat cost)? Travel? Social functions?