Help me choose new Sorcerer spells (3.0)

[Li Shenron]

This Sorceress/Incantatrix has reached level 11 and it undecided about what to learn next Fact is that at this level the spells known are quite many already, and most the "traditional" areas of magic tricks are already covered.

Here's a quick list of the spells known so far (except cantrips):

1st: Charm Person, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Shield, Grease
2nd: Glitterdust, Invisibility, Web, Spectral Hand
3rd: Dispel Magic, Lightning Bolt, Vampiric Touch
4th: Bestow Curse, Lesser Globe of Invulnerability
5th: Prying Eyes

She has the following metamagic feats: Extend Spell, Persistent Spell, Sculpt Spell, Empower Spell.

Now she gets 1 new spell at each level from 2nd to 5th! These are my current ideas, so what do you think? Just keep in mind that she cannot choose conjurations, and the adventure is in 3.0 so we have to used the 3.0 books (generic and FR allowed).

2nd:
Command Undead (she currently have many spells which don't affect undead) or Detect Thoughts for something out-of-combat.
Otherwise there's always Mirror Image for extra protection.

3rd:
This is the trickiest level. I could choose 3.0 Haste but so far I promised not to and Fly and Slow seems pretty cheesy as well. So if I want something less cheesy but still good, what should I pick?

4th:
Again, I'd rather avoid 3.0 Polymorph. What about Dimension Door or Enervation? Does Enervation work on undead?

5th:
In theory I'm almost sure about Wall of Force. However, what about Seeming? That seems a nice idea for out-of-comat situations, but how far can you change your appearance? The description says "you cannot change your body type", does that refers to creature type or something more restrictive?

Thanks!

 

[Gort]

2nd:

I'd go with mirror image. Poor mage-types get killed too easily

3rd:

See if the DM will let you take 3.5 haste? It's a nice spell and the other party members will love you for it.

4th:

Enervation is the daddy of all spells. I don't think it works on undead cause it's negative energy, but basically anything else gets utterly screwed by it. Ice Storm is a nice blasty choice with no save. Also, the multiple damage types usually mean it hurts something, even if it is only for 2d6.

5th:

Wall of Force is another awesome spell. A wall that's virtually unbreakable (except with disintegrate) means that if you get attacked by a ton of badguys (or just two really tough ones) you can wall off one of them while the party deals with the other, then take on the other one separately. Great spell. I've even thought of nerfing it because it's so good.

 

[calypso15]

The thing is, as a sorcerer you'll want to take spells that you know you'll want to cast again and again. As such, I'd say that most spells with duration of hour/level is better in wand form.

Command Undead is good if you think you'll be facing undead.

Take Haste. Or Fly. Both.

Enervation rocks, but it doesn't work on undead. Dimension door is also a very good choice.

As a sorcerer, there is no reason for you to ever, ever take seeming (or prying eyes for that matter, but too late for that). Wall of Force is good, or, my personal favorite, Hold Monster. Mmmm.....

Think about it this way... would you be happy casting Seeming 5 times per day? How about Prying Eyes? That's my metric for a good pick... if I only had that one spell, would I want to cast it more than once?

Calypso

 

[Malin Genie]

You don't have scry. You don't have teleport.

Ok, there were two easy choices. 3rd level I'd suggest suggestion. It has a myriad of uses, primarily non-combat (get past the guard, get the contact to spill the beans, etc) but it can have uses in combat, depending a little on DM style.

2nd level has a lot of nice choices, so I'll list a few possibilities others haven't mentioned:

levitate; it's not as powerful (or as likely to cause the DM conniptions) as fly, but it still gives your party vertical movement capability. Also, the 3.0 version at least (not sure about 3.5) lets you affect objects, so it can also act as a sort of telekinesis spell for moving heavy things around.

shatter can be surprisingly useful, with the ability to destroy non-magical objects up to 130lb in weight. Depending on composition, this can include doors, grilles and gratings, wooden steps, the bottle in which the potion your enemy is about to drink comes, etc...

whispering wind, a sort of 'poor man's sending' can help keep your party in touch and/or contact people outside your party at a distance. With the extend spell feat, in particular, you can get 50 miles of range on a whispering wind casting!

 

[Li Shenron]

I'd go with mirror image. Poor mage-types get killed too easily

Yes, I suppose defense it never enough I have a very high AC if I cast all my defensive spells on top of each other, but MI seems probably a more universal protection because it foils targetting in general. It's still a bit redundant with Lesser Globe of Vulnerability tho...

See if the DM will let you take 3.5 haste? It's a nice spell and the other party members will love you for it.

I suppose I can ask, after all it's definitely not as good as the 3.0.

Enervation is the daddy of all spells. I don't think it works on undead cause it's negative energy, but basically anything else gets utterly screwed by it.

Silly me... of course undead are immune to energy drain Incredibly, I checked the save entry and thought "oh, no fort save vs this spell, so undead cannot use their immunity to everything which grants a fort save!"

Ice Storm is a nice blasty choice with no save. Also, the multiple damage types usually mean it hurts something, even if it is only for 2d6.

Mmm... not sure if this would be very useful. I already have Lightning Bolt for area damage which uses a lower-level slot and deals 10d6. I can shape it with Sculpt Spell or improve damage with Empower Spell. The only reason to take Ice Storm would be if there will be lots of enemies with Evasion/Improved Evasion (which cannot escape damage if the spell gives no save) but in that case I may just cast Magic Missile.

 

[Li Shenron]

As a sorcerer, there is no reason for you to ever, ever take seeming (or prying eyes for that matter, but too late for that).

...

Think about it this way... would you be happy casting Seeming 5 times per day? How about Prying Eyes? That's my metric for a good pick... if I only had that one spell, would I want to cast it more than once?

Yes I know, these are definitely spells to use occasionally and suit a wizard much more. I know that the point of sorcerers is to cast the same spells over and over.

However it feels like I already have lots and lots of spells to cast over and over... my defensive and offensive spells seem already quite enough, maybe I can afford a couple of suboptimal choices?

 

[Li Shenron]

You don't have scry.

Well I ruled this out because of the very long casting time. Usually we are catapulted into action and don't have much off-time to get advantage from it. Also we are mostly travelling or out-of-town and if played by the PHB I should carry around the bulky mirror.

suggestion

levitate

shatter

whispering wind

Actually I haven't thought about these, I'll have to check the description out!

 

[Plane Sailing]

I'd suggest:

2nd level: Pyrotechnics. Absolutely brilliant spell and will synergise very well with your "sculpt spell" feat.

False Life. pre-heal your sorcerer with empowered false life. It lasts for hours and when your temp hp are gone just cast another one! Every high level sorcerer should have this spell, it is SO good (ah- but it might be 3.5 only... anyway, if you can find it in one of your allowed books, I'd suggest taking it).

3rd level: Blink is an interesting possibility. Gives you defensive and utility uses plus allows you to attack onto the ethereal plane... brilliant if you are attacked by ghosts, you can lightning-bolt them to death on the ethereal!

a good second choice for 3rd level is Protection from Energy, because when you need it you *really* need it.

4th level: Emotions. Great multi-use spell. buff your friends, disturb your enemies! It was a tragedy that this spell was nerfed and split up in 3.5e.

Stoneskin. Expensive to cast, but a brilliant defensive spell.

 

[Rashak Mani]

Fly is very versatile... allows for escaping or fighting better. Since your a sorceror you can get everyone flying. Use extended if you want extra fly time.
Haste 3.0... use it for the last time before you go to 3.5 Its so necessary for a full of spells sorceror.

Wall of Force is very good... it can basically stop a combat... isolate an enemy.

Someone suggested False Life... and I agree. It helps your cleric not having to heal you so much... and in a pinch you don't die. 3.0 False Life can be cast on others. Get that Fighter an extra HP in a tight fight.
Stoneskin helps the group Fighter too.

My DM allowed 3.5 rules about Sorceror swapping out spells.

Some 3.0 spells you should take a look at that I used for a sorceror of your level:

Ghost Form (Quasi ethereal - Good defense and for moving strange places)
Energy Buffer (24 hs of elemental protection )
Explosive Cascade (fireball shapeable 4th lvl)

 

[Thanee]

Some good spells to consider (some might have been mentioned already):

2nd False Life [T&B] !!!
3rd Suggestion, Blink, Displacement
4th Dimension Door !!!
5th Wall of Force, Firebrand [MoF]

Since Teleport is also kinda cheesy, I'd go with Dimension Door. One of those spells is pretty much mandatory IMHO. Enervation would be a good next 4th level spell, probably.

If 3.0 False Life can really be cast on others (don't recall that), there is hardly a contest for the 2nd level spell. Even with the personal range, it is incredible.

Command Undead is quite cool, too, if you happen to encounter undead every now and then. My sorceress (also 11th ) has it and just used it to Command a ghost in CotSK for 11 days! And the poor gal missed the save DC by one point thanks to the +3 from Heighten Spell!

Do you have Heighten Spell already? If not, get it! With some of your spells (Charm Person, Glitterdust, etc.) it's really good!

Bye
Thanee