How useful do sorcerers find the extra spell feat to be?

[SpikeyFreak]

I would imagine it would depend on the composition of your party.

If you are the only spell caster, you may need it for that extra buff or utility spell that you couldn't fit in before.

It would also depend on the availability of magic items. If you can buy any wand or staff you want at the corner magic store, then I wouldn't waste a feat for an extra spell.

IMHO, it really just depends on the situation you're in.

--Sorc Spikey

 

[Stalker0]

I think it could be nice to have for a high level spell, but most of the time I'd rather have metamagics to get more milege out of my lower level spells or the penetration/spell focus feats.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I agree with Spikey.

I would be more tempted to learn, say, another 3rd level spell instead of a 4th level spell if there was something I really wanted.

Spontaneous Metamagic is very, very cool.

 

[Archer]

If each Extra Spell gave you an additional known spell of each level you can cast ... and was updated as you went up levels ... it owuld be, IMO, worth it at any Sorceror level.

Would you take it more than once? It would be a decent feat but it wouldn't be the best possible feat a sorceror could ever take. It would update every level like variant toughness gives an extra hp every level.

 

[Pax]

Would you take it more than once? It would be a decent feat but it wouldn't be the best possible feat a sorceror could ever take. It would update every level like variant toughness gives an extra hp every level.

I also think Toughness, ruled by the book, is too weak for an entire feat. One way to fix that would be for toughness to give you +1hp/HD, or even, just give you another HD (without any OTHER benefits than HP; no saves, BAB, or other HD-attendant goodies).

If Extra Spell gave an extra known spell for every level you can cast (IOW, acted like an attribute bonus of "- 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1" for extra spells, but as a KNOWN spells benefit instead of CASTABLE spells benefit), it *might* be too powerful, especially if you could take it more than once.

However, as it stands, it's [d]definitely[/b] underpowered. I'll take maybe overpowered over definitely underpowered, any day of the week. Worst case, give it a minor penalty of one sort or another; I don't know what exactly.

Heck, just make it "Can only be taken once" if you must.

I'd rather see most Sorcerors take this feat without hesitation, than see no Sorcerors take it.

 

[Gilrion]

When I first saw Extra Spell, I thought "wow! finally a way for my sorcerer to have some more spells!" Then I read the description. It gives you one spell. There are better uses for feats. You can get more usage out of a metamagic feat keeping the same objective in mind.
Take Empower Spell, for instance. Now, let's look at our typical evocations. At 3rd level you have a maximum of 10d6 dice of damage. 5th, 15d6, and after that 20d6. Take Empower Spell, and you turn a 3rd level evocation into a 5th level one: by the time you can cast the later, you can Empower the 3rd level version to do 15d6 damage--very nice, considering you're only caster level 10. The only problems are you take a full-round action (only a problem with haste, really), and the DC is 2 points lower (ok, this does hurt). But you've just saved up a 5th level or maybe even 6th level slot (say, Cone of Cold or Chain Lightning). Plus, Empower can be used with other spells.
There are other metamagics that essencially let you re-use spells you already have. Take a look at Energy Substitution. I personally recommend you pick two evocations on your entire list: say Lightning Bolt and Firebrand (or Fireball and Chain Lightning, if you prefer), and then Energy Substitution (cold), for example. You're set for all "useful" element types: when was the last time you heard of a creature vulnerable to acid or sonic energy? Heighten Spell can keep your low level spells useful at high levels: stuff like Blindness/Deafness can still be effective even past 10th, 15th level.

The trick with the sorcerer is picking at least one spell for each occasion. If you can have that, then no matter what situation, you can do something useful.

 

[Pax]

[ ... ] when was the last time you heard of a creature vulnerable to acid or sonic energy?

Actually, here's a better question: when was the last time you came across a creature RESISTANT to (Sonic) damage?

Elemental Substitution (Sonic) is quite cheesy in and of itself; put in the other feat (name escapes me ATM) which ADDS more dice of damage ... to the tune of doubling the total, most often ... heh!

Picture a doubled-damage Sonic Fireball. We're talking 20d6. Now let's maximise it. HEH. Granted in terms of level modifiers it's expensive, but ... !!

 

[ConcreteBuddha]

I am currently playing a halfling L10 sorcerer in Necropolis, and I've got these feats:

1 Spellcasting Prodigy
3 SF (transmutation)
6 GSF (transmutation)
9 Spell Penetration


I don't have a single direct damage spell. I can't stand energy spells, because I hate ER.

A DC 28 Polymorph Other isn't a bad subsistute. And Blindness/Deafness is an awesome spell. Can't wait for Disintegrate. DC 30. Yummy.


The spells I have chosen thus far:

5 Telekinesis
4 Polymorph Other, Imp. Invis.
3 Haste, Slow, Dispel Magic
2 Blindness/Deafness, Fog Cloud, See Invis., Invis.
1 Identify, Obscuring Mist, Reduce, Enlarge, Shield


[Note: I intentionally do not have GMW. I am currently boycotting it, as I hate archers. *grin*]
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As for other feats that are starting to look really good:

Leadership (I currently have a 28 Charisma.)
Greater Spell Penetration (no brainer)
Silent Spell (listen to Lucius Foxhound)

 

[Gilrion]

Actually, here's a better question: when was the last time you came across a creature RESISTANT to (Sonic) damage?

True. But the point is if you take 2 elements (disregarding acid and sonic) and energy substitution in a 3rd one (also not acid and sonic) you have all the stuff covered (only demons and such have resistances/immunities to all 3, and even then), plus you can get creatures that are vulnerable to a certain element.
Yes, Energy Substitution (sonic) is powerful, but I also find it cheesy... It is undeniably powerful, though, especially for a spontaneous metamagicker.

 

[Justinian]

As a DM, I've found Extra Spell quite useful when generating monsters that possess a handful sorcerer levels (minor dragons, etc.).

These creatures usually don't need the Spell Penetration feats, and Spell Focus is rare since their spells are most often buffing spells rather than direct damage. In this case, raising the amount of utility spells that the creature knows is much more valuable than improving spell artillery.

However, for a PC, I have to agree with the general consensus and say that Extra Spell seems weak. Sorcerers in my campaigns are typically heavy on Spell Focus and other feats to raise their DCs.