I need other people's opinions on this

[Evilhalfling]

Druids are great, but if spontaneous summoning takes alot of work to do well,
printing out min-stat blocks of your favorites is the best idea.

really you can do fine not summoning.

as for wiz/sor debate. The last well done sorcerer in a party I ran used magic missile a lot, even taking a prestige class (force missile mage) His go-to 2nd level spells were glitterdust and Eagle's Splendor(+4 chr)

eagle's splendor got used on the party spokesman every time there was an important negotiation. Sometimes on multiple people.
It made the difference between success and failure more than once.

 

[Herobizkit]

In that same notion, Sorcerers need a "schtick". EvilHalfling's Sorc pal focused on an attack, a battlefield control, and a buff spell. Most prefer to play Sorc's as blasters (focusing entirely on combat spells), but if you follow the link in Dandu's post above, you will see that Sorc's can do soooo much more...

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I've enjoyed a few Mage-Brutes, the first- and in many ways, the most enjoyable- of whom was based on the Sorcerer.

 

[Nifft]

In that same notion, Sorcerers need a "schtick". EvilHalfling's Sorc pal focused on an attack, a battlefield control, and a buff spell. Most prefer to play Sorc's as blasters (focusing entirely on combat spells), but if you follow the link in Dandu's post above, you will see that Sorc's can do soooo much more...

Agree. Many people play Wizards as blasters too. It's a naive mistake to think that fireball is the definition and/or pinnacle of arcane magic, and many new players make it.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Particle_Man]

I'm having fun with a gnome sorceror in Pathfinder that pretty much uses only illusion spells. I imagine it would also be fun to do in 3.5.

On the other hand, what books are available to you besides core? Because there are warlocks, warmages, beguilers, etc., that might tickle your taste buds too. Warlocks never, ever, run out of magic. Warmages are artillery, and Beguilers are trickster-mages. And if you go with Races of Stone there are amazing options for gnome wizards, or illusionists in general.

 

[Dandu]

Warmages make worse artillery than regular Sorcerers with Wings of Flurry and an Orb of X.

 

[centipedes]

I'm having fun with a gnome sorceror in Pathfinder that pretty much uses only illusion spells. I imagine it would also be fun to do in 3.5.

On the other hand, what books are available to you besides core? Because there are warlocks, warmages, beguilers, etc., that might tickle your taste buds too. Warlocks never, ever, run out of magic. Warmages are artillery, and Beguilers are trickster-mages. And if you go with Races of Stone there are amazing options for gnome wizards, or illusionists in general.

Anything on the internet basically, as long as my DM approves it, I can play it. I have Unearthed Arcana and a whole lotta other stuff. Anything on the D&D Wiki 3.5 SRD is basically good.

 

[pawsplay]

You know... for +1 LA, an Aasimar sorcerer gets +2 Cha and can go Sorcerer 6/Eldritch Knight (because as an outsider, he has martial weapon proficiency). Alter form allows him to change himself into a Large outsider and get all of its physical capabilities. I'm just sayin'.

 

[Particle_Man]

Anything on the internet basically, as long as my DM approves it, I can play it. I have Unearthed Arcana and a whole lotta other stuff. Anything on the D&D Wiki 3.5 SRD is basically good.

In that case, you might also want to look at the Wilder or Psion. Both use a spell-point system. The psionic fluff might not be to your taste, but you can always reskin it and call it gem magic and be good to go. It is an alternative to arcane magic.

Race-wise, you might consider Elans as Psions or Maenads as Wilders.

But if you want an elven wizard, Gray Elf is a good choice.