I'm playing a what?

[abri]

So starting another campaign soon.
Since the group will need arcane support and everyone is player fighters/rangers/barbarians I voluntered.
No come the problem: we'll all play orcs or half orcs from the same tribe and due to lack of education wizard is forbidden.
So how do you design an half-orc sorcerer? Especially since looking at all the prestige class, there's almost none he can reach before L10!
We'll be starting at L2 in the realms, with fast advancement (so I'm expecting to reach L8-9 with the character). Any ideas on how to create such a character.
First I need something that can be helpfull outside combat.
Second I need something that won't be an hindrance to the group in combat.
Anything WOTC is fair game.
At first I was thinking at a fire sorcerer with the fire bloodline from dragon mag (1 more spell known from a list/spell level) but I don't see how I can help in combat with the character or how to level him...
Any idea?

 

[pawsplay]

Barbarian 1/Sorcerer 4/Eldritch Knight X

Play him as a straightup artillery caster, probably focusing on buffs and rays, and take up a reach weapon. The advantage to losing one caster level for Barbarian and another for EK is that you can take Cha advances as you level and actually manage to cast spells you qualify for.

 

[Nightfall]

Japhinan Dynast can work. Especially if you enjoy sailing.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Be a half-dragon...

If you've got Complete Warrior you may want to take a look at Rage Mage.

Otherwise, I'd just invest multipule buttloads into you Cha stat, and play 'em like you'd play any other sorcerer (perhaps a bit more eager with the self-buffs and curse-type effects, though).

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Be a half-dragon...

Good god, man! Have you the brainworms!?

He'd be giving up three caster levels to end up with a 0 Charisma adjustment. He's better off just putting as much into Charisma as he can and going Bbn/EK.

At least that way, he only loses two caster levels and gets some weapon proficiencies out of it.

edit: Though, Rage Mage isn't a bad idea, either...

 

[Darklone]

Barbarian 1/Sorcerer 4/Eldritch Knight X

Play him as a straightup artillery caster, probably focusing on buffs and rays, and take up a reach weapon. The advantage to losing one caster level for Barbarian and another for EK is that you can take Cha advances as you level and actually manage to cast spells you qualify for.

You need 3rd level arcane spells, e.g. sorcerer 6.

I second the rest of the proposals, a nice polearm and Combat Reflexes will make your life easier. Take Expert Tactician and combine it with Blindness ... 5ft step back, cast Blindness, whack him with Expert Tactician attack.
Feats: Power Attack & Cleave is pretty common in your group already, so I'd suggest the Spring Attack chain.

1st level spells: Shield, Mage Armour, True strike. Perhaps Magic Missiles.
2nd level spells: Mirror Image, False Life, Scorching Ray, Blindness.
3rd level spells: Fireball, Fireball, Fireball. Long term buffs: Keen Edge, Heroism, Greater Magic Weapon... You don't really need Flame Arrows.

 

[Zappo]

I'm curious and I don't own CW, what's a rage mage?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I'm curious and I don't own CW, what's a rage mage?

Probably some kind of Barbarian/Sorceror, that allows you to cast while raging and so similar nice things?

[begin shameless plug combined with anecdote]
At least that was the Rage Mage I designed for our gaming website. Unfortunately, we were forced to change the name by Amigo (the publisher of the german D&D version), because a class with the same title appeared in a Dungeon/Dragon Magazine. (I am really a bad boy - copying from an article I never read and was probably not available when I first created the class )
Anyway, you could look here for the new, improved and completely orginally (*cough*) Spellberserker:
http://www.gweb.de/ttt/d20/d20.htm -> click on D&D 3.Ed -> Prestige Klassen -> P.Klasse Spell Berserker
Unfortunately, it is mostly written in German. [small]If you`re interestend anyway, I could try to translate it for you.[/small]
[/end shameless plug combined with anecdote]

Other ideas:
There is no absolute need for a prestige class to flesh out your character.
You might choose to use spells to buff your combat ability, but obviously you shouldn`t bother using weapons, but spells in melee. Shocking Grasp, Vampiric Touch are just a few to name. (Unfortunately, there are mor spells based on ranged touch, but maybe your DM allows you to use some as melee touch spells, or to invent some new ones based on them.)

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[Piratecat]

Try to pick up Heroes of High Favor: Orcs by Bad Axe Games. The price is cheap, the book is great, and will be really useful for this campaign.

 

[Psion]

At least that was the Rage Mage I designed for our gaming website. Unfortunately, we were forced to change the name by Amigo (the publisher of the german D&D version), because a class with the same title appeared in a Dungeon/Dragon Magazine.

You're being bullied man. That so wouldn't fly in a court in the US.