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<blockquote data-quote="Leatherhead" data-source="post: 6995893" data-attributes="member: 53176"><p>The Scale Sorcerer fills the same role in combat as a Dragonblood sorcerer does in their party: Heavy artillery. That itself is not a problem, it's a good role for something to have in the kobold tribe. It also communicates to whatever the tribe is serving on their behalf, employing it's higher-than-the-average-kobold's charisma in order to gain favor.</p><p></p><p>However, I don't really like the way they made the Scale Sorcerer. </p><p></p><p>Don't get me wrong, Kobolds have been tied to sorcerers for some time now, and it is nice to finally see a stat block for any kind of sorcerer, but the Scale Sorcerer lacks synergy and transparency within it's mechanics.</p><p></p><p>Firstly, it should probably have some social skills to reflect the fact it's the mouthpiece of the tribe. Granted, social skills aren't exactly the most useful thing for a monster to have when dealing with a PC, but it would be nice and it would give a nice challenge to the party face in what would otherwise be a battlefield.</p><p></p><p>Secondly, it's sorcerer powers are all messed up. <em>Subtle Spell</em> would be totally amazing if they had access to <em>Silence</em>, but they don't. Instead they must rely on their virtually non-existent stealth score in order to set up some kind of ambush. But none of their spells play into using such a tactic, even <em>Charm Person</em> basically requires the target to know that the Scale Sorcerer is around. Likewise, only two of their spells benefit from <em>Heightened Spell</em>: <em>Charm Person</em>, and <em>Poison Spray</em>.Lets be real here, Charm Person isn't exactly some massive coup for the Scale Sorcerer. At best you are getting one person from the party attacking you to stop attacking you for a bit, and it's hard to make work because if you are fighting that gives the target advantage (which <em>Heightened Spell</em> negates).</p><p></p><p>As for what does work:</p><p>Natural Armor bonus, that's good.</p><p><strong>Pack Tactics</strong> combines well with most of the spell selection.</p><p><em>Expeditious Retreat</em> is kind of fitting for a Kobold.</p><p></p><p>Here is what I suggest changing:</p><p></p><p><u>Proficiencies:</u></p><p>Deception, Insight.</p><p>This allows the Kobold to engage in a war of words.</p><p></p><p><u>Metamagic options:</u></p><p><em>Twinned Spell</em></p><p><em>Quickened Spell</em></p><p>Throwing down multiple spells a turn is a blatantly obvious sorcerer calling card for the PC's to pick up on. More so than the default two options by a mile. Yeah, it does get a bit more dangerous than a CR 1 creature then, so throw on the <em>Shield</em> spell and call it an even CR2.</p><p></p><p>Speaking of swapping out spells, I would actually advise <u>against</u> doing it willy-nilly.</p><p></p><p><em>Scorching Ray</em> combined with <em>Pack Tactics</em> is a very devastating combination, that isn't replicated by any other elemental spell of that level. Consider instead changing the spell's damage into the elemental type that you need. <em>Chromatic Orb</em> can be turned into any elemental type, and benefits from <em>Pack Tactics</em>, so just keep it (with one or two possible exceptions I will list below). </p><p></p><p>That said, there are some nice spell-swaps you can do.</p><p></p><p><u>Cantrips:</u></p><p><em>Shocking Grasp</em>: Electric damage melee spell attack, benefits from <em>Pack Tactics</em>, and lets the Scale Sorcerer get away from whatever brutish PC engaged them in melee combat.</p><p><em>Ray of Frost</em>: Ditto the <em>Pack Tactics</em> benefit, but ranged cold damage, and has a built in speed reduction, which makes it harder to get out of the pack or into cover.</p><p></p><p>Other elemental types don't get near as much synergy, due to requireing saving throws. Consider instead making a new spell for that element if you really want to hammer in an elemental theme. </p><p></p><p></p><p><u>Level 1:</u></p><p><em>Shield</em>: This combined with the metamagic changes should make the Scale Sorcerer a solid cr2. Also it prevents them from becoming pincushions during the first round of combat.</p><p><em>Absorb Elements:</em> The other defensive reaction spell from EEPC. Unfortunately the Scale Sorcerer is a bit slim on level one spells known, so it should stick to one or the other (the one your party will have the most trouble with)</p><p><em>Ice Knife:</em> From EEPC. If you want some cold damage, this one give you that, with an attack that benefits from <em>Pack Tactics</em>, and also does some AoE damage. Also benefits from <em>Twinned Spell</em> despite having an AoE component. </p><p><em>Catapult:</em> From EEPC again. Deals the same damage as <em>Chromatic Orb</em> (except bludgeoning), also an attack roll, extreme range, can be twinned and boosted with the pack. But the real draw of this spell is the fact you can fling any one of the numerous traps or alchemical items that kobolds tend to horde in their warrens. Flasks of Oil, Alchemist Fire, Acid, bag of Caltrops, etc. All the little things allow this spell, and thus kobolds in general, really shine.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Leatherhead, post: 6995893, member: 53176"] The Scale Sorcerer fills the same role in combat as a Dragonblood sorcerer does in their party: Heavy artillery. That itself is not a problem, it's a good role for something to have in the kobold tribe. It also communicates to whatever the tribe is serving on their behalf, employing it's higher-than-the-average-kobold's charisma in order to gain favor. However, I don't really like the way they made the Scale Sorcerer. Don't get me wrong, Kobolds have been tied to sorcerers for some time now, and it is nice to finally see a stat block for any kind of sorcerer, but the Scale Sorcerer lacks synergy and transparency within it's mechanics. Firstly, it should probably have some social skills to reflect the fact it's the mouthpiece of the tribe. Granted, social skills aren't exactly the most useful thing for a monster to have when dealing with a PC, but it would be nice and it would give a nice challenge to the party face in what would otherwise be a battlefield. Secondly, it's sorcerer powers are all messed up. [I]Subtle Spell[/I] would be totally amazing if they had access to [I]Silence[/I], but they don't. Instead they must rely on their virtually non-existent stealth score in order to set up some kind of ambush. But none of their spells play into using such a tactic, even [I]Charm Person[/I] basically requires the target to know that the Scale Sorcerer is around. Likewise, only two of their spells benefit from [I]Heightened Spell[/I]: [I]Charm Person[/I], and [I]Poison Spray[/I].Lets be real here, Charm Person isn't exactly some massive coup for the Scale Sorcerer. At best you are getting one person from the party attacking you to stop attacking you for a bit, and it's hard to make work because if you are fighting that gives the target advantage (which [I]Heightened Spell[/I] negates). As for what does work: Natural Armor bonus, that's good. [B]Pack Tactics[/B] combines well with most of the spell selection. [I]Expeditious Retreat[/I] is kind of fitting for a Kobold. Here is what I suggest changing: [U]Proficiencies:[/U] Deception, Insight. This allows the Kobold to engage in a war of words. [U]Metamagic options:[/U] [I]Twinned Spell[/I] [I]Quickened Spell[/I] Throwing down multiple spells a turn is a blatantly obvious sorcerer calling card for the PC's to pick up on. More so than the default two options by a mile. Yeah, it does get a bit more dangerous than a CR 1 creature then, so throw on the [I]Shield[/I] spell and call it an even CR2. Speaking of swapping out spells, I would actually advise [u]against[/u] doing it willy-nilly. [I]Scorching Ray[/I] combined with [I]Pack Tactics[/I] is a very devastating combination, that isn't replicated by any other elemental spell of that level. Consider instead changing the spell's damage into the elemental type that you need. [I]Chromatic Orb[/I] can be turned into any elemental type, and benefits from [I]Pack Tactics[/I], so just keep it (with one or two possible exceptions I will list below). That said, there are some nice spell-swaps you can do. [U]Cantrips:[/U] [I]Shocking Grasp[/I]: Electric damage melee spell attack, benefits from [I]Pack Tactics[/I], and lets the Scale Sorcerer get away from whatever brutish PC engaged them in melee combat. [I]Ray of Frost[/I]: Ditto the [I]Pack Tactics[/I] benefit, but ranged cold damage, and has a built in speed reduction, which makes it harder to get out of the pack or into cover. Other elemental types don't get near as much synergy, due to requireing saving throws. Consider instead making a new spell for that element if you really want to hammer in an elemental theme. [U]Level 1:[/U] [I]Shield[/I]: This combined with the metamagic changes should make the Scale Sorcerer a solid cr2. Also it prevents them from becoming pincushions during the first round of combat. [I]Absorb Elements:[/I] The other defensive reaction spell from EEPC. Unfortunately the Scale Sorcerer is a bit slim on level one spells known, so it should stick to one or the other (the one your party will have the most trouble with) [I]Ice Knife:[/I] From EEPC. If you want some cold damage, this one give you that, with an attack that benefits from [I]Pack Tactics[/I], and also does some AoE damage. Also benefits from [I]Twinned Spell[/I] despite having an AoE component. [I]Catapult:[/I] From EEPC again. Deals the same damage as [I]Chromatic Orb[/I] (except bludgeoning), also an attack roll, extreme range, can be twinned and boosted with the pack. But the real draw of this spell is the fact you can fling any one of the numerous traps or alchemical items that kobolds tend to horde in their warrens. Flasks of Oil, Alchemist Fire, Acid, bag of Caltrops, etc. All the little things allow this spell, and thus kobolds in general, really shine. [/QUOTE]
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