Multi-class Wizard/Sorcerer, Is it Viable?

[Nightfall]

Tsyr was right. Big surprise.

Well I don't mind be semi-predictable.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

To answer the question, pretty much any wizard/sorceror build you make will be strictly inferior to a single classed character of the same level. They will also tend to be inferior to other multiclassed characters of the same level.

Which is more effective: Wiz 20 or Sor 10/Wiz 10? One is tossing meteor swarms and the other just learned cone of cold. At the high levels, even levelled spellcasting multiclasses are pathetic. The same is true at just about every level except two (a 1/1 sor/wiz is probably better than either a wiz 2 or sor 2). By level 4, a wiz or sor is casting 2nd level spells and has a caster level of 4 (multiple magic missiles). The 2/2 character has more first level spells but that's it. The level 6 sorceror or wizard is far better off than a level 3/3 mutliclass. The level 6 has higher level spells and gets more milage out of them (due to a higher caster level). In fact, except at level 2, the single class character will always have at least as many spells of level x and X-1 as the multiclass has at level x-1. No matter what level you are, an even multiclass is ineffective.

A high/low multiclass is something you can get away with on the other hand. Wiz 1/Sor 19 isn't that much weaker than Sor 20. The wizard level also makes it easier for the sorceror to take Mage of the Arcane Order levels (although it makes those levels less useful as the sorceror can only use wizard slots for spellpool and will thus be limited to 1st level spells). A more practical use of the wizard level would be to take knowledge skills and qualify for a prestige class early. Still, as multi-class combos go, I think that Pal 1/Sor 19 is a far superior option. Pal 1/Sor 10/Sacred Exorcist 9 would be even better. The other problem with an uneven multi-class is that, even if you have lots of low level spells, your caster level is not high enough to make them particularly useful. A sor 6/Wizard 14 has lots of fireball spells available but only his wizard ones do more than 6d6 damage. Not terribly impressive against CR 20+ critters. Similarly, the Wizard 19/Sor 1 may have lots of magic missiles but his sorceror magic missile spells only do 1d4+1. If I were a CR 20 creature, I'd spend an action to grant all of my foes an unlimited ability to cast 1st level magic missiles as a standard action as long as they promised to do that instead of something effective.

So, even or uneven, the sor/wiz multiclass is not a very effective one. It may enjoy some prestige class support that makes it viable in the future but that's not there at the moment.

 

[Tewligan]

Workability aside, the idea of multiclassing as a wizard/sorceror just kinda rubs me the wrong way. I think of the two classes as having two totally different approaches to magic and how it works. It seems like one class wouldn't have the mindset necessary to cast like the other class does. It's unnatural, I tell ya!

Okay, having gotten that out of my system, I would probably put most of the levels in wizard, with just one or two levels in sorceror. That way, you don't dilute the wizard too much, but you've got that little bit of sorceror versatility to fall back on in a pinch.

 

[Zappo]

Something else just occured to me.

Say I have a sorc 16, wiz 4 with the craft wondrous feat. I have mage armour as a wiz, but not as a sorc. I want to make bracers of armour.

Would I be limited to making bracers +2 (half my caster level as a wiz where I know the spell) or could I make +8 (half my highest caster level, all I gotta do as a wiz is cast the spell)?

Even if it is limited to the caster level of the class that knows the spell, imagine all the lovely items that 1st and 2nd level spells would let this character make, something that a pure sorc wouldn't be able to do in anywhere near as much variety.

Good news here, you can count your highest caster level and fulfill the spell requirements with spells from any source. In fact, you could even not know mage armor at all, and cast it from a wand or scrolls! The only thing that matters is that you can cast it once per day, for all the days it takes to make the item. Where it comes from doesn't matter.

 

[Kyramus]

I play sor and wiz as enver to multiclass. Sorcerers learn magic inately by experience and need. Wiz learn through being taught.

A person can display aptitude in magic without casting spells but unless taught by a wiz or mentored by a sor, then that's how they will progress.

I don't have any wiz/sor in my word basically because doing so would limit their metamagic capability. sorcs are already limited in that they use a full round to get their metamagic spells off unless they take the feat arcane preparation.

Wiz is for the well rounded magic user. Sorcs are the barbarian types or even specialized spell caster focused on specific spels to make a theme. MM, Melf's acid arrow, flame arrow. This sorc would probably have point blank shot and uses his/her bow a lot.

 

[Drkfathr1]

I considered running a Wizard/Sorcerer/Figher, with only 1 level in fighter to give my character access to decent weapons and a boost on the ole fortitude save. You'd still need another Arcane caster in the group to make up for the higher level spell loss (in the short term), but in a more story-based game it could be a pretty nifty character. With the right combination of feats, you could make up for the loss in spell penetration. Could be fun if you focused more on character than on stats.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Try one of the Magician classes on FFd20.

They can stack caster levels if they mutli within the same type of magic.

So you can have a Black Wizar 10/Black Sorcerer 10 who can still fling fireballs as a 20th level caster.

They still miss out on high level spells, but meh...whatchagonna do?

No familiar, but Doublecast and Focus make up for that.

Lots boom-ability with that...

You could go with White Magician, too, but if you've got a cleric there's not much point.

 

[Oni]

I just like the idea of a character that is really very magical. Has that classic book learned image of the wizard, but knowledgable enough to whip up several different spells on the spot, unprepared. From a rp standpoint I think the two classes mesh fairly well, especially since according to the rules sorcerers use the exact same casting formulas as wizards and you could not tell one from the other by the casting of a spell. Sort of like the signature spell feat, but on a much grander level.



I wonder if it would be unbalancing if there was some sort of feat, or chain of feats that allowed multiclass casters to stack caster levels?

 

[I'm A Banana]

A chain wouldn't be bad. Something like...

ARCANE TALENT
Prereq: Be able to cast arcane spells in at least two different classes
Benefit: Your total caster level for any arcane spell is the sum of your caster levels in all arcane spellcasting classes -6.
Special: You can take this feat multipule times. Each time you take this feat, it decreases the level penalty by 2, to a minimum of 0.

Also helps out those who have PrC's that grant the same spells as the base class....

I still think the Magician Method is probably the best...balanced with the two styles in mind...but I'm probably biased.

 

[schporto]

It seemed to work for Pug. (from Magician:Apprentice/Master by Feist) But he'd be more of a Wiz 2/Sor 20+. OK I hope I'm not the only one to have read those books.