Powergaming: Wizard vs. Sorcerer

[Shades of Green]

The main advantage of the wizard is versatility on the long run - that is, if he knwos in advance what he'll be up against, chances are he'll find a useful spell for that battle/situation in his spellbook.

Sorcerers are much more limited-use, but within their limited field they are quite powerful (alot more spells).

In other words, if you're fighting a monster (or even army of monsters) with not too many resistances and no too many special tricks, the sorcerer will do more damage due to more spells; if you're facing a varied collection of foes and a tricky environment as well, you wizard will have a tol for every problem while the sorcerer would be lacking fitting spells to most obstacles.

 

[Victim]

Also, daily spell selection for the Wizard is as critical as known-spell selection is for the Sorcerer.

Over the course of the campaign we noticed that on any given day the Wizard was only able to use (on average) 50-70% of his prepared spells, but the Sorcerer was routinely able to use 70-90% of his spell slots.

Given that the Sor has a few more spell slots than the Wiz anyway, that means the Sor frequently cast twice as many spells over the course of the day than his Wiz buddy did.

Yeah, dead spells often cut deep into the wizard's spells per day. It's not just matter of knowing what you're facing too. Consider key buff spells. How of those to take? Maybe you only need 1. But if you're facing spellcasters or high end outsiders, the group might be subject to dispels (potentially lots of dispels). Take only 1 and risk not having part of your key defense, or have potentially wasted spell slots if they don't take it down.

Moreover, sorcerers aren't exactly lacking in strategic flexiblity. Without extra spells, a wizard barely knows more spells than a sorcerer. If he's filling out his spellbook by purchasing scrolls and then scribing them, then a sorcerer can also purchase scrolls to use in emergencies.

I think it's mostly a matter of personal preference for the core classes. Wizard gets into most arcane casting PrCs much easier and just can reap those benefits. But supplements can also remove the sorcerer's slow metamagic and provide them with other fun spells - like the Arcane Fusion series.

 

[DragonShadow]

My personal favorite between the two is Sorcerer.

In terms of power? Well, it's meant to be a toss up, regardless of public opinion feeling one is better than the other. (Remember that majority opinion is still an opinion.)

I do, however, feel that WotC short-changed the Sorcerer in a number of ways. For example, IMC I've ruled that Sorcerers get Eschew Materials as a free bonus feat at 1st level, because it simply doesn't make sense to me that those who have magical abilities inborn in them need to hold on to some bat guano to throw fireballs around.

Also IMC I've slightly revamped the Sorcerer spells known list, which has absolutely no bearing on lower levels, but as levels progress so too does the amount of spells a Sorcie gains (within a reasonable limit). Why is this? Well, compare a 20 Sorc to a 20 Wiz. The Wiz can probably cast every spell known to man, and some that aren't. The Sorc had the ability to learn those same spells, but had to limit himself to a select few. Using my list, rather than the list in the PHB, he's still only got a select few, but he has a select few -more-. The difference in the long run comes down to only a handful of spells, but when you compare the bonus metamagic feats that the Wizard picked up along the way it's perfectly justifiable.


It also seems that people tend to think that if a Sorcerer doesn't choose a spell as his Spells Known, the spells he didn't pick disappear off his class list. They don't, thereby giving him the same ability to read off scrolls, wave wands, etc. Want to argue the fact? That's fine, even at a cross-class rate the Sorc still has a base stat of Cha, so Use Magic Device becomes an (unnecessary) godsend.

People also seem to forget that Sorcerers (Wizards too!) are allowed to independantly research spells. While this could simply mean taking a Clerical spell, chaning a few things around to make it arcane in flavor, and then either raising or lowering (probably raising) the spell level, it's still a new spell. While Wizzies can do this in their free time and it means reletively little, it can mean alot for a Sorcerer who decides that Cure Light Wounds is great flavor for him.

 

[Seeker95]

The Wizard is more powerful. But I'm neither an accountant, a stock manager, nor a soothsayer.

Give me a sorcerer any day. Fewer spells to keep track of and no need to guess what I might need that day. That so many DMs seem intent on boosting the sorcerer with free Feats and benefits is just plain gravy!

 

[Destil]

Wizard. Hands down. Better spellcasting stat (excpet for the planar ally as mentioned, but there's always Cha buffs). Much better class features (bonus feats and scribe scroll). A wizard with the insight to scribe a few utility scrolls and make a few wands can get around dead spells most of the time.

And if you're into powergaming how can you give up quicken spell. At high levels the lack of this as an option to the Sorcerer in the RAW will make it even more one sided.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

I'd say the sorceror is more powerful, but the wizard more verstaile, and so likely to be more powerful in any given situation. But if you just need to nuke stuff over and over, the sorceror wins hands down.

 

[rgard]

I think wizard's are considered more powerful in general, and definitely when they know what they are going to be facing and can tailor their spell selection. Loading up on cheap scrolls they make themselves is a good way to have more spells and more emergency utility spells.

But I'd rather be a sorcerer when jumped by surprise or when waking up naked in a jail cell.

Gee, thanks for that disturbing vision.

 

[rgard]

Just wondering which is considered a more powerful class.

Edit: Specialist Wizards count.

I voted wizards due to my style of play. I prefer to plan things in advance, which is better supported by the wizard class and a wide variety of spells.

Really though, it's apples and oranges.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I'd rather be the wizard. I'd prep Silent Dimension Door every day.

 

[jasin]

The Wizard is more powerful. But I'm neither an accountant, a stock manager, nor a soothsayer.

Heh. That's a good summary of the wizard's disadvantages.