Pros and Cons of Sorcerers vs Wizards and vice versa

[bret]

A few things that I didn't see listed above:

Wizards are likely to have more unused spell slots left at the end of the day. You will normally have prepared a few spells which you're not sure that you will need (such as a Silent Dispel Magic), but have every reason to believe could turn out to be essential.

Sorcerers have a much harder time qualifying for most PrCs, but when they do they get a much greater advantage out of it.

Wizards are better at crafting magical items. This is where spell selection and minimum level come in. A wizard can afford to get a spell that is only so they can make some particular magic item, the sorcerer is much more limited in what they can enchant.

 

[andargor]

Wizards are likely to have more unused spell slots left at the end of the day. You will normally have prepared a few spells which you're not sure that you will need (such as a Silent Dispel Magic), but have every reason to believe could turn out to be essential.

I believe that no one has mentionned the oft overlooked rule about Wizard spell preparation. The Wizard can leave slots open, and by spending about 15 minutes at any time during the day, can fill those slots with any spells she knows.

Granted, it doesn't help with "on the spot" situations like the Sorceror, but it does add some tactical flexibility to the Wizard.

Andargor

 

[Darklone]

The wizards I know usually have at least one scroll of every not prepared spell they know. Costs a lot of money and sometimes time but was worth it.

 

[bret]

I know about scrolls (which require time and money) and leaving spell slots open.

I used the example of a Silent Dispel Magic for a reason. I've had it happen to my wizard.

Going into a temple, you expect to see clerics. Clerics like to carry the silence spell. Now guess how many Silent Dispel Magics you are going to need to deal with this. If you get lucky, the answer is none. If you don't, hopefully you've got a scroll of it prepared.

There are certain spells that are useful often enough that it becomes too expensive to depend on scrolls. In my experiences with wizards, you typically have several spells that you needed to carry because it was likely you would need them, but (for whatever reason) you never ended up using them.

As a sorcerer, you don't worry about if you are going to need 1 or 3 dispel magic spells. You only worry about how many slots you still have open at each level. If you need it for a fireball rather than a dispel magic, no problem.

That is what I meant by saying there was less waste of spell slots.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

One more difference: Playing a sorceror highly effectively requires a bit more planning out of game for spell selection/progression. A wizard requires more day to day planning with respect to spell preparation, but can do less strategic planning because spell selection is easily correctable.

The sorceror is probably better suited for newbies or people who dislike planning -- provided they get a few pointers during downtime from savvy friends.

 

[jgsugden]

Most of the main comparrisons have been addressed, so I'll just go back to his original question: How can a sorcerer survive on just 4 spells.

In my experience, sorcerers don't get stuck with just 4 spells.

They have a small selection to begin with, but they expand their repetoire very quickly. They learn more spells known, but that is only a small portion of their expanded options.

They can pick up metamagic feats to alter how some of their spells work.

They can find or purchase scrolls or wands to allow them access to spells that do not already know.

In no time at all, they have access to a huge number of spells.

I've played a few sorcerers. Usually, my sorcerer is the only arcane spellcaster in a party. He gets bogged down with wands, scrolls and other items that only he can use. My current sorcerer, level 11, has over 100 different spells from which to choose. Some can be used only once (scrolls), but most of those will only be useful once in a long while.

At very low levels, sorcerers feel limited, but by the time they get rolling into medium levels, they are not really limited by their spell selection.

 

[jgsugden]

Most of the main comparrisons have been addressed, so I'll just go back to his original question: How can a sorcerer survive on just 4 spells.

In my experience, sorcerers don't get stuck with just 4 spells.

They have a small selection to begin with, but they expand their repetoire very quickly. They learn more spells known, but that is only a small portion of their expanded options.

They can pick up metamagic feats to alter how some of their spells work.

They can find or purchase scrolls or wands to allow them access to spells that do not already know.

In no time at all, they have access to a huge number of spells.

I've played a few sorcerers. Usually, my sorcerer is the only arcane spellcaster in a party. He gets bogged down with wands, scrolls and other items that only he can use. My current sorcerer, level 11, has over 65 different spells from which to choose (about 30 spells known, about 5 wands an about 30 on scrolls). Some can be used only once (scrolls), but most of those will only be useful once in a long while.

At very low levels, sorcerers feel limited. Fortunately, at low levels, a sorcerer can make a significant contribution to combat with a crossbow. By the time they get rolling into medium levels, they are not really limited by their spell selection.

 

[DM2]

At very low levels, sorcerers feel limited. Fortunately, at low levels, a sorcerer can make a significant contribution to combat with a crossbow. By the time they get rolling into medium levels, they are not really limited by their spell selection.

Heck, at low levels you can now afford to take sleep as a known spell, and cast it every round to knock out up to 4 HD of creatures each round.

At higher levels just swap it out using one of your spell swaps.

DM2

 

[jgsugden]

Heck, at low levels you can now afford to take sleep as a known spell, and cast it every round to knock out up to 4 HD of creatures each round.

At higher levels just swap it out using one of your spell swaps.

DM2

Just a note: Sleep is a pain, now. 1 round casting time makes it hard to use.

It can be disrupted. The targets can spread out or get entwined with PCs (who might be effected before the intended targets).

A sorcerer makes a smaller sacrifice to take it now, but he might be better off taking mage armor and then discarding it at 6th level when he gets bracers of armor +4 or better. A sorcerer effectively only gets to discard one spell per spell level.

 

[Li Shenron]

I believe that no one has mentionned the oft overlooked rule about Wizard spell preparation. The Wizard can leave slots open, and by spending about 15 minutes at any time during the day, can fill those slots with any spells she knows.

Granted, it doesn't help with "on the spot" situations like the Sorceror, but it does add some tactical flexibility to the Wizard.

Andargor

Apart that this rules applies to every caster who prepares spells, remember that the biggest disadvantage of delaying preparation is that those slots left open are empty (therefore not usable) until you do the later preparation.

This IMHO rarely suggests a Wiz (or whoever) to leave too many slots open. I have seen players use this possibilty only a couple of times: they always preferred to have something prepared & ready in any case...

Also, yes it takes very little time to fill the open slots, but usually the DM doesn't allow it in the middle of the action (like inside a dungeon or before an ambush, even if you can stop for 15 min), but rather requires to have the same comfortable environment required for the morning preparation.