Required Sorcerors Spell List

[Azure Trance]

A common house rule that I've seen is for sorcerors to have a required theme to their spell lists. Common ones are elementals; Air, Water, Fire, Earth sorcerors. Non-elemental affinity could be Celestial, Infernal, or other varied ones (Nobility or Nature). Regardless of how you prefer to cast them (fireballer or flame arrow) or of which theme, there are certain spells which are a must for any sorceror (ie, haste or fly). I don't play sorcerors (to weak! ) so I'm not sure if the following list has the right spells or not. Spells italicized are spells which I'm not sure belong there (ie, useless at higher levels or unnecessary)

1st level 2
Abjuration: Mage Armor
Evocation: Magic Missile
2nd level 2
Divination: See Invisibility
Illusion: Blur
3rd level 2
Abjuration: Dispel Magic
Transmutation: Fly
4th level 1
Illusion: Improved Invisibility
5th level 1
Transmutation: Teleport
6th level 3
Abjuration: Greater Dispelling
Evocation: Contingency
Divination: True Seeing
7th level 1
Abjuration: Spell Turning
8th level
9th level

A very bare-bones list, but sorcerors only get so many known spells. Opinions?

 

[hong]

I wouldn't bother with (minor) globe of invulnerability. It strips all your own buff spells too, which generally isn't good.

 

[Azure Trance]

I wouldn't bother with (minor) globe of invulnerability. It strips all your own buff spells too, which generally isn't good.

Dankes. As an aside note, Hong updated his D&D Webpage today. Quiche and focaccia, anyone?

 

[bret]

I wouldn't include Protection from Arrows in a must-have list. It just isn't that impressive.

Except at 3-5th level, an enemy is always going to be able to bypass it with Greater Magic Weapon. The duration isn't that great either, 10 minutes / level. Enough to buff before combat, but not enough to protect for a good part of the day.

I think that Glitterdust comes much closer to being a must-have spell at that level. Will save or the victims are blind and it negates invisibility on the targets. Now your melee and archers can go to town on the formerly invisible creatures.

 

[Sir Whiskers]

If you take the feats Energy Substitution and Sculpt Spell (both from Tome and Blood), then Fireball or Lightning Bolt become must-haves. With those two feats, the sorcerer becomes much more flexible in the types of damage inflicted, as well as being able to place the area effect spells exactly where he wants.

 

[Andion Isurand]

!!!! Please double check my memory on these recommendations...........

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I would recommend you to drop the fly spell to investigate this set of spells......

Alter Self (level 2)
.....weak flight, water breathing, helps disguise

Polymorph Self (level 4)
....can be used to fly, disguise, beef up, etc.
....you also regain a little HP each time you cast it

Improved Fly (level 6) (based off of the psionic power)
....fly at a speed of 180 feet
....also, since this spell's level is 6, it will work better with 'Globe of Invulnerability'... should you choose to keep it

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I would recommend you to drop the dimension door spell for......

Lutzaen's Frequent Juant (level 5)
......a duration spell allowing several smaller, more tactical dimension doors (once per round while the spell lasts, you can make one, 'Close range' teleport as a move-equivalent action)

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Also, don't forget to think about these.....

Mage Armor (level 1)
Vampiric Touch (level 3)
Greater Magic Weapon (level 3)
Energy Immunity (level 7)
Simbul's Synystodewomer (level 7) <----- (spelling anyone? )
Mind Blank (level 8)

 

[Vysirez]

I wouldn't bother with (minor) globe of invulnerability. It strips all your own buff spells too, which generally isn't good.

I didnt think the globe spells did that. I thought the casters spells were not affected. I checked the SRD and it doesnt state that it strips spells on the caster, am I reading it wrong?


"An immobile, faintly shimmering magical sphere surrounds the character and excludes all spell effects of up to 3rd level. The area or effect of any such spells does not include the area of the minor globe of invulnerability. Such spells fail to affect any target located within the globe. This includes spell-like abilities and spells or spell-like effects from devices. However, any type of spell can be cast through or out of the magical globe. Spells of 4th level and higher are not affected by the globe. The globe can be brought down by a targeted dispel magic spell, but not by an area dispel magic. The character can leave and return to the globe without penalty. "

 

[Hypersmurf]

The area or effect of any such spells does not include the area of the minor globe of invulnerability. Such spells fail to affect any target located within the globe.

What's unclear about that?

-Hyp.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Charm Person or Charm Monster. Most games I've seen have required some social interaction with people whose authority outweighs their actual level-- and this spell is the perfect social lubrication. Also, if you're subtle with it, you can be much more effective than your standard "make your enemies' biggest meat-shield attack their spellcaster" tactic.

Also, any of the medium (4th-6th) level spells from the Summon Monster chain are incredibly useful for combat, distractions, labor, or any other use. Combined with Tongues or liberal use of the Speak Language skill, your summoning spells become useful in nearly any situation.

On that note, I'd like to include Tongues. Too many situations where communication might be necessary, and Sorcerors usually end up dealing with some very strange creatures.

Wish and Limited Wish are both far more effective for Sorcerors than Wizards, as these powerful, flexible spells are exactly the sort of spell you won't know when you'll need. The XP cost might discourage you from using it frequently, but these spells can duplicate nearly any spell effect under their level or have any number of powerful effects. They also give you numerous ways of striking out at an opponent that is otherwise resistant to your magic.

Wish can also allow you to, over time, boost all of your ability scores by as much as +5, permanently. Or, another character's, or your entire party's, as long as you could scrape together the XP.

I've noticed that noone has mentioned any 0 level spells. Mage Hand is one of the most useful spells in the game. It could be replaced with Telekinesis at 5th-- or both spells could be taken, since there doesn't seem to be any fifth level spells on the block.

 

[Gez]

Dicth haste. This spell is going to be utterly useless to a sorcerer, unless he really want to be a sort of cleric (if he think hearing "hey, mister cleric, I'm the fighter and I want you to heal me" every five rounds is an enjoyable experience, he could take haste and ears "hey, mister sorcerer, I'm the fighter and I want you to hasten me"). Or if he really is suicidal and want a pretext to go to and stay in melee, where he'll proceed to get killed.

Except, of course, if you don't follow what seems to be the official revision of haste.

Drop shield also. Same reason: revision. Mage armor will protects you as much, as lasts 60 times longer.

Don't adopt charm person. I know from experience it's charm nobody. There is a real magic in D&D, and the formula "I cast charm person on that NPC" always result in said NPC rolling a 18, 19, or 20 on his/her Will save. Always.