So what is the history of Sorcerors

[Wraith-Hunter]

I'm still pretty new to 3.x - I rolled a d10 last game for initiative and threw the DM for a loop..

Anyway I'm playing a Sorceror in a new campagin, they look interesting. And I got to wondering why they were put into the game and what the history of the class is? I have also heard rumors that certain WotC people "hate" them, which is why they are kind of blank when it comes to the class. No class features other than spells & familliar, minimal skill points and almost no CHA skills on the list etc. Wondering if this was the case or not?

I usually play wizards so decided to try something different. There are 101 PrC's out there which takes care of the problem with class abilities. And using the PHB 2 variation where you give up a familiar for normal casting time metamagic.

I can see how on paper when 3.0 first came out they might look more powerfull than wizards and needed to be nerfed bit, but the play style seems to have changed since this first came out, and the design philosphy seems to be different, looking at all the new base classes, than it was in the early days, and that if designed today would look much differant than they do now.

Anyway I was just curious as to why they were even introduced and spark a genral discussion about the class. I think it will be fun to play regardless.

 

[Crothian]

I have also heard rumors that certain WotC people "hate" them, which is why they are kind of blank when it comes to the class. No class features other than spells & familliar, minimal skill points and almost no CHA skills on the list etc. Wondering if this was the case or not?

Where did you hear these rumors?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think sorcerers' lack of class abilities was because, before pervasive Prestige Classes introduced the idea of having a cool power every level, being able to cast a spell 10,000,000 times a day was seen as being a pretty sweet class ability.

 

[Crothian]

being able to cast a spell 10,000,000 times a day was seen as being a pretty sweet class ability.

Wow, your sorcerers are so much cooler then mine.

 

[Wraith-Hunter]

Where did you hear these rumors?

On the WotC boards. Not sure if it is true or not.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

I think sorcerers' lack of class abilities was because, before pervasive Prestige Classes introduced the idea of having a cool power every level, being able to cast a spell 10,000,000 times a day was seen as being a pretty sweet class ability.

Yeah, unfortunately I get frustrated by people thinking a class blows or a PrC isn't worth it because there is a dead level. I mean, even in classes where there is a dead level that means there are as many other levels that are better than average!

Anyway, I think Whizbang is right. Being able to cast more spells and not having to select them daily is a decent bonus in its own right. However, PrCs give you all that and more. Sometimes that's just unfortunate.

 

[Nifft]

It's important to get the FACTS:

#1: Sorcerers are mammals. (Except kobolds... and dragons. And lizardfolk.)
#2: Sorcerers cast spells ALL the time.
#3: The purpose of the sorcerer is to flip out and kill people.


Sorcerers can kill anyone they want! Sorcerers cast fireball ALL the time and don't even think twice about it. These guys are so crazy and awesome that they flip out ALL the time. I heard that there was this sorcerer who was eating at a diner. And when some dude dropped a spoon the sorcerer fireballed the whole town. My friend Mark said that he saw a sorcerer totally magic missile some kid just because the kid opened a window.

And that's what I call REAL Ultimate Spellcasting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you don't believe that sorcerers have REAL Ultimate Power you better get a life right now or they will fireball your head off!!! It's an easy choice, if you ask me.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Aaron L]

On the WotC boards. Not sure if it is true or not.

On the WotC boards someone is always saying that the designers hate every class, a different one every day. Take your pick, the designers hate it. Whichever class is that posters favorite and they perceive hasn't received enough attention, it's because the designers hate the class.

I'm still pretty new to 3.x - I rolled a d10 last game for initiative and threw the DM for a loop..

Hell, last game I rolled a D6 for initiative. I hadn't been playing for a while and old 1E habits kicked in, I guess.

 

[EricNoah]

If 4E does anything, I think it needs to figure out how the flavor and mechanics of magic go together. You've got the "the power's inside you, lad" people (sorcerers); the "magic's a science you can learn if you are smart" people (wizards); and the "I beseech you, unknowable supenatural beings, grant me power" people (clerics). I just wish each style felt different, and yet had something of a unified mechanic. That's probably a tall order.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Anyway I was just curious as to why they were even introduced...

One big advantage of spontaneous casters existing in the game - they're much easier for casual gamers to get a handle on.

One of the biggest resource-management tasks in the game is preparing spells.

I'm putting together the PCs for a game we're starting shortly, and I'm using the Spontaneous Divine Caster variant from Unearthed Arcana for the two clerics and the druid. Not necessarily because I think it has a mechanical advantage over preparation from a larger list... but because it's so much easier to take someone who doesn't know the spell lists all that well and say "Here. These are the five spells you know. You can cast 4 1st level spells and 2 2nd level spells per day."

As opposed to "There are fifty-four spells on the Cleric list at 1st and 2nd level in these six books. You can prepare three 1st level spells and 1 2nd level spell each day, so every game day, you need to decide in advance which of the fifty-four might come in handy..."

I don't mind playing a preparation caster myself, but for people who want to show up, play a few hours, go home, and don't really think about the game in between sessions, spontaneous casting from a limited list is real handy...

-Hyp.