Sorcerer min/max optimization build

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

So my group has decided to do an extra game per month and this month it was decided that we are going to try some high level pathfinder characters in an epic quest. The premise is that the PCs already know each other and come together again to "stop a great evil." I'm looking to create a powerful character and thought that since I've never played a sorcerer before that it'd be a fun choice to go with.

Rules:
25 point buy
Start at level 16 with level appropriate gold/gear/magical items
Can use any Official Paizo products - Core/AGP/UC/UM/etc..

I was hoping for some detailed advice on how the community would build this out prior to Saturday night's game. Any/all builds would be welcomed, the more information the better such as what feats, traits, spells would be most useful. This isn't going to be an Adventure Path so I have no idea what to expect when it comes to what we will be facing and I'm not sure what the other guys are planning on playing yet as this was just agreed upon today by the DM to run for us.

Thanks in advance!
Trav

 

[Salthorae]

Well, I don't know about min/max for a PF Sorcerer, but I have wanted to try the Starsoul bloodline since I first saw, for this power and this power alone:

Breaching the Gulf (Sp): At 15th level, your caster level is increased by 3 when casting spells of the teleportation subschool. In addition, once per day you can teleport a single creature within 30 feet into the void of space if it fails a Will save. The save DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier. The target can attempt a new saving throw as a full-round action each round to return. While trapped in the airless void, the target takes 6d6 points of cold damage per round and must hold its breath or begin to suffocate.

Say hello to the void of space fighter with a low will save and no ability to teleport! Since you'll be 16th level the Save DC should be a minimum of DC 23 (18+minimum 5 Cha Mod), plus bonus CL for teleportation spells, yes please...

 

[Donal Graeme]

As with any Sorcerer, the key is a combination of determining what your goal is, and then finding picking a flexible selection of spells to back that up.

Do you want to be a blaster? Do you want to summon lots of creatures? Do you want to mess with your enemies heads? Or are you aiming for some some of battlefield control type? Or maybe you want to be a buffer/debuffer Sorcerer. I can offer some thoughts once you help narrow the list down a bit.

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

As with any Sorcerer, the key is a combination of determining what your goal is, and then finding picking a flexible selection of spells to back that up.

Do you want to be a blaster? Do you want to summon lots of creatures? Do you want to mess with your enemies heads? Or are you aiming for some some of battlefield control type? Or maybe you want to be a buffer/debuffer Sorcerer. I can offer some thoughts once you help narrow the list down a bit.

I want to be a blaster, one with a lot of DPR. I was looking at the Starsoul bloodline. I've been reading up on some of the forums and I'm seeing that most agree that Arcane is the best bloodline for DPR, but that starsoul level 15 ability just seems really cool and I can see it being fun to play. I talked to the other players last night who are playing in this game and there are only 3 of us total. The composition will be a 2h weapon wielding paladin as our tank, my sorcerer for damage, and the other guy was looking at a battle-cleric of some sort or an inquisitor (he hasn't yet decided, but will later today).

 

[Donal Graeme]

That bloodline ability is cool, but you can only use it once a day, which makes it extremely situational, at best. I would suggest a Seer wildblooded Arcane Sorcerer (UM), in order to use Int rather than Cha for your spellcasting. Your Paladin will be able to handle the diplomatic stuff, meaning you can focus more on knowledge skills and such.

Human is ideal, not only because of the extra feat but mainly for the extra spells you gain using the APG human alternate Favored Class Option.

Your ability scores should look like this:

Str 10
Dex 13
Con 14
Int 18 (+2 Human Racial to 20)
Wis 10
Cha 10

Skills: I would max out Spellcraft, Knowledge Arcana and Use Magic Device. Appraise is another good choice, as are any which rely on Int.

Feats: Eschew Materials (class freebie), Combat Casting (bloodline feat), Improved Initiative (bloodline feat), Scribe Scroll, Empowered Spell, Iron Will, Spell Focus (Evocation), Greater Spell Focus (Evocation), Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Elemental Spell, Reach Spell

As an Arcane bloodline Mage, Metamagic is more useful to you, which is why I chose several different types of it. Empowered Spell is more DPR, easy enough. Elemental Spell will help you when dealing with enemies with resistance or immunity to certain types of energy. Reach spell is nice, because there are a number of melee touch spells which are quite nasty (Vampiric Touch anyone?), but melee range is no place to be as a caster. This will let you use those spells from a much safer position.

The other feats are designed to boost your Save DCs and to beat Spell Resistance.



I am looking at spells for you now, and will have some suggestions in a bit.

 

[Systole]

https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0Ae0QGAqQqqSpZGNicGM2eHRfM2R0ejVtN2d2&hl=en

 

[Tinner]

Here's a fun build we just had in our Carrion Crown campaign.
Half-Orc, with the Orc Bloodline.
Note the HO favored class advantage that lets you add half your level to your fire spells. And the Bloodline Arcana lets you add an additional +1 dmg per die rolled on all your damaging spells. Those two combine to make your fire spells truly amazing.
Also, you get lots of great stat buffs as you level, and can cast Transformation on yourself, use Power of Giants to grow to Large size and hit the frontlines with the fighters. When you aren't doing that, your Defending Greataxe can buff your defenses.
Lots of fun.

TRAVEON WYVERNSPUR CR 15
Male Half-Orc Sorcerer 16
CN Medium Humanoid (Orc, Orc)
Init +2; Senses Darkvision (60 feet); Perception +0
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DEFENSE
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AC 33, touch 17, flat-footed 31. . (+8 armor, +2 Dex, +8 natural, +5 deflection)
hp 130 (16d6+64)
Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +10
Immune fear
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OFFENSE
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Spd 30 ft.
Melee +5 Defending Adamantine Greataxe +20/+15 (1d12+14/20/x3)
Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 16, +14 melee touch, +10 ranged touch):
8 (4/day) Incendiary Cloud (DC 27)
7 (6/day) Delayed Blast Fireball (DC 26), Prismatic Spray (DC 26), Firebrand (DC 26)
6 (7/day) Contingency (DC 25), Transformation (DC 25), Contagious Flame, Tar Pool (DC 25)
5 (8/day) Fire Snake (DC 24), Fabricate, Permanency, Cloudkill (DC 24), Acidic Spray (DC 24)
4 (8/day) Black Tentacles, Wall of Fire, Detonate (DC 23), Obsidian Flow (DC 23), Volcanic Storm
3 (8/day) Elemental Aura (DC 22), Arcane Sight (DC 22), Dispel Magic, Fireball (DC 22)
2 (8/day) Resist Energy (DC 21), Rage, Acid Arrow, Flaming Sphere (DC 21), Bull's Strength (DC 21), Scorching Ray, Burning Arc (DC 21)
1 (9/day) Magic Missile, Mage Armor (DC 20), Burning Hands (DC 20), True Strike (DC 20), Burning Disarm (DC 20), Unerring Weapon
0 (at will) Ray of Frost, Disrupt Undead, Acid Splash, Detect Poison, Read Magic (DC 19), Detect Magic, Mage Hand, Mending, Message
--------------------
STATISTICS
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Str 18/22, Dex 14, Con 14/18, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 22/28
Base Atk +8; CMB +14; CMD 31
Feats Cleave, Cleaving Finish, Death or Glory (+4), Elemental Spell: Cold, Eschew Materials, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Ironhide, Maximize Spell, Power Attack -3/+6, Weapon Focus: Greataxe
Traits Elemental Pupil: Fire, Unbreakable Hate
Skills Bluff +28, Intimidate +11, Use Magic Device +28
Languages Common, Orc
SQ +8 Fire Spell Damage, Fearless (Ex), Orc, Orc Ferocity (1/day), Power of Giants (16 minutes/day) (Sp), Touch of Rage +8 (12/day) (Sp)
Combat Gear +5 Defending Adamantine Greataxe; Other Gear Amulet of Natural Armor +5, Belt of Physical Might, STR & CON +4, Bracers of Armor, +8, Headband of Alluring Charisma, +6, Ring of Protection, +5
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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+8 Fire Spell Damage Add +1/2 to fire spell damage.
Cleave If you hit your first target, attack an adjacent target at the same attack bonus in exchange for -2 AC.
Cleaving Finish Make additional attack if opponent is knocked out
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Death or Glory (+4) Gain +4 on attack, damage, and critical rolls vs. Large or larger opponents
Elemental Pupil: Fire +1 dam when cast damaging spells of chosen element.
Elemental Spell: Cold You can cast a spell with half or all its damage type replaced with this feat's damage type.
Eschew Materials Cast spells without materials, if component cost is 1 gp or less.
Fearless (Ex) At 3rd level, you gain a +4 bonus on saving throws made against fear and a +1 natural armor bonus. At 9th level, you lose your light sensitivity, gain immunity to fear, and your natural armor bonus increases to +2.
Immune to Fear (Ex) You are immune to all fear effects.
Ironhide Your skin is thicker and more resilient than that of most of your people. Benefit: You gain a +1 natural armor bonus due to your unusually tough hide.
Maximize Spell All variable effects of a spell are maximized. +3 Levels.
Orc Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell that deals damage, that spell deals +1 point of damage per die rolled.
Orc Ferocity (1/day) 1/day, when brought below 0 HP but not killed, you can fight on for 1 more round as if disabled. The next round, unless brought to at least 0 HP, you immediately fall unconscious and begin dying.
Power Attack -3/+6 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Power of Giants (16 minutes/day) (Sp) At 15th level, you may grow to Large size as a standard action. At this size you gain a +6 size bonus to Strength, a -2 penalty to Dexterity, a +4 size bonus to Constitution, and a +4 natural armor bonus. You may return to your normal size as a stand
Touch of Rage +8 (12/day) (Sp) Morale Bonus on attack rolls, damage rools, and Will saving throws equal to +8