starting sorceror

[Jack]

newby alert

i've seen a few suggested lists of known spells for sorcerors on these boards. most of them seem to be designed with a mid to high level sorceror in mind. the first level spells are often something like: magic missile, shield, mage armour, feather fall, unseen servant.

well that's fine if you're a mid to high level sorceror. but lets face it, if you're starting off at first level none of those spells are going to help you contribute much in a combat. some are very useful defensive spells. but where's your offence?

well after all that intro my question is if you were starring with a first level sorceror which spells would you take at first level?

i'm almost inclined to take sleep. I know sleep will be useless at high levels but it just seems such a useful offensive spell at low levels - especially when you can be casting 4 sleeps a day - that I just think you've got to take it, and just accept if you get to high levels that's one known spell "wasted".

what's the alternative? are there other first level spells that are really useful at first level and still useful later on?

 

[Crothian]

Spider Climb, light crossbow, and plenty of bolts. Use Spider Climb to get to a position of safety and fire away. True strike also works well with this.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

I just resing myself to not contributing much to a fight(offensively at least) at low levels, though sometimes surviving might requie learning either sleep or color spray. Definetly take shield though since t gives a +7 to ac and lasts the entire fight you might be able to contirbute by not getting hit and therefore ebing able to keep shooting your crossbow.

I don't go with mage armor I see it like slep nice at low levels with its long duraiton, but what pure wiz/sor doesn't buy braces of armor eventually.

I'd go with a utility spell like tensers floating disk, you might not be able to help in a fight directly with your spells but you might be able to help carry loot, unconscious comrades etc, and just help out that way.(I had a special harness built so I could strap a tower shield to the tensers disk, this allowed me to provide mobile cover for the party and was a great combat tool) Magica missile sucks at level one but by level 3 it actually does some decent damage since it always hits.

Some people find taking the 1st level illusion spell which I can't remember the name of useful at all levels even in fights to some degree so you might want to go there.

SM1 provides a sucker which isn't a great help in a fight but provides flanking bonues(sneak attacks) and can triger traps at low tomid to high levels.

 

[daemonslye]

I had the same issue; Starting from 2nd or 3rd, I went
with a wand of color spray then took spells shield and
grease. Otherwise, for my money, I prefer color spray to
sleep.

~D

 

[AuraSeer]

I took Sleep at 1st level. It was tremendously useful, and saved the party from certain death at least once. Given the chance to go back in time and change it, I might pick something different, but then the party might have ended up dead. A Sor13 with one 'wasted' slot still is better off than a resurrected Sor12 with no wasted slots.

However, the best offensive 1st-level spell is still Magic Missile. It has good range, always hits (without even allowing a saving throw), and scales well in usefulness.

 

[drquestion]

It really depends on how fast you think you're going to level up. If your DM is the type that keeps you at each level for a long time, sleep is a good choice - it's by far the most powerful offensive spell at levels 1-3, and it can definitely save you and your group in tight situations. After about level 5, though, it's pretty much useless, except for putting low level guards and such to sleep.

Think about it this way - are you prepared to exchange a small amount of flexibility at mid and high levels for greatly increased combat potential at low levels?

drquestion

 

[perivas]

At the risk of sounding like a munchkin, I would suggest always planning for the future. Exploit the flaws of DnD! It is true that the sleep spell is tremendously powerful at low levels, but almost useless at higher levels. Don't take it; instead, take advantage of one of the the most basic flaws of DnD. At low levels, fighters really don't fight any better than sorcerors/wizards. True, fighters can wear armor and usually spend their best stat on strength; but, if you spend you second and third highest stats on dexterity and constitution (good in the beginning and later in your character's life), you make a great archer. Just take elf and spend feats to get rapid shot. You can still participate in fights without resorting to spellcasting all the time.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

If you're saying that taking magic missile as a first-level sorcerer leaves you with "no offense" (and you did say that), then I'm saying you are a crazy person. Sure, it's only one missile at this level, but the option that always, always hits is a tactical godsend.

Use the crossbow when all you care about is average damage per action and not whether this particular attack hits, buy a scroll of sleep in your starting equipment to get you out of a jam, work up to a wand of sleep after an adventure or so, sell it to a low-level sorcerer when you hit 6th level or so, and don't waste the slot.

 

[Zhure]

Dr Rictus is spot-on. I'd also recommend Daze. At low levels it's a weak version of Sleep. At high levels it's a wasted cantrip, but you've got nine cantrips and only a couple are worth anything at all after level 8 or so.

Greg

 

[James McMurray]

Don't discount Mage Armor. Sure, at higher levels you may very well be able to buy or find Bracers of Armor. However, if you have Mage Armor you can save yourself 16,000gp. Also, with a range of touch, Mage Armor can be a life saver when battling Incorporeal undead. Generally, they (the undead) do not have high attack bonuses, but their ignoring armor means they can hit fairly easily. Adding +4 to AC can really help out.