D&D 5E Tasha's Mind Sliver and Shadow Sorcerer. The most efficient spellcaster?

[Mistwell]

Half cover is always situational, PCs can move around the T Rex.

Yes Im playing a Shadow Sorcerer level 9 , Twin Polymorph + The Hound Works Very well.
Or
Careful Fear/Hypnotic Pattern + The Hound is too scary

I am betting your fellow players prefer the careful fear/hyptnotic pattern after just a few times trying out the polymorph?

You might try using the Hound plus a bonus action Mind Sliver followed by a polymorph on the foe to turn them into a slug? That takes them out of the battle so you can deal with other foes first.

 

[Hohige]

I am betting your fellow players prefer the careful fear/hyptnotic pattern after just a few times trying out the polymorph?

You might try using the Hound plus a bonus action Mind Sliver followed by a polymorph on the foe to turn them into a slug? That takes them out of the battle so you can deal with other foes first.

If I have enough space. Go twin Polymorph + The Hound.
Otherwise. Go Careful Fear/Hypnotic Pattern +The Hound.
The Hound is always a reliable oportunity attack, damage and knock prone... Its more powerful than It seems.
More than one Hound is insanely good.

 

[Hohige]

Actually, The Shadow Sorcerer is The most impactful spellcaster on right hands.
Every action can change the game. Its hard to compete.
The Aberrant Mind is strong. But, The Shadow Sorcerer remains competitive.
Other spellcasters cant compete with It.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Sorry if this has been said, but a simple Hound + Mind Sliver spam is pretty effective. Sure, it's not some huge nova, but it's sustainable at zero cost after the initial investment in the Hound. The target is going to fail an awful lot of saving throws*, and if your teammate consumes the Mind Sliver effect with a more powerful spell, all the better.

What's needed is some way to increase damage a bit. I wish Agonizing Blast let you choose which cantrip it applied to, or which damage type (albeit limited to cantrips).

*Assuming a DC 15 and zero bonus to Int, the target has only a 15% chance to succeed. (That value has not been peer-reviewed.)

 

[Guest 6801328]

Also, when the Hound description says "it uses Dire Wolf statistics", does that include pack tactics, and the knockdown effect when it hits? For the knockdown, that would mean that the -1d4 from Mind Sliver would often get consumed by the Hound's knockdown. Which is also pretty cool.

 

[Hohige]

Also, when the Hound description says "it uses Dire Wolf statistics", does that include pack tactics, and the knockdown effect when it hits? For the knockdown, that would mean that the -1d4 from Mind Sliver would often get consumed by the Hound's knockdown. Which is also pretty cool.

Sure! Pack tatics is really useful. they often deals oportunity attacks for extra damage and knockdown effect.
Also The target has disadvantage against Sorcerer spells.
So its a reliable damage dealing, -d4 saving throw and knockdown effect.
17 or more average damage per turn is pretty decent.
A Wizard deals only 7 per turn without apply disadvantage. That ALL.

 

[Hohige]

Also, when the Hound description says "it uses Dire Wolf statistics", does that include pack tactics, and the knockdown effect when it hits? For the knockdown, that would mean that the -1d4 from Mind Sliver would often get consumed by the Hound's knockdown. Which is also pretty cool.

Yes, It includes pack tatics and knockdown effect.
Its pretty cool effect!

 

[Hohige]

Interesting. So Bard 3 (Eloquence) Sorcerer 6 (Shadow) with the Mind Sliver cantrip can really lock down those saving throws. And we now have uncommon magic items which can increase spell DCs too from Tasha's. I can see a very nasty lockdown Bard/Sorc, with good out of combat abilities as well and a smoking high Charisma.

It's a insane Lockdown... Sure.

 

[alaughingkitsune]

Interesting. So Bard 3 (Eloquence) Sorcerer 6 (Shadow) with the Mind Sliver cantrip can really lock down those saving throws. And we now have uncommon magic items which can increase spell DCs too from Tasha's. I can see a very nasty lockdown Bard/Sorc, with good out of combat abilities as well and a smoking high Charisma.

precisely the combination I've been pondering. with silvered tongue and expertise on deception/persuasion your minimum ability check is 20+
throw in a subtle suggestion and any number of subterfuge things its a scarily fun build (depending on campaign)

 

[ECMO3]

View attachment 130450
​

The shadow sorcerer was already known to have enormous destructive power.
Twin Polymorph + The Hound of Ill Omem is insanely powerful. It's literally 100 (2 Giant Ape + The Sorcerer's Hound) damage per turn, applies disadvantage to saving throws and can still Knock the enemy prone.
The Hound as bonus action + Careful Fear is a deadly sentense.


Now,
Mind Sliver cantrip + Quicken Hypnotic patter / Fear / Hold Person can be extremely devastating.
Applying disadvantage against all saving throw and -1d4 on saving throw (Mind Sliver).

Is It currently the most efficient caster?

Keep in mind the hound is affected by quicken fear or hypnotic pattern unless you can cast it with him out of the AOE. Also the hound attacks a single enemy and if you are going after a single enemy there are better spells than hypnotic pattern or fear. I really like Raulothim's Psychic Lance for this. Also with fear there is a problem as an affected target will flee and since the hound goes after you the target will not be within 5 feet of the hound when you cast your next spell.

Mind Sliver is meh IMO. He gets to save to see if he can take -1d4 on the next save. Probably good for something like disinteegrate when a save made is 0 damage, but I think that 1d4 is rarely going to be a difference when the enemy already has disadvantage. I would prefer toll the dead or maybe use a scroll or wand as an action.

I am not a fan of the Giant Ape Polymorph unless you are doing it on yourself. We had a sorcerer who regularly cast that on my Rogue. I played along and maybe it was even more effective than me fighting myself. To be honest though, I would have usually rather played my character in a fight than play an Ape in a fight.