The "Everything Sorcerer" Thread

[Evilhalfling]

Alternatly have a look at the Argent Savant (Complete Arcane) and Force Missile Mage (Dragon Magazine. However, I'm not sure off the top of my head if the FMM pclass is designed specifically for wizards or not).

FMM is not and my parties sorcerer did quite well with it, He was all about being a machine gunner. He had no offensive 2nd level spells - spider climb, invisbility & eagles splendor each saved the whole party at least once, he did take a hit to spell advancement, but even when he finally got fireballs they were rarely cast.

 

[Remathilis]

Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas. I went from having not enough to too many...

My team (I'm joining in late) has a cleric, cleric/wizard, and a druid (as well as a rogue and paladin) so ALL major utility spells are covered. So I think I'll focus on damange/combat control. I'll throw out some suggestions.

0 - Daze, Flare, Ray of Frost, Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Mage Hand, Light, Disrupt Undead, Message

1 - Magic Missile, Ray of Enfeeblement, Shield OR Mage Armor, Sleep ->True Strike, Grease

2 - Glitterdust OR Blindness/Deafness, Scorching Ray, Invisiblity -> See Invisibility, Touch of Idiocy, Alter Self

3 - Fireball, Dispel Magic -> Displacement, Haste, Slow

4 - Greater Invisibility, Polymorph, Dimension Door, Enervation OR Unluck (CA)

5 - Wall of Force, Teleport -> Feeblemind, Break Enchantment, Cone of Cold

6 - Greater Dispel Magic, Disintergrate, Chain Lightning OR True Seeing

7 - Greater Teleport, Spell Turning, Power Word Blind

8 - Horrid Wilting, Maze OR Moment of Prescience, Polar Ray

9 - Meteor Swarm, Wish, Prismatic Sphere OR Wail of the Banshee

For Feats...

1 Eschew Materials OR Improved Initiative
3 Heighten Spell
6 Spell Focus: Evocation
9 Empower Spell
12 Spell Focus: Necro OR Conj
15 Skill Focus: Spellcraft
18 Maximize Spell

By feat choice, its obvious I'm gonna go Archmage (I re-read the High Arcanas)

 

[Infiniti2000]

By waiting until 15th level to get skill focus, you won't be an archmage until 16th level, one level later than necessary. What race are you choosing? Human would help with the feat, of course, though something like aasimar will help with charisma (but LA +1).

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Take color spray, it's one of the best low level attack spells.

 

[Mistwell]

If you really feel the need for that many spell focus feats, it might be better to go a slightly different route to get the DC bonus. For example, Shadow Weave Magic from Player's Guide to Faerun would give you +1 DC to Illusion, Enchantment, and Necromancy Spells (though penalties to some other schools). The feats Purify Spell or Concencrate Spell combined with Spell Focus: Good (all from Book of Exalted Deeds) would give any of your spells a +2 DC at the cost of one high level. And, as mentioned earlier in this thread, Earth Spell combined with Heightened will increase the DC on many spells quite well.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I wouldn't go with polar ray at 8th - it is one of the most uselessly underpowered spells in the book!

Much better to choose Summon Monster VIII or Poly Object or Mind Blank or Ottos Dance...

(also I'd strongly consider Limited Wish at 7th, for the unparalleled flexibility it gives you)

An often overlooked 2nd level spell is Pyrotechnics. My sorcerer took it at 4th level and it was brilliant having a spell that could either target Fort Save or Will save, and either produced guaranteed concealment in the former case or affect a vast area (120ft radius!) with the second. Broke up a cavalry charge of 20 mounted barbarians with that little beauty!

 

[Thanee]

Some comments...

1 - Magic Missile, Ray of Enfeeblement, Shield OR Mage Armor, Sleep ->True Strike, Grease

You want Mage Armor early and Shield later, when you have bracers of armor, or even keep both of them. You don't really need True Strike, just put a decent score in Dex, that (and bonuses from being invisible or blinking later) is usually enough for the touch attacks.

2 - Glitterdust OR Blindness/Deafness, Scorching Ray, Invisiblity -> See Invisibility, Touch of Idiocy, Alter Self

Definitely Glitterdust.

4 - Greater Invisibility, Polymorph, Dimension Door, Enervation OR Unluck (CA)

No Greater Invisibility, but Greater Blink at 5th. Really, that spell is so good, it (almost) cannot be left out.

5 - Wall of Force, Teleport -> Feeblemind, Break Enchantment, Cone of Cold

Leave Break Enchantment for the other spellcasters. Cone of Cold is not very good, IMHO. You also don't need Teleport, especially if there's also a wizard around. Buy a scroll or two for emergencies.

7 - Greater Teleport, Spell Turning, Power Word Blind

I don't like Spell Turning, but that might just be personal preferance. I would surely get something else instead of PW: Blind, tho. Reverse Gravity mayhaps?

No, wait... you missed THE 7th level spell for sorcerers. One of the only real must-have spells in the whole book!

Limited Wish.

8 - Horrid Wilting, Maze OR Moment of Prescience, Polar Ray

You know that this level has Polymorph Any Object, yes? And Delay Blast Fireball.

9 - Meteor Swarm, Wish, Prismatic Sphere OR Wail of the Banshee

Shades!! Meteor Swarm is not that good, really.

For Feats...

1 Eschew Materials OR Improved Initiative
3 Heighten Spell

That's too early for Heighten, you can put that at 9th or so.

6 Spell Focus: Evocation
9 Empower Spell

I'd get Empower earlier and Heighten later, you can just switch them.

12 Spell Focus: Necro OR Conj
15 Skill Focus: Spellcraft
18 Maximize Spell

At this level, I'd rather take Twin Spell, I think.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Cabral]

Why is Fireball a better choice than dragonbreath for a 3rd level sorcerer spell? (Aside from possible lack of Draconomicon) It does less damage at a time but it gives you several energy choices and Line or Cone shapes and you can use it multiple times per casting.

 

[Thanee]

More damage, bigger area, much higher range.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

My personal favorite metamagic feat for Sorcerers is, without a doubt, Energy Substitution...but then I also tend to favor energy based attack spells. I'll take it at least once, possibly twice, depending on PC theme.

But that's not the end all, be all of spell selection for me.

Spells I love: Color Spray, Grease, Mage Armor, Spider Climb, Web, Shrink Item, True Strike, and a variety of buff spells if I have a party in which they make sense. Since I mentioned I like the energy spells, I must also confess to being a junkie for the Orb spells, Melf's Acid Arrow, and similar spells.

If you're playing an elf sorcerer, get the most out of your feats by choosing Point Blank Shot & Precise shot- you've got proficiency with the bow, so use it- and those feats apply to certain spells as well. BE the party's "Howitzer."