Useless sorcerers no one wants in the party

[Driddle]

It's been my experience that the rest of the group is so self-centered -- focused on thier own characters' actions -- that no one even notices when someone hangs back and doesn't "contribute" to a task/battle. As long as the sorcerer has attitude and talks it up at the right moments, it doesn't matter what the heck he's doing.

I dressed up a rogue several years back as a mage, with the intention of robbing the party once they found a particular item. He never cast a spell, and no one noticed -- the goofy personality more than covered for his shortcomings.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

It's been my experience that the rest of the group is so self-centered -- focused on thier own characters' actions -- that no one even notices when someone hangs back and doesn't "contribute" to a task/battle. As long as the sorcerer has attitude and talks it up at the right moments, it doesn't matter what the heck he's doing.

Trust me, this isn't always true. My group has a party member who is completely ineffective in combat...and everyone has noticed it.

 

[Saeviomagy]

We started 8th level characters, and the only Damage Dealing spell he picked for hiw Neutral Good Sorc was Fireball. He had Glitterdust, Displacment, Featherfall, and Ray of Enfeeblement. He wasn't completely useless, but it was damn anoying. About 3 rounds into the fight he kept mumbling things like, "Well I cant do this, and I cant do that..."

Let me guess - the first thing your group did when confronted with a large group of low level creatures would be to charge into the middle of them, right?

 

[Buttercup]

I find the thought of someone telling me what spells my sorcerer should have offensive. Go play a sorcerer of your own if you wanna see those spells tossed around.

I don't know as I'd go so far as to say it is offensive, but it sure doesn't work for me. A sorcerer's spells spring from his or her personality and can't be directed by anyone else. So I'd say the rest of the group should just suck it up. Besides, just about any spell can be useful if you're creative enough.

 

[PJ-Mason]

I don't know as I'd go so far as to say it is offensive, but it sure doesn't work for me. A sorcerer's spells spring from his or her personality and can't be directed by anyone else. So I'd say the rest of the group should just suck it up. Besides, just about any spell can be useful if you're creative enough.

I totally agree. Its also up to your DM to keep in mind what the characters can do when crafting encounters for the party. If you have a sorcerer with a non-combative spell list list in the group, why wouldn't you play to the pc's strengths and give the sorcerer something important to do based on her spells or abilities?

 

[Umbra]

My group was horrified my sorceror didn't take magic missile(and won't - it's boring for a magical poet! ). The first level attack spell I chose was color spray which was MUCH more useful in the lower levels. If we were up against a lot of undead I would have chosen something else perhaps.

I will discuss options with the group, and take what other spells are available within the group into consideration but the final choice is mine and has as much to do with character as with mini-maxing.

And as others have said: the other players, the DM, the campaign, etc are factors, just not the deciding ones.

 

[RayneBlythewood9]

Useless, but not really..

I currently play in a game whene combat begins my character steps back.
I have a 2nd level rogue/ 5th level bard. I have a penatly to strength so I have only a plus 2 to hit with a dagger and maybe a plus 8 with a light crossbow. I have picked all those feats that give you bonuses to skills, like bluff, diplomacy, and intimidate. I currently have a use magic device of 20. Outside of battle I am the man. I find jobs, I gather information, I sell things and anything else you could imagine. Inside of battle I cast Glitterdust, Silence and Tasha's Hideous Laughter. I have been most effective with a first round glitterdust taking out a group before the split up and tasha's is a wonderful single target damaging spell.
Glitterdust is an uderrated utility spell. It's useful in multiple ways. Just like grease or shatter. The other thing I do in a fight is inspire courage. Which usually provides about 10-12 points a damage a round and I swear I am a good singer....LOL

 

[Plane Sailing]

My sorcerer started in 3e and I decided that I would deliberately avoid all the "must have" sorcerer spells.

She started with:
Burning Hands
Endure Elements

her first 2nd level spell was:
Pyrotechnics and occasionally used enlarged burning hands (nice big area then!)

Unfortunately 3.5 nerfed endure elements, nerfed burning hands, spoilt something else and a dozen other future spell plans

 

[pogre]

These are some interesting perspectives on sorcerers. Frankly, I always considered them weapons platforms. It's cool to see some other ideas.

 

[Bigwilly]

Laughing Weasel

Laughing Weasel was (TPK took him out) a barbarian / sorcerer. As his Charisma wasn't particularly high, he focused almost totally on buffs/defensive spells. He had zero direct damage spells but as the party's front-line fighter he would rarely get a chance to cast once he entered combat anyway. Mage armor and later, mirror image were his primary pre-combat spells. He would have made a great dragon disciple if he had survived, sigh.

Bigwilly