bmcdaniel
Adventurer
I like the idea of spontaneous, "natural" casters who use the force of their personality to cast spells, but I don't like how sorcerors implemented in 3e. Here's why:
1. Sorcerors have a very limited spell selection, so they have to be very careful about what spells they choose to know. On the other hand, they can cast any arcane spell (on their list) from a scroll or wand. Given the 3e baseline for availability of magic items, sorcerors can be relatively certain they can get whatever scrolls and wands they need. So, sorcerors who are supposed to be more natural, untutored magic users, end up being more reliant on scrolls and wands than most wizards!
2. Second, as pointed out above, the sorceror has to select which (of a limited number) of spells to "know" versus which to rely on scrolls/wands for. Almost always, the difference between personally cast and scroll cast spells are the DC of the spell, and level-dependent benefits, most notably the duration of short-lived spells. As a result, sorcerors almost never learn utility spells. They concentrate on offensive spells that rely on high DCs and short-duration defensive spells (every sorceror I've seen knows shield; no sorceror knows mage armor).
3. Related to #2, sorcerors have to pay attention to which spells will remain useful throughout their career. Of course, all low-level spells will be relatively less useful as the sorceror gains levels (why cast magic missile when you can cast fireball?). Nevertheless, some spells degrade much more quickly than others. For example, Sleep, has a 5 HD limit, while magic missile, even if it does relatively little damage, is always, at least, useful. The spells that degrade the most quickly are those that most fit the sorceror flavor: Sleep, Color Spray, Charm Person, Hold Person, Hypnotism, Cause Fear, etc. As a result, sorcerors tend to always prefer the energy-blasting evocation spells over more subtle offensive spells. Again, I would think that the more subtle, enchantment or illusion spells would be more suitable for a natural sorceror who bases his spells on the force of his personality.
In sum, the rules logic push sorcerors very far away from their supposed flavor, and turn them, nearly uniformly, into energy-blasting artillery. That's why I hate sorcerors.
1. Sorcerors have a very limited spell selection, so they have to be very careful about what spells they choose to know. On the other hand, they can cast any arcane spell (on their list) from a scroll or wand. Given the 3e baseline for availability of magic items, sorcerors can be relatively certain they can get whatever scrolls and wands they need. So, sorcerors who are supposed to be more natural, untutored magic users, end up being more reliant on scrolls and wands than most wizards!
2. Second, as pointed out above, the sorceror has to select which (of a limited number) of spells to "know" versus which to rely on scrolls/wands for. Almost always, the difference between personally cast and scroll cast spells are the DC of the spell, and level-dependent benefits, most notably the duration of short-lived spells. As a result, sorcerors almost never learn utility spells. They concentrate on offensive spells that rely on high DCs and short-duration defensive spells (every sorceror I've seen knows shield; no sorceror knows mage armor).
3. Related to #2, sorcerors have to pay attention to which spells will remain useful throughout their career. Of course, all low-level spells will be relatively less useful as the sorceror gains levels (why cast magic missile when you can cast fireball?). Nevertheless, some spells degrade much more quickly than others. For example, Sleep, has a 5 HD limit, while magic missile, even if it does relatively little damage, is always, at least, useful. The spells that degrade the most quickly are those that most fit the sorceror flavor: Sleep, Color Spray, Charm Person, Hold Person, Hypnotism, Cause Fear, etc. As a result, sorcerors tend to always prefer the energy-blasting evocation spells over more subtle offensive spells. Again, I would think that the more subtle, enchantment or illusion spells would be more suitable for a natural sorceror who bases his spells on the force of his personality.
In sum, the rules logic push sorcerors very far away from their supposed flavor, and turn them, nearly uniformly, into energy-blasting artillery. That's why I hate sorcerors.
