best school for a sorcerer to focus on? [Archive] - Wizards Community

best school for a sorcerer to focus on? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Vrellum
07-27-04, 05:37 PM I'm wondering what you think is the best school for a sorcerer to focus on, that is spend feats in focus. I'd guess it to either be: transmutation (save or die and a lot of generally useful spells), enchantment (again lots of save or die or help me out) or illusion...

The sorcerer would probably be the only arcane caster in the party and start at 1st level and is human.
MetalGemini
07-27-04, 06:43 PM Depends on what style of sorcerer you want to be. If you're going for a cunning social sorcerer, go enchantment or illusion. If you're the combat sorcerer, conjuration or evocation. If you play to dual-class with fighter/rogue and be in more melee range, transmutation or necromancy is good.

I just started a barbarian/sorcerer (definitely not trying to optimize him) and plan on doing the third type.

If you want the most effective caster, I'd suggest being a wizard instead. Sorcerers really get no bonuses that a wizard can't beat through specializing and feats. But sorcerers have a lot of role-play value and make good multi-class characters.

Also, check out Weapon Focus (Ray). +1 to hit with spells like Scorching Ray, Ray of Enfeeblement, and Polar Ray. It applies to any that list "Effect: Ray" in the spell description.
Snow Savant
07-27-04, 08:05 PM This is easy. You want to focus on Conjuration spells. Why? Because the vast majority of offensive conjuration spells have "SR=NO". Meaning you don't have to waste feats on Spell Penetration and GSP down the road. Attack Conjuration spells are awesome from levels 1 through 20 ... in fact many of the lower ones still scale wonderfully at higher levels (Grease and Glitterdust are 2 prime examples).

XO,
Snow :cloud9:
samoosa691
07-27-04, 08:21 PM heh snow I never thought of conjuration, I would have said evocation because of a mobile "turret", but that's just me.
amalcon
07-27-04, 08:25 PM I like enchantment myself. You can take advantage of that Charisma score and Diplomacy skill in combination with enchantments to do some crazy things throughout your sorcerer's career.
Snow Savant
07-27-04, 08:26 PM Actually, Evocation is the one school I would advise you pass upon. The archetypical "Artillery Platform" Sorceror Evoker is actually one of the worse performing Sorceror types one could play.

Transmutation is a close 2nd after Conjuration, due to the breadth and variety of offensive Trans spells. Especially the "save-or-die" variety.

XO,
Snow :cloud9:
samoosa691
07-27-04, 08:44 PM Originally posted by Snow Savant
Actually, Evocation is the one school I would advise you pass upon. The archetypical "Artillery Platform" Sorceror Evoker is actually one of the worse performing Sorceror types one could play.

XO,
Snow :cloud9:

not necessarily, i've played a sorcerer that concentrated on evocation spells, worked out pretty well, it's all in the flavor I suppose, however I would agree that a lot of people who choose this route don't have much room for role play..

edited for grammar.
Cold Napalm
07-27-04, 08:52 PM I personally go for necromancy...but that isn't nearly maximized, I just like it. Wave of fatigue is so fun.

I think conjuration and trans personally for best optimization.
Vrellum
07-28-04, 09:10 AM Whoops. I wasn't very clear. I'm thinking about taking archmage levels later on and I'm wondering which schools would be good to spend feats in spell focus on. I agree conjuration is a good school, but as you said, many of the spells don't allow a save anyway, so spell focus seems a bit wasted.

Since I need two I was thinking transmutation would be good and maybe enchantment or evocation. However, conjuration might be good because I plan on taking sculpt spell for to make spells like glitterdust and grease even more useful.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Vrellum 07-27-04, 05:37 PM	I'm wondering what you think is the best school for a sorcerer to focus on, that is spend feats in focus. I'd guess it to either be: transmutation (save or die and a lot of generally useful spells), enchantment (again lots of save or die or help me out) or illusion... The sorcerer would probably be the only arcane caster in the party and start at 1st level and is human.
MetalGemini 07-27-04, 06:43 PM	Depends on what style of sorcerer you want to be. If you're going for a cunning social sorcerer, go enchantment or illusion. If you're the combat sorcerer, conjuration or evocation. If you play to dual-class with fighter/rogue and be in more melee range, transmutation or necromancy is good. I just started a barbarian/sorcerer (definitely not trying to optimize him) and plan on doing the third type. If you want the most effective caster, I'd suggest being a wizard instead. Sorcerers really get no bonuses that a wizard can't beat through specializing and feats. But sorcerers have a lot of role-play value and make good multi-class characters. Also, check out Weapon Focus (Ray). +1 to hit with spells like Scorching Ray, Ray of Enfeeblement, and Polar Ray. It applies to any that list "Effect: Ray" in the spell description.
Snow Savant 07-27-04, 08:05 PM	This is easy. You want to focus on Conjuration spells. Why? Because the vast majority of offensive conjuration spells have "SR=NO". Meaning you don't have to waste feats on Spell Penetration and GSP down the road. Attack Conjuration spells are awesome from levels 1 through 20 ... in fact many of the lower ones still scale wonderfully at higher levels (Grease and Glitterdust are 2 prime examples). XO, Snow :cloud9:
samoosa691 07-27-04, 08:21 PM	heh snow I never thought of conjuration, I would have said evocation because of a mobile "turret", but that's just me.
amalcon 07-27-04, 08:25 PM	I like enchantment myself. You can take advantage of that Charisma score and Diplomacy skill in combination with enchantments to do some crazy things throughout your sorcerer's career.
Snow Savant 07-27-04, 08:26 PM	Actually, Evocation is the one school I would advise you pass upon. The archetypical "Artillery Platform" Sorceror Evoker is actually one of the worse performing Sorceror types one could play. Transmutation is a close 2nd after Conjuration, due to the breadth and variety of offensive Trans spells. Especially the "save-or-die" variety. XO, Snow :cloud9:
samoosa691 07-27-04, 08:44 PM	Originally posted by Snow Savant Actually, Evocation is the one school I would advise you pass upon. The archetypical "Artillery Platform" Sorceror Evoker is actually one of the worse performing Sorceror types one could play. XO, Snow :cloud9: not necessarily, i've played a sorcerer that concentrated on evocation spells, worked out pretty well, it's all in the flavor I suppose, however I would agree that a lot of people who choose this route don't have much room for role play.. edited for grammar.
Cold Napalm 07-27-04, 08:52 PM	I personally go for necromancy...but that isn't nearly maximized, I just like it. Wave of fatigue is so fun. I think conjuration and trans personally for best optimization.
Vrellum 07-28-04, 09:10 AM	Whoops. I wasn't very clear. I'm thinking about taking archmage levels later on and I'm wondering which schools would be good to spend feats in spell focus on. I agree conjuration is a good school, but as you said, many of the spells don't allow a save anyway, so spell focus seems a bit wasted. Since I need two I was thinking transmutation would be good and maybe enchantment or evocation. However, conjuration might be good because I plan on taking sculpt spell for to make spells like glitterdust and grease even more useful.