DESPERATE HELP SORCERER - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

DESPERATE HELP SORCERER

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
malforge
Oct 04, 2010 21:34:00 I checked sorcerer's handbook and it seemed to be hard to play an effective sorcerer. From what I see his spell progression is slower than wizard and he's got the metamagic time problem but I really would like to play a sorcerer so I need your help to overcome such problems. I'de like to play an effective blaster, starting lvl 6, any book allowed, stat buy 32 pts, PLS WRITE THE SOURCE of your suggestions, in a non abreviated form since I'm not expert in d&d short terms, in fact I'm like an amateur so if you explain your builds do it like you are talking to a retard, that would make my day easyer =). If possible builds that are close to overpowered since its an evil campaign and I might need to fight other pc's to establish supremacy over the party ^^

Other thing I've noticed is that optimizers tend not to maximize the principal stat (pls someone take time to explain this to me since in my head maxing out cha means high dc and more chance of winning the battle, if you have low dc and your spell fails you'll end up dead in a rogue's hand if he didn't already killed you since he's got better initiative than u) and they rely on gear, I'de rather not cause gear depends on master and I'de like not to depend too much on him.

PLS HELP ME BEN-KENOBI YOU ARE OUR ONLY HOPE!
#2
dandu
Oct 04, 2010 22:32:52 Maybe you could reformat your post and thread title to be a little to be less... loud?

Oh, please state what books are allowed.

And read my sig.

I suggest you learn Magic Missile and Fell Drain Spell from Libris Mortis. This covers basic damage dealing. At level 8 take Wings of Flurry from Races of the Dragon.

I can't think of many great blasting spells in between those two levels. Maybe Manyjaws from the Spell Compendium, or Scorching Ray (PHB) would cover it?

Build wise, perhaps you should consider Incantatrix (Player's Guide to Faerun) or Fiend Blooded (Heroees of Horror).
#3
Maat_Mons
Oct 05, 2010 0:49:10
Some things that come to mind:

Blasters typically aren't considered to be the powerful kind of spellcaster.

Consider the divine companion alternate class feature from Complete Champion, page 51. That lets you spend spell slots to give yourself a bonus to AC and saves. As you advance in level, you'll have more and more low-level spell slots that you no longer use in combat. This gives you something useful to do with them.

A nice compliment to divine companions is the planar touchstone feat, from Planar Handbook, page 41. The feat has different effects depending on which planar touchstone site you link yourself to. If you choose Catalogues of Enlightenment, from Planar Handbook, page 166, you gain the granted power of a domain of your choosing. The pride domain, from Spell Compendium, page 278, lets you reroll all 1s on saves, except for 1s you roll on a reroll granted by this domain.

Wings of cover, from Races of the Dragon, page 119, is a 2nd level sorcerer spell that you can cast as an immediate action to block a single attack. If you need to fight another player one-on-one, that should be pretty effective at this level.

I know you don't want to focus on gear, but you should get armor and a shield with no arcane spell failure chance. Mithral reduces arcane spell failure chance by 10%. Githcraft is an armor and shield template from Dungeon masters guide II, page 276, that reduces arcane spell failure by 5%. (Feycraft is similar.) A thistledown suit, from Races of the wild, page 168, can be worn under any metal armor and reduces arcane spell failure by 5%. You can use a heavy shield and chain shirt with no chance of arcane spell failure for 3,570 gp.

Also, make sure to carry a sword or something. It doesn't matter that you won't use it. Looking like you're not a spellcaster can be advantageous.
#4
dandu
Oct 05, 2010 17:11:32 That's why my sorcerers always dress like monks.
#5
lycanthrope0
Oct 05, 2010 18:13:26 Sorcerers arent bad they just arent as good as a wizard. where as sorcerer can be good at pulling off one trick rather well, a wizard can pull off severle different ones just as well as each other depending on what spells they prepare that day.

please take the time to read the guide in dandu's sig. its very helpfull.

but heres a build for you since you are planning to blast you have to worry about resistance. one way around this is to focus on force spells. another is to find a way to make your spells get around that.

the two ways around resistance are Lord of the Uttercold metamagic feat (complete arcane) and searing spell metamagic feat (sandstorm)

the only problem with this is that your a sorcerer so it turns into a full round action for you to apply to your spells. there is however one way to help with this, the Metamagic specialist alternate class feature found in Players Handbook 2.

Heres an idea for a build that should help you get started. i would still suggest playing a wizard for a blasting build as it is much easier but i hope this is a step in the right direction for you.

Silverbrow Human (Dragon Magic)
with 2 flaws (Unearthed Arcana)
Metamagic Specialist Sorcerer 3/ Human Paragon (unearthed Arcana) 3/ Elemental Savant 4 (Complete Arcane)

Feats
1 Versital Spellcaster (Races of the Dragon)
Human Bonus Feat - Heighten Spell (players handbook)
Flaw feat 1 - Snowcasting (Frostfell)
Flaw feat 2 - eschew material (players handbook)
3 Draconic Aura (Energy(Cold)
3 (human paragon bonus) - Energy Substitution- Cold (Complete Arcane)
6 Lord of the Uttercold (Complete Arcane)

from here the feats you will want are Cold Focus and greater cold focus(Frostfell). and i would suggest things like spell focus/greater spell focus ( either Evocation or Conjuration) they do stack with each other.

this slows down your spells a bit but you gain a a ton of skills and a +2 untyped bonus to one stat your choice. other options if you can get the feats is to take the draconic heratige feats to gain more spells known. you can at this point also give up 1 more caster level and still gain 9th level spells. the last 10 levels are yours to play with. the last tip you need to remember is keep your INT as high as you can fro metamagic specialist
#6
bigk1
Oct 05, 2010 18:40:19 I really like both exalted arcanist (BoED or Complete Divine can't remember which) and academy sorcerer from age of mortals. Academy Sorcerer is probably the best solution for a sorcerer since you get to boost your spell dcs, bonus metamagic feats, and full spell progression. On the flip side exalted gives bonus feats (kinda crappy exalted ones but hey they are free), 2 bonus spells known (for 1 caster level lost), and a much larger selection of spells to choose your spells from.
#7
phaedrusxy
Oct 06, 2010 23:45:21 Here is how to "blast" effectively with a sorcerer:

1) Use Shrink Item to shrink a bunch of boulders every (CL) days
2) Fly
3) Unshrink and drop them on your enemies

The boulder only really needs to fall 10 or 20 feet (I forget which), so even if the DM imposes penalties for your attack roll (10' range increment, non-proficiency, etc), you'll still likely hit enough to make it a nasty attack form.

If he doesn't impose range penalties, of course dropping them from a higher distance is better. ;)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 malforge Oct 04, 2010 21:34:00	I checked sorcerer's handbook and it seemed to be hard to play an effective sorcerer. From what I see his spell progression is slower than wizard and he's got the metamagic time problem but I really would like to play a sorcerer so I need your help to overcome such problems. I'de like to play an effective blaster, starting lvl 6, any book allowed, stat buy 32 pts, PLS WRITE THE SOURCE of your suggestions, in a non abreviated form since I'm not expert in d&d short terms, in fact I'm like an amateur so if you explain your builds do it like you are talking to a retard, that would make my day easyer =). If possible builds that are close to overpowered since its an evil campaign and I might need to fight other pc's to establish supremacy over the party ^^ Other thing I've noticed is that optimizers tend not to maximize the principal stat (pls someone take time to explain this to me since in my head maxing out cha means high dc and more chance of winning the battle, if you have low dc and your spell fails you'll end up dead in a rogue's hand if he didn't already killed you since he's got better initiative than u) and they rely on gear, I'de rather not cause gear depends on master and I'de like not to depend too much on him. PLS HELP ME BEN-KENOBI YOU ARE OUR ONLY HOPE!
#2 dandu Oct 04, 2010 22:32:52	Maybe you could reformat your post and thread title to be a little to be less... loud? Oh, please state what books are allowed. And read my sig. I suggest you learn Magic Missile and Fell Drain Spell from Libris Mortis. This covers basic damage dealing. At level 8 take Wings of Flurry from Races of the Dragon. I can't think of many great blasting spells in between those two levels. Maybe Manyjaws from the Spell Compendium, or Scorching Ray (PHB) would cover it? Build wise, perhaps you should consider Incantatrix (Player's Guide to Faerun) or Fiend Blooded (Heroees of Horror).
#3 Maat_Mons Oct 05, 2010 0:49:10	Some things that come to mind: Blasters typically aren't considered to be the powerful kind of spellcaster. Consider the divine companion alternate class feature from Complete Champion, page 51. That lets you spend spell slots to give yourself a bonus to AC and saves. As you advance in level, you'll have more and more low-level spell slots that you no longer use in combat. This gives you something useful to do with them. A nice compliment to divine companions is the planar touchstone feat, from Planar Handbook, page 41. The feat has different effects depending on which planar touchstone site you link yourself to. If you choose Catalogues of Enlightenment, from Planar Handbook, page 166, you gain the granted power of a domain of your choosing. The pride domain, from Spell Compendium, page 278, lets you reroll all 1s on saves, except for 1s you roll on a reroll granted by this domain. Wings of cover, from Races of the Dragon, page 119, is a 2nd level sorcerer spell that you can cast as an immediate action to block a single attack. If you need to fight another player one-on-one, that should be pretty effective at this level. I know you don't want to focus on gear, but you should get armor and a shield with no arcane spell failure chance. Mithral reduces arcane spell failure chance by 10%. Githcraft is an armor and shield template from Dungeon masters guide II, page 276, that reduces arcane spell failure by 5%. (Feycraft is similar.) A thistledown suit, from Races of the wild, page 168, can be worn under any metal armor and reduces arcane spell failure by 5%. You can use a heavy shield and chain shirt with no chance of arcane spell failure for 3,570 gp. Also, make sure to carry a sword or something. It doesn't matter that you won't use it. Looking like you're not a spellcaster can be advantageous.
#4 dandu Oct 05, 2010 17:11:32	That's why my sorcerers always dress like monks.
#5 lycanthrope0 Oct 05, 2010 18:13:26	Sorcerers arent bad they just arent as good as a wizard. where as sorcerer can be good at pulling off one trick rather well, a wizard can pull off severle different ones just as well as each other depending on what spells they prepare that day. please take the time to read the guide in dandu's sig. its very helpfull. but heres a build for you since you are planning to blast you have to worry about resistance. one way around this is to focus on force spells. another is to find a way to make your spells get around that. the two ways around resistance are Lord of the Uttercold metamagic feat (complete arcane) and searing spell metamagic feat (sandstorm) the only problem with this is that your a sorcerer so it turns into a full round action for you to apply to your spells. there is however one way to help with this, the Metamagic specialist alternate class feature found in Players Handbook 2. Heres an idea for a build that should help you get started. i would still suggest playing a wizard for a blasting build as it is much easier but i hope this is a step in the right direction for you. Silverbrow Human (Dragon Magic) with 2 flaws (Unearthed Arcana) Metamagic Specialist Sorcerer 3/ Human Paragon (unearthed Arcana) 3/ Elemental Savant 4 (Complete Arcane) Feats 1 Versital Spellcaster (Races of the Dragon) Human Bonus Feat - Heighten Spell (players handbook) Flaw feat 1 - Snowcasting (Frostfell) Flaw feat 2 - eschew material (players handbook) 3 Draconic Aura (Energy(Cold) 3 (human paragon bonus) - Energy Substitution- Cold (Complete Arcane) 6 Lord of the Uttercold (Complete Arcane) from here the feats you will want are Cold Focus and greater cold focus(Frostfell). and i would suggest things like spell focus/greater spell focus ( either Evocation or Conjuration) they do stack with each other. this slows down your spells a bit but you gain a a ton of skills and a +2 untyped bonus to one stat your choice. other options if you can get the feats is to take the draconic heratige feats to gain more spells known. you can at this point also give up 1 more caster level and still gain 9th level spells. the last 10 levels are yours to play with. the last tip you need to remember is keep your INT as high as you can fro metamagic specialist
#6 bigk1 Oct 05, 2010 18:40:19	I really like both exalted arcanist (BoED or Complete Divine can't remember which) and academy sorcerer from age of mortals. Academy Sorcerer is probably the best solution for a sorcerer since you get to boost your spell dcs, bonus metamagic feats, and full spell progression. On the flip side exalted gives bonus feats (kinda crappy exalted ones but hey they are free), 2 bonus spells known (for 1 caster level lost), and a much larger selection of spells to choose your spells from.
#7 phaedrusxy Oct 06, 2010 23:45:21	Here is how to "blast" effectively with a sorcerer: 1) Use Shrink Item to shrink a bunch of boulders every (CL) days 2) Fly 3) Unshrink and drop them on your enemies The boulder only really needs to fall 10 or 20 feet (I forget which), so even if the DM imposes penalties for your attack roll (10' range increment, non-proficiency, etc), you'll still likely hit enough to make it a nasty attack form. If he doesn't impose range penalties, of course dropping them from a higher distance is better. ;)