Just getting back into D&D with a group and its been a loooong time.
Now, last time I played, quite a few years ago, we kept it real basic, and I hated my character.
I was an elven sorceror and until I got to some higher levels and got some magical gear, I was useless. I hated relying so heavily on running, hiding, and letting my half-orc barb companion save my ass every 2 seconds.
So now we're starting again, my DM is A LOT more flexible, and even encouraging of creativity. I want to play the same cocky elven sorcerer as last time, but I want to have a reason to be cocky and avoid being ridiculously weak. I love the idea of the dragon disciple and dragon shaman classes, but both seem to be more inclined towards melee based combat, which, obviously, isn't ideal for a sorcerer.
Any suggestions to toughen me up while still keeping my primary skills in spellcasting and, down the track, growing some scales, claws, teeth, and eventually wings?
Thanks in advance for any help
Hey guys, first post, excuse the noob-ness.
Just getting back into D&D with a group and its been a loooong time.
Now, last time I played, quite a few years ago, we kept it real basic, and I hated my character.
I was an elven sorceror and until I got to some higher levels and got some magical gear, I was useless. I hated relying so heavily on running, hiding, and letting my half-orc barb companion save my ass every 2 seconds.
So now we're starting again, my DM is A LOT more flexible, and even encouraging of creativity. I want to play the same cocky elven sorcerer as last time, but I want to have a reason to be cocky and avoid being ridiculously weak. I love the idea of the dragon disciple and dragon shaman classes, but both seem to be more inclined towards melee based combat, which, obviously, isn't ideal for a sorcerer.
Any suggestions to toughen me up while still keeping my primary skills in spellcasting and, down the track, growing some scales, claws, teeth, and eventually wings?
Thanks in advance for any help
Toughness feat will help with HP or Combat Casting for if you get surrounded. Better than that, though... even though there is a chance for spell failure with armor... get it anyway... it's less of a chance than if you got 4-5 hp and are hit by, well, anything. Even if you aren't dropped you have to make a Concentration check to cast the spell. You can drop the armor as you get higher level and can cast a mage armor that lasts a while (or find magic).
Elves are proficient with bows, get a shortbow as soon as you can afford one. If you are outnumbered in a fight, obscuring mist is a good spell choice... you can use it to find a better position. Use True Strike and ignore the miss chance. When the spell ends use burning hands or some other spell. Alchemical fire is also useful. Just add oil before they put it out.
Improved initiative is good if you already have a good dex... or combat reflexes. Kill them BEFORE they attack. Also... thieves aren't the only ones who can use caltrops. While they're hopping around... hit them with a sling bullet or oil (and then burning hands).
As for the actual class part the "tougher" version of the Sorcerer would be the Battle Sorcerer (UA/SRD) which gives up some spellcasting potential for that toughness. You could also look at some of the gish build but an elf base makes mutliclass penalties a bigger possibiltiy.
Mirror Image is hands down the best, followed by invisibility and then displacement. If enemies can't hit you, you don't take damage. Mage armor, naturally, and shield as needed. If you stay away from direct damage and instead do battlefield control, then you can go an entire fight and stay invisible.
Maximize your AC by gold. Don't get bracers of armor +5 or higher until 15+...too much money. Invest in other forms of AC and raise them one by one. Invest in a Mithral buckler for cheap shield ac that doesn't hamper spellcasting.
Get the improved Toughness feat for +1 hp/die.
Choose a subrace of elf that does NOT take a Con penalty.
Get False Life and keep it up at all times. You've the spell slots for it.
Your first ability score booster should be a +con item. Between Imp Tough, False Life and a +2 Con item, you are now at +3/die over your base score, which should be a 14 minimum, and most mages play with a 16 recommended. With +6 Con/die, your average hit points per level aren't going to be too far behind your barbarian buddy. If you start with a 16, and at level 10 have a +4 booster, then at the start of a fight you should have 95 hit points.
Purchase a couple Knowstones for low level spells for you to broaden your defensive repertoire. They are the same price as Pearls of Power and give you a Spell Known of the spell level you select.
If your half-orc buddy is always saving your ass, then BUFF YOUR BUDDY. He ain't gonna complain when you Enlarge Person on him, and his reach of 10' means anyone trying to get past him to you is gonna get pasted. Haste him, slow the enemy, dispel the enemy, block them off with Walls, fly out of range.
Direct damage should not be something you worry about. Throw Summoned Monsters into the mix to distract the enemy from you, and to give your buddy a flanker. Damage to your celestial boars is damage neither you nor your buddy have to take. And Summoning a monster doesn't break invisibility!
==Aelryinth
Slight misunderstanding; last time is when I played with a half-orc barb and was constantly getting my ass kicked. This time I'll be playing with an Aasimar fighter and a Tiefling warlock.
But i realise last time I didn't play very smart. I was concentrating on trying to do as much damage as possible with the idea of killing or maiming things before they got too close. As you can tell from my attitude, this didn't work so well. With an extra team mate (aka an extra distraction), and some smarter levelling I think the sorcerer is a very powerful option. I'll concentrate more on trickery, deception and buffing rather than damage, and I think I'll be a very valuable member of the team.
But I just can't resist getting Draconic Bloodline as my starting feat to leave the door open for later on down the track growing some bad-ass scales and wings.... Aaaaand the whole breathing fire/ice/acid thing! Haha