Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 bulwer Feb 21, 2009 0:42:15	I'm building a level 1 Sorcerer for a PbP game. He's human, with a stat spread of 12/16/16/14/12/16. The game is mostly core, but I can pick spells from the Spell Compendium and grab other things from other books with specific approval. Flaws are good, and I'm going with Frail and Vulnerable. The upshot is, I need a strong (but not necessarily godly) Sorc that's playable from level 1. I've got 4 feat slots. For spells, I picked Prestidigitation, Ghost Sound, Detect Magic, Light, Magic Missile, and Color Spray. If you guys think I picked poorly, I can change that up, of course. I've got 90 gold. Thanks for helping me out with this.
#2 bjorsa Feb 21, 2009 4:14:02	Those are some MAD stats right there! Why not make a Paladin while you have the chance? For advice on spells and arcane stuff, check out the wizard handbook by Treatmonk: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=956548
#3 apokalipsa Feb 21, 2009 7:23:35	Stats: Cha 16, Con 16, Int 16, Dex 14, Str 12, Wis 12 You can swap Dex with Int but skill points are nice. Feats: Draconic Heritage [Crystal] (RoD) - gives you diplomacy as class skill, and dragonblood. Improved Initiative could be nice at first levels, but later you get nerveskitter or Dex boni, or items. So its not must have. You can try with metamagic (sculp, split ray) but it takes time to use it. Spellcasting Prodigy (PGtF) - extra spell(s) Able Learner - is more fun than optimal, however it helps with Sandshaper PrC, and if you Character is social guy it can help a lot. How long would you play (till which level)? Spells: 0: The selection is ok, maybe mage hand is more universal than ghost sound (but ist not important) 1: Lesser Orb of sth ist better than MM, mind that on 2nd level you can collect Scorching Ray. Color Spray lost much on next levels when enemies get more HD. Maybe better take: Grease, Ref is the weak point of most enemies, and you can "hit" several of them even on level 1st. Also if the Rogue is in the team you help him with SA. Silent Image can be use in various way to emulete other effects. (like ilussion of another soldier or wall) EDIT: Sleep works only for less than 4HD, so soon it become useless. Ray of Enfeeblement is nice debuff against single big bad monster. Nerveskitter can be also handy, put the grease on they before their move. Links: Short Sorcerer Handbook The Mailman - sorcerer blaster EDIT: Runestar pointed sth important about prodigy, however 16+2(Prodigy)=18 and 2 first level bonus slot, right? PS: Sorry, im not native, so it could be epic challenge to understand me :-)
#4 runestar Feb 21, 2009 7:56:10	Note that 3.5 spellcasting prodigy no longer grants DC bonus. Also, the feat has its breakpoints. With his cha at 16, the soonest he can benefit from said feat is at lv8. Not really worth it unless you start with raw 18+cha, IMO. For 1st lv spells, I will probably go with sleep and grease. You only get 4 slots, so try to make each spell count. Sleep vs multiple weaker foes, grease vs single stronger enemy. Maybe draconic breath for some offensive blasting power (when you feel that either save-or-die is of limited use).
#5 CantripN Feb 21, 2009 8:34:08	I'd go for Draconic Heritage, as suggested, combined with Draconic Vigor (because free, reliable and practically constant Free Action healing is fun). As for spells - Sleep and Grease are good choices, but I'd take Sleep and Benign Transposition. Your 1d4 Missile doesn't really bother anyone in any case, and Teleportation effects win the game.
#6 keithio Feb 21, 2009 11:10:30	Taking frail and vulnerable as flaws is a good way to get yourself killed. I heavily recommend you choose other ones which will not lower your survivability, such as feeble, inattentive, noncombatant or slow.
#7 bulwer Feb 21, 2009 15:48:32	Okay, I'll take the posts in order. Paladin: Nope. I'm playing one in a 4.0 game, and I'm set on Sorcerer. Feats look worth checking out. Grease might be a good swap for Color Spray, and Mage Hand (or something from SpC. Sonic Snap?) for Ghost Sound. I'll probably get Prodigy anyway: That looks really good for me, to make up for my lack of an 18, and I've got a lot of feat slots at 1st level. Sleep is right out, I think. I'll go with something more consistently useful. Draconic stuff looks fun. Transposition looks fun. Actually, Transposition looks really good. I'll pick up it and a Lesser Orb, and the Grease next level. Flaws: DM says meaningful and character-related. I obliged.
#8 telehax Feb 21, 2009 21:04:29	If you're already taking draconic heritage AND able learner, just change your race to Silverbrow Human (Dragon Magic) and take the Dragonblood Sorc Racial Sub Level (Races of the Dragon). You lose: Skill Points/Level, Familiar You gain: UMD as an effective class skill (due to able learner) and Draconic Heritage as a bonus feat instead. Also +2 disguise and Feather Fall 1/day.
#9 iconoplast Feb 22, 2009 0:38:14	There's a 2-feat combo that's great at first level, and diminishes rapidly in utility from there. Precocious Apprentice (Scorching Ray) [C. Arcane] + Fiery Burst [C. Mage] ... nets you a 1/round 2d6 burst at 30 feet, until you use your 1ce/day 4d6 fiery ray. The Reserve feat scales with level, but becomes les useful once you've got lots of spells to toss around and once direct damage doesn't seem so cool. But Precocious Apprentice will get a lot less cool once you hit level 4, at which point it's +1 2nd level spell and +2 spellcraft. But, for the first three levels of your career, it seems really fun. ----------- Edit: Actually, I think that the PA feat will get you +1 spells known, so maybe it's not that bad...