[3.5] Src 8 to compliment Beg 8 and Drd 9

[Thurbane]

Hey all,

Hypothetical question - what spell selection would you chose for a level 8 Sorcerer, to compliment a party in which the other 2 casters are a Beguiler 8 and Druid 9? Other party members are a Monk 9 and Fighter 9.

Spells can be from PHB, PHBII and SC...

8x0, 5x1, 3x2, 2x3, 1x4

[Frosty]

Hey all,

Hypothetical question - what spell selection would you chose for a level 8 Sorcerer, to compliment a party in which the other 2 casters are a Beguiler 8 and Druid 9? Other party members are a Monk 9 and Fighter 9.

Spells can be from PHB, PHBII and SC...

8x0, 5x1, 3x2, 2x3, 1x4

Probably buff spells that the Beguiler does not have so that you can make the Fighter and the Monk (especially the monk) feel not useless. Heroism and later Greater Heroism is very nice. Haste is taken care of by the Beguiler. Enlarge Person and its Greater version from the Spell Compendium (when you get level 5 spells) is terrific because the Fighter always wants to threaten morespaces, and Monk damage increases decently with size increases. I remember there is a spell called Heroics from SpC that can grant someone a fighter bonus feat. That can always help improve the capabilities of the fighter and monk both. Greater Magic Weapon can increase the effect magical bonuses of the weapon of the Fighter. The Druid can use Greater Magic Fang to help out the Monk

Really, anything that increases the attack capabilities or attack stats of the monk and fighter will be good.

[Flickerdart]

Yeah, focus on buffing and you'll be fine. Do grab some damage spells along the way just in case - Scorching Ray should do the trick. Consider getting some Battlefield Control as well, something to bring aerial foes down so that the melee guys can beat on them. Solid Fog can make things like Dragons stall and crash, so grab that one.

[Frosty]

Yeah, focus on buffing and you'll be fine. Do grab some damage spells along the way just in case - Scorching Ray should do the trick. Consider getting some Battlefield Control as well, something to bring aerial foes down so that the melee guys can beat on them. Solid Fog can make things like Dragons stall and crash, so grab that one.

The Beguiler already has Solid Fog covered. Get Evard's Black Tentacles if anything.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Sorcerer 8 gets 8/5/3/2/1 spells known, I'd go as follows:
0:
Prestidigitation
Mending
Message
Mage Hand
Arcane Mark
Acid Splash
Light
Read Magic

1st:
Mage Armor (you, Monk, Druid, animal companion, maybe familiar)
Magic Missile
Benign Transposition (infinitely useful, get Improved Familiar for a Blink Dog)
Nerveskitter
Protection From Evil (yes, it's that good)
other options: Summon Monster I, Summon Undead I, Wall of Smoke

2nd:
Web
Ray of Stupidity (opponents at Int 0 are in a coma/disabled)
Bull's Strength or Animalistic Power (Fighter, Monk, maybe animal companion, Druid, familiar)
other options: Alter Self, Rope Trick

3rd:
Dispel Magic (take Greater at level 12 and switch this out)
Ray of Dizziness
other options: Icelance

4th:
POLYMORPH, turn the Monk into something that's not useless (Annis Hag, then Cave Troll, then War Troll)! Turn your Familiar into a powerful combatant, even! It may be too good, in which case I'd get Black Tentacles, Enervation, or Summon Monster/Undead IV.

[Thurbane]

Cool list Biff. Good advice from Frosty & Flicker, also. Anyone else got some more thoughts?

[dspeyer]

Don't bother with anything that grants a will save -- if your enemy was going to fail a will save, the beguiler would have taken care of it.

Do pick up all the most useful utility spells (e.g. grease, web, fly).

Check the other classes' spell lists, and skip things they have, such as dispel magic.

Take a bunch of area-effect spells -- neither of them gets many.

Take the most powerful fort-save-or-suck you can cast. When a more powerful one comes along, swap it out for a utility spell. Repeat.

Decide if buffing is what you want to specialize in. If so, there are a lot of options open to you that the others can't take. If not, drop it.

[Draz74]

If you want something offensive that the others can't duplicate, I recommend Enervation. The Beguiler will be very grateful for your lowering opponents' saves.

[Thurbane]

Focus of the campaign is heavily dungeoneering, if that helps with selections...

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

For a lot of dungeoneering, it won't hurt to have some good close-range AoEs. Acid Breath and Nauseating Breath are good, since they ignore SR. Fireburst could also be a good choice, especially if you pick up Sculpt Spell.

The 1 minute/level buffs are probably better in a dungeon crawl situation, as long as you're moving fairly quickly. Bull's Strength or Animalistic Power and Polymorph are definitely good to have. Maybe pick up Shield or Nightshield, but keep in mind you can use a (magical) Mithril Buckler unhindered. Consider getting a (few) Lesser Rod of Extend, and be sure to take Rope Trick for the extra long crawls.

[ericgrau]

Most stat buffs help but aren't that uber. Other buffs like haste are uber, but that's already covered. I'd certainly get them, since sorcs have plenty of spell slots to use on them, but it shouldn't be your main shtick. See how good the other casters are at control, blasting, etc. and find a hole to fill. Another minor thing is there's also a lot of good arcane utility spells that they might not have, which you can get on cheap scrolls without hampering your spell list.

[Frosty]

Fly might also be a good idea. I don't think anyone else has that in your party. Between Entangle, Solid Fog, and Slow, I think the rest of your party probably has decent Battlefield Control already. I guess Enervation really is the way to go here.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

If you want something offensive that the others can't duplicate, I recommend Enervation. The Beguiler will be very grateful for your lowering opponents' saves.

This.

Go for the Conjuration type spells. Grease, Glitterdust, Web, and Stinking Cloud. Go for the debuffs the Beguiler don't get like Enervation. Grab utility that no one has like Rope Trick.

Don't bother with a) mind-affecting, or b) any buff that the beguiler or druid already has covered. Also, don't bother with the stat spells, they don't last long enough to be an all-day thing, don't stack with items that grant an enhancement bonus, and aren't worth the action in combat to cast.

Let the Beguiler handle the Haste and Slow, let him handle the Charms, Holds, Dominates, Feebleminds, and every other mind-affecting spell in the game. You deal with the Conjuration type spells, Necromancy type spells, and Transmutation type spells.