Sorcerer guide (I tried a search already)

[realbombchu]

Is there a good sorcerer guide or handbook for D&D v.3.5 that any of you can recommend? I have no idea how to play or build one well, because I usually play rangers or rogues. Any help would be great and links are welcome. In particular, I'm looking for familiar (the magical beast, I mean) tricks, feat suggestions, skill suggestions, strategies, and even spell and prestige class suggestions. Basically, the more complete, the better. Thanks!

[Doc Roc]

There are two.... not sure if mine survived the gleemaxing...

Here (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872258/Sorcerers_Guide._Your_help_wanted.)'s the one I did with a number of other COers. It's not TOO broken to read. Some material in there is a little off. Just ask if you have questions.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

This is the only one that survived Gleemax (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2180.0)

[lsfreak]

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2180.0

The biggest familiar trick is getting rid of it for the ability to use metamagic 3+Int times per day. If you're starting out at higher levels, you keep the familiar and grab Imbue Familiar with Spell Ability to help you break the action economy. But that does cost one of your precious spells known.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

I like to trade the familiar for something, get it back with a feat, then take Improved Familiar for an Imp.

[realbombchu]

Thanks everyone! This is all going to take a while to read, but I'll be sure to ask if I have any questions. If anyone else thinks of something, feel free to post it! You're all so awesome!

[Doc Roc]

Okay, cleaned up the old sorcerer's guide a little. Would anyone be interested in porting that sucker over to here?

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I like to trade the familiar for something, get it back with a feat, then take Improved Familiar for an Imp.

Kinda feat intensive for a Sorcerer...

I'd rather trade the familiar for something useful, and not bother with the imp.

[Chaelos]

http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19871358/Short_Sorcerer_Handbook

I always liked this one.

[lsfreak]

Kinda feat intensive for a Sorcerer...

I'd rather trade the familiar for something useful, and not bother with the imp.

The use of an imp is that it can activate items. Throw some ranks in UMD (not a bad idea anyways) and your imp's all set to start chucking around 1d4 negative levels a round with his wand of enervation. Plus the flight (scouting), invisibility (more scouting), and shapeshifting (so the paladin stays ignorant).

Still, I'm loathe to spend 2 feats and only get 3+Int metamagic a day when I could have spend 2 feats and gotten unlimited metamagic a day. Keep the familiar from level one, grab Improved Familiar at level 3/6, delay actually binding a familiar until you can get the imp, and then grab Rapid Metamagic at 9th level. While it hurts to lose stuff like Split Ray Ray of Clumsiness starting at 6th level, I like metamagicking too much to be limited by the ACF version.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Rapid Metamagic is much better than the ACF from PhB II, but there are other ACF's around.

However, Rapid Metamagic is only as good as your other Metamagic Feats. If you're going to do a Tactical Sorcerer, you'll need some very versitile metamagic feats to apply to them, and hopefully some way of reducing spell level adjustment.

Also, Greater Shadow Evocation is a must-have at 16th level. It is the following spells: Contingency, Forcecage (without material component), and every other useful Evocation spell in the game.

The Shadow Conjuration line, however, is less useful than it appears to be, because most of your favorite Conjuration spells ignore SR, which you loose.

And always remember the golden rule of spell list generation: Never choose, as a spell known, that which you do not expect to use on a daily basis and the corollary Thou shalt not choose, as a spell known, that which has a costly material component, save when you shall receive compensation for said expense.

In general, if you are going to use it occasionally, but not every day, then Wand or Scroll it. Classic example: Knock. Wand that puppy, sure, but *NEVER* memorize it. Grease *can* fall into this category, as it doesn't loose versatility by being wanded.