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Dusk Eclipse
2010-03-30, 12:11 AM
For my level 10 kobold sorcerer/sandshaper (with full Casting thanks to greater risk of draconic passage, I have selected the following spells and I wouls appreciate the playground's comments.

0-level 9 known
Prestidigitation
Arcane Mark
Read Magic
Ghost Sound
Mage Hand
Caltrops
Launch Bolt
Amanuensis
Message

1st lvl 5 known
Silent Image
Grease
Bening transportation
ray of enfeeblement
Nerveskitter

2nd lvl 4 known
Alter Self
Glitterdust
Wings of cover
Mirror image

3rd lvl spells 3 known
fly
Dispel magic
unknown

4rth level 2 known
Wings of flurry
Polymorph

5th lvl 1 known
Telekinesis

I plan on getting a custom runestaff with some utility spells and I am gonna ask my DM if I can get the Domain Wizard variant as an ACF by trading my familiar.

I also plan to get the raiment of the four (or at least the belt of wide earth and the gloves of stary sky)

So what do you think about my spell selection, I am trying to be as versatile as possible to cover some of the key weaknessess of my party which is a Pyrokinetist, blaster psion, swift hunter dervish and archer ranger.

Thanks in advance

HunterOfJello
2010-03-30, 12:35 AM
Have you checked out the Dragonblood Sorcerer Substitution levels from Races of the Dragon? I think it has one substitution level that's worth taking.



If you're going to try and grab a alternate class feature by giving up your familiar, I would try to go for the one that lets a wizard teleport around as an immediate action. I forgot what it's called.


Scratch that, I confused domain power with domain spells for domain wizards. Go Domain Wizard all the way if you can.

Fizban
2010-03-30, 01:37 AM
You've got some will save save spells (Glitterdust and Telekinesis, kinda), and reflex (the subpar Blast of Sand), but you don't have a decent fort, so pick up Stinking Cloud or somesuch. I'd also get a no-save damage spell like Scorching Ray when you get a chance, and you've already got some no-save spells (Grease, Haboob). Between those and Polymorph that's pretty much all bases covered.

Most importantly, if you were really relying on the Sandshaper list, read up on exactly what the Desert Ally spells do. At first glance they look great, getting an entire free summon monster line, but the template the spell applies removes all of the creature's special attacks. This means that your bugs lose grab and poison, your cats loose pounce, and pretty much the whole list goes down the drain. Don't count on it to shore up any weaknesses in your spell selection.

Dusk Eclipse
2010-03-30, 09:13 AM
I am trying to avoid damage spells because of the composition of my party, they are all damage dealers so I don't want to step on their toes. As I said I want to be a versatile sorcerer.

Also does anyone has a good suggestion for a 3rd level spell? I am really without ideas.

anyway thanks.

ghashxx
2010-03-30, 12:06 PM
3rd level spells you say? Curse of the Putrid Husk out of Book of Vile Deeds is pretty insanely nasty, Will save on single creature or they're unconscious for 1d10 minutes. Yes that's minutes it says. Also explosive runes if there's an archer in the group. Cast it on some of their arrows, then when arrows get broken from hitting a bad guy the spell gets discharged = super owie.

Dusk Eclipse
2010-03-30, 11:04 PM
Is steeldance a good idea? it seems it would be good protective spell, they can threaten space adjacent to me so that if someone tries to get to me they get an AoO to the face...

Fizban
2010-03-31, 06:17 AM
Steeldance just gives you two attacks per round, nowhere near worth being that close to your enemies, and it wouldn't get AoOs either (the spell can't take them and you don't take an AoO for entering a threatened space anyway). For your 3rd level spell, if you want to maximize versatility, you should get a save or lose that targets the fort save. That would give you a save or lose for both will and fort, and your Wings of Flurry and Blast of Sand target reflex (even if they only do damage). You already have good no-save spells with Grease and Haboob. You have plenty of non-combat versatility just in Alter Self and Polymorph, you have defense covered with Mirror Image and Wings of Cover, and even with the Dustform template weakening them your free summon spells can do plenty of other things.

In short, you're pretty versatile, but there are still some things you're missing, so don't waste spells known on things you don't need. The only things you don't have are fort save or lose, and solid no-save damage. I wouldn't worry at all about your party feeling stepped on if you threw out a Scorching Ray every once in a while: they'll be much happier if you deal damage that helps them kill enemies faster than if you don't cast anything because none of your spells are effective against a particular enemy.

3rd level spells I'd recommend: Stinking Cloud, Haste, Ray of Dizziness, Manyjaws, Melf's Unicorn Arrow, Unluck, and Ray of Exhaustion. If you're trying to be a buffer instead of a debuffer, Haste is probably your best bet. Otherwise, Stinking Cloud cuts all your enemies out of the fight on a failed save, or Ray of Dizziness limits one foe to either running or fighting pathetically with no save. Manyjaws gives you a very efficient single target damage spell for when your other spells aren't effective, or Unicorn Arrow does a lot of damage without a save in a shorter amount of time. Unluck is a single target will save or probably fail at everything, and Ray of Exaustion is another no save debuffer.

Looking at your party makeup, I'm not sure what weaknesses you're supposed to be covering for. Aside from not having a healer, which can be worked around with proper magic items, you've got two characters with decent enough skill pools to cover skills, and you haven't taken Knock, so I assume you're not trying to be a skillmonkey. If you're worried about having a meatshield, that's one of the few things your free summon spells can do just fine with the Dustform template, though there aren't many ways for a sorcerer to reduce their casting time.

For maximum versatility, since your DM doesn't have a problem with you having Polymorph, get a runestaff with Leser/Normal/Greater Planar Binding, Magic Circle Against each alignment, and Dimensional Anchor. Maybe tack on a few more spells like Mask of the Ideal, Unluck and Enervation. Now you can call up any outsider to fill a party gap, curse it into oblivion, and easily win the charisma check even with the penalties from not offering to pay it. Or just use Charm Monster on it instead (and put Dismissal on the staff). The Movanic Deva in particular is great for it's Raise Dead SLA. I hear Call Zelekhut is also pretty good at it's level, and it doesn't require any pay except the xp to cast the spell.