[Pathfinder] Joining a new group, what to play?

[Devorum]

I'm joining a new group soon, and trying to make up my mind on a character. They are a small group, with the following roles filled:

Tank (Shielded Fighter)
Striker (Monk)
Heal/? (Cleric/Gunslinger)

I was thinking of filling them out with a controller, but can't decide between Wizard and Sorcerer. Wizards get the bonus of utility, but the Sorc bloodlines are looking awesome, and actually makes it a viable option (I hated sorcs in 3.x). I have no experience with sorcerers, though, so am looking for input on good bloodlines and such. I've read Minstrel's guide, but it doesn't include APG material.

I want to focus on control, summoning, and buffing.

My other plan is to just blow off filling the last role, and making a dapper Half Orc Alchemist named Reginald Danwater Pilkington IV, with his Orcy side coming out while under the effects of his mutagens. Of course, Master Chymist would be the goal.

[LansXero]

Id say go with alchemist; you got a lot of melee types (well, the gunsliger doesnt count, but guns and bombs should go well together, right?) so extracts and potions and buffs should make you popular.

[Duncan_Ruadrik]

I know this isnt what you want to play.... but it does look like your party could use a rogue, and tactically, I find them the most fun to play.

[subject42]

Pathfinder Sorcerers are an absolute blast to play.

I'm rather partial to the Aberrant bloodline, but the best bloodline for summoning/buffing would probably be Abyssal for the bloodline arcana and the 15th level power.

[ProfMoriarty]

...
I want to focus on control, summoning, and buffing.
...

I would recommend a Summoner. A charisma-based caster with a smaller number of spells but you can get some spells earlier than a wizard such as Haste and Slow as a second level spell (At level 4), Displacement, Black Tentacles, and Dimension Door as 3rd level spells. I highly recommend wands and Use Magic Device, as a charisma-based caster this should be quite an easy skill to raise.

The main feature of the summoner is the eidolon, you can build it in many different ways, or get Augment Summoning and use your Summon Monster as a spell-like ability feature (cannot be used with Eidolen out, can be cast as a standard action, can't have 2 of these spells active at a time) useable 3+Charisma Modifier times per day. The summon monster spells last for a minute per level and also follow the faster wizard progression, Summon Monster II at level 3, III at 5 and so on.

One option since your party lacks a rogue, as pointed out by Duncan_Ruadrik, is to have the Eidolon be your skill-monkey, which works well since you can choose any 4 skills as class skills and more importantly can gain a +8 racial bonus to skills using a single evolution point (Disable Device, Diplomacy, Perception, Stealth, Use Magic Device) and summon him as many times a day as you want. He is also fairly expendable since when he dies he comes right back with half health, although you can't summon him for the rest of the day due to death.

[Devorum]

I considered a rogue, but I played one in my last game and am a little burnt out. After reading Moriarty's comment, it's now between an alchemist and a Summoner.

Thanks for the input, it helped a lot.

[Metahuman1]

Go Wizard if you want to be the "I have a wand of that spell" MaGuffin. Which is fun once you get a few spell level's under your belt.

Sorcerer on the other hand, take Grease and Color Spray if starting low level. If not, take Enlarge person in place of Color Spray, and take charm person and Shield In addition to Grease and Enlarge person. Far as the bloodlines go, none of them is really bad. And with a High Cha and Decent Con and Dex, it's fun as all get out too play.

Second lvl spells should go Invisibility (Need to keep yourself alive first.) then Glitter Dust and Eagles speldor (Gives you a few extra spells to use during the encounter by boosting the Cha stat and by extension it let's you use the bonus spells per day allotted too your now higher Cha score till the spell wears off. It can be traded later when it's no longer Relevant.)

[Swooper]

Eagles speldor (Gives you a few extra spells to use during the encounter by boosting the Cha stat and by extension it let's you use the bonus spells per day allotted too your now higher Cha score till the spell wears off. It can be traded later when it's no longer Relevant.)
Doesn't work like that. Eagle's Splendor specifically doesn't give you bonus spells.

[Acanous]

Play a Druid.
You can summon, buff, and control. All very easilly.

[Devorum]

Play a Druid.
You can summon, buff, and control. All very easilly.

Considered it. The party is slightly evil, though, and I'm not sure how to pull off "evil hippy".

[Acanous]

Eh, Neutral Evil is pretty easy to play. Set yourself a goal for something that benefits you, and dispose of anyone who'se in your way.

For philosophic purposes, be a darwinist, not a Hippie :p