[PF/3.5] *Battle* Battle Sorcerer

[sol_kanar]

Hey!

For the next small campaign (level 5-9, PBS 28, standard starting equipment for PC of 5th level), I was thinking about playing an arcane caster focused on melee fight, but with some tricks outside the battlefield. Another player will use a BardBlade, so I cannot go that way; and I already played a Duskblade.

So, I am going for a PF Sorcerer with the Battle Sorcerer alternate version from Unearthed Arcana (Bab 3/4, HD d8, competence in a single one-handed martial weapon, cast in light armor), using Arcane Strike to boost to-hit and damage.

I have thus a couple of questions:

a) Would you go that way? Or would you prefer a Warmage? I am not really familiar with Warmages.

b) Which Pathfinder bloodline would you choose to maximize the effectiveness of this arcane melee fighter? Note that this character will end his career at 9th level.

Thanks in advance for your advice! :-)

[deuxhero]

Knowing that your campaign will end before level 10 does significantly increase Battle Sorc and other single class Gishes usefulness over Melee+caster+prc builds.

PF (burn swift action for CL dependent minor boost to damage and bypass magic DR) or 3.5 Arcane Strike (Burn spell slots for bonus damage dice)?

You may want to look at Magus given you are in 3.P (though they require some work assigning 3.5 spells to them). Battle Sorc has more (lots in fact) raw phenomenal cosmic power, but Magus is better at fighting because it has the one ability every gish wants: The ability to cast and attack at the same time.

If you are stuck on a Sorc and the DM isn't going to nerf your bloodline with Battle Sorc uh.. let me check.

Sylvan with Natural Bond (3.5) or Boon Companion (PF) is a fighter as a class feature or a mount.

Orc is OK for melee (Natural armor and fear save boost/immunity, +2 to Strength at level 9) but takes a -1 penalty to attack rolls in sunlight till level 9 (campaign dependent if this is an actual issue)

Razmiran Priest is stupidly cheesy as an archetype, and insane in 3.P (thanks to more divine caster lists to pull from), giving you access to every divine caster's spell list spontaneously with infinite spells known (and really cheep 0-4th level spells known).

[sol_kanar]

Knowing that your campaign will end before level 10 does significantly increase Battle Sorc and other single class Gishes usefulness over Melee+caster+prc builds.

PF (burn swift action for CL dependent minor boost to damage and bypass magic DR) or 3.5 Arcane Strike (Burn spell slots for bonus damage dice)?


3.5 Arcane Strike :-) Battle Sorcerer is one of the few classes able to qualify for the feat at level 6th.



You may want to look at Magus given you are in 3.P (though they require some work assigning 3.5 spells to them). Battle Sorc has more (lots in fact) raw phenomenal cosmic power, but Magus is better at fighting because it has the one ability every gish wants: The ability to cast and attack at the same time.


Thanks! I will take a look at the Magus.



If you are stuck on a Sorc and the DM isn't going to nerf your bloodline with Battle Sorc uh.. let me check.

Sylvan with Natural Bond (3.5) or Boon Companion (PF) is a fighter as a class feature or a mount.


Wow, this combination is actually...impressive! :-O



Orc is OK for melee (Natural armor and fear save boost/immunity, +2 to Strength at level 9) but takes a -1 penalty to attack rolls in sunlight till level 9 (campaign dependent if this is an actual issue)

Razmiran Priest is stupidly cheesy as an archetype, and insane in 3.P (thanks to more divine caster lists to pull from), giving you access to every divine caster's spell list spontaneously with infinite spells known (and really cheep 0-4th level spells known).

I will examine Razmiran Priest. Thanks again! :-)

[doko239]

I'd go with a Crossblooded Draconic/Abyssal Bloodline sorcerer, into Dragon Disciple at level 5. Get a Robe of Arcane Heritage as early as you can afford it; gives +4 effective sorcerer level for purposes of bloodline powers.

This will give you a net boost of +8 Str (+4 inherent, +4 typeless) at 9th level

[Dusk Eclipse]

Wouodn't human sorcerer favoured class bonus spell known help to mitigate the battle sorcerer spells known lost? And having more spells is always good.

[Waker]

I think the Protean bloodline is a fairly decent one for melee. You get some odd defensive/utility spells like Blur and Entropic Shield, a touch of battlefield control in the form of protoplasm and reality wrinkle, shoring up some weaknesses with bonuses on saves against transmutation effects, resistance to acid, while also making all of your transmutation buffs and battlefield controlling conjurations spells that much harder to get rid of.