[PF] Shadow Bloodline Sorcerer: tips for a first-time caster?

[Von Zinzer]

Hello fellow forum-dwellers!

So I'm playing a sorcerer after years of barbarians, scouts, swashbuckers, and rogues. This is also my first PF game after years of 3.5. My DM has strongly recommended the Shadow Bloodline as a thematically appropriate selection, and I've been told the campaign will not be super combat-heavy. It'll apparently be heavy on the nation-building, which is cool!

ANYWAY

I figure I need to be able to do some good in combat, too, and I'd like to take advantage of the Shadow bloodline where possible. I've read Treantmonk's wizard guide and Minstrel's sorcerer guide, so I think I'm in good shape. I was hoping y'all would chime in on specific optimization for Shadow, hopefully maintaining that tangy darkness flavour.

Thanks in advance!

[grarrrg]

I figure I need to be able to do some good in combat, too, and I'd like to take advantage of the Shadow bloodline where possible.

The Umbral (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/sorcerer/archetypes/paizo---sorcerer-archetypes/wildblooded/umbral) Wildblooded option is generally a better option than straight Shadow.

Fetchling (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/featured-races/arg-fetchling) is a very flavor-appropriate choice, they are beings from the Shadow Plane, and have bonuses to Dex and Cha.

Otherwise Human (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/core-races/human) is a great choice, they can get extra spells known through their Favored Class bonus. And the extra Skills can help you fill the Social role in the party.
The Bonus Feat is just gravy.

P.S. quit copying my avatar!!!

[Von Zinzer]

Hey, thanks for the input. I've played around with it a bit, and came up with the following, attempting to balance fluff with optimization:

Mechanically, it looks like this:

Male fetchling (World Walker alternate racial trait [+1 on knowledge local & nature instead of +2 planes] for the fact that I was raised by humans - the fluff fits!)
Sorcerer 1
Shadow bloodline - umbral variant (+1 to caster level when in dim light or darkness instead of bonus on stealth checks when casting)

Stats TBD (by dice roll at 1st session)

Feat
Toughness

Spells
0 - Detect Magic
0 - Prestidigitation
0 - Mending
0 - Penumbra (http://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5lc7e)(If DM will allow it. The link is to a Paizo blog re: Ultimate Magic - it specifies that I can't just take this at level one, I need to discover it somehow. In the case of no Penumbra, I'll take Light or Ghost Sound.)

1 - Colour Spray
1 - Memory Lapse / Silent Image / Magic Missile (I CAN'T DECIDE)

Any thoughts? I know level one is not much to go on, but I'm hoping to build from there based largely on story events and the evolution of the character's magic learning.