Sorcadin Build Assistance

[Cranthis]

I am currently building a Draconic Human Sorcadin, level 7. I am following the fairly standard Paladin 2/ Poltergeist Sorcerer 4/ Spellsword 1/ etc etc.
I'm considering changing to battle sorcerer, To make myself abit more tanky.
What I need the most help with is feats.
Build:

32 point buy
12 (14), 12, 14 (16), 10, 8, 18 (23, 2 draconic, +2 item, 1 level up).

Current Feats:
1. Power Attack
Human: Able Learner
Flaw1: Combat Casting
Flaw 2: Extend Spell
3: Practiced Spell caster
6: Persist.

Skills:
Concentration 2
Diplomacy 2
Kn. Arcana 6
Kn. Religion 7
Kn. Planes 7
Sense Motive 5
Spellcraft 1

Familiar: Hummingbird +4 initiative

Gear:
Cloak of Charisma +2
Healing Belt
Artificer's Monocle
Ring of Sustenance
Restful Crystal

Spells known: Mostly abjurations and protectives.
Others include Expiditious retreat, Fists of Stone, and Luminous Armor.
If you need anything else, let me know and I will update it.

[Oscredwin]

Sorcadin's don't get enough metamagic reduction to use persist very well.

Also, battle sorcerer gets you one more BAB and 4 hit points at the cost of a spell known and a spell per day at every spell level. It's not worth it. Just take false life as a second level spell and cast it in the morning, you'll get more HP and an extra 1st spell known and spell per day (and extra 3rd+ as you go up in level).

How did you get your stats? If it's a point buy you should drop your Cha to 16 and your wisdom to 8 and buff your physical stats. You could have 14 str, 14 Dex before racials with that.

Spells known? And what's your weapon?

[Shining Wrath]

I agree with Oscredwin that you may want to dump Wis and put the point elsewhere. I do not agree about reducing Charisma; one does not reduce the primary stat for a caster.

I think you are scanting Concentration on your skill point allocation. If you're going to be casting right in people's faces, you need to make your Con checks. It doesn't make too much sense to me to burn a feat to get +4 to your Con check and then not put points there as well. OTOH, if you're happy with an effective +9 to your Con roll, you could shift point allocation, not take Combat Casting, and have another feat available for, e.g., Improved Initiative, which would make up for that Dex=10. Going last SUCKS for a caster, especially if you're trying to be a battlefield controller.

[Gwendol]

Drop practiced spellcaster: losing two CL isn't such a bad deal unless you were planning on Paladin 4 and taking the battle blessing feat?

[Cranthis]

Sorcadin's don't get enough metamagic reduction to use persist very well.

Also, battle sorcerer gets you one more BAB and 4 hit points at the cost of a spell known and a spell per day at every spell level. It's not worth it. Just take false life as a second level spell and cast it in the morning, you'll get more HP and an extra 1st spell known and spell per day (and extra 3rd+ as you go up in level).

How did you get your stats? If it's a point buy you should drop your Cha to 16 and your wisdom to 8 and buff your physical stats. You could have 14 str, 14 Dex before racials with that.

Spells known? And what's your weapon?

1. I am going to have divine metamagic at a later level, because of Sacred Exorcist.
2.Yeah, thats what I was thinking, but I figured I'd ask anyways.
3. I stated in there, 32 point buy. I have decided not to drop Charisma, but I did drop wisdom and put those points in Dex.
Spells known are mostly all abjurations and protectives


I agree with Oscredwin that you may want to dump Wis and put the point elsewhere. I do not agree about reducing Charisma; one does not reduce the primary stat for a caster.

I think you are scanting Concentration on your skill point allocation. If you're going to be casting right in people's faces, you need to make your Con checks. It doesn't make too much sense to me to burn a feat to get +4 to your Con check and then not put points there as well. OTOH, if you're happy with an effective +9 to your Con roll, you could shift point allocation, not take Combat Casting, and have another feat available for, e.g., Improved Initiative, which would make up for that Dex=10. Going last SUCKS for a caster, especially if you're trying to be a battlefield controller.
1. Agreed, it went to dex.
2. I have re-allocated a bunch to constitution. I had no idea what I was thinking. I was abit tired and was probably focused on my lack of skillpoints, compared to what I had to invest in. However, I need combat casting for Abjurant Champion.


Drop practiced spellcaster: losing two CL isn't such a bad deal unless you were planning on Paladin 4 and taking the battle blessing feat?
I've been on the fence with it. Let's see what others say first.

[Dusk Eclipse]

As per the CDiv errata, divine Metamagic only works on Divine spells.

[Cranthis]

As per the CDiv errata, divine Metamagic only works on Divine spells.

Well dang it. Persist can be put off until later then. Now I have 2 debatable feats up for grabs, Persist and Practised Spellcaster. If anyone has any suggestions, that would be great.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Power attack and/or Combat reflexes are good for almost all melee builds, gishes aren't an exception.

Though ditching the familiar for the Spell Shield ACF fromDungeonscape and then re-obtaining it via feat (with the added benefit of tying it's famikiar abities to CL rather than Sorcerer level) is pretty good too.

[Cranthis]

Power attack and/or Combat reflexes are good for almost all melee builds, gishes aren't an exception.

Though ditching the familiar for the Spell Shield ACF fromDungeonscape and then re-obtaining it via feat (with the added benefit of tying it's famikiar abities to CL rather than Sorcerer level) is pretty good too.

I do have power attack. I don't think I have the dex to make combat reflexes truly worth it. However, I do think the ACF and the familar thing would be good.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I missed power Attack; but Combat Reflexes even at 12 Dex means two AoO per round, which will likely double your Damage output before you get itteratives, also there are cheap items (like braces of opportunity) that will grant you more AoO per round, besides most DM's won't trigger more than one or two AoO any given round, so I think they are more than enough.

Having said that there are other options, Leap Attack is always a classic, or maybe getting Martial Study to get some ToB love in there (though Heroics works just fine for that).

[Cranthis]

I missed power Attack; but Combat Reflexes even at 12 Dex means two AoO per round, which will likely double your Damage output before you get itteratives, also there are cheap items (like braces of opportunity) that will grant you more AoO per round, besides most DM's won't trigger more than one or two AoO any given round, so I think they are more than enough.

Having said that there are other options, Leap Attack is always a classic, or maybe getting Martial Study to get some ToB love in there (though Heroics works just fine for that).

I dont think Leap Attack will work, but I might consider some ToB. Now I gotta scour that book for a maneuver I like.

[Urpriest]

How are you accessing Luminous Armor? Typically Sanctified Spells can only be cast by Prepared Casters. Arcane Preparation will fix that, though, as well as substituting in for your unfilled feat.

[Cranthis]

How are you accessing Luminous Armor? Typically Sanctified Spells can only be cast by Prepared Casters. Arcane Preparation will fix that, though, as well as substituting in for your unfilled feat.

Which doesn't make much sense. But yeah, I'm considering Arcane preparation.

[silverwolfer]

Where is politergist from is that a pathfinder thing?

[Snowbluff]

RE: Battle Sorc. It's really only good for the BaB. IIRC, you actually would get 1 more Ninth in the long-run with B.Src, but Paladin's Cha to saves is typically better.

[Cranthis]

Where is politergist from is that a pathfinder thing?

Dragon Magazine 336.


RE: Battle Sorc. It's really only good for the BaB. IIRC, you actually would get 1 more Ninth in the long-run with B.Src, but Paladin's Cha to saves is typically better.

I was planning on using Paladin and Battle Sorcerer.

[silverwolfer]

In my honest thoughts minus what may not include in your build, if I was going to use battle sorc, I would rather go Duskblade and roll it into sandshaper.

[andromax]

Verstatile Spellcaster couldn't hurt, or combat expertise since you don't have armor.

Maybe try and cram Magic-blooded template on there (0 LA) for another +2 CHA. :smallbiggrin:

Also, make sure you have the Heart Seeking (3/day strike as a touch attack) amulet ,Steadfast boots, and amulet of tears, all from the MiC.. those are cheap very useful items for any melee.

[Gwendol]

+1 for versatile spellcaster: I'd favor that over practiced spellcaster anyday.

[Cranthis]

Verstatile Spellcaster couldn't hurt, or combat expertise since you don't have armor.

Maybe try and cram Magic-blooded template on there (0 LA) for another +2 CHA. :smallbiggrin:

Also, make sure you have the Heart Seeking (3/day strike as a touch attack) amulet ,Steadfast boots, and amulet of tears, all from the MiC.. those are cheap very useful items for any melee.

Where can I find this Magic Blooded?

[Greenish]

Where can I find this Magic Blooded?Dragon #306.

[Cranthis]

Dragon #306.

Thanks Greenish.

[Cranthis]

And now my level Sorcadin has 25 charisma (27 with +2 item).
18 base +2 (Lesser Aasimar) +2 (Draconic) +2 (Magic Blooded) +1 (level up).