3.5e help with sorcerer build

[Borsek]

So, in a current campaign, I rolled a sorcerer, not due to spellcasters OP, but I simply like spellcasters in most games. In any case, so far the dude is lvl 6 with a cluster**** of spells, mostly blaster (not that he blasts much at this level).

Since we will apparently be facing a lot of enemies immune to fire and negative energy - stuff from hell, undead and similar, my original plan of going pyromancer seems kinda stupid at this point in the campaign. Sure, high level abilities of the pyro make it useful even against fire-immune beasts due to hellfire, but it leaves a lot to be desired.

Current party is the most standard party you can imagine - cleric, rogue, warrior and sorcerer, that is, we have the bases covered, but we do not have much in terms of utility, that is, no utility spellcasters. I intend to half-cover that role using various wands and scrolls, and later some equipment with abilities, however, I would still like to be useful in combat.

I've been looking at spells, prestige classes and the like, and the only thing I thought would fit so far is 'master necromancer', mostly for the undeath and save-or-suck spec, rebuke undead and still being able to kick some demonic ass. From a character perspective, it also seemingly fits, or is close enough - the sorcerer in question witnessed the fiery death of his parents at the hands of orcs, and has since grown a murderous fetish for setting buildings, orcs, and especially buildings full of orcs on fire (alignment is NE). There have been a few encounters where his limited amount of spells was practically useless, though, and since he has 13 int he might just be smart enough to figure out specializing in something else would be better for his and the group's future encounters.

That said, I don't want to build a mailman type sorc that outshines every other character in the party forever, while not wanting to be the guy helplessly running around like a b****. The cleric is already dabbling in summons, and I don't want to jump into his field - that is, I'm inclined towards evocation, abjuration and the like, not so much illusion/divination, and have no problems with using BoVD style evil spells (and would actually like some recommendations as to what spells would fit an evil and cruel sorc with a hard-on for insulting, and at some point possibly taking out the Orcish deities).

So, after reading all that: What's a good PrC to take in this case? What spells would you recommend especially, whether in combination with that PrC or as a simple sorcerer? Is simply avoiding PrC and staying with sorc, maybe dabbling in rogue for a lvl or two a good idea?

Note: I'm not asking this due to not being able to search for various extremely OP builds, I'm looking for something at least partially balanced that fits my character, and after reading through a few supplementals, I'm at a loss.

[sideswipe]

a very classic way to make sorcerer better without becoming a mailman blaster type it to get a custom runestaff and make it your ancestral weapon i believe. or was it ancestral relic. i have never played it so unsure of true details.

either way, essentially you can add spells to it as if they were spells known and can cast them a few times a day. and every level up you can change them.
so you have your spells known and then also the few other spells in your custom runestaff.

i would take incanatrix anyway, or some other metamagic cost reduction and cast empowered on your spells, or quicken for a level or two, something along those lines, just to actually make you useful as a blaster, a fireball and quickened fireball is still good even without anything else in low-mid op.

either way you need a way of expanding your spells known, your available spells known (like runestaff) or pick spells very well and customise them as much as you can. its the way of the sorcerer.

[Blackhawk748]

So, after reading all that: What's a good PrC to take in this case? What spells would you recommend especially, whether in combination with that PrC or as a simple sorcerer? Is simply avoiding PrC and staying with sorc, maybe dabbling in rogue for a lvl or two a good idea?

Number 1: Escalation Mage, its from Eberron (i forget the book) Its a PrC that gives you Escalations (wow, i know right? :smallwink:) which are effectively Metamagic Feats, except you dont use a higher spell slot, you risk HP. Basically you roll a check (CL i believe) and if you muck it up you lose some HP, thankfully you get D8s.
Also grab Searing Spell ASAP, you will be a much happier pyromaniac for it.

Number two: Wings of Flurry are epic, as are Wings of Cover, Scorching Ray, Glitterdust, Darkway (seriously) and Legion of Sentinels. Wings of flurry is a nasty AoE and Wings of Cover, well gives you cover, but makes a single target attack auto miss. Scorching Ray and Glitterdust are standard includes, Scorching Ray is just awesome and Glitterdust is an amazing BC spell.
Darkway is an odd spell. You can make a bridge with a weight limit, anything over that limit falls through, so you carry some lead around in a Bag of holding and when you use the Darkway to escape you dump it onto the bridge, now anything will fall through. It also has a few weird interactions, such as creatures with SR may fall through it as they "resist" it. Also it makes a fairly decent improv wall.
Legion of Sentinels, its in PHB2 and you make a bunch of sentinels in a radius (i forget the exacts) anything that moves through them provokes AoO from all that threaten. That includes the ones in the space above them. Its a great BC spell especially when mixed with Fell Drain.

Number 3: Please, never go straight Sorc, you wil regret it as you have no Class features. If you wish to dabble in Rogue there are several ways to do it, Unseen Seer, Daggerspell Mage, and Arcane Trickster. Unseen Seer is the more caster-y one and Daggerspell mage is designed for more of "magical rogues" Arcane Trickster is just a bit odd as its basically a magical pick pocket with some other fun stuff.

[Borsek]

informative stuff

Escalation Mage sounds damn fine, actually. Already intend to get Wings of Cover and Wings of flurry, Have Scorching ray and touch of idiocy, getting glitterdust. The only reason I would dabble in rogue is to get some extra skillpoints for hide and move silently, just in case I need to sneak up on someone and touch them to make them idiots, on the other hand, it might be a lot wiser to just get some invisibility/non-detection gear and ghost sound. I also plan on getting equipment to improve my chances with rays, as well as some feats (gloves of dexterity, weapon focus rays for starters). Also YES, SEARING SPELL, totally forgot about that feat >.<


As for incantator... I simply don't know what to give up, I suppose I could go to lvl 11 with Escalation mage, get true seeing and then kill off divination, but dropping evocation as a blaster seems counter-intuitive. Due to the evil theme necromancy is a no-go and enchantment is way too good to drop (I intend to go for mind rape for RP reasons). AFAIK Illusion is pretty useless at higher levels as well, due to immunities and such?

[Blackhawk748]

Instead of WF Ray, look into Shape Soulmeld as there are a bunch of useful Soulmelds. (Trust me youll find something worth shaping) Also look into taking Reach spell as it increases your range for touch spells, or use your Familiar. This works particularly well if your Familiar is a bat and you just cast darkness.

[nedz]

You could go for a Ray-Sorcerer

Halfling Rogue 1 (with the ACF which gives you +1d6 sneak on ranged and -1d6 sneak on melee) / Sorcerer 5 / Spellwarp Sniper 5

Would give you some interesting options where you can turn your AOEs into Rays giving you two spells known for the price of one. The best rays are not the ones which do damage though; however there are some nice combos. You also have some spells known free for utility.

Another option is to focus on Conjuration, though not for the summon monster line. Plenty of Blasting / Orb and transport options.

Your mention of Necromancy forces me to ask if you have considered Dread Necromancer. Arcane Disciple is an obvious way of increasing spells known for these, it's not quite so useful for Sorcerers unfortunately.

[Borsek]

You could go for a Ray-Sorcerer

Halfling Rogue 1 (with the ACF which gives you +1d6 sneak on ranged and -1d6 sneak on melee) / Sorcerer 5 / Spellwarp Sniper 5

Would give you some interesting options where you can turn your AOEs into Rays giving you two spells known for the price of one. The best rays are not the ones which do damage though; however there are some nice combos. You also have some spells known free for utility.

Another option is to focus on Conjuration, though not for the summon monster line. Plenty of Blasting / Orb and transport options.

Your mention of Necromancy forces me to ask if you have considered Dread Necromancer. Arcane Disciple is an obvious way of increasing spells known for these, it's not quite so useful for Sorcerers unfortunately.

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Master_Necromancer_(3.5e_Prestige_Class)

I was going to ask the DM's opinion on this, as it seems esentially the same as a dread necromancer, lacks the phylactery/lichdom at the end. Since the character is already in a campaign going dread necro now would probably gimp me for quite a few levels. The sorcerer is human though. But in the end, the dread necro looks more like a tanky necro mage, and we have quite enough AC monkeys in the group (not that AC is bad).

I was also looking at orb of force for late-game monsters immune to everything, as well as some utility, however, if I specialize too much we'll end up with no utility casters (inb4 take leadership and an apprentice wizard).

[Forrestfire]

Depending on where your campaign is taking place, City Magic might be even better than Searing Spell. City Magic is a +0 metamagic that can only be used while inside any town/village/settlement bigger than a Small Town in population, and substitutes half the damage with City damage, which is not resisted or immune to by anything I know of. So if you're playing a urban campaign, or constantly delving into large kobold warrens, or the like, then it does the 50% damage against immune creatures better than Searing.

Not so useful otherwise, though.

[sideswipe]

As for incantator... I simply don't know what to give up, I suppose I could go to lvl 11 with Escalation mage, get true seeing and then kill off divination, but dropping evocation as a blaster seems counter-intuitive. Due to the evil theme necromancy is a no-go and enchantment is way too good to drop (I intend to go for mind rape for RP reasons). AFAIK Illusion is pretty useless at higher levels as well, due to immunities and such?

well for the incanatrix banned school you cannot give up divination, the problem giving up illusion might be no invisibility spells, but as long as you have some sort of passive item that gets the desired effect you are fine. since evocation, enchantment and necromancy are ones you want and you cannot drop divination then i would drop illusion.