Sorcerer spell list?

[Alikat]

Sandbox campaign, no other players at the table know the meaning of the word optimization. I don’t know what they’ll be playing yet, but it’s usually some combination of a bard and paladin/fighter/rogue/ranger type melee classes.

Looking for a buffer/battle field controller spell list for playing from level 1 to 12 or so. Maybe one damage spell per spell level(flexible). The rest utility and things I can use to go “*claps and cheers* yay you did the thing!” without them overtly realizing how hard I’m carrying them through some fights.

Can some one help me out? I don’t normally play pure casters, played a melee favored soul once but the campaign ended at like lvl 8. I often go like core only fighter or something to stay at the rest of the groups level. Lets say core + spell compendium as sources to keep it simple.

Most important part, not just after ideas for a sorc spell list at lvl 12, also looking for what I should get at each lvl from 1-12 to keep it playable at every part of the campaign, keeping in mind even level swaps and such. So like level one would be color spray + magic missile, etc.

Thanks in advance for your help guys!~

[Rolero]

I have a complete build at hand, it is not exactly what you are asking but can give you a good start:

Race: Half Elf

Alignement: Chaotic Good You can change this to whatever you like

Racial Traits: Elven immunities, Adatability, Keen senses, Low-Light Vision, Elf blood, Arcane Training

Character Traits: Missing Sibling, Focused mind An extra +2 to concentration checks and Diplomacy and Sense motive as class skills

Class: Sorcerer (Fey bloodline)

STR 7 DEX 12 CON 14 INT 14 WIS 10 CHA 20 (+2 CHA) This is 25 point buy build, if less points are provided, give priority to CHA and max it if you can and CON should be next. This build is planed to act as party face, that is why I buffed INT, to grab extra skills points, but should another character take care of that, you can ditch it.

Skills: Perception, Diplomacy, Bluff, Sense motive
Knowledge (Arcane), Knowledge (Nature), Spellcraft, Use magic device
This set of skills focus on the first 4 ones, depending what social aproach you may like and putting some point to the others whenever you see fit.

Languages: Common, Elven, Sylvan, Draconic Again, just suggestions, but for theming, you should keep Sylvan.


Progresion:

1 - Bloodline Arcana, Bloodline power (Laughing Touch), Cantrips, Eschew materials
Spell focus (Enchantment), Skill focus (Knowledge: Arcane)
*Favored class bonus (+1 Skill point)
With the bonuses granted to enchantment, Daze and Color spray are your best buddies on your first levels, and you begin the feat tree to grab the Eldritch goodies.

2 - *Favored class bonus (+1 Skill point)

3 - Woodland Stride, Blood line spell (Entangle), Eldritch Heritage (Arcane),
Arcane bond: Familiar (Hare)
*Favored class bonus (+1 Skill point)
Generally, people choose the Green sting scorpion as their familiar, but a Hare provides the same bonus (+4 Iniciative) and I didn't want to go mainstream...

4 - +1 CHA
*Favored class bonus (+1 1st level spell known)

5 - Blood line spell (Hideous laughter), Greater spell focus (Enchantment)
*Favored class bonus (+1 1st level spell known)
Just perfecting your chances with your enchantments here.

6 - *Favored class bonus (+1 2nd level spell known)

7 - Bloodline spell (Deep slumber), Bloodline feat (Improved iniciative), Elven spirit
*Favored class bonus (+1 2nd level spell known)
The Elven feat grants the Elf trait of +2 to spell penetrations, the bane of any caster in later levels

8 - +1 CHA
*Favored class bonus (+1 3rd level spell known)

9 - Bloodline spell (Poison), Bloodline power (Fleeting Glance), Spell penetration
*Favored class bonus (+1 3rd level spell known)
What I said above, also, you can get invisible at a spell like ability. Cool.

10 - *Favored class bonus (+1 4th level spell known)

11 - Bloodline spell (Tree stride), Persistent spell
*Favored class bonus (+1 4th level spell known)
This is a great metamagic when you really want a spell to succeded. Totally wort the cost.

12 - +1 CHA
*Favored class bonus (+1 5th level spell known)

13 - Bloodline spell (Mislead), Bloodline feat (Quicken spell),
Improved Eldritch Heritage (Metamagic Adept)
*Favored class bonus (+1 5th level spell known)
Now we have a solid improvement in action economy

14 - *Favored class bonus (+1 6th level spell known)

15 - Bloodline spell (Phase door), Bloodline power (Fey Magic), Dazing Spell
*Favored class bonus (+1 6th level spell known)
This is your stun option against big monsters with poor reflex saves. A dazing fireball is the solution. An now SR should be autopassed almost always (we get a +6 to the check and can roll two times thanks to fey magic.

16 - +1 CHA
*Favored class bonus (+1 7th level spell known)

17 - Bloodline spell (Irresistible dance),
Greater Eldritch Heritage (School Power: Enchantment)
*Favored class bonus (+1 7th level spell known)
An another extra buff to your enchantments, totalling a +6 to DC, not bad

18 - *Favored class bonus (+1 8th level spell known)

19 - Bloodline spell (Shapechange), Bloodline feat (Lightning Reflexes)
Greater spell penetration
*Favored class bonus (+1 8th level spell known)
By this level anyone and their mother has high SR, any extra help is welcomed, even with the previous bonuses into acount.

20 - Bloodline power (Soul of the Fey), +1 CHA
*Favored class bonus (+1 8th level spell known)
The capstone is not really that impresive.


Spells know:

0th Level: Daze, Light, Detec magic, Message, Read magic, Dancing lights,
Mage hand, Arcane mark, Acid splash

1st Level: Charm person, Color spray, Magic missile, Feather fall, Shield
Entangle (BL), Grease*, Anticipate Peril*

2nd Level: Create pit, Glitterdust, Resist energy, Mirror image, Invisibility
Hideous laughter (BL), See invisibility*, False life*

3rd Level: Hold person, Suggestion, Fly, Haste
Deep slumber (BL) Fireball*, Dispel magic*

4th Level: Dimension door, Charm Monster, Confusion, Black Tentacles,
Poison (BL), Protection from Energy Communal*, Wall of fire*

5th Level: Hold monster, Feeblemind, Break Enchantment, Dominate person,
Tree stride (BL), Cone of cold*, Wall of force*

6th Level: Chains of light, Disintegrate, Chain Lightning,
Mislead (BL), True seeing*, Heroism Greater*

7th Level: Teleport greater, Waves of Ecstasy, Plane shift,
Phase door (BL), Control Weather*, Hungry Darkness*

8th Level: Prying Eyes Greater, Horrid Wilting, Demand, Irresistible dance (BL)
Powerful word Stun*, Mind blank*, Telekinetic Sphere*

9th Level: Hold Monster Mass, Dominate monster, Mage's Disjunction, Shapechange (BL)

About the spell list:

Although this is a specialist caster, his spells know give him a good variety of options, including battlefield control (Entangle, Grease, Create Pit, Glitterdust, Deep slumber, Black tentacles, Confusion, Wall of fire...) As well as some protections and buffs (Feather fall, Resist energy, Haste, Protection from energy communal...) and other utility spells and even blasting options in all levels.
Thanks to the human favored class bonus, we can get some extra spells to have an all around list of magic tricks.

Since you are going to go from 1 to 12, you will have make your choices about what to pick from the list at each level. If you go with this build, try to get an enchantment spell each level as soon as they are available because of all the bonuses you have with them.

With this build at first level, your best attack is the 0h level Daze, you can disable an enemy each turn (with a Will DC of 18), and Color spray when things get too personal.
Some noteworthy spells in the mid levels are Deep Slumber, Confusion and Black tentacles. If you manage to reach higher levels, then the build comes completly online with the domination spells and some powerful arcane tricks.

In any case, I don't want to overanalize this, and you should customize it as you see fit. If you are not that into enchantment, the Arcane Bloodline is always a solid option, or, you can take the wild fey bloodline, sylvan, which grants you an animal companion.

As I said, it is all up to you now.

[Blackhawk748]

Sandshaper. This literally doubles your spell list, and most of the spells are quite nice, it contains the Animal Stat spells, as well several nice battlefield control spells.

Also Glitterdust, they will probably hug you, oh and Haste.

[Battleship789]

Since you mentioned the Spell Compendium, I'm going to assume 3.5 (though most of the spells also work in PF). Unless noted, a spell is taken when first available (1st level spells at 1st level, 2nd level spells at 4th level, etc.)

Sample Spell List:

0 - Read Magic, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Light, Amanuensis (2nd), Mage Hand (4th), Sonic Snap (6th), Ghost Sound (8th), Launch Item? (10th, I was having a hard time thinking of a better idea than this...)

1 - Color Spray/Sleep, Nerveskitter, Mage Armor (3rd), Grease (Trade out Color Spray/Sleep at 4th), Backbiter (5th), Hail of Stone/Magic Missile/Lesser Orb of X (7th)

2 - Web/Glitterdust, Alter Self (5th), Mirror Image (7th), Scorching Ray (9th), Invisibility (11th)

3 - Haste, Fly (7th), Great Thunderclap (9th), Chain Missile (11th)

4 - Black Tentacles/Solid Fog, Dimension Door/Ruin Delver's Fortune (9th), Polymorph/Orb of X (11th)

5 - Teleport, Wall of Stone/Magic Jar (11th)

6 - Disintegrate

Overall, a pretty good mix between utility, damage, debuffing, and battlefield control, though you will be plinking away with a crossbow after the first 1-2 rounds for most of levels 1-5 (though, that is the life of a low level caster...)

On some the spells separated by a "/":

Sleep/Color Spray - Sleep has better range and area, but has a limited number of HD that can be hit in the area. Color Spray is short ranged, but it will hit everything in the area. It's best to get both: you pick one and the bard picks the other.

Hail of Stone/Magic Missile/Lesser Orb of X - HoS does the least damage, but always hits and does not give a save or care about SR. MM does slightly more but SR applies, and the Orbs do the most damage but require a ranged touch attack (no SR or save, though.)

Web/Glitterdust - Web is an extremely strong BFC effect, but blindness is a nasty condition and the illumination of invisible/concealed creatures is a pretty nice bonus.

Black Tentacles/Solid Fog - Grappling/Reduced Movement/Damage vs 5-ft Movement/Vision Restriction

I really wanted to take Dispel Magic at some point...but Haste and Fly are so important that they can't be removed, Great Thunderclap is one of the best debuff spells printed, and taking Dispel Magic after 10th level seems like a bit of a waste...

There are some spells that you will want to scroll/wand/have the bard/divine caster use like the aforementioned Dispel Magic, Rope Trick, and the Enhancement Bonus spells (Greater Magic Weapon, and Magic Vestments.)

You can also get ideas from this handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2180.0), which covers most of the core options available to a sorcerer. (It is also rather humorous. :smallbiggrin: )

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

This is more spells than you'll get, so pick what you think will be the most useful. Note that you can get Magic Missile, Fireball, Freedom of Movement, and Teleport from the Raiment of the Four set in MIC. You should also consider using the Ancestral Relic Runestaff (www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?267805-Sorcerer-Handbook#4) trick, but that may be a bit too high-op for your group.

Damage spells:
1st: Power Word: Pain in Races of the Dragon is second to none, otherwise Ray of Flame, in either case swap it to Magic Missile later.
2nd: You want both Web and Glitterdust asap, you don't get a third 2nd level spell until you have 3rd level spells, and you don't want multiple fire spells and your only decent choice is Scorching Ray, so just skip it. Ray of Stupidity can count as your damage spell at this level, it automatically disables animals and then some. If you must have a hp damage spell at each level, Ray of Ice.
3rd: Fireball, no questions.
4th: Wings of Flurry in Races of the Dragon is second to none, otherwise Enervation or Orb of Acid.
5th: Arc of Lightning or Cone of Cold, depending on which damage type you think would be more useful.
6th: Disintegrate, no questions.

Other combat spells:
1st: Color Spray, Wall of Smoke, and Grease are your spells that attack every type of saving throw.
2nd: Web, Glitterdust, and Ray of Stupidity. Command Undead if there are a lot of mindless undead, but that can easily be on a wand.
3rd: Stinking Cloud plus your 2nd level spells attack every type of saving throw. Dispel Magic is a must have, and Haste is good if you have a lot of nonspellcasters.
4th: Solid Fog or Black Tentacles, Wall of Sand, and get Polymorph if you have a particularly weak nonspellcaster in the party.
5th: Wall of Force or Wall of Good, Cloudkill, maybe Summon Monster V or Summon Undead V and swap it out later.
6th: Freezing Fog, Summon Monster VI or Summon Undead VI.

Noncombat/utility spells:
1st: Benign Transposition, Shield, Mage Armor
2nd: Alter Self, Rope Trick
3rd: Shrink Item, Magic Circle against Evil
4th: Dimension Door, Mass Resist Energy
5th: Teleport

[Lerondiel]

Sandbox campaign, no other players at the table know the meaning of the word optimization. I don’t know what they’ll be playing yet, but it’s usually some combination of a bard and paladin/fighter/rogue/ranger type melee classes.

Looking for a buffer/battle field controller spell list for playing from level 1 to 12 or so. Maybe one damage spell per spell level(flexible). The rest utility and things I can use to go “*claps and cheers* yay you did the thing!” without them overtly realizing how hard I’m carrying them through some fights.

Can some one help me out? I don’t normally play pure casters, played a melee favored soul once but the campaign ended at like lvl 8. I often go like core only fighter or something to stay at the rest of the groups level. Lets say core + spell compendium as sources to keep it simple.

Most important part, not just after ideas for a sorc spell list at lvl 12, also looking for what I should get at each lvl from 1-12 to keep it playable at every part of the campaign, keeping in mind even level swaps and such. So like level one would be color spray + magic missile, etc.

Thanks in advance for your help guys!~



Quick comment: You're saying the rest of the party is bard or hack & slash?...no rogue, wizard or cleric? If so here's something the party could really use without your first full caster being too complicated:

From Heroes of Battle I can't recommend the War Weaver class enough for buffers - it turns your individual touch spells into buffs/healing for the whole party, at range.

Race: Halfing, so you can take the feat Magic of the Land

Feats:

- Arcane Disciple, from Complete Divine - you choose a domain from the deity you follow and get that spell list. Get the healing domain. Yup, if nothing else is needed you can turn all your spell slots into healing

- Enlarge Spell, prerequisite for War Weaver class

- Magic of the Land, from Races of the Wild - it requires some levels of Knowledge Nature but every time you cast a spell on an ally in a natural setting they're also healed 2 x spell level. (Not useful for an urban campaign or where dungeons have no rough caverns etc)

- Augment Healing, from Complete Divine - Your healing spells heal an extra 2 points per spell level

(At 7th level you'll be able to cast a Cure Light Wounds that heals Everyone for d8+9, and by 9th polymorph the whole party to fly over a barrier + 8 points of healing.)

Others have given great ideas for spells, must-haves include:

1) Benign Transposition - soooo useful

2) Glitterdust

3) Haste

4) Polymorph (for flying, swimming, burrowing, fighting etc), Greater Invisibility

[ericgrau]

I'll add in some of my favorite combat spells: [empowered] ray of enfeeblement, sleet storm, resilient sphere. Some utility-ish spells are so useful that they blur the line between combat and utility spells. I'll add levitate to what others put down. Levitate is not sucky-fly. It has range to hit far away allies or NPCs and works objects too. There's a lot you can do with that. If you don't want to overshadow then go more with the battlefield control, mass buffs and utility-ish combat spells.

Basically you want your top 2-3 spell levels to be combat spells. Then you'll have more spells per day than you can possibly use, so you want your lower levels to be hour/level, swifts and immediate action spells to burn your spell slots without eating combat actions. A lesser rod of extend spell is handy for hour/levels to help get 24 hours. Spell compendium is great for swift and immediate options. Lower level spells can also be combat spells that you boost with metamagic to effectively give you more high level spells known without eating your other spells known. Heightened glitterdust, empowered magic missile / false life / ray of enfeeblement. Etc. Even if there's a slightly better high level spell that's similar like heart of earth > empowered false life, this lets you take a different high level spell known and also have another option. You'll usually have plenty of spells per day to cast both. And versatility is always nice.

Finally get a few dozen 1st level scrolls and a few 2nd level scrolls too. Get every utility spell there is and be ready for everything. It's only a few hundred gp for the 1st level scrolls and under 1,000 gp more at higher level to stock up on 2nd level scrolls to get plenty. Usually you'll only need 1 or 2 of each the entire campaign. Though you'll want more of some, or you'll want to tag the whole party or you may want a higher CL for duration or other spell effects. And it's amaze-balls how well prepared you'll be. Heavy McGuffin in the other room? Um... gonna need 2 unseen servants to push it off the night stand, floating disk, pinky under the door crack, identify! Trap on the ceiling? Spider climb the halfling rogue. I don't even know what I'll do with the scrolls when I buy them, but with so many options there's always a way.