Sorcerer race selection, would like some input. Slightly weird premise.

[Aasimar]

Hey, sort of strange game premise, as we are going to be playing WoD teenagers who wake up in the forgotten realms setting, as heroic characters. (who may be physically dissimilar, but represent them in some abstract way. It is a new person, not an actual person they are taking over)

Anyway, my character is a 15 year old icelandic girl who's a pretty big nerd, gms games for her friends and is a fan of all sorts of d&d stuff. (The gm wants inside knowledge to be a bit of a running gag, and since I have the most ooc knowledge, I figured I'd make a pc who could use it)

Anyhow, I'm thinking she'd manifest as a rather typical somewhat emo sorceress, who sort of emphasizes and draws attention to her personal insecurities. The sort of character she'd deep down want to play, if she wasn't sure her friends would make fun of her, and because she knows on some level that wanting to play that sort of character is just her insecurity speaking, but she still does.

So, I'm now torn between Drow and Human, each has clear advantages. In particular the human could be quite skilled, whereas the drow could get a bonus to enchantment spells and nimble feet as class features. (and who can say no to darkvision and spell resistance, small though it may be (if a feature can protect me from so much as 20% of hostile spells, it's still worth getting)

Anyway, we're using rolls for stats, and I got pretty lucky (though not outrageously so)

As a Drow I'd probably end up with:
str. 9
dex. 15
con 12
int 13
wis 13
cha 17

and as a human I'd have:
str. 9
dex 13
con 13
int 14
wis 13
cha 17

Any input would be appreciated.

[Elricaltovilla]

Which system is this, what books do you have available, are there any significant house rules that we should know about?

Light Sensitivity is bad on Drow, and they come with roleplay issues normally. Whether 3.5 or PF, human bonus feat should not be discounted.

[Barstro]

If I understand correctly, your character will be an insecure (in fake-real life) who is playing a character that is insecure (in game). I sort of understand that part, but I have trouble grasping an insecure person who has the charisma score of a sorcerer.

Netflix DareDevil reference
It reminds me of DareDevin's Wilson Fisk. He is a charismatic superpower who suffers from almost crippling insecurity. I find this version of him to be illogical. Nobody that insecure would have what it takes to be the head of a criminal syndicate. Maybe he will work past all that in season 2.

If you are sticking with someone who is insecure around people, I see it as manifesting as wanting to stay protected from the hostile views others have of her. Being Drow emphasizes WHY people would potentially have a poor view of her (or at least give her a reason to expect that they would), while darkvision and spell resistance provide the concrete defense that she would desire.

[Geddy2112]

Tough call. Mechanically both make great sorcerers. I would suggest human just for the bonus feat and skill, and the favored class bonus is better than the drow one. The drow one is not bad but its limited in comparison. It depends on your bloodline: if your going for an enchantment heavy build that +1 to DC of enchantments is solid. I would go fey or infernal to maximize off this, and Fey fits the "angsty emo sorceress" quite well. You would not need nimble moves so you could keep spell like abilities(which are good) as well. For any other bloodline or a blaster/summoner sorcerer, human is your best bet.

[Aasimar]

It's Pathfinder, all the paizo books are legal, though for like, campaign specific things or things deemed 'obscure' we'd need special permission. The GM's interested in 'mostly mainstream' races and classes.

No major houserules I can think of. I believe we'll use hero points, but I'm not sure.

How big a penalty is light blindness? I mean, being blinded for 1 round sucks, but I can't see it happening all that much, and to a sorcerer, I don't really see how big a problem 'dazzled' would be.

Still, I haven't played it, so I can't say.

[Elricaltovilla]

Blinded is bad, you're basically useless for that round:



The creature cannot see. It takes a –2 penalty to Armor Class, loses its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), and takes a –4 penalty on most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks and on opposed Perception skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Perception checks based on sight) automatically fail. All opponents are considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) against the blinded character. Blind creatures must make a DC 10 Acrobatics skill check to move faster than half speed. Creatures that fail this check fall prone. Characters who remain blinded for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them.


Dazzle is a lot less bad, in fact it's basically a joke of a status effect, but it can still be annoying.

I'd be inclined to take human over drow, the human Favored Class bonus, Bonus Feat, and Extra Skill points are all super juicy and I don't really see anything about your character that screams "drow" to me.

[Kudaku]

If you're only considering the mechanical differences between the race, I'd make a note of the favored class option for humans and drow.


Drow Sorcerer: Add one spell known from the sorcerer spell list. This spell must have the curse, evil, or pain descriptor, and be at least one level below the highest spell level the sorcerer can cast.
Human Sorcerer: Add one spell known from the sorcerer spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the sorcerer can cast.

Adding spells known makes the sorcerer a lot more flexible, and the humans have a huge advantage there.

[Aasimar]

All this is true, I think I'll wind up with a human in the end.

She's a bit of a Salvatore fan, so that's what pushed me in the direction of Drow.

Another question if I may.

I've been considering Varisian Tattoo (if not full tattooed sorcerer), which grants +1 caster level to spells of one school.

I'm kinda looking towards Necromancy, but as I'm looking, I'm not seeing a lot of spells that benefit from a raised caster level. Maybe put it in evocation instead (a sorcerer will never be a true school specialist anyway)

[Elricaltovilla]

All this is true, I think I'll wind up with a human in the end.

She's a bit of a Salvatore fan, so that's what pushed me in the direction of Drow.

Another question if I may.

I've been considering Varisian Tattoo (if not full tattooed sorcerer), which grants +1 caster level to spells of one school.

I'm kinda looking towards Necromancy, but as I'm looking, I'm not seeing a lot of spells that benefit from a raised caster level. Maybe put it in evocation instead (a sorcerer will never be a true school specialist anyway)

Well if she's a Salvatore fan, then she's obligated to be a chaotic good drow who fights against the injustice and evil endemic to her race (who also all happen to be chaotic good drow that fight against the injustice and evil endemic to their race).:smalltongue:

[Geddy2112]

I've been considering Varisian Tattoo (if not full tattooed sorcerer), which grants +1 caster level to spells of one school.
I'm kinda looking towards Necromancy, but as I'm looking, I'm not seeing a lot of spells that benefit from a raised caster level. Maybe put it in evocation instead (a sorcerer will never be a true school specialist anyway)

Evocation is probably the best school for the spell focus+mage's tattoo combo, because almost every spell has a variable duration based on CL, and allows a save.
Conjuration rarely benefits from a save boost, but often from a caster level boost. Same with transmutation and abjuration. Enchantment has a fair amount that have both, Illusion is almost always one or the other.

[Aasimar]

Thanks, I'll probably start out with some evocation focus, but work in necromancy as she gains levels. (it's really mostly stuff like waves of exhaustion and enervation that I'm interested in, not all the small stuff)

As it stands, Arcane bloodline is looking most like what I want, but I'm not completely discounting Sylvan (for an animal companion, always a classic), Fey, Draconic or perhaps Efreet.

I see her as mostly a blaster/debuffer with a dark/emo vibe.

[Geddy2112]

Arcane is hands down the best bloodline, Sylvan is probably a close second. Fey is great and drow is a better choice than human to push your enchantment spell DC's through the roof. Although you are not looking at control so I would pass there. Draconic is a slightly better bloodline than Efreeti, but both are decent for a blaster. At level10+ Draconic really starts winning out, although the Efreeti capstone is better if your campaign is gonna hit 20.

For the dark emo vibe, sylvan and fey would tend to be more emotional, although equal parts happy, sad, angsty, etc. Dragons vary depending on what kind of dragon your from, efreeti are pretty angsty and hateful. An arcana sorcerer born to a family of wizards could be the epitome of teen angst.

[Spore]

Well if she's a Salvatore fan, then she's obligated to be a chaotic good drow who fights against the injustice and evil endemic to her race (who also all happen to be chaotic good drow that fight against the injustice and evil endemic to their race).:smalltongue:

Actually, Drow are too mainstream now anyways so she'll choose Fetchlings. Outcasts from the plane of shadow, they aren't at home in the physical realm and feel a tad bit miserable for that.

Also take a break from character building and maybe Emo Rangers brings up some ideas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PImCOazvphc

[Aasimar]

Arcane is hands down the best bloodline, Sylvan is probably a close second. Fey is great and drow is a better choice than human to push your enchantment spell DC's through the roof. Although you are not looking at control so I would pass there. Draconic is a slightly better bloodline than Efreeti, but both are decent for a blaster. At level10+ Draconic really starts winning out, although the Efreeti capstone is better if your campaign is gonna hit 20.

For the dark emo vibe, sylvan and fey would tend to be more emotional, although equal parts happy, sad, angsty, etc. Dragons vary depending on what kind of dragon your from, efreeti are pretty angsty and hateful. An arcana sorcerer born to a family of wizards could be the epitome of teen angst.

Thanks.

The pathfinder character will actually be materializing from thin air, with no backstory of her own, other than being the extra-universal projection of the teen. She'll have access to her skills and spellcasting, and the characters abilities will replace her own (she'll become more charismatic, for intance), but the sorcerer will have no upbringing in Faerun to look back to or connections.

A potential conflict we're considering is when the native NPCs, particularly high level casters, start realizing that people from other places are 'infiltrating' their reality.

But yeah, if she's emo and angsty, it's because that's the character she's deep down projecting.

I'm also planning to have a bit of fun with her "Wait, scary dark necromancer? Since when am I that bad?" revelation.

[Arutema]

With the personality you'd described for the character, had you considered using the Sage wildblooded bloodline to change your casting stat to Int?

[Aasimar]

I've considered the Sage bloodline, but 1. I kinda like sorcerers being charisma powered and 2. one of my ideas was that she'd be empowered by experiencing herself as more confident and powerful.

Definitely not a bad idea, and it WOULD fit, but I guess I'm just too locked on to it being charisma based.

That said, I now fluctuate between two major build ideas:

A) Arcane bloodline, using mostly Evocation to start with, but supplementing with Necromancy, Enchantment and Illusion (mostly), switching over to a more necromantic focus in later play, using lots of metamagic feats to modify a few core spells. (I'm seeing stuff like elemental dazing fireballs, empowered Enervations, etc.)

B) Taking the Draconic bloodline, probably for a cold or electricity bloodline. This would be more evocation heavy, more blasty. Perhaps going so far as to go for dragon disciple. In this case I'd probably put my 14 into strength and the 9 into wisdom instead.

There are some variants, like where I do basically A, but with the Djinn or Efreet bloodline instead, or B, but with Tattooed Sorcerer, but those are the main ideas.

I'm thinking A is probably the way to go. Most versatile and still packing a punch.