Picking a feat for a Sorcerer and spoilt for choice!

[JW86]

Hi Playgrounders,

I'm after some opinions on what might be a good feat to add to the character below. I am currently at Level 5 and have been awarded a bonus feat, which has opened up a new slot at Level 6. I also have not decided on the level 15 feat.

The build is basically a Dragon-Riding, Diplomacy-capable, Kingdom-building, Holy Fire Blasting, damage dealer with capable BFC and some utility.

Staple spells will include Web, Solid Fog, Black Tentacles, Cloudkill, Scorching Ray, Magic/Chain Missile, Orb of Fire, Dalamar's Lightning Lance, Wings of Cover, Wings of Flurry, Incendiary Cloud, Lightning Storm, Arcane Fusion, Wall of Force etc. Also, Mark of the Enlightened Soul for an extra Empower vs. Evil opponents.

Leadership, Dragon Cohort, and Skymage levels will all be offering Dragons of various power to assist the character. (They will not be all at play at once during encounters, don't worry about outshining). Alignment restrictions waived for classes.


Xellos Valendarys, NG Silverbrow Human
11 14 17 16 12 22

1 Sorcerer (Dragonblood ACF for Prismatic Draconic Heritage granting Diplomacy and UMD as class skills) 1 - Combat Casting, Weapon Focus:Ranged Spell(B), Eschew Material(Flaw)
2 Sorcerer 2
3 Sorcerer 3 - Ancestral Relic (Runestaff)
4 Sorcerer 4
5 Sorcerer 5 - Leadership (bonus from DM) and Iron Will (from Otyugh Hole)
6 Sorcerer 6 - ???
7 War Mage 1
8 War Mage 2 - Empower Spell(B)
9 War Mage 3 - Dragon Cohort
10 War Mage 4 - Practical Metamagic:Empower(B)
11 War Mage 5
12 Sanctified One 1 - Mounted Combat
13 Zhentarim Skymage 1
14 Zhentarim Skymage 2
15 Zhentarim Skymage 3 - ???
16 Zhentarim Skymage 4
17 Zhentarim Skymage 5
18 Incantatrix 1 - Practical Metamagic:Twin, Twin Spell(B)
19 Incantatrix 2
20 Incantatrix 3


Feats I was considering include Fiery Blast, Reserves of Strength, Scribe Scroll, Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Wand, a number of the Dragon Legacy feats.. or even Leadership boosters such as Extra Followers.

Any advice, please go ahead... I am very tempted by Reserves of Strength. Fiery Blast sounds cool but really is underwhelming and I would be better served just getting a Wand of Fireball. Crafting feats would be useful as my character is the primary caster of the group so having more utility magic free would be useful. Some of the Dragon Legacy feats are plain cool and somewhat useful - giving HP, paralysing enemies, etc.

Additional metamagic will hopefully be handled via magical items, although taking Sculpt Spell at level 6 is certainly tempting to get access to it earlier.

Other party members include a Mineral Warrior Goliath Fighter (BSF), Lesser Tiefling Warblade, Lesser Tiefling Psion (Telepath), some pseudo-Air Elemental Fighter/Rogue/Martial Wizard, a Wyrmling White Dragon Whirling Frenzy Spirit Lion Totem Barbarian, a Cleric of Boccob focusing on healing, and an Elf Ranger beefed up with magic items and a bear.

Welcome suggestions from those versed in the arcane :)

J

[A_S]

If you're playing a Sorcerer with a focus on blasting (which you seem to be), then Searing Spell is almost a must-have. As a Sorcerer, spells known are among the most valuable character resources you have; you don't want to be spending half of them just on having a wide array of damage types. Why not just blow a feat on making it so that your fire damage ignores resistance/immunity to fire?

The level 15 feat could be Practical Metamagic (Searing Spell), or whatever else appeals to you. I'm always a fan of Minor Shapeshift...

[JW86]

The dip at level 12 into Sanctified One will be in alignment with Kord (renamed and alignment restriction waived) for the Holy Fire ability, which will allow all Fire based spells to count as Holy damage, bypassing fire resistance.

I plan to get a metamagic rod of Energy Substitution so that the other elemental damages can be changed to fire, then Holy, as well.

That Temporary HP boost with Minor Shapeshift looks nice! I will add that to my list of options, thanks.

[A_S]

The dip at level 12 into Sanctified One will be in alignment with Kord (renamed and alignment restriction waived) for the Holy Fire ability, which will allow all Fire based spells to count as Holy damage, bypassing fire resistance.
Aha, I missed that dip! In that case, you're good on the energy damage front.

Versatile Spellcaster isn't the worst, even if you're not using it for cheese.

Dragon Familiar? Because you clearly don't have enough dragons yet...

[JW86]

Aha, I missed that dip! In that case, you're good on the energy damage front.

Versatile Spellcaster isn't the worst, even if you're not using it for cheese.

Dragon Familiar? Because you clearly don't have enough dragons yet...

Versatile Spellcaster looks potentially useful, but lacks punch

Dragon Familiar - lol. I'm going to have half-Dvati Dragons (they are telepathically linked baby dragon twins) who I've asked my DM to please be Gold or Silver... Dragon Cohort hopefully a Shadow Dragon.. and the big bertha Skymage Dragon as hopefully a Pyroclastic Dragon, because riding atop a flying volcano that can Disintegrate with a breath weapon is win..

Unfortunately it requires the ability to pick a new familiar, and I've sacrificed the familiar of being a sorcerer with the Dragonblood ACF which grants other bonuses instead. It's a shame, because I really would like more dragons :P

I may go with reserves of strength for the pure nova potential - in combination with War Mage and Sanctified One, at Level 12 that is 45 + 15d6*1.5 sacred damage with an Empowered Fireball, not so shabby.