Gnome illusionist with a scythe

[Azurhalo]

Hi guys! I hope this is in the right section, I am still very new to these forums. I am planning on playing a gnome sorceror focusing on battlefield control and disabling enemies, so that I may then coup de grace when the opportunity arises. I am going to be using a scythe for the end deed (even though I am not proficient) and I was wondering if anybody had any cool ideas regarding such a build. The biggest thing I am having trouble with is the fact that I am limited to PHB1, DMG1, and if I remember correctly, MM1 for stats of nontraditional races. The campaign is starting at level 2, but feel more than free to give direction beyond that level scope. Thanks!

[Surpriser]

Well, the classic trick is Hold Person + someone else with a scythe and a ready action to instakill someone with only a single save vs the spell.
Don't use this too often or expect the Nerfbat.

[HammeredWharf]

Enchantment, not Illusion, right? Illusion usually doesn't turn enemies helpless, with the exception of Color Spray. To be honest, I wouldn't use it as my main gimmick if I only had access to PHP. Too many monsters (undead, constructs, oozes, elementals, plants, swarms) are outright immune to enchantment spells and/or critical strikes. Relying on both can be very frustrating. Splatbooks give you access to some ways to bypass those immunities, but even then it can be a pain.

[Azurhalo]

Yeah, I understand that. This campaign is like an anti-power gaming campaign, and my DM, in the spirit of this, has made it known that characters who are minmaxing/munchkinizing will have boulders falling on their head. We usually run very powerful campaigns using all the splat we have access to, so this is a change for us and a blast from the past. I should have made it more clear in the original post about this gnomes roleplay. So he will be a straight cowar, using his illusions to do his best to stay out of combat. But when he does get overly threatened, he will use everything that he has to end the threat quickly and decisively. That being said, I am mostly wondering about recommended illusion, and yeah, enchantment spells for my sorcerer to learn, since spellshe known are limited.

[HammeredWharf]

1:
Color Spray or Sleep
Mage Armor
Obscuring Mist
Enlarge Person or something else, depending on your party composition

2:
Glitterdust
Minor Image

In that order, up to lvl 5. Unfortunately, your scythe plan will soon stop working, because both Color Spray and Sleep have HD limits and there are no good lvl 2 replacements for them in PHB. You can get Hold Person on lvl 6, but it's very limited, since it only works on humanoids.

As a support character, it works well enough. As someone who could "end the threat quickly and decisively", it barely works at all and only if you're lucky.

[Azurhalo]

Darn, that puts a damper on things. This is also my first time ever playing a sorc. Maybe I will focus more on just battlefield control with illusions to keep myself out of harms way. I will have to do some thinking and more non-illusion research. I will let you guys know what I come up with!

[Troacctid]

Illusions are generally not about ending fights quickly and decisively. They're more about distracting and confusing enemies. There are exceptions, like Phantasmal Killer, but those are few and far between.

Honestly, I would strongly consider Bard over Sorcerer. Bards make very good cowards, because their superior skills allow them to excel in noncombat situations. Sorcerers don't even get Hide or Move Silently. Plus, if you're doing the coup-de-gras thing, Bards actually get Hold Person two levels before Sorcerers, and the extra BAB is useful for Power Attacking. (Power Attack damage is multiplied on a critical hit, so it works very well with scythes.)

[Azurhalo]

Great suggestion with bard. There is a bard in the party, but I think he is going a melee bard route, just for fun. I also hadn't considered power attack, as my char doesn't have the str for it yet. I will have to check out bard spell lists when I get back to my books. Thanks for those suggestions!