Magic Initiate Sorcerer?

[Iguanodon]

I had a concept for a martial character with some minor magical abilities, and flavor suggests a Vuman with Magic Initiate (Sorcerer). However, I've never heard of Magic Initiate being taken for the Sorcerer. The other full casters just seem to have better spell lists.

The only way I can think this option would be mechanically optimal is if you are already a Sorcerer and just want another spell slot (even then, the extra cantrips don't do you much good since you have so many already).

How would one best take advantage of Magic Initiate (Sorcerer) under the following constraints?

Race: Variant Human - Magic Initiate (Sorcerer)
Class: Any non-full-caster

Thanks!

[PoeticDwarf]

I had a concept for a martial character with some minor magical abilities, and flavor suggests a Vuman with Magic Initiate (Sorcerer). However, I've never heard of Magic Initiate being taken for the Sorcerer. The other full casters just seem to have better spell lists.

The only way I can think this option would be mechanically optimal is if you are already a Sorcerer and just want another spell slot (even then, the extra cantrips don't do you much good since you have so many already).

How would one best take advantage of Magic Initiate (Sorcerer) under the following constraints?

Race: Variant Human - Magic Initiate (Sorcerer)
Class: Any non-full-caster

Thanks!

You want to be a high cha character (paladin? rp-stat?) and because it doesn't give much no cantrips (so say paladin). Now take shield and two nice cantrips. If none uses cha you could use wizard but yeah. It works

[Zaq]

At least as far as the PHB is concerned (I don't have the SCAG), Sorcerers have the same cantrips as Wizards, so as far as the cantrip portion of Magic Initiate is concerned, taking MI (Sorc) is exactly the same as taking MI (Wiz), with the exception that MI (Sorc) will use CHA while MI (Wiz) will use INT. You're choosing from the same spells; you're just choosing which stat to use with them.

For the 1st level spell you get, Wizards have about 10 more spells to pick from than Sorcs do, but since you're only picking one spell to get, that doesn't matter that much as long as you can find a spell you want from the Sorc list. Since this spell is effectively a daily power (and thus will have limited effect on your combat capabilities at best), this might be a small problem since Wizards get a wider variety of spells that are primarily used to solve problems out of combat (like Alarm, Floating Disk, Find Familiar, and Unseen Servant). But, again, you don't need to worry about all your potential choices—you need to worry about ONE choice, so as long as you can find just one level 1 Sorc spell that's worth your feat once a day, then you've gotten what you came for.

I mean, if you just can't find a level 1 Sorc spell that's worthwhile, then yeah, you might not want to go Sorc for MI unless you reeeeally want to use their cantrips and reeeeally want to use CHA instead of INT for them. But you can probably find at least one that will work for you. Mage Armor? Shield? Silent Image? Detect Magic? Comprehend Languages? Disguise Self? There's probably something there that you can find a use for once per day.

[EvilAnagram]

If you don't have any spells otherwise, then you'll have the option to gain useful spells you otherwise couldn't. Mage Armor for Dexers, Shield for anyone, Burning Hands if you want to occasionally hit a lot of people, Magic Missile for g- g- g- g- ghosts.

[Segev]

Magic Missile for g- g- g- g- ghosts.

o/~ G-H-O o/~ "Oh? You've seen a ghost?" o/~ S-T-K-A o/~ "Eh? You've seen a CANADIAN ghost?" o/~ T-E-E-R-S! o/~

[Spectre9000]

To optimize Magic Initiate (Sorcerer) I suggest you have high charisma, and go dex based. Pick up BB/GFB, Lightning Lure, and Mage Armor (Most people would go warlock for Hex, but Sorc doesn't have anything like it). Since you can only cast your level 1 spell once per long rest, this gives you the biggest bang for your buck as it lasts 8 hours.

Now you have a very Spellblade feeling character as you're using Mage Armor for your AC, have a weapon spell, and better battlefield control with Ligntning Lure (Can be used to bring a creature within range of you if you fall just short, or to pull a creature off an ally).

This is how I would optimize around Magic Initiate on a martial character. However, it's up to you to decide if this is optimal for your martial build.

[RickAllison]

To optimize Magic Initiate (Sorcerer) I suggest you have high charisma, and go dex based. Pick up BB/GFB, Lightning Lure, and Mage Armor (Most people would go warlock for Hex, but Sorc doesn't have anything like it). Since you can only cast your level 1 spell once per long rest, this gives you the biggest bang for your buck as it lasts 8 hours.

Now you have a very Spellblade feeling character as you're using Mage Armor for your AC, have a weapon spell, and better battlefield control with Ligntning Lure (Can be used to bring a creature within range of you if you fall just short, or to pull a creature off an ally).

This is how I would optimize around Magic Initiate on a martial character. However, it's up to you to decide if this is optimal for your martial build.

One archetype that would love MI Sorcerer is the Swashbuckler. To maximize Panache and initiative, they have a focus on Charisma anyway; it gives them GFB/BB to increase damage, and I'm sure the buckler of swashing would love being able to wear his fancy clothes instead of armor.

[Corran]

One archetype that would love MI Sorcerer is the Swashbuckler. To maximize Panache and initiative, they have a focus on Charisma anyway; it gives them GFB/BB to increase damage, and I'm sure the buckler of swashing would love being able to wear his fancy clothes instead of armor.
Damn, I was just about to say this!!!
Meh, ninja'ed, I guess.....:smallsmile:

Edit: BB is great on a swashbuckler, plus there are some sorcerer non-warlock 1st level spells that could work for a swashbuckler, and he does not have to retrict himself in non-cha based spells since he will probably have a good charisma already.