Arcane buffing

[nintendoh]

I am going to be playing an Illumin sorcerer with a cloistered cleric dip. The illumin has a sign combo that allows for a two a day dmm. Would that work with arcane disciple? Im gonna be a cold blasty self buffer. What are some good arcane buffs besides nerveskitter?

Build
Illumin cc1/ sorc4
Elite array

Thank you

[Niwrad]

I don't think that combo works. Divine metamagic requires the spell to be divine and arcane disciple adds the spell to your class list of arcane spells.


Regardless though, here's a list of sorcerer/wizard spells that I find to be generally useful.

1st level
mage armor, shield, protection from evil (AC)
true strike, swift invisibility (ways to hit things more easily)

2nd level
alter self (AC and utility)
sonic weapon, burning blade (more damage for melees)
see invisibility, heroics (utility)

For later levels
3rd level
heart of water (swim speed and freedom of movement)
mage armor gr., spiderskin, dragonskin (AC)
gr. magic weapon (attack/damage, especially good if chained)
haste (good all-around party buff)
displacement, blink (concealment)
fly (utility)

4th level
heart of earth (extra hit points and DR)
ray deflection, mass resist energy, forceward (good for situational threats)
gr. mirror image (concealment)

5th level
(energy sub.) acid sheath (great for boosting damage for your cold spells)
gr. blink (concealment)

6th level
contingency (free action essentially)

As a sorcerer you'll unfortunately be a little more limited in which of those you can pick. Although items like runestaves or knowstones might help get a cast a few more of these.

[ahenobarbi]

I don't think that combo works. Divine metamagic requires the spell to be divine and arcane disciple adds the spell to your class list of arcane spells.

You can change arcane spell to a divine one with Alternate Spell Source feat (Players Guide to Faerun IIRC).

[Doc_Maynot]

The Illumian racial version, Naenhoon, is not divine only and applies to all spells.

[nintendoh]

Thank you all. Luminous armor requires a prepared caster correct? Is there any way i can get a prepared spell slot as a sorcerer

[Troacctid]

Yes, naenhoon can work with spells learned via Arcane Disciple.

I wouldn't recommend persistent Nerveskitter, because it's an immediate action, so you can just cast it again in every encounter.


Thank you all. Luminous armor requires a prepared caster correct? Is there any way i can get a prepared spell slot as a sorcerer

You can get Luminous Armor via the Exalted Arcanist or Troubadour of Stars prestige classes. Unfortunately, without either of those classes, there is a specific exception preventing sorcerers from learning sanctified spells even if they have the ability to prepare spells.

[Rebel7284]

Some comments:

1. Ouch! elite array is pretty harsh!
2. If you are willing to wait to qualify for Sacred Exorcist, you can get Turn Undead without losing a caster level. That would be much better! You do need something like Knowledge Devotion and Planar Sorcerer substitution levels to get the needed skills though. And of course, sadly, waiting a bunch of extra levels to learn Dismissal.
3. http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=12372.0

[Mr Adventurer]

Yes, naenhoon can work with spells learned via Arcane Disciple.

I wouldn't recommend persistent Nerveskitter, because it's an immediate action, so you can just cast it again in every encounter.

I thought in fact that you could never cast it, as you can't take immediate actions while flatfooted?

[Khedrac]

For buffing other characters check out the War Weaver prestige class (Heroes of Battle).

A few good buffs (for others) are:
1st: Mage Armor, Protection from <Alignment>, Nerveskitter
2nd: Invisibility, Resist <Energy>, possibly Bear's Endurance
3rd: Haste, Fly
4th: Greater Invisibility

My War Weaver's default weave load was: Fly, Greater Invisibility, Haste and Protection from Evil. Yes I know Haste is a multi-target spell, but it is so much faster to cast that set as a move action with the other spells at combat start.

Nerveskitter is explicitly allowed to be cast at the start of an encounter when initiative is rolled (so technically it can be argued that it is before you become flat footed) regardless of normal rules on actions before your turn in initiative.

As a sorcerer I would tend to avoid self-only buffs, especially if of long duration - they will use up one of your few spells known yet only be cast once or twice per day. That said, some can be 'must haves'.

[HalfQuart]

You can get Luminous Armor via the Exalted Arcanist or Troubadour of Stars prestige classes. Unfortunately, without either of those classes, there is a specific exception preventing sorcerers from learning sanctified spells even if they have the ability to prepare spells.
What do you mean? Are you interpreting the sentence that says "Spellcasters prepare sanctified spells just as they do regular spells, and casters who do not prepare spells (including sorcerers and bards) cannot make use of them except from a scroll." to mean that Sorcerers can never cast them? Because it says right there that they can cast them from scrolls. I think it's pretty clear that it is just saying that you can't spontaneously cast Sanctified spells.... and so a Sorcerer or Bard can take the Arcane Preparation feat from Complete Arcane and use that to cast (Greater) Luminous Armor.

Just yesterday I was perusing this List of Persistable Arcane Spells (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?action=printpage;topic=12372.0). I was looking for higher level spells for my Ultimate Magus; the two standouts I found were Battle Hymn (4th; all allies in 30' can reroll 1 will save/round) and Dimension Jumper (5th; Teleport 30' as a move action 1/round). Some other good ones are Detect Secret Doors (1st), Expeditious Retreat (1st), Swift Fly (2nd), Wraithstrike (2nd), and Cloud of Knives (2nd).

[Ger. Bessa]

You have a cleric dip and 4 levels of sorcerer. Find a way to take some levels in mystic theurge and cast luminous armor as a cleric...

If you just want the TU, pick a level in sacred exorcist later instead.

Edit : What I meant is "take a few levels in mystic theurge over those sorcerer levels". Heighten spell and your sigil power lets you qualify after CC 1 / Sor 2.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Consider taking levels in war weaver, so you can buff the entire party. Casting DMM'd spells through your tapestry as a move action on the entire party is a fantastic way to improve your buffing efficency.

[Eldariel]

Enlarge Person, Alter Self, Polymorph, Draconic Polymorph, Bite of the WereX-line, Polymorph Any Object, Shapechange are the biggest ones.