Help for a Sorcerer build

[_Zoot_]

So my last character is about to bite the dust, which means I'm going to need a new one - I was thinking a Sorcerer, but as I look over it all now, I realise how long it's been since I played anything like it...

I was hoping that people might be able to help me out with a few suggestions for feats, spells... really any advice in general, come to think of it.

I'm still very much at the 'concept' stage of character creation, but what I was thinking so far is a Gnome, Arcane Bloodline (maybe Improved Familiar (as I understand it it's not a great choice, but I thought that it might be fun.)) and some metamagic. The party is at level 9, and mostly not running any third party content.

I'd really appreciate any thoughts that people might have, I used to pride myself on knowing casters, but boy, how times have changed! :smallredface:

[AnimeTheCat]

Here's my opinion, fwiw. Since you're a gnome, play up the illusions bit. Illusions are pretty effective and can be used very creatively. With spell focus and greater spell focus, you'll get +3 to all your illusion DCs which is pretty cool, and illusion spells target the will save, which is notoriously the easiest save to beat in most cases.

For the other two feats, you're going to want to pick up whatever metamagics you like best, i'm a fan of still and silent spell. You'll likely want to trade your familiar for the sorcerer ACF that let's you use metamagic effects without changing casting time 3+int mod times per day.

That's about all I've got for level 9. I think there's a feat later that let's you do the metamagic thing more as well, but I can't remember the name.

[_Zoot_]

I did think about playing up to the Illusionist idea, seeing as that does seem to be what Gnomes are good at. Really the only reason I chose them was the +2 Cha and +2 Con - not enough Con was a reacuring feature of my last character, as I want to fixt that this time round!

How does one make a good Illusionist? I've never played one before...

[AnimeTheCat]

Mostly with creative application of illusions. I am unsure if there's a handbook specifically for illusions, but the general idea isn't to create big nasty monsters that are supposed to be interacted with, instead create things that aren't meant to be interacted with. Solid walls in doorways to disguise the fact that a door should be there should protect you from mindless opponents and give your party a chance to recover if needed.

That, I think, is the real strength of illusions. Not recreating reality, but altering it just enough to make reality believable or enhance your own reality. I wish some more well versed people would post because I know i'm not doing it the justice it deserves.

[Jack_Simth]

I did think about playing up to the Illusionist idea, seeing as that does seem to be what Gnomes are good at. Really the only reason I chose them was the +2 Cha and +2 Con - not enough Con was a reacuring feature of my last character, as I want to fixt that this time round!

How does one make a good Illusionist? I've never played one before...

In Pathfinder, as a Gnome Sorcerer? I'd be inclined to go with the Shadow Bloodline (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/sorcerer/bloodlines/bloodlines-from-paizo/shadow-bloodline/) - and yes, picking up Greater Spell Focus is handy if you plan on doing a lot of illusions.

As for how to play it?

First off: In the "hostile" category, make sure you have at least one good spell in each each of the following categories:

Will-save spell (so you can target critters weak will saves when needed)
Fort-save spell (so you can target critters weak will saves when needed)
Reflex-save spell (so you can target critters weak will saves when needed)
No-save spell (for dragons and (anti-)paladins)
No-SR spell (for golems and things)
... and also pick up Heighten Spell and a few useful other-buff spells. This will let you pretty much always have something to do in combat.

Beyond that? Yes, go for flavor. Shadow spells are great, as they'll play to your strengths and are quite flexible. Regular illusions (like the Image line) are... extremely DM dependent, but still very useful. Need to hide? Make an illusion of a hollow something suitable (a facing on the wall you're next to that looks just like the wall... but is two feet further away, giving you a space; a hollow tree in a forest; a hollow boulder in a mountain; and so on), and hide inside it. You know it's fake, and can see right through it. Other folks... not so much.

When things you fake are suitable for the are you're making them in, they're less likely to be probed. A tree doesn't garner much attention in a forest, and few folks are going to be closely examining a pride of lions on the Savannah. When you want something to be treated as real, make sure it makes sense for where you're making it.

When something looks out of place, it's a lot more likely to get checked. Sometimes that's a good thing! An illusion of something that doesn't make much sense will get someone looking over there to check it out. If you're elsewhere? Well... they're distracted by focusing on the illusion, now aren't they? Great time to be making Stealth checks, no?

Also: Pick up Conceal Spell at a minimum; Silent Spell and Still spell may also be a good investment. If you're being observed while casting, you don't generally want to be caught doing it.

[_Zoot_]

In Pathfinder, as a Gnome Sorcerer? I'd be inclined to go with the Shadow Bloodline (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/sorcerer/bloodlines/bloodlines-from-paizo/shadow-bloodline/) - and yes, picking up Greater Spell Focus is handy if you plan on doing a lot of illusions.

As for how to play it?

First off: In the "hostile" category, make sure you have at least one good spell in each each of the following categories:

Will-save spell (so you can target critters weak will saves when needed)
Fort-save spell (so you can target critters weak will saves when needed)
Reflex-save spell (so you can target critters weak will saves when needed)
No-save spell (for dragons and (anti-)paladins)
No-SR spell (for golems and things)
... and also pick up Heighten Spell and a few useful other-buff spells. This will let you pretty much always have something to do in combat.

Beyond that? Yes, go for flavor. Shadow spells are great, as they'll play to your strengths and are quite flexible. Regular illusions (like the Image line) are... extremely DM dependent, but still very useful. Need to hide? Make an illusion of a hollow something suitable (a facing on the wall you're next to that looks just like the wall... but is two feet further away, giving you a space; a hollow tree in a forest; a hollow boulder in a mountain; and so on), and hide inside it. You know it's fake, and can see right through it. Other folks... not so much.

When things you fake are suitable for the are you're making them in, they're less likely to be probed. A tree doesn't garner much attention in a forest, and few folks are going to be closely examining a pride of lions on the Savannah. When you want something to be treated as real, make sure it makes sense for where you're making it.

When something looks out of place, it's a lot more likely to get checked. Sometimes that's a good thing! An illusion of something that doesn't make much sense will get someone looking over there to check it out. If you're elsewhere? Well... they're distracted by focusing on the illusion, now aren't they? Great time to be making Stealth checks, no?

Also: Pick up Conceal Spell at a minimum; Silent Spell and Still spell may also be a good investment. If you're being observed while casting, you don't generally want to be caught doing it.


That shadow blood line looks really interesting! And I like the idea that you more use illusions to make life easy by keeping trouble focused somewhere else, that sounds like it would be popular in the party!

Do you happene to know if there is a good summary of what Wizard/Sorcerer spells are worth looking at at each level?

[AnimeTheCat]

I'm dumb and ignored the pathfinder tag. Ignore what I said about ACFs but everything else should be relevant.