Vampire-themed shadow sorcerer - 1-2 lvl Dip into Wizard or Bard?

[Chrizzt]

Hello everyone!

I'm playing a lvl 6 shadow sorcerer right now (race is an adapted half elf made half vampire --> keeping the 2 extra proficiencies). The spell selection includes what some would call suboptimal choices (like gaseous form, spiderclimb, alter self), in order to emulate many powers of vampires. So what I am looking for is not only (!) optimal choices, but also somewhat fitting the flavor. My intelligence value is 13, charisma is 18 right now (standard array). I also often cast spells by subtle casting with metamagic, when necessary using a amulett as focus which is also a family heirloom with magical properties. I'm not the super optimizer, but I like elegantly built characters (which coincidentially most times can contribute to most situations).

I find the lack of utility spells (detect magic, identify, ...) my char has disturbing, however.

Therefore I considered 3 possibilities:

a) Ritual Caster Feat (Wizard).
+ This lets me eventually cast the most needed ritual spells for me, and even more: lvl 3 spells like tiny hut or phantom steed.
- But I would have to use one of my feats/ASI for this. --> would gain it either late at lvl 12 or have to take it at lvl 8 instead of charisma+2
- Have to carry a ritual book with me.
+/- What to take instead of Sorcerer lvl 20? [I don't think the capstone ability is nice].

b) 1-2 Level Dip into Bard:
+ I can choose 4-5 lvl 1 spells which can be cast by ritual casting [without needing a spellbook], gain a proficiency, light armor (which makes open a spell known as I have taken mage armor right now), and if I take 2 lvl, I get jack of all trades (which is great) --> great temptation to take 2 lvls and to loose the sorcerer lvl 19 ASI [to get jack of all trades; fair trade, I think].
- Focus for bard spells is musical instruments (meh -> does not fit the flavor at all; might actually disturb it), so I cannot use the family heirloom focus anymore (which is important for me due to roleplaying reasons). Also I get less spells than with Ritual caster or Wizard (option c).
- Other gained abilities (inspiration d6, song of rest d6) stay at their lowest dice. Inspiration might by fitting my char for RP reasons, song of rest... perhaps also.

c) 1 Level Dip into Wizard (possible 2 lvl at most)
+ Many many nice Lvl 1 spells (including ritual casting many of them), eventually all of them (taken for utility purposes --> save dcs are not important here)
+ If I dip only for 1 lvl, I get great spell selection, and can still take the ASI at Lvl 19 --> here a lvl 1 dip seems more attractive than for bard, though lvl 2 school boons can be nice.
+ focus is the same as for sorcerer (using the amulet)
- have to carry a spellbook with me
- Int right now is 13, so at lvl 1 I only can prepare 2 spells (might be shield and mage armor then); but rest can be cast ritually; might increase Int to 14 perhaps in such a case. [to take shield, mage armor and absorb elements to increase survivability]

Right now I tend to option c, because of the wide selection of lvl 1 spells (light armor proficiency which would be granted by option b can be offset by corresponding spells) and this is already useful by making only a lvl 1 dip (I might end up some day being sorcerer 19 and wizard 1 --> only loosing 1 sorcery point and the in my eyes bad lvl 20 capstone ability of the sorcerer, and having the least delay in gaining a new spell lvl).

Option b is very nice due to jack of all trades and another proficiency, but as kind of a half elf I already get 2 extra proficiencies (though Jack of all Trades also boosts counterspells and initiative...).

I really want to end up taking the shadow sorcerer lvl 18 ability (sooo fitting for a vampire with cranked up power lvl), so only 1-2 lvl dips are on the table for me.

I guess I should boost charisma at lvl 8. Taking option a (Ritual Casting Feat) at lvl 8 instead of charisma +2 seems counterintuitive to me (tough at charisma 18 its propably enough until lvl 12), but I want the utility spells soon, and with option a waiting till lvl 12 is... also lackluster. The lvl 1-2 dips I can take next level already.

I'm not set at what to take, instead, at the ASI for lvl 12, 16 and (perhaps, when only dipping for 1 lvl) 19.

What do you think, dear fellows in the Spielplatz? Are there any advantage/disadvantages I have overseen so far? Or an error in my thinking?

Kind Regards
C

[SVamp]

I would try to get lvl 5 spells first if you can stomach the delay in what you want. Animate Objects rocks. If not, then go the wizard route and get 1 lvl now (don’t forget find familiar, a bat would be super appropriate ) and the second level after you get lvl 5 spells.

For wizard schools, war magic (+int to initiative, +2 to AC or +4 to saves as a reaction) and divination (replace any 2 rolls with your pre-rolled dice) are really awesome. Evocation is ok if you use a lot of evocation spells and would benefit greatly from casting in the middle of your allies without hitting them.

[Gignere]

I think getting ritual caster is your best bet. Ask your DM if you can reskin your ritual book into something else. Maybe like tattoos or something more thematic for a vampire. Perhaps the familiar, I’m assuming you’re get find familiar, is the one supplying you the spells and functions the same way as a spell book for you. If you played PF before basically how witches in that game learns and preps their spells.

[Bobthewizard]

I vote ritual caster to keep your spell progression and get your high level class abilities earlier, even if you have to push back getting a 20 Charisma.

If you don't like the visual of a spell book, Wayfarer's Guide to Eberron has a common magic item called a spell shard that works as a spellbook. Maybe your DM will let your amulet be made out of spell shard and be your focus.

[Chrizzt]

Thank you for your opinions! The style of the spell book or ritual book is actually alright. :) I meant it more as a kind of liability, because it can be lost, which the bard option won't include.

Initially I was against the ritual caster feat option. But your points concerning delaying access to higher abilities by dipping are true. Though one level still might not hurt too much.

I'll have to see how long it takes to get to the next level(s). If I take lvl 7 sorcerer before deciding I might have a gut feeling if 1 lvl dip is alright (with a sexond one someday later, then perhaps going for warcaster) or wether to take rit caster at lvl 8 then.

[Chrizzt]

Something which came to my mind concerning this topic:

How do you rate the long term importance of spells like shield, mage armor or absorb elements? I think my survivability might increase via a wizard lvl 1 dip much more than by taking ritual caster. Or is 1 level of spell progression and high level ability delay really that much? Then, however, at char lvl 9 (sorcerer 8, wiz 1) I could already bump my charisma to 20 and have rituals lvl 1 (instead of charisma 20 at char lvl 12 and have lvl 3 rituals at char lvl 8)

Fact is: My sorcerer is hard pressed for spells, and while AC “might“ decline in value, getting resistance to elemental damage seems important. We fought a dragon and were lucky to being able to prepare via resistance potions. Without it, I might not have lived to tell the tale. Absorb elements allows help on the spot.

And I still gain many important lvl 1 rituals. If only my int was higher than 13 or (later max) 14.. and headband of int is not something I would rely on finding.

[Nhorianscum]

2-3 levels in wizard can be stellar on sorc. Progression is s7/w1/s11/w2-3/s17-18.

War magic is particularly useful as are Evocation and divination.

[Chrizzt]

Thanks for the reply! Why do you suggest S7 instead of S6 before taking first level of Wizard?

[micahaphone]

4th level spells are really worth it! Banishment, Blight, Dominate Beast, Greater Invisibility, Polymorph, you got some very thematic choices available

[Nhorianscum]

Thanks for the reply! Why do you suggest S7 instead of S6 before taking first level of Wizard?

7 sp is what we need to make 5th level slots and we get to learn 4th level spells. We can dip wiz2 here as fullcaster progression with 7 sp is still greatmazing. There are other reasons but...

Long story short sorc 7 is where font of magic becomes the defining feature of the class (7+ font is one of the best features in the game if not the best) and we can just brute force our problems with twinned polymorph, 5th level fireball/Sray, 5th level Banishment/hold person/Blindness, etc, etc.

The spike in nova for both damage and control is huge and we also get a ton of gas from the 4th level slot and sorc point (+5-+7 effective SP) which let's us do big tricks 6 times per day.

It's a big deal.

[Chrizzt]

Ah, so you can have 5th lvl spell slots “too early“ (at lvl 7 instead of regularly at lvl 9). I did not know that! Thats remarkably.

Does RAW also allow one to pick a spell of 5th level through this little trick? If you create a 5th lvl slot before lvling up?

[Nhorianscum]

Ah, so you can have 5th lvl spell slots “too early“ (at lvl 7 instead of regularly at lvl 9). I did not know that! Thats remarkably.

Does RAW also allow one to pick a spell of 5th level through this little trick? If you create a 5th lvl slot before lvling up?

No, unless you already know a 5th level spell, then it's wonky.