Share your Sorcerer spell lists!

[bendking]

I find Sorcerer Spell Lists to be quite interesting, and I hope some you do as well, so we can share and discuss optimal spell lists!
Feel free to share any spell list for any combination of sub-class and metamagics, and explain some of your spell choices.

For the sake of the discussion, let's assume you don't know which spells your allies are getting and what classes they are, since those can obviously change your picks, let's say these are just general lists for a "typical" party, and that we'll be going up to level 10 (though you could go higher), since people usually play in the lower tiers. Plus, you would probably only be picking one spell from each spell level of 6th and beyond, so it gets a little less interesting there.

I'll start with my Wild Magic Sorcerer, with Twinned Spell & Elemental Spell, and Quickened at 10th:
10 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Misty Step | Fireball, Counterspell, Dispel Magic | Greater Invisibility, Storm Sphere | Dominate Person, Telekinesis

1 - Mage Armor, Sleep
2 - Mage Armor, Shield, Sleep
3 - Mage Armor, Shield | Web, Blindness
4 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Web, Blindness
5 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Misty Step | Fireball, Haste
6 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Misty Step | Fireball, Haste, Counterspell
7 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Misty Step | Fireball, Counterspell, Haste | Greater Invisibility
8 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Misty Step | Fireball, Counterspell, Haste | Greater Invisibility, Storm Sphere
9 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Misty Step | Fireball, Counterspell, Haste | Greater Invisibility, Storm Sphere | Dominate Person
10 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Misty Step | Fireball, Counterspell, Haste | Greater Invisibility, Storm Sphere | Dominate Person, Telekinesis

Explanation:
Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements & Counterspell are all spell-tax as far as I'm concerned.
Going from there, Fireball + Elemental Spell should have you covered for dusting mobs, as that is often the role of Sorcerers.
Misty Step to keep you safe, which is extra pertinent when you're a Wild Mage trying to fight close to the action, and to have some use for 2nd level spells, though this slot is quite flexible (Web is a good alternative, probably better if you find yourself having a lot of fights per day and having to manage your resources).
Haste to Twin, Greater Invisibility to Twin HARD (Polymorph is a good alternative). Storm Sphere to control, blast & dump your Tides of Chaos into (Wall of Fire is a good alternative).
Dominate Person to Twin, and Telekinsis to Quicken and ruin someone's day.
I feel like Dimension Door should be in here somehow, maybe replacing Misty Step, but it's a tough call.

Looking forward to reading other spell lists. I just hope this interests someone other than me around here :smallamused:

[Bobthewizard]

I like your list a lot. Agree with the spell tax spells (sorcerers should get an extra spell known with the addition of absorb elements in Xanathar's).

I wouldn't keep both Haste and Greater Invisibility - they both do the same single target buff that can be twinned. So maybe change greater invisibility for polymorph, which seems fitting for a wild magic sorcerer.

I'm not a big fan of either dominate person or telekinesis, since they are both single target spells. I would take animate objects and wall of stone for my 5th level spells. Animate objects seems so fun thematically for a wild magic sorcerer.

Finally, I love the idea of elemental spell and fireball for a wild mage.

[bendking]

I like your list a lot. Agree with the spell tax spells (sorcerers should get an extra spell known with the addition of absorb elements in Xanathar's).

I wouldn't keep both Haste and Greater Invisibility - they both do the same single target buff that can be twinned. So maybe change greater invisibility for polymorph, which seems fitting for a wild magic sorcerer.

I'm not a big fan of either dominate person or telekinesis, since they are both single target spells. I would take animate objects and wall of stone for my 5th level spells. Animate objects seems so fun thematically for a wild magic sorcerer.

Finally, I love the idea of elemental spell and fireball for a wild mage.

Regarding Haste & Greater Invisibility: This is more-so for days with many battles. If your campaign doesn't feature many combats per day you definitely don't need both.
Regarding Polymorph: I agree it's better than Greater Invisibility (at least for a few levels), but my party doesn't like being changed out of their character, so I wouldn't make much use of it, thus Greater Invisibility.
Regarding Animate Objects: That spell is just broken, and keeping track of 10 tiny silverware is a nightmare. I realize it's powerful but I'm not a fan of minions.
Wall of Stone is an interesting pick, I'll have to consider it, though it doesn't synergize with any of my metamagics, while my other picks do.

[Jophiel]

I don't have a level-by-level, but here's the Sorcerer side of my Level 10 Divine Soul (9 Sorc/1 Cleric)

Metamagic: Twin, Subtle
Cantrips: Fire Bolt, Prestidigitation, Sacred Flame, Shape Water, Toll the Dead
1st: Command, Healing Word, Shield
2nd: Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion
3rd: Counterspell, Haste, Mass Healing Word
4th: Banishment, Polymorph
5th: Synaptic Static

I mainly built around playing a support/control role and making others more awesome. Spiritual Weapon allows me to get some extra damage in given that I don't have much raw damage via spells. I tend to twin Haste since I don't want to assume that people feel like playing as an ape or dinosaur but Polymorph also remains as a low-hp panic button if things are going south. Synaptic Static to give me some punch and debuff while concentrating on twinned buffs.

Toying with dropping Banishment for Greater Invisibility and making that my go-to twinned buff, could then drop Haste for Fireball.

[Keravath]

Level 5 Dragon Sorcerer/2 GOO warlock - twin and quicken meta magic

Warlock -
Dissonant Whispers
Hex
Prot from evil and good

Sorcerer -
Shield
Darkness
Hold Person
Fireball
Haste

The two level dip in warlock affects the spell choices so I listed it. The level 1 warlock spells can be inexpensively twinned. Darkness ties into devils sight. Hold person is for humanoid targets while Haste buffs two characters in the group when twinned and Fireball is AoE damage.

Level 6 will likely add counterspell and level 7 polymorph. Twinned polymorph can be used to boost your front line or alternatively used to possibly CC two opponents.

[Garfunion]

Fireball, nothing but fireball and elemental spell metamagic.

[Kane0]

The sorcerer I'm DMing for currently: Firebolt, Catapult, Sleep, Enlarge/Reduce, Fireball.

[Corran]

Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements & Counterspell are all spell-tax as far as I'm concerned.

You might like a level in hexblade then for your non-draconic sorcerers. It will boost your base AC and at the same time it lets you not bother with mage armor (and shield, if you take it as a warlock spell; plus an extra warlock spell known). Later on you can take a 2nd level in warlock for invocations (I'd do it at cl 11). Since you are doing the 5mad (or am I mistaking you with someone else?), this warlock level can go even further, cause getting access to both hellish rebuke and armor of agathys (meaning you learn shield as a sorc spell) allows you to spend your resources even faster.

[Renvir]

My level 7 Storm Sorcerer
Variant Human with Ritual Caster Feat
Twinned and Empowered Metamagic

Level 1: Chromatic Orb, Mage Armor, Fog Cloud
Level 2: Dragon's Breath
Level 3: Thunder Step, Fly, Lightning Bolt
Level 4: Storm Sphere

Optimized in a sense that I wanted everything my character did to reek of storm magic (Mage Armor was fluffed as subtle pushes and pulls of the wind).

[Throne12]

This is just my opinion but with the new Eberron book. I have to use one of the new house races. The get a few extra spells and they become spells for wht ever class you are. So yay sorcerer getting more spells.

[Teaguethebean]

This is just my opinion but with the new Eberron book. I have to use one of the new house races. The get a few extra spells and they become spells for wht ever class you are. So yay sorcerer getting more spells.

Not known though, they are added to your spell list like guilds of ravnica.

[TheUser]

Oh boy oh boy. Ok here's me
Level 1:
Half-Elf Gold or Red Draconic Sorcerer
8/16/16/8/8/17
Cantrips: Firebolt, Minor Illusion, Shocking Grasp, Prestidigitation

Spells: Sleep and Shield
Level 2: Disguise Self
Level 3: Subtle and Empower Metamagic
take Suggestion, Swap Sleep for Shatter
Level 4: Actor Feat pick up Misty Step and Chill Touch
Level 5: Fireball
Level 6: Counter Spell, swap Shatter for Lightning Bolt
Level 7: Wall of Fire,
Level 8: Boost Charisma, pick up Dispel Magic if nobody else can, otherwise Absorb Elements
Level 9: Telekinesis, drop Misty Step for Dimension Door
Level 10: Careful Spell, pick up Hypnotic Pattern
Swap Lightning Bolt for Synaptic Static. New Cantrip Mold Earth.
Level 11: Mass Suggestion
Level 12: Swap Shield for Globe of Invulnerability Feat: Magic Initiate (Sorcerer) - Shield, Shape Water, Control Flames

Would you like the rest?

[TheUser]

1 Druid

Giving up level 20 on divine soul means no longer being able to unlimited power battery with greater restoration FYI

[KyleG]

I'm curious on your thoughts on mine...it lost some of its chaotic flare as i began optimising around her story:
Levistus Tiefling Wild Sorcerer 4/Fiend Warlock 2, another warlock (ill end up with another warlock at some point) Ive also had her approved for the drow high magic so that was her level 4 feat. (she was originally conceived as a drow but DM asked me not to)

Spell slots 4 +2 / 2

Cantrips:
Ray of Frost (racial), frostbite, light, mending, minor illusion, acid splash (all sorcerer), EB, toll the dead (warlock), detect magic (drow high magic, at will)

Level 1:
Command, Hex, Hellish (warlock), absorb elements, Shield (sorcerer)

Level 2:
Shatter, Mirror Image, Hold (sorcerer), levitate (Drow high magic)

Level 3: (but cant cast as a sorcerer yet)
Dispel Magic (Drow high magic)

Once per day i can cast:
Darkness, Armor of Agathys (Levistus Teifling), Levitate, Dispel Magic (Drow high magic)

Metamagics:
Originally was going for quicken and subtle, but im not sure subtle is the right choice.

Next level ill get level 3 slots but learn only 1 spell which i think should be haste (should i get twin instead of subtle) and swap out Shatter for fireball perhaps.

Can you suggest improvements based on her running fairly solely (backstory) up to this point, a wild magic sorcerer, and an archaeologist (background), particularily in my cantrips.

[Bobthewizard]

I commented on your spell list but didn't submit mine so here it is.

Glasya tiefling red dragon sorcerer 10/ evoker wizard 2

Metamagic at level 12 (sorcerer 10) - subtle, empowered and careful

Wizard - shield, absorb elements, feather fall
Rituals – detect magic, identify, comprehend languages, find familiar, unseen servant
Glasya - disguise self, invisibility
Sorcerer -
Cantrips - firebolt, create bonfire, control flames, minor illusion, mending, prestidigitation
2 – scorching ray, suggestion
3 – fireball, hypnotic pattern, counterspell, fly
4 – banishment, sickening radiance, dimension door
5 – wall of stone, animate objects

Use evoker’s sculpt spell for fireball and sickening radiance, and use careful for hypnotic pattern so you don't ever have to worry about friendly fire. Those 3 spells cover 90% of my offensive combat needs.

Credit to TheUser for the idea for this build.

[TheUser]

Credit to TheUser for the idea for this build.

Thanks for the credit.
Horvath, my Human Draconic Sorcerer/Evoker 2 was my fave sorcerer ever for the longest time, and that was before sickening radiance. I should revisit that build with XGtE spells

[Throne12]

Not known though, they are added to your spell list like guilds of ravnica.

Wow I miss read that ok. That's kind of a bummer but it still nice to have access to some spells.

P.S thanks for pointing that out I need to fix my sorcerer's spell list.

[bendking]

Oh boy oh boy. Ok here's me
Level 1:
Half-Elf Gold or Red Draconic Sorcerer
8/16/16/8/8/17
Cantrips: Firebolt, Minor Illusion, Shocking Grasp, Prestidigitation

Spells: Sleep and Shield
Level 2: Disguise Self
Level 3: Subtle and Empower Metamagic
take Suggestion, Swap Sleep for Shatter
Level 4: Actor Feat pick up Misty Step and Chill Touch
Level 5: Fireball
Level 6: Counter Spell, swap Shatter for Lightning Bolt
Level 7: Wall of Fire,
Level 8: Boost Charisma, pick up Dispel Magic if nobody else can, otherwise Absorb Elements
Level 9: Telekinesis, drop Misty Step for Dimension Door
Level 10: Careful Spell, pick up Hypnotic Pattern
Swap Lightning Bolt for Synaptic Static. New Cantrip Mold Earth.
Level 11: Mass Suggestion
Level 12: Swap Shield for Globe of Invulnerability Feat: Magic Initiate (Sorcerer) - Shield, Shape Water, Control Flames

Would you like the rest?

Would you share the final list at level 12? It's kind of hard to keep track like this (and I'm lazy).

Anyway, I'm curious, why no Mage Armor? And don't you think Absorb Elements is a must?
Other than that, I like the idea of getting Magic Initiate, even it is going to be quite late. It does make a nice case for a V.Human Sorcerer, though.

Actually, made me want to do a V.Human Shadow Sorcerer now, so here it is, kind of off the cuff:

Variant Human Shadow Sorcerer, with Careful Spell & Subtle Spell, and Twinned at 10th
Pick up Magic Initiate: Mage Armor at 1st level! Boost CHA at 4th & 8th.
(I don't feel like doing the other levels, Fear is a must at 5th level of course)
Level 7: [Mage Armor], Shield, Absorb Elements | Hold Person, Suggestion | Fear, Fireball, Counterspell | Sickening Radiance
Level 8: [Mage Armor], Shield, Absorb Elements | Hold Person, Suggestion | Fear, Fireball, Counterspell | Sickening Radiance, Dimension Door
Level 9: [Mage Armor], Shield, Absorb Elements | Hold Person, Suggestion | Fear, Fireball, Counterspell | Sickening Radiance, Dimension Door | Dominate Person
Level 10: [Mage Armor], Shield, Absorb Elements | Hold Person, Suggestion | Fear, Fireball, Counterspell | Sickening Radiance, Dimension Door | Dominate Person, Synaptic Static


I commented on your spell list but didn't submit mine so here it is.

Glasya tiefling red dragon sorcerer 10/ evoker wizard 2

Metamagic at level 12 (sorcerer 10) - subtle, empowered and careful

Wizard - shield, absorb elements, feather fall
Rituals – detect magic, identify, comprehend languages, find familiar, unseen servant
Glasya - disguise self, invisibility
Sorcerer -
Cantrips - firebolt, create bonfire, control flames, minor illusion, mending, prestidigitation
2 – scorching ray, suggestion
3 – fireball, hypnotic pattern, counterspell, fly
4 – banishment, sickening radiance, dimension door
5 – wall of stone, animate objects

Use evoker’s sculpt spell for fireball and sickening radiance, and use careful for hypnotic pattern so you don't ever have to worry about friendly fire. Those 3 spells cover 90% of my offensive combat needs.

Credit to TheUser for the idea for this build.

This is awesome. If you played this, by the way, in which level did you go for the Evoker levels? I would imagine after level 5 or 6 in Sorcerer, right? Didn't it kind of hurt to stop your progression like that? I never like multiclassing full-casters for this reason.
Also, why do you keep Scorching Ray until that late? And Banishment feels like a bit of weird one, would you explain that as well? I feel like Wall of Fire would be much better. Just banish someone to fiery hell, y'know?

[TheUser]

Would you share the final list at level 12? It's kind of hard to keep track like this (and I'm lazy).

Anyway, I'm curious, why no Mage Armor? And don't you think Absorb Elements is a must?


Mage Armor is unnecessary on a Draconic Sorcerer (Base AC is 13+ Dex)

And Absorb Elements is only absent in the exceptionally rare circumstance that you don't have someone else to pick up Dispel Magic (for reference that's no Cleric, Bard, Druid, Warlock, Wizard or level 9 Paladin....so like....every other caster besides Ranger lol) odds are very likely you will pick up Absorb Elements.


Edits:
If the game is going past 12 Resillient Wisdom instead of Magic initiate at 12 and Quicken Spell at 10 instead of Careful Spell.
Take Hexblade at 12. Swap Shield for Globe of Invulnerability before you take Hexblade.


Level 12: Hexblade
Eldritch Blast, Friends, Armor of Agathys, Shield
Level 13: More Hexblade. Hellish Rebuke. Potent Blast Invocation and Repelling Blast

This lets you position enemies and Careful Spell becomes way less integral.

Back to levelling Sorcerer.
Level 14: Resillient Wisdom, Swap Wall of Fire with Sickening Radiance
Level 15: Teleport
Level 16: Wings!
Level 17: Whirlwind
Level 18: Spell Sniper.
Swap Mass Suggestion with Enervate (so many things in tier 4 resist or are immune to charm it's nuts)
Level 19: Wish and Distant Spell.
Level 20: Sorcerer Draconic Presence
(Fear is more versatile since Charm only protects you and not your allies and it's good Synergy with your repelling and Distant Spell)

(I am travelling abroad so edit took a while)
If your DM lets you use Careful Spell with Sickening Radiance trade out Wall of Fire at earliest convenience after level 10.

If you don't know what level you are going to go for that Hexblade after 11.

Final Spell list
1: Shield, Disguise Self, Absorb Elements, Armor of Agathys, Hellish Rebuke (no Hex because you have better things to concentrate on).
2: Suggestion (you will have 6 spell slots here and will often either Hellish Rebuke or throw out Armor of Agathys with a level 2 spell slot outside of combat or power battery them into some 5th level slots during short rests)
Level 3: Fireball, Counter Spell, Hypnotic Pattern
Level 4: Dimension Door, Sickening Radiance
Level 5: Telekinesis, Synaptic Static, Enervate
Level 6: Globe of Invulnerability
Level 7: Teleport
Level 8: Whirlwind
Level 9: Wish

Quicken goes great with a whole host of Spells. Whirlwind in Particular lets you drop it and move it on the same round or pushing Eldritch Blast into it that first round or rounds after.
The same with Sickening Radiance.
Telekinesis and Enervate are great with Quicken too; restrained or stunned creatures make great high level Quickened Enervate Targets when you are low. A solid 14d8 in one round with a level 8 slot and since it heals off necrotic damage Hexblade's curse can amplify this. 14d8+12 heal for half.
Careful Synaptic Static and Hypnotic Pattern are gamechangers and if your DM lets it interact with Sickening Radiance it's great.
Subtle Suggestion, Telekinesis, Counter Spell, Mass Suggestion or my personal favourite Subtle Readied Globe of Invulnerability. You are also one of the few classes that can fly and concentrate on Globe while also mass fearing a group of dudes. Globe of Invulnerability mixed with high ground vantage point and cover is godly.

Ideal Magic Gear:
+3 Half Plate
+3 Shield
Shield Spell
30 AC
Did I mention you are always flying?

[bendking]

Mage Armor is unnecessary on a Draconic Sorcerer

And Absorb Elements is only absent in the exceptionally rare circumstance that you don't have someone else to pick up Dispel Magic (for reference that's no Cleric, Bard, Druid, Warlock, Wizard or level 9 Paladin....so like....every other caster besides Ranger lol) odds are very likely you will pick up Absorb Elements.

(I am editing for the rest)...

Totally forgot you're doing a Draconic Sorcerer. Damn. That one extra spell known is so tasty.

[Bobthewizard]

This is awesome. If you played this, by the way, in which level did you go for the Evoker levels? I would imagine after level 5 or 6 in Sorcerer, right? Didn't it kind of hurt to stop your progression like that? I never like multiclassing full-casters for this reason.
Also, why do you keep Scorching Ray until that late? And Banishment feels like a bit of weird one, would you explain that as well? I feel like Wall of Fire would be much better. Just banish someone to fiery hell, y'know?

Other than adding the Glasya Tiefling for a couple spells that I love but never make the cut on a sorcerer, I straight up stole this from TheUser's guide above. Read it if you haven't yet. It's my favorite analysis of meta magic and spell combos.

Dragon sorcerer 6 for elemental affinity. With empowered and elemental affinity, fireball is averaging around 35 or so damage instead of 27. Then take 2 levels of wizard, then back to sorcerer for the rest. I don't mind stopping progression on a sorcerer after level 5 - fireball and hypnotic pattern are workhorses for a long time, especially when you can sculpt/careful them.

You are right about scorching ray, it should get switched out at least by level 11 when firebolt gets the 3rd die. Any of levitate, misty step or web for second level spells or possibly fear to give one more spell for careful. Careful fear can lead to a lot of opportunity attacks in the right party.

Level 12 is about where I like to switch polymorph out for banishment since you can upcast banishment to a 5th or 6th level slot to affect 2 or 3 creatures. I likely would only use it against things I could permanently banish. It's a great upcast for someone with 6th level slots but no 6th level spells.

Sickening radiance is my wall of fire replacement. Wall of fire only has a save on the initial casting so you can't sculpt your allies the whole combat. Sculpt spell works better on sickening radiance or dawn which give saves every round so you can exclude allies every round.

[TheUser]

Final list is in the edit.

[HiveStriker]

I find Sorcerer Spell Lists to be quite interesting, and I hope some you do as well, so we can share and discuss optimal spell lists!
Feel free to share any spell list for any combination of sub-class and metamagics, and explain some of your spell choices.

For the sake of the discussion, let's assume you don't know which spells your allies are getting and what classes they are, since those can obviously change your picks, let's say these are just general lists for a "typical" party, and that we'll be going up to level 10 (though you could go higher), since people usually play in the lower tiers. Plus, you would probably only be picking one spell from each spell level of 6th and beyond, so it gets a little less interesting there.

I'll start with my Wild Magic Sorcerer, with Twinned Spell & Elemental Spell, and Quickened at 10th:
10 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Misty Step | Fireball, Counterspell, Dispel Magic | Greater Invisibility, Storm Sphere | Dominate Person, Telekinesis

1 - Mage Armor, Sleep
2 - Mage Armor, Shield, Sleep
3 - Mage Armor, Shield | Web, Blindness
4 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Web, Blindness
5 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Misty Step | Fireball, Haste
6 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Misty Step | Fireball, Haste, Counterspell
7 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Misty Step | Fireball, Counterspell, Haste | Greater Invisibility
8 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Misty Step | Fireball, Counterspell, Haste | Greater Invisibility, Storm Sphere
9 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Misty Step | Fireball, Counterspell, Haste | Greater Invisibility, Storm Sphere | Dominate Person
10 - Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements | Misty Step | Fireball, Counterspell, Haste | Greater Invisibility, Storm Sphere | Dominate Person, Telekinesis

Explanation:
Mage Armor, Shield, Absorb Elements & Counterspell are all spell-tax as far as I'm concerned.
Going from there, Fireball + Elemental Spell should have you covered for dusting mobs, as that is often the role of Sorcerers.
Misty Step to keep you safe, which is extra pertinent when you're a Wild Mage trying to fight close to the action, and to have some use for 2nd level spells, though this slot is quite flexible (Web is a good alternative, probably better if you find yourself having a lot of fights per day and having to manage your resources).
Haste to Twin, Greater Invisibility to Twin HARD (Polymorph is a good alternative). Storm Sphere to control, blast & dump your Tides of Chaos into (Wall of Fire is a good alternative).
Dominate Person to Twin, and Telekinsis to Quicken and ruin someone's day.
I feel like Dimension Door should be in here somehow, maybe replacing Misty Step, but it's a tough call.

Looking forward to reading other spell lists. I just hope this interests someone other than me around here :smallamused:
Sooo, I'll give some of my go-to any party spell lists.
Note that I don't consider the UA Variant Rules. :)


First, the "whatever happens I'll keep those": Shield, Comprehend Languages, Enhance Ability, Invisibility, Polymorph... Wish! Those are spells I'll think about twice before swapping them, although I may do it if I need to really tailor my build towards a specific focus.

Second, the "pure class conundrum": although I'm of those that actually consider the capstone *very* useful, unless I am in a party in which being really focused on a few tactics is fine, I will usually ditch the hope of getting up to those high levels to get early benefits by grabbing one level into Bard, Warlock, Druid or Cleric.
Also, I rarely make a Sorcerer without Ritual Caster feat, unless my DM warned me that spells as loot will be extremely rare and there are no casters in party that could teach me.

Shadow Sorcerer aka "Silent and Deadly": Subtle, Distant, then Quicken. Mage Armor, Shield, Comprehend Language->Tongues, Mirror Image (swapped later), Suggestion, Enhance Ability, Invisibility, Phantasmal Force, Hold Person -> Hold Monster, Fireball, Slow, are my usual spells. I'll swap some of them to adapt to party, especially when picking 6th and higher level spells, although I'd often pick Mass Suggestion.
The idea here is to be the spy, and the single target debuffer. Observant and Prodigy (or a single level of Rogue) are great here. I usually pick Ritual Caster: Bard for all "noise/language" related rituals.


Divine Soul Sorcerer aka "The Party Saver": Subtle, Extend, then Quicken. Usually goes with one to three (depending on how much party needs Cleric spells) levels of Cleric (Life or Tempest depending on party needs).
Shield, Mage Armor, Bless, Healing Words, (Command), Enhance Ability, Invisibility, Aid, (Warding Bond), (Catnap), Spiritual Weapon or Flaming Sphere, Spirit Guardians (if Cleric dip), Fireball (instead Ligthing Bolt -> Chain Lightning if Tempest), Polymorph, Hypnotic Pattern, Invisibility, Suggestion, Fly, Death Ward. Like before, I'll adapt spell choices to party by swapping some aforementioned for higher level spells, although I like to go with Seeming and Sickening Radiance.
That guy is THE buffer, pushing allies's overall resilience with Extended Death Ward and upcast Aid before starting a long rest, as well as Mage Armor. He also helps spying or traveling safe with Fly/Invisibility, or provides short rest with Catnap if there are enough short-rest dependent people in party (another way is to use Polymorph, but it's higher level spell and single-target).

In fight, depending on some choices, he can either get into melee in armor + Shield + Spirit Guardians, or stand back and apply soft control with Ray of Frost and the like. When heavy damage is needed, a maxed lightning spell will do the trick.

Divine Soul Sorcerer aka "The Tag Team": Extend, Twin, then whatever (Quicken still nice), mix with a few levels of martial like Rogue for mobility or Fighter/Paladin for AC: make a duo of scouts with Extended Invisibility or Twin Greater Invisibility, or Twin Haste you and Barbarian, or Quicken Dimension Door to land a surprise attack with Booming Blade...
Basically, choose spells that can make you and a friend devise great duo strategies.

Draconic Sorcerer aka "The versatile Skirmisher": pick Empower and Subtle, later Heightened or Quicken grab 2 levels of Rogue for Cunning Action, learn Shield, Chromatic Orb, Mirror Image, Haste/Fly/Greater Invis (either), Mirror Image, Shadow Blade, Slow, Fireball -> Chain Lightning. Pick Mobile ASAP: either hit and run with a powerful attack (Shadow Blade), or play safely by making yourself invisible. Besides that, you can really build it however you want, either focusing on one aspect, or picking a mix of spells.
If I were to consider Variant rules, this one would definitely pick Elemental chance over Heightened, and he'd also very possibly learn Elemental Bane and Flaming Sphere (or another spell that lasts and can be moved).