[3.5] Help Building a Sorcerer for Success...

[Zovc]

Hey, I'm going to be joining a game soon likely as a sorcerer. We're starting at level 1, so my race must have LA+0 (besides, I doubt I'd want to take an LA as a sorcerer anyways). I have all 120 of my starting gp to spend.

For my race, I think I'm going to try Hellborn (Spirit) in order to get +2 to my Charisma (likely putting me at 20).

What are feats I 'need' to take? Is there a particular prestige class I should set my self up to jump right into? Any 'obvious' spell choices?

I am able to take two traits, and taking two flaws earns me another feat (only once).

[Ernir]

There are many superbly effective ways to skin a cat Sorcerer.

What kind of character is this Sorcerer of yours? How do you foresee him fighting?

[Aron Times]

Versatile Spellcaster.

/thread

[Zovc]

Versatile Spellcaster.

/thread

I was going to say "wat dat?" but that was too short, so...

"What is that?"

[HunterOfJello]

definitely definitely Versatile Spellcaster


8 Simple Rules for Selecting Sorcerer Spells is a great guide for getting a good spread of spells.


I would also read all the way through Solo’s Stupendously Superior Sorcerer Stratagems which has most of all the Sorcerer information that you'll ever need.


I would also give a glance at the Dragon Magic book that contains a handful of spells that can be used by sorcerers only and never by wizards (much to their dissaproval ). Just don't get too hooked up on the dragon feats. Some are good and others aren't.

~~

DEFINITELY go and grab the Magic-Blooded Template which you can find at the Crystal Keep 3.0 index. (Their website has been having trouble over the last few days so it may or may not be up for a while.)

The template gives you +2 CHA -2 WIS, Low-Light Vision, +2 spellcraft, +2 knowledge, 4 spell-like abilities that work 1/day and your favored class changed to Sorcerer.

All in all the template is amazing. The only bad part is the wisdom, which many sorcerers use to fuel their Arcane Disciple Feat.

~~~

Check out the Arcane Disciple feat if you want to improve your spell list. It allows you to grab all of the spells off any one Cleric domain spell list. You don't get the domain power with it, but you do get 9 spell levels worth of spells. The only downside is that the spell save DC and the ability score you use to qualify to use each spell level is based on wisdom, so if you want to cast a 9th level spell from the list your character will eventually need 19 wisdom.

~~~

If your campaign starts off at level 1, then Precocious Apprentice can be a fun feat to have. It loses it's effectiveness and will become somewhat worthless once you get around level 7 though. If your DM offers retraining, then I would definitely grab it at level 1 and retrain it to something else once you stop caring about 2nd level spell slots.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I was going to say "wat dat?" but that was too short, so...

"What is that?"

Feat from races of the dragon, lets you burn to lower spell slots to cast a higher level spells, for example you can burn to 0 lvl spells and cast a level 1 spell.

Also I suggest you take a look at sandshaper prestige class from sandstorm, it grants a ton of spells to your spells known.

though it needs ranks in cross class skills (knowledge the planes and survival) and a worthless feat (touchstone city of the dead.)

[senrath]

Touchstone: City of the Dead isn't entirely worthless. It's just suboptimal.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Touchstone: City of the Dead isn't entirely worthless. It's just suboptimal.

What exactly does it does? I am AFB right now.

[HunterOfJello]

Base Ability: "You gain a +1 insight bonus on all Charisma-
based checks. Your Charisma-based spells get a +1
insight bonus on caster level checks made to overcome a
creature’s spell resistance."

I don't understand how the higher-order abilities work though


definitely not bad

[senrath]

It's higher order ability is Mass Charm Monster 1/week, affecting up to 3 times your level in HD monsters, or a single monster regardless of HD. The monsters also have to share at least one part of your alignment (ie, if you're Neutral Good, you can use it on Neutral Evil, True Neutral, and all three types of Good.)

The biggest downside is that you only get 4 uses of the Mass Charm Monster before you have to go back to the City and recharge it.