Please help me build Sindel Drunkensquirrel - Kender Sorceror

[Tomokun]

Ok, so once again I turn to you guys in my hour of need. I want to build a Kender Sorceror, and I don't have any experience in building casters.

Bards, sure. My Bards rock.

Monks. I got Monk Skillz to die for.

Clerics. Hoo yah, no problem.

Wizards and sorcerers...

that's a problem.

So the setting is the Age of Might, I don't know specifically when, and the only other player character I know for sure is going to play a Druid. We MAY have a tank, we may not. Either way, I've fallen in love with my character idea and want to play him.

We are a Role-Playing group primarily, so I rarely Prestige, there is DEFINITELY know gestalt, and we use a point-buy system for stats which basically starts everyone off at 10 across the board and 16 points to distribute (17 if you're a human). First level is max HP and starting gold is Max for your class.

We would be starting out as level 1 characters, but I'm just having a hard-time figuring out how to build Sindel without having him die right out the gate. I know I'll be maxing out his Charisma, and putting the rest in Dex and Int, with maybe a point in Con, but I'd really love some help from you guys on this one. Especially with Spell selection, since I'm not familiar with my options.

[Eldariel]

From what level? And what exactly is your concept? Either way...

Stats: Cha > Dex > Con. Con should be no less than 14 due to your hit die; you need those HP. Dex for Initiative and AC, Cha for...spells.
Feats: Depends on sources allowed. Generally early Wiz/Sorc feats really come onto their own later on, but Spell Foci, Spell Penetrations, Metamagic and company are fine all the way. If you have access to Complete Arcane, Precocious Apprentice is a fine way to gain a headstart. Things like Residual Magic [Complete Mage], Metamagic School Focus [Complete Mage] and Extraordinary Spell Aim [Complete Adventurer] may also interest you later. There's also Reserves of Strength in some Dragonlance book but it's a bit good.
Spells: Early on, you'll want knockout spells.

Color Spray & Sleep are great on early levels. Later on, Grease is a great level 1 spell, and once you get CL 9, you prolly want Magic Missile as an emergency fallback option. Charm Person happens to be nice with all your Cha.

Level 2 contains Glitterdust, Pyrotechnics and Web. Fog Cloud isn't bad either. Scorching Ray and the like may be worth getting later on.

Level 3, Stinking Cloud, Haste, Slow are all good to start with.


But that's where I'll stop. The options are chimeric and a Sorcerer needs to be very aware of what he's picking and why due to the low number of spells known (and needing to cover as much with every spell as possible as a consequence), so need to know more about your sources available, and desires with regards to character focus and ability.

[Tomokun]

When I come up with a character concept, its more along the lines of a story, and the spells he would choose are similar to that. What I'd like are things like that "snowball" spell, cause that would be funny and other things which would fit his personality but not actually cause him to die.

The other bit here is that in all likelihood, because of the time we are playing in, he would pretty much be destroyed if he was found out to be a magic user.

Below, I've included a background I threw together for the DM.

In a time before Burrfoot's and Trapspringers there were the Drunkensquirrels.

Welll, Drunkensquirrel, singular. Sindri Drunkensquirrel to be precise, so named because his parents decided he looked exactly like a drunk squirrel when he was born, and because Sindri was his great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great Uncle's name from either his Mother or Father's side (they can't seem to remember which side Sindri belongs on).

What they DO know for a fact 100% no take-backs for certain is that Sindri was a dragon.

Or half-dragon.

Or he was a powerful wizard who could TURN into a dragon maybe.

Or maybe he was walking by a cave one day and saw a dragon, but one thing is for certain...dragons were almost assuredly involved at some point.

Either way, as a result, those of Sindri's blood line have been blessed with the power of magic. Specifically, they conjure items to them without even realizing they are doing it! All they have ever realized is that invariably the objects are things which Sindri and his ancestors have found very interesting, like a shiny bauble, a pie cooling on a window sill, or a rock with a hole in it.

Sindri guards the truth of his abilities, as many of his ancestors have been destroyed by mages and clerics alike. Ok... maybe they just went missing or died because of Wanderlust, but that's just crazy talk.

It's obvious that the mages are out to get him because of the awesome power that is trapped within him.

Maybe.

Wandering the land with his trusted Mage's staff (hoopak), posing as a stage magician and entertainer, Sindri battles against those who cause injustice, malign his character, or accuse him of thievery when misunderstandings occur because of his powerful magic.

Sindri is VERY sensitive about his name though, as he has looked at himself in the mirror and looks NOTHING like a Drunkensquirrel, much to his dissapointment. He is currently waiting for a petition to go through in regards to a name change - DragonMage - which he thinks sounds much more fitting to a powerful Magus of his skill level.

[Eldariel]

See, I can't give you any suggestions for concept-fitting spells known until I know your concept, hence asking. Alright. One more question: Which sources do you have access to? Little use in digging obscure sources for precisely what you want if you can't use them anyways.

[IonDragon]

Ok, so once again I turn to you guys in my hour of need. I want to buildthe only other player character I know for sure is going to play a Druid. We MAY have a tank, we may not.

You have already listed 2 tanks.

[Tomokun]

See, I can't give you any suggestions for concept-fitting spells known until I know your concept, hence asking. Alright. One more question: Which sources do you have access to? Little use in digging obscure sources for precisely what you want if you can't use them anyways.

Pretty much anything in the Spell Compendium, books of Faerun, or Dragonlance. Other than that my DM is open, but I'd have to make a strong case for it as a role-player. Just to give you an idea, some sessions we don't even get XP for killing, we just get XP per hour of game play and things accomplished.

And I'm not sure I'm understanding your question about "Concept", so I don't know what information you are looking for.

What I would like is for him to be mischeviously deadly. I love the idea of him being almost like the Comic hero Slapstick. Basically I want him to be able to mess with people (is cursing forbidden in this forum), destroy enemies hilariously, and still be an asset to the party as a pseudo-thief (he'll be able to pick locks, pick pockets, and wheedle information because he's a kender).

[nedz]

You might consider using illusions, they seem very kenderlike and are as flexible and powerful as your imagination. Other than that just choose spells that you will enjoy using and which fit your char-concept.
There are several thinkgs about Sorcerors you should bear in mind however.
The first spell you choose when you get access to a new level of spells had better be one you intend to cast a lot (3-4 times a day for starters).
Spells which have flexibilty/multiple uses are always handy.
You need to plan at least four levels ahead to avoid duplication of spells.
You ought to start with one 'offensive' 1st level spell and 1 'utility' 1st level spell.
You are going to be a one trick pony for quite a few levels.

[SaintRidley]

As with all kender, the first step in making a viable kender character is to torch the character sheet.

[Tomokun]

You might consider using illusions, they seem very kenderlike and are as flexible and powerful as your imagination. Other than that just choose spells that you will enjoy using and which fit your char-concept.
There are several thinkgs about Sorcerors you should bear in mind however.
The first spell you choose when you get access to a new level of spells had better be one you intend to cast a lot (3-4 times a day for starters).
Spells which have flexibilty/multiple uses are always handy.
You need to plan at least four levels ahead to avoid duplication of spells.
You ought to start with one 'offensive' 1st level spell and 1 'utility' 1st level spell.
You are going to be a one trick pony for quite a few levels.

*nods* Very much taking that to heart dudetacular.

BTW Eladriel, I LOVE Precocious Apprentice, seems VERY useful for my character.

[Analytica]

If you can use it, I believe the character concept you are after is much more viable mechanically using the Beguiler class from Player's Handbook II. It is a skill-heavy mind control/trickery/illusionism-type full caster.