[Pathfinder] Bard/Sorcerer Assistance

[Darkxarth]

So, let me see if I can lay this out.

I will be playing in the Kingmaker Adventure Path for the Pathfinder RPG. My DM has decreed several things:

1. We are allowed only 1 Trait from the Kingmaker Player's Guide, and no other traits (including the inability to take the Additional Traits feat).
2. Using stage magic (by which I mean card tricks, real-world illusion, etc.) is ok for the Bardic Performance ability and falls under Perform (Act).
3. No way will I be allowed to multiclass in Bard and Sorcerer and have them stack for spellcasting progression. I thought I would ask, since neither Bard nor Sorcerer spellcasting is as powerful as Wizard/Druid/Cleric casting, and I had intended to progress an equal number of Bard and Sorcerer levels. My Sorcerer abilities and Bard abilities would already have been functioning at half strength, so I thought maybe he would allow me to advance only Bard or Sorcerer casting. No dice.

My character (Raslondius Archimedes Blackstone III also known as "Raslo the Marvelous) is a Half-Elf magician. He grew up in some city with an Elf mother and a semi-noble Human father (Noble Born: Orlovsky trait from Kingmaker Player's Guide). He had a natural talent for stage magic, and it turned out that he had a talent for true magic as well. His mother explained that an ancient Elf seer had told her that she would give birth to "a child of the heavens" which turns out to be Raslo (Destined Sorcerer bloodline).

So, what I need is some assistance building a decent character from level 1 until at least level 8. He needs to have spontaneous arcane casting, and he will have max ranks in Perform (Act) for doing stage magic. I would love to be able to make actual use of that, but I suppose I would be willing to simply leave it as just a (mostly) useless skill if I have to. I am only allowed to use Pathfinder Core classes, and I assume converting 3.5 material is a no-go for now, since the DM has expressed a desire for extreme simplicity through the banning of all non-Kingmaker traits. Finally, this DM does frequent these boards, so no insulting, just in case he stops by.

Too Long; Didn't Read
I need help building a viable character based on this concept: a Half-Elf who can perform card tricks, etc. with Perform (Act) but also uses spontaneous arcane magic. Pathfinder Core classes only, starting at level 1 until at least level 8. I would really like to multiclass Bard/Sorcerer, but it seems too weak. Also, no hating on the DM, please.

[Ernir]

How about just a Bard? Seems like that's what you are looking for. If that's not magic-y enough for you, the alternative is a straight Sorcerer with "useless" ranks in perform. There isn't really any multiclassing synergy between the two.

If you want more magic on your Bard, 3.5 has the Lyric Thaumaturge (Complete Mage) and Sublime Chord (Complete Arcane) PrCs, which are basically "Bard but with more spellcasting". Oops, read the no-go as a go. Single-classed Bard or Sorcerer it is. =/

[Trenelus]

First, you got decide between sorcerer and bard.
But either way, you can max perform and take half-elf skill focus-bonus feat to further increase your perform. As Charisma will be your best stat your perform should be easily 14 or more by lv 8. Remember to take +2 to Charisma.

As you didn't say what ability scores you have try
Cha > Dex > Int > Con > Wis > Str

Take metamagic feats, and specificly take Quicken Spell at lv 9, as in patfinder spontanius caster can now use it.

About spells:
Illusion spells might be thematically great for you, as they allow
trickery and creativity.

[Tinydwarfman]

What's wrong with straight sorcerer? Sure your magic tricks won't inspire people to do +2 attack and damage, but so what? A sorcerer (or a dip in one level of bard if you really want) will still do the tricks just as good as a 50/50 progression bard. This is not 3.5 skills.

[Akal Saris]

I'd just drop the bard level and take ranks in Perform as a non-class skill. It's just for flavor anyhow, so a +5 bonus or so at 1st level should be fine to represent your skill at them. Maybe buy some masterwork cards that you know like the back of your hand to give another +2 to your card tricks for 50g.

At 8th you could take a level of Loremaster and get Perform as a class skill without losing any casting, though that's at the upper end of the AP.

[Darkxarth]

Thanks to everyone. I guess I will probably take single-class Sorcerer. I was just hoping for a usable multiclass option to take full advantage of my Half-Elf Multitalented ability, but it was not a requirement. I went Half-Elf primarily for role-playing reasons, not mechanical reasons.

So, that said, anyone have Feat or Spell suggestions for a low-level Pathfinder Half-Elf Sorcerer? I would love to grab an Item Creation feat (Craft Wondrous Item) or perhaps some Metamagic feats, but I am not sure what to go after at 1st level. Thankfully, I am Half-Elf, so I only have to pick one feat.

Also, as far as spells, I was probably going to go with Color Spray, would that be viable enough until I get a chance to swap it for something else at 4th level. Grease is almost a must-have given my limited number of choices, but maybe I should go with Charm Person instead? I rarely play primary spellcasters, most often playing Paladins, Rangers, or Factotums, to whom spellcasting is only a secondary ability.

[LibraryOgre]

Personally, I'd look into Arcane Trickster, as a Rogue/Sorcerer, probably starting as Rogue. Three levels of rogue and 4 of sorcerer will let your 8th level be Arcane Trickster. You get as class skills the ones you're wanting, a chunk of sneak attack damage, and lose a little bit on your spellcasting. I wouldn't do this if you're expected to be the primary arcane caster, but it works well as the clean-up hitter.

[Akal Saris]

Well, I really like your character idea from what I've heard so far, so here's how I would make him:

Sample trickster-flavored sorcerer set up:
1: Spell Focus (Illusion)
1B: Skill Focus (perform) [Half-elf]
1B: Eschew materials [Sorcerer]
3: Craft Wondrous Item
5: Spell Focus (enchantment)
7: Improved Familiar
7B: Leadership [Destined]
9: Extend Spell
11: Quicken Spell
13: Improved Initiative
13B: Lightning Reflexes [Destined]
15: Spell penetration
17: Greater spell penetration
19: Open
19B: Open [Destined]

Spells: 1st-10th level
1: Charm Person, Color Spray
2: -
3: Alarm [bonus], Silent Image
4: Swap Color Spray for Grease, Eagle's Splendor
5: Blur [bonus], Magic Missile, Tasha's Hideous Laughter
6: Swap Eagle's Splendor for Scorching Ray, Deep Slumber
7: protection from energy [bonus], Expeditious Retreat, Mirror Image, Haste
8: Charm Monster, swap Deep Slumber for Slow
9: [Freedom of movement], Invisibility, Stinking Cloud, Summon Monster IV
10: Wall of Stone

[Darkxarth]

Well, I really like your character idea from what I've heard so far, so here's how I would make him:

Sample trickster-flavored sorcerer set up:
1: Spell Focus (Illusion)
1B: Skill Focus (perform) [Half-elf]
1B: Eschew materials [Sorcerer]
3: Craft Wondrous Item
5: Spell Focus (enchantment)
7: Improved Familiar
7B: Leadership [Destined]
9: Extend Spell
11: Quicken Spell
13: Improved Initiative
13B: Lightning Reflexes [Destined]
15: Spell penetration
17: Greater spell penetration
19: Open
19B: Open [Destined]

Spells: 1st-10th level
1: Charm Person, Color Spray
2: -
3: Alarm [bonus], Silent Image
4: Swap Color Spray for Grease, Eagle's Splendor
5: Blur [bonus], Magic Missile, Tasha's Hideous Laughter
6: Swap Eagle's Splendor for Scorching Ray, Deep Slumber
7: protection from energy [bonus], Expeditious Retreat, Mirror Image, Haste
8: Charm Monster, swap Deep Slumber for Slow
9: [Freedom of movement], Invisibility, Stinking Cloud, Summon Monster IV
10: Wall of Stone

Thanks, I am very pleased with the character so far. I just hope he makes it through the first few levels. Also, thank you for the assistance with feats and spells, your suggestions look great, but I do have a couple of questions.

Is there a specific reason for Improved Initiative? Or is it just more useful than Spell Penetration at that level?

Hmm, can I ask why Summon Monster IV? What makes it a particularly good one compared to Summon Monster III? Or is it simply a matter of duration being long enough to be useful at that level as opposed to earlier levels?

Thanks again, to Akal Saris and everyone else.

[Akal Saris]

Glad to help :)

I'm personally a big fan of improved initiative, since acting first can mean taking an opponent entirely out of the fight or start the entire enemy team at a disadvantage on their round. Any time I have an open feat slot, I usually consider it - and since the monsters with spell resistance don't seem to start appearing in droves until CR 14 or so, I figured that was the best spot for it.

Summon Monster IV was because it gives a lot of versatility for one slot. Don't get me wrong, the others are good too, but SM III had a lot of strong competition. For example:
-Scout using earth elemental and its earth glide to check on the other side of a wall or door, or an air elemental in the...air.
-Have a Hound Archon make you 8 continual light torches for money, or teleport 50 pds of materials to your friend in town, or deliver a message anywhere he can greater teleport to. Though a SM III latern archon can do this as well.
-Mephit (Any) means you can use any of the following SLAs: gust of wind, wind wall, soften earth and stone, heat metal, chill metal, pyrotechnics, acid arrow, glitterdust, and then several you already have like blur.
-Pteradon or dire bat can carry you to higher places, while lots of swimming creatures can do the same.
-1d3 aurochs or 1d4+1 horses can work as a giant furry wall between you and your opponents.
-If something is immune to magic (golems usually), and you've used your buff spells, a summoned monster is better than nothing.