Sorcerer: Specialist (Good/Bad Idea?)

[Ralasha]

I had a sudden idea for a different version of the sorcerer. It doesn't change spells per day, but does change what spells it knows, though not straying from arcane spells. The idea is a sorcerer that chooses a school of magic, and gains all spells of that school as spells known, for each spell level appropriately. They also gain 1 spell of the sorcerers choosing, from any school whenever the sorcerer would normally gain spells known.
Thus a Sorcerous Evoker would be a sorcerer capable of sponteniously casting evocation spells, and still have a few from other schools.
As well as a +1 Caster Level effect.

Good Idea/Bad Idea?

[Zom B]

I think it would be terribly over-restrictive. Most of the allure of a sorcerer is having a wide range of utility available to use at a moment's notice. Cutting out all schools but one eliminates a huge range of utility. No sane person would use this variant. I mean, your evoker doesn't have access to Detect Magic, Fly, Teleportations, Polymorphs, and a whole slew of other things I'd never give up.

That being said, I think the best way to do a specialist sorcerer is similar to a Wizard: You get one extra spell slot per day, usable for the school you select, and ban two other schools. If you want to do something different, have the sorcerer pick one school to get +1 caster level and another school to get -1 caster level, or something along that vein.

[Ralasha]

On the other hand, you have far fewer spells at your beck and call than this sorcerer does, and if you're clever, you can find ways of changing a spells descriptors, or even create new spells that perform those functions but are classified in your school. This is of course, limited to your own creativity, and how tight your DM's sphincter happens to be. The idea is a sorcerer that has access to... say... fireball, lightning bolt, cone of cold, and whatever else it gets at that level, classified under evocation, while you get 2 spells known. This one gets all of those.

[Gorgondantess]

A more sane ruling might be all spells of one school plus 1 per spell level. Otherwise, a beguiler pretty much trumps this variant, as does a warmage, and a dread necromancer, unless the person taking it took transmutation or maybe illusion+shadowcraft mage.

[Ralasha]

Or Archmage for the energy substitution, then started taking the energy admixture feats, since it would have all of the energy substitution metamagics from 1 level in archmage. my fireball does 10d6 of everything!

[Jallorn]

The main problem I see is that different schools are clearly superior, and, while under the wizard specialization this is acceptable, under your proposed specialization it becomes entirely unbalanced, as certain schools would basically make the sorcerer useless in all but very specified situations.

[Ralasha]

It has been (slightly) modified. Hopefully it helps to correct the underpowering effect this would otherwise have (somewhat).

[Dante & Vergil]

This reminds me of what these guys came up with. You may get some inspiration from it.

[Ralasha]

Sorcerer: Metamagic Specialist: coming to a thread near you soon. (This thread.)

Original updated.

[Dante & Vergil]

I love the original specialist of yours, and I want to see the metamagic specialist now.

[Ralasha]

Patience. It's a virtue. Unless you like seeing untested crap?

[Dante & Vergil]

I can wait. I was just making small talk.

[Ralasha]

Metamagic Specialist Sorcerer:
The Metamagic Specialist centers on casting meta-magic enhanced spells.

Spoiler

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{table]Level|Special
1|Eschew Materials
2|Sorcerous Prodigy, Energy Substitution
3|Silent Spell
4|-
5|Still Spell
6|-
7|Empower Spell
8|-
9|Maximize Spell
10|-
11|Quicken Spell
12|-
13|Permanent Silent Spell
14|-
15|Permanent Still Spell
16|Improved Eschewance
17|Double Empower
18|-
19|-
20|Metamagical Perfection[/table]

Class Features:

Spoiler

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Eschew Materials: The sorcerer may ignore spell components for any spell of level 1-3.
Sorcerous Prodigy: The Sorcerer may leave a spell slot of his highest castable spell level in order to cast any spell equal to that spell level -the spell slot modifier with that metamagic enhancement. Thus a maximized fireball in conjunction with this would require a sixth level spell slot be slotted with maximize. After which, he may cast any spell of 3rd level or lower as maximized as many times per day as he wishes. An empowered 3rd level spell would require a 5th level spell slot, if using this class ability. Use of this ability negates spell casting time penalties for using metamagic enhancements when casting spontaneously.
Energy Substitution: A Metamagic Specialist may exchange any element (fire, cold, acid, lightning, sonic) for any other from that list when casting a spell that deals damage of the specified types.
metamagic feats: bonus feats. If the sorcerer already has the feat gained at that level it may pick any other meta magic feat that it qualifies for in its place.
Permanent Still/Silent: The sorcerer no longer needs use high level spell slots in order to cast spells with these meta magic enhancements. They are permanently on. The sorcerer is no longer effected by silence or spells such as hold person, since the sorcerer no longer requires the ability to speak or move to cast spells.
Improved Eschewance: The Sorcerer no longer requires spell components that cost less that its levelx50 in GP. Total cost of components required for a spell is what determines if this ability will function.
Double Empower: Whenever the sorcerer would cast an empowered spell normally, using the higher level spell slot, and taking additional time to cast it, the spell is cast as though empowered twice, dealing damagex2.
Metamagical Perfection: Through long use of metamagic, and learning from such use the Sorcerer may cast any spell using metamagic granted by this class without changing the spells effective level, or casting time. This does not change the effects of previously gained abilities, merely extends them. However, when attempting to do so the sorcerer suffers a 10% spell failure chance per level by which the spell slot would normally be increased. Thus an Empowered, Maximized Spell cast using this class feature would have a 50% spell failure chance. Silent, Still Spell, Energy Substitution, and Double Empower are unaffected.

Questions are welcome. I will use any such question to clarify the class features. Suggestions on clarity of wording are also welcome.

[Dante & Vergil]

Sorry for taking so long to respond, but the Metamagic Sorcerer looks good. Nice work.

[Ralasha]

that is what I call 'shaping reality to meet your desires'.

[ericgrau]

As for the specialist, I think I could find 2-3 good spells per level in most schools in core. Then adding other books it'd get pretty nuts. I think it would easily get way OP, at least for evocation, conjuration, transmutation and illusion. Remember that there are other spells besides the classics for each school, and if you know them all you might as well use them.

[Ralasha]

not overpowered: you are still limited to how many times you can cast each day. You don't get more spells per day, just more spells known. More Diversity.