Battle sorcerer spell build

[weenie]

Hey.

I started a solo D&D 3.5 campaign where I play a Battle sorcerer(unearthed arcana). A fire spells loving one more accuratley. I have made up a spell build, that sound good to me, but I would appreciate some suggestions about it. The campaign is going to be huge armies oriented, so I'll be facing both, lots of weak opponents and small groups of tough ones. I have acces to the Complete series and spell compedium and here goes the current build:

1: + detect magic, + dancing lights, + light, + burning hands
3: + shield
4: + read magic, + lesser fireburst
5: + expeditious retreat
6: + arcane mark, + fireball
7: + magic missile, + protection from arrows
8: + llight, + wall of fire
9: + whirling blade, + displacement
10: + mending, - lesser fireburst, + schortching ray, + fireburst
11: + false life, + haste, + stoneskin
12: + disintegrate
13: + blistering radiance, + sending
14: + delayed blast fireball
15: + teleport, + brilliant blade
16: + horrid wilting
17: + spell turning
18: + meteor swarm
19: + mind blank
20: + summon elemental monolith

[nerulean]

Have you got all of your spells, or are you looking for additional ones? I don't know how the battle sorcerer works, but that looks like a pretty small list and you're getting some weak spells at relatively high level.

If you are looking for others, a personal favourite of mine is Greater Blink (5th, Spell Compendium) which gives a decent miss chance in combat and has the added bonus of being able to ready an action to automatically avoid a hit, all the while not interfering with your own casting. Could be useful if you're heading into melée.

[weenie]

The battle sorcerer is a regular sorc spelwise, except he gets -1 spell known per spell level level and -1 spell slot per spell level (both to a min of 1).

[nerulean]

I've just got off my lazy behind and fetched my Unearthed Arcana and spells per day is actually a minimum of 0, though spells known is still a minimum of 1. That said, your spells known should look like this:

Battle Sorceror Spells Known
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|3|1

2nd|4|1

3rd|4|2

4th|5|2|1

5th|5|3|1

6th|6|3|1|1

7th|6|4|2|1

8th|7|4|2|1|1

9th|7|4|3|2|1

10th|8|4|3|2|1|1

11th|8|4|4|3|2|1

12th|8|4|4|3|2|1|1

13th|8|4|4|3|3|2|1

14th|8|4|4|3|3|2|1|1

15th|8|4|4|3|3|3|2|1

16th|8|4|4|3|3|3|2|1|1

17th|8|4|4|3|3|3|2|2|1

18th|8|4|4|3|3|3|2|2|1|1

19th|8|4|4|3|3|3|2|2|2|1

20th|8|4|4|3|3|3|2|2|2|2[/table]

I don't know spell levels off hand, but I'm not sure your progression there matches that.

If you're playing solo, you might want a few more buffs in there. Eagle's splendour is an obvious choice for DCs, but you might want to up combat stats as well. Buffing your con might not last as long as false life but you're going to get more temporary hitpoints, especially at higher levels, and if you're running into melée they're not going to last long anyway. You didn't mention the PHB II, but if you can find a copy and are allowed, chasing perfection buffs all your stats. At a 6th spell level it's a fairly expensive choice, but if you're trying to do everything by yourself then it might be worth it.

[weenie]

With so few spells known I think that ability buffs are a luxory that I cannot afford. Potions for those kind of things are fairly cheap, and scrolls are even cheaper, so it might not be that good. And the problem with bonus hit points from constitution is, that they go away when your con drops to normal, and in a long battle that is not very likely to pay off. I was also thinking about switching sending with a fire-variant of cone of cold(if the DM approves it) for the same reason.

[nerulean]

If you have access to buffs from scrolls and suchlike then that works fine. Don't underestimate their usefulness, though, since they can give you a considerable edge in combat. Having six blasting spells might sound like the best idea, but having five blasting spells and one buff that improves all the other five can be a smarter way to play it. It does depend on your style and your DM's, though, of course.

And the problem with bonus hit points from constitution is, that they go away when your con drops to normal, and in a long battle that is not very likely to pay off.

But the problem with temporary hit points is that they don't heal: once you lose them, you don't get them back, even if someone casts a cure spell on you. False life will give you 1d10+1/lvl(max 10) for an average of 16 at 10th level, but only once. If they last until the end of the spell then yes, they will outlast any hit points given to you by a con buff, but you didn't need them anyway. At 10th level with d8 hit dice, you should be laughing at 16 damage.

If you cast bear's endurance you get effectively 2/lvl with no max for a guaranteed 20 at 10th level, and while they may only last for ten minutes, if you are healed during that time then you get them back just as you would with ordinary hit points, not to mention the added fort save and bonus to concentration checks, which is something any battle caster can use.

[Fax Celestis]

The main thing you seem to be missing with your spell selection is that the BSorc is not a blaster. He's a finesse fighter. Your spells look more like a Warmage than a BSorc.

[weenie]

..If they last until the end of the spell then yes, they will outlast any hit points given to you by a con buff, but you didn't need them anyway...

Wouldn't agree here. this few bonus hp may well mean the difference between life and death in an encounter. And they are the first to be used up if you get hit, so they are always usefull.

If you cast bear's endurance you get effectively 2/lvl with no max for a guaranteed 20 at 10th level, and while they may only last for ten minutes, if you are healed during that time then you get them back just as you would with ordinary hit points, not to mention the added fort save and bonus to concentration checks, which is something any battle caster can use.

This is all true, but bear's endurance also has the same effect when drunk from a potion than when cast by my sorcerer, it only lasts less. You couldn't say the same thing about false life though. And there are also many other magic items, that constantly give you a boost to con, that don't stack with bear's endurance, so I really think I'll pass on it.

[weenie]

The main thing you seem to be missing with your spell selection is that the BSorc is not a blaster. He's a finesse fighter. Your spells look more like a Warmage than a BSorc.

He's not necessarily a finesse fighter actually. Mine has a str of 17 and a dex of 13 and seems to be doing just fine. But he's still a beter caster than a warrior, and I must say that I don't see many ways to making him a match for a fighting oriented character, that don't include the words Tenser's transformation. I did post my ideas here to be reviewed by people with a greater knowledge though, so if you know of a way to pimp my BSor I'll be glad to listen

[Fax Celestis]

He's not necessarily a finesse fighter actually. Mine has a str of 17 and a dex of 13 and seems to be doing just fine. But he's still a beter caster than a warrior, and I must say that I don't see many ways to making him a match for a fighting oriented character, that don't include the words Tenser's transformation. I did post my ideas here to be reviewed by people with a greater knowledge though, so if you know of a way to pimp my BSor I'll be glad to listen

The first rule of thumb is that, because of your incredibly limited spell selection, you need spells that are capable of handling many things at once.

For instance, Vampiric Touch is terrific because it (a) damages your opponent; and (b) gives you temporary HP. Same with Lightning Leap: it teleports you into a more advantageous position and electrocutes everyone else on the way.

As for buff spells, at low levels you'll only need one: Animalistic Power (PHB-II). +2 Str/Dex/Con, Sor/Wiz 2.

You have better BAB than most of your kind, so ray spells are a bit more effective. Get some. Levels in Spellwarp Sniper (CScn) are likewise recommended, if you can get your hands on them.

Probably the best weapon for a BSorc's free weapon proficiency is the Longsword. Decent damage for a one-hander, but can be two-handed. You're not a tripmonkey or an AoOmonger, so reach weapons and trip weapons aren't really your cup of tea.

Smiting Spell metamagic (PHB-II) plus the Metamagic Specialist variant class feature (PHB-II) also increases utility of some of your spells. Now, you can smack with a Vampiric Touch attached to your weapon and heal yourself at the same time.

Retributive Spell (CMag) plus, say, Vampiric Touch is also a good choice. Someone attacks you in melee? They're Vampiric Touched and you get some temp. HP.

Complete Champion has the Domain Access alternate class feature too. It may be worthwhile if you can find a good domain to grab, particularly since it gives you the domain power too. Competition (SC) would be my pick, for Divine Power, Righteous Might, Regenerate, and Moment of Prescience.

True Strike is gold, particularly coupled with Power Attack.

Lastly, fire-and-forget offensive spells are a good choice for a BSorc. Spells like Cloud of Knives (PHB-II), Manyjaws (SC), or Black Blade of Disaster (SC) mean that you are making the battlefield a more dangerous place without a need for your own concentration.

[Dr. Weasel]

Fax is right. Also as a Battle Sorcerer, you also gain access to Arcane Strike before any other class. Coupling that with Power Attack nets you a very acceptable damage output without wasting spells known on direct damage. Move haste to your first 3rd level spell slot so you can get the most of it; it's one of the best spells you'll get at any level.

Self-buffs and spells with multiple uses are the way to go for Battle Sorcerer spell selection. Pick up a few area save-or-loses as well, one or two per save as well as the Heighten Spell feat. Enlarge Person, Glitterdust, Web and Stinking Cloud are great low-level spells which aren't on your list and which can be pumped with Heighten spell to keep them useful at higher levels.

If you really need direct damage, only take a few spells and preferrably ones which don't need a save like Scorching Ray.