Sorcerers

[Fuzzy Animal]

Fuzzy Animal's Sorcerer spell choices:

1st level:
Magic Missle
Identify
Protection from Evil
Charm Person
Chromatic Orb

2nd level:
Mirror Image
Melf's Acid Arrow
Stinking Cloud
Web
Resist Fear

3rd level:
Dispel Magic
Haste
Lightning Bolt
Flame Arrow
Fireball

4th level:
Improved Invisibility
Minor Sequencer
Spirit Armor
Stoneskin
Fireshield (Red)

5th level:
Animate Dead
Breach
Lower Resistance
Domination
Cloudkill

6th level:
Chain Lightning
Contingency
Globe of Invulnerability
Pierce Magic
True Sight

7th level:
Mordenkainen's Sword
Spell Turning
Prismatic Spray
Khelben's Warding Whip
Spell Sequencer

8th level:
Simulacrum
Spell Trigger
Improved Mantle
Symbol Stun
Maze

9th level:
Chain Contingency
Spell Strike
Spell Trap
Timestop
Wail of the Banshee

Opinions? Comments?

[StarVid]

1st level- I would pick charm person, too easy to save. I'd find friends more useful instead. Or prot. from evil if you are soloing/don't have a cleric to cast it.

2nd level- I might choose invis over stinking cloud...though SC works well with an undead summon. Though don't forget, there are a lot of other undead in the game.

3rd level- I'd probably choose remove magic over lightning bolt, and skull trap over fireball.

4th level- Greater Malison over imp. invis., emotion over fireshield, and maybe secret word over spirit armor

5th level- instead of domination I'd have spell immunity, and I might sub cloudkill for chaos.

6th level- true sight, summon nish. protection from magic energy, summon nish., pierce magic (or death spell), and Chain lightning

7th level- pretty much the same for me.

8th level- Abi Wilting, Spell Trigger, Pierce Shield, Simulacrum

9th level- Time Stop, Spellstrike, Chain Contingiency, Gate or Bibgy's

that's my 2 cents.

[Burrtoe]

Fuzzy, you only get four 8th and four 9th. I'd drop Wail from your 9th list. Horrid Wilting at 8th is good, improved mantle isn't that great. Your 4th level selection could stand to lose spirit armor and fireshield and replace with icestorm and greater mal (I think that one is 4th level). Might want to take a look at melf's minute meteors, that's a good one to have. I'm not a big fan of chromatic orb, creatures get +6 to their save for that spell.

I won't go into more detail. Always seems like that all sorcerers/mages end up almost identical. Same gear, same spells, etc. I think some general guidelines would be better. I'd say have at least one spell per level that does damage (except 9th since you get the quest spells). And go easy on the defensive stuff. Get all of the sequencers and contingencies. Try and cover all the areas of damage, like fire, cold, acid, and so on. I don't see any cold spells on your list.

Overall, your choices look pretty good.

The Toe

[Fuzzy Animal]

Thanks for the input, I may
have to revise my selection. I
forgot that I have ToB installed
and can choose Bigby hand spells.
I also forgot to include cold spells,
I always did like cone of cold. I
thought a sorcerer got 5 spell slots
for every level, guess I am mistaken.
I am not quite ready to solo the game
yet, so I should take that into
consideration (less defensive spells,
cleric spell backup, fighters to protect
me.) I love all the sequencer spells, and
contingencies. I will listen to more advice
keep up the good work!! Thanks!!

[Burrtoe]

Technically, they do get 5 of every level. But with the xp cap of 8 million, you only get four 8th and four 9th. And I forgot about Spell Immunity at 5th, but StarVid didn't. That one is sort of a necessity. Otherwise, you have to reload when you get imprisoned by a lich.

The Toe

[Dundee Slaytern]

Just to let everyone know, I am revamping my Sorcerer Spell List webpage. Version 1.03 is on the way.

[Nifft the Nimble]

Okay here are my sorcerer guidelines:


1) At least one attack spell per level, but try to not have more than two.
2) Don't take too many fire spells! There are more fire-immune monsters as you get farther into the game, especially in ToB.


3) Look for spells which get better as you level up. Fireball is bad, for example, because it maxes out at 10th level (10d6). Skull trap has half the range but has no maximum damage---if you're 20th level it'll do 20d6 damage, and three of them in a sequencer will do 60d6.

4) Ignore spells which can be replicated with items. Cloudkill may rock, but it rocks just as much when it's from a wand. Similar thinking for Aganazar's Scorcher, Fireball, Monster Summoning II, Cone of Cold and Lightning Bolt, though the wand versions of those aren't precisely as effective as the spell versions. There's no reason to take the spell Strength: there are plenty of strength-increasing belts and potions. Haste is tricky---you will have two pairs of Boots of Speed by the end of SoA, and about a hundred in ToB :-D so the only things you'll care about hasting are summoned monsters. How often will you haste a horde of monsters? More than once per day? I doubt it.


5) If you're not soloing your sorcerer, count on having another mage around to cast some support spells. You don't need to select Friends or Knock or any other spell that deals with problems that will be there after you rest. Likewise True Seeing is a great spell, but your local cleric, inquisitor or druid can cast it just fine, too.

6) Take multi-purpose spells! Glitterdust == Blindness + See Invisible. Pierce Magic == Lower Resistance + Ruby Ray.


7) Project Image! This spell increases your firepower sixfold or more. It won't attack, though, so don't cast Melf's Minute Meteors with it. Simulacrum sucks compared to this spell.


8) Don't ever take Protection from Fire, Cold, Electricity, etc.. That's what Clerics and scrolls are for.


-- Nifft