Easy Must Have Spells for a New Primary Caster

[Revolving Door Alternate]

Helping a guy make a new PC. He’s tried some partial casters relatively successfully and want to consider his first primary caster. However, he is very hesitant about trying to learn umpteen bajillion spells. (He doesn’t mind taking the time to ask advice out of game.) So he’s thinking a spontaneous caster. And possibly crossblooded sorcerer specifically to have fewer spells to master.

He doesn’t want to be a blaster. There is already someone in his group that is a blaster and is a very good optimizer. So he feels like a blaster would always be “warming the bench” if he tried to compete with that player.

He’s thinking mostly a buff caster since those spells tend to be easier to learn. But he has also seen that everyone needs to have at least a few debuff and damage/kill/incapacitate spells in case there is no one around to buff.

So, bloodline suggestions are welcome.

But mainly, what spells seem like the most likely to be useful and easy to learn for a guy without a lot of self confidence and no experience as a primary caster? (I think summon monster is way too complex and fraught with difficulties for him.)

A few seem incredibly obvious:
Haste
Communal X (any defensive buff on the whole party is always welcome)
Grease (occasionally useful even at high levels)
Color spray (closer than a primary caster often wants to stand, but can be a game changer at low level)
Mage armor (maybe, I see a lot of disagreement on whether or not a sorc should learn this)
Glitterdust
Ear piercing scream ? (almost nothing resists sonic)
Detect secret doors (often appreciated, but might be better as a wand)
Dimension door
Teleport
Fly
Heroism
Daylight ?
Invisibility (and/or greater)
Displacement
Dispel magic
Wall of X

Any disagreements or other suggestions?

[Rerednaw]

Revolving Door Alternate wrote:

Helping a guy make a new PC....few debuff and damage/kill/incapacitate spells in case there is no one around to buff.

So, bloodline suggestions are welcome.

But mainly, what spells seem like the most likely to be useful and easy to learn for a guy without a lot of self confidence and no experience as a primary caster? (I think summon monster is way too complex and fraught with difficulties for him.)

A few seem incredibly obvious:
Haste
...
Any disagreements or other suggestions?

You've got most of the ones I'd pick right there. As a sorcerer you want to focus on spells with multiple uses (Grease) and high utility (Grease, Invisibility, Fly). Also spells with higher duration are preferred if you are talking about defense.

It's unfortunate he's not going blaster. Most of the bloodlines lend themselves to this.

Since blasting is out a good strong choice is battlefield control, namely the conjuration school or enchantment. Enchantment is restrictive but it is different. And the Fey bloodline has some nice bonuses. And conjuration is arguably the best school in the game (fun-wise I still like booming a bit more) Illusion or Shadow focus is also an option but it requires more work.

Spell-wise, Snowball is an excellent combination of single-target control and damage. And it is conjuration. But at level 1 you may want to stick with a cantrip for single target damage. With a bloodline (orc) and say an alchemical reagent as a focus (doesn't get used up) you will still have 1d3+2 as a ranged touch attack. Sounds bad but it's same average damage as a light crossbow, plus it is a touch attack and bypasses DR and doesn't cost you a move action to reload.

Summon Monster may be complex, but they are also among the strongest spells in the game. You don't need to know every monster on each list. Odds are you summon the same 2 or 3 90% of the time. So have those statblocks ready in advance.

Race-wise human for the extra spells (and feat and skills) is a good way to go.

Bloodlines:
I mentioned Orc bloodline, even though it is better for damage dealers once of the nice benefits is darkvision.
Arcane is also a good bloodline, especially for generalists.
Protean is a decent bloodline for the +4 DC for dispelling your conjuration spells. And having a tanglefoot-bag effect is pretty nifty.
Rakshasa bloodline is fun for roleplaying. (Glibness, Detect Thoughts, deceptive spells (Silver Tongue), etc...)

So starting spells? I'd probably go with:
0-Acid Splash, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Read Magic (figure with other casters have detect magic covered)
1-Snowball, Color Spray

Color Spray is illusion and a Cone...but you can cast it while standing right behind the party tank. Just aim at a spot over his head and let that space be the starting square. 3D cone is awesome.

[Jiggy]

Add in blindness/deafness and hold person. Very solid, very straightforward.

EDIT: For a simple bloodline, I suggest Arcane. Get a bonded item for basically an extra spell per day, and half-price enhancements later.

[Adahn_Cielo]

Don't forget Silent Image:fun, flexible, and it stays relevant even at higher levels. You just have to be creative. :D
The save may be low, but they have to interact with it to get one. ;)

[Revolving Door Alternate]

Haste
Communal X (any defensive buff on the whole party is always welcome)
Grease (occasionally useful even at high levels)
Color spray (closer than a primary caster often wants to stand, but can be a game changer at low level)
Mage armor (maybe, I see a lot of disagreement on whether or not a sorc should learn this)
Glitterdust
Ear piercing scream ? (almost nothing resists sonic)
Detect secret doors (often appreciated, but might be better as a wand)
Dimension door
Teleport
Fly
Heroism
Daylight ?
Invisibility (and/or greater)
Displacement
Dispel magic
Wall of X
Blindness/deafness
Hold person (hold monster)
Silent image (minor image and major image)

He said the GM uses mostly PFS rules (though he does allow crafting), so I don't know if the orc bloodline is allowed.
Arcane and Rakshasa sound likely.

[Some Other Guy]

Revolving Door Alternate wrote:

Haste

Communal X (any defensive buff on the whole party is always welcome)
Grease (occasionally useful even at high levels)
Color spray (closer than a primary caster often wants to stand, but can be a game changer at low level)
Mage armor (maybe, I see a lot of disagreement on whether or not a sorc should learn this)
Glitterdust
Ear piercing scream ? (almost nothing resists sonic)
Detect secret doors (often appreciated, but might be better as a wand)
Dimension door
Teleport
Fly
Heroism
Daylight ?
Invisibility (and/or greater)
Displacement
Dispel magic
Wall of X
Blindness/deafness
Hold person (hold monster)
Silent image (minor image and major image)

He said the GM uses mostly PFS rules (though he does allow crafting), so I don't know if the orc bloodline is allowed.
Arcane and Rakshasa sound likely.

I don't really like displacement. I mean, it's clearly a great defensive spell, but mirror image is basically the bees knees.

[Revolving Door Alternate]

I guess I was thinking displacement since he could cast it on someone else as a buff if he thinks they need the help surviving, but mirror image is a 'personal' spell.

[Sagiso]

I'm not quite sure what spells are considered PFS-legal. But "Chains of light" is growing on me quickly, so that might be worth a look. It's a 6th level spell though, so it'll be a while before it becomes available.