Are sorceror's defined by their lineage or their innate magic?
When you first read their fluff, what drew you to them?
Was it the chance to play someone with a 'unique' family tree or that magic flowed through this worldly, charismatic casters like blood through our veins?
I for one enjoyed the innate magic aspect more than the heritage. I think that's why a first read-through Alpha2's sorceror rubbed me the wrong way. I love the idea of lineage options, but wanted their connection to magic explored.
It could be in a wide array of methods, such-as using spellslots for a variety of effects. Their connection to magic allowing them to grab hold of ambient magical energy and flinging it at an enemy, pulling around themselves to form a protective-magic bubble, consuming it to rejuvenate themselves slightly, or enhance their next spell cast.
Mind you this is all my opinion, but I'd like to see what you all think.
The fluff is whatever you want it to be. I first liked sorcerers not because "oh hey, this ancestral thing is pretty cool", but because "oh hey, it's like a wizard but I don't have to commit myself to spells ahead of time!"
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I too was drawn to them because they were a spontaneous, not due to any particular fluff, since the fluff had absolutely no affect on the mechanics. Whereas now, the fluff plays a major roll in the mechanics, and ifyou still just want the innate connection to magic in general, thats what the Arcane Background is for, its like the Universal option for Wizards, its the default if you dont want any extra fluff.
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I like them for being able to cast more spells per day then a wizard at the cost of knowing fewer spells.
NOW, I have to say I'm disappointed with the bloodline level 1 powers. I REALLY don't like all the melee touch attack powers. The one that can be used for healing should be melee touch, but a sorcerer is JUST AS SQUISHY as a Wizard.
I can see an Enchantress Wizard getting away with the touch attack (since she can make a monster vunerable to the attack via charms and such) but I don't see many Sorcerers going that route... particularly ones with claws and such. :)
This weekend I'm gonna roll up a new Sorcerer and give one of the monster bloodlines a try and see how long I last if I get caught in melee combat.
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thats what the Arcane Background is for, its like the Universal option for Wizards, its the default if you dont want any extra fluff.
I'm glad it's there. When Jason first mentioned bloodlines I was worried all Sorcerers would be "freaks" and the whole naturally gifted, I make Wizards secretly jealous, type of sorcerer would go away.
For me it has been the fluff.
I like the concept of characters with magic in their blood, as opposed to the book-studying wizardly type.
Personally, I love the fact they're multiple bloodlines to choose from now.
I have to say both. I was drawn initially to the relative lack of bookkeeping in comparison to the wizard. I hate having to stop to pick my spells. But I also loved the idea of the magical heritage that set that person apart a bit. That there are now several bloodlines to choose from makes me very happy. Now I actually get something for that convoluted background I spent hours working on :)
In all honesty, every character for me is about the fluff. I'm now motivated to actually play a sorcerer because of the fluff options (and mechanical benefits that came with them).
When I build a character I don't think "What's the most optimized build for this character?" I think, "Why would the character have this ability, or this feat, or this skill combination based on his history".
I'm currently playing a druid in a campaign, and the reason for the wild shape ability isn't "that's what druids do." It's how he's been able to survive. he's got a bad leg, shifting to another form is how he gets by in life. So I'm of the opinion that it i should lie with the fluff. I like the new bloodlines. Do i Think there's room for improvement? You bet I do, but I think this is headed in the right direction.
I really like both sides of it, though traditionally, i was much more about the innate ability and found the draconic bloodline thing silly.
Now that you can be fae touched or have inherited power from and ancient infernal pact, i find that element as cool as the innate magic element.
That said, i would like to see a greater enphersis in the bloodlines on spell casting. With atleast half of them being more about how magic than the touch element. Ofcause, all that said, i do love that abysall bloodliners get claws, its a great asthetic and an interesting mechanic.
I love the melee touch attacks, I think they are a great addition to sorcerers. With their d6 hit points now and a reliable backup attack that doesn't make them give up a free hand for casting? Thats great!
I really dislike them at low levels particularly the first few because in nearly all the circumstances the sorcerer would need to use the claws he could use a simple weapon that he is proficient with instead or cast spells like Color Spray or Grease or Sleep. Most of the sorcerer posts are usually along the lines of my sorcerer never runs out of spells. Cast a spell then before mixing it up in melee.
The sorcerer is not a Gish with D6, Poor BAB and Low AC since he doesn't receive armor proficiency or a class special to cast in armor without ASF which makes him a lot easier to hit.
He has Simple weapon proficiency from his class good weapons like a Heavy Mace or Morningstar or a Longspear and a Heavy Cross Bow if he has to mix it up in melee.
The sorcerer only knows 2 first level spells at first level. He doesn't get his third until L3 and at L4 he gets to swap out a first level spell.
IMO one of them should not be Mage Armor which only lasts an hour a level. He has good simple weapon proficiencies that are better at low levels than his special melee touch attacks.
Presently the sorcerer is not a Gish. It would be different if the Battle Sorcerer variant was applied D8 possibly D10 since PF uses base D6 with No ASF in light armor and light armor proficiency.
The focus should be bloodline based spell caster or gish. A designer side note mentioning the Battle Sorcerer Variant and how it works in PF could be useful providing another option in game.