
Max Mahem |
If you're a blaster style sorcerer (and don't let anyone tell you there is anything wrong w/ that BTW, it's my favorite style of magic user to play!), then the meta-magic feats you are looking for are primarily empower, quicken, elemental, and maximize, especially empower. Using these feats you can get quite a lot of mileage out of a few damaging spells. For example, scorching ray + empower (later maximize) generally actually beats the equivalent damaging spell of it's metamagiced level when you first get it, assuming you only want to hit one target of course. An empowered Fireball can be just as good as Cone of Cold (assuming you don't need Cone of Colds huge area).
Blasting works best when you are going up against hordes of lower level enemies, and if this is the case, and you're allies are in there mixing it up, you might want to look at selective spell. Though I have found it's often better to settle on a damage type and then cast the appropriate protection from element spell. Widen spell is crap though, +3 spell levels to double the area? I know it's a 3.5 hold over, but it's total crap.
You can also consider Intensify spell, but in general I think empower is a better deal. In fact don't think about it. If you want to cast damaging spells, you want empower. It's really a no brainer.

Hobbun |

If you're a blaster style sorcerer (and don't let anyone tell you there is anything wrong w/ that BTW, it's my favorite style of magic user to play!), then the meta-magic feats you are looking for are primarily empower, quicken, elemental, and maximize, especially empower. Using these feats you can get quite a lot of mileage out of a few damaging spells. For example, scorching ray + empower (later maximize) generally actually beats the equivalent damaging spell of it's metamagiced level when you first get it, assuming you only want to hit one target of course. An empowered Fireball can be just as good as Cone of Cold (assuming you don't need Cone of Colds huge area).
Blasting works best when you are going up against hordes of lower level enemies, and if this is the case, and you're allies are in there mixing it up, you might want to look at selective spell. Though I have found it's often better to settle on a damage type and then cast the appropriate protection from element spell. Widen spell is crap though, +3 spell levels to double the area? I know it's a 3.5 hold over, but it's total crap.
You can also consider Intensify spell, but in general I think empower is a better deal. In fact don't think about it. If you want to cast damaging spells, you want empower. It's really a no brainer.
Yes, I am leaning towards a blasting type Sorcerer. It is more because that’s what I’ve always played and I find is the most helpful in combat. But then I am surprised to hear so many put that kind of Sorcerer down.
I am more familiar with the blasting spells in 3.5, to be honest. I liked I had the flexibility of area of effect and single target blast spells. (single target=mainly the orbs, loved them). Pathfinder really does not have that from what I have seen, at least so far. That’s why I am eager to see what added spells we will receive in Ultimate Magic.
But maybe with my Sorcerer concentrating more on magic item creation, I shouldn’t be as much of a blaster. I just want to be useful enough in combat. If I don’t take my blasting spells, we won’t have that much of an arcane caster who will as the other arcane caster, although will be a Wizard, is not concentrating on the class.
I’ve always thought of Sorcerers as the ‘blasters’ as they have a limited spell selection, but have a good amount of them. They don’t have the flexibility of utility spells like a Wizard.
But I’m just not sure anymore.

eyelessgame |
Anyone considering Still Spell really ought to read the RAW about grappling and concentration.
Granted, virtually all GMs houseruled this, but by RAW, Still Spell does not improve your situation at all if you are grappled. You still have to make a Concentration check that beats 10 + opponent's CMB + spell level. (It makes it possible to cast a spell while pinned - but you still have to make the concentration check - which you won't.)
This is true even for e.g. word of recall.
(It's not true for scrolls. You can pull out a scroll and cast a spell from it while grappled. You don't even incur an AoO from your opponent, since you can't perform attacks of opportunity while grappling. You just can't cast any spells yourself if the grappler has a decent CMB.)