I find that certain combos (such as the draconic bloodline [brass, gold, or red] and the elemental [primal fire] bloodline on a half-orc) can be devastatingly powerful, while other combinations...not so much.
As with any resource allocation, it depends on what you put together. Some will be as weak as you describe while others will be more powerful for it. In the end, I'm glad the option is there.
The big thing I think is that it makes it ridiculously good as a one level dip for another casting class :P
I am very fond of crossblooded sorcerers myself, as much as there are big drawbacks. Like RD said, its all a matter of how you build it. The -2 Will saves in itself is not all that huge a problem since it is your good save, if you go human you can somewhat balance out the spells known... The 2 arcanas is awesome though. Picking and choosing the other bloodline aspects is neat, and overall I think it is interesting.
I would not call it underpowered.
Then again, I am a sorcerer enthusiast, and I'm sure plenty would disagree with me. :)
I think 2 complete bloodlines would be WAY overpowered.
The ability to mix and match your bonus spells known can be INVALUABLE. Way too many bloodlines give you redundant spells, or worse, spells that make previous bonus spells completely obsolete.
I have to disagree, Ravingdork.
IMO, the ability to mix and match bonus spells pales when it comes to mixing and matching bloodline arcana. The djinni, efreeti, marid, and shaitan bloodlines (or the basic elemental bloodline; choose to switch spells from one energy type to another as they are cast) are what are INVALUABLE in combination with the boreal, draconic, primal, stormborn, etc. bloodlines for a blaster. Fey (+2 DC on compulsion spells) or infernal (+2 DC on charm spells) crossed with groveborn (plant creatures affected as if humanoids), serpentine (affect animals, magical beasts, and monstrous humanoids as if humanoids), or undead (affect corporeal undead as if humanoids) bloodline can make a powerful controller. Aquatic (summoned creatures with a swim speed or the aquatic or water subtype gain +1 on attack and damage) crossed with abyssal (summoned creatures gain DR {sorcerer level / 2}/good) or celestial (summoned creatures gain DR {sorcerer level / 2}/evil) bloodline can make a powerful summoner.
The ability to mix and match the bloodline powers can net quite a few winners, as well.
|
Yeah - it's the two Bloodline Arcana which makes the archetype any good... but as Interzone points out, you get that with a one-level dip. Mixing and matching bloodline powers / spells after that isn't much of a bonus at all - especially when you consider you could just dip the one level of cross-blooded Sorcerer, then go the rest of the way as a Wizard (for example), and be much better off for it. You need to be pretty dedicated to take this archetype beyond one level.
I don't see why they can't both be invaluable. They're not mutually exclusive.
|
|
The big issue with the Crossblooded archetype, IMHO, is that it gives all its bonuses at level one (apart from some increased options as you level), but spreads its penalties out across the whole of your class progression. That just screams 'one level dip' to me and, I imagine, many other players too.
It's also a rather poor choice for actually building a character with the powers of two bloodlines - since you're locked out of taking the various Eldritch Heritage Feats for any bloodline you already possess (unless there's been errata on that point?). The 'either / or' and not 'both' aspect of what the bloodline provides as you level really isn't worth the spells known you lose as a continuing penalty. Of course 'both' would have been far too powerful, so I acknowledge that it was a difficult balancing act in the design phase in that regards.
What's more, Crossblooded pretty much demands you get into Metamagic early on, or waste the power of the spell slots you get of spell levels you have but lack spells known . Using higher level slots for lower level spells is a gimp, so your only option is to use them for Metamagiced spells - or bow down to the fact you're playing under-powered for your level. That's obviously not an issue if you happen to be into Metamagic anyway, but not everyone is, so it's another limit on the archetype or, at the very least, another Feat tax to go with the Iron Will you'll likely get to repair your damaged Will save.
I also think it's too weak to play a normal character with it. Way too weak.
The only way it can work is for stuff like one-level dips or looking for the sickest combos of bloodlines to abuse the heck of it.
It's sad that these extreme cases had to ruin it for interesting but not totally min-maxed concepts.
|
I looked at cross-blooded for my latest PFS character, but the gains were far outweighed by the losses. There is also the question of whether you can be a cross-blooded sorcerer with a wild bloodline in one (or both) of your slots. Posts on the boards seem to indicate that it is legal, but I couldn't find anything official.
I was looking for a bloodline to complement the Sylvan wildblooded bloodline because the Fey bonus spells are fairly useless once you give up the +2 to Compulsion spell DCs bloodline arcana. The rest of the table was shocked by the sorcerer with a tiger animal companion, the tiger did a great job in combat and I didn't cast a spell all game, but sorcerers don't have the buff spells for an animal companion.