Okay so now that I got an idea on what the campaign my sorcerer is in be like I am deciding a straight up War Sorcerer 'build' isn't going to do the trick.
I am thinking of focusing more on a sniper Sorcerer with maybe some controller spells as needed. I am looking for advice for spells and or feats that maybe of interest.
I should point out that the guys can pack a hell a punch even against our fighter who is a freaking BIG tank. So I need a way to take guys out within 3 rounds if possible, or at least wound them enough that my melee guys can take them out.
I have access to a ton of 3rd and pathfinder spells and feats with Pathfinder stuff taking priority over 3rd edition. Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.
I am kinda focusing on Force magic, especially if I can find a better version of magic missile for higher levels that would be nice. I don't know if you need more details so if you do I can give you more as needed.
Oh, I just hit level 8 now, and I am a Human Sorcerer with Arcane Bloodline.
Thanks,
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I'm looking at a certain type of build right now, and honestly the toppling + dazing spells look pretty solid, Spell focus and greater spell focus Evocation, and toss in combat expertise imp trip and greater trip (if these apply, talk with your gm, I think they do/should)
Then you can trip and daze up to 4 targets and when you hit 9, 5... all out of a lvl 5 spell slot.
And with greater trip, when they get tripped they provoke from everyone! =D
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@darkkeepr: What is your current build and feats? It's hard to help you make choices for later down the line if we don't know what choices you have made already.
On general principle: Control > Blasting. With your bloodline metamagic is a big advantage, and you can also take advantage of metamagic rods easier. If you have decent combat oriented characters to do the damage, then all you have to do is provide the opportunities. Entangle, Daze, Pits, Aqueous Orbs, Walls, Barriers, etc...
What a coincidence, I've been working on an extremely similar build for a 3.P Wrath of the Righteous game we have coming up. In particular, I was going to have Magic Missile be my go to spell.
Lets see...
Recommendations?...
Ahh, Here we are!
1) Metamagic reducers- You want both Metamagic Master & Magical Lineage traits for your "signature" spell. Take the additional traits feat if you have to. The 3.5 feat, Arcane Thesis, is another great one, reducing the level adjustment of EACH metamagic feat by one for your "signature" spell.
2) Prestige- With 3.5 back on the table, some excellent options appear here, from the dreaded Incantatrix of Faerun lore, to the Force Missile Mage from the Dragon magazine compendium. Also, look into Dragonlance for the War Mage prestige class; It's absolutely bonkers for any blaster / charisma-based caster.
3) Bloodline- (won't be much help since you're already made, but here goes) Any blaster worth his salt takes the orc bloodline from orcs of golarion for the "+1 per die to all damaging spells", however several of their later abilities and spells are a little lackluster. If you plan on staying in sorcerer, I would suggest going crossblooded to obtain a better selection of bloodline powers, spells, and feats. Arcane and dragon both make good secondary options.
4) Metamagic- Duh, I mention the reducers but not the metamagic... Okay, as Lantzkey said Toppling and Dazing are excellent (even better when they're free because of reductions). I'd also include Fell Drain from the libris mortis (3.5) for negative levels in addition. Don't forget the usuals like Empower, Maximise, Quicken, and Highten. And if you can fit it in Rapid Metamagic (3.5) is wonderful for a sorcerer.
Hope that helps.
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3) Bloodline- (won't be much help since you're already made, but here goes) Any blaster worth his salt takes the orc bloodline from orcs of golarion for the "+1 per die to all damaging spells", however several of their later abilities and spells are a little lackluster. If you plan on staying in sorcerer, I would suggest going crossblooded to obtain a better selection of bloodline powers, spells, and feats. Arcane and dragon both make good secondary options.
Archetypes do not work that way. Crossblooded would have to have been taken at level 1 because it modifies spells known. Crossblooded Sorcerors are also paying an incredible tax on spells. Level 5 before getting your first second level spell, Level 7 before getting your first third level and so on. It works very well if you're dipping sorcerer for the bloodline widgets, otherwise it's a hideous penalty. (Instead of being a level behind wizards, you are now two levels behind and with even fewer spells available.) This is offset only if you are Human (and take the alternate Favored Class ability, which will only offset it when you reach the next tier of spell-casting and can take earlier tier missed spells. Expanded Arcana helps, but it is very expensive.
Also, without the Admixture specialty of translating one energy type into another (even if you pick up Elemental Spell metamagic which is a worthy consideration) you cannot cover all the immunity and resistant bases for consistent damage output. This may not matter all that much to you as long as you build options into your spell selection.
@darkkeepr: What is your current build and feats? It's hard to help you make choices for later down the line if we don't know what choices you have made already.
On general principle: Control > Blasting. With your bloodline metamagic is a big advantage, and you can also take advantage of metamagic rods easier. If you have decent combat oriented characters to do the damage, then all you have to do is provide the opportunities. Entangle, Daze, Pits, Aqueous Orbs, Walls, Barriers, etc...
Okay here's some of my stats:
Character Traits: Reactionary and Magical Lineage
Feats: Improved Initiative, Eschewed Materials, Toughness, Empower, Maximize Spell and I took Toppling Spell which I forgot I took and I have combat casting.
My problem is, and I should point out that I've never played this high before for a sorcerer, that the enemies seem to have really high HP and some of the guides I read make it seem like I should be able to drop at least 1 or 2 within at least 3 rounds, I could be wrong, while my team mates focus on the rest.
My other problem is Blasting isn't good due to someone always being in the way and could get hurt if I were to use say Fireball. So I was looking at a Sniper Sorcerer with some control ability so as not to worry about this. Unless I am not understanding blasting correctly.
I am not sure what else you'd need to know. Getting Wands at the moment is a bit hard and gold is limited at the moment.
Oh forgot I am human and those are stats at level 7. I haven't level yet because I wanted to get advice before I start adding levels. I am allowed to redo my character within reason, such as picking spells and feats and but equipment I can not.
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Dropping targets in 1-2 rounds requires a lot of focus on blast spells. Example, Half-Orc sorcerer with the Crossblooded archetype to get draconic (Red) and Orc bloodline. That combo will grant all your fire spells a bonus +2 dmg per die rolled and a +1-10 damage in general with all fire spells making spells like fireball a serious killer when facing targets with no fire resist/immunities.
I suggest for your character to get toppling spell and improved/greater trip and just spam your magic missiles.
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You will need Selective Spell if you want to keep blasting. Party positioning is uncontrollable for the most part. Either by choice or by effect. Make that your next priority and it will help a lot.
You need to have a way of applying the bulk of your blasty damage to the bulk of your targets, and options for when that cannot happen. Fireball is the bread and butter blast, but it strikes against the most common resistance/immunity in the game. If you cannot change the damage type on Fireball, it's not going to be your bread and butter. Pick up some different typed energy spells for damage as you get the chance. Expanded Arcana can help with this a lot, but is yet another feat. The sweet spot for metamagic is 2nd-4th level spells. You can look into Elemental Spell, but it only trades into a single type of elemental energy, which brings back your limitation.
A level of Specialist Wizard (Evocation-Admixture)would get you the best blaster power in the game, but without a high Int, you won't get to use it as much as you would need and it would dump you another level behind in spell progression.
There are a lot of ways to heighten your damage. What you should work on first is being to apply your damage in every situation. I think it is way early to have Maximize, because at Level 8 you only just now have spells that can take advantage, and those aren't that good. Empower is okay, it modifies up your 2nd and a few of those are decent.
Later on look at increasing DC's with Spell Focus. If you can double on Spell Focus and Elemental Focus using Elemental Spell, you can have saves that are at +4 DC.
For the immediate future, buy a Metamagic Rod of Elemental Spell for one or two different energies, get a minor one (L1-L3) or standard one (L1-L6) and do the same with Selective Spell. 3/day per rod, but that's more than you can do already.
Aye I do spam the Missiles a lot. Drives the GM nuts when I can do 56 for a magic missile spell on a single target. But eventually there is a limit to how long I can do that of course.
ErrantPursuit- Actually the archetypes totally works that way, as in I understood and mentioned that his character had already been made and so couldn't alter his archetype. Blasters are the one circumstance where the spells known penalty doesn't hurt as bad, as blasters benefit much more from low level spells metamagiced into higher level slots than using the higher level spells for damage. likewise, OP stated a focus on force spells, which as far as I know, have next to no creatures with resistance or immunity, so I didn't see admixture as a necessity.
Let me ask this, if I got blaster route, and I cast a blast spell is there a way I make it so my allies are not effected since I am the one casting it or would they also just get hit in the blast radius? Like I said before I gotta be careful on blasting cause of my allies getting into the mix.
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@darkkeepr: Selective Spell as I mentioned before.
@Ed Girallon Poe: Blasters don't feel the penalty 'as bad' but receiving your spells two levels late is still a huge burden. After level 7 you're okay. An Admixture specialist with a single level dip in Crossblooded receives much more benefit than the pure Crossblooded Sorceror, which is sad in my opinion.
Thanks for the advice everyone. Very helpful. I'm going to go through everything and figure it all out. I liked the quickened dazing fireball idea. Lol. No one would suspect the fireball.
Summon monsters not sure how'd they do in this particular game as combat isn't always long enough for me to summon them.
Right now Crafting Wondrous Items isn't allowed or buying any. GM wants to wait until later in the game.
Are there any particular non-elemental spells that would be useful that could do the same damage as Fireball? I have a feeling some elemental spells may not be too effective in this game. I could be wrong though.
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Oh, what is better for a bond:
Familar or Weapon Bond?
I am thinking of going Weapon Bonding as a fellow player said I could get much more out of it than doing a familar.
Familiars win, every single time. Especially when you upgrade to something that can use SLAs, activate wands, and generally improve your action economy.
Energy type for rod of elemental does that allow Sonic and Force as well?
Sorry for the delayed response. Thanks for the help.