Reinhardt |
So, I've never played a spellcaster before. I would, however, like to give it a shot. I plan to do so by making a Sorcerer. Now, what I ask you is, what are some must-have spells for each level? This is what I have for my level 1 Sorcerer thus far-
0 level- Mage Hand, Ghosts Sounds, Detect Magic, Message
1st level- Silent Image, Magic Missile
Anything there you would replace?
What spells would you recommend as I level?
Any other tips for a 1st-time spellcaster?
Thanks! ^_^
Jiggy RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
TheSideKick |
if your race is half elf grab a bow and get grease and color spray as your first level spells. use grease to topple the bbegs and color spray to knock out groups of mobs. then pepper them with arrows.
or if you choose to blast go with the orc bloodline and grab either human or half orc and focus on blasting with support spells.
but i think the best sorcerer is a charmer
Matrix Dragon |
Race is Kitsune, Charisma is 18, planned on using the Oni Bloodline.
My first suggestion, aside from spell choices, is to get rings of spell knowledge. These are amazing for casting long duration spells and out of combat spells. If you have one of these, you will never have to learn Mage Armor.
You're probably going to pick up a lot of enchantment spells. You'll want to make sure you have some spells for the few times you run into things that aren't mind affecting. Color Spray, Grease, Magic Missile and Glitterdust are some good choices here. Burning Arc and Scorching Ray are good 2nd level offensive spells, and Burning hands can be useful in a pinch early on.
Your first good enchantments (I'm assuming you're using the kitsune favored class bonus) will probably be Oppressive Boredom or Hideous Laugher, Charm Person, and Hold Person. There aren't really any good 1st level enchantment spells aside from charm, but that isn't a combat spell. You'll eventually want Hold Monster, Dominate Person, and Feeblemind.
At later levels you'll want to find some way to fit in Invisibility, Levitate/Fly, Dispel Magic, and Fireball. There are other choices, but all of these are useful.
See what your GM will let you do to hide your spellcasting so you can benefit from your bloodline arcana without drawing attention. Silent and Stilled spells will probably be useful.
Gerald |
I would not take Magic Missile at first level. Damage is too small. I would take Sleep, Color Spray or Grease in its place. I would not take MM until at least 3rd level. It is also a decent strategy to replace Color Spray or Sleep with Magic Missile, when you can do so at 4th level.
Silent Image is fine, if your DM allows you to be creative with your ideas.
I would not waste a known spell on Mage Armor. A wand of Mage Armor is cheap and will serve you for many levels, IMHO.
MagusJanus |
You're also going to want a mixture of different damage types. One fire, one cold, one acid, etc. And always keep a damaging spell with no spell resistance allowed if you can; keeping it as a wand will do.
The mix of damage types is to cover different type weaknesses. The reason for the one with no spell resistance is to keep some effectiveness against golems.
bfobar |
Personally, I got way more use out of Mount than Silent Image. Instant livestock just ends up being super useful.
Also, don't take magic missile until you are a couple of levels in. Its a nice backup spell to finish off enemies that are beating on your friends with 1 stupid hit point left when you want to save higher level spells and the first level magic spells aren't feeling as useful.
If you have a beefcake, especially a beefcake with a reach weapon, enlarge person is fantastic. Hiding in an enlarged fighter's threatened squares is a better defensive strategy than any armor.
Haladir |
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My advice tends to run counter to most of what you'll hear on this board. I usually go for style, and then build the most effective character I can around that style.
Sorcerers are people that were born with magical superpowers.
I say: Pick a theme!
Bloodlines are part of it, but I like to build my sorcerer characters such that most/all of their spells follow that theme.
So... fire, death, force, shape-changing, illusion, telepathy/mind-control... Pick a theme and go with it!
Jiggy RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
Humphry B ManWitch |
2 people marked this as a favorite. |
0th: Detect magic, Acid Splash (for Golems & unlimited combat use) Prestigitation, light, ray of frost.
1st: Colour spray, Grease, shield, Mage Armour, sleep (early on), Magic missile, Burning hands (to deal with swarms), enlarge person
2nd: Glitter Dust, Scorching Ray, Oppressive Boredom, invisibility, See invisibility, False Life, Bulls strength
3rd: Dispel Magic, Fireball, lightning bolt, protection from energy, fly,
4th: Dimension door, Confusion, Phantasmal killer, stone skin, solid fog
5th: Teleport, Wall of Force, Dominate person, cone of cold, Dismissal
6th: Dispel magic greater, Disintegrate, flesh to stone
7th: Limited Wish, Teleport greater, Planeshift, power word blind, force cage, prismatic spray
8th: power word stun, Polar ray, telekinetic Sphere, Prismatic wall
9th: Wish, Shapechange, Interplanetary Teleport, Time Stop, Dominate Monster
Fomsie |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
My advice tends to run counter to most of what you'll hear on this board. I usually go for style, and then build the most effective character I can around that style.
Sorcerers are people that were born with magical superpowers.
I say: Pick a theme!
Bloodlines are part of it, but I like to build my sorcerer characters such that most/all of their spells follow that theme.
So... fire, death, force, shape-changing, illusion, telepathy/mind-control... Pick a theme and go with it!
I agree with this. A basic theme or focus with some added versatility tends to work well.
Jack Rift |
Detect Magic,Prestidigitation, Acid Splash are three of the most useful 0 level spells I have ever used. The list a few post up of each level are really good. But yeah, level one, color spray will be better than magic missile, which RotRL does not have a lot of undead for the most part, so you are good there. You want spells that you can and will want to spam a lot. Silent Image can be great, but has many draw a backs, and your 0 lvl spells might want to rethink. Prestidigitation can mimic both mage hands and ghost sounds and last longer. Granted, it can lift as much or as fast. But one casting last for 1 hour, for whatever you want to do with it inside its description. It is good to have a 0 level attack spell for no otherreason that to spam it, especially against things that have SR (read acid splash) so long as it is not resistant to the damage type being thrown at it. Most of the stuff you will fight/encounter in RotRL will not be resistant to acid.