Help building a gnome sorcerer for PFS...

[Redchigh]

20 point buy.

I was experimenting with a aberrant sorcerer that intimidates, but.. I'm open to ideas.

I'm not trying to min-max and break the potty little PC's modules, but I do want something fun to play.

Not sure if I want to focus on illusions or evocation.. Probably split down the middle somewhat.

Ideas for traits, spells, and the like are appreciated. I will mention, our pfs dms aren't great. Silly stuff with unseen servant and diplomacy will rarely, if ever, be usefully or even allowed.

His backup weapon is a cold iron shortsword and a crossbow.

In the backstory, he was driven to join PFS because hes regarded with extreme distrust by other gnomes- they fear him.

Alignment is probably lawful neutral.

Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks.

[Amir Hiram]

Firstly, if you want to go Evocation, you can make a gnome sorcerer a serious powerhouse.

Look at your alternate racial traits. One of them is 'Pyromaniac.' If you use fire spells, you will fry stuff as if you were one level higher.

Look at the Tattooed Sorcerer archetype ( http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/sorcerer/archetypes/paizo---so rcerer-archetypes/tattooed-sorcerer ). You will start with Varisian Tattoo. Select 'Evocation.' Your Evocation spells are now cast at +1 caster level.

Take the Draconic bloodline. Choose a fire-breathing dragon as your ancestor. You can also select All your fire spells will now deal extra damage (1 point per die of damage).

Just with this, you're looking at starting with Caster Level 3 with all fire spells starting at level 1, meaning Burning Hands deals 3d4 damage. With the Draconic Bloodline, that becomes 3d4+3.

You can boost this to greater heights, but I get the feeling you don't want to boost your character to astronomical levels of power. If you DO, consider the Gifted Adept trait ( http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/magic-traits/gifted-adept ) and choose Burning Hands or Fireball. Get Spell Focus at level 1, then Spell Specialization whenever it's available and select a fire spell you will use a lot. Burn the world to ash.

For roleplay purposes, it's VERY clear why your character is feared: When their magical powers manifested, THEY BURNED EVERYTHING. They couldn't help it; your character just accidentally burnt buildings down, set someone's hair on fire, blew up a powder keg... Whatever community they're from, that's not a good way to make an impression. They were forced to leave at a young age.

I hope this helps.

EDIT: Do note, similar advice can be taken for your Illusion spells. Varisian Tattoo (Illusion) + Gnomish illusion magic trait + Gifted Adept with an illusion spell... Your caster level goes up pretty quickly. Don't forget to look into Metamagic feats at higher levels.

[nate lange]

gifted adept is good, but i think magic lineage might be better... with gifted adept burning hands hits max damage at 2nd level (which is nice at 2nd but worthless at 5th); with magic lineage you can put intensify on it for free... so a pyromaniac tattooed sorcerer can take spell focus at 1st, intensify spell at 3rd (even though you don't need it til 4th), and spell specialization at 5th... so at 6th level your 1st level intensified burning hands does 10d4 damage, +10 if you're draconic (or you could reassign spell spec to fireball for 10d6...)

[Redchigh]

Are all of these for sure PFS legal?

[Tangaroa]

Gnomes are at a disadvantage as intimidation specialists, due to -4 penalty per size difference. However, as a sorcerer you can partially overcome that with size-increasing spells.

Also, you might consider Taunt
It allows you to use bluff for intimidate.

Pyromaniac is good for power - but for scary you might go Dread Gnome Then you could take the undead bloodline.

Or, be a regular gnome and do shadow or wildblooded shadow (umbral) from ultimate magic. A sorcerer casting spells and fading into shadow is pretty terrifying.

[Tangaroa]

Everything suggested thus far is PFS legal.

[Tangaroa]

Here is a sample build I worked up; which has the following:

Alternate Racial Traits from the Advanced Race Guide:
Academician
Darkvision
Eternal Hope

Feats:
Taunt from the APG (allows bluff in place of intimidate)

Uses favored class bonus for an extra skill

Uses the umbral wildblooded bloodline from ultimate magic.

Gnomish Shadow Mage:

Glim Murnig
Male Gnome sorcerer 1
LN Small humanoid (gnome)
Init +1, Senses darkvision (60 ft.); Perception +4
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DEFENSE
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AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 11 (+1 Dex, +1 size )
hp 9 ((1d6)+3)
Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +1, +2 racial bonus against fear and despair effects, +2 vs. illusion spells or effects
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OFFENSE
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Speed 20 ft.
Melee dagger (small) +0 (1d3-1/19-20)
Ranged dagger (small/thrown) +2 (1d3/19-20)
Ranged acid (flask) (small) +2 (1d4)
Ranged crossbow (light) (small) +2 (1d6/19-20)
Innate Spell-Like Abilities dancing lights (1/day), ghost sound (DC 14,1/day), prestidigitation (DC 14,1/day), speak with animals (1/day)

Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 1st; concentration +5)
1st(4/day)-burning hands(DC 15), color spray(DC 16)
0th(at will)-acid splash, detect magic, disrupt undead, ghost sound(DC 15)

Bloodline umbral (wildblooded shadow)

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STATISTICS
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Str 8, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 18,
Base Atk +0; CMB -2; CMD 9
Feats Eschew Materials, Taunt
Skills Bluff +8, Knowledge (Arcana) +8, Perception +4, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +9,
Traits Magical Lineage (Burning Hands), Observant (Grand Lodge Faction) (Perception),
Languages Common, Draconic, Gnome, Sylvan, Varisian
SQ academician, bloodline arcana, cantrips, cloak of shadows, darkvision, darkvision, gnome magic, illusion resistance, umbral (wildblooded shadow) bloodline, weapon and armor proficiency, weapon familiarity,
Combat Gear acid (flask) (small), scroll (cause fear), scroll (expeditious retreat), scroll (hold portal),
Other Gear dagger (small), pouch (belt/small), backpack (small), ink (1 oz. vial), inkpen, journal, scroll case, crossbow bolts (10), crossbow (light) (small), 4.9 gp
=================================================
SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Academician Some gnomes are more academically inclined than their kin. Gnomes with this racial trait gain a +2 bonus on any one Knowledge skill. This racial trait replaces the obsessive racial trait.

Bloodline Arcana Whenever you cast a spell in an area of dim light or darkness, your effective caster level is increased by 1.

Cantrips You learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells. These spells are cast like any other spells, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.

Cloak of Shadows (Sp) As a standard action, you can grant one target a cloak of shadows. This cloak gives the target a +1 bonus on Stealth checks made in areas of dim or no light for 1 rounds. You may use this ability 7/day.

Darkvision Some gnome strains have lived in the underground depths for so long they have given up on light entirely and gained darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Darkvision is the extraordinary ability to see with no light source at all, out to a range specified for the creature. Darkvision is black and white only (colors cannot be discerned). It does not allow characters to see anything that they could not see otherwise-invisible objects are still invisible, and illusions are still visible as what they seem to be. Likewise, darkvision subjects a creature to gaze attacks normally. The presence of light does not spoil darkvision.

Eschew Materials You can cast any spell with a material component costing 1 gp or less without needing that component. The casting of the spell still provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. If the spell requires a material component that costs more than 1 gp, you must have the material component on hand to cast the spell, as normal.

Eternal Hope Gnomes rarely lose hope and are always confident that even hopeless situations will work out. Gnomes with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against fear and despair effects. Once per day, after rolling a 1 on a d20, the gnome may reroll and use the second result. This racial trait replaces the defensive training and hatred racial traits.

Gnome Knowledge Selection (Knowledge (Arcana))

Gnome Magic (Sp) Gnomes add +1 to the DC of any saving throws against illusion spells that they cast. Gnomes with a Charisma of 11 or higher also gain spell-like abilities.

Illusion Resistance (Ex) Gnomes get a +2 racial saving throw bonus against illusion spells or effects.

Magical Lineage (Burning Hands) One of your parents was a gifted spellcaster who not only used metamagic often, but developed many magical items and perhaps even a new spell or two--and you have inherited a fragment of this greatness.

Observant (Grand Lodge Faction) (Perception) Sometimes it helps to pay attention to your surroundings and the people you meet. Choose either Perception or Sense Motive. You gain a +1 trait bonus on all related checks, and the chosen skill is always a class skill for you.

Taunt You can demoralize opponents using Bluff rather than Intimidate and take no skill check penalty for being smaller than your target.

Umbral (Wildblooded Shadow) Bloodline Your nature is to gather the darkness into yourself.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency Sorcerers are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with a sorcerer's gestures, which can cause his spells with somatic components to fail.

Weapon Familiarity (Ex) Gnomes treat any weapon with the word "gnome" in its name as a martial weapon.

[strayshift]

Less obvious but Gift of Tongues and Academician give you the grounding for a pretty good Enchantment focussed Sorcerer on language dependant spells.

Illusion is the clichéd school for Gnomes (and for good reason too) but also the most creative. I would suggest if you really wanted to, you could probably easily create a unique CHARACTER of an Illusion-Focussed Sorcerer (in terms of game play not necessarily build - and that's what really counts).

[Tangaroa]

There's actually surprisingly few (offensive) language dependent spells for a sorcerer or wizard - bards have more, and inquisitors have a ton, strangely. Besides, that requires you know the language, which is occasionally a pain :)