Close Combat Sorcerer

[Alesander]

Hi.

Race: Suli +2Cha +2Str -2Int
Class: Sorcerer
Bloodline: Orc

Stats @ lvl 6:
STR 20
Dex 14
Con 10
Int 6
Wiz 8
Cha 18
CMB 20 and + 8

Spells I will use for most builds:
Bulls strength, Enlarge Person, Mage armore, Shield, Invisibility.
Fly, Feather fall, Glide.
I really like to be versatile.

Different thoughts about playstyle:

Unarmed combat:
Grapple, and punch the hell out of them with elemental damage and close quarter spells.
Can i grapple than auto hit with a shocking Grasp etc?
Using feats towards unarmed fighting.
Stat adder:
Getting abilities to stunn, sicken etc for unarmed combat.

Sneak Close quarters:
Using Invisibility to sneak up on my enemies and unleash a fury upon them from behind?
Feats directed towards this?

Greatsword:
Strike down my opponents with might:
Using enlarge person for reach, getting cleave perhaps, feats towards melee weapon fighting.

Feats towards Survival as our DM has killed 3 of my characters allready. Been a bit reckless but he wont try to save us if we mess up xD

Personality:
Chaotic Lawful, do everything for whats right. and That means everything. Cause Havok in order to save someone, not caring for structures and costs or the effects of my actions as long as it means saving someone good.

Magic: Spells to control the field, increase my melee fighting ability and others and spells to survive, to get away from situations.

So hoping for some cool ideas as to what I can spesify towards.
I dont really care about the High Damage spells etc, as i want to be awesome in combat, able to do cool and improvised s+$&.
Using Lot of Combat Manouvers etc.

Thanks guys :D

[Alesander]

Considering Fighter Sorcerer
and EK.
Advices?

[Covert Operator]

I came up with a Grapple Wizard build. Only problem with it is you have to make a concentration check to cast while grappled, but there's a nice trait for that. If something isn't defined, its up to you.

Wizard [Divination] 20 [VMC Magus]
F=feat, B=bonus feat, V=variant multiclass ability
Traits-Desperate Resolve (+1 concentration, +4 while grappled), Spirits in the Stone
1F—--Improved Unarmed Strike
1B—--Scribe Scroll
3V—--Arcane Pool
5B—--Arcane Discovery- Knowledge is power
5F—--Improved Grapple
7V—--Maneuver Mastery arcana: Grapple
9F—--Greater Grapple

Possible Grapple feats to take:
Body Shield (gain cover as immediate, targets grappled foe if miss)
Grabbing Style (grab with both hands without penalty, and other things)
Rapid Grappler (grapple as swift after successful grapple maintain)
Bushwhack (make a second grapple to pin against flat-footed opponent)
Chokehold, Kraken Throttle, Suffocating Strangulation (cannot speak/breathe b/c of choking)
Sleeper Hold (KO after a few rounds)
Turtle Style (make a grapple check as immediate when opponent misses you)
Unfair Grip (once you’ve grappled: +1 to maintain, opponents take -1 to break)

[Rory]

Alesander wrote:

I really like to be versatile.

Versatility and really dropping skill potential with INT 6 doesn't go hand in hand. Dropping STR down a smidge and bumping INT will add to your out of combat versatility.

You don't need a high CHA if you are going into melee. A high CHA for spells doesn't help if you are mostly boosting yourself with your magic.

You do need a decent CON going into melee combat. A d6 hitpoint class with a 10 CON is simply going to die in melee combat.

S: 18 D: 14 C: 14 I: 10 W: 8 Ch: 15 (20 pt build, suli, level 6)
S: 18 D: 14 C: 14 I: 12 W: 8 Ch: 16 (25 pt build, suli, level 6)

As a close quarter sorcerer, you will fall behind using weapons. You'll need to let them go as early as you can stomach. Polymorph spells are the only way to keep competitive.

Keep a mantra of "1 buff spell at most per combat" mentality. Anything more is going to mean that your build won't really work well except on paper. If you can pre-buff, great, just don't count on ever doing it.

Item Suggestions (you can't afford all yet of course):
+1 Amulet of Mighty Fists
+2 Belt of STR
+2 Headband of CHA
+1 mithril buckler
+1 ring of protection
+1 amulet of natural armor
+1 cloak of resistance
LOTS of scrolls

Feat Suggestions:
Toughness (1st)
Improved Initiative (3rd)
Arcane Strike (5th)

Spell Suggestions:
1st - Mage Armor (always keep up), Shield, Vanish
2nd - Alter Self, False Life (always keep up)
3rd - Monstrous Physique I

Round 1, cast Monstrous Physique I and change into a gargoyle. You'll have 4 natural attacks and be approximately +10 to hit for 1d6+9 damage each. You can change into a lot of different types of creatures and be able to attack in any environment.

Your weakness will be having a lower AC. Spending gold can help this. Plan to use long lasting (out of combat) spells to boost alterative defenses (False Life, Ablative Barrier, Stoneskin, etc.)

[Covert Operator]

There's also a Sensei/Quinggong monk who dumps STR and pumps WIS
Casts spells all the time, uses Stunning Fist and variants, both with very high DCs
Eventually can buff all allies with Barkskin or True Strike as a standard action for 1 ki point.
Take Vital Strike chain once your unarmed damage reaches high enough and you have spare feats.
Take Quicken Spell-Like Ability too

[Kazaan]

Are you absolutely set on Sorc? If you want something close, Bloodrager would be outstanding for what you're trying to do. Pick Dragonic bloodline and go into Dragon Disciple. The main problem with doing a close-combat Sorc is that you only have half-BAB so your close combat damage output is sub-par and you don't nearly have the hardiness for it. But here are your major options:

1) Paladin/Sorc (Abyssal or Orc)/EK: Paladin is a better option to get your martial prof since Cha synergizes. Remember that an EK isn't so much a melee caster as it is a caster who, in a pinch, is better in melee than straight caster. You're still, largely, going to rely on slinging spells and force your opponent to close the gap rather than you charging in, but then you can shift to melee combat more easily, whereas a full caster needs to keep kiting away and maintain the gap.

2) Sohei Monk/Empyreal Sorc/EK: Swap Cha for Wis to get Monk and Sorc to synergize. Otherwise, same caveats as the standard EK build. Very nice for delivering touch spells via Unarmed Strike.

3) Sorc/Dragon Disciple: Classic melee Sorc. You'll be a bit more on the melee side, but its more conducive to a "charge in and attack" mentality.

Those options all involve actual Sorcerer levels. However, you could get something close if you don't mind taking Bloodrager. A Bloodrager DD, as mentioned earlier, can be quite strong. Another possibility would be to take the Eldritch Heritage feat and garner bloodline powers that way. This is especially useful for Abyssal and Orc bloodlines as their lvl 9 power grants a Strength bonus; very good for a Cha-heavy martial type such as an intimidate build. I'm thinking a Sword Saint Samurai with the Cockatrice order and Shatter Defenses for that option.

[Mysterious Stranger]

Even with the 20 STR YOU BAB is not going to be high enough to actually perform combat maneuvers. Counting on spells to buff your combat ability is not going to work to well. You will spend several rounds casting spells to get ready for combat, and by the time you are ready the combat will be over. You also don’t have the HP to be up close and personal with any significant threat.

You may want to consider a bloodrager instead of sorcerer. They get many of the spells you want and have much better combat ability. Take the Abyssal bloodline for free enlarge person while raging.

[kestral287]

Just pointing out that Chaotic Lawful is not a legal alignment.

[Mysterious Stranger]

kestral287 wrote:

Just pointing out that Chaotic Lawful is not a legal alignment.

That is probably why it is listed under personality instead of alignment.

[Alesander]

Thanks a lot guys :)
Ill suck it all up and check out the different options you have suggested.

I really do like the Sorcerer and all it spell powers, it can cover so many different things and be used so differently.

But Ill def check out Bloodrager.
Our dm doesn't like taking Eldritch Heritage to take advantage of bloodline powers, he's a true lure dude and dont like specialisation that doesn't fit the background story, etc etc.

I did a cross blodded abyssal draconic + Dragon disiple and he went close to ban the char :( I think that sucks as Im an mmorpg player and love to specialize take advantage but nevertheless.

[gustavo iglesias]

Front line and CON 10 1d6 HD is a recipe for disaster

[Guru-Meditation]

You ned to rework those stats.

INT 6 and WIS 8 makes him a retard who cant even speak properly. Think even worse then Forrest Gump, except he also has low WIS... But lets put this under "roleplaying challenge"

1 Skillpoint / Level is bad.

And most importantly with his D6 and CON 10 he will have the toughness of a wet paper towell when he actually enters melee...

[Renegadeshepherd]

Can do one better, at INT 6 your a smart chimp or a dumb paladins mount.

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

I like dragon disciple with black as your dragon. Gaining noxious bite feat. I feel you will get what your looking for.

I recommend only 8 levels of DD.

10con on a d6 HD sorcerer in melee is insane. Up it and lower str abit a 16-18 is still good str.

I would take cats grace instead of bulls str and grab a belt of str and con +2.

Feat wise arcane strike is good stuff. Toughness will be mandatory.

Defending bone spell helps layer defense and false life helps your HP pool. Mirror image is also acceptable. Stone skin communal will be a get to spell for sure.