Sorcerer build that isn't awful or horrible hard to use?

[P Three]

Looking for just a basic sorc build. Something that will survive. LOL. I am phenomebad at builds. Can someone help, over PMs or here pleasethanks?

[The Rambling Midget]

For soloing or partying? PvP or PvM?

If you're planning to always be in a party, Weave Master is easy. You can also do a decent amount of soloing with your infinite summons and buffs.

For a PvP powerbuild, go 27/3 Paladin or Blackguard for inexplicably high saves, and take Evo focus for Hellball/GR. You can also do Necromancy, if you don't think that your opponents will have Death Ward.

Craft wand is handy in either case, if you can spare the feat, so that you can spam non level dependent debuffs.

[msterswrdsmn]

Is it even possible to make a bad sorc build? Just put points into CHA, raise concentration/heal/spellcraft, and pick a few spell schools to use. No more than 2 for sorcs due to your limited feat selection. [damage school] and [crowd control school] is usually a good combination. Pick up a few metamagic feats and you're set.

Popular combinations?
Evocation+enchantment: damage and crowd control

Conjuration+Necromancy: they both have damage (flame arrow, horrid wilting, necro insta-kill) and crowd control (evards, grease, fear) AND summons!

[Barradoor]

Sent you a PM.

[P Three]

@ TRM - Well, I don't know. I was told WM with the nerfs just isn't worth it anymore. I do have one, she's level 9. I was pondering rebuilding her. I rarely have parties because I'm usually so busy with Storm I can only now and then hop on Lyssa and reliably play her for a bit.

Gotcha Barradoor! Tx!

[The Rambling Midget]

WM with the nerfs just isn't worth it anymore.

How was Weave Master nerfed?

[P Three]

Extended cooldowns, wasn't it?

[The Rambling Midget]

It's still (Spell level -1)*6 seconds, before Quicken.

That gives you no cooldown casting for level 1 and 2 spells, once you have it, and that can be pretty powerful if you have a meatshield and you know what you're doing.

[Scurvy Cur]

The only sizable WM nerf I can think of was the change to the interaction of quicken spell with the cooldown timers, which went in months ago. Essentially quicken spell initially removed the cooldown entirely, now it simply reduces it. It's likely that this is the nerf P Three is talking about.

[P Three]

^^ Yesthat.

[The Rambling Midget]

Oh. I see that as more of a balance fix than a nerf. Infinite cast levels 1-5 is kinda gamebreakingly overpowered.

There's always PoTF if you want unfettered destruction.

[Jack Oat]

Sorcerer 24/Paladin 3/Bard 3.
Levels 1-15: Sorcerer.
16-18: Paladin.
19-26: Sorcerer.
27-29: Bard.
30: Sorcerer.

Spell focii: Conjuration/Evocation or Evocation/ Abjuration

Pre-Epic Feats: Power Attack, Divine Shield, Extend Spell, Spell Focus x2, Greater Spell Focus x2, Maximize Spell or Toughness (8th feat only if Human)

Epic Feats: Epic Spell Focus x2, Epic Spell: Greater Ruin (or Epic Skill Focus: Discipline to prevent most Knockdowns), Epic Spell: Epic Mage Armor, Epic Spell: Hellball (or Epic Skill Focus: Discipline here)

Ability Points at creation:
Str: 14
Dex: 8
Con: 15
Wis: 8
Int: 14
Cha: 16

Background: Natural Leader (+1 CHA, -1 CON)
Gifts: CON and CHA
All ability points into CHA (26 base @ level 28)

Skill points (Human, total): 177
Skills:
Concentration (33)
Discipline (32)
Spellcraft (33)
Tumble (30)
UMD (7)
Free: 42 (9 if non-human)


That's about it.
Weave Master will make you more useful in PvE due to durations, whereas just going regular Sorc will make you more viable for PvP that can't be settled with one spell.

[P Three]

Race for that one, Jack?

[Jack Oat]

I would recommend Human for the additional Skill Points, feat, and lack of ability modification, but you could fiddle with it and do whatever race you felt like.

[The Rambling Midget]

Human also saves you the hassle of dealing with a multiclass penalty, except at levels 27 and 28, where it won't make that big a difference anyway.

[Rattus_norvegicus99]

I know that true flames are tricky at first, but I find the limited selection of spells a really fun challenge, and after learning how to utilize darkness and my floating dagger, found soloing to be easier than many of my other chars. Of course TFs are unbelievable in parties as they are, very likely, hands down, one of the best DPSers in the game.

Let me know if you are interested in trying at TF and I'll give you some pointers.

Aside from the TF, I like a weave master with focus in conjuration and enchantment - disable your opponents and let your summons beat the snot out of them.

[Scurvy Cur]

For race selection, always always go human unless you have a concrete reason to do something else, either for mechanical reasons or RP reasons. The extra feat and skill are too good.

I would also advise against Epic Mage Armor on Jack's build, as the other feat selections you can pick up in its place do much more for you, IMO, than the 4 AC you can't otherwise replicate. You don't need EMA to cap dodge, shadow shield already covers the +5 natural AC, you get +4 deflection from shield, and given you have free heavy armor prof, you probably want to be using greensteel which comes with a +2 armor bonus. Don't get me wrong, EMA is great, but I think it's probably less great than your two epic spell foci, your epic disc focus, and greater ruin + hellball.

If you desperately need more caster levels or an extra epic feat, the bard can be scrapped for more sorc, but it'll cost you 3 AC, as well as the ability to use cleric scrolls, which are pretty handy.

[P Three]

Rattus -

Totally not in it for a challenge. LOL. I can barely scrape through as it is. Let's work on me ever even getting to epic THEN work on a challenge!

[Scimiter]

I'm sure it could use some work but here's what my guy Tristan was going to be in the long run after I gave up the idea of getting RDD for him and replaced it with CoT

Sorcerer(20), Fighter(4), Champion of Torm(6), Human

STR: 16 (20)
DEX: 8
CON: 14
WIS: 8
INT: 12
CHA: 16 (19)

Human: (Quick to Master)
01: Sorcerer(1): Skill Focus: Concentration, Extend Spell
02: Sorcerer(2)
03: Sorcerer(3): Spell Penetration
04: Sorcerer(4): STR+1, (STR=17)
05: Fighter(1): Weapon Proficiency Exotic
06: Fighter(2): Still Spell, Weapon Focus: Bastard Sword
07: Fighter(3)
08: Fighter(4): STR+1, Weapon Specialization: Bastard Sword, (STR=18)
09: Sorcerer(5): Toughness
10: Sorcerer(6)
11: Sorcerer(7)
12: Sorcerer(8): CHA+1, Spell Focus: Abjuration, (CHA=17)
13: Sorcerer(9)
14: Sorcerer(10)
15: Sorcerer(11): Greater Spell Focus: Abjuration
16: Sorcerer(12): CHA+1, (CHA=18)
17: Sorcerer(13)
18: Sorcerer(14): Improved Critical: Bastard Sword
19: Sorcerer(15)
20: Sorcerer(16): CHA+1, (CHA=19)
21: Sorcerer(17): Epic Weapon Focus: Bastard Sword
22: Sorcerer(18)
23: Sorcerer(19)
24: Sorcerer(20): STR+1, Automatic Still Spell I, (STR=19)
25: Champion of Torm(1)
26: Champion of Torm(2): Epic Weapon Specialization: Bastard Sword
27: Champion of Torm(3): Automatic Still Spell II, {Smite Evil}
28: Champion of Torm(4): STR+1, Automatic Still Spell III, (STR=20)
29: Champion of Torm(5)
30: Champion of Torm(6): Epic Spell Focus: Abjuration, Armor Skin

Hitpoints: 270
Skillpoints: 132
Saving Throws (Fortitude/Will/Reflex): 19/18/13
Saving Throw bonuses: Spells: +5
BAB: 17
AB (max, naked): 25 (melee), 16 (ranged)
AC (naked/mundane armor/shield only): 14/25
Spell Casting: Sorcerer(9)
Alignment Changes: 0

[Cortex]

(Normal) Sorcerer is only bad on early levels, if you can handle the suck till 18 or so, then you become a powerhouse in PvP and PvE(assuming you know how to use the class properly, builds ain't nothing without skill to back it up).

[P Three]

Bumping this;

Is there a fightery Sorc build that works? Spellblade sorta thing? (I know, Scim. I know. Shush.)

[Scimiter]

*hands up and backs away* Not a word ;P

I'll see what my PGCC can come up with

[The Rambling Midget]

Is there a fightery Sorc build that works? Spellblade sorta thing?

Yes. It's called Bard.

You could probably pull off something like 16 Fighter/4 Skilldump/10 Weave Master. Anything and everything can dispel you effortlessly, but you do get infinite Haste, stat buffs, Imp. Invis., Protection from Elements, and a number of other handy things, plus Magic Missile for those pesky Epic Dodgers.

[P Three]

Is there a fightery Sorc build that works? Spellblade sorta thing?

Yes. It's called Bard.

You could probably pull off something like 16 Fighter/4 Skilldump/10 Weave Master. Anything and everything can dispel you effortlessly, but you do get infinite Haste, stat buffs, Imp. Invis., Protection from Elements, and a number of other handy things, plus Magic Missile for those pesky Epic Dodgers.

Meh. I'm finding the melee bard build I already have (Storm) falls solidly into "lackluster" territory. Admittedly, it is far more likely me than the build.

[Jack Oat]

An alternative I can think of would be a weave master Sorcerer 14/Paladin 12/Rogue 4 concept with still spell for plate armor. Easy to dispel, sure, but you'd have infinite wards. May also benefit from taking Longsword feats as your weapon, for Tenser's Transformation.