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A Quick Guide to Sorcerer Spell Selection Introduction

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A Quick Guide to Sorcerer Spell Selection Introduction A Quick Guide to Sorcerer Spell Selection By Dazaras My introduction is a bit on the long side, don’t feel bad about skipping straight to the spell ratings. Introduction Spell Ratings 0-Level Sorcerer Spells (Cantrips) 1st-Level Sorcerer Spells 2nd-Level Sorcerer Spells 3rd-Level Sorcerer Spells 4th-Level Sorcerer Spells 5th-Level Sorcerer Spells 6th-Level Sorcerer Spells 7th-Level Sorcerer Spells 8th-Level Sorcerer Spells 9th-Level Sorcerer Spells Introduction This is my take on spell selection for sorcerers. A sorcerer must be more selective in choosing spells than a wizard, due to limited spells known. This is not necessarily all bad though, if you take the time to pick the right spells (and supplement them with minor scrolls and wands) you can easily have all the right spells for any adventure and never have to go through the hassle of preparing spells ahead of time or recording them in your spellbook. Does this mean that sorcerers are as good as wizards? Not according to the optimizers on forums I read, but it does mean that the objective difference is small enough that if you’re like me and have way more fun playing the sorcerer you’re probably better off mechanically too. If you’re looking for advice on the other aspects of playing a sorcerer (races, skills, feats, etc.) take a look here: A Quick Guide to Pathfinder Sorcerers: Gods Don't Need Spellbooks Lots of people have guides for sorcerer spells, and even more for wizard spells (most of which are applicable to sorcerers). In particular I use Treantmonk’s guide to Wizards (“Being a God”) which has very good advice on the uses of most spells on the sorcerer/wizard list as well as which ones you should ignore completely (there are quite a few). Although this guide is enormously useful, there are a few fundamental differences in a sorcerer’s approach to picking spells which you should keep in mind when attempting to use this or any other guide that was originally designed for wizards. These differences are best outlined in this excerpt taken from a sorcerer’s guide I found on the WOTC forums (it was written for the 3.5 era but is still relevant): “Pick Spells that have a wide range of use: The key is to pick spells that do many jobs. Consider for a moment the Expeditious retreat spell. The job of this spell is to increase your movement rate. This is actually a very useful spell for wizards, and receives a recommendation in my guide. However, it does one job, and although it does that job well, it still only does one job. Now consider the spell mount. Mount can also give you an improved movement rating. It can also give improved movement to a party member, or can move an unconscious PC or NPC. It provides carrying capacity, has utility use, heck, in a jiffy you can conjure a mount in front of you to provide cover (oh- that’s cold). If the sorcerer is looking for a first level spell to increase movement the choice is obvious. Expeditious retreat increases movement, but that is all it does. Mount is the spell that performs more functions, and therefore should get preference. This is how you must evaluate every spell. After you determine what the spell’s primary purpose is, ask what else that spell will do for you. Summoning, Shadow spells, Illusions, walls, polymorphs – these spells are the kings of multi-use. Pick spells that are not redundant with your current list It is no secret that I love fog spells. Check my conjuration spell evaluations for wizards and I salivate over Fog Cloud, Stinking cloud, Solid fog, etc. However, for a Sorcerer I would NEVER take more than one of these spells. Stinking cloud and Solid fog may have some different jobs, but some of their jobs are the same – and that is a waste. Once you’ve determined that your spell choice has several uses (as per the first tip), then the second step is to make sure that those uses are conspicuously missing from your current grimoire of spells. I also love summoning – another poorly kept secret. However, if you took Summon Monster I, you probably shouldn’t even be considering Summon Monster II – unless you can think of multiple unique uses the new spell brings to your tool belt. Versatility is power, but redundancy is the opposite of versatility. Cover your bases: Buff/Debuff/Battlefield Control/Blast/Utility If you love to buff, by all means take Haste to your spell list. However, before you add Greater Heroism and Mass Enlarge to your spell list, you should think again. It’s OK to give priority to one of the primary jobs of a spellcaster. I would be loathe, for example, to tell someone they shouldn’t give Battlefield Control a certain amount of priority.... However, with your limited selection of spells you need to cover your bases. Buff/Debuff/Battlefield Control/Blast/Utility: do you have them all? What’s missing? What’s weak? These are questions you need to ask yourself. If you are a really good buffer, then your next spell should probably increase your versatility. Of course, the BESTEST way to achieve this involves my favourite two words when it comes to spell selection: Multi-Threat. Why Blast when you can blast with a debuff added on for fun? Multi threat allows you to cover more bases with less spells – the more threats – the bigger the bargain. It’s even possible to multi-threat BUFFS. No kidding. Remember – Specialization is for Wizards, not sorcerers Specialization is a two-sided coin. Illusion is a great school of magic, but when you fight the creature with blindsight it can cramp your style. Enchantment can be a one-spell battle finisher, but immunity to mind-affecting spells can make your Enchanter into a commoner with a staff real quickly. Negative energy debuffs are wicked – but fighting undead they are worse than useless. What saving throw do your spells target? What immunities can thwart them? You need to spread out the threat of your spells, and keeping a wide variety of schools represented can be of great help in doing this. Enchantment often targets Will. Necromancy often targets Fortitude. Evocation often targets Ref. Ensure you have the tool for the job beforehand. Never pick a spell that would be just as good in a wand Remember that lower level spells that don’t have effectiveness dependant on caster level may be just as good in a wand. A first level wand is a dirt cheap 750 gp – truly a bargain (that’s 15gp per spell). Remember that first tip where we compare Expeditious retreat and mount? Well – I would point out that a wand of mount still gives a 2 hr duration. This will still cover many of the jobs that the mount spell can provide (perhaps not the utility for long voyages). That should make you consider whether you actually want to use a spell known for mount – or spend a small amount of gold for 50 castings of the same spell. A wand version of Summon Monster I however provides an unacceptable duration (unless you pay the big money for a higher caster level – which makes the wand overpriced). Looking at how the wand functions vs. A casting from your character is paramount... While achieving the above – don’t forget to pick good spells There are so many considerations above you can get lost in them and forget the most important thing of all – if the spell sucks – it doesn’t matter if it is multi-threat and covers the right saving throw, and increases your versatility at suckitude. If a spell is just bad – don’t even consider how it fits into the other tips. Narrow your search to the good spells, and then refine your selections. It may seem like obvious advice (and it is) – but there is so much to remember, you can forget the most important thing of all very easily.” Treantmonk’s Guide very much helps with the last tip by categorizing spells by usefulness, but it doesn’t much help with the others. That is exactly where this guide comes in. Treantmonk’s guide organizes spells by school and color codes them by usefulness. While this is probably very useful for wizards, I think a better system for sorcerers would be to organize them by usefulness and color them by use (Buff/Debuff/Control/Blast/Utility). I intend this guide to be as much for my own reference as anyone else’s. Rankings mostly align with Treantmonk’s guide, where applicable. I’ve changed a few I disagreed with, but for the most part I agree with him. Assumption 1: You have access to NPC spellcasters if you need a spell cast and scrolls are readily purchasable. Assumption 2: All Paizo rules are allowed, but no 3.5 rules, houserules or unofficial errata. I do make note in several places where variations from this assumption might change ratings. Assumption 3: You are playing in a relatively generic campaign. An aquatic campaign, an undead campaign or any other significant variation will change some of the recommendations dramatically. Assumption 4: You have taken the Arcane Bloodline. This isn’t that important, except that there are several bloodlines that add effects to spells, usually changing those spell ratings. Assumption 5: You have read Treantmonk’s guide; most of his commentary is at least as useful as mine, and probably more thought out.
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