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Swimfan

Jul 5, 2023 @ 12:30am

Wizard VS Sorcerer - difference? :-D

My first playthrough needs to be a unique character/magic user (that's tradition with me and RPGs).

Can someone who played both (and I mean played bc. we all know that this game isn't 100% 5e) tell me what the difference is? I tried to look it up but even then it wasn't really clear to me (most explanations were really long-winded and based on traditional pen&paper D&D).

I played Wizard through EA once and I like that he can refresh some spell slots and (based on his subclass) make it so that my team doesn't take damage from AoEs (which is cool but not a must because I could plan around friendly fire if I had to). On the other hand I NEVER learned a spell from spell scrolls because what I was given naturally always felt good enough and Larian apparently nerfed that mechanic before I even started playing (originall you could learn spells from all scrolls and now you have much more limited options which def. seems more "balanced").

I saw that there is a big discussion that "Wizard is now the worst" and "Sorcerers are great" but what do I gain if I give up spell-slot-recovery/AoE protection/scroll-learning (which I'm not planning on using anyways?!) and play a sorcerer instead?

Edit: Your answers are amazing! Thanks a lot! I'll start with a sorcerer for my first playthrough (I have Gale as a Wizard as backup anyways). That being said:
-> Is there a subclass you can recommend so far?
-> What is the difference between the "sources" of your magic you can select at character creation? (I remember one could be by dragon sorcerer or something?!)

Last edited by Swimfan; Jul 5, 2023 @ 3:12am

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Originally posted by Ronin Gamer:

wizards have on average the most spell slots and the best ability to learn the most spells and swap them in and out easier. I call them the "key masters" as they have the most possible keys to the most problematic locks that needs spells to get you out of problems.

Sorcerers don't get quite as many spell slots and can only learn what spells they get access to at level ups. They do however have the ability to manipulate those spells to do things a wizard can't do, like twin spelling a normally single target spell to hit two targets that turn.

The reason so many people say wizards are great utility is because they can cast a large potential number of spells to lock down enemies, buff allies, and do a number of other things. Sorcerer players tend to focus more on damage spells, but you can certainly build a utility/supportive sorcerer too. The ability to manipulate those spells is pretty helpful, but since they have less over all slots a number of people seem to focus them as attackers, but having something like haste and being able to twin that on two of your team mates instead of just one is a good boost.

Also Wizards main stat is Int and is the only class that focuses on that stat, so any skill checks tied to Int are good to have a Wizard around for if you can. Sorcerer is Charisma, something other classes can specialize, but if you want to have a spell caster with a bonus to persuasion, intimidate, or deception a sorcerer isn't too bad a pick.

I'm a bit more partial to Wizard simply for their amount of spells and what they can do to get you out of a jam. Sorcerers aren't bad at that, they just can't learn a near as many spells and can't freely swap them around, so you have to be more careful with picking spells and accept the consequences of your choices.

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Showing 16-28 of 28 comments

Ivas

Jul 5, 2023 @ 9:05am

Originally posted by Swimfan:
That said with all the subclasses of sorcerer listed so far ... do any of them strike you experts as especially "fun"/"strong"? (based on 5e since we of course don't know what Larian will do with them)

Strong? I would say Draconic. But, come on! Do you see the button that says "Wild Magic"? There aren't any other subclasses for sorcerer in DnD! SPIN THE WHEEL OF WILD MAGIC!

Last edited by Ivas; Jul 5, 2023 @ 9:07am

#16

Lord Adorable has Baldur's Gate 3

Jul 5, 2023 @ 9:06am

Originally posted by Ivas:
Originally posted by Swimfan:
That said with all the subclasses of sorcerer listed so far ... do any of them strike you experts as especially "fun"/"strong"? (based on 5e since we of course don't know what Larian will do with them)
Strong? I would say Draconic. But, come on! Do you see the button that says "Wild Magic"? There aren't any other subclasses for sorcerer in DnD!

Ah, I remember my first WIld Surge. Demon came to say hello.

That was a short session.

#17

sleeper

Jul 5, 2023 @ 9:07am

Originally posted by Yojo0o:
Originally posted by sleeper:
you know wizard has access to some spells that can not be resisted even with 100% spell resist like that is possible.

Spell resist isn't a thing in this edition.

oh come on no wonder 5e is so easy. Just finished the first campaign in Solasta on core rules it was easy and I thought it was because they could not use everything 5e has. Every other d&D game required me to adapt to find tactics.

#18

Yojo0o

Jul 5, 2023 @ 9:20am

Originally posted by sleeper:
Originally posted by Yojo0o:

Spell resist isn't a thing in this edition.
oh come on no wonder 5e is so easy. Just finished the first campaign in Solasta on core rules it was easy and I thought it was because they could not use everything 5e has. Every other d&D game required me to adapt to find tactics.

I mean, there's saving throws?

#19

sleeper

Jul 5, 2023 @ 9:23am

Originally posted by Yojo0o:
Originally posted by sleeper:
oh come on no wonder 5e is so easy. Just finished the first campaign in Solasta on core rules it was easy and I thought it was because they could not use everything 5e has. Every other d&D game required me to adapt to find tactics.

I mean, there's saving throws?

and with every roll having a bigger chance of being low its not much a save. I swear I had like a critical 1 so many times I forgot.

#20

Yojo0o

Jul 5, 2023 @ 9:24am

You can't crit a saving throw in 5e.

#21

Harukage

Jul 5, 2023 @ 9:26am

With how all sorc subclasses in the BG3 currently are flavors of a blaster, with no fun things like Shadow Magic and Divine Soul around. Pick a Wizard if you are aiming for anything but slinging damage spells at enemies. Period.

#22

sleeper

Jul 5, 2023 @ 9:27am

Originally posted by Yojo0o:
You can't crit a saving throw in 5e.

its more of a example how the dice is the low side mostly. Like for example I think 70% of the time my offensive spells hit them even against bosses. And not to mention spells like hilarity did not even trigger a saving trow you here incapacitated.

#23

Fernandovisky has Baldur's Gate 3

Aug 22, 2023 @ 1:17pm

You dont need to choose between those two in bg 3, in tabletop dnd multiclass can or cannot be worthy but in bg3 multiclass are for sure the best thing you can do, just dip 3 levels on sorcerer ang The rest in wizard, you will be an unstoable force specially when you take free cast a power from you can get being a half ilithid, wizards in bg 3 can learn spells from scrolls based on their spell slots rather than being on wizard level, that means if you are sorc 3 and wizard 2 for example you can learn level 3 spells like fireball, in my campaign i take 3 levels on tempest cleric for healing spells, aid and channel divinity, 4 levels on white draconic sorcerer for armor of agahtys metamagic amd asi and 5 levels in wizard, you can double Haste, quicken create water and destroy your enemies with chain lighting with twinned spell and channel divinity from tempest cleric. Aalmd last but not least you have infinity level 5 spell slots and inifnity sorcery points if you have free cast, you can set up buffs like 6 level aid without speding slot, i played Alone in tactician and the fights are easy, when you cant kill all enemies in one turn you can use cimmand stop lvl 5 or 6 to stop every enemy without concentration

#24

DontMisunderstand has Baldur's Gate 3

Aug 22, 2023 @ 1:20pm

Sorcerers get metamagic, Wizards are just better in every other way. Wizards' Arcane Recovery is just plain better than the sorcerer's ability to convert sorcery points into spell slots, just mathematically. Wizards get access to more spells. Wizards' subclass features are vastly more powerful than Sorcerers' metamagics, and sorcerers really don't get meaningful subclass features of their own at all, at least not by comparison to the appropriate wizard subclass.

#25

Gregorovitch has Baldur's Gate 3

Aug 22, 2023 @ 1:51pm

I think one of the biggest issues for Wizards and their wide spell selection is a lot of the best spells are concentration spells and they can only have one up at a time. This detracts from their utility and power since a lot of the best spells require concentration.

Sorcerers can have two concentration spells going at once with their meta-magic option and that in my view is a big advantage over the wizard.

Also worth mentioning is the Sorlock (Warlock 2/Sorcerer 10). This is very popular in table top 5e but I think is works even better in BG3 because of the amount of verticality in this game. I.e the Eldritch Blast cantrip, upgraded with Agonising Blast and Repelling Blast, is unbelievably effective in knocking enemies off walls, roofs, cliffs etc to their doom. There are lots and lots of enemies located on walls, ledges, roofs, cliffs etc in BG3.

Another advantage to the Sorlock is very little in BG3 is resistant to Force damage.

There is no cantrip in the book that comes close to matching an upgraded Eldritch Blast's power and that is why a Sorlock laughs in the face of the wizards extra spell slots.

Last edited by Gregorovitch; Aug 22, 2023 @ 1:53pm

#26