How necessary is Mage Armor for casters?

[Quadsword]

When I make sorcerers, I pretty much always pick draconic ancestry because a) it looks awesome, especially on dragonborn and b) it comes with built in, always online mage armor. I looked up the progression path for storm sorcerers (side note: can we please have the ability to preview a class's progression path in game) and it looks like they get some genuinely cool stuff, but sorcerers get precious few spells as it is that losing one to Mage Armor doesn't seem like a great trade off.

[Hobocop]

Humans and half-elves can wear light armor and shields which is comparable, so not all that necessary there. Alternatively, Githyanki and Shield Dwarves can wear medium armor. Scrolls of Mage Armor are also quite common, so you can make use of those once you gain access to the better caster robes and whatnot if you like.

[taznkid]

Can you not just have someone else cast it on you? Or does the caster need to remain in the party?

As for "is it worth it", think of it like this: is a level 1 spell slot and a learned spell worth it for 3 AC (15% chance to evade)?

I like robes on my casters, so for me it is a yes, but as mentioned above, there are races that can get armor proficiencies, and there are even a few armor (unfortunately, I think all Act 3) that anyone can use regardless of proficiency.

I unfortunately dont have full experience with Sorcerer limited spell list, as all my Sorcerers have been multiclassed with Warlock and im usually just spamming Eldritch Blast.

[FunkyMonkey]

Originally posted by Quadsword:

When I make sorcerers, I pretty much always pick draconic ancestry because a) it looks awesome, especially on dragonborn and b) it comes with built in, always online mage armor. I looked up the progression path for storm sorcerers (side note: can we please have the ability to preview a class's progression path in game) and it looks like they get some genuinely cool stuff, but sorcerers get precious few spells as it is that losing one to Mage Armor doesn't seem like a great trade off.

I find that because Sorcerers have more limited amount of spells they can learn, I prefer Shield first and only later, if I feel like I don't necessarily need some other spell, I pick up Mage armor. For Wizards it's both, all the time.

[jonnin]

Its not necessary at all.
First, you can just avoid being shot or chopped at in most fights. Keep the caster in the back, and intercept anyone trying to hurt it.

MA is fixed bonus, so its usefulness decreases rapidly as you gear up and level up. Soon enough even with it everything is going to hit you every attack nearly (assuming MA and robes etc) if they are attacking your caster. See first idea ^^

you have many other options besides mage armor, but mage armor IS available from a scroll shop, so you can do that too.

options include:
- racial armor and/or shield
-background in stealth, learn to hide or invisible or the like...
- splash of other class. Note that a storm cleric has all kinds of useful things to help out a storm sorc.
- the shocking cantrip lets you run away -- it disable enemy reaction so it can't opportunity attack you. So you fry it (if wet, for 4d6!) and walk away.
- other spells work wonders, like mirror image, blur, haste, shield reaction (... use wisely), etc.
- you can use MA early game and replace it at a later level when you need it less.
- you can fly. hard to get to caster that flies away from annoying big guy with axe.
- magic armor stuff, like the bracers in act 1, which are as good as a shield. There is a +1 robe too, if you choose to kill karlach .

[A Disembodied Intelligence]

Honestly even on my casters that do opt for wearing robes I still don't use it.

It's a nice bonus, but having a low AC at the start of the game isn't that big an issue and in the lategame health and saving throws are more important on them than AC if you've positioned them well enough (and have high AC on a couple of your other characters).

tl;dr - I wouldn't say it's necessary on any difficulty.
Just personal preference and playstyle specific.

[Penitent Pilgrim]

I never use it, Gale is human and wears studded leather and carries a shield.

[Zeel Ara]

I don't take it on sorcerers. 2 AC isn't going to make any meaningful difference if you've got enemies wailing on you in the late game. Hell, not even in the mid game. Even with 16 CON you're still so squishy that a couple of hits will down you. It's a hell of a lot more reliable to just stay out of the way and not get hit in the first place.

[★REM★]

Unless you play honor, it really don't make any difference.