Quick Questions About Some Basics

[Marcus]

1- As a sorcerer, does my charisma effect the damage or failure chance of my spells or only the number of bonus spells?

2- Is there a way to make companions fight auto rather than manual?

3- Is there a way to add some spells that sorcerer cannot pick to his spellbook like inflict light wound?

[pete3great]

Originally posted by Flerion:

1- As a sorcerer, does my charisma effect the damage or failure chance of my spells or only the number of bonus spells?

2- Is there a way to make companions fight auto rather than manual?

3- Is there a way to add some spells that sorcerer cannot pick to his spellbook like inflict light wound?

1. Affects most of the variables related to your spell casting. You want it, and you want a lot of it.

2. You don't want to do that.

3. Wizards yes, sorcerers no. This is one of the big differences between spontaneous arcane casters and prepared arcane casters.

[elbentzo]

Originally posted by Flerion:

1- As a sorcerer, does my charisma effect the damage or failure chance of my spells or only the number of bonus spells?

2- Is there a way to make companions fight auto rather than manual?

3- Is there a way to add some spells that sorcerer cannot pick to his spellbook like inflict light wound?

1. There is no such thing as spell failure chance (unless you're wearing armor, in which case charisma won't help you). Your charisma will also not affect your spell damage. It will affect your bonus spells like you said, and one more SUPER important thing -- your spell DC. That's the number that your target has to roll in order to make a saving throw (that decreases or eliminates the effect of the spell). Your spell DC is
10 + level of the spell you cast + charisma modifier + bonus from items + bonus from feats and abilities
So if you cast grease (one of the best spells in the game, covers the ground in grease and makes enemies slip and fall on their ass, losing a turn) with 16 charisma your spell DC is 10 + 1 (grease is a level 1 spell) + 3 (modifier for cha 16) = 14. If you have cha 22 like a half elf boss charisma machine, the DC would be 10 +1+6 = 17. Much harder roll, much higher chance your enemies will fall and get stuck in the grease.

3. Yes. There is a class called Loremaster. It is a prestige class, meaning you can only take levels in it if you fulfill certain requirements, which sorcerers can meet at level 6 or above. If you take levels in this class you will continue your sorcerer spell casting advacement as usual (as if you took a level in sorcerer), but all your sorcerer abilities such as bonus feats and bloodline powers will *not* advance a level. In return, you get a special ability called ``secrets", which can be used to learn cleric or druid spells.
So if you're a level 8 sorcerer, for example, and you have enough exp to level up, you can take a level in loremaster. Your spellcasting would be equal to a level 9 sorcerer, but your bloodline abilites will still be those of a level 8 sorcerer, but you will get a secret. This is usually a VERY good deal if you pick your secret carefully, because there are some incredible spells in the cleric/druid list which could really improve your game.

Edit: maybe by ``spell failure chance" you meant overcoming the spell resistance of some enemies. In which case, no, charisma won't help you. Your ability to penetrate an enemy's spell resistance is determined by your caster level (how many levels you've taken in the sorcerer class, in your case) and by bonuses from feats, special abilites and gear. Charisma doesn't factor into it.

[Marcus]

Originally posted by elbentzo:

Originally posted by Flerion:

1- As a sorcerer, does my charisma effect the damage or failure chance of my spells or only the number of bonus spells?

2- Is there a way to make companions fight auto rather than manual?

3- Is there a way to add some spells that sorcerer cannot pick to his spellbook like inflict light wound?

1. There is no such thing as spell failure chance (unless you're wearing armor, in which case charisma won't help you). Your charisma will also not affect your spell damage. It will affect your bonus spells like you said, and one more SUPER important thing -- your spell DC. That's the number that your target has to roll in order to make a saving throw (that decreases or eliminates the effect of the spell). Your spell DC is
10 + level of the spell you cast + charisma modifier + bonus from items + bonus from feats and abilities
So if you cast grease (one of the best spells in the game, covers the ground in grease and makes enemies slip and fall on their ass, losing a turn) with 16 charisma your spell DC is 10 + 1 (grease is a level 1 spell) + 3 (modifier for cha 16) = 14. If you have cha 22 like a half elf boss charisma machine, the DC would be 10 +1+6 = 17. Much harder roll, much higher chance your enemies will fall and get stuck in the grease.

3. Yes. There is a class called Loremaster. It is a prestige class, meaning you can only take levels in it if you fulfill certain requirements, which sorcerers can meet at level 6 or above. If you take levels in this class you will continue your sorcerer spell casting advacement as usual (as if you took a level in sorcerer), but all your sorcerer abilities such as bonus feats and bloodline powers will *not* advance a level. In return, you get a special ability called ``secrets", which can be used to learn cleric or druid spells.
So if you're a level 8 sorcerer, for example, and you have enough exp to level up, you can take a level in loremaster. Your spellcasting would be equal to a level 9 sorcerer, but your bloodline abilites will still be those of a level 8 sorcerer, but you will get a secret. This is usually a VERY good deal if you pick your secret carefully, because there are some incredible spells in the cleric/druid list which could really improve your game.

Edit: maybe by ``spell failure chance" you meant overcoming the spell resistance of some enemies. In which case, no, charisma won't help you. Your ability to penetrate an enemy's spell resistance is determined by your caster level (how many levels you've taken in the sorcerer class, in your case) and by bonuses from feats, special abilites and gear. Charisma doesn't factor into it.

Thanks a lot

[pete3great]

I always forget about loremaster.