My Sorcerer (with SCS) spell pick - some open evaluation

[Kamuizin]

After some bugs with my previous mods, i had to give up my archer (for a while) and now i planned a run with a Dragon Disciple Sorcerer.

Btw, if anyone care to know, party will be themed in Redemptions:

Dorn freedom path, Viconia redemption to True Neutral in BG2, Rasaad accepting the Twofold godness and caring for people in the twofold temple and sarevok turned to good

I'm planning to pick the following group of spells:

Lvl 1 - Blindness, Grease, Magic Missile, Shield and spook.
Lvl 2 - Web, Glitterdust, Mirror Image, stiking cloud, remove fear,
Lvl 3 - Melf Minute's Meteor, Slow, Skull Trap, Dispel Magic, Flame Arrow
Lvl 4 - Greater Malision, Emotion: hopeless, Stoneskin, Secret Word, Minor spell sequence
(thought of put Emotion: Hope, cos +2 savings, +2 hit +2 dmg is really good, but there's no slot for that).
Lvl 5 - Breach, Lower Resistance, shadow door, chaos, spell immunity
Lvl 6 - Improved Haste, Protection from magical weapons, Spell Deflection, Pierce Magic, Globe of Invulnerability
Lvl 7 - Mordenkainen's sword, Spell Sequencer, Spell Turning, Power Word Stun, Khelben's Warding Whip
Lvl 8 - Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting, Incendiary Cloud, Simulacrum, Spell Trigger
Lvl 9 - Time Stop, Chain Contingency, Meteor Swarm, Spell Trap.

My feeling is, this sorcerer is too much counter mage oriented, like it's missing a bit of damage spells. I will play with a party, so whatever, but maybe some changes could be done.

Incendiary Cloud and meteor swarm are must have for this build. As a Dragon Disciple this char will reach 100% fire immunity, thus will benefit of battling inside these spell effects if i can control the timing of AoE damage. Would pick fireball, but skull trap is soooo much better...

[Wicket W. Warrick]

It seems very good to me. Obviously all this fire idea makes the sorcerer less useful against enemies with fire protection, but that's linked to the the build.
Damage spells are not missing, there are a enough, but you could use delayed blast fireball and sunfire, also f probably you won't use them a lot. For roleplaying reasons I would also take fireball, leaving dispel magic or slow to someone else.
And I would absolutely take chain lighting: it's very fast to lunch and you get a lot, with stop time is useful.
I'd take some summoning, choose depending on your group.
Also pierce shield (8) is useful.
At 2nd I prefer to take acid arrow (instead of stinking cloud, or also remove fear if other characters have it), but in the long run it isn't so important.

[Kamuizin]

Sunfire afaik lose his MR bypass that originally happened in EE, and, as delayed fireball, it's locked at 15d6 dmg.

I could still drop chaos or spell immunity for sunfire or Khelben's Warding Whip for delayed fireball for sure.

Chain light can go in place of spell deflection, as i get spell turning at 7th circle. Will make this change.

Pierce Magic is good, but 8th level is only 4 spells, abi is a must, incendiary cloud is thematic for this character and i can't see myself taking off simulacrum and spell trigger. Also, i'm full on magical removals, for sure.

I would take acid arrow on a solo play, and would use kitting the enemies to let it work, but it's a party group, i think i don't need the prolonged turns of acid effect on this run.

[Zotliatlicor]

I would take Chromatic Orb (1) and drop either Greae or Spook. Chromatic Orb is way more useful in the long run then those two other.

Else, i think you have a very good setup. Myself i never resort to having my Sorcerors attacking with Melfs Meteors, so i never pick that one. And i always pick Hold Monster (5). Godspell in my book.

[New Moon On Monday]

It's great to have those area-effect fire spells when you are immune to fire, but you may not want to go overboard. Consider both whether you are doing your casting out of sight of the enemy, or whether you are going to be in the middle of battle with companions.

(Thinking about it, with Simulacrum and 5 Scrolls of Protection from Fire, you can guarantee 5 companions 50% fire resistance before getting to other spells and items.)

Dispel Magic and Remove Magic become disappointing for arcane casters in the long run, because of their slower level progression compared to other classes and the enemies you face. Single-class or dual-class clerics level up faster, so they have a better chance with Dispel Magic.

I wouldn't duplicate cleric spells if you have a cleric, so Remove Fear might be extraneous. It is great to have a back-up casting, but that's what scrolls are for.

If you are going to get in the middle of battle, rather than casting from a distance and keeping out of trouble, consider finding room for Blur and Improved Invisibility. Assuming you are running with companions, Mass Invisibility is a great spell.

If you are going to cast from a distance and not get in the middle of battle, you might have too many protective spells (Protection from Magical Weapons, Spell Deflection, Spell Turning, Spell Trap). For occasional use when you are ambushed, you have scrolls and items.

[Wicket W. Warrick]

Diposting pertama kali oleh Kamuizin:

Sunfire afaik lose his MR bypass that originally happened in EE, and, as delayed fireball, it's locked at 15d6 dmg.

They are more for roleplaying reason. I like all the fire spells for their better visual effect, sometimes I prefer to cast firebal than skull trap just to see it, and as a dragon disciple I would like to have them free to use whenever I want, just wasting one slot of a spell that I probably will use not so much.
But as I said your first list was already a good one, it's really up to you., but it won't change very much.

[philos3]

HLA of Improved Alacrity is a great spell. When you Time Stop, you can lay out a devastating barrage of Skull Traps (I prefer it over fireball as well). Add in the Robe of Vecna and you have a serious force of destruction.

I would drop Spell Deflection and take Death Fog. There are "very" few enemies that are resistant to acid. Plus it also slows there movement.

[Kamuizin]

Diposting pertama kali oleh New Moon On Monday:

It's great to have those area-effect fire spells when you are immune to fire, but you may not want to go overboard. Consider both whether you are doing your casting out of sight of the enemy, or whether you are going to be in the middle of battle with companions.

(Thinking about it, with Simulacrum and 5 Scrolls of Protection from Fire, you can guarantee 5 companions 50% fire resistance before getting to other spells and items.)

I can't have everything with only one character. By picking a dragon disciple i will adapt my fighting style, MC will fight separately from other characters. Protection from fire i can get from other sources and complete it with potions, ring of fire resistance or other equipments. The fire themed spells are lvl 8 and 9, thus when i reach that point i will have the methods to keep the party alive in fire.

Diposting pertama kali oleh New Moon On Monday:

Dispel Magic and Remove Magic become disappointing for arcane casters in the long run, because of their slower level progression compared to other classes and the enemies you face. Single-class or dual-class clerics level up faster, so they have a better chance with Dispel Magic.

I wouldn't duplicate cleric spells if you have a cleric, so Remove Fear might be extraneous. It is great to have a back-up casting, but that's what scrolls are for.

In sorceres, i like to have fast response spells to imediate problems. Remove fear will have 1 or 2 casts in Viconia, she has better lvl 2 spells to pick (specially when SCS and expanded spells will be present in this game).

Diposting pertama kali oleh New Moon On Monday:

If you are going to get in the middle of battle, rather than casting from a distance and keeping out of trouble, consider finding room for Blur and Improved Invisibility. Assuming you are running with companions, Mass Invisibility is a great spell.

This game play isn't solo. In the spoiler i mentioned the first party members i'm think in taking: Dorn, Viconia, Rasaad and Sarevok. I will probably have Imoen in this party, too (cos i need a thief). I can get mass invisible from Imoen, or even better, pixie dust, from Viconia.

Diposting pertama kali oleh New Moon On Monday:

If you are going to cast from a distance and not get in the middle of battle, you might have too many protective spells (Protection from Magical Weapons, Spell Deflection, Spell Turning, Spell Trap). For occasional use when you are ambushed, you have scrolls and items.

Agreed. As adviced before, i will drop spell deflection for chain light, and i'm thinking in drop Khelben's Warding Whip (7th circle) for a SCS IWD spell, Malavon's Rage, that is a straight line energy damage spell with instant cast and 20d4 damage on everythin in straight line. I'm still thinking on it.

Diposting pertama kali oleh stef.corsi:

Diposting pertama kali oleh Kamuizin:

Sunfire afaik lose his MR bypass that originally happened in EE, and, as delayed fireball, it's locked at 15d6 dmg.

They are more for roleplaying reason. I like all the fire spells for their better visual effect, sometimes I prefer to cast firebal than skull trap just to see it, and as a dragon disciple I would like to have them free to use whenever I want, just wasting one slot of a spell that I probably will use not so much.
But as I said your first list was already a good one, it's really up to you., but it won't change very much.

I agree with you, here is most a power choice x thematic roleplay choice. For a Dragon Disciple, fireball will always be a sunfire, cos i can cast it in myself with 0 damage. Still, i'm agonized in what take off for fireball. Skull Trap? The power level inside of me is screaming, fire arrow? It's also thematic for a DD and uselful, also. Dispel Magic is the most optimal choice for this change and i will think deep on this, after all i have a cleric in party and will probably have another mage, too.

Edit: if i could get a mod to remove level limit from fireball, i would drop skull trap for it, even with many enemies immune to fire.

Diposting pertama kali oleh philos3:

HLA of Improved Alacrity is a great spell. When you Time Stop, you can lay out a devastating barrage of Skull Traps (I prefer it over fireball as well). Add in the Robe of Vecna and you have a serious force of destruction.

I would drop Spell Deflection and take Death Fog. There are "very" few enemies that are resistant to acid. Plus it also slows there movement.

Yeah, oldest combo of BG2: With Robe of Vecna + Amulet of Power., Time Stop, improved Alcharity, and your entire spell book on the enemy head.