Wizard or Sorcerer ?

[Antera]

Which would you recommend?

[Fain Welkin]

If you tailor your build very carefully and know which spells are good and which spells are bad, sorcerer is much superior. If you're just playing casually and want to experiment with magic in general, they're both great. Wizard is more forgiving since you can swap around what spells you have on hand without having to level up, not to mention the possibility of learning a much broader range of spells. But for pure optimization? Sorcerer. I used to play on an arena server. It was all gnome sorcerers.

[Lyle]

Passion vs Intellect, Chaos vs Order...

[jimbobslimbob]

Wizard, I find is more useful, since you can scribe scrolls and INT does a lot more for a character than Charisma does. Saying that though, you can't question a Sorcerer's raw power. Your call.

[walpurgisnacht]

I seem to recall that in the epic levels, wizard ends up with more spell slots than sorcerers if they build for max intelligence. But when they start out, they have less.

Intelligence will get you more skill points, while charisma will get you better conversation options and prices from vendors.

It depends, ultimately on what mod the character is for, and what you like to do.

[Messsucher]

Sorcs more spells doesn't matter in PvE because you can rest every now and then.

[starkmaddness]

In NWN2 the metamagic feats make sorcerer superior, not sure if it is the same in NWN, which uses 3rd edition. I would guess it does. Hard to remember the specifics of each edition. Quicken, enlarge, empower, etc available on demand allows you more flexibility in how you use your spell levels by casting a spell with a different spell slot when the need arises.

Even outside of those feats, given the nature of crpgs, sorcerers tend to be more flexible overall when it comes to facing blind encounters. CRPGs are mostly combat focused and you will generally use only a subset of spells anyway. Being a sorcerer means you can decide how to use those spell levels on the fly.

A wizard might have 2 magic missile spells, a burning hands, and a sleep spell memorized. Depending on what you encounter, some of those spells might be useful, others not so much. Walk into a group of trolls, and you wish you memorized burning hands 4 times. But as a sorcerer, you have all your spells on tap useable as many times as you have level slots for. So you could cast burning hands 4 times if you wanted. If you walk into an encounter with an enemy mage, you could spam magic missile 4 times. Or any combination you wish, without needing to know what you will face ahead of time. Sorcerers are just more adaptable on the fly.

The only advantage a wizard has (outside of INT being more useful) is when they know exactly what they will face and can tailor their spells ahead of time. They will have a deeper selection of spells to pick through. But even then, chances are you will do better with the spells and tactics you spent time perfecting. And if by some small chance you really do need an obscure spell available, a sorcerer can simply keep a few scrolls handy. Because the other 99% of the time you will be better off throwing fireballs and such en mass.

So, for a dedicated caster, sorcerer. For a mage/thief, possibly a wizard if you want to be a skill monkey, because INT is a shared attribute.

[Bluebeak]

Sorcerer is a more flexible class because you can tailor a build around using actual weapons. Like it's more fun to play a Sorcerer because you lead with a sword/bow first and then use spells when things get dicy. Compared to a Wizard who just uses spells and once those run out you're screwed.

[Laface]

Wizard vs Sorcerer is basically Utility vs Combat Effectiveness.

The Wizard can switch spells, knows more of them and can be more adaptable to the situation at hand. (if your in a pickle against a specific boss you just have to reload your previous save file, select other spells in your spellbook, rest, and then you go get another shot at the big baddie).
plus your intelligence grant you more skill points which you can spend in useful stuff like open locks and disable traps like a rogue would do.

The Sorcerer though is much more straight-forward. You pick offensive spells, some defensive spells and you go head on in the fray with your henchman and summons. You can cast a spell multiple times before a rest is needed, so you are better suited for combat. You won't have as much skill points as a wizard, but the pixie familiar can help you disarm trap and open locks. You can switch spells but only once per level up, so you'll have to choose wisely.

[One Punch Man]

You can switch to Red Dragon Disciple as a prestige class when playing as a Sorcerer. Fire breathing, extra armor etc. it adds a few new perks if you want something "extra" from your character.

[Spongie]

Wizards, unlike sorcerers, can be useful in other ways than just spell casting. The skill bonus you get from your int modifier alone is worth it. That said, the sorcerer can dish a lot more damage.

I always found that D&D was a game of "pick your poison". Selecting a class is no different. :)