A little help for a new sorc, old melee player

[Mav145]

Got bored with playing melee characters (4) and decided to roll up a sorc after reading the Nuker 101 article. Anyway, I am thinking about the full line of fire/ice and elec/acid lines that some of the other forum posters are talking about.

Here's my problem, my main damage spell as of right now is Niac's and the bad guys are saving way too often. When I run at-level quests on normal, it's usually a one-shot kill but they are saving about half of the time. I feel like it's a waste of mana to hit magic missile 3 or 4 times and I think I am going to spec out of that anyway to concentrate on fire/ice/elec/acid.

Anyway, am I doing something wrong here? Any advice to a new sorc would be appreciated.

[ddoer]

Got bored with playing melee characters (4) and decided to roll up a sorc after reading the Nuker 101 article. Anyway, I am thinking about the full line of fire/ice and elec/acid lines that some of the other forum posters are talking about.

Here's my problem, my main damage spell as of right now is Niac's and the bad guys are saving way too often. When I run at-level quests on normal, it's usually a one-shot kill but they are saving about half of the time. I feel like it's a waste of mana to hit magic missile 3 or 4 times and I think I am going to spec out of that anyway to concentrate on fire/ice/elec/acid.

Anyway, am I doing something wrong here? Any advice to a new sorc would be appreciated.

afaik, those who advocate Niac suggest people to double focus in Conjuration and get heighten. The double focus gives 10% more chance to hit, and by getting a spell focus: conjuration item, you get another 5%, and every spell level you heighten (by level 4/6/8) you get more 5%, and Edited Eagle's Splendor pots give you up to 10%. These add up to a more reliable landing rate.

alternatively, go for CC (hypo/web) and let the melee do the killing.

[Varis]

Got bored with playing melee characters (4) and decided to roll up a sorc after reading the Nuker 101 article. Anyway, I am thinking about the full line of fire/ice and elec/acid lines that some of the other forum posters are talking about.

Here's my problem, my main damage spell as of right now is Niac's and the bad guys are saving way too often. When I run at-level quests on normal, it's usually a one-shot kill but they are saving about half of the time. I feel like it's a waste of mana to hit magic missile 3 or 4 times and I think I am going to spec out of that anyway to concentrate on fire/ice/elec/acid.

Anyway, am I doing something wrong here? Any advice to a new sorc would be appreciated.

kobolds are quite reflexy so they have a decent chance to avoid your niacs. That is why taking spell focus: conjuration and greater spell focus: conjuration at 1st level makes a huge difference (you only get 1 focus as drow but you have a higher charisma, making the bonus the same as a human.
I mentioned it on the video and it really makes a difference. Undead are still annoying but for that you got shocking grasp.

[Mav145]

Are all of the spells in the fire/ice line from the conjuration school? Will I gimp my firewall with a conjuration focus?

Alternatively, I have thought about speccing for fire/ice and as a second focus force/repair so that my reconstructs will heal for more.


Any advice for staying elec/acid?

[ddoer]

Are all of the spells in the fire/ice line from the conjuration school? Will I gimp my firewall with a conjuration focus?

Alternatively, I have thought about speccing for fire/ice and as a second focus force/repair so that my reconstructs will heal for more.


Any advice for staying elec/acid?

afaik, all fire/ice spells are from evocation. Scorching Ray and Firewall have no save and won't benefit from evocation focus. So spec on conjuration won't gimp your fw.

i've updated my previous post and added Eagle's Splendor pots. At low level, it gives +4 Cha, i.e. +2 DC, as same as two spell focus feats.