Drow Sorc ... should I splash

[SiliconScout]

This is my straight up Drow Sorc build.

Wonderng a few things.
1. is going 20 sorc a good idea (capstone seemed pretty useful).
2. Would splashing some rogue early to get better UMD make more sense in the long run.
3. Enhancements / spell selection. Do they make sense?

Plan was for this lady to have a high ability to land spells and hit hard. She's a little squishy overall but not brutally so as I did boost con.

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Level 20 Lawful Good Drow Female
(20 Sorcerer) 
Hit Points: 140
Spell Points: 2083 
BAB: 10\10\15\20
Fortitude: 8
Reflex: 6
Will: 11

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength              8                     8
Dexterity            10                    10
Constitution         14                    14
Intelligence         12                    12
Wisdom                8                     8
Charisma             20                    24

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               0                     0
Bluff                 5                     9
Concentration         6                    27
Diplomacy             7                    18
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle                5                     7
Heal                 -1                    -1
Hide                  0                     0
Intimidate            5                     7
Jump                 -1                    -1
Listen               -1                     1
Move Silently         0                     0
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair                1                     1
Search                1                     3
Spot                 -1                     1
Swim                 -1                    -1
Tumble                n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device      7                    18

Level 1 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+4)
Skill: Diplomacy (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Empower Spell
Spell (1): Niac's Cold Ray
Spell (1): Soundburst
Enhancement: Sorcerer Elemental Manipulation I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Force Manipulation I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Energy of the Dragonblooded I


Level 2 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (1): Shield
Enhancement: Improved Spell Resistance I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Improved Empowering I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Charisma I


Level 3 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Extend Spell
Spell (1): Magic Missle
Enhancement: Sorcerer Lineage of Elements I


Level 4 (Sorcerer)
Ability Raise: CHA
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (2): Resist Energy
Enhancement: Sorcerer Concentration I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Concentration II
Enhancement: Sorcerer Elemental Manipulation II


Level 5 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (2): Knock
Enhancement: Sorcerer Lineage of Deadly Elements I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Energy of the Dragonblooded II


Level 6 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Spell Penetration
Spell (3): Haste
Enhancement: Sorcerer Improved Empowering II


Level 7 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (3): Frost Lance
Spell (2): Web
Enhancement: Sorcerer Charisma II


Level 8 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (4): Wall of Fire
Enhancement: Sorcerer Elemental Manipulation III
Enhancement: Sorcerer Spell Penetration I


Level 9 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Maximize Spell
Spell (2): Scorching Ray
Spell (4): Stoneskin
Spell (3): Displacement
Enhancement: Sorcerer Energy of the Dragonblooded III


Level 10 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (5): Dominate Person
Enhancement: Sorcerer Improved Maximizing I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Lineage of Elements II


Level 11 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (3): Heroism
Spell (4): Phantasmal Killer
Spell (5): Symbol of Pain
Enhancement: Sorcerer Spell Penetration II


Level 12 (Sorcerer)
Ability Raise: CHA
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Spell Penetration
Spell (6): Disintegrate
Enhancement: Sorcerer Elemental Manipulation IV


Level 13 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (6): True Seeing
Spell (5): Dismissal
Spell (4): Burning Blood
Enhancement: Sorcerer Spell Penetration III


Level 14 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (7): Otto's Sphere of Dancing
Enhancement: Sorcerer Improved Maximizing II


Level 15 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Spell Focus: Evocation
Spell (7): Banishment
Spell (6): Greater Heroism
Spell (5): Protection From Elements
Enhancement: Sorcerer Energy of the Dragonblooded IV


Level 16 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (8): Polar Ray
Enhancement: Sorcerer Lineage of Deadly Elements II
Enhancement: Sorcerer Lineage of Deadly Elements III


Level 17 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (8): Otto's Irresistable Dance
Spell (7): Summon Monster VII
Enhancement: Sorcerer Lineage of Elements III


Level 18 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Spell Focus: Evocation
Spell (9): Wail of the Banshee


Level 19 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (8): Mass Charm Monster
Spell (9): Energy Drain
Enhancement: Sorcerer Improved Maximizing III


Level 20 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Bluff (+2)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Spell (9): Summon Monster IX
Enhancement: Sorcerer Bloodline of Power
Enhancement: Improved Spell Resistance II
Enhancement: Sorcerer Wand Mastery I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Wand Mastery II

[Merlocke]

You'll easily make 39 umd on a pure sorc.

[Lorien_the_First_One]

You lose more than you gain splashing rogue on a sorc.

[issiana]

sorcs are a class that are best kept pure.

you are a nuker who needs your spell DC's as high as possible, splashing can lower your DC's.
Then theres the issue with reduced spells available per spell lvl if you splash, again not a good idea as your selection is already smaller than a wizzie.
one of the reasons you'll see a wizzie splash (mostly with rogue) is they get there spells one lvl earlier than a sorc and have more spells per spell lvl.

on umd, all you need is a umd of 39 and that is totally achieveable on a pure sorc without any spalsh lvls.

[TigrisMorte]

Regardless of good idea/bad idea, if multiclassing with rogue always take rogue at 1st level.
The extra skill points for starting rogue should not be sacrificed.

[SiliconScout]

sp how am I going to hit that UMD of 39 when I endup with 18 ranks @ level 20.

I imagine it's gear dependent.... is there a +20 UMD item?

[Musouka]

sp how am I going to hit that UMD of 39 when I endup with 18 ranks @ level 20.

I imagine it's gear dependent.... is there a +20 UMD item?

Did you totally forget the +13 you get from Charisma Modifier? +2 luck from Head of Good Fortune, Greater Heroism +4, UMD +5 seven fingered... i think +5.

[Phidius]

sp how am I going to hit that UMD of 39 when I endup with 18 ranks @ level 20.

I imagine it's gear dependent.... is there a +20 UMD item?

You don't have 18 ranks, you only have 11 ranks. Add to that your charisma bonus (24 Charisma is a +7 to charisma based skills) to get 18.

11 Ranks
13 Charisma Bonus (20 (base) + 5 (level ups) + 3 (enhancement) + 6 (item) + 2 (tome) = 36 Charisma)
04 GH
03 Golden Cartouche
01 Luck
32 easy-to-get

06 Excpt Char Skills (Shroud)
01 Luck - Head of Good Fortune (Reaver's Fate)

39 no-fail-heal-scrolls

[Lorien_the_First_One]

too slow

[SiliconScout]

Thanks Phidius.

I will definitely have to play with that builds enhancements then. I didn't take the CHA III one that that is a deal maker / breaker.

@ Lorien: What is too slow????

[Zinruko]

14 con is too low :/

Should have at least 20 on a caster :P

[Musouka]

You don't have 18 ranks, you only have 11 ranks. Add to that your charisma bonus (24 Charisma is a +7 to charisma based skills) to get 18.

11 Ranks
13 Charisma Bonus (20 (base) + 5 (level ups) + 3 (enhancement) + 6 (item) + 2 (tome) = 36 Charisma)
04 GH
03 Golden Cartouche
01 Luck
32 easy-to-get

06 Excpt Char Skills (Shroud)
01 Luck - Head of Good Fortune (Reaver's Fate)

39 no-fail-heal-scrolls

I'm pretty sure Head of Good Fortune gives +2, unless they nerfed it.

[Phidius]

I'm pretty sure Head of Good Fortune gives +2, unless they nerfed it.

Yeah, but I had already added 1 for luck bonus due to Voice of the Master - much easier to get than a little head

[Phidius]

14 con is too low :/

Should have at least 20 on a caster :P

Not on a Drow... not even on a WF (personal preference).

14 is very respectable on a Drow.

[SiliconScout]

14 is as high as it can get without giving up on CHA. As a caster who will CC and Nuke the CHA is more important than the HP to be honest.

If it's low on the HP side then I can work in say Toughness instead of Greater Spell Penetration.

[CrescentCalling_5]

Rogue splash into a sorcerer usually doesn't work, high UMD as a sorcerer only seems to have benefits when you're using healing wands. Instead of that I'd splash with 2 levels of Palladin instead, you automatically add your charisma modifier to all your saves and you get a nice self heal from lay on hands (something like 150 hp).

[aax]

you need more hp. your spells dont mean nothing if you get killed in 1 or 2 swings then your firewall/cc goes away. your chioice tho, but exspect to be dying alot with less than 200hp

[Zinruko]

Not on a Drow... not even on a WF (personal preference).

14 is very respectable on a Drow.

Every toon in the game should have at least 400 hp at level 20. My caster has about 500, with no shroud item, but then again it is a warforged.

Anyways, a squishy caster is a dead caster.

[CrescentCalling_5]

Every toon in the game should have at least 400 hp at level 20. My caster has about 500, with no shroud item, but then again it is a warforged.

Anyways, a squishy caster is a dead caster.

Not necessarily, as some of my higher level friends point out often when I marvelled at how my level 8 rogue/ level 2 fighter had almost as much hp as them, a squishy caster is a squishy caster.

Based on what I've seen at lower levels (we still have insanely low hp compared to others :/) casters are supposed to have one of two mindsets:

Wizard- Fire off some calculated debilitating or confusing spells, then hit the targets while their too busy to fight back (ie. Hold Person or Web followed by a series of Ray spells, conservation of SP is more important than effect, charm person also works if the enemy hasn't noticed you yet)

Sorcerer- Fire off 10,000 points of damage before the enemy can react (high SP, high casting rate, spam lots of high-damage spells and clear out the targets ASAP, before you get your chance to get stabbed)

[Rawel_San]

Do you want to aim for 400 hp at lvl 20? Yes.
Is it absolutely essential for most game content? Definitely not.

I've run all of the easier epics (not wiz king, cof or queen) on
a wiz with 322 hp's without dying (and without pots being used). If you're not running
epics then the only other place where below 400 hps will really hurt is amrath on
hard/elite, ToD p2 and (I hate that this one) getting one shotted by abbots disintegrates.

Having said that you really want to try to aim for 400+ at lvl 20 with raid gear, it makes
a LOT of things much much easier. (which is my wizzie will be LRing and ending up at 407
before buffs once he gets ToD ring and 20th shroud.).
Just my 2 cents,
Rawel

Ps.: Don't forget to be perma raged (spell, not boots obviously) that's free extra 20 hps.