Building my first Sorc

[The_Mud_Man]

I've been wanting a sorc for some time now since the new savants came out. What I want to do is build a sorc for leveling. I'm not interested in an end-game build quite yet. I plan to redo feats and enchantments after I hit 20 and have some gear and tomes saved up.

My first question is this: which of the savants would be best for leveling overall without needing to redo enhancements later down the line but before level 20 for a more end-game friendly build? Which would be the best way to go for a secondary focus?

I'm guessing the best feats to take early are empower/maximize and extend and just fill enhancements for the prestige and take others to boost spell points and charisma. I can get my hands on a tome or two, but using it will just have to wait til level 4.

Do I have a pretty decent idea of things so far? I remember coming across a sorcerer's handbook of sorts. I was wondering if the spell list and such would still be applicable. If not, I'd like suggestions for spells for the first 6 levels or so.

Thanks for any and all advice.

[Purkilius]

Fire or Acid for leveling and Ice or Air at endgame!

But try them all out and play what is fun for you

[Nephilia]

Fire+whatever (u should go on only with fireball and firewall XD) during leveling, Air+cold on end game
For build... u have a 28 or 32? are u TR'ing?

[The_Mud_Man]

No TR and I have 32 pt. I haven't unlocked drow yet on the server either.


Edit: I'd also like some suggestions on beginning gear and which stats/bonuses to look for on gear. I was planning on human for race unless someone has a good argument for a different race.

Acid did interest me for the prestige. Few monsters have resistance to it(in the early game anyway. I've only gotten to lvl 8 or 9 on a toon.)

[Sparky21]

fire for levelling. my favorite secondary is lightning but acid works too

search auction house/brokers for

-superior inferno 2, 3, and 4 clickies. other gear at lower levels is inconsequential because nothing will survive your spells...at earliest possibility get moderate fortification item.

early spells include:

burning hands
scorch
jump
expeditious retreat
nightshield
scorching ray
resist energy

(follow up with fireball at 6 and haste/displace at 7/8)

feats early on...maximize at 1, toughness at 3 imo...the focus or pastlife at 6 for savant, empower at 9 maybe (personal preference)

also remember: dont take a spell for things you can wand and scroll. only get those spells if you absolutely are broke and need it, or if you have a spare slot

this includes: enervation, greater heroism, teleport/greater teleport. stoneskin is possible to wand but spell is nice to have too if you can fit it later

human, drow, and warforged all make excellent sorcs.

[The_Mud_Man]

That's as fire savant. Right? What about earth savant? If I just totally don't like it, I'll go ahead and redo things to go with fire savant.

Edit: What's good for starting stats? Maxing CHA and decent CON I'm guessing are a given but what about the rest? Figured a couple points in strength to be able to carry more items before getting encumbered.

I've decided to go with human. So, get an extra feat there. Also, why maximize instead of extend? I know extend doesn't affect firewall now, but longer buffs would seem nice, not so much at higher levels maybe. Toughness at 3? Hmm, I can see that. Stuff would die so quickly anyway. Won't matter anyway on feat order because I'm starting at 4. Any suggestions for tomes at lvl 4 or 7? Not to go crazy with em, but I can get a couple or 3.

[Sethasoigh]

My personal opinion on sorc builds is Human (Drow and Human can reach the same max charisma modifier and human gets one extra feat) and max charisma and con.

Fire and acid are great for leveling and air and ice are the best for end game.

[The_Mud_Man]

I have another quick question. Say I go earth savant and choose acid spray as a 1st lvl spell. Will I be able to replace at 6 when I obtain it as a spell-like ability?

[Bargol]

Meh...I tried all the savants....the one with the best utility to deal with more then a single target from low level to end game content (non-epic) is air savant with a minor in ice.....FYI even as an air savant you can still use fire wall.

[The_Mud_Man]

Here's what I've come up with so far. I couldn't decide with Maximize, FoP, or Mental Toughness for lvl 6 feat.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.9.1
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 6 Lawful Good Human Male
(6 Sorcerer) 
Hit Points: 80
Spell Points: 580 
BAB: 3\3
Fortitude: 5
Reflex: 1
Will: 5

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 6)
Strength             10                    10
Dexterity             8                     8
Constitution         16                    16
Intelligence         10                    10
Wisdom               10                    10
Charisma             18                    21

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 6)
Balance              -1                     1
Bluff                 4                     5
Concentration         7                    13
Diplomacy             6                     9.5
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle                4                     5
Heal                  0                     0
Hide                 -1                    -1
Intimidate            4                     5
Jump                  0                     0
Listen                0                     0
Move Silently        -1                    -1
Open Lock            n/a                   n/a
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair                0                     0
Search                0                     0
Spot                  0                     0
Swim                  0                     0
Tumble               n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device      6                     9.5

Level 1 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+4)
Skill: Diplomacy (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Empower Spell
Feat: (Human Bonus) Toughness
Enhancement: Improved Concentration I
Enhancement: Acid Manipulation I
Enhancement: Flame 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)
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Improved Empowering I


Level 3 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Extend Spell
Enhancement: Corrosive Spellcasting I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Charisma I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Wand and Scroll Mastery I


Level 4 (Sorcerer)
Ability Raise: CHA
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Deadly Acid I
Enhancement: Acid Manipulation II


Level 5 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Charisma I
Enhancement: Acid Manipulation III
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) Maximize Spell
Enhancement: Sorcerer Earth Savant I

I'm still open as to which savant and "secondary" to go with.


The reasons for my enhancement and feat choices is because of this thread: http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php...r%27s+handbook

[ProdigalGuru]

How about this?

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.9.1
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Burny McAcid
Level 20 True Neutral Human Male
(20 Sorcerer) 
Hit Points: 232
Spell Points: 2061 
BAB: 10\10\15\20
Fortitude: 10
Reflex: 6
Will: 12

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             10                    10
Dexterity            10                    10
Constitution         16                    19
Intelligence          8                     8
Wisdom               10                    10
Charisma             18                    29

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 20
+2 Tome of Charisma used at level 20

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               0                     0
Bluff                 4                     9
Concentration         5                    26
Diplomacy             4                     9
Disable Device       n/a                   n/a
Haggle                4                     9
Heal                  0                     0
Hide                  0                     0
Intimidate            4                    15
Jump                  0                     0
Listen                0                     0
Move Silently         0                     0
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair               -1                    -1
Search               -1                    -1
Spot                  0                     0
Swim                  0                     0
Tumble                1                     1
Use Magic Device      6                    23

Level 1 (Sorcerer)
Feat: (Human Bonus) Spell Focus: Evocation
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 2 (Sorcerer)


Level 3 (Sorcerer)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Spell Focus: Evocation


Level 4 (Sorcerer)


Level 5 (Sorcerer)


Level 6 (Sorcerer)
Feat: (Selected) Maximize Spell


Level 7 (Sorcerer)


Level 8 (Sorcerer)


Level 9 (Sorcerer)
Feat: (Selected) Empower Spell


Level 10 (Sorcerer)


Level 11 (Sorcerer)


Level 12 (Sorcerer)
Feat: (Selected) Extend Spell


Level 13 (Sorcerer)


Level 14 (Sorcerer)


Level 15 (Sorcerer)
Feat: (Selected) Heighten Spell


Level 16 (Sorcerer)


Level 17 (Sorcerer)


Level 18 (Sorcerer)
Feat: (Selected) Skill Focus: Use Magic Device


Level 19 (Sorcerer)


Level 20 (Sorcerer)
Enhancement: Sorcerer Bloodline of Power
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Charisma I
Enhancement: Human Greater Adaptability Constitution I
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery II
Enhancement: Sorcerer Improved Empowering I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Improved Empowering II
Enhancement: Sorcerer Improved Maximizing I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Improved Maximizing II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness III
Enhancement: Sorcerer Fire Savant I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Fire Savant II
Enhancement: Sorcerer Fire Savant III
Enhancement: Combustive Spellcasting I
Enhancement: Combustive Spellcasting II
Enhancement: Combustive Spellcasting III
Enhancement: Combustive Spellcasting IV
Enhancement: Combustive Spellcasting V
Enhancement: Combustive Spellcasting VI
Enhancement: Deadly Flame I
Enhancement: Deadly Flame II
Enhancement: Deadly Flame III
Enhancement: Deadly Flame IV
Enhancement: Deadly Flame V
Enhancement: Deadly Flame VI
Enhancement: Acid Manipulation I
Enhancement: Storm Manipulation I
Enhancement: Flame Manipulation I
Enhancement: Flame Manipulation II
Enhancement: Flame Manipulation III
Enhancement: Flame Manipulation IV
Enhancement: Flame Manipulation V
Enhancement: Flame Manipulation VI
Enhancement: Flame Manipulation VII
Enhancement: Force Manipulation I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Spell Penetration I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Energy of the Dragonblooded I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Energy of the Dragonblooded II
Enhancement: Sorcerer Charisma I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Charisma II
Enhancement: Sorcerer Charisma III
Enhancement: Sorcerer Wand and Scroll Mastery I

Fire with secondary acid/electric.

[Bargol]

Pionts in wisdom or dex are kind-of wasted. You are better to go with 18 charisma 15 con (as human) 10 or 12 in intel. (skill points) and rest in strength (loot carrying capacity - you don't want to become burdened).

As a caster the best alignment is true neutral.

It is fine to go fire in lower levels, but I recommend once you hit level 12 to try all of them.

[Nephilia]

No TR and I have 32 pt. I haven't unlocked drow yet on the server either.
Edit: I'd also like some suggestions on beginning gear and which stats/bonuses to look for on gear. I was planning on human for race unless someone has a good argument for a different race.
Acid did interest me for the prestige. Few monsters have resistance to it(in the early game anyway. I've only gotten to lvl 8 or 9 on a toon.)

Let's analyse:

Human get no malus on cos (so potentially +2 cos if u spend the same amount of stat points), an addictional feat at level 1 (pure gold) and +1 skill point each level (that is equal to the addictional skill point u'd get for drow +2 int) and get access to healing amp Enhancement line.

Drow has +2 cha (but human can raise whatever stat it want with human adaptability so drow would have just +1 cha on a human), +2 dex (AC doesn't count nothing and a +1 in reflex save is not so mandatory) and +2 int (but, as said before, human get +1 skill point so drow +2 int is not really an advantage!).
Sleep immunity and a little SR (pretty useless on end content)

So you are comparing:

Human: +2 cos, +1 feat and healing ampl
Drow: +2 dex (useless or so), +1 cha (expendable).

Go human all the way, man

Feats (assuming you're going human):
1)Maximize, Toughness
3)Extend
6)Empower
9)SF:Evocation
12)Heighten
15)GSF: Evocation (or Spell Penetration)
18) SP (or GSP if u get SP at lv 15)

Skill: max out concentration and UMD, if u got some spare points 1 in tumble and the rest where do u like !

[The_Mud_Man]

Why 15 con?

[Sparky21]

Why 15 con?

15 con is common and good choice for human race.

simply put, 15 ends up as an even number more often.

15 + 1 human adaptability, +6 item, +2 tome (much later +4) for 24 or 26 con.

if you choose to only use a +1 tome simply because you will tr fast, then 14 or 16 is fine. id recommend 14 in that case, and do 12 str and 12 int (8 dex, 8 wis imo)

edit- saw your question about why maximize at level 1. every time ive ran sorc class to 20 (been quite a few now) ive experimented with a few first level feats. maximize will be the most beneficial imo.

basically, the theory of sorc is to kill your opponent before he can get his first attack off. and if done right, sorc will 1-hit kill everything that does not save from level 1 thru level 16~18. you just have to keep your power at full throttle.

sometimes its more efficient to turn all metas off and just send a couple shots...and since they reduced the base cost of many spells this is very true; you will just have to learn each quest inside and out so you can manage your sp vs. killing enemies as efficiently as possible.

words i live by when i play sorc class:

if you have sp by the time you hit a shrine, you didnt blow sh*t up hard enough.

(unless of course you are skipping that shrine, in which case you better be out by next)

^does not apply on epics

[Bargol]

15 con is common and good choice for human race.

simply put, 15 ends up as an even number more often.

15 + 1 human adaptability, +6 item, +2 tome (much later +4) for 24 or 26 con.

snip....

This is why 15 con, but as stated above if you don't want to spend the AP on greater adapt. for a +1 to con. Then go 16. On a sorc you need to push your hp as much as possible so your not squishy......especially as a human since heal scrolls require UMD which you won't get reliably until later in levels.

[The_Mud_Man]

So adaptability in con instead of cha?

Anyone else with suggestions for spell list?

[Yvonnel]

if you have sp by the time you hit a shrine, you didnt blow sh*t up hard enough.

(unless of course you are skipping that shrine, in which case you better be out by next)

THATs the true spirit

[Yvonnel]

So adaptability in con instead of cha?

Anyone else with suggestions for spell list?

Cha + Con

Adaptility 1/2 cannot be spent on the same attribute

[The_Mud_Man]

Decided to go with fire savant and have a couple questions on it.

I can't decide on scorching ray or scorch for my first second level spell or maybe an entirely different spell. Also, which would be a nice compliment, acid or electricity? I was thinking electricity for electric loop and later, ball lightning but this is my first sorc. Any thoughts would be appreciated.