Advice On Sorc build

[ZephyrMojini]

Hi all, this is my first time here on the forums, and I am seeking advice on my Drow Sorc build. I just unlocked Drow, so I am interesting in playing one. Here it is! Please offer any advice/criticism as needed to improve it! Thanks in advance for your info. I have not added tomes as I do not know how many I will have at this time.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.11.02
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Tzarthi Baenre
Level 20 True Neutral Drow Male
(20 Sorcerer) 
Hit Points: 242
Spell Points: 1945 
BAB: 10\10\15\20
Fortitude: 11
Reflex: 6
Will: 11

                  Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats         Base Stats         Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)          (Level 20)           (Level 20)
Strength              8                  8                    8
Dexterity            10                 10                   10
Constitution         16                 21                   21
Intelligence         12                 12                   12
Wisdom                8                  8                    8
Charisma             18                 18                   21

                  Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills        Base Skills        Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)          (Level 20)          (Level 20)
Balance               0                  0                    0
Bluff                 4                  5                    5
Concentration         7                 27                   27
Diplomacy             6                 15                   15
Disable Device        n/a               n/a                   n/a
Haggle                4                  5                    5
Heal                 -1                 -1                   -1
Hide                  0                  0                    0
Intimidate            4                  5                    5
Jump                 -1                 -1                   -1
Listen               -1                 -1                    1
Move Silently         0                  0                    0
Open Lock             n/a               n/a                   n/a
Perform               n/a               n/a                   n/a
Repair                1                  1                    1
Search                1                  1                    3
Spot                 -1                 -1                    1
Swim                 -1                 -1                   -1
Tumble                n/a               n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device      6                 15.5                 15.5

Level 1 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+4)
Skill: Diplomacy (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Spell (1): Shocking Grasp
Spell (1): Expeditious Retreat
Enhancement: Frost Manipulation I
Enhancement: Storm 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): Nightshield
Enhancement: Glacial Spellcasting I
Enhancement: Charged Spellcasting I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Charisma I


Level 3 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Maximize Spell
Spell (1): Protection From Evil
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Deadly Ice I
Enhancement: Deadly Shocks I
Enhancement: Frost Manipulation II
Enhancement: Storm Manipulation II


Level 4 (Sorcerer)
Ability Raise: CON
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (2): Electric Loop
Enhancement: Sorcerer Improved Maximizing I


Level 5 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (2): Blur
Enhancement: Charged Spellcasting II
Enhancement: Storm Manipulation III
Enhancement: Sorcerer Spell Penetration 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) Extend Spell
Spell (3): Lightning Bolt
Enhancement: Sorcerer Air Savant I


Level 7 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (2): Web
Spell (3): Haste
Enhancement: Sorcerer Improved Maximizing II


Level 8 (Sorcerer)
Ability Raise: CON
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (4): Stoneskin
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Charged Spellcasting III
Enhancement: Deadly Shocks II


Level 9 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Spell Focus: Evocation
Spell (2): Knock
Spell (3): Rage
Spell (4): Ice Storm
Enhancement: Deadly Ice II
Enhancement: Deadly Shocks III
Enhancement: Storm Manipulation IV
Enhancement: Storm Manipulation V


Level 10 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (5): Ball Lightning
Enhancement: Glacial Spellcasting II
Enhancement: Deadly Ice III
Enhancement: Frost Manipulation III
Enhancement: Frost Manipulation IV


Level 11 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (3): Frost Lance
Spell (4): Phantasmal Killer
Spell (5): Eladar's Electric Surge
Enhancement: Sorcerer Charisma II


Level 12 (Sorcerer)
Ability Raise: CON
Feat: (Selected) Spell Penetration
Spell (6): Chain Lightning
Enhancement: Sorcerer Air Savant II
Enhancement: Deadly Ice IV
Enhancement: Deadly Shocks IV


Level 13 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (4): Dimension Door
Spell (5): Niac's Biting Cold
Spell (6): Otiluke's Freezing Sphere
Enhancement: Frost Manipulation V
Enhancement: Frost Manipulation VI
Enhancement: Storm Manipulation VI
Enhancement: Storm Manipulation VII


Level 14 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (7): Finger of Death
Enhancement: Glacial Spellcasting III
Enhancement: Charged Spellcasting IV
Enhancement: Charged Spellcasting V
Enhancement: Frost Manipulation VII


Level 15 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Spell Penetration
Spell (5): Cone of Cold
Spell (6): Circle of Death
Spell (7): Mass Protection From Elements
Enhancement: Glacial Spellcasting IV
Enhancement: Glacial Spellcasting V
Enhancement: Deadly Ice V
Enhancement: Deadly Shocks V


Level 16 (Sorcerer)
Ability Raise: CON
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (8): Polar Ray
Enhancement: Sorcerer Spell Penetration II


Level 17 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Diplomacy (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (7): Delayed Blast Fireball
Spell (8): Symbol of Death
Enhancement: Charged Spellcasting VI


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
Enhancement: Sorcerer Air Savant III
Enhancement: Glacial Spellcasting VI
Enhancement: Deadly Ice VI
Enhancement: Deadly Shocks VI


Level 19 (Sorcerer)
Skill: Concentration (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (8): Otto's Irresistible Dance
Spell (9): Meteor Swarm
Enhancement: Sorcerer Charisma III


Level 20 (Sorcerer)
Ability Raise: CON
Enhancement: Sorcerer Bloodline of Power
Enhancement: Sorcerer Wand and Scroll Mastery I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Wand Heightening I

[goodspeed]

Well first off stats look good. cha then con, then throw the rest into int.

Spell wise though I'm not really sure what packs you have, but at 6 id really take fireball. Or even acid blast as it affects oozes to. As far as ice storm id switch it for firewall just for the fact that before you hit vale alot of stuff isn't resistant to it and come it's even their bane. The ogres of gwylands stand come to mind.

Air savents nice if you have the gear to support it. Meaning unlike the others it's sla's are more situational. (Basically you don't wanna be running up to something and touching it while it has an auto crit club attached to it's huge hand) I say it's situational because the first sla is used after the 2nd tier sla assuming it stuns the pack of enemies after you. And the 3rd tier sla lightning bolt I consider useless as the reflex save even with feat, and gear, and highten still always seems to be evaded with a mobs reflex save. Plus the cool downs really show compared to the others so again id want a good mana pool to support the spell use.

Don't get me wrong fire savents got an even crappier deal with their sla's and the fact that almost everything past vale start is immune. But up until then, or at least lv 10, it's a rock when used with either 50% dmg constant item or better yet a superior inferno clicky for 75% extra dmg for 3 minutes time X 3 uses.

Also just a lil note, their are 4 spells (well 5) that are gonna save ur ass time and time again. They are blur, displacement (used for battle time on urself), stone skin, jump, and expedious retreat/haste. (I usually take haste later on since without extend (which again I take much later if at all for end game) ur haste is about as fantastic a duration as the pot. A GS clickie makes it downright pathetic)

Those 5 spells will make you more maneuverable, and survivable when you cast an aoe and drag all them baddies in there with you to conserve mana.


Skill wise just make sure to max umd, and after that its up to you. Ive found diplo never does me any favors once ive ****ed something off by whipping a spell at it. On the other hand, balance saves me ass (along with displace) from the very many forms of trip dogs that are the bane of all casters. Concentration you can toss some into. (can't hurt even though their's a number of ways to increase it and you cast like quicken anyway) and I like to toss 10 points into jump just so I don't have to worry about having +10 on some item to hit the cap of 40. (the jump spell at lv 12 I think? gives you +30, so you just need another 10 to hit it's cap at 40)

ability raise, cha. cha cha cha. It's your saves, it's your mana, it is everything to you. Even with 16 con You can get your hp to 450 quite easily at 20. Even more if you grind out the gear.

Feat wise however makes me think your trying to be a wizard though. For one your missing 1 of the most important feats for both mages highten. Drop that and you just dropped dmg as well as saves to cc and dmg.

Another thing is greater spell pen. It's ok but as a first life mage drow sorc to boot your just grasping at straws that are quickly pulling away. Wizards themselves have hard enough times getting good spell on a first life even with the extra feats they get. A sorc gets much less feat wise.

For feats Id take toughness, maximize, spell focus evo, empower, heighten, Those are your main feats. Next depends on the person.

I personally liked having force of personality up until later where I switched it out for umd focus for easy no fail self reliance. The personality is gonna use your cha mod for will saves against pretty much all the spells that casters like to whip constantly at you like hold, dance, greater command, all that fun stuff.

Umd is gonna make having a no fail heal scroll your constant best freind. My ass never depends on a healer in a raid or an epic. Ive got 300 scrolls of heal right there and I use them religiously. I can also umd any spell up to 42. These are things like hero's feast, spell resistance, raise dead, all that fun stuff.

Early on I also took mental toughness just to have some extra sp. Later in levels around 18 I swapped it for extend.

Now that's all 7. Now for the last problem. The drow. If it's just your thing ok, but in no way is that race helping you. It loses con, it's main stat is in int which sorc's don't really need as the skill points only go to really 3 things. 2 major. Id prolly go any race including a dwarf which takes a hit to cha just because they give you something.

For a sorc I find if you wanna go flesh then a human. Because that extra feat is worth more then anything. If you want bulk and survival a robot. Maybe a helf. But even with that a sorc's action points are already to stretched just with their own stuff. Like I said, that drow ain't giving you nothing.

And that's about everything I see.

[ZephyrMojini]

Wow, thanks for all the great info. The con was noticeable after I finished the template. 203 hp or something...thus, I changed it and put all ability raises into con instead of chr. The info on specific quest needs for spells is invaluable. Thanks for that. It looks like I need to go rogue or pally with Drow since that would be a better use of the benefits of using Drow(+2int +2dex +2chr). So, I will try switching to human, swapping diplomacy for balance(i hate being tripped, so I hear ya). Would it better to just go Generalist instead and make a new human template altogether, or should I stick with air/cold and change to fireball and firewall as recommended(and also grab heighten instead of GSP and mental toughness swap for extend or SP)? Oh, and also grab haste/ER/Jump, etc as suggested. I have seen those listed on many threads about Sorcs, but I did not want to miss out on any air/ice spells. Thanks again for this awesome info man!