Sorcerer Spell Selection?

[Raineh Daze]

Focusing on setting things on fire, here.


Right, with that out of the way: 7th level sorcerer. Have absolutely no idea for cantrips, and I'm a bit uncertain with 2nd and 3rd level spells, but I've got a pretty good idea for 1st level stuff.

Human, so 4 feats at first level. Anyway: Searing Spell, Energy Substitution, Versatile Spellcaster, and Ocular Spell down the line. That's two more to go.

Spells selected:
1st Level: True Strike, Lesser Orb of Sound, Magic Missile (bloody ghosts--should probably change this around once I can get Orb of Force).
2nd Level: Combustion. I think I'm in love with this one.

Anyway, I don't know very many spells beyond about half the core ones, and I have the spell compendium handy, so I'm a bit overwhelmed with trying to work out what to pick. @_@

Additionally, using this. Since I'm bad at simple things, I have no idea how to transfer it over or what.

[Kethrian]

Combustion?  I think you mean Combust from the SpC.  If not, then that spell, too.  Also, Fireball and Lightning Bolt both explicitly mention they set combustible materials on fire and melt metals with low melting points.  Burning Hands also mentions igniting combustible materials.

Don't bother with Orb of Force.  Get yourself Gauntlets of Ghost Fighting from MIC (p. 216).  All your spells and attacks will ignore incorporeal miss chances, so you can set ghosts on fire, too!  Very good for a mere 4,000gp item.

A possible alternative to True Strike that I could suggest is Guided Shot.  While the benefits aren't as great (ranged only, ignore cover/concealment/range increment penalties), it is only a swift action to cast, so you could use both it and an orb or ray spell in the same round.

While not a direct method, there are some spells that themselves burn when subject to fire, such as Web and Incendiary Slime (CM p. 108).  I dunno if those are something you'd be interested in, as well.

[Raineh Daze]

Yeah, Combust. Sounds incomplete, so I keep adding 'ion'.

Hmm... maybe... but I like having Force handy. But Sonic would probably be better... we'll see.

I'm... honestly not sure if that would really be much use at all. Ignoring penalties, but not really increasing the chance of hitting?

Such things are fun. Probably going to get Caustic Mire when I get the chance.

[Kethrian]

I'd suggest Sound Lance over Orb of Force (as well as the other Orbs), because OoF caps at 10 dice, which is sad for a single target 4th lv spell.  If you want a good force spell for 4th level, you can always go with Wings of Flurry or Vortex of Teeth.  Of course WoF needs some houseruling on how it works...  My group puts a 15d6 damage cap on it, and goes with that it's a targeted spell instead of AoE, because otherwise the caster gets smacked by his own spell, too...

[Raineh Daze]

Looking it up, Thunderlance is a Force effect, for some reason (seriously? It has Thunder in the name but no link with Sonic or Electricity?), which might solve the problem. I like Thunderlance, regardless of its practicality.

[Kethrian]

Yes, that's a good spell, too!

Edit: Yeah, the spell's effect has nothing to do with thunder, but that's the sort of thing I've come to expect from many SpC spells.  Moonbow, for instance, has nothing to do with moons, moonlight, shapeshifting, or bows.  It creates 3 orbs of electricity!

[Halinn]

Orbs are spheres, the moon is a sphere.
Bows are curved, spheres are curved.

Totally related. Not sure I can explain the electricity connection. Perhaps it's like bow -> arc or something. Or magnets.