Help with my Human Red Dragon Sorcerer

[Luinnar]

I'm working a character, a Human Red Dragon Sorcerer. I'm not sure about the feats or ability scores I should use. (20 point buy system being used by the way, only core rulebook available at the moment for stuff)

Here is what I have so far:

STR: 14 +2 (5 pts)
DEX: 12 +1 (2 pts)
CON: 14 +2 (5 pts)
INT: 14 +2 (5 pts)
WIS: 8 -1 (-2 pts)
CHA: 16 +3 (5 pts)

I want to be a blaster, decent in melee with my claws & form of the dragon and good with use magic device for cleric spells.

Is that good enough Cha and Dex? (I really don't like ray spells, but I will probably have ray of frost for damage) Should I have Wis for cleric scrolls, or should I just use wands?

Also what would be some good feats? Toughness or Spell Focus Evocation? Would Spell Focus Evocation be even worth it at level 1, since I will probably only have 1 spell that effects it (burning hands).

Thanks

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I'd switch Dex and Int. Dex isn't just ranged attacks, it's also Intiative, AC, and Reflex saves. One lower int bonus shouldn't hurt you that much, especially with human's bonus skill points.

For feats...a good first level choice might be Arcane Strike for +1 damage and never needing to worry about DR / magic. It scales with level for more damage, too, albeit very slowly.

I don't think Spell Focus is much worth it in general, and definitely not for evocations. Most of those are either touch attacks with no save or area spells that still do half on a success. As opposed to all-or-nothing spells like Charm Person where save completely negates.

Do realize that your two goals aren't nearly complementary, even though both melee arcanist and blaster "do hp damage." The former mostly buffs with transmutations, the latter uses evocations, and since the damage he does doesn't care how strong or beefy he is, sees no real need to be great in melee. You can do it, just be mindful of your choices and how much it's benefitting one of your goals versus what another feat or ability could do for the other.

 

[Cor_Malek]

Fly-by attack is a must for dragons that want to go into short to mid range fights. Hit and run, and if they clump up... even better - as you can use your area spells.

 

[threshel]

I'd suggest Alertness and Combat Casting for your feats. Your low WIS leaves you vulnerable to a tricky rogue type, and if you're going to be anywhere close to melee combat, you'll want that Concentration check bonus from Combat Casting. And I'll second the DEX-INT swap idea.
Let us know how it turns out, whatever you choose.

J

 

[udalrich]

Should I have Wis for cleric scrolls, or should I just use wands?

I'd prefer to have a better wisdom, both for cleric scrolls and will saves.

Wands have a lower UMD DC, but it's not much lower for low level spells. They also cost 30 times as much, so while they will last much longer, you can't have as much diversity with wands as you can with scrolls. For Cure Light Wounds, you probably want the wand. A few scrolls of Hide From Undead, Align Weapon, Stabilize, Silence and Augury can be really useful. That's probably about 400 gold for one scroll of each, but about 10k for wands. (Values are very rough estimates.)

Depending on how your GM deals with the availability of magic items is also important here. Remove Fear is a very useful scroll (my 13th level rogue still uses them) and might be available as an arcane scroll, since it is also a bard spell. If you can acquire the arcane version as easily as the divine version, you can use your charisma as your casting stat.

There are also some useful spells (like Remove Paralysis) that are cleric and paladin. Since paladins are charisma based casters, you can buy the scroll and then pretend to be a paladin while reading it (using your charisma as your casting stat). (You can even pay the (cheaper) cleric-based price for it, unless you are actually having a specific paladin scribe it for you.)

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Don't bother with wisdom, you're stretched out enough on ability scores already. Just jack up charisma and your Use Magic Device check. Get a Circlet of Persuasion when you can. Note that in PF, a CL check for sorcerers and other charisma casters is actually a charisma check, so the circlet will also be a +3 on concentration checks. Probably want +2 charisma first still, but circlet should definitely be one of the first items to work towards.