weapon feasible for Sorcerers?

[simlon]

my sorcerer is 26 now. I had the idea originally of putting a decent strength and continue OHE so that he could smite things, even if not terrifically, throughout his life. I'm already wondering if it's not going to work. Is there a certain level when swinging sorcerers stop? Or will getting 425 help for the duration? Here's the current stats/skills:


Edged Weapons......................| 114 28
Physical Fitness...................| 102 24
Arcane Symbols.....................| 114 28
Magic Item Use.....................| 114 28
Spell Aiming.......................| 156 56
Harness Power......................| 111 27
Elemental Mana Control.............| 122 31
Spirit Mana Control................| 102 24
Sorcerous Lore - Demonology........| 102 24
Sorcerous Lore - Necromancy........| 20 4
Survival...........................| 10 2
Perception.........................| 93 21
Climbing...........................| 50 10
Swimming...........................| 25 5
First Aid..........................| 102 24

Spell Lists
Minor Elemental....................| 14

Spell Lists
Minor Spirit.......................| 14

Spell Lists
Sorcerer...........................| 30

Race: Aelotoi Profession: Sorcerer Level: 26
Normal (Bonus) ... Enhanced (Bonus)
(STR): 89 (14) ... 89 (14)
(CON): 78 (14) ... 78 (14)
(DEX): 73 (16) ... 73 (16)
(AGI): 80 (25) ... 80 (25)
(DIS): 64 (12) ... 64 (12)
(AUR): 68 (9) ... 68 (9)
(LOG): 75 (17) ... 75 (17)
(INT): 77 (18) ... 77 (18)
(WIS): 75 (12) ... 75 (12)
(INF): 80 (10) ... 80 (10)


I keep most skills at level +1 (level 0 more or less full training) and then +2 as I get closer to the next train (which is where I am getting above).

It seems that some experienced sorcerers keep OHE (or whatever) at 1x plus shield, but I'm using a rune staff — spell aiming for sorcs is a new idea for me, since I had a 10-year hiatus from GS3. Typical hunting if I use the weapon, is rune staff in right hand, cast, knock down some hp/damage it, then get weapon, swap so it's in right hand, signs (incl. swords) and give it a whack (which I find satisfying). Does anyone else use a weapon with a rune staff instead of shield, or am I crazy? Freeing up the shield TPs is not something I'm going to reverse. Do some sorcerers who hit eventually untrain their weapon? I don't usually have the weapon out for defense, as my DS is better with rune staff in right hand and left open than with weapon in right and rune staff in left.

btw, having played elven and dwarven sorcerers (not to a very high level, though) back in GS3, I find Aelotoi pretty good for spirit regen (CoL) but setting stats for cap made my mana suck before lordship (still not the best, but livable - I can wrack twice if the hunt is long enough, which it is since my CS is not great…)

Training plan:
Try to maximize mana regen by having mana controls at different levels (secondary gets half of every 20?) Want to get Elem. MC to 40 for generation, then keep at level while getting spirit mc up to 40, keep the avg. at level x2, at least until I regen enough not to worry about boosting it this way.
Due to my weak CS stats (for now), overtrain Sorcerer as possible, but I'm feeling the need for defense, so 120's the next goal, then 425. Kind of wondering if I should just keep Sorc at level (not untrain, of course) when I get to 30 so I can get caught up on minor spell circles, then aim for the level+20 in Sorc. while keeping 400s within range of my level. It's annoying not being able to up-hunt.
I wanted Demonology up to 24, now am concentrating on Necromancy until either 24 or 52 (don't remember and I don't need to figure out which # for quite a while!). I played with balefire for the first time last night and am going to want to get Summoning, but after I figure out this OHE thing.
I'm doing skinning bounties, and munch herbs a bit, so FA is close to level.
I want to get perception up a bit more - I'm afraid to open my boxes currently, so I want it at level before I do that again.

Similar to my empath's hunting strategy, but he hits more than the sorcerer - about 60/40, while the sorcerer is more like 30/70 (not undead, what a pain…). They're both in CoL, so that's obviously only before I wrack. I like the idea of a 'weak' sorcerer hitting things occasionally with a weapon from a RP standpoint, but not so much that I'll keep it up if it's completely impractical - I'm not going to use spirit strike for every swing (or even once every hunt).

[Fallen]

I've seen sorcerers do well with a bow approaching/at cap. OHE..not so much. You'll need to rely on a lot of setup and/or outside spells. Luckily, scroll infusion will help in that regard, but you're going to want to be running 509, 606, 211, 307, and 215 at almost all times, with COL likely being the best for the reliable AS boost of striking, smiting, and swords. The problem with OHE is you're going to be plinking with your weapon without ambushing at specific body parts. Weighting would help, but you're going to give up a lot of enchants for good weighting or be paying a fortune. If you trained in CM and ambushing it would help a bit, but then you're going to be gutting your character to keep up with the physical costs.

Bottom line, I wouldn't recommend it.

[Ryvicke]

Maybe Caelric will wander in and answer, as he's the only one I know who currently plays a sorc with a weapon, but I think Fallen sort of summed it up: it takes a lot of work.

[Asha]

Even at cap you'll have a hard time swinging. I used polearms for a while on a sorcerer and it was just impossible to swing and get results even after setup spells. If it can't be done with a pole then you have no chance with OHE.
Bow on the other hand worked so unbelievably well that it changed my sorcerer gaming forever.

[Suppressed Poet]

I think the best answer would be that sorcerers are arguably the worst profession mechanically to use weapons. There are always exceptions, but you are going down a mutant path build which has innate disadvantages. I don't think Aelotoi would be a good race choice nor OHE edged for that route. Unless you have a strong desire to prove the world wrong and live with a very tough road, I’d advice against it. If you do stick with it and manage well, you are a beautiful and unique snowflake.

[caelric]

Maybe Caelric will wander in and answer, as he's the only one I know who currently plays a sorc with a weapon, but I think Fallen sort of summed it up: it takes a lot of work.

Word.


I think the best answer would be that sorcerers are arguably the worst profession mechanically to use weapons. There are always exceptions, but you are going down a mutant path build which has innate disadvantages. I don't think Aelotoi would be a good race choice nor OHE edged for that route. Unless you have a strong desire to prove the world wrong and live with a very tough road, I’d advice against it. If you do stick with it and manage well, you are a beautiful and unique snowflake.

Take this advice to heart. My main (in Plat) is a capped sorc who uses THWs as his primary attack means. He also has spell aiming and of course CS spells, but THWs are his primary, and I have managed to cap him with using this throughout his entire career.

Having said that, I highly advise against it, unless you are willing to endure a difficult life, especially with the race and weapon choice you have listed. OHEs will blink, not smash like a good THW does, and an aeletoi has poor strength, which means poor AS. My THW sorc is a half krolvin, so high strength (without the agi/dex penalty of a giantman) and uses an auction quality two hander (GoS axe, +33, HCW, and stamina and mana regen bonuses). Even with all that, it has not been easy.

Having a weapon skill, especially for a backup, on the other hand, is flat out foolish. If you mean to use it as a backup for when you run out of mana, it's better to imbed some wands and use those as backups. The lesser CS you will have from investing TPs in the weapon will result in you running out of mana faster as well.

One final note: no matter what route you go, you want to have your 400s at level, so you get 425 as soon as possible, to get the increased CS that comes with 425, and the increasing CS that comes with increasing your ranks in 400 (via the 425 CS boost which goes up with ranks in the 400's) So, don't worry about getting your 100's up, although 120 is a nice DS bonus, 425 and 430 are more important.

[simlon]

Thanks everyone for the excellent advice, especially Caelric. I have no desire to emulate your success/struggles! Also, Fallen laid out the choices very well.

Only remaining question is do I slowly (or not so slowly) train away the OHE skill and put it into spells? Or just wait until May without investing further in OHE? Writing helped, I think I'll get rid of it all at once, stay with rune staff of course, and as the points come back re-invest them in Spells.

Don't think I'll untrain Spirit; hopefully by fix skills time I'll have gotten 425 or even 430.

[audioserf]

Even at cap you'll have a hard time swinging. I used polearms for a while on a sorcerer and it was just impossible to swing and get results even after setup spells. If it can't be done with a pole then you have no chance with OHE.
Bow on the other hand worked so unbelievably well that it changed my sorcerer gaming forever.

I saw logs of your sorceror with a bow and it was simply fearsome. If I pick a bow up post-cap on my mage, it will have been largely influenced by your success.

[caelric]

One of the post cap goals for my THW sorc is 101 ranks in ranged; he has a dual crossbow waiting to be used with it.

[Asha]

I saw logs of your sorceror with a bow and it was simply fearsome. If I pick a bow up post-cap on my mage, it will have been largely influenced by your success.

Thanks! You won't be disappoint :)

[Gibreficul]

a ranged sorcerer... now that's a valid idea...

[Gelston]

My sorcerer does well with VolnFu in his 40s. I heard it turns to crap in the 60s-70s though.

[rolfard]

Was feasible fully 1x'd in brawling/shield/perception/fitness.

I only quit voln for the warcamps during the teras training gap from fire mages to nelemar. It was a successful switch and I haven't gone back since (plus i saved all those TP's not brawling)