Cloudkill or Chaos on a Sorcerer?

Phanixis

I am currently playing a multiplayer game as a sorcerer. I am almost to level 10 at which point I can take cloudkill, a devastating spell in its own right that won't effect the party's cavalier and will also work with animated skeletons. I figure if I can take it early, I can end entire encounters on my own.

The only drawback to taking it as a sorcerer pick is that this spell can be cast from a wand. Many consider it a wasted pick for this reason, but I am not certain when I will come by a wand with sufficient charges to be useful.

I have the wand from Irenicus' dungeons, but it only has one charge. I do not enough money to sell it and buy it back, plus with two other players I also have to accommodate their needs, and we haven't even purchase the right to use magic in Athkatla yet. So I am quite a way off from purchasing the a wand yet. The only other two wands I know of is one dropped by a Lich, something the party isn't even close enough to face yet, and the one in the temple sewers, but I am not certain when we plan to take that quest.

I am sure I will get a hold of a wand eventually, but it might be quite some time, and I am afraid I won't have the spell available when it is most advantageous if I wait. I am thinking of taking chaos instead, which is certainly a solid spell, but I just don't see that spell as being as effective.

Any thoughts on the matter?

Thanks.

sarevok57

first, i never pay off the cowled wizards to cast magic in athkatla, its just way to rewardihng/fun to fight them off until they stop coming ( that last cowled wizard group can be a doozy )

2nd, i would go with chaos, it's way more party friendly ( if you want to do different summons eventually and just in case one of your unprotected characters finds themself walking into your cloudkill )

and if you don't think chaos is going to be that effective then i would go with hold monster, hold monster is one of my favourite spells, because a held enemy is a dead enemy, and you will be surprised how often it lands, with that nifty -2 saving throw penalty

Humanoid_Taifun

I would probably pick Breach and Spell Immunity first. One is going to make your entire party's offense that much more successful and the other may keep you alive.

As for your question itself I am probably the wrong person to ask, because I have a completely irrational and pointless dislike for Chaos. I do not use it.

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StummvonBordwehr

Phanixis wrote: »

I have the wand from Irenicus' dungeons, but it only has one charge. I do not enough money to sell it and buy it back, plus with two other players I also have to accommodate their needs, and we haven't even purchase the right to use magic in Athkatla yet. So I am quite a way off from purchasing the a wand yet. The only other two wands I know of is one dropped by a Lich, something the party isn't even close enough to face yet, and the one in the temple sewers, but I am not certain when we.

I would go with Chaos as well.

There is a cloudkill wand in Mekrath’s lair in the sewers as you mentioned.

You can get it fairly easy

Go to center of the sewer, killing the kobold and Rakshasa (he is anoying, but manageble).
Go to the northwest cornor, and thus avoiding the sewer crew to the north (a tough fight at low levels).
Enter the lair, and kill the memphits.
Mekrath will ask you retrieve his mirror, which is manageble at low levels.
Back at the lair, you can give the mirror back and let Mekrath leave.
In the oven or barrel you will find a cloudkill wand with 11-14 charges? And a nifty rod of ressurection.
Low risk and high yield imo

Rik_Kirtaniya

@Phanixis Do you have a thief in your party? If so, you can have the thief gulp potions of master thievery, and then sell the wand at any fence and steal it back. You can do it with all the wands you got at Irenicus' dungeon, so it would be more economical.

Most fences are present only at night, but the Black Market thief at the Shadow Thieves base (the one where you find Renal Bloodscalp and Aran Linvail) is always available. I'm not sure of the exact pickpocket value needed for him, but above 160 should be quite safe (about 4 potions, which is really cheap compared to the price required for buying back the fully charged wand).

Edit: Now with the wand business sorted, I think Breach, Lower Resistance, Animate Dead and Spell Immunity are kind of must have spells (Animate Dead can be skipped if you have a Cleric casting it), so I'd pick them first before anything else on level 5.