I've heard that sorcerers don't play very much like mages because of how simulacrums work

Chronicler

How does that work?

gorgonzola

In EE simulacrum is bugged as it retains the spells in alphabetical order and not in the order they are selected like in the original.
The mage has little control on the spells his level drained copy has, but the sorcerer that can choose the spells without night memorization is not affected by the problem, his clone can use all the spells he knows if has enough levels to cast them.
This is the only difference i am aware of.

iosfrustration

The main cap on a mages power for me has always been the 1 spell per round limit. Simulacrum doubles this to 2, and improved alaracty increases it to... infinity

So the major power bumps are
1.5m EXP (for level 8 spells including Simulacrium) - double spells per round
and 3M exp (for HLA) - infinite spells per round

So there is a gap between 1.5m exp and 3m exp where Simulacrim is the major source of power. So the Sorc is clearly better between 1.5m and 3m exp

Once I hit 3M exp then simulacrium becomes almost entirely irrelivant. Projected Image + IA carries the day with infinite spells per round, and a functionally infinite number of spells in total.
At that point both the Mage and the Sorc are so stupidly overpowered that the game loses most of its challenge.

The Wild Mage changes this again. They could (in theory) cast any spell including Simulacrum at level 1. So with a lot of luck or a lot of save scumming they could be clearly superior to both sorcs AND mages from 100xp all the way up to 3m

Of course actually getting to level 18 as a wild mage without blowing yourself up and turning everyone into a squirrel would be a neat trick...

gorgonzola

With the wild mage as soon as he can cast lev7 spells his PI can cast, on enemy only, dwehomers in a quite safe way.
Most of the bad surges are on the enemies or damage the clone.
Not safe for no reload, but i never had to reload for a too harsh surge.

I find simulacrum still useful after 3M xp, has different tasks then the PI in which he excell, but they can be employed together in the same moment. Without even telling how it is powerfull when cast by a dual or multi, even CM.
PI and imptoved alacrity is super strong, but becomes boring after a while, simulacrum and CC can be used for alternative tactics.