Cortex wrote:Trueflame is the easiest to change because it's not horribly broken as the other paths.
The problem of going Favored Soul as a dip class means you're taking that dip at level 1-3, I can only think of that working for sorcerer or wizard, which would make your leveling actually really annoying since you'd always be 3 levels behind.
The reason people don't play sorcerers is likely because they don't want to or don't know better. It's an amazing and powerful class that can stomp in PvP, and still be an asset in PvE with summons or buffs, they're not as limited as people make them out to be.
If you want casters to have something to do, I think you're looking at warlock. His life is pressing [daze/flare hotkey] for days every round. Making casters too alike is not something healthy for the server or variety.
In no way are sorcerers limited, especially those who focus in conjuration/evocation. I have a build in mind for a sorceress/paladin that manages to squeeze in three epic foci (conj, abjuration and evocation) and hellball/gruin. I'm certainly not saying vanilla sorcerers need a buff.
But the problem remains that the addition of infinicasters has made high-level play more difficult/unfun for Vancian casters. Saves, resistances and hit points were buffed across the board to counter infinicasters, and it's greatly dampened the effectiveness of Vancian casters, particularly those who focus in DC-heavy schools like enchantment and necromancy.
Add in the fact that a good chunk of high-level NPCs are mind-immune or at the very least have insanely high saves, and being an epic-level Vancian caster starts to feel like a chore, and forces every single build to specialize in evocation for the epic evo combo, or at the very least, necessitates that every wizard slot 12-24 IGMS or else face the very real possibility of being utterly useless in a group aside from buffs.
I want to see more sorcerers who rebuke evocation. I want to see more diviners and enchanters. I want to see more epic-level mages who take down their enemies with charms and illusions. I haven't played epics since a few years ago, but even then it was painfully evident that the only boon to being an epic enchanter was better/cheaper enchantments on gear.
So, the problem isn't infinicasters in an of themselves; it's the unforseen power creep that has been felt since their introduction. I personally feel that infinicasters (barring perhaps warlocks, but that's another thread...) have minimized the DnD feel of Arelith and turned it into an endless grind fest akin to a typical MMO. I realize my opinion is just that, my opinion; but I'm not alone in feeling this way.
As for warlocks, beh. Insanely powerful in both PvE and PvP if played right, but so... utterly boring. I ditched mine after level 14. But who knows! Maybe other people love casting flare endlessly while screaming internally over NWN's utterly deplorable pathfinding system.