I hear so many people asking what is the difference between these two classes, i wanted to summarize something. Keep in mind that this is mostly about what a wizard and sorcerer classes are about, and not anything about roleplaying aspects.
Because they get the same spells to choose from, the same hp, saves, armor proficiencies and skill selection, most people think they are close to identical, and don't understand why both classes exist. Well, there are slight differences between the wizard and the sorcerer, differences that are too light for a new player to understand.
Let's summarize them : -Wizards get a special and thin weapon selection, sorcerers get access to simple weapons. It's really a detail. -Wizards can choose a school of specialization, giving them one more spell slot per level, but preventing them from casting a spell of the opposed school. Sorcerers cannot. This is again generally a detail. -Wizards cast with intelligence, sorcerers with charisma. It doesn't make much difference, except when you have/want to multiclass, giving an advantage to sorcerers generally. -Wizards can learn any spell of the spell pool, sorcerers have to choose a few, and cannot chance that selection until their next level-up as a sorcerer. -Sorcerers can change any spell of a given spell level for any other of the same level. Wizards cannot. -Sorcerers have more spell slots of a given spell level than wizards. -Sorcerers gain access to a new spell level one level later than wizards. -Wizards gain a free metamagic feat every 5 levels, pre-epic. Sorcerers don't.
From this, we can see that a sorcerer can cast repeatidly more spells per day, with a smaller selection, but they can change their spells within this selection at will, even in the middle of combat. On the other hand, the wizard can rest and memorize any spell, even the most exotic ones, to face more exotic monsters with more efficient spells. Given their 4 free feats, they can choose more schools of magic if they wish, and strenghen their exotic selection.
Most often, the sorcerer will choose to focus on the school of evocation, tossing fireballs, cones of cold and other damage spells they can change at will, since those spells are efficient most of the time. On the other hand, the wizard will often prefer to choose other schools of magic, necromancy, illusion, enchantement or transmutation, sometimes several of them, and use their spells with unmatched effectiveness. If they choose their spells wisely before the battle, they can end the fight with only one spell cast.
This use, mostly based on the class, marks another key difference, that becomes a generic rule, although not one that is always followed : sorcerers have to stand in battle until the ennemy dies, which can take several spells, thus they need some defensive skill of some kind, being feats, spells or gear. Wizards, being often able to end the fight before it begins, don't need any defense. _________________ If you call IGMS, Harm, Mestil's acid shield, the Bigby hands or Devastating Critical balanced in your post, don't expect me to like you.
I'm sorry about my bad english, I'm french. In every lie lies a part of truth.
Wizards also get Great Intelligence as a bonus feat, while Sorcerers do not get Great Charisma as a bonus feat. As the casting stat modifies DC, wizards can get a higher DC on their spells. It also means bonus spells per level. Thus a specialist wizard can have more lower level spells than a sorcerer (levels 0-6) however the sorcerer will have the same or more level 7-9 spells. _________________ Two wrongs don't make a right but three lefts do.
ATM Sorcs do get Great Charisma as a bonus feat, was added the last patch.
Oops, I haven't made a Sorc. since I patched to 1.64. I wish Bioware would just pick a set of rules and stick with them. _________________ Two wrongs don't make a right but three lefts do.
Edited By Mithdradates on 12/13/04 02:43
I once read a great comparison of the sorc+wiz to superheroes. The sorc is like Superman, having a limited selection of innate ability that can be used far more often than the wiz. The wiz, on the other hand is more like Batman, less flashy, but having the right tool for the right job and relying far more on preperation and planning than the headstrong sorc. I could be wrong, but I like flashy....just me.