Sorcerer 101 - Part 1

Well, it's almost time for my new DnD campaign to launch, so I figured I'd kick it off by talking about my favorite class in 4th edition: the Sorcerer.

The Sorcerer is a striker, meaning that they focus on dealing damage as a top priority. They also have a few powers that are very good at controlling, but that isn't their main focus. If you just want to blow things up, preferably with fire, then a sorcerer is the class for you.

Let's start by talking about a few core elements to Sorcerer's in 4th Edition:

Your Place in Combat


Sorcerers have two places on the battlefield: either in the back, hurling lightning at bad things, or on the front lines in melee combat, stabbing things and channeling spells through their daggers. Your place depends heavily upon your build and other sorcerer class choice options.

Ranged sorcerers tend to favor the staff implement, though I have seen builds that use daggers. They tend to stick with either the Wild or Storm sorcerer power source, as they both have powers that help you keep enemies at bay.

While sorcerers can only wear cloth at first, it's very easy through feats to gain access to leather and even hide armor. Some sorcerers like to start off with a shield, and then later retrain it for Two-Weapon Defense, but I think that's a lot of hassle. The main build-goal with this type or sorcerer is to get your AC high, while still pumping up your damage.

Power Choices


Powers are very important, and there are always powers that are useful for everyone. For example, Chaos Bolt is a very useful spell for Chaos sorcerers, but targets Will, which is useful for all sorcerers. Here are some guidelines when it comes to choosing powers:

• If a power says "Can be used as a ranged basic attack", it has one main purpose: to be channeled in melee. With Sorcerous Blade Channeling, any of these attacks can become melee-ranged attacks, which takes away the attack of opporunity. However, it's a good idea to have at least one power like this, even if you're a ranged sorcerer, especially if you have a leader who can give you free ranged attacks.
• Many powers give you special perks for being of a certain spell-source, and sometimes these perks make the spell golden. I've had many laughs watching Chaos Bolt bounce around the battlefield.
• Don't be afraid to go for flavor. Focusing on acid spells, for example, can help you optimize later down the road. I once rolled a dragon sorcerer who multiclassed assassin focused on stealth and acid powers. The character was very cool, and could pump out the damage.

Next week, I'll talk about the next most important thing about sorcerers: Spell Source.

Friday Recap: Oh, Warcraft, How I've Missed you So...

Oh, Warcraft, how I've missed you so.

So Tuesday marked the releaseof World of Warcraft's first Cataclysm "pre-patch", 4.0.1. This patch integrates many changes to Azeroth, from the new talent trees to the vast graphical upgrades. The new raid-lockout system will be added, as well as the new Justice Point currency to replace old badges.

I think I may come out of retirement, just for the lulz.

Unfortunatly, the new race/class combos and the "new old world" won't be avaliable until 4.0.3 comes out, and the new races, level cap, and questing areas won't be avaliable until after Cataclysm. Regardless, it gives me the chance to dust off my old account, relearn how to play my class, and get ready for launch.

Now all I need to do is find a small group of friends willing to sit in line with me on December 7th. As a wise old hobbit once said, "I will take it!... but I do not know the way."

To the other WoW-heads out there: what are your plans for Cataclysm? Starting a new toon? Camping out for the release?

Post publishing thoughts: I broke down and paid for another month on WoW. Let me say, it's very, VERY different... fun, mind you, but very different.

Forewarning Wednesdays: How to Prepare your own Zombie Plan

Hello fellow social outcasts, today, we're going to talk about one of my favorite subjects: zombies, and how you can keep them from munching on your brains as a midnight snack. This is not to be taken as a fully-fledged field manual, and I can't say that following my advice will help you when the outbreak comes, but this will point you in the right direction.

With that said, let's get started.

Part 1: Know your Enemy


There is all kinds of information out there about zombies, but what information can you rely on? Some of it seems to be very vague, and more of it, well, inaccurate. Here are a few general points you can focus on:

1. Zombies eat flesh
Be it brains, intestine, or just a chunk of your fore-arm, zombies want one thing: to take a bite out of you. They can smell meat, and like wild animals, they try anything to satisfy their hunger.

2, Zombies roam in packs
Zombies, unfortunately, were once human. While they are no longer, they still behave much like our more primitive ancestors might have. They prefer to hunt in packs, and will often wait for the cover of night. Don't expect them to operate any form of machinery, or formulate master strategies, but they will understand the element of surprise.

3. Noise and light attracts them
Light is an important part of any shelter, but you have to be careful about how much you let escape. The same goes for noise. Zombies have worse senses then they did in life, but that doesn't mean they can't hear, see or smell you. Be careful about running a gas-powered generator that makes a lot of noise, and while signal lights are great for being spotted by the authorities, at the same time, they will bring the dead to your door.

There are many, many more things to know about zombies, but this covers the basics of what you need to know. When in doubt, treat them as pack wolves. It would be a terrible mistake to underestimate them.

Part 2: The Safehouse


Whether you call it your fort, stronghold or safehouse, you'll need a place you can safely rest, eat, sleep and bathe without worrying about any sudden zombie interruption. Here are a few tips to maintaining your own stronghold, complete with a list of basic materials to allow you survival for up to a month.

1. The Location 
There are many different options when choosing the location for your stronghold. Let's cover a few of the good ones, and a few basic requirements you'd need.

For one, you will need a place to sleep, a place to eat, and a place to wash up. This may seem as a no brainer (literally), but there can be some big problems when you start sharing space. Sickness can be more threatening then a sudden zombie attack.

You will also need some easy way to get to the surface world, be it to go for supplies, get some exercise, or even to escape should your fortifications be compromised. A single-entrance basement is great, but if you're suddenly blocked off by hordes of dead zombies, you'll starve, if the disease doesn't get you first.

A yard is almost a must for any permanent fortification. If it's large enough, you can attempt to plant vegetation, have an exercise area set up, a latrine, and most importantly, a place to burn bodies. A forewarning: if you allow the bodies of the infected or otherwise to pile up, it will bring all kinds of disease that will mean certain death for anyone in the stronghold.

2. Supplies


The average person needs to drink around 2-3 liters of water every day, ideally. That means that to survive, you would need, per month, about 16 gallons of water, per person. That may seem like a lot, but in reality, that's not unreasonable. You will also need water to wash clothes, cook food, water plants, or for other miscellaneous reasons. If you plan to hold out for a month, with 4 people living in the shelter, you should have about 80 gallons of water, per month you plan to stay.

You will also need some way to generate power. Generators are great, but they make a ton of noise, and have to be run outside. That can attract hordes of zombies. It's recommended that you use bicycle-powered generators. One, they're quiet. Two, they're great for exercise. Three, they don't require fuel.

Transportation is very vital for finding supplies. I know you'd be inclined to use a big truck, or some other fortified vehicle, but trust me, they use gas quick. Instead, try using bicycles for more mobile, inexpensive transport. They're fast, quiet, and a good workout.

~*~

This pretty much wraps it up for this week. Come back next Wednesday, when I cover a few more important bits of information, including Who to Bring with You, and Weapons you can Count On. Happy zombie hunting, friends!