What is the Best Weapon for a Sorcerer Build?

The simple answer: for most sorcerer builds, your spells are your primary weapons. Sorcerers are, at their core, spellcasters, and their effectiveness lies in harnessing magical power rather than relying on physical weapons. While a sorcerer can technically use weapons, their proficiencies are limited, and they lack the armor proficiency that would make melee combat viable. With that being said, let’s delve into which weapons are most suitable for the role, why, and how to make the most of them, and some alternatives depending on the specific game you play.

Understanding a Sorcerer’s Weapon Needs

Sorcerers, unlike warriors or rogues, are not designed to be front-line fighters. They are glass cannons, capable of immense magical damage but vulnerable in direct combat. This fundamental understanding is crucial in determining their best weapon options.

Primary Focus: Spellcasting

The primary goal of a sorcerer build should always be to enhance their spellcasting abilities. This means prioritizing stats like Charisma (in games like D&D) which fuels their spell power, or Intelligence (in games like Elden Ring) which governs the potency of their magic, and choosing equipment that boosts these stats or other spellcasting bonuses such as damage, range, or effects.

Limited Weapon Proficiencies

Most games limit the weapon proficiencies of a sorcerer to basic options, like:

• Daggers
• Darts
• Slings
• Quarterstaffs
• Light Crossbows

These options are not known for high damage output and should only be used as backup options or when spells are unavailable. They do, however, get the job done when facing low level monsters or just to add that last bit of damage.

The Exception to the Rule

There are exceptions where a sorcerer might branch out from limited proficiencies. These exceptions may include:

• Multiclassing: A sorcerer may multi-class to fighter or other classes to gain more weapon proficiencies.
• Race Bonuses: Some races in certain games might grant additional weapon proficiencies to characters, including sorcerers.
• Feats: Feats such as Weapon Master might expand a sorcerer’s weapon choices.

While such options can add versatility, it’s crucial to ensure that any weapon proficiencies don’t detract from the core strength of the build. For example, taking a feat just to allow a sorcerer to use swords might be more advantageous if used to improve your spellcasting.

Optimal Weapons for Sorcerers: Game-Specific Insights

Here’s a look at how weapons play out in some popular games and what the best options are:

Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3)

In BG3, sorcerers have the proficiencies already discussed: daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, and light crossbows. As stated, none of these are the main focus for your character.

• Quarterstaffs are the most common weapon type among the proficiencies. They also may have magical bonuses to spells. For early game:

  • Rain Dancer: Easy to get and useful in the early game.
  • Staff of Crones: Great if paired with poison.
  • Mourning Frost: A fantastic staff in the early game.

• Later Game:

  • Incandescent Staff: Offers powerful spells with damage boosts.
  • Infernal Rapier: Provides powerful spells and a summon.

The best choice for your sorcerer comes down to the situation and what bonuses are on your weapon. Remember that these weapons are used when spells are not the best choice, so look for weapons that offer additional spells.

Elden Ring

Elden Ring takes a different approach to its weapon system. For sorcerers, this means that they are most effective using a staff as a spell catalyst.

• Lusat’s Glintstone Staff is widely considered the top option for builds focused on Intelligence. This staff offers excellent spell scaling for boss battles. The negative to using Lusat’s is that it uses more FP to cast spells.
• The Astrologer’s Staff is often considered the best option for early game. It has a better scaling score than the Glintstone Staff, and improves more with upgrades.

There are many staves in Elden Ring, but the key is finding one that enhances the sorcery build and offers a good spell scaling stat.

Diablo 4

In Diablo 4, the Sorcerer class is built around spells and has many unique armor and equipment options that enhance this. Sorcerers should focus on armor sets and unique items that amplify their magic.

• Raiment of the Infinite is a must-have chest piece that enhances damage at the cost of defenses. This item is highly recommended for maximizing the sorcerer’s damage output.
• Staves can be used by sorcerers and often offer damage boosts to specific spells.

Finding armor that improves spells and damage output will benefit your sorcerer better than looking for a perfect weapon.

General Mage Builds

In general, for mage-type classes across different games, staves are the most popular weapon type. They often serve as a catalyst for spells and offer additional benefits for spellcasting. Here are a couple of examples.

• Final Reason and Wintersbreath are popular staff choices that offer similar damage but different bonuses.
• Spellweaver, a sword, is optimal for an arcane warrior build.

The goal is to find a weapon that complements the mage’s magic and allows for more powerful spellcasting.

FAQs: Sorcerer Weapon Choices

1. Do sorcerers need weapons at all?

While sorcerers can use weapons, their core strength lies in spells. Weapons are generally secondary options and used for instances where spells cannot be cast.

2. Why are staves popular weapons for mages/sorcerers?

Staves often serve as spell catalysts and may come with bonuses that increase magic power or provide additional spells.

3. What stats should sorcerers prioritize?

Sorcerers should prioritize Charisma in games like D&D, or Intelligence in games like Elden Ring. Constitution and Dexterity are also important for survivability.

4. Can a sorcerer be a tank?

In some games, like Elder Scrolls Online, sorcerers can be effective tanks with good self-healing and defensive abilities. However, in most games, they are better suited as damage dealers.

5. What armor should a sorcerer wear?

In most cases, sorcerers lack armor proficiency, meaning they are best suited to light armor. They should prioritize equipment that enhances their spellcasting and not focus on armor too much.

6. Can sorcerers dual wield?

In some games, yes. They can dual wield staves, though it may not always be the most optimal option.

7. Is it better to use a melee weapon or spells?

Spells are generally the best option. Melee weapons are backups when spells are not available or as the finishing blow.

8. Can sorcerers use swords?

Yes, they can, but they lack proficiency with them, meaning they don’t gain the proficiency bonus to hit. Using weapons like swords or greatswords may not be the most optimal choice.

9. How do you make an overpowered sorcerer?

Prioritize maxing out Charisma or Intelligence, select ideal spells, choose a good subclass and origin, and pick appropriate metamagic options.

10. What is the best subclass for sorcerers?

Options like the Divine Soul and Clockwork Soul are great for support-oriented sorcerers, while other subclasses may be better for damage dealing.

11. Can a sorcerer use a rapier?

Sorcerers lack proficiency with rapiers.

12. What metamagic is best for sorcerers?

Quickened Spell is often considered the best, as it allows sorcerers to use spells more rapidly.

13. Are there any powerful magical weapons that aren’t staves?

There are powerful weapons in various mythologies and games, like Zeus’s Lightning Bolt and Athena’s Shield, but for most sorcerers, staves are the most practical option.

14. Is meteoric ore blade good for sorcerer?

The meteoric ore blade is not optimal for sorcerers, as it scales with Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence, making it better suited for hybrid builds.

15. What is Mage Hand’s utility?

Mage Hand is used for manipulating objects, opening containers, and moving small items, and not as an offensive weapon.

Conclusion

For a sorcerer build, spells are unequivocally the best weapons. While some physical weapons offer supplementary utility or specific bonuses, they never come close to the raw power and versatility of magic. By focusing on spellcasting, the right stats, and proper equipment choices, you can fully unleash the destructive potential of a sorcerer, making any weapon secondary.