Shape Water. Very situational, and mostly useless. You could potentially cross a body of water with this or something, but you could only have two blocks of ice at a time. (Shape Water)
Its not useless! You can pour water in a lock and freeze it to break the lock. Still very situational though.
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Come check out some of my Homebrew (please give input!)
Shape Water. Very situational, and mostly useless. You could potentially cross a body of water with this or something, but you could only have two blocks of ice at a time. (Shape Water)
Its not useless! You can pour water in a lock and freeze it to break the lock. Still very situational though.
Ah someone has been reading old comments on the internet. It's been a while since I've seen this mentioned. This application depends a LOT on how willing the DM is to let you get away with everything. Realistically it wouldn't really break the lock to a degree that lets you just open the door or whatever. Instead it would either do nothing because locks are sturdy and freezing water doesn't expand THAT much or it would break the lock so the thing you tried to open is still locked but now the lock is also unusable so you have no other choice than resorting to brute force if you still want to open whatever you tried to open.
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I've never encountered a forum where I got this many "talking to a wall" impressions as this one...
In my current Strixhaven campaign our Druid used shape water to bypass a lock on a display cabinet, but we argued it on the basis that for a very simple lock (which old compact cabinet locks usually are) the key is really just a tool for releasing the catch, so water in the lock frozen around something you can grip would serve the same basic purpose.
It's definitely not something we want DMs to allow too often though, but in our (literal) case the DM had already established that the glass of the display case couldn't be broken, but hadn't considered how a party of level 2 spellcasters were supposed to bypass a lock when they were too low a level for knock (which probably none of us would have taken anyway), and we had no more relevant spells either. It was either that or I was going to try to twist the find familiar rules to get my weasel (name Ferret) inside the cabinet to then "somehow" open it from within, or we were going to melt the lock with acid maybe?
In general shape water is a basic utility spell like prestidigitation, but it actually has more unusual uses.
When you think about it, prestidigitation doesn't actually let you do much that you couldn't just do some other way; it lets you light a candle or a small campfire without needing a tinderbox, it lets you create minor distractions etc. In practice I mostly use it on my characters to make them incredibly lazy (basically it's the spell I most want in real life) by not getting off their arse to light a wall sconce, cleaning themselves off after they've been in yet another sewer for some reason, to warm their clothes if the weather is cold, fragrance the air if there's an unpleasant smell, or just mess with NPCs by making everything they eat or drink extra spicy. I have never built a Bard, Sorcerer or Wizard without this cantrip, I love it too much. But all of these are things you could do in other ways or with a bit of Sleight of Hand and the like (to get spices in someone's drink without them noticing till they drink it), the only really special one is the tiny illusion in the palm of your hand, though I also quite like drawing on things in a way that can leave no trace it ever happened, and yes it's mostly (c)rude drawings on people's faces. 😂
While I don't tend to take shape water, its range of effects are actually interesting, as they let you do things you couldn't easily do yourself; changing the flow of water (even if it's a small area) lets you draw water out of something without touching it, or cause it to shoot up into someone's face or the like. Forming shapes and animating is a very thematic alternative for "utility" illusions, i.e- to show someone a likeness of a person you're looking for, or to show them an event that you witnessed and so-on. Changing colour or opacity is pure NPC harassment fodder, as you can turn water around them yellow to embarrass them, or turn water red to look like blood, oil and so-on. Freezing is the one with the most interesting utility; you can use it to create stepping stones, plug a leak on a ship, turn a wet surface into a slippery one and so-on. While it's not a large area, you only need to make a step or two on a staircase slippery to make it dangerous, but the effect also lasts for an hour without concentration.
For me the main problem with shape water is how strict to be on the definition of water, i.e- do other liquids count? And the note about having no more than two non-instantaneous effects is a little fuzzy, i.e- is freezing the water an instantaneous effect? Probably intended to be yes to stop you building structures out of ice cubes, but I've never really seen how that would be problematic as it's going to take a lot of time and effort, and be pretty noticeable to guards or whatever. As a DM I tend to be quite permissive about clever/fun uses of utility spells, the weirdly strict wordings on many of them most just annoys me. I think it should work really well on any water-themed character as an alternative to prestidigitation.
Anyway, the problem when people look at guides online is that they almost always overwhelmingly focus on combat, so any cantrip that doesn't deal damage or help in some other immediate way (e.g- light for a creature without darkvision) tends to be ignored, but when I think about the spells that I have the most fun with, almost none of them are combat spells, they're usually the utility spells that you can squeeze a lot of use out of with a bit of ingenuity.
Just curious what your thoughts are on the Tasha's metamagic options? Because I feel like transmute spell makes things like tempest cleric sorcerer a lot stronger when you can make max damage lightning fireballs. It's niche but I noticed you didn't have it listed. Also if that interaction works, which I think it does RAW you could make the fire damage from meteor swarm do full damage as thunder or lightning damage.
Just curious what your thoughts are on the Tasha's metamagic options? Because I feel like transmute spell makes things like tempest cleric sorcerer a lot stronger when you can make max damage lightning fireballs. It's niche but I noticed you didn't have it listed. Also if that interaction works, which I think it does RAW you could make the fire damage from meteor swarm do full damage as thunder or lightning damage.
I think that's a very good example of when to use it; being able to "create" a lightning/thunder spell to key off of another ability is going to be pretty good value for a single sorcery point. It also lets you gain that benefit while having spells with rider effects you really like, but which deal other damage types, so you've got the flexibility of building with more than two damage types but still focus the type when you need to. Not sure if I'd take it on other sorcerers personally, but for your Draconic Bloodline sorcerer, Tempest Domain multiclass, or a build with Flames of Phlegethos and/or Elemental Affinity it's a great metamagic option to have.
Personally I've nabbed Seeking Spell on my current sorcerer; while it's not one you hope to use a lot, and it's two sorcery points when you do, being able to re-roll a miss is rarely a bad thing, especially if you're wasting a spell slot on a miss. Anything of 2nd-level or higher is a net gain if hit the second time (2 points for seeking vs. 3 to buy the wasted slot back), and the value only gets better the high level the spell is. This is a big reason why I ended up taking Metamagic Adept on that character, so I could get Seeking on top of Empowered, Heightened, Quickened, and Twinned, as it's just way too hard to pick only three or four metamagics on a build!
Yeah. It's pretty easy to pick the first two or so then you start having to figure out what your going to use most which is always hard. Quickened, twinned, and heightened just feel the best and least replaceable. Most are pretty neat but rarely groundbreaking.
1) Half-elf is only a blue? Their stats are highly flexible, elven immunities can be a god-send, and two proficiencies of your choice? While resistance to fire is good, I kind of feel like you're vastly over-rating it; especially since their secondary stat goes automatically to INT, which isn't that important. Absorb Elements gives resistance and is one of those spells that's universally useful. I feel like you're giving tiefling too much weight here and shortselling half-elf; especially since they can tap into Elven Accuracy which can be nucking futs at times.
2) Twinned is green while quickened is gold? Excuse me while I twin two disintergrates. Or two Heals on my Divine Soul for 140 HP of healing. While I won't deny that quickened is valuable, this REALLY screams 'I spam fireball and nothing else' as opposed to actually taking advantage of what you can do. Twinning a Haste or a Polymorph alone is amazing and you can't do that with Quickened.
3) Subtle is, in no way, shape, or form, a black. For one it drastically hampers your opponents ability to counterspell you which, in of itself, should make it at least a blue. Better to actually have your own spells actually go off than just increase the damage. This isn't to mention the shenanigans you can pull off with it. You get silenced or restrained? So long as you either have your focus and/or use spells that don't need material components, you're GTG. You can, legit, get someone to lay down a silence on another caster (or cast it yourself if you're Divine Soul) then just laugh (silently) as they become unable to cast while you aren't hampered at all. It might be situational but those situations are EASILY golds!
4) The hell you up to with Divine Soul being BLUE?! This is the sub-class I get told I either can't be because it's too OP or have to be because it's that useful. I won't weigh in on it's comparison to the Tasha's stuff since I didn't get the chance to play a sorc there yet, but you get to tap into both Sorc and Cleric spells which gives you IMMENSE flexibility and party options. Your main problem is going to be that you'll be such a good party support you'll find trouble finding times where you can justify being a normal blaster. Wings just flat-out negate any melee attacker so long as you can fly which is an insane durability booster (especially against swarms) and you don't even have to worry about concentration or them being dispelled or anything. Favored by the gods being Blue but Empowered healing being green? Being able to break through save-or-suck spells or maintain concentration is INVALUABLE! Empowered healing is very nice, yes, but not losing concentration on the Banishment that's keeping a powerful enemy subdued until after the party has finished the munchies or not getting your ass disintegrated? Not a contest.
5) You are sickeningly overrating the Darkness spell here. Firstly, you need to cast it with sorc points to get that advantage (invaluable at lower levels) and secondly there's ample ways around it. For example just fireballing the whole thing. This doesn't change that it can easily hamper your own team. Without the sorc points it's just one extra spell you know. With it, while it can be a solid self-tool, you're sickeningly overrating it's value.
6) When it came to cantrips I went right to shocking grasp to see if you knew what you were doing and, yea, you don't. Shocking Grasp is a trap cantrip. Firstly, you don't want to ever be in melee range. Ever. EVER! But, let's say a foe DOES get into melee range. Want to know what I can do?
Disengage and move away. Maybe use a quickened Firebolt or Mind Sliver or something if I wanna chip in some damage.
Misty Step away, move 30 feet or even 60 feet if I REALLY don't want them getting back in range (Misty is only a bonus. You still have your normal action.) Heck, you could even just disengage, move, then quickened-fireball (a use I DIDN'T see on why it was so good.). If you are a class/build that wants to be in melee range you probably have better options as well than this cantrip.
On a whim I checked Absorb Elements and... what? A huge threat to any caster is other casters and they largely deal energy damage. Being able to gain a resistance to that can easily be lifesaving. Or, if you have no choice but to stand in an AoE you or an ally casts, it can turn 'I'm taking a crap-ton of damage' into 'I'm going to survive and you're going to die!' It's arguably a green and certainly not a black.
I'm sorry but, this guide doesn't feel like it is really useful.
1) As a sorcerer you have a multitude of options. One of which is your ability to support your party with spells like invisibility. Being able to utilize these support options easily is key to being a good sorc and a huge aspect of your flexibility. This doesn't mean you aren't a damage-dealer, but it does mean you're not taking advantage of your whole kit.
2) You don't EVER want to be in melee range for any reason! Your HP pool isn't that good, you don't get armor, and you risk losing concentration whenever you get hit. Your spells and abilities aren't really that good in melee range either. Yet I see things getting rated high because of their melee value. If we're talking a multiclass (especially with a melee class), that's fine; but that shouldn't be the main weighting for spells as a sorc.
3) Your selections seem remarkably selfish and not playing to what your team can do; not to mention have a combat-heavy tilt. For example, Shape Water has a bunch of uses (such as keeping a team cool in hot environments) and being able to cross water is very useful; especially since you can just pull a BotW Link to do so. This makes it invaluable in any water-heavy campaign and even in more mundane campaigns it allows for a degree of terrain control; similar to shape earth. Stone Wall is not only wonderful for crossing things like chasms but for controlling enemies. For example, raise it around some foes and have another person cloudkill/sickening radiance/basically any prolonged AoE ability and you can really rip into them; or seal off a passage enemies are trying to storm down to kill you. I'm not saying this is some god-tier spell. What I'm saying is that your spell choices and ratings seem to be focused on one thing and one thing alone and you're really not using them to their fullest potential.
4) This guide really screams 'I did this one build that worked wonderfully in one campaign, so it's the best build!' Like how you fell into the shocking grasp trap (I did too until I ended up in a LoD situation and foolishly went for it. Which I succeeded I realized how close I had been to dying after that and there were better options I should have had/taken.) You horribly overrated some stuff and horribly underrated others and ignored some obvious uses (such as using a quickened spell and Dash action for damage while gaining distance). If I'm wrong on these mechanics, I blame my GM's for letting the ruling slide, but I still feel like you ignored options in favor of a specific goal.
*sigh*
Look. If I'm coming off as rude or w/e here, I'm sorry. It's clear you put a lot of time and effort into this and most people can't do that even if they know a class inside and out simply due to time/will/etc. I'm just really miffed that sorcs have some serious power issues due to poor meta-magic balance, over-tuning their spell limits, and a crippling lack of truly viable subclasses (Wild Magic is entirely dependent on your GM for example). Anyone who plays them NEEDS to understand the class well or else end up as a weaker version of a wizard with a pretty face; and a lot of that is grasping what a sorcerers flexibility truly entails. Knowing when to twin a spell or heighten or quicken it or when it's a good idea to sack a spell slot, even a high-level one, for sorc points is essential to that. And I feel like, while you have your heart in the right place, newcomers to the class need to learn these things immediately or else end up hating the class. I might see if I can make my own guide. If I do, feel free to tear it apart then.
Come check out some of my Homebrew (please give input!)
Make some trinket tables on this thread!
Ah someone has been reading old comments on the internet. It's been a while since I've seen this mentioned. This application depends a LOT on how willing the DM is to let you get away with everything. Realistically it wouldn't really break the lock to a degree that lets you just open the door or whatever. Instead it would either do nothing because locks are sturdy and freezing water doesn't expand THAT much or it would break the lock so the thing you tried to open is still locked but now the lock is also unusable so you have no other choice than resorting to brute force if you still want to open whatever you tried to open.
I've never encountered a forum where I got this many "talking to a wall" impressions as this one...
In my current Strixhaven campaign our Druid used shape water to bypass a lock on a display cabinet, but we argued it on the basis that for a very simple lock (which old compact cabinet locks usually are) the key is really just a tool for releasing the catch, so water in the lock frozen around something you can grip would serve the same basic purpose.
It's definitely not something we want DMs to allow too often though, but in our (literal) case the DM had already established that the glass of the display case couldn't be broken, but hadn't considered how a party of level 2 spellcasters were supposed to bypass a lock when they were too low a level for knock (which probably none of us would have taken anyway), and we had no more relevant spells either. It was either that or I was going to try to twist the find familiar rules to get my weasel (name Ferret) inside the cabinet to then "somehow" open it from within, or we were going to melt the lock with acid maybe?
In general shape water is a basic utility spell like prestidigitation, but it actually has more unusual uses.
When you think about it, prestidigitation doesn't actually let you do much that you couldn't just do some other way; it lets you light a candle or a small campfire without needing a tinderbox, it lets you create minor distractions etc. In practice I mostly use it on my characters to make them incredibly lazy (basically it's the spell I most want in real life) by not getting off their arse to light a wall sconce, cleaning themselves off after they've been in yet another sewer for some reason, to warm their clothes if the weather is cold, fragrance the air if there's an unpleasant smell, or just mess with NPCs by making everything they eat or drink extra spicy. I have never built a Bard, Sorcerer or Wizard without this cantrip, I love it too much. But all of these are things you could do in other ways or with a bit of Sleight of Hand and the like (to get spices in someone's drink without them noticing till they drink it), the only really special one is the tiny illusion in the palm of your hand, though I also quite like drawing on things in a way that can leave no trace it ever happened, and yes it's mostly (c)rude drawings on people's faces. 😂
While I don't tend to take shape water, its range of effects are actually interesting, as they let you do things you couldn't easily do yourself; changing the flow of water (even if it's a small area) lets you draw water out of something without touching it, or cause it to shoot up into someone's face or the like. Forming shapes and animating is a very thematic alternative for "utility" illusions, i.e- to show someone a likeness of a person you're looking for, or to show them an event that you witnessed and so-on. Changing colour or opacity is pure NPC harassment fodder, as you can turn water around them yellow to embarrass them, or turn water red to look like blood, oil and so-on. Freezing is the one with the most interesting utility; you can use it to create stepping stones, plug a leak on a ship, turn a wet surface into a slippery one and so-on. While it's not a large area, you only need to make a step or two on a staircase slippery to make it dangerous, but the effect also lasts for an hour without concentration.
For me the main problem with shape water is how strict to be on the definition of water, i.e- do other liquids count? And the note about having no more than two non-instantaneous effects is a little fuzzy, i.e- is freezing the water an instantaneous effect? Probably intended to be yes to stop you building structures out of ice cubes, but I've never really seen how that would be problematic as it's going to take a lot of time and effort, and be pretty noticeable to guards or whatever. As a DM I tend to be quite permissive about clever/fun uses of utility spells, the weirdly strict wordings on many of them most just annoys me. I think it should work really well on any water-themed character as an alternative to prestidigitation.
Anyway, the problem when people look at guides online is that they almost always overwhelmingly focus on combat, so any cantrip that doesn't deal damage or help in some other immediate way (e.g- light for a creature without darkvision) tends to be ignored, but when I think about the spells that I have the most fun with, almost none of them are combat spells, they're usually the utility spells that you can squeeze a lot of use out of with a bit of ingenuity.
And… that turned out way longer than I intended.
Characters: Bullette, Chortle, Dracarys Noir, Edward Merryspell, Habard Ashery, Legion, Peregrine
My Homebrew: Feats | Items | Monsters | Spells | Subclasses | Races
Guides: Creating Sub-Races Using Trait Options
WIP (feedback needed): Blood Mage, Chromatic Sorcerers, Summoner, Trickster Domain, Unlucky, Way of the Daoist (Drunken Master), Weapon Smith
Please don't reply to my posts unless you've read what they actually say.
Just curious what your thoughts are on the Tasha's metamagic options? Because I feel like transmute spell makes things like tempest cleric sorcerer a lot stronger when you can make max damage lightning fireballs. It's niche but I noticed you didn't have it listed. Also if that interaction works, which I think it does RAW you could make the fire damage from meteor swarm do full damage as thunder or lightning damage.
I think that's a very good example of when to use it; being able to "create" a lightning/thunder spell to key off of another ability is going to be pretty good value for a single sorcery point. It also lets you gain that benefit while having spells with rider effects you really like, but which deal other damage types, so you've got the flexibility of building with more than two damage types but still focus the type when you need to. Not sure if I'd take it on other sorcerers personally, but for your Draconic Bloodline sorcerer, Tempest Domain multiclass, or a build with Flames of Phlegethos and/or Elemental Affinity it's a great metamagic option to have.
Personally I've nabbed Seeking Spell on my current sorcerer; while it's not one you hope to use a lot, and it's two sorcery points when you do, being able to re-roll a miss is rarely a bad thing, especially if you're wasting a spell slot on a miss. Anything of 2nd-level or higher is a net gain if hit the second time (2 points for seeking vs. 3 to buy the wasted slot back), and the value only gets better the high level the spell is. This is a big reason why I ended up taking Metamagic Adept on that character, so I could get Seeking on top of Empowered, Heightened, Quickened, and Twinned, as it's just way too hard to pick only three or four metamagics on a build!
Characters: Bullette, Chortle, Dracarys Noir, Edward Merryspell, Habard Ashery, Legion, Peregrine
My Homebrew: Feats | Items | Monsters | Spells | Subclasses | Races
Guides: Creating Sub-Races Using Trait Options
WIP (feedback needed): Blood Mage, Chromatic Sorcerers, Summoner, Trickster Domain, Unlucky, Way of the Daoist (Drunken Master), Weapon Smith
Please don't reply to my posts unless you've read what they actually say.
Yeah. It's pretty easy to pick the first two or so then you start having to figure out what your going to use most which is always hard. Quickened, twinned, and heightened just feel the best and least replaceable. Most are pretty neat but rarely groundbreaking.
A few comments.
1) Half-elf is only a blue? Their stats are highly flexible, elven immunities can be a god-send, and two proficiencies of your choice? While resistance to fire is good, I kind of feel like you're vastly over-rating it; especially since their secondary stat goes automatically to INT, which isn't that important. Absorb Elements gives resistance and is one of those spells that's universally useful. I feel like you're giving tiefling too much weight here and shortselling half-elf; especially since they can tap into Elven Accuracy which can be nucking futs at times.
2) Twinned is green while quickened is gold? Excuse me while I twin two disintergrates. Or two Heals on my Divine Soul for 140 HP of healing. While I won't deny that quickened is valuable, this REALLY screams 'I spam fireball and nothing else' as opposed to actually taking advantage of what you can do. Twinning a Haste or a Polymorph alone is amazing and you can't do that with Quickened.
3) Subtle is, in no way, shape, or form, a black. For one it drastically hampers your opponents ability to counterspell you which, in of itself, should make it at least a blue. Better to actually have your own spells actually go off than just increase the damage. This isn't to mention the shenanigans you can pull off with it. You get silenced or restrained? So long as you either have your focus and/or use spells that don't need material components, you're GTG. You can, legit, get someone to lay down a silence on another caster (or cast it yourself if you're Divine Soul) then just laugh (silently) as they become unable to cast while you aren't hampered at all. It might be situational but those situations are EASILY golds!
4) The hell you up to with Divine Soul being BLUE?! This is the sub-class I get told I either can't be because it's too OP or have to be because it's that useful. I won't weigh in on it's comparison to the Tasha's stuff since I didn't get the chance to play a sorc there yet, but you get to tap into both Sorc and Cleric spells which gives you IMMENSE flexibility and party options. Your main problem is going to be that you'll be such a good party support you'll find trouble finding times where you can justify being a normal blaster. Wings just flat-out negate any melee attacker so long as you can fly which is an insane durability booster (especially against swarms) and you don't even have to worry about concentration or them being dispelled or anything. Favored by the gods being Blue but Empowered healing being green? Being able to break through save-or-suck spells or maintain concentration is INVALUABLE! Empowered healing is very nice, yes, but not losing concentration on the Banishment that's keeping a powerful enemy subdued until after the party has finished the munchies or not getting your ass disintegrated? Not a contest.
5) You are sickeningly overrating the Darkness spell here. Firstly, you need to cast it with sorc points to get that advantage (invaluable at lower levels) and secondly there's ample ways around it. For example just fireballing the whole thing. This doesn't change that it can easily hamper your own team. Without the sorc points it's just one extra spell you know. With it, while it can be a solid self-tool, you're sickeningly overrating it's value.
6) When it came to cantrips I went right to shocking grasp to see if you knew what you were doing and, yea, you don't. Shocking Grasp is a trap cantrip. Firstly, you don't want to ever be in melee range. Ever. EVER! But, let's say a foe DOES get into melee range. Want to know what I can do?
Disengage and move away. Maybe use a quickened Firebolt or Mind Sliver or something if I wanna chip in some damage.
Misty Step away, move 30 feet or even 60 feet if I REALLY don't want them getting back in range (Misty is only a bonus. You still have your normal action.) Heck, you could even just disengage, move, then quickened-fireball (a use I DIDN'T see on why it was so good.). If you are a class/build that wants to be in melee range you probably have better options as well than this cantrip.
On a whim I checked Absorb Elements and... what? A huge threat to any caster is other casters and they largely deal energy damage. Being able to gain a resistance to that can easily be lifesaving. Or, if you have no choice but to stand in an AoE you or an ally casts, it can turn 'I'm taking a crap-ton of damage' into 'I'm going to survive and you're going to die!' It's arguably a green and certainly not a black.
I'm sorry but, this guide doesn't feel like it is really useful.
1) As a sorcerer you have a multitude of options. One of which is your ability to support your party with spells like invisibility. Being able to utilize these support options easily is key to being a good sorc and a huge aspect of your flexibility. This doesn't mean you aren't a damage-dealer, but it does mean you're not taking advantage of your whole kit.
2) You don't EVER want to be in melee range for any reason! Your HP pool isn't that good, you don't get armor, and you risk losing concentration whenever you get hit. Your spells and abilities aren't really that good in melee range either. Yet I see things getting rated high because of their melee value. If we're talking a multiclass (especially with a melee class), that's fine; but that shouldn't be the main weighting for spells as a sorc.
3) Your selections seem remarkably selfish and not playing to what your team can do; not to mention have a combat-heavy tilt. For example, Shape Water has a bunch of uses (such as keeping a team cool in hot environments) and being able to cross water is very useful; especially since you can just pull a BotW Link to do so. This makes it invaluable in any water-heavy campaign and even in more mundane campaigns it allows for a degree of terrain control; similar to shape earth. Stone Wall is not only wonderful for crossing things like chasms but for controlling enemies. For example, raise it around some foes and have another person cloudkill/sickening radiance/basically any prolonged AoE ability and you can really rip into them; or seal off a passage enemies are trying to storm down to kill you. I'm not saying this is some god-tier spell. What I'm saying is that your spell choices and ratings seem to be focused on one thing and one thing alone and you're really not using them to their fullest potential.
4) This guide really screams 'I did this one build that worked wonderfully in one campaign, so it's the best build!' Like how you fell into the shocking grasp trap (I did too until I ended up in a LoD situation and foolishly went for it. Which I succeeded I realized how close I had been to dying after that and there were better options I should have had/taken.) You horribly overrated some stuff and horribly underrated others and ignored some obvious uses (such as using a quickened spell and Dash action for damage while gaining distance). If I'm wrong on these mechanics, I blame my GM's for letting the ruling slide, but I still feel like you ignored options in favor of a specific goal.
*sigh*
Look. If I'm coming off as rude or w/e here, I'm sorry. It's clear you put a lot of time and effort into this and most people can't do that even if they know a class inside and out simply due to time/will/etc. I'm just really miffed that sorcs have some serious power issues due to poor meta-magic balance, over-tuning their spell limits, and a crippling lack of truly viable subclasses (Wild Magic is entirely dependent on your GM for example). Anyone who plays them NEEDS to understand the class well or else end up as a weaker version of a wizard with a pretty face; and a lot of that is grasping what a sorcerers flexibility truly entails. Knowing when to twin a spell or heighten or quicken it or when it's a good idea to sack a spell slot, even a high-level one, for sorc points is essential to that. And I feel like, while you have your heart in the right place, newcomers to the class need to learn these things immediately or else end up hating the class. I might see if I can make my own guide. If I do, feel free to tear it apart then.
You could go with Swashbuckler Rogue and get Charisma bonus to initiative.