Pathfinder 2's Sorcerer Goes "All In" On Bloodlines

Today's preview of the upcoming Pathfinder 2nd Edition is the sorcerer! The sorcerer has had a major redesign, with bloodline becoming even more important than it was in 1st Edition. Now, it determines which of four spell lists you get to use!

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Bloodlines are chosen at 1st level. Your bloodline then determines whether you use arcane, divine, primal, or occult spells. The demonic bloodline is previewed: divine spell list, a spell at each spell level, including fear, slow, disintegrate, and power word stun. Additionally you get signature skills, along with a number of bloodline powers.

Demonic
The demons of the Abyss debase all they touch, and one of your ancestors fell victim to their corruption. You're burdened with dark thoughts and the desire for destruction. This urge can be overcome if you choose to fight it, but the beauty of sin calls to you always.
Spell List divine (Pathfinder Playtest Rulebook 200)
Signature Skills Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Religion
Granted Spells Cantrip: detect magic; 1st: fear; 2nd: resist energy; 3rd: slow; 4th: divine wrath; 5th: banishment; 6th: disintegrate; 7th: divine decree; 8th: power word stun; 9th: meteor swarm
Bloodline Powers Initial Power: glutton's jaws; Advanced Power: swamp of sloth (2); Greater Power: abyssal wrath (2)

Those bloodline powers are special spells which use Spell Points (SP equals your Charisma modifier per day). The Glutton's Jaws power is previewed in the blog.

What bloodlines are available? Here's the list!

• aberrant (occult)
• angelic (divine)
• demonic (divine)
• draconic (arcane)
• fey (primal)
• imperial (arcane)

As they have always been sorcerers are spontaneous casters. Same number of spell slots as a wizard, using Charisma for spell DCs and the like.

Sorcerers can also heighten spells spontaneously. Each day you choose two spells; you can cast heightened versions of those spells using any spell slot.

Sorcerer feats include:

• Overwhelming Spell (8th level) -- ignore 10 points of resistance to energy
• Dangerous Sorcery -- bonus damage equal to spell level
• Blood Magic (8th level) -- give temporary hit points if you are bleeding
• Wellspring Spell (20th level) -- cast 5th level or lower spells without expending spell slots

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[Shasarak]

This actually looks pretty cool. I especially like the versatility of being able to choose the type of spell list your Sorcerer uses.

 

[Imaculata]

Yep, this looks interesting. I like the idea of making the sorcerer even more distinct from the wizard.

 

[Caliburn101]

A good decision - sorcerers are all about flavour, and the more distinct the alternative flavours, the better the menu.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Primal and occult spells? Interesting idea. I would allow divine and primal sorcerers in (my mash-up version of) Dark Sun.

I wonder about the idea of a new hybrid class, mixing sorcerer and incarnum/akasha soulmelds to create something like the favored soul or Kratos, the characters from "God of war" videogame.

If warpriest (I suggest the name "bellonary", what means "followers of Bellona, Roman war goddess") if a hybrid class among fighter and cleric, why not a hybrid class mixing sorcerer and hexblade/magus to create anything like 3.5 D&D warmage? Yes, a sorcerer with armour, this could be an archetype.

 

[houser2112]

Sorcerers can also heighten spells spontaneously. Each day you choose two spells; you can cast heightened versions of those spells using any spell slot.

This is disappointing. Wizards have no such restriction on how many spells per day they can heighten, do they? First Paizo fails to kill off paleovancian casting, and then they nerf the class that is supposed to be our refuge from it. Blah.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I like it. I think they mentioned on Paizo.com that devil bloodline is planned for the post-pre-test release (assuming sorcerer tests well). I will be curious what other occult bloodines they introduce at that point.

 

[Superchunk77]

This is disappointing. Wizards have no such restriction on how many spells per day they can heighten, do they? First Paizo fails to kill off paleovancian casting, and then they nerf the class that is supposed to be our refuge from it. Blah.

I believe their ability is in addition to the normal rules for heightening spells via the feat.

 

[zztong]

I do like that they get to pick a spell list. (Did I read that right?) I'm not sure why the Devs feel they needed to tie that to Bloodlines as I think any of their four spell lists fit with any of the Bloodlines. This is probably a super-ignorant view, since I've never really be drawn to playing the spontaneous casting classes other than the Bard. I guess I kind of like this change because it seems like it rolls a number of disappointing PF1e classes into one and perhaps creates something that I might be able to enjoy.

Its not that I don't like spontaneous casting, but to me it always seemed like it was a good mechanic for classes that weren't exclusively casters. So, to me, Paladin, Ranger, Bard all seemed like they should be spontaneous casters with a restricted number of spells per day. Classes that were main-line casters: Wizard, Sorcerer, Magus, Witch, Oracle, Summoner, etc. always felt, to me, like they should have larger numbers of spells to cast per day, but have to memorize them. To me, the appropriate mechanical difference would be that they had different spell lists from which to draw, which allowed them to have different flavors.

 

[MoonSong]

I love it, somehow. It sounds near perfect. The spell list thing makes the sorcerer one of the most thematic casters around. I guess we could even have Oracle be a bloodline. For some reason consolidating all spontaneous casters into sorcerer sounds quite appealing, as that makes it more special and less superfluous -looking at you 5e-. The free heightens are cool too.
I'm excited and can't wait for August.