D&D 5E DMs - How often to wild surge?

[JWO]

If you have a wild magic sorcerer in your game, how often do you get them to roll on the wild magic table? Also, do you get them to roll or do you roll for them?

I was thinking of rolling for them and then just describing the effect after it happens...

 

[MortalPlague]

As written, the wild magic ability suggests the sorcerer roll a d20 after every non-cantrip spell, and on a roll of '1', wild magic happens. At both of the tables I'm at (playing at one, DM'ing at another), the sorcerer's player rolls the % dice.

We did, however, find that wild magic doesn't go off often enough for our liking. So we house ruled that every time it doesn't go off, we increase the number. So the second time, it goes off on a '1 or 2'. Then '1-3'. And so on, so forth. The number resets at a long rest or when the wild surge goes off.

 

[miniaturehoarder]

If get a wild mage at my table, they will be rolling as often as possible.

 

[Ravenheart87]

If get a wild mage at my table, they will be rolling as often as possible.

Same here. Heck, I even have a race that has to roll when someone casts on him.

 

[CapnZapp]

As written, the wild magic ability suggests the sorcerer roll a d20 after every non-cantrip spell, and on a roll of '1', wild magic happens. At both of the tables I'm at (playing at one, DM'ing at another), the sorcerer's player rolls the % dice.

We did, however, find that wild magic doesn't go off often enough for our liking. So we house ruled that every time it doesn't go off, we increase the number. So the second time, it goes off on a '1 or 2'. Then '1-3'. And so on, so forth. The number resets at a long rest or when the wild surge goes off.

Read the rule: the DM can have you roll 100% on the wild surge table each time you cast a non cantrip spell.

And frankly, this needs to happen always or it isn't worth playing a wild mage. Not for the surges, but for getting advantage.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

I've loved wild mages since 2nd Edition's Tome of Magic. Gaining advantage is nice but the reason I love the wild sorcerer is for the wild surges. If I was playing one I would want the GM to have wild surges happen as often as possible.

And I would want to roll the wild surge myself. Getting to roll on that crazy table and see what happens is a huge part of the excitement of the class for me. It doesn't truly amount to a hill of beans who rolls for the wild surge but I would be disappointed if the GM made the rolls. I know it's sort of petty but I would probably shelve the character if I didn't make the rolls.

We did, however, find that wild magic doesn't go off often enough for our liking. So we house ruled that every time it doesn't go off, we increase the number. So the second time, it goes off on a '1 or 2'. Then '1-3'. And so on, so forth. The number resets at a long rest or when the wild surge goes off.

That is pure gold.

Same here. Heck, I even have a race that has to roll when someone casts on him.

Ooo, you should post it! More wild surges? Yes, please!

 

[I'm A Banana]

Just played my first session as a wild mage yesterday. No Wild Surge triggered.

The Tides of Chaos feature also lets DMs trigger wild surges for whatever reason they want, and recharge the ability. The ability itself isn't any more powerful than what other classes can do on a short-rest basis.

THE MORE WILD SURGES THE BETTER, IMO, but I appreciate the fact that not every DM is going to want to trigger them. I'd be happy with ~ 1/session. Didn't happen this time. Maybe next!

 

[keterys]

Every time Tide of Chaos is used, basically. As a DM, you want to let the wild mage get his advantage, then deliver the chaos as soon as possible, so that the circle of crazy continues.

 

[CapnZapp]

You can also look it the other way around:

As a player, ask your DM "are you okay with Tides of Chaos triggering a Wild Surge (and resetting my advantage) each and every time I cast a non-cantrip spell?"

If the answer is anything else than a clear "yes, always"; then the subclass simply won't operate at full efficiency, and frankly, becomes one of the weakest subclasses in the game.

Advantage is your only edge. If you don't get to roll many rolls with advantage, you should probably consider another subclass or class.

As a Wild Mage, you need to view surges as nothing more than a by-product to getting advantage. If your DM thinks the surges are their own reward, carefully consider your choice of class.

Remember, the Wild Mage has the potential to gain advantage X+1 times a day, where X is the total number of non-cantrip spell slots you have. Which, for a sorcerer, is a lot of slots.

Any day you don't come close to that many rolls with advantage, is the same as a day where the Barbarian doesn't rage.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

In 2nd Edition my GM let me develop a 1st level spell that let me roll on the wild surge table and choose the number rolled or the option below it. I don't recall it ever being useful but it was glorious.