D&D (2024) Sorcerers getting Chaos Bolt automatically

[Frozen_Heart]

I like the current sorcerer just fine, but they were never the right mechanical chassis to play a "specific theme" caster, despite the intention.

Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul managed it well, but some of the old subclasses were... tragic.

Trying to play an elemental air themed sorcerer using storm sorcery was basically playing without a subclass.

 

[Zaukrie]

Yesterday was my birthday, so I'll just say you can have this for free.....

Mournlands Touched Sorcerous Origin - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild

Mournlands Touched Sorcerous Origin - The Mournlands didn't just spawn living spells, they created a new kind of sorcerer, the Mournlands Touched. This sorcer

www.dmsguild.com

 

[Staffan]

IMO, sorcerer is too similar to Wizard/Mage.....and needs to be more different. But maybe that's just me....

I agree. The sorcerer needs a stronger identity since the wizard took most of their stuff, but I don't think "make them wild mages" is the right choice. But then again, I think "all sorcerers will be wild mages" is extrapolating a bit too far from "Sorcerers get inherent Chaos Bolt."

 

[Frozen_Heart]

Trying to make a clockwork/order themed sorcerer, but you have to keep rolling random damage types and wild surges.

RIP themed builds.

 

[OB1]

I'm not sure this will link directly to Wild Magic, my initial sense was that when you first become a sorcerer and your powers manifest, it's unclear where they come from and the first few levels are about 'discovering' that. Perhaps Chaos Bolt will be further defined at level 3 as well, based on your subclass.

Similar to the new Warlock, where you get powers from a pact, but you aren't sure from what type of entity until that power 'reveals' itself to you after 'proving' yourself worthy for a few levels.

 

[James Gasik]

Yes, with Subclasses being Origins for your powers, but then deferred to level 3, I think OB1 has the right of it. You just aren't a Clockwork/Dragon/Whatever Sorcerer until level 3, but a guy with mysterious powers. I don't agree with this, mind you, I'm still not happy with Cleric Domains and Paladin Oaths being delayed, but that ship has sailed.

Just the idea of hitting level 3 and going "wow, I can suddenly wear plate armor" or "amazing, I now know how to cast Wizard spells! Where did this spellbook come from?" feels like we've solved a mechanical problem by creating a narrative one.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

They gave too much of the 3E sorcerer to the 5E wizard. As upsetting as it might have been at the time, maybe sorcerers should have just been a wizard subclass with "innate" magic rather than spellbooks, more spells per day but fewer known spells and access to metamagic.

(Then they would have had room for the warlord in the PHB!)

Ironicly the number 1 complaint I have seen in real space is they gave the 'wizards' meta magic to the sorcerer

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Here is the relevent bit.


"We also wanted to build more of a core identity for the sorcerer and the warlock. The warlock and sorcerer does not have core identity at first level. Cleric doesn't have that problem because they do have channel divinity at first level. So what you'll see is that we're delving into innate magic for the sorcerer. So we've taken the concept of some chaos magic in side of you that you don't always have control over. You'll get Chaos Bolt for free"

 

[Staffan]

I could see something like

• Level 1: Spellcasting. You automatically know the chaos bolt spell in addition to blah blah.
• Level 3: Subclass. Each subclass will get a feature to modify chaos bolt, along the lines of "Bolt of Death: When you cast chaos bolt, you can choose to automatically deal necrotic damage with it. If you do, any target hit can't regain hit points until the end of your next turn." or "Draconic Bolt: When you cast chaos bolt, you can choose to automatically deal damage of the type dealt by your dragon type. If you do, it ignores resistance."

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Ironicly the number 1 complaint I have seen in real space is they gave the 'wizards' meta magic to the sorcerer

Huh. Zero of my 3E players have ever complained about that. We didn't use metamagic hardly at all in 3E, although I gather my players used it a bunch in their PF1 games.