D&D (2024) Sorcerers getting Chaos Bolt automatically

[OB1]

I'm really excited to see where they are going with Chaos Bolt for the sorcerer and I really like the implied narrative of the person who wakes up one day and starts doing magic, then learns how to control it.

What if instead of Cantrips, Chaos Bolt is their at-will feature that grows and changes with levels (and sorcery points)? Perhaps let a little wild-magic in, nothing game changing or TPK causing at early levels, more like the fun Wild effects of the Wild Magic Barbarian (or the fun flavor effects of the old WM table). Just 6-8 possibilities that you roll for after you roll a 1 on the Chaos Bolt table. At worst you've wasted your turn, at best you get a minor benefit.

 

[Gorck]

I'm currently rereading The Wheel of Time and I see Wizards as equivalent to the women who go to the White Tower to learn how to channel the One Power, while Sorcerers are the wilders who must be found by the Aes Sedai and taught to control their use of One Power before they hurt themselves and/or those around them. With that frame of mind, Sorcerers do seem to have a bit of chaos and wildness about them.

 

[SkidAce]

Card to build on the boo to explain what your objection is?

Its in the part I quoted, they effectively say "sorcerers have chaos magic that they dont have control over" hence chaos bolt.

I want to continue to use sorcerers as non scholarly innate casters, but not neccesarily out of control.

We had an oracle sorcerer in one campaign that selected lots of divination spells, guidance, etc. At no point was their magic chaotic or uncontrolled.

It was innate/self taught, no spell book etc.

Hence the "Boo" to all sorcerers having "chaotic, uncontrollable aspects".

 

[Zaukrie]

Its in the part I quoted, they effectively say "sorcerers have chaos magic that they dont have control over" hence chaos bolt.

I want to continue to use sorcerers as non scholarly innate casters, but not neccesarily out of control.

We had an oracle sorcerer in one campaign that selected lots of divination spells, guidance, etc. At no point was their magic chaotic or uncontrolled.

It was innate/self taught, no spell book etc.

Hence the "Boo" to all sorcerers having "chaotic, uncontrollable aspects".

How is that different than a wizard? How do we make the two classes distinct?

 

[SkidAce]

How is that different than a wizard? How do we make the two classes distinct?

I believe I stated how it's different. No spellbook, no scholarly approach.

 

[SkidAce]

The problem is that the sorcerer doesn't so much have an identity as it has a range. Sorcerers are the every other magic type class. A seventh son of a seventh son? Someone born in the middle of the Century Storm who uses that to channel the storm externally rather than internally? Elsa? It's all the casters - and it works well and does not need Chaos Bolt unless that spell can be tweaked.

This says it well.

 

[Clint_L]

I mean, the fundamental problem is that the sorcerer class as it exists should really just be a wizard sub-class. It needed to be much more distinct in its original design. Alas, that ship has sailed, so we are stuck with WotC tweaking it to try to add some identity.

 

[tetrasodium]

This says it well.

I don't believe you did. At least not in the quoted post 123. That pot gives the same "totally a wizard in every way that might be useful but better when the inconscient parts of being a wizard are in play at the table" vibes as the 2014 sorc

 

[Charlaquin]

Its in the part I quoted, they effectively say "sorcerers have chaos magic that they dont have control over" hence chaos bolt.

I want to continue to use sorcerers as non scholarly innate casters, but not neccesarily out of control.

We had an oracle sorcerer in one campaign that selected lots of divination spells, guidance, etc. At no point was their magic chaotic or uncontrolled.

It was innate/self taught, no spell book etc.

Hence the "Boo" to all sorcerers having "chaotic, uncontrollable aspects".

I mean, as far as we know the “chaotic, uncontrollable aspects” amount to one spell they get for free. You can always just… use your other spells instead.

 

[humble minion]

I kinda loathe this. It's a real step backwards in terms of thematics. We've had the same problem all edition with warlocks - every warlock uses Eldritch Blast (except those hexblade weirdoes) which does Force damage even if they're, for instance , an undead pact warlock for who necrotic damage would make more sense, or an efreet pact genie sorcerer who should be doing fire damage.

And now they're planning to introduce the same problem, but worse, into sorcerers? Ick ick ick. Why would a lawful, orderly Clockwork Soul sorcerer want with Chaos Bolt?