Liquidsabre
Explorer
Thanks of course goes out to the many, the strong, the torchbearer's for the revision to the Sorcerer Class (*nod* Khalis). I've been working on my version for nigh 3 months or so now and have taken marvelous ideas from the WOTC boards, ENWorld, and my own RPG-Board discussions. Collectively many in the camp for an Alternate Sorcerer agree on a few fundamental but relatively minor changes such as increase in HD, more skill points, add Intimidate/remove Knowledge (arcana), some sort of Arcane Bloodline, Eschew Materials, and so on. I've incorporated some but not all of these changes into my version but have llisted what has been done below.
This is a relatively simple version of the Alternate Sorcerer that is easy to implement and gnaw upon at your pleasure, as was it's intent. It is important to note that this version was created under the use of the Unearthed Arcana Rule: Spontaneous Metamagic, and the exclsuive sorcerer feat Metamagic Mastery was a direct result of this, if not using Spontaneous Metamagic just ignore this feat.
Changes
That's it, not too much. No specials, no frills, just the basics. Decided to leave the HD at d4 as the feat boost is nice and opens up for such feats as Improved Toughness for more hitpoints as it is. I also used Arcanic Bloodlines but revamped the spell lists and added class skills. Through play-testing we found that adding the Bloodline spells to the Sorcerer known spells to be unbalancing (i.e. too powerful) as they added up to alot of spells that may be spontaneously cast at higher levels. As a result these bloodline spells were folded into spells/day (i.e. Domain Spells Sorcerer-Style). This provides flavorful spells that can only be used 1/day (or more if higher level bloodline slots used to power lower level ones) but did not add so much as to become overly powerful.
I tried adding specials and bunch of neat things to the class that added variety and flavor but they were either too ponderous and cluttered or too powerful. As a result I ended up just adding Bonus Metamagic Feats, freeing up character feats for customizing the character and emphasizing Metamagic (morphing of spells), a Sorcerer's speciality.
Adding the bonus feats at higher levels and folding certain class abilities into the Sorcerer class-only help to encourage characters to remain within the class rather than multiclasssing or going for a Prestige Class (i.e. make them at least think about it before deciding
).
Well, here it is. Have at it fellow ENWorlders and feel free to poke, peel, and take bits & pieces of it out that you like/don't like! This is simply the culmination of my own humble collaborative/compilation efforts and wished to share with others and see what fellow conspirators/detractors think of it.
Alternate Sorcerer
Alignment: Any
Hit Dice: d4
Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier
Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Sorcerers are proficient with all Simple Weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield.
Class Features
Arcanic Bloodline: Sorcerers harness the arcane power that courses through their veins through instinct, intuition, and sometimes just trial and error. But where did this inner power come from? Likely it is a result of a fusion of magic into the Sorcerer's ancestral bloodline somewhere far in the past only now emerging after possibly generations of dormancy. A sorcerer derives their inner power from 10 common sources of magical essence: Celestial, Deathtouched, Draconic (Chromatic/Metallic), Elemental (Air/Earth/Fire/Water), Fey, or Fiendish. A Sorcerer's bloodline reveals itself in time through the Sorcerer's spells and additional class skills.
At each spell level the Sorcerer may cast a single Bloodline spell 1/day. A sorcerer may choose to cast a lower level bloodline spell by spending a higher level Bloodline spell slot instead. For example, an 8th level Sorcerer with the Earth Bloodline can cast Hail of Stone 1/day, Protection from Arrows 1/day, Tremorsense 1/day, and Spike Stones 1/day. Having already cast Protection from Arrows today an Earth Sorcerer can instead spend a higher level bloodline spell slot (either Tremorsense or Spike Stones) to cast a second Protection from Arrows.
Summon Familiar: For Sorcerers, possession of a familiar is as much a show of power and status amongst the ego-driven Sorcerer social circles as magical prowess. Sorcerer familiars, though they do not gain the level of intelligence a Wizard familiar does, are usually larger, stronger, and much more impressive. A Sorcerer’s familiar progresses are per the core familiar for arcane casters, starting with an Int 6 but only gains a point of Int every four Sorcerer levels (instead of every 2 levels). The Familiar gains a +1 Str instead of the +1 Int bonus. Note that once the familiar gains a +4 Str it’s size automatically increases by one degree.
Eschew Sorcerous Materials I: At 3rd level a Sorcerer can cast any spell that has a material component costing 1 gp or less without needing that component. (The casting of the spell still provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.) If the spell requires a material component that costs more than 1 gp, you must have the material component at hand to cast the spell, just as normal. This ability is limited to spells cast as a sorcerer only. Multiclass sorcerers cannot eschew material components for another class' spells.
Spell Evolution: Upon reaching 4th level, and every two sorcerer levels thereafter (6th, 8th, and so on), a sorcerer can choose to learn a new spell in place of one she already knows. In effect, the sorcerer "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell's level must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level sorcerer spell the sorcerer can cast. For instance, upon reaching 4th level, a sorcerer could trade in a single 0th-level spell (two spell levels below the highest-level sorcerer spell he can cast, which is 2nd) for a different 0th-level spell. At 6th level, she could trade in a single 0th-level or 1st-level spell (since she now can cast 3rd-level sorcerer spells) for a different spell of the same level. A sorcerer may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that she gains new spells known for the level. This ability is exclusive to the Sorcerer class and does not carry over to spell progression in a Prestige Class.
Bonus Metamagic Feat: At 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th level a Sorcerer may select either a bonus Metamagic Feat or the Metamagic Mastery Feat (an Exclusive Sorcerer Feat, see below).
Eschew Sorcerous Materials II: At 7th level a Sorcerer may cast a spell with a listed material component valued at 1 gp or more, by drawing from her personal essence, expending 1/10th of the gp value in XP to complete the spell (minimum expenditure of 1 XP). If the sorcerer desires, and has the components on hand, she may use them instead of paying the experience point cost. Focus or XP cost components are still required for spells that list them. This ability only applies to Sorcerer spells as per the Eschew Sorcerous Materials ability.
This is a relatively simple version of the Alternate Sorcerer that is easy to implement and gnaw upon at your pleasure, as was it's intent. It is important to note that this version was created under the use of the Unearthed Arcana Rule: Spontaneous Metamagic, and the exclsuive sorcerer feat Metamagic Mastery was a direct result of this, if not using Spontaneous Metamagic just ignore this feat.
Changes
- 4+Int Skill Points
- Add Intimidate/Remove Knowledge (Arcana)
- Arcanic Bloodline (Spontaneous Domain Spells/Day & +2 Bonus Class Skills)
- Decrease spell/day/level by one. (this spell/day/level is now dedicated to the Arcanic Bloodline Spell List)
- Summon Familiar progression altered slightly to suit the Sorcerer (too Wizard-centric, afterall, at higher levels it did not make much sense that a Sorcerer's Familiar was, more than likely, more intelligent than his master)
- Eschew Sorcerous Materials I & II (Monte Eschew Materials split into two and works for Sorcerer spells only)
- Spell Evolution (same as Core Sorcerer spell exchange but made a class ability so that this does not apply to spell progression in a PrC)
- Bonus Metamgaic Feats (as per the Wizard except restricted to the Sorcerer's speciaty: Metamagic Feats)
That's it, not too much. No specials, no frills, just the basics. Decided to leave the HD at d4 as the feat boost is nice and opens up for such feats as Improved Toughness for more hitpoints as it is. I also used Arcanic Bloodlines but revamped the spell lists and added class skills. Through play-testing we found that adding the Bloodline spells to the Sorcerer known spells to be unbalancing (i.e. too powerful) as they added up to alot of spells that may be spontaneously cast at higher levels. As a result these bloodline spells were folded into spells/day (i.e. Domain Spells Sorcerer-Style). This provides flavorful spells that can only be used 1/day (or more if higher level bloodline slots used to power lower level ones) but did not add so much as to become overly powerful.
I tried adding specials and bunch of neat things to the class that added variety and flavor but they were either too ponderous and cluttered or too powerful. As a result I ended up just adding Bonus Metamagic Feats, freeing up character feats for customizing the character and emphasizing Metamagic (morphing of spells), a Sorcerer's speciality.
Adding the bonus feats at higher levels and folding certain class abilities into the Sorcerer class-only help to encourage characters to remain within the class rather than multiclasssing or going for a Prestige Class (i.e. make them at least think about it before deciding
).Well, here it is. Have at it fellow ENWorlders and feel free to poke, peel, and take bits & pieces of it out that you like/don't like! This is simply the culmination of my own humble collaborative/compilation efforts and wished to share with others and see what fellow conspirators/detractors think of it.
Alternate Sorcerer
Alignment: Any
Hit Dice: d4
Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier
Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Sorcerers are proficient with all Simple Weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield.
Class Features
Arcanic Bloodline: Sorcerers harness the arcane power that courses through their veins through instinct, intuition, and sometimes just trial and error. But where did this inner power come from? Likely it is a result of a fusion of magic into the Sorcerer's ancestral bloodline somewhere far in the past only now emerging after possibly generations of dormancy. A sorcerer derives their inner power from 10 common sources of magical essence: Celestial, Deathtouched, Draconic (Chromatic/Metallic), Elemental (Air/Earth/Fire/Water), Fey, or Fiendish. A Sorcerer's bloodline reveals itself in time through the Sorcerer's spells and additional class skills.
At each spell level the Sorcerer may cast a single Bloodline spell 1/day. A sorcerer may choose to cast a lower level bloodline spell by spending a higher level Bloodline spell slot instead. For example, an 8th level Sorcerer with the Earth Bloodline can cast Hail of Stone 1/day, Protection from Arrows 1/day, Tremorsense 1/day, and Spike Stones 1/day. Having already cast Protection from Arrows today an Earth Sorcerer can instead spend a higher level bloodline spell slot (either Tremorsense or Spike Stones) to cast a second Protection from Arrows.
Summon Familiar: For Sorcerers, possession of a familiar is as much a show of power and status amongst the ego-driven Sorcerer social circles as magical prowess. Sorcerer familiars, though they do not gain the level of intelligence a Wizard familiar does, are usually larger, stronger, and much more impressive. A Sorcerer’s familiar progresses are per the core familiar for arcane casters, starting with an Int 6 but only gains a point of Int every four Sorcerer levels (instead of every 2 levels). The Familiar gains a +1 Str instead of the +1 Int bonus. Note that once the familiar gains a +4 Str it’s size automatically increases by one degree.
Eschew Sorcerous Materials I: At 3rd level a Sorcerer can cast any spell that has a material component costing 1 gp or less without needing that component. (The casting of the spell still provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.) If the spell requires a material component that costs more than 1 gp, you must have the material component at hand to cast the spell, just as normal. This ability is limited to spells cast as a sorcerer only. Multiclass sorcerers cannot eschew material components for another class' spells.
Spell Evolution: Upon reaching 4th level, and every two sorcerer levels thereafter (6th, 8th, and so on), a sorcerer can choose to learn a new spell in place of one she already knows. In effect, the sorcerer "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell's level must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level sorcerer spell the sorcerer can cast. For instance, upon reaching 4th level, a sorcerer could trade in a single 0th-level spell (two spell levels below the highest-level sorcerer spell he can cast, which is 2nd) for a different 0th-level spell. At 6th level, she could trade in a single 0th-level or 1st-level spell (since she now can cast 3rd-level sorcerer spells) for a different spell of the same level. A sorcerer may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that she gains new spells known for the level. This ability is exclusive to the Sorcerer class and does not carry over to spell progression in a Prestige Class.
Bonus Metamagic Feat: At 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th level a Sorcerer may select either a bonus Metamagic Feat or the Metamagic Mastery Feat (an Exclusive Sorcerer Feat, see below).
Metamagic Mastery Feat
As a Sorcerer with your natural magic talent you have mastered the ability to spontaneously cast a metamagic ability.
Prerequisite: Sorcerer level 1st, any Metamagic Feat
Benefit: Each time you take this feat, select a Metamagic Feat from your list of feats known. From this point on, you can spontaneously alter any spells with this metamagic feat beyond the daily allowance at the equivalent spell level. (For example: A 5th level Sorcerer has selected Metamagic Mastery: Silent Spell [+1 spell level] and may now cast any of their 1st level spells altered by Silent Spell using a 2nd level spell slot. This is of course once the daily allotment has been spent for the Silent Spell Feat/s.)
As a Sorcerer with your natural magic talent you have mastered the ability to spontaneously cast a metamagic ability.
Prerequisite: Sorcerer level 1st, any Metamagic Feat
Benefit: Each time you take this feat, select a Metamagic Feat from your list of feats known. From this point on, you can spontaneously alter any spells with this metamagic feat beyond the daily allowance at the equivalent spell level. (For example: A 5th level Sorcerer has selected Metamagic Mastery: Silent Spell [+1 spell level] and may now cast any of their 1st level spells altered by Silent Spell using a 2nd level spell slot. This is of course once the daily allotment has been spent for the Silent Spell Feat/s.)
Eschew Sorcerous Materials II: At 7th level a Sorcerer may cast a spell with a listed material component valued at 1 gp or more, by drawing from her personal essence, expending 1/10th of the gp value in XP to complete the spell (minimum expenditure of 1 XP). If the sorcerer desires, and has the components on hand, she may use them instead of paying the experience point cost. Focus or XP cost components are still required for spells that list them. This ability only applies to Sorcerer spells as per the Eschew Sorcerous Materials ability.
Code:
Table 1-1 Alternate Sorcerer
Level Special
1 Arcanic Bloodline
2 Summon Familiar
3 Eschew Sorcerous Materials I
4 Spell Evolution
5 Bonus Metamagic Feat
6
7 Eschew Sorcerous Materials II
8
9
10 Bonus Metamagic Feat
11
12
13
14
15 Bonus Metamagic Feat
16
17
18
19
20 Bonus Metamagic Feat
Table 1-2 Spells per Day
Level 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 4 2 - - - - - - - -
2 5 3 - - - - - - - -
3 5 4 0 - - - - - - -
4 5 5 2 - - - - - - -
5 5 5 3 0 - - - - - -
6 5 5 4 2 - - - - - -
7 5 5 5 3 0 - - - - -
8 5 5 5 4 2 - - - - -
9 5 5 5 5 3 0 - - - -
10 5 5 5 5 4 2 - - - -
11 5 5 5 5 5 3 0 - - -
12 5 5 5 5 5 4 2 - - -
13 5 5 5 5 5 5 3 0 - -
14 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 2 - -
15 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 3 0 -
16 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 2 -
17 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 3 0
18 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 2
19 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 3
20 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Table 1-3 Known Spells
*As per Core Sorcerer*
Table 1-4 Alt. Sorcerer Familiar Progression
Master Natural
Class Level Armor Adj. Int Str Special
1st-2nd +1 6 - Alertness, improved evasion,
share spells, empathic link
3rd-4th +2 6 +1 Deliver touch spells
5th-6th +3 7 - Speak with master
7th-8th +4 7 +1 Speak with animals of its kind
9th-10th +5 8 - -
11th-12th +6 8 +1 Spell Resistance
13th-14th +7 9 - -
15th-16th +8 9 +1 Size Increase
17th-18th +9 10 - -
19th-20th +10 10 +1 -
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Personally, I don't think the logic behind it was all that great but at the time the focus was to bring characters back to the core class and giving them reasons to want to stick with it.
