D&D General One thing I hate about the Sorcerer

[Minigiant]

We disagree. The only questionable ability is action surge, and that's..........................questionable. I can see arguments for it both ways.

I still say 3 accurate attacks per turn no fatigue is supernatural.

My issue is the "Rapid attacker," isn't the warrior of myth. The warrior of books, movies, and cartoons does a set up into single killing blows.

Same problem as the sorcerer.

Mechanics that don't match the Official Lore nor the Character Tropes

 

[Yaarel]

I've heard they're good, but I can't watch them as apparently a dog dies in them.

John Wick movies are welldone. They are also the most violent movies I have ever seen, even compared to movies like Kill Bill and so on.

 

[Micah Sweet]

See, this is a fundamental difference though.

Literally anyone in the DnD world can study magic and become a wizard. Literally anyone in a DnD world can study martial arts and become a Monk. I also believe the same thing for the Paladin, Ranger, Druid and Cleric.

For me, it is the question of are you BORN special. A Sorcerer is born special. A barbarian is born special. But a fighter or a paladin is not born special. They become special. They become special through dedication and hard work. I just see that the TYPE of things they learn, or the TYPE of dedication they have is different.

In the 5e D&D world. We used to have stat minimums to qualify for classes.

 

[Micah Sweet]

See, this is a fundamental difference though.

Literally anyone in the DnD world can study magic and become a wizard. Literally anyone in a DnD world can study martial arts and become a Monk. I also believe the same thing for the Paladin, Ranger, Druid and Cleric.

For me, it is the question of are you BORN special. A Sorcerer is born special. A barbarian is born special. But a fighter or a paladin is not born special. They become special. They become special through dedication and hard work. I just see that the TYPE of things they learn, or the TYPE of dedication they have is different.

How is a barbarian born special?

 

[James Gasik]

How is a barbarian born special?

Well, as a young boy, his tribe was destroyed by a power mad priest of Set who sought the secret to making steel weapons. The boy was then enslaved and forced to work until he was fully grown, at which point he became a gladiator, became successful, was sent to the East to learn writing, philosophy, and swordplay, was given his freedom, became a thief, robbed the wrong guy, met a wizard, got crucified, saved from death, and went on to slay said power mad priest...surely you've heard this one?

 

[TwoSix]

Well, as a young boy, his tribe was destroyed by a power mad priest of Set who sought the secret to making steel weapons. The boy was then enslaved and forced to work until he was fully grown, at which point he became a gladiator, became successful, was sent to the East to learn writing, philosophy, and swordplay, was given his freedom, became a thief, robbed the wrong guy, met a wizard, got crucified, saved from death, and went on to slay said power mad priest...surely you've heard this one?

Star Wars?

 

[James Gasik]

Star Wars?

The Hero's Journey justifies many epic tales of epicness!

 

[Raiztt]

Well, as a young boy, his tribe was destroyed by a power mad priest of Set who sought the secret to making steel weapons. The boy was then enslaved and forced to work until he was fully grown, at which point he became a gladiator, became successful, was sent to the East to learn writing, philosophy, and swordplay, was given his freedom, became a thief, robbed the wrong guy, met a wizard, got crucified, saved from death, and went on to slay said power mad priest...surely you've heard this one?

That doesn't make it sound like his innate nature is special, just his circumstances.

To say that someone is "born special" usually implies that what is special about them is true in all possible worlds/circumstances.

 

[James Gasik]

That doesn't make it sound like his innate nature is special, just his circumstances.

To say that someone is "born special" usually implies that what is special about them is true in all possible worlds/circumstances.

Yeah but that ruins the joke.

Born special means being 2/3 god and 1/3 man or having a star hover over your birthplace. That's something that applies to individuals, not entire classes. I can't tell you why a Barbarian has special powers- surely not all people born in a Barbarian culture have the Barbarian class (see the Order of the Stick joke about a member of the Samurai caste not having to be a Samurai). If you accept the idea that PC's are special in the world, you don't need to worry about such things.

If you believe that PC's aren't particularly exceptional, the game isn't really going to help you. That's what backstories are for- I mean, for example, there's no generic "College of Rogueness" (unless there is in someone's setting). My Rogue could be the son of a legendary thief, a bored noble stealing for kicks, or an apprentice locksmith, but it's accepted that I am a Rogue with all the abilities inherent to the class when I sit down and play.

Asking the system to explain your specialness is a little silly, because any answer the game comes up with will not be true for all characters. If we said, for example, all Sorcerers have dragon blood, then every campaign has to have dragons willing to mate with humanoids (or weirder things) by default, and there's no room for non-dragon Sorcerers.

Even now, we have some odd things that are possible if Sorcerers all gained their powers in the same way- sure it makes sense that you got dragon's blood in your veins as a Human Sorcerer, but what about a Warforged Sorcerer?

Now we have to make up some story about a "dragon engine" or "somehow acquired a sorcerous soul" or was "just built wrong as a joke".

 

[Raiztt]

Born special means being 2/3 god and 1/3 man or having a star hover over your birthplace. That's something that applies to individuals, not entire classes. I can't tell you why a Barbarian has special powers- surely not all people born in a Barbarian culture have the Barbarian class (see the Order of the Stick joke about a member of the Samurai caste not having to be a Samurai). If you accept the idea that PC's are special in the world, you don't need to worry about such things.

Personally? I'd prefer classes not to have any supernatural abilities unless they're a spell caster. Receive their special supernatural power through the course of play or not at all.