D&D 5E Pages from the PHB

[DEFCON 1]

Using alignment as training wheels to help someone play a persona different than them makes sense, but it is very simplistic and like many crutches can often be a barrier to good roleplay. Alignment has an axis of three discrete values for Lawful/Neutral/Chaotic, when these are really continuous variables and often issue dependent for a character. I might be very law-abiding about certain rules, e.g. practice swordsmanship every day, never attack an unarmed man, obey all orders, but then less so about being loyal to my spouse, honest in my business dealings, etc.

This is why I expect that Ideals, Bonds, and Flaws will end up having much more of an impact on the creation and playing of personas than alignment will (even if it is reintroduced to the game by a specific DM.) A moral compass gives hints about how you'd behave in generalities... but having specific ideals you follow, people or things you are emotionally connected and bonded to, and discrete character failings all are easier to understand in the micro of playing.

Your alignment might be Chaotic... but if you couple that with a Flaw of 'Rash'... that's much easier to understand and play. Your alignment might be Neutral... but if your Ideal is 'I treat everyone I know and meet like a negotiating partner regardless of who or what they are', that's much easier to understand and play. Those kinds of specific things are comprehensible and can easily point you in the direction you want in most situations.

 

[SkidAce]

...The days of white hats/black hats and other over simplified substitutes for a complex character persona are behind us.

Perhaps, depending on the complexity and style of the game.

 

[Ballbo Big'uns]

Yeeeah....no Chaos Sorcerers at my table.

 

[Ichneumon]

Yeeeah....no Chaos Sorcerers at my table.

I'm expecting at least two at mine.

 

[Ballbo Big'uns]

I'm expecting at least two at mine.

Best of luck with that. It means more work for you every time they cast a spell, which is the Sorcerer's primary function, and less spotlight time for the other PC's since the game inevitably becomes about the antics of the random table twins.

 

[Lanefan]

Best of luck with that. It means more work for you every time they cast a spell, which is the Sorcerer's primary function, and less spotlight time for the other PC's since the game inevitably becomes about the antics of the random table twins.

If I was playing in that game (and didn't have a wild mage myself, which I'd probably want as I love wild mages!) I'd be cool with it; I'd just sit back and laugh at the entertainment. Kinda like I do in the games we play now, where wild magic surges from breaking items and interrupted spells are a common occurrence...and not always pretty.

That, and if you're running a standard 4-character party and two of them are straight Sorcerers they're going to be a bit weak somewhere else, aren't they?

Lanefan

 

[Ichneumon]

Best of luck with that. It means more work for you every time they cast a spell, which is the Sorcerer's primary function, and less spotlight time for the other PC's since the game inevitably becomes about the antics of the random table twins.

Every time they cast a spell? Not necessarily. We haven't seen how surges are triggered, and I'm guessing it'll be voluntary, and have something to do with sorcery points.

Knowing my group as I do, chaos sorcerer thrills & spills will only add to the general hilarity. We're an easy-going bunch.

 

[Thaumaturge]

@Rookrock Yes - I think the editors had a panic attack when they heard I had posted an image from an older draft.

From Mearls' twitter account, so we can rest easy about typos and things.

And those who are opposed to particular lines have a small ray of hope left.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Ballbo Big'uns]

Every time they cast a spell? Not necessarily. We haven't seen how surges are triggered, and I'm guessing it'll be voluntary, and have something to do with sorcery points.

Knowing my group as I do, chaos sorcerer thrills & spills will only add to the general hilarity. We're an easy-going bunch.

You're right on the first point.

We know that sorcerers work by spending points to add metamagic effects to the spells they cast, per Mike Mearls' L&L article about sorcerers. It could very well be that rolling on the random table is how the chaos sorcerer gains these points.

Anyway, chaos sorcerers/wild mages tend to be a disruptive force in campaigns. This is fine for a pick up game, but not so much for an extended campaign where the players hope to accomplish something.

 

[pemerton]

chaos sorcerers/wild mages tend to be a disruptive force in campaigns. This is fine for a pick up game, but not so much for an extended campaign where the players hope to accomplish something.

My 4e campaign has had a chaos sorcerer from 3rd level. It is currently at 26th level. The PC in question is also a Demonskin Adept (paragon path), Primordial Adept (theme) and Emergent Primordial (epic destiny). The character is a driving force but not a disruptive one: some examples of exploits can be found here (channelling chaotic energy from the dead dragon Calastryx to enchant items and open portals) and here (a 1 on an attack roll resulted in Vecna being pushed dramatically over the edge of an earthmote).