D&D (2024) Sorcerers getting Chaos Bolt automatically

[Frozen_Heart]

If they went with this idea I would absolutely love it. This is something that the game doesn't currently have and would feel appropriate. It might take a bit of doing for the wild magic and shadow sorcerer concepts but to me the first could be easily tied to the fey wild while the second to the shadow planes.

Even if it wasn't sorcerer which went with this concept, I think it has enough in it to be its own class.

Ironically blood hunter is closest to the 'become the monster' idea from the playtest sorcerer, but that class is a mess of 3.5e and pathfinder 1e ideas thrown together into a bit of a disaster of a 5e class.

 

[MoonSong]

I mean I liked how it was handled in the original 5e playtest. Sorcerer's were will point based 2/3 casters. As they spent will points, they would transform and gain more and more traits of their bloodline.

They weren't 2/3 casters, they just still had the 3.x progression with delayed spell level access.

 

[OB1]

Don't want it.

No chaos for my natural born illusionist sorcerers please.

IMHO.

But that's the point. Your natural born illusionist sorcerer starts manifesting magic spontaneously via chaos bolt, then by level 3 has learned to control it so that their natural ability manifests in the proper way. Maybe Chaos Bolt becomes psychic damage for them in the form of an illusion striking the opponent.

As a side note, I'd love if all sorcerers get an ability at 1st level that makes them a focus for the purpose of replacing non consumed material components.

 

[OB1]

Thinking about how to rework the first 3 levels of Sorcerer. Here is my stab at it.

1st Level
Cantrips Known: 0
Spell Points: 1 + Cha Mod
Chaos Bolt: (S,M) 1d10 (add necrotic and radiant to the list) + Cha. If you expend 1-3 spell points when casting, add that number of d10s to the damage taken. If any d10s match, chose an additional creature in 30' to make a 2nd attack for each match
Living Focus: As a conduit of raw magical energy, you do not need material components when casting a spell unless those components are consumed in the casting.

2nd level
Cantrips Known: 0
Spell Points: 2 + Cha Mod
Spell Choice: Pick 1, 1st level spell from the Arcane spell list. You can cast this spell using 1 Spell Point.
Metamagic: As per 2014 but remove the points for slots mechanics.
Sorcery: Pick one of the following metamagics. This doesn't count against the metamagics you know, and can be used without expending spell points if no other metamagics are used on that spell. Choices: Subtle, Extend, Distant. You gain another sorcery from this list at 11th level.

3rd level
Cantrips Known: 2
Spell Points: 3 + Cha Mod
Subclass: Subclass features including having your chaos bolt always able to do that subclasses damage type
Spell Choice: Pick an additional 1st level spell and 1 2nd level spell from the arcane spell list. These can be cast using the spells level of spell points. You also gain spells from your subclass.

 

[SkidAce]

But that's the point. Your natural born illusionist sorcerer starts manifesting magic spontaneously via chaos bolt, then by level 3 has learned to control it so that their natural ability manifests in the proper way. Maybe Chaos Bolt becomes psychic damage for them in the form of an illusion striking the opponent.

As a side note, I'd love if all sorcerers get an ability at 1st level that makes them a focus for the purpose of replacing non consumed material components.

Nah, they started manifesting magic when they were describing something to somebody and all of a sudden that person could SEE what they were talking about with such emotion and energy. (minor illusion cantrip).

But I understand your point, just wouldn't prefer it to be standard for all beginning sorcerers.

 

[Remathilis]

This is just me, and I think from the looks of it I may be in the minority....but I wouldn't.

Like the fighter can represent a guardsman, or a swashbuckler, or brute.

Let the sorcerer vary by spell list and build.

It's not my personal preference. I like theme sorcerers. But right now I think they are trying to give the base sorcerer something more than "bookless wizard with metamagic" and they feel sorcerer leaning into magic that is more uncontrolled gives them a stronger identity. I can work depending on how the theme works. Their magic is raw, innate and sometimes spills out in ways they don't expect. I don't expect them all to be full on wild magic, but I suspect they may give them a little more chance/randomness to go with it. You get magic like clockwork (an attempt to instill order and predictability onto their magic), aberrant (madness/psionics), storm (unchecked power of nature), shadow (Darkness and fear), divine (raw power of the Gods), Moon (change), draconic (the apex of power in mortal form) and of course Wild magic (turning off all the safety).