D&D 5E The curious case of the double-dragon sorcerer

[Roger]

Counterpoint: I think full damage type immunity all the time would be fine. There's a few monsters that get the screw pretty hard in this situation, but not too many to really make it problematic, in my opinion. Go ahead and take that lava bath, buddy -- you've earned it.



Cheers,
Roger

 

[ranger69]

I don't see a particular problem. The Dragonborn have the resistance as a racial feature and it is permanently on. Whereas the sorcerer can choose to spend a sorcery point for the resistance. This gives the sorcerer the freedom to spend the point elsewhere. If I chose to play a dragonborn sorcerer I would not have any disappointment.

 

[Derren]

I would point out that doing this means they save sorcery points.

I don't see a particular problem. The Dragonborn have the resistance as a racial feature and it is permanently on. Whereas the sorcerer can choose to spend a sorcery point for the resistance. This gives the sorcerer the freedom to spend the point elsewhere. If I chose to play a dragonborn sorcerer I would not have any disappointment.

That is no advantage. Every dragonborn, no matter if sorcerer or not, has a resistance that is permanently on.
Instead choosing the same color (or colors with the same element), even though it makes sense, is a disadvantage as now you have one less class feature while for example a dragonborn with different colors has one permanent resistance and one additional on demand resistance the "double dragon" lacks.

 

[Joe Liker]

Counterpoint: I think full damage type immunity all the time would be fine.

Well, even I wasn't going to take it that far!

I only intend for full immunity to kick in for an hour after spending the sorcery point when casting a spell of the appropriate type. The rest of the time, it's just resistance via the dragonborn trait.

 

[Nergal Pendragon]

That is no advantage. Every dragonborn, no matter if sorcerer or not, has a resistance that is permanently on.
Instead choosing the same color (or colors with the same element), even though it makes sense, is a disadvantage as now you have one less class feature while for example a dragonborn with different colors has one permanent resistance and one additional on demand resistance the "double dragon" lacks.

Except that energy resistance isn't a class feature of sorcerers. It's part of the Elemental Affinity class feature, and it's an optional part at that; the rest of the Elemental Affinity class feature still operates normally.

I wasn't going to point that out because it ultimately wasn't important, but since it seems to be such a big issue...

 

[Derren]

Except that energy resistance isn't a class feature of sorcerers. It's part of the Elemental Affinity class feature, and it's an optional part at that; the rest of the Elemental Affinity class feature still operates normally.

Doesn't matter, it is still a disadvantage.
A Dragonborn (red) Dragon Sorcerer (blue) is better of than a Dragonborn (red) Dragon Sorcerer (red) as he has one permanent and one temporary resistance while the latter only has the permanent resistance.

 

[Nergal Pendragon]

Doesn't matter, it is still a disadvantage.
A Dragonborn (red) Dragon Sorcerer (blue) is better of than a Dragonborn (red) Dragon Sorcerer (red) as he has one permanent and one temporary resistance while the latter only has the permanent resistance.

And the second example has more sorcery points to spend on other aspects of their class. For some players, that wouldn't be a disadvantage; that would be the entire point of taking the combination in the first place.

Note, however, that I did not challenge the OP on their decision because it is the OP's game and OP's players; I am certain that Joe Liker knows what his players want and how they act. So, no need to challenge a ruling that is right for Joe Liker but wrong for me. It would just be petty squabbling for no good reason.

 

[Derren]

And the second example has more sorcery points to spend on other aspects of their class. For some players, that wouldn't be a disadvantage; that would be the entire point of taking the combination in the first place.

No, he hasn't. He has exactly the same amount of sorcerer points than the mixed example without the option of spending a point to get a second resistance.

 

[Nergal Pendragon]

No, he hasn't. He has exactly the same amount of sorcerer points than the mixed example without the option of spending a point to get a second resistance.

Which just means that the points that would have been spent on energy resistance are spent elsewhere. Thus, how he has more points to spend elsewhere.

 

[Derren]

Which just means that the points that would have been spent on energy resistance are spent elsewhere. Thus, how he has more points to spend elsewhere.

No. A red/blue dragonborn dragon sorcerer would not spend any more sorcerer points than a red/red one. Both have fire resistance and no one would spend points to get it. But when they fight something with a lightning attack the red/blue sorcerer could spend a point to get resistance (advantage) while the red/red sorcerer would get fried.
The mixed sorcerer has more option while the double sorcerer lacks half of a class feature.