Venting on Sorcerer build

[ScuroNotte]

Most classes have type of origin that give them certain abilities/proficiencies. For example, a Bard is studious, entertains, and knows how to defend himself. Hence his armor and weapons. A Wizard is studious and seeks knowledge, hence no armor and limited weapons. A Fighter is trained warrior, hence is proficiency in all armor and weapons.What I don't understand is the Sorcerer. He is classified as a Wizard in no armor and limited weapons, but he is not a scholar. Was he a vagabond or a couch potato until he realized his magic and then decided to make something of himself. I think in the proficiency section, they could have allowed him armor and simple weapons. A Warlock has d8 while Sorcerer and Wizard have d6. Why? Again was the Sorcerer a slacker, to lazy to do anything with his life. The only physical activity was going to the bathroom?I do not understand WoTC's perception of the Sorcerer.Also, The 3rd casters get almost the same number of spells as a Sorcerer, who is primarily a caster (and more spells and cantrips than a Ranger who is a secondary caster. This is not logical.For the Sorcerer, I guess I would have liked a class modification to allow 20 to 25 spells known, light armor, and simple weapons.

 

[Ahrimon]

Perhaps refining the powers of a sorcerer takes years of meditation. They may not be studying books, but they're studying their own powers and learning how to control them. That wouldn't leave a lot of time for other things.

 

[Kikuras]

The basic sorcerer concept is that of a person, with no training, certainly not formal, who finds themselves able to channel magical energies that are derived naturally within the bloodline of the individual. What training is done to better control and understand the power results in what we would call "Sorcerer Level 1". Why would a sorcerer be trained in the use of light armor? Why would they know how to use weapons? Where a wizard has spent time studying to use magic, the sorcerer has spent time simply trying to control what's already there. Warlocks and bards, while somewhat similar, gain their magic through other means, but more importantly are not pure magic savants like the wizard and sorcerer, and thus it is reasonable that they are familiar with the use of certain arms and armor.

I do want to recognize that there are indeed some logical holes in my explanation, but there are going to be logical holes in explaining why any class has any limitations. It should be sufficient that we have to recognize that the way the game works requires that there be limitations, whether you like them or not.

 

[Jester David]

I'd have liked some more weapon proficiencies. Spears and such. But other than that I'm happy. There'so little in the sorcerer's implied background to suggeat martial skill or better health. Going up to a d8 hit dice wouldn't be out of the question. It's really only an extra 2 hp at 1st level and 1 every level after, but you can hand wave that away.

 

[Celtavian]

The Sorcerer is the most boring class in the PHB. Something missing with that class. It's the one class no one at my gaming table has mentioned in a positive or negative light because nothing stands out about the class.

 

[Herobizkit]

I currently have a halfling sorcerer character in my group who took Wild Mage because of all the crazy stuff that could happen... and then actively avoids any actions that would trigger Wild Surges. Having them not 'proc' when using cantrips is a mistake, imo.

Once more sorcerer bloodlines comes out, their true power will be seen.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

Having them not 'proc' when using cantrips is a mistake, imo.

I agree but that's probably to limit how often that advantage class feature gets used.

I'd jump at a house rule to use the wild surge table on cantrips with the caveat that they couldn't reset that advantage feature because the wild surge table is delightful.

 

[I'm A Banana]

My gnome wild sorcerer never needed that gear. Why learn to use more than a knife when you can conjure up bolts of fire and blasts of electricity and extra hands at will?

I mean, the X-men had a school where they learned to use their powers and understand what they were. Magic comes from the blood, but my gnome wild sorcerer certainly spend years learning how to tame the roiling chaos within himself long enough not to turn into a potted plant when he wiggles his fingers.

That ain't slackin'.

And having just rolled a 2 on my wild surge table..."boring" is not a word I would use, either. But my DM isn't stingy with the surges. I don't surge every time, but often enough.

I've gotta say that the surges are pretty well-designed, too. There's a few "negative" effects, but most of 'em are cosmetic, a good chunk are positive, and even the negative ones might be fine in the right situation.

 

[Minigiant]

I always saw Sorcerers like Marvel Comics Mutants. Especially X-Men.

Sorcerers train their powers but it ain't book learning.

It's Archmage Charles Xavier telling you to calm down and focus over and over and over and over and over and over again.

Then giant purple iron golems.

 

[MoonSong]

My gnome wild sorcerer never needed that gear. Why learn to use more than a knife when you can conjure up bolts of fire and blasts of electricity and extra hands at will?

I mean, the X-men had a school where they learned to use their powers and understand what they were. Magic comes from the blood, but my gnome wild sorcerer certainly spend years learning how to tame the roiling chaos within himself long enough not to turn into a potted plant when he wiggles his fingers.

That ain't slackin'.

And having just rolled a 2 on my wild surge table..."boring" is not a word I would use, either. But my DM isn't stingy with the surges. I don't surge every time, but often enough.

I've gotta say that the surges are pretty well-designed, too. There's a few "negative" effects, but most of 'em are cosmetic, a good chunk are positive, and even the negative ones might be fine in the right situation.

All but one of my sorcerers have had the opposite approach, why waste your magic for destructive purposes, which you can replicate just fine with weapons, when you could use it for truly fun and wonderous stuff? Changing size, enduring the elements, moving faster, creating illusions, summoning talking birds and shadowy ponies, there's just so much weird and fun stuff to do with magic to just limit yourself to one thousand ways to fry a kobold. I've always taken the chance to make a sorcerer's spell list an extension of her personality, always taking advantage of the basic proficiencies to carry the slack in combat -and those basic proficiencies reinforced the peasant nature of the sorcerer versus the privileged detached nature of wizards. To me those profs were part of the sorcerer identity, and without them the class feels incomplete as if it lost something important.