D&D 5E If you had to choose between Sorcerer bonus spells or expanded

[ScuroNotte]

Reply to OP.
Bonus spells based on the sorcerous origin would be my preference.

The deviation from the threads original post was/is due to my inability to maintain control and for that I apologize.

I must admit I am surprised that the majority who have responded favor origin spells versus a flat increase in number of spells known. In my opinion, by selecting origin spells a player may still be in the same conundrum of not being able to select spells that are needed to create a character they envisioned. I would have thought increasing the number and offering other spells as an option based on origin as in the warlock would have been preferred choice.

 

[ScuroNotte]

I favor abilities that add depth to the sorcerer's abilities, rather than breadth. Part of the fun of the sorcerer is tailoring your limited spell list to your circumstances. My sorcerer just leveled to 15 last session (I've been playing this character from level 4), which means I'll gain my 14th spell known. Deciding what spell to choose and, just as importantly, whether to forget a spell to make a second choice, is the most fun part of the character from a game mechanics perspective.

I find it frustrating to be so limited in spell selection. And multiclassing to gain more spells is something I was not interested in pursuing. I am glad though that you find it enjoyable.
I was fortunate to have a GM and fellow players to help modify and make it enjoyable to play. As long as something doesn't break the game and ruin it for other players and the GM, allowing modifications is not wrong. Everyone has different opinions and, again, it is a game and the most important part of the game is to be with friends and have a great time.

I agree that Sorcerer needs more flavor. The class flavor is metamagic with many selecting those that improve damage output. By increasing the amount of metamagic known by 2 can make a huge difference in flavor as well as adding some metamagic that offer more in subterfuge such as Subtle metamagic would be welcoming. While the other components of flavor depends on your origin and spells selected. That was my reasoning to increase spells known, to be able to expand my character.

 

[Xeviat]

I must admit I am surprised that the majority who have responded favor origin spells versus a flat increase in number of spells known. In my opinion, by selecting origin spells a player may still be in the same conundrum of not being able to select spells that are needed to create a character they envisioned. I would have thought increasing the number and offering other spells as an option based on origin as in the warlock would have been preferred choice.

Origin spells kill two birds with one stone, as long as there is an origin for you (and making new ones or adjusting old ones isn't hard). You get your thematic spells that you feel you should have from your origin, and you get free spells to pick things that you feel you need for gameplay.

I give Warlocks their pact spells for free too, for the same reason.


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[ScuroNotte]

Origin spells kill two birds with one stone, as long as there is an origin for you (and making new ones or adjusting old ones isn't hard). You get your thematic spells that you feel you should have from your origin, and you get free spells to pick things that you feel you need for gameplay.

I give Warlocks their pact spells for free too, for the same reason.


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If you give Warlocks their pact spells for free, then you are giving them 29 spells known in addition to any invocation-like spells known. 15 spells + 10 pact spells + 4 spells mystic arcanum + up to 8 invocations that are spells.
Isn't that a lot of spells to have known?

 

[Inchoroi]

I favor adding extra spells known based on the sorcerer bloodline. Similar to domain spells for clerics.

I, too, would prefer this. For wild mage, I'd probably have a table that you'd roll on when you level up.

 

[Kalshane]

Put me in "Bonus Spells Known by Archetype/Origin" camp. It looked like the official classes were going in that direction, too, based on the UAs, but then they rolled it back.

 

[Xeviat]

If you give Warlocks their pact spells for free, then you are giving them 29 spells known in addition to any invocation-like spells known. 15 spells + 10 pact spells + 4 spells mystic arcanum + up to 8 invocations that are spells.
Isn't that a lot of spells to have known?

I wasn't really looking at their invocations. I suppose I'll shave things down a little.

 

[ScuroNotte]

I wasn't really looking at their invocations. I suppose I'll shave things down a little.

I apologize that I came across as aggressive. I was just surprised

 

[Xeviat]

I apologize that I came across as aggressive. I was just surprised

Nah; I try to not read into tone online. I just know that the last Warlock I helped a friend build felt like it didn't have enough spells known to pick up their pact spells and round things out. But it does seem like she has way more spells known than spell slots in a given day, so I could adjust the direction there.

 

[TwoSix]

I agree that Sorcerer needs more flavor. The class flavor is metamagic with many selecting those that improve damage output. By increasing the amount of metamagic known by 2 can make a huge difference in flavor as well as adding some metamagic that offer more in subterfuge such as Subtle metamagic would be welcoming. While the other components of flavor depends on your origin and spells selected. That was my reasoning to increase spells known, to be able to expand my character.

I would agree with you that if you like the sorcerer flavor and thematics, but also enjoy having a wide breadth of spell options, that the current PHB (plus extra WotC material) does not provide the play experience you're looking for.

I do feel, though, that having a class with a restricted set of spells known and available is a viable mechanical niche for the game to fill. Based on the previous history of the game, and the classes the designers chose to use, Sorcerer probably made the most sense of those classes as the choice to fill that niche.