Alt Sorceror Plans

[Urbannen]

I think the main problem is that the sorcerer is poorly defined class, which has been mentioned before. The sorcerer's class description says that they begin to spontaneously cast 0-level spells at puberty and then later learn to develop their "powers." However, the PHB also says that it is impossible to distinguish between a wizard and a sorcerer when they cast spells. These two things are incompatible. When a wizard casts spells, he uses specific words, gestures, and material components. He learns these things through study. The PHB implies that the knowledge of these words, gestures, and material components comes to the sorcerer by intuition. IMO, that's crazy. If a spell's verbal component is "Sambo Bizzle Foobar Hiakim", and you need to sprinkle crushed pearl over your toes, every sorcerer is not going to come up with that by intution. Yet, all sorcerers cast spells just like wizards. There has to be a decision: either sorcerers develop spell-like abilities, or they learn how to cast spells like wizards, except that they internalize the knowledge of the spell.

If sorcerers develop spell-like abilities, which is consistent with how they are described in flavor text, then something like Monte Cook's variant sorcerer would be very appropriate. If sorcerers develop spell-like abilities, then they should only need somatic components to cast spells - think Princess Ariel from the "Thundarr the Barbarian" cartoon. She was a "Sorceress" and could not use her magic when her hands were bound. Where would they learn the verbal components, anyway? Additionally, Sorcerers would not be able to use or make scrolls. You can't pull the words of a foreign language, in this case, magic, out of thin air. Their class skills would have to be revamped to reflect the fact that they do not have magical "training."

If a sorcerer learns to cast spells indistinguishably from a wizard, then they should actually have to learn their spells from someone or through study. The difference is that their special talents allow them to internalize the spells. They would thus be able to scribe and use scrolls. They would not spontaneously gain knowledge of a the new spells of their choice whenever they gained a level. From the standpoint of current rules mechanics, this philosophy is the most consistent.

 

[aliensex]

I don't think its that terribly insane that wizards and sorcerers cast spells the same. It is fantasy, and this is magic. A sorcerer could develop his spells out of dreams, just a deep, unknown understanding of the magical properties of substances and runes, words. A sorcerer has "dragon blood" (just some genetic enhancement/magic affinity), and will see these things naturally. A wizard, born without this ability, has to go to school. He has to learn the magic properties of objects and words. I don't think its unreasonable at all.

The only thing I see that unbalances the Sorcerer as a stand alone class is the number of spells known. He just doesn't know quite enough spells at each level to be generally effective. The Sorcerer is forced to multi-class, and specialize his spells to assist with that class (fighter/sorcerer, rogue/sorcerer).

I think, that if they increased his hitpoints to a d6 per level, gave him 2 extra spells known per level, and adjust his class skills somewhat, that would balance him out better. It would also make up for his lack of bonus feats like the wizard gets.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Rather than erasing verbal or somantic components, let them there but let them not be the same, but rather more intuitive ones: While the wizard must trace an acrane pattern into the air, chanting the incantations handed down from agannazer himself to produce magical fire, the sorcerer points a hand with crooked fingers at the enemy, growling "burrrrrrrrn". I'd still do away with material components, though, since sorcerers are their own material components (with the blood of a magical being flowing in their vains). This would also incorporate a -2 (or even -4?) penalty to spellcraft checks made to determine what a sorcerer is just casting there.