Like many I have just never felt the sorcerer really "got there" as a class, and so here are my tweaks. I am trying to keep the changes as simple as possible, but just because they are simple doesn't mean they aren't powerful changes.
Unless I specifically note something, assume this class is the same as the core sorcerer.
Change Log: Changed Reshape Magic from an ability check to a sorcery point cost. Sorcery Cost is the usual way the sorc "flexs" their magical power, and the random roll seemed a bit too random for such a change.
Spells Known: Sorcerer's have a set number of spells known, as shown in the spellcasting table. Sorcerer's do not have a spell list, instead they choose the Cleric, Druid, or Wizard spell list. Once chosen, this list cannot be changed. All spells on this list that do not have an expensive material component are considered sorcerer spells.
Eschew Materials: A sorcerer's body is a reservoir of magical power. A sorcerer does not require material components for any sorcerer spells they cast.
Reshape Magic: Starting at 3rd level, you have learned to commune with the magical forces within you, and to reshape them into new ways. After completing a long rest, you may choose one of your known sorcerer spells, and spend 2 sorcery points for per level of the spell chosen. You replace that spell with any sorcerer spell of the same level. The DM may decrease the point cost if the new spell is thematically aligned to your other spells, or increase it if the spell is a particularly strange or exotic spell to you.
Archon: Starting at 9th level your body and soul begin to merge into a single magical whole. When using your flexible casting ability, you may treat a sorcerer hit dice as a 1st level spell.
Metamagic Savant: At 10th level, the sorcerer gains greater efficiency over their metamagic. Choose one metamagic that you know, and reduce its sorcery point cost by 1 (minimum 0). You may use your Reshape Magic ability to choose a different metamagic to gain this benefit (DC 15).
You gain this ability again at 15th and 20th level, but cannot select the same metamagic ability more than once.
Greater Archon: At 20th level, the blood of your body and the soul of your magic are completely united. You may treat a sorcerer hit dice as a 1st or 2nd level spell when using your flexible casting ability. As a bonus action you can turn into magical energy and become incorporeal. You can move through other objects and creatures as if they were difficult terrain, and take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn inside an object. You gain resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. You may return to normal using a bonus action.
Designer's Note: So the major major change here is that we blow open the Sorcerer's flexibility by allowing them to choose their spells from any main caster's life. This fits very strongly with the sorcerer theme of innate magic, their magic can come from any source, divine, arcane, nature....it is up to the player and DM to decide. This immediately gives the sorcerer a lot more build options and thematic oomph.
Next.....we remove the sorcerer's reliance on external material components, which makes 0 thematic sense. If the sorcerer is magic, why do they need external conduits?
Reshape Magic: Continuing the theme of flexibility, we are giving the sorcerer a way to evolve their spells over time. Sorcs still have the stifling spells known restriction from the 3e days....but we have lost a lot of the oomph of spontaneous casting to other classes. So are goal here is loosen some of the spells known restriction. Effectively, we are going the middle ground between clerics ability to prepare any spell from their list each day, and the wizard ability to prepare any spells from a smaller list of known spells. So the sorcerer is now more flexible like the cleric, but only 1 spell change at a time and with a decent sorcery point cost.
The archon ability highlights the theme that the sorcerer's magic is an innate part of them, as much as the blood in their system. With this, now the sorcerer can play around with their hit dice in the flexible casting system....either burning hit dice to fuel spells....or converting spells into hit dice to allow healing.
At 10th level, we want to give the sorc some oomph to represent the boost that many classes are getting around this level. We allow them to start using a metamagic at reduced cost, even allowing the cheap ones to become free if they wish.
Lastly, we feel that all class capstones should be very powerful and unique, really selling the notion that this is the "ultimate expression" of the class, something that the current capstone really does not. Now the sorc's ability to manipulate hit dice and sorcery points is increased even more. Further, the sorc can now transform into energy (highlighting the ultimate merger of their blood and magic), which gives them greater mobility and defensive power.
All in all this sorc is much more flexible than the current version, and allows for many more build options. We then add in some extra power at the higher levels to let it keep up with the various things other classes get at Tier 3 and 4.
Unless I specifically note something, assume this class is the same as the core sorcerer.
Change Log: Changed Reshape Magic from an ability check to a sorcery point cost. Sorcery Cost is the usual way the sorc "flexs" their magical power, and the random roll seemed a bit too random for such a change.
Spells Known: Sorcerer's have a set number of spells known, as shown in the spellcasting table. Sorcerer's do not have a spell list, instead they choose the Cleric, Druid, or Wizard spell list. Once chosen, this list cannot be changed. All spells on this list that do not have an expensive material component are considered sorcerer spells.
Eschew Materials: A sorcerer's body is a reservoir of magical power. A sorcerer does not require material components for any sorcerer spells they cast.
Reshape Magic: Starting at 3rd level, you have learned to commune with the magical forces within you, and to reshape them into new ways. After completing a long rest, you may choose one of your known sorcerer spells, and spend 2 sorcery points for per level of the spell chosen. You replace that spell with any sorcerer spell of the same level. The DM may decrease the point cost if the new spell is thematically aligned to your other spells, or increase it if the spell is a particularly strange or exotic spell to you.
Archon: Starting at 9th level your body and soul begin to merge into a single magical whole. When using your flexible casting ability, you may treat a sorcerer hit dice as a 1st level spell.
Metamagic Savant: At 10th level, the sorcerer gains greater efficiency over their metamagic. Choose one metamagic that you know, and reduce its sorcery point cost by 1 (minimum 0). You may use your Reshape Magic ability to choose a different metamagic to gain this benefit (DC 15).
You gain this ability again at 15th and 20th level, but cannot select the same metamagic ability more than once.
Greater Archon: At 20th level, the blood of your body and the soul of your magic are completely united. You may treat a sorcerer hit dice as a 1st or 2nd level spell when using your flexible casting ability. As a bonus action you can turn into magical energy and become incorporeal. You can move through other objects and creatures as if they were difficult terrain, and take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn inside an object. You gain resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. You may return to normal using a bonus action.
Designer's Note: So the major major change here is that we blow open the Sorcerer's flexibility by allowing them to choose their spells from any main caster's life. This fits very strongly with the sorcerer theme of innate magic, their magic can come from any source, divine, arcane, nature....it is up to the player and DM to decide. This immediately gives the sorcerer a lot more build options and thematic oomph.
Next.....we remove the sorcerer's reliance on external material components, which makes 0 thematic sense. If the sorcerer is magic, why do they need external conduits?
Reshape Magic: Continuing the theme of flexibility, we are giving the sorcerer a way to evolve their spells over time. Sorcs still have the stifling spells known restriction from the 3e days....but we have lost a lot of the oomph of spontaneous casting to other classes. So are goal here is loosen some of the spells known restriction. Effectively, we are going the middle ground between clerics ability to prepare any spell from their list each day, and the wizard ability to prepare any spells from a smaller list of known spells. So the sorcerer is now more flexible like the cleric, but only 1 spell change at a time and with a decent sorcery point cost.
The archon ability highlights the theme that the sorcerer's magic is an innate part of them, as much as the blood in their system. With this, now the sorcerer can play around with their hit dice in the flexible casting system....either burning hit dice to fuel spells....or converting spells into hit dice to allow healing.
At 10th level, we want to give the sorc some oomph to represent the boost that many classes are getting around this level. We allow them to start using a metamagic at reduced cost, even allowing the cheap ones to become free if they wish.
Lastly, we feel that all class capstones should be very powerful and unique, really selling the notion that this is the "ultimate expression" of the class, something that the current capstone really does not. Now the sorc's ability to manipulate hit dice and sorcery points is increased even more. Further, the sorc can now transform into energy (highlighting the ultimate merger of their blood and magic), which gives them greater mobility and defensive power.
All in all this sorc is much more flexible than the current version, and allows for many more build options. We then add in some extra power at the higher levels to let it keep up with the various things other classes get at Tier 3 and 4.
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