Balancing a 'Random' sorcerer

[Coredump]

I have been thinking of playing a sorcerer. (or maybe a sorcerer/psion...)

I thought it would be neat to play that the powers are inherrent, and that the character has no control over which spells he can inherrently cast. IOW, every level, they are randomly determined.

Now, in general this would make for a very weak character. So, I was wondering what might work to balance this out.

For openers, I was thinking of doubling the number of known spells, and allowing one bonus casting per spell level. (As from high abilities)

Would this compensate for having no control over the spell selections? Over compensate?


Also was playing with some ideas for influencing the 'random' choice. For instance, giving 5 (or 10) spells that have 'double' the chance. IOW, lets say there are 25 spells at level 5. You get to pick 5 spells to 'double', and roll a D30. 20 of the spells would have a 1:30 chance, and 5 of the spells would have a 2:30 chance.

Thoughts?

 

[Khaalis]

Personally I am not a fan of the randomized spells. However in some 'flavor' views it makes sense. However, I personally think sorcerer's spells should come from a more centralized 'theme' of spells. For example, if you are going part Psion - what discipline? If he is for example a telepath, I would gear the sorcerer spells toward divination. If he is a Kineticist, then gear the spells to energy spells.

As for doubling the known spells, I would say that goes too far. At most I would give them one extra spell known per spell level (maybe make that the guarenteed theme spell). No matter what you do, if you randomize the spells you are likely to come up with a gimped character, and I dont think that adding other benefits in lieu of that is going to balance it.

JMHO - YMMV

 

[Li Shenron]

It is very hard to balance such a thing!

If you roll the known spells randomly, you can get very different result. Specifically the biggest risk IMO is to roll spells which have a high cost (gp or xp) which therefore a spellcaster is supposed to cast only occasionally: fine if you roll only a couple of them, but if half your spells have a cost, your Sorcerer is going to be very hard to play.

OTOH, you can roll a very effective character, because every spell is useful, and randomizing will probably give you however at least a few offensive and a few defensive spells, which will grant you the ability to participate to every combat.

The idea is however very nice IMO, so go for it! But I suggest you to roll randomly only SOME of the known spells, while keeping others by choice. As an example, you could give +1 spell known per spell level which will be chosen by the character, while the base spells he learns by the Sorcerer table would be chosen randomly. If you want to add a theme, let a Sorcerer have one single school or type or subtype and either (1) triple the chance of rolling such spells or (2) grant that the first spell learned of each spell level will be rolled only among those having that school/type.

 

[Moorcrys]

I think it's an interesting idea, certainly worth a go to see if it works out.

I would probably do two things...

The first would be to use the battle-sorcerer Unearthed Arcana alternate class but drop the reduction in spells known/spells per day since you're using a randomized spell-list. I might also add two skill points per level and/or add Use Magic Device as a class skill since picking up random magical items and using them on the fly seems to be something a randomized spell-sorcerer would be able to do.

I would then go through the sorcerer/wizard spell list and remove the spells that just wouldn't make any sense to possess due to prohibitive XP or Material Component costs. It will be odd and potentially difficult enough without burdening yourself further. You may want to substitute the Alternate Sorcerer Spell List in Monte's Complete Book of Eldritch Might -- I think that pretty much does that work for you.

But hey sounds like a fun idea to at least try out.

Moorcrys

 

[Cheerful Coffin]

Okay dude how about this.. (It's a lame rip-off of Deadlands d6 but deal. )

Take an average poker deck, 54 cards. (Including the jokers/wilds.)

Among the fifty four cards there's thirteen of each suit, your dungeon master chooses one spell of his or her choosing from any source (Player's handbook, differant class list, non-core books, whatever the fancy..) and represents them through a card. (Universal spells cannot be learned this way.)

Shuffle the deck and draw a number of cards equal to your charisma modifier. (For instance a level 1 sorcerer that just gained a level and has an 18cha draws four cards.) You obtain the spells those cards have, HOWEVER..

If you drew a black joker your four spells of the level you are able to cast are negated and instead you choose three spells you "learn" of one level lower. (For instance your level 2 sorcerer now chooses three new level zero spells if you happen to draw a black wild. I say three cause the black wild is a card and doesn't count.)

A red wild card forces you to shuffle one of the other cards you drew back into the deck forcing you to only learn two new level 1 spells for example had you been lvl2.

Sense of this, black jokers are the only way to obtain universal spells, (At higher levels you'll grumble at this limitation when Wish becomes exceedingly difficult to obtain.) Now I know this sounds cool despite your dungeon master having the potential to screw you over with choosing the spells, but the schools of magic the suits represents are intact, your DM simply chooses spells for each card.

Diamonds=Abjuration/Conjuration.
Clubs=Divination/Transmutation.
Spades=Evocation/Necromancy.
Hearts=Illussion/Enchantment.

I don't like multiclassing/prestigious classes and feel the sorcerer should "go back to his roots" so as a penalty for multiclassing a sorcerer starts to question his or her intuition and mind becomes clouded with falsehoods which make you give-up a suit of your choice (Diamond/Club/Spade/Heart.) whenever you gain another sorcerer level.

Take note this is just an idea, I have no idea how balanced this would be. A wizard may still know more spells and have more control, but in reality the DM decides those spells too cause thier in those copied spellbooks and stuffs, atleast as a sorcerer you have some way of manifesting what you want and can think outside the arcane box..

 

[Cheerful Coffin]

Infact if anyone is thinking about running a game link me to it and I'll join to incoperate this randomized spell-list idea. I have nothing better to do then look through resources and pick spell-cards anyway to shuffle and draw.

Though It does sound mighty fun, and the sorcerer should be a simple-fun class. Not the heart of a stradegist, that be for lawful types.

 

[Jondor_Battlehammer]

Give your self a 50% chance to learn a spell from one or two specific sources, such as Conjuration or Abjuration. If the roll is not from those sources, roll randomly from the entire list. This will give you some measure of stability, as a Sorcerer gains his powers from innate ability. It would make sense that those abilities would atleast be related. There would be a good chance of very random results, however. You could also put in a small chance of learning a spell that is one level higher or lower, just t oreally shake things up.

Other themes could be...

Elemental, if you roll Cone of Cold, it does fire damage.

Altering reality, Mend, Summon, Shatter, Time Stop.

Illusions and Curses, thou the curses would all cause the victem to sense things that are not real, or ignore that which is.

Charm spells and ability enhancements of all sorts, from Bulls Strength to Tenser's Transformation. Everyone loves the guy who excels at all things.