D&D 5E D&D Next Q&A: 02/28/2014

[Giltonio_Santos]

Some sorcerer-only spell ideas:

- A spell that infuses the caster with temporary sorcery points.
- A spell with an effect based on your bloodline.

Some spells that work better thematically with a sorcerer than with a wizard:

- Spells that enhance your ability to enter melee (much like the already mentioned Tenser's Transformation)
- "Modal spells" that let you choose their effect on the fly. I don't know if there's a lot of that in D&D's history, but MtG has all kind of fun effects using that.

Just some thoughts.
Cheers!

 

[1of3]

For Sorcerer spells, I can imagine spells that break stuff down and let chaos ensue. A Wizard on the other hand might have more "constructive" magic. So a Wizard might summon Black Tentacles, where a Sorcerer turns the ground into mud.

I think you can create a distinctive spell list, even if there is major overlap with another class. It has been done with Wizards and Psions in 3.5. Psions don't have many Illusions, but they are much better with anything relating to communication and time.

 

[I'm A Banana]

It's interesting to think about how you'd differentiate the spell list.

If I were to do it, I'd first think of what would be clearly exclusively wizard. Spells dealing with writing or rituals or spells with a long casting time (and a long duration). And iconic spells that fit comfortably into the Eight Schools (so Invisibility/Illusion/Shadow Creatures (Illusion); Charm/Sleep/Dominate (Enchantment); Fireball/Lightning Bolt/Cone of Cold (Evocation); Cold Touch/Create Undead/Enervation (Necromancy); Mage Armor/Protection from X/Circle against X (Abjuration); Summon Monster/Teleport/Plane Shift (Conjuration); Detect X/Identify/Scry (Divination); Water Breathing/Fly/Polymorph (Transmutation))

I'd give the Sorcerer some of those spells, too. the Evocations, Transmutations, and Echantments Enchantments are especially ripe for plucking. I'd maybe worry about "spell chains" that kind of represent upgraded versions of earlier spells (Hold -> Charm -> Dominate), slap those in there because they represent the "evolution" quality.

I'm fond of bloodline spells, and if we crib some notes from 4e, we've got a few possible bloodlines. Maybe I'd just straight-up yoink some of those powers. Hmm...

 

[Shadowsoul]

It's interesting to think about how you'd differentiate the spell list.

If I were to do it, I'd first think of what would be clearly exclusively wizard. Spells dealing with writing or rituals or spells with a long casting time (and a long duration). And iconic spells that fit comfortably into the Eight Schools (so Invisibility/Illusion/Shadow Creatures (Illusion); Charm/Sleep/Dominate (Enchantment); Fireball/Lightning Bolt/Cone of Cold (Evocation); Cold Touch/Create Undead/Enervation (Necromancy); Mage Armor/Protection from X/Circle against X (Abjuration); Summon Monster/Teleport/Plane Shift (Conjuration); Detect X/Identify/Scry (Divination); Water Breathing/Fly/Polymorph (Transmutation))

I'd give the Sorcerer some of those spells, too. the Evocations, Transmutations, and Echantments Enchantments are especially ripe for plucking. I'd maybe worry about "spell chains" that kind of represent upgraded versions of earlier spells (Hold -> Charm -> Dominate), slap those in there because they represent the "evolution" quality.

I'm fond of bloodline spells, and if we crib some notes from 4e, we've got a few possible bloodlines. Maybe I'd just straight-up yoink some of those powers. Hmm...

I would say Pathfinder is a good place to get some bloodline ideas from.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I would love to see small varrent spells,

in 3.5 there was dispel and greater dispel, but warlocks had something like eat magic and hungry dispelling instead...