D&D 5E Enough is Enough: WotC needs to add "domain spells" to *existing* sorcerer subclasses

[Sword of Spirit]

If you feel that strongly about it, then I encourage you to add sorcerer domain spells at your own table. This edition, above all others, comes with a strong recommendation to make the game your own.

My current personal solution saves me that detail level of effort, though it is a more extensive fix (I have about 3 points in the class that I needed to address: 5E - Sorcerer class improvement house rule), but if there were an official fix that were "good enough" I'd ditch my personal solution so I'm playing the same thing as everyone else playing the official rules.

One of my main unstated points (that some others have directly stated) is that they have kept periodically adding "domain spells" to UA sorcerer subclasses for years now. It's like they're testing the waters...for what? I think they're hoping people will say, "Yeah, we like giving free spells to just these new subclasses" - because then they can do what they likely realize they probably should have done from the start, but without going against the "no revision by errata" principle.

Maybe they think that the majority of those against giving this feature just to new subclasses are going to stop following UA articles, and the newer more casual players brought into D&D since then aren't going to care that these new subclasses do something different than the PHB. Maybe they're right, I can't say. I'd lean towards that not being likely though, since I'm guessing that many of those who provide feedback to UA, new or old, generally care about things like balance and not obsoleting the design of a core PHB option when possible.

The "enough is enough" sentiment is because, as @Li Shenron well put it, they keep "sneaking it into new UA articles". They should just stop that and revise the existing sorcerer subclasses to have bonus spells--probably through a class variant enhancement (pure upgrade) feature. It will likely be one the most popular variants out there.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

One of my main unstated points (that some others have directly stated) is that they have kept periodically adding "domain spells" to UA sorcerer subclasses for years now. It's like they're testing the waters...for what? I think they're hoping people will say, "Yeah, we like giving free spells to just these new subclasses" - because then they can do what they likely realize they probably should have done from the start, but without going against the "no revision by errata" principle.

That's not how I see it at all. From my perspective, the repeated additions of that feature are suggesting that all sorcerers would be balanced and fun if they had extra theme-based spells; but they don't want to address that in an official capacity, because you already have all the tools necessary to act on it.

UA test classes are exactly as official as any house rule you happen to make up. That is to say, they aren't at all, but any given DM is free to test them out and tweak as need-be. If they ever tried adding spells to the existing classes, then it would only serve to make the other UA content appear more official/legitimate than they want it to. My guess is that they learned this lesson from the whole Ranger debacle, and they're eager to avoid a repetition of that.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I agree with the enough is enough, because they have done this repeatedly with the UA sorcerers, but if I had to give a thought as to why they keep doing it, I have to wonder if this isn't to get these spells to the community that wants to add Domain spells to sorcerers?

WoTC has to know that there are a lot of people who want it, and who have homebrewed it, so they add in the domain list on the playtest, so those people see a direction from the sorcerer, but then take it away in the official content because of "balance"

A pointless exercise in some ways, but it would at least make some sense as to why they keep doing it.

I was just thinking this same, and intended to make a post. Specifically I have a player in an upcoming campaign that will likely play a wild magic sorcerer. We made a few modifications to give the player control over the abilities. I also was thinking of adding "domain" spells or something similar. So time for opinions, why would you limit it to 1 spell and not 2 like the UA? It is still far fewer known than a wizard, also any suggestions for spells, for each "domain", primarily interested in wild magic?

When I made bonus lists for all of them, I gave the Wild Sorcerer

Chaos Bolt, Silent Image
Enhance Ability, Mirror Image
Nondetection, Blink
Polymorph, Confusion
Seeming, Modify Memory

I think I was going with a theme of raw magic and pulling in pieces of other realities. Like, Silent Image is them pulling in a potential reality and making it just real enough to see. But, I don't remember the exact thought process that went into the list.




One other thing I found while overhauling the Sorcerer (I haven't had a chance to test the new class yet, and I know it is probably a little overpowered, but it has some real fun in it now) is that a few people have published a bunch of extra metamagics, and on top of making more metamagic options available (a total of 8 I think by level 17) I added them in.

For example, Chilled Spell: When casting a spell that does cold or necrotic damage, you may spend sorcery points. If the spell targets one or two creatures, spend 2 points, if it targets more than two creatures, spend 4 points. Targets that fail the save of the spell are restrained until the end of your next turn. If the spell did not have a save, then the targets must make a constitution saving throw, becoming restrained on a failed save.

I love these sort of things, because they finally do the thing everyone says Metamagic does. It allows a sorcerer to take a spell that have one use, and use it in a new way to get more out of it. Cone of Cold now isn't just a damage spell, it can restrain a large number of creatures as well.

Have one for Fire, Radiant and Lighting that blinds. Thunder and Bludgeoning that knocks prone. And Poison spells impart the poisoned condition for 1 minute (save at the end of every turn)

 

[cbwjm]

The problem that should have been spotted before 5E was published is that sorcerer's need "domain spells" to enhance their flavor, not because their spell list is small. In my campaign there's a shadow sorcerer who is effective...but she doesn't feel very "shadowy" because most of the shadow-themed spells are on the wizard's list. So, so aggravating.

Yeah, it is annoying. I would suggest doing something similar to what I do and allow a sorcerer to pick an spell that suits their bloodline. This is probably easier for some bloodlines than others (like, what should be a wild magic spell) but I think it helps immensely to keep a sorcerer on theme and it isn't like this doesn't exist to some extent with the divine soul being able to choose any spell from the cleric list.

 

[Weiley31]

The sorcerer Joseph and his technicolor orc.

What if Sorceror Joseph WAS the Technicolor Orc!

 

[tetrasodium]

sorcerers do not need more spells known, they need more spell slots.

Having sorcery points on short rest would give real difference between sorcerers and wizards.

more raw power vs more utility.

Eberron has you covered but the focus till rising was on the "default setting" and the default setting's near exclusive role in the "shared multiverse" until Rising came out & dragonsblood didn't make the cut. Admittedly some aspects of 5e complicate it for balance reasons. Here's some of the drugs from eberron described in the 3.5 sharn city of towers book. There were also bits about addition, withdrawal, & overdose but I'm not sure if in core or SCoT.

 

[Guest 6801328]

sorcerers do not need more spells known, they need more spell slots.

Having sorcery points on short rest would give real difference between sorcerers and wizards.

more raw power vs more utility.

I usually disagree with all the "sorcerers need to put wizards out of business" comments (even if they are phrased somewhat differently) but this suggestion is...intriguing. My hunch is that simply switching it to short rest might be a bit too much...might have to increase SP costs slightly to compensate.

 

[MoonSong]

The problem that should have been spotted before 5E was published is that sorcerer's need "domain spells" to enhance their flavor, not because their spell list is small. In my campaign there's a shadow sorcerer who is effective...but she doesn't feel very "shadowy" because most of the shadow-themed spells are on the wizard's list. So, so aggravating.

That's why Divine Soul is my go to subclass, the access to the Cleric list gives you more chances to create a theme.

 

[FrogReaver]

I think they do it so that the official version is always going to be different than then UA version.

 

[FlyingChihuahua]

I think they do it so that the official version is always going to be different than then UA version.

Ahh, so they can force people to by the book, tricky.