house rules for sorcerers

[trentonjoe]

Amazingly, after 3 years I wil be DMing my 1st full blown sorcerer. I was wondering if people had house rules for this class. I don't think I want major revisions (not a whole new class) but I would like peoples opinions and ideas on the matter. Thanks in advance.

 

[Khaalis]

Short of Re-writing the class, I allow the following to make the class match the following in the class description.

• “Since Sorcerers gain their powers without undergoing the years of rigorous study that Wizards go through, they have more time to learn to fighting skills.”
• “Since Sorcerers often have a powerful presence that gives them a way with people, they frequently serve as the “face” for an adventuring party, negotiating, bargaining, and speaking for others. The Sorcerer’s spells often help him sway others or gain information, so he makes an excellent spy or diplomat for an adventuring party.”

HD: d6
SP's: 4+INT
Skills: Alchemy, Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge (Any), Listen, Perform, Profession, Scry, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, and Wilderness Lore.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Sorcerers are proficient with all simple weapons. Sorcerers are proficient in light armors, but are not proficient in shields. Note that as an arcane caster, sorcerer’s still suffer Arcane Spell Failure when wearing armor.

Also to make them a bit more functional I allow INT modifier in bonus spells known per spell level. This balances in that it is yet another high Stat the PC needs if they want to utilize this (along with STR, DEX, CON, and CHA).


On a side note - I re-wrote 2 different styles of Sorcerers as ALT classes in my world, but they are heavier power than the Standard Sorcerer, which in my opinion is a gimp class unless you are specifically making an Evoker machine.

 

[gpetruc]

I was considering to give them Knowledge:The Planes as a class skill (I am preparing a plane-based campaign).
I read about somebody thinking you should add some cha-based skills to the Sorceror but I'm quite reluctant on this; perhaps only Intimidate (but is a skill that has lots of ruling/balance problems, so maybe not)

Other ideas where the rule that if they make a pact with some powerful entity (outsider, old dragon, poweful undead; maybe even some "magical place" where they have to go in pilgrimage) they can get more spells known (maybe chosen by the DM or at least restricted to spells suitable to the entity). The entity usually gives a quest to the sorceror for every new spell known (a max of one more spell of each level)
(maybe they might also get some other spells if they're involved in some sort of magical cataclysm such as "above mortal level" rituals that go wrong (the spells are chosen by the DM or randomly))

A last idea is that they don't use the trivial material components/focus (except when a gp cost is stated)
Maybe they also should be able to convert the gp cost to XP cost with some factor such as 1/5 (perhaps with a feat) (except that some focuses should still be necessary such as the mirror for scry)

 

[Tetsubo]

Sorcerers

Sorcerers have a D6 for hit dice rather than a D4.

Sorcerers do not normally require spell components. In their place the Sorcerer has in their possession a magical spell focus known as a Fetish. The Fetish may be any small physical object. Most often it is an item that the Sorcerer associates with the first manifestation of their power. Once acquired the Sorcerer suffers a temporary CN lose of 1 point. This reflects the life force that the Sorcerer is investing into the Fetish. Each time the Sorcerer gains a new spell level they suffer another such lose. This spell component substitution is similar to the Eschew Material Component Feat. The Sorcerer needs no components for a spell requiring components that cost less than 1 sp (note I am running a silver-based campaign). If the spell requires components that cost more than 1 sp they have two options. One is to acquire the needed component(s). The second is to expend 1 xp for each sp value of the component(s). A Sorcerer can not spend enough xp to lower themselves below their current class level. This has no effect on the level of the spell.
There are consequences if the Sorcerer looses their Fetish however. All spells cast without a Fetish are considered one spell level higher (i.e. 0-level spells are now considered 1st level). All spells cast without a Fetish cause the Sorcerer to take 1 hp of damage for each spell level of the dwoemer. Without the Fetish the Sorcerer literally begins to consume their own body to channel their magic. If the Fetish is recovered within 1 day per Sorcerer level (plus the CH bonus if any) all ill effects vanish. Though hit points must be recovered normally. If the Fetish can not be recovered or the time limit elapses a new Fetish can be fashioned. Again the Fetish can be any small physical object. Once chosen the Sorcerer invests one temporary CN point into it for each spell level the caster has based on character level. The Sorcerer may choose to invest a limited number of CN points at a time. The new Fetish will allow the Sorcerer to cast spells normally up to the level equal to the amount of CN invested. Example: an 18th level Sorcerer looses his Fetish. He could chose to invest 5 points of CN and be able to cast up to 4th level spells. The additional CN could be invested at a later date to allow the full range of all nine-spell levels. Temporarily lost CN points are recovered at the rate of one per day.
Obviously Sorcerers protect their Fetish at all costs. They are often disguised as jewelry or a mundane item. To function a Fetish must be in physical contact with the Sorcerers naked skin. The Fetish does not count against the magic item "slots" available to the character.
Knowledge (Arcana) is no longer a Class Skill for Sorcerers. Sorcerers do not over think their spellcasting, it is purely intuitive. The Sorcerer may choose another IN based skill to replace Knowledge (Arcana). They may of course learn Knowledge (Arcana) as a non-class skill if they choose.
Sorcerers may "upgrade" to a more powerful version of a spell as they gain levels. For example: If the Sorcerer had Monster Summoning II and wanted to acquire Monster Summoning III, by doing so they would "absorb" the lower level version freeing up that spell slot for another spell choice. They would no longer have access to the lower spell that had been "absorbed". They can of course ignore this option if they choose.

Optional Rule: Many Sorcerers possess a physical manifestation of their magical abilities. This manifestation appears as some form of minor physical oddity. It could be an oddly colored hair, eyes, skin or enlarged canines, extra digits, bony ridges or a reflection that isn't backwards. This is an entirely option feature of playing a Sorcerer.

 

[trentonjoe]

wow! That was fast. Keep them coming!

 

[Gez]

IMC, Eschew Material is a general feat (not a metamagic one) and all sorcerers have it for free at first level.

Sorcerers get Intimidate, Bluff, Gather Information and Diplomacy as class skill. They get 4 skill points.

I'm also a lover of the "mythical ancestry" theme for sorcerer, and I would encourage sorcerers to develop spells that are keyed to this ancestry (like giving them aspects of their ancestor). See this as an example of what I mean.

I keep their HD, BAB and saves as is, however.

 

[MarauderX]

I like what Khaalis has suggested and know that any sorcerer has always struggled to be of worth to a party. Adding the extras always helps even it out, but of course I would be wary of overdoing it. I like the idea of adding class skill options but not raising the skill points, as it gives the player the freedom to choose more and become more versitile if he wants.

 

[Chacal]

We use the following changes :
4 skill points
2 charisma-based skills picked up by the player are class skills.
No material component unless it has some significant cost/rarity.

Chacal

 

[Merlion]

Check out Monte Cooks sorcerer in the Book of Eldtrich Might 2(although I dont like the reduced spell list, and it looks like several people here have already house ruled the sorcerer in a way basicaly identical to his variant)

 

[Happiest_Sadist]

I require the spell thematics feat from FRCS (the erattaed version). This gives +1 caster level for one spell of each level and changes the appearence of all spells. The spells they chose must reflect the source of your power. For instance a sorc who gets their power from fey blood would have to chose illusion/charm/nature spells, whereas a dragon's blood sorc might learn spells like fear, dragonskin (BOEM), endurance, and any abilities of their dragon-type, and an elementalist would have spells with the corresponding descriptor and resistance spells. These must be the first spell known of any new spell level.

They don't have to use components, but pay 1/25 the GP cost in XP for anything but a focus. However this cost is halved for spells chosen for spell thematics.

I also use the BOEM II sorc.