"I nerfed the sorceror"

[Impeesa]

I'm going to ramble a bit here, but trust me, it's going somewhere.

Notice that all non-'basic' core classes (everything but fighter, wizard, cleric, rogue) can be expressed at the most basic level as a multiclass with a theme of some sort. For example, a fighter/cleric with a wilderness expert theme could be either a druid or a ranger. With a 'crusader against evil' sort of theme, he becomes a paladin. Notice that by shifting the focus between the two constituent classes (fighter and cleric) we can create two conceptually very simliar but in practice very different classes (ranger and druid).

Now, I promised this was going somewhere, and it was: Look at the bard. The bard is basically a fighter/rogue/wizard, with a 'musician' theme and no particular class focus. Now, place the primary focus on the spellcaster part, and remove the 'musician' theme. You've got a sorceror - slightly less spellcasting versatility in some respects, more in others, but with a little more fighting and social skills than a straight wizard. To balance, change the class to refllect that. One good suggestion I've seen above is up their HD to d6 - it's not like they spend a lot of time hunched over a massive book trying to wrap their mind around a spell. Since they've had more time to get out, so to speak, and their abilities are dependant entirely on charisma, give them some more social skills. Upping their skill points to 4/level may be unbalancing, but increasing their class skill selection gives them the greater potential versatility. Anyways, I suppose I've really just come down to two common house rules here, but hopefully that gives you some insight into how and why to do this.

--Impeesa--

 

[Andor of the Blade]

I'll leave the balancing aspect up to you, but since sorcerors have fewer spells available, fewer feats available, and get their spells later than wizards, what the sorceror needs is something the wizard doesn't get. Access to clerical spells. Probably not all clerical spells, but a sorceror who can cast both healing spells and the usual damaging spells will be a boon to any party.

He doesn't do the cleric thing as good as the cleric, or the wizard thing as good as the wizard, but he could be a nice combination of both.

One thing I really like about Monte's sorceror was class skills that used charisma. I would include this as well.

 

[apsuman]

Here's a couple of ideas:

have megamagic not add to the casting time.

give them eschew materials for free at +0 level

every five levels give them a bonus feat: any metamagic, spell focus, greater spell focus, martial weapon, light armor prof.

give them spell penetration for free at level 10

reduce or eliminate the arcane failue for armor.

change their hit die to d6

or,

give them the bonuses for the loremaster prestige class for levels 1 - 10, and repeat them for levels 11-20.


use any and or all (yeah all then people would want this class!) of the above.


g!

 

[Shaele]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I think I might pull a "little of this and a little of that" to come up with a slight variant. I'll definitely post it - and results of testing - when I get a chance.

Thanks again for the great responses!

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

Why not let them choose spells from any arcane or divine list appropriate to their sorcerous bloodline? Plus Eschew Materials feat, Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information and Intimidate as class skills, 4 skill points/level and no arcane armor penalty?

To beef 'em up even more, make them d6 HD.

 

[CRGreathouse]

d6 HD and the ability to metamagic without increasing casting time - making them the undisputed masters of metamagic. If they're still too weak, give them bonus feats on levels 7 and 14.

 

[Seraphael]

It seems to me that you've managed to combine the Sorcerer and Wizard into a single class, more or less. That leaves me to wonder if there is even a need for two classes in the first place since you have a spontaneous caster who can swap out spells when they memorize a new set for the day. If you are bound and determined to keep the Sorcererm I'd suggest finding a very specific niche that applies to your world and work on it from there, piling on special abilities is the wrong approach IMO (I liked the idea about making them the undisputed masters of metamagic, or emphasizing a draconic bloodline.) I dislike the magical bloodline theory and have considered making their magical ability the result of a pact with an outsider myself.

By the way, how has this variant worked in your campaign? Are the magical classes too powerful or is magic too easy? Do you have other house rules to balance things out? Does it work out just fine anyway?

 

[Rowenstin]

If the wizard has spontaneous casting, give the sorcerer more spells know. Or make them able to "improvise" them with a concentration/spellcraft/Knowledge(arcana)/caster level check; that way, the spells known are those he has mastered, but he´s able to cast others. If that makes them too powerful, casting spells not known deals 1d6 subdual damage per spell level from exhaustion.

If you want to boost them even more, make them able to cast higher level spells with great effort and danger (perhaps the damage is real and deals 1d10 per spell level)