D&D 5E It's the Sorcerer!

[mips42]

We've now seen a bit of the sorcerer and, While I'm not 100% sold on the art, it could be a lot worse. (I'm taking the red and yellow feather boa).
If the specific overrides the general (per rules) and we choose a dwarf for Race, do we get the armor proficiencies? I would think so.
Looking forward to the rest of the Sorcerer.

 

[grimslade]

HER NAME IS ELSA, YOU GET IT RIGHT DAMMIT*

It is Queen Elsa, but just let it go, man, let it go.

Also, your PC need not have a feather boa, you can accessorize with belts to get a more 3E feel. Options, not restrictions.

I think we are going to be pleasantly surprised by the sorc. All sorts of altering magic, hopefully leading to themed casters. Maybe even an ice themed for Kettite's daughter.

 

[Tony Vargas]

This just looks as dull and tacked on as the 3e sorcerer.

To be fair, there were very real differences between 3.x Vancian and Spontaneous casters - enough difference to make the Sorcerer tier 2, in fact.

But, from a build-to-concept perspective the 3e sorcerer was actually a pretty good class. It's more or less fixed spells known meant you only had to stick to concept at chargen and level-up, there was never a temptation to ditch concept to prep the most expedient spell for the situation. While spontaneous was thought of (probably conceived of) as removing a restriction from Vancian and making the sorcerer more flexible (which it did in a round-by-round tactical sense), it also made it less flexible in a day-and-longer 'strategic' sense. Ironically, that made individual Sorcerers more unique and flavorful than individual Wizards.

Without that 3e spontaneous vs Vancian distinction (5e neo-Vancian casters have /all/ the flexibility of both 3e Spontaneous & Vancian, combined), the Sorcerer needs something else. Either a unique casting mechanic like it had in the playtest, or it's own spell list like it had in 4e, or something really remarkable hidden in those named class features....

 

[DreamChaser]

a draconic bloodline (more then one?) or wild magic. Spell slots look the same as the wizard (which we knew?), spells known about the same as warlock. Spells suggested also classic wizard spells, which again we knew?

Like the very open and flavorful approach to their origins.

spell slots? yes, all full casters appear to have the same spell slots per day. This is intentional for ease of multiclassing, IIRC. Wizards can cast more spells due to arcane recovery. Sorcerers due to (presumably) sorcery points.

spells suggested classic wizard spells? yeah...they chose arcane classics for the quick build. we know that sorcerers and wizards both have shield and MM...that's about all we know.

I can't wait to find out what Font of Magic means (probably relates to sorcery points) ... and the flavor text of the sorcerer growing wings...is this a spell or a bloodline feature? I'm leaning toward the latter.

 

[Gundark]

It's merely an observation given how I'm curious how my own ethnic background gets presented....

Canadian.....?

 

[occam]

So they took a class whose whole raison d'être in 3e was different caster mechanics, and made it mechanically identical to the 5e wizard. Biggest disappointment in 5e. Those of us who don't like vancian casting (which I believe was a majority in their playtest polls) can wait until the DMG comes out in November to see if they give us a paragraph blurb about spell points as an optional rule many DMs won't kinks about or want to hassle with.

The 5e sorcerer can cast any of a limited number of known spells using daily slots; that mechanic is identical to the 3e sorcerer (and the 5e sorc adds built-in metamagic and bloodline features). The 5e wizard prepares spells from a spellbook to cast with daily slots, the same as the 3e wizard, albeit with greater flexibility.

The sorcerer is "mechanically identical to the 5e wizard"? It's like you didn't even look at the excerpt.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I can't wait to find out what Font of Magic means (probably relates to sorcery points) ....

It does. It grants sorcery points. Which allows you to either use metamagic (like the 3e feats), or to convert spell slots to spell points and vice versa. E.g., you could give up a 4th level slot for 6 points, and gain 3 1st level slots (since they cost 2 points each).

Granted, this was the alpha playtest, so those values may change a bit, but I doubt the mechanic will.

 

[DreamChaser]

It does. It grants sorcery points. Which allows you to either use metamagic (like the 3e feats), or to convert spell slots to spell points and vice versa. E.g., you could give up a 4th level slot for 6 points, and gain 3 1st level slots (since they cost 2 points each).

Granted, this was the alpha playtest, so those values may change a bit, but I doubt the mechanic will.

Neat. Thank you.

Which further belies the "just like the wizard" complaint. Sorcerers use spell slots AND spell points. They an give up 3 1st for a 4th (for example) if they need more oomph. Unique in their ability to trade up.

 

[MoonSong]

I can only think of two things I have issues with:

The weapons, why why did they take away spears and sickles? why couldn't they leave spears and sickles? The iconic sorcerer in 3e had a spear! Spears were one of the things that made you different from wizards, no spears and no sickles take away the peasant flavor the sorcerer used to have.

The spells know seem too little at high levels, in fact the last two levels seem fairly empty, Perhaps a reason to take a couple of bard levels at the beginning?

Everything else looks fairly cool!!

To be fair, there were very real differences between 3.x Vancian and Spontaneous casters - enough difference to make the Sorcerer tier 2, in fact.

But, from a build-to-concept perspective the 3e sorcerer was actually a pretty good class. It's more or less fixed spells known meant you only had to stick to concept at chargen and level-up, there was never a temptation to ditch concept to prep the most expedient spell for the situation. While spontaneous was thought of (probably conceived of) as removing a restriction from Vancian and making the sorcerer more flexible (which it did in a round-by-round tactical sense), it also made it less flexible in a day-and-longer 'strategic' sense. Ironically, that made individual Sorcerers more unique and flavorful than individual Wizards.

Without that distinction (5e neo-Vancian characters have /all/ the flexibility of both 3e Sorcerer & Wizard, combined), the Sorcerer needs something else. Either a unique casting mechanic like it had in the playtest, or it's own spell list like it had in 4e, or something really remarkable hidden in those named class features....

As far as I know there is one thing sorcerers have that wizards can't: Metamagic, things like modifying spells, removing components, casting faster and the like! And from what we know they can also create bonus slots and join slots ! It is as if they gave them versatile caster and a few metamagic feats for free then deny them to everybody else! If it wasn't for the weapon proficiencies this is as close to my perfect sorcerer as possible.(And in a way this is practically a spell point character, just streamlined for those times you are really in need) Also Sorcerers still don't prepare spells they bring what they know to the table instead of losing time thinking which spell to prepare, that facet of them was kept.

 

[Tony Vargas]

As far as I know there is one thing sorcerers have that wizards can't: Metamagic, things like modifying spells, removing components, casting faster and the like!

That's one of those named features. It may do what it did in 3e (though, neo-Vancian casters /also/ get the benefits of a few 3e metamagic feats more or less for free - since their save DCs go up with level (Heighten), and they can cast lower-level spells in higher level slots for more damage (Empower, with more granularity), Eschew Materials via an implement, and don't need Still Spell to cast in armor), or it may do something more interesting. If it's like 3e metamagic feats, it might also just /be/ metamagic feats (or /a/ feat given how 'big' feats are now) that other casters could take.