Non Charismatic Sorcerers?

[Moe Ronalds]

Do you believe that a Sorcerer's spells neccessarily need to rely on charisma? I was working on a character concept today for someone who would have innate spell casting ability, but I also envisioned him being somewhat hermet like and not quite right in the head. Not to mention filthy and unkempt.

In any case, I was wondering if it would be completely unbalancing for him to use another attribute for his spell casting (since his charisma would be around 6 or 7.)? Perhaps wisdom?

 

[Teflon Billy]

In my campaign, WIS is the Sorceror's primary stat, while Charisma falls to the Cleric's (whose class has been radically altered).

 

[Bleys]

Well, if you look at things in a different light, a high score in Charisma doesn't necessarily mean that everyone <u>loves</u> said character.

It's just a measure of force of personality, and may have little to nothing to do with looks. I've always run with the concept that a Charisma stat has nothing to do with how attractive someone is.

It could be that the person is one of the ugliest things you've ever seen, yet has such a powerful personality that people can't help but follow him/her/it (Cyrano is a literary example that springs to mind) or the person could be one of the most beautiful beings on all the planes, but as soon as any form of interaction begins you determine that they are a less than pleasant person you don't want to have around at all (snobby, conceited, downright offensive in thought and personality).

Just some food for thought.

 

[BryonD]

I don't think there would be any problems with just switching to Wis or Int.

They may not fit as perfectly with the official D&D defintions of how the abilities work, but that isn't anything critical.

Switching to a physical stat would be odd and a bit more of a perk. Hammer and Helm has a at least one feat [that I recall] that let's you use CON. Thematically this is cool for dwarves, but again, for the cost of a feat I don't think it would be a problem.

 

[frankthedm]

Just because you have a high Cha, doesn't mean you have to use it.

My current sorcerer [17 cha] wears tattered, filthy yellow robes and a palid mask to hide his beautiful face. he is is very vain and surrounds himself with ugly for contrast. His familar is an overgrown maggot [ same stats as a toad btw]. [yes, king in yellow inspired]

If i can i will eventually have him driven insane as he becomes a mass of writing worms

 

[Emiricol]

Do you believe that a Sorcerer's spells neccessarily need to rely on charisma? I was working on a character concept today for someone who would have innate spell casting ability, but I also envisioned him being somewhat hermet like and not quite right in the head. Not to mention filthy and unkempt.

In any case, I was wondering if it would be completely unbalancing for him to use another attribute for his spell casting (since his charisma would be around 6 or 7.)? Perhaps wisdom?

I dont see why you couldn't do a Wisdom based Sorcerer. Adjust some skills and presto. You could go even further and give him a custom spell list that included different spells, some Divine spells, but he'd cast them as Arcane - whatever it took. But that'd be more useful if the class's background was a custom creation.

 

[drnuncheon]

Green Ronin's Hammer and Helm had several feats that let you use a different base stat for your sorcery. Each also prohibits a certain school.

Flameborn Sorcery (Dex, prohibits learning Transmutation)
Seaborn Sorcery (Str, prohibits Illusion)
Skyborn Sorcery (Wis, prohibits Abjuration)
Stoneborn Sorcery (Con, prohibits Enchantment)

J

 

[Dakkareth]

I saw a feat yesterday to do exactly that, make wis a sorcerer's main stat. Don't know, where it was, though ...

It shouldn't require a feat, though ... simply do it and be done with it. As for the flavor stuff simply say, that instead of using the force of personality to cast your spells it's your intuitive insight into the workings of the multiverse, that allow you to blast others ...

 

[Moe Ronalds]

Well, if you look at things in a different light, a high score in Charisma doesn't necessarily mean that everyone <u>loves</u> said character.

It's just a measure of force of personality, and may have little to nothing to do with looks. I've always run with the concept that a Charisma stat has nothing to do with how attractive someone is.

It could be that the person is one of the ugliest things you've ever seen, yet has such a powerful personality that people can't help but follow him/her/it (Cyrano is a literary example that springs to mind) or the person could be one of the most beautiful beings on all the planes, but as soon as any form of interaction begins you determine that they are a less than pleasant person you don't want to have around at all (snobby, conceited, downright offensive in thought and personality).

Just some food for thought.

Oh I definately agree, but this guy really has some personal issues that need working out. He isn't very confident in himself, he's paranoid, he can't relate to anyone at all, etc... etc... etc..

 

[Saeviomagy]

if you give him intimidate as a class skill, and have him always use it, then everyone he's ever met will be sitting at unfriendly reactions towards him.