D&D General One thing I hate about the Sorcerer

[Crimson Longinus]

Thematically Warlock Patrons are higher tier beings that a Sorcerer Origins.

Are they?

But the real answer is

The Sorcerer is a traditional spellcaster.
The Warlock isn't.

But there is no particular reason this needs to be so. Sorcerer mechanics are not interesting. The only thing they've going for them is the metamagics, and that is not much. We don't need such a boring chassis when we already have the more interesting warlock chassis that can represent the sorcerer themes better.

 

[Yaarel]

to be the blood of the divine is not to know reality any more clearly than you or I do, and being messed with by aliens is traumatic not madness.
both are past things you had no choice in.

to describe madness and enlightenment as related ideas is hard as it takes more word than my head can hold and write at the same time.

The way you are describing it, it seems more like the Sorcerer is using the ki, the body-soul lifeforce aura.

The Psion is using the mind-soul.

Different levels of the soul.

 

[Minigiant]

Are they

Yes.

Archfriends, Archfey, and GOOs are typically stronger that Dragons, intermediate celestial, random acts of magic.

But there is no particular reason this needs to be so. Sorcerer mechanics are not interesting. The only thing they've going for them is the metamagics, and that is not much. We don't need such a boring chassis when we already have the more interesting warlock chassis that can represent the sorcerer themes better

You are conflated WOTC and the Community's lack of inspiration on design and the Potential design.

Like many said, the first 2013 playtest sorcerer was a very fresh take on how to design a sorcerer.

It was the community and WOTC who demanded the old boring 3e style sorcerer.

Then now they complained about it being boring.

It's like the people who demanded wizards have ALL DA SPELLS then whine that wizards have boring or unbalanced subclasses.

 

[Shardstone]

Given that several people have charted out ways to turn sorcerers into psion base classes -- has anyone gone ahead and done that and built out from there? WotC has had enough fits and starts in this area in past UAs to also give a much of mechanical bits to steal from when building a homebrew class.

My favorite psion class.

 

[Shardstone]

Are they?


But there is no particular reason this needs to be so. Sorcerer mechanics are not interesting. The only thing they've going for them is the metamagics, and that is not much. We don't need such a boring chassis when we already have the more interesting warlock chassis that can represent the sorcerer themes better.

The laserllama sorcerer is an amazing reimagining of the sorcerer class.

 

[Mind of tempest]

The way you are describing it, it seems more like the Sorcerer is using the ki, the body-soul lifeforce aura.

The Psion is using the mind-soul.

Different levels of the soul.

then I described it badly, a sorcerer is specific bloodlines, ki is supposed to be in everyone but sorcerers are like the blood of kings or pharaohs it is rather a specific linage just not necessarily a good one but one of importance it is a specific heritage or past it is the glory and horror of family heritage or the events that happen to you.
no one can choose to be a sorcerer it is the greatness and misery of special circumstances boiled down into a caster chassis.

Yes.

Archfriends, Archfey, and GOOs are typically stronger that Dragons, intermediate celestial, random acts of magic.



You are conflated WOTC and the Community's lack of inspiration on design and the Potential design.

Like many said, the first 2013 playtest sorcerer was a very fresh take on how to design a sorcerer.

It was the community and WOTC who demanded the old boring 3e style sorcerer.

Then now they complained about it being boring.

It's like the people who demanded wizards have ALL DA SPELLS then whine that wizards have boring or unbalanced subclasses.

I doubt many of us had much choice in that vote, I for example had not started dnd in time to vote

 

[ezo]

Your "sorcerer" lacks the narratives of the sorcerer, and still studies and needs an spellbook. That's not a sorcerer.

Ah, that's your issue?

Well, sorry about that but all I have is this draft the DM emailed me a while back. I know the "full version" in his notes removes the whole study/ spellbook thing. So, the narrative is actually still there. Sorry for the mix up, I should have brought that up sooner but since I know its there, I didn't think about it "not being there."

 

[Mecheon]

But there is no particular reason this needs to be so. Sorcerer mechanics are not interesting. The only thing they've going for them is the metamagics, and that is not much. We don't need such a boring chassis when we already have the more interesting warlock chassis that can represent the sorcerer themes better.

Sorcerers are narratively interesting, though, and are narratively different from warlocks. They need to be more mechanically seperated from one another so their respective narrative interest can stand alone, not merged into one and have the narrative eroded away. Sure, works better than the suggestions of merging with wizard, but it is still eating at each one's core theme to accomidate the other.

Frankly I think the sorcerer should be the one who just does Stuff that isn't spells. The free-casting caster who slaps on a "I mix this AoE effect with this damage effect". The wizard is stuck using known and prepared spells, the warlock is casting off whatever they get from their pact, the sorcerer's just done Something and, sure, mechanically its close to a fireball but it sure as heck isn't a fireball due to the way it just crushed enemies into piles from gravity going over the top there for a few moments

 

[CreamCloud0]

I never saw the 2014 playtest sorcerer so i may be rehashing what that was but I think it would be interesting if, while the sorcerer had spell slots they were minimally intended to be used for spells themselves, but rather exist to be used to power a set of abilities not dissimilar to the paladin’s smite, say, the draconic bloodline starts with ‘draconic claw’, ‘dragon breath’ and ‘dragon scales’ the claw attack makes two (1+spellslot level)d6 damage attacks, dragon breath is a breath weapon that scales similarly and the scales is a Shield-spell-comparable ability who’s granted AC bonus is determined by the spell slot used. To really play on the source of the magic they gained their abilities from.

 

[Yaarel]

My favorite psion class.

Yep.

I had already realized a time ago, the Warlock chassis is the best fit for psionic mechanics. Always on powers, refresh rests versus fatigue, high tier novas, highly customizable, etcetera.

But when I saw the Laserllama Psion, it proved it. It also convinced me, it must use Short Rest spell point refreshes. It astonished me how much better this is in every way, thematically an energy reservoir, mechanically simple and friendly, and balancing incredibly well.