Sorcerer
Magic is part of a sorcerer’s being. In some sorcerers, it is an untamed, wild power that surges and roils, constantly on the verge of breaking free. In others, it is a smooth, sweet charge that tingles in the blood, bubbling forth in breath and the spoken word. Some sorcerers think it seems to have a mind of its own, while for others it is more like a raging storm—neither willful nor malicious, but destructive nonetheless.
The origin of this magical power is just as varied. Some trace it to an ancient draconic bloodline, while some pin it to the mischievous influence of the fey. Sometimes it’s the result of exposure to a powerful spell or planar phenomenon, and sometimes the result of a malign intrusion into the sorcerer’s mind.
Whatever its nature and origin, a sorcerer’s magic requires a powerful will to harness and shape it, and to keep it in check. The more a sorcerer allows this power to emerge, the less controlled it becomes. As a sorcerer’s willpower begins to ebb and his or her magic surges, the sorcerer begins to transform. The sorcerer seems to diminish as the magic takes over, its characteristics overshadowing the sorcerer’s own body and personality.
Key Ability: Charisma. A sorcerer needs a high Charisma score, since it takes a strong personality and great willpower to draw magic forth, shape it into useful forms, and keep it under your control.
Creating a Sorcerer
When you create a character whose first class is sorcerer, you gain these benefits.
Ability Adjustment: +1 to your Charisma or Constitution score
Starting Hit Points: See your sorcerous origin
Armor and Shield Proficiencies: None, but see your sorcerous origin
Weapon Proficiencies: Basic weapons, simple missile weapons, daggers, and quarterstaffs
You can make a sorcerer quickly by following these suggestions.
Suggested Background: Artisan
Suggested Specialty: Jack-of-All-Trades
| Level | Magic Attack | Weapon Attack | Spell DC | Willpower | Spells Known | Max Spell Level | Class Features |
|---|
| 1 | +2 | +2 | 10 + Cha Mod | 3 | 2 | 1 | Cantrips, Sorcery, Sorcerous Origin |
| 2 | +2 | +2 | 10 + Cha Mod | 4 | 3 | 1 | -- |
| 3 | +2 | +2 | 10 + Cha Mod | 8 | 4 | 1 | -- |
| 4 | +2 | +2 | 10 + Cha Mod | 10 | 5 | 2 | Sorcerous Power |
| 5 | +2 | +2 | 10 + Cha Mod | 16
| 6 | 2 | -- |
Class Features: A sorcerer gains the following class features.
Your Hit Dice and hit points are determined by your sorcerous origin.
Level 1: Cantrips
Your magical nature expresses itself through minor magical effects as well as more powerful spells and powers.
Benefit: You know two minor spells, chosen from the sorcerer’s spell list.
Level 1: Sorcery
Your spells are not learned from books or granted by pacts or prayers. They come from within you, from magic that flows within you just as your blood and breath do. The magic within you surges and seethes, and unleashing it into the world is a tremendous act of will. Every spell you cast takes its toll on your willpower, so your mental reserves limit the number of spells you can cast before you need to rest and replenish those reserves.
Benefit: You can cast sorcerer spells each day based on your willpower. The Sorcerer table notes how many willpower points you have, the number of sorcerer spells you know, and the maximum level of those spells.
Spells Known: At 1st level, you know two 1stlevel spells chosen from the sorcerer’s spell list. As you gain levels in this class, you learn additional spells of your choice. When you learn a new sorcerer spell, its level must be no higher than your maximum spell level, and it cannot be a minor spell.
Casting a Spell: You must spend willpower points to cast a sorcerer spell (other than a minor spell). A spell’s level determines the spell’s willpower cost. If you don’t have enough willpower available, you cannot cast the spell.
Spell Level | Willpower Cost |
|---|
1 | 1 |
2 | 2 |
You regain all of your expended willpower points at the end of a long rest.
You cannot cast sorcerer spells while wearing armor (but see your sorcerous origin).
Magical Attacks: When you make a magical attack using a sorcerer spell, you use your Charisma modifier for the attack roll, and add a bonus to that roll based on the Magic Attack column in the Sorcerer table.
Saving Throw DCs: When a sorcerer spell that you cast calls for a saving throw, the save DC equals 10 + your Charisma modifier. As you gain levels, the DC increases, as noted in the Sorcerer table.
Level 1: Sorcerous Origin
Some event in your own past history or that of a parent or ancestor left its indelible mark on you, leaving magic as an inherent part of your being. This font of arcane magic, whatever its origin, fuels your spells and also grants you supernatural abilities called sorcerous powers that are directly tied to your origin. Just as you can focus your will to cast spells, you can harness those same reserves of willpower to manifest these sorcerous powers. However, as your willpower begins to
fail, your magic begins to overshadow you. As you diminish, your magic takes over, transforming your body (and sometimes your personality) into something more akin to the source of your power. As the magic within you grows in power, so does the strength of these transformations, until you look less like yourself and more like a physical manifestation of your sorcerous origin.
Benefit: You choose a sorcerous origin and gain its benefits (one option is presented here, a draconic origin).
Using Sorcerous Powers: Your origin grants you sorcerous powers at certain levels. A sorcerous power is a magical effect that functions as a spell in all respects, except that using a sorcerous power does not require you to speak or have a hand free, and the power is not subject to spell disruption.
Saving Throw DCs: When a sorcerous power that you use calls for a saving throw, the save DC equals 10 + your Charisma modifier. As you gain levels, the DC increases as your spell saving throw DC does, as noted in the Sorcerer table.
Draconic Heritage
Somewhere in your ancestry, the blood of a dragon entered your lineage. Its effects do not manifest in every generation, and they do not always appear as full-fledged sorcerous powers. But in you, the blood runs true. The legacy of the wyrm twines through your dreams and flesh.
When your willpower is depleted and your heritage transforms you, you might manifest the personality traits of a dragon, as well as draconic physical traits. You might become both acquisitive and proud and, depending on your heritage, behave like a brutal savage, an arrogant tyrant, or a haughty noble.
When you choose this heritage, choose a dragon type. You are descended from a dragon of that type. Your choice of dragon determines the damage type referred to in some of your sorcerous powers, and also affects your appearance and personality when you transform.
Dragon Type | Damage Type |
|---|
| Black | Acid |
| Blue | Lightning |
| Brass | Fire |
| Bronze | Lightning |
| Copper | Acid |
| Gold | Fire |
| Green | Poison |
| Red | Fire |
| Silver | Cold |
| White | Cold |
Hit Dice: 1d8 per sorcerer level
Hit Points: 8 + your Constitution modifier at 1st level, and 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per sorcerer level gained
Armor and Shield Proficiencies: You gain proficiency with all armor and shields. Also, you are able to cast sorcerer spells while wearing armor.
Weapon Proficiencies: You gain proficiency with martial melee weapons. Also, the bonus to your weapon attack rolls increases by 1.
Sorcerous Powers: At 1st level, you can spend 1 willpower to use the
dragon strength power.
Additionally, each day, after you have spent 3 willpower, your hands become claw-like and your body grows more imposing. Until you complete a long rest, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage rolls of your melee attacks.
Level 4: You can spend 2 willpower to use the
dragon scales power.
Additionally, each day, after you have spent 10 willpower, you manifest dragon scales that cover large portions of your skin. Until you complete a long rest, you have resistance to the damage type associated with your type of dragon.
Suggested Equipment: Chainmail, greatsword, dagger, adventurer’s kit, healer’s kit, and 12 gp
Sorcerer Spells
Minor Spells (Cantrips)
Detect Magic
Light
Magic Missile
Ray of Frost
Shocking Grasp
Level 1 Spells
Burning Hands
Cause Fear
Charm Person
Shield
Level 2 Spells
Arc Lightning
Ghoul Touch
Melf’s Acid Arrow
Mirror Image
Resistance
Sorcerous Powers
Dragon Scales
You cause your skin to thicken into protective scales, the hue of which is reminiscent of a dragon (and specifically the dragon at the source of your heritage, if you have a draconic heritage).
Requirement: You can use this power only as a reaction in response to taking damage.
Effect: Before you take the damage, it is reduced by 10. If you have the Draconic Heritage class feature, you also gain resistance to the damage type determined by your type of dragon. The resistance lasts until the end of your next turn.
Dragon Strength
You channel the ancient strength of the dragon, causing you to deal heavy damage.
Effect: The next time you hit a hostile creature with a melee attack during the next minute, that creature takes an extra 2d6 damage.
