Preview: The Sorcerer

[Wycen]

I hear that Chromatic Orb has made a comeback with the 4E sorcerer. Can anybody tell us about it?

 

[Shroomy]

I hear that Chromatic Orb has made a comeback with the 4E sorcerer. Can anybody tell us about it?

Its a level 1 daily attack power, has a range of 10, targets reflex, and does 3d10+Cha modifier damage. The color, type of damage and its rider effect is determined by a d6 roll (for example, a roll of 1 creates a yellow orb, makes the damage radiant, and dazes the target). On a miss, it does 1d10 damage and you still get to roll the d6.

 

[Runestar]

Yeah, power sources (at least for the moment) are the "guides" of designing classes, like Justin stated. That's why it seems to be a silly idea to houserule anything of the ki power source (for example) because we really don't know what their "shtick" is yet.

Sometimes things that aren't mechanical make all the difference in the world..

But for whom is the source for? I hardly believe that the designers need to have the power source descriptor in every power to remind themselves constantly of the class' primary/secondary role. And the players wouldn't really require it either - the powers will already have been designed, so they can just play the class as written, and it would be the same with or without the power source.

For instance, lets say that I made a class virtually identical to the cleric, just that divine was renamed to arcane. What's the difference? It is not as though the class suddenly suffers from ASF...

 

[Justin D. Jacobson]

But for whom is the source for? I hardly believe that the designers need to have the power source descriptor in every power to remind themselves constantly of the class' primary/secondary role. And the players wouldn't really require it either - the powers will already have been designed, so they can just play the class as written, and it would be the same with or without the power source.

For instance, lets say that I made a class virtually identical to the cleric, just that divine was renamed to arcane. What's the difference? It is not as though the class suddenly suffers from ASF...

You could also rename the class "pickle bird", and it would play the same. At a minimum, the power source gives the players thematic clues that have value.

 

[Oni]

You could also rename the class "pickle bird", and it would play the same. At a minimum, the power source gives the players thematic clues that have value.

Daily: Spear of Vlasic

 

[Rechan]

You know, I was thinking about it.

Forget a Dragonborn Sorcerer for a second.

How about a Tiefling.

+2 to Cha. Hellfire Blood (+1 to attack and damage with fire attacks). +1 to hit bloodied targets. A racial that adds +Cha to damage (and +1 to attack) for an attack.

Couple that with the ability to punch through fire resistance?

In fact, it's very easy to refluff "Dragon Sorcerer" as "Hellfire Sorcerer". Or "I am getting in touch with my inner fiend - PEW".

Basically a warlock that can punch through resistances.

 

[BarkingDeathSquirrel]

You know, I was thinking about it.

Forget a Dragonborn Sorcerer for a second.

How about a Tiefling.

+2 to Cha. Hellfire Blood (+1 to attack and damage with fire attacks). +1 to hit bloodied targets. A racial that adds +Cha to damage (and +1 to attack) for an attack.

Couple that with the ability to punch through fire resistance?

In fact, it's very easy to refluff "Dragon Sorcerer" as "Hellfire Sorcerer". Or "I am getting in touch with my inner fiend - PEW".

Basically a warlock that can punch through resistances.

You can multiclass into Warlock for even more fun, too... (granted that requires keeping Con up, if you want Infernal attack powers, that is). The Sorcerer's class features apply to all arcane spells, after all.

 

[webrunner]

You could also rename the class "pickle bird", and it would play the same. At a minimum, the power source gives the players thematic clues that have value.

Divine, particularly, seems to have a very rigid thing: They get Channel Divinity. Non-divine classes don't.

But Arcane, Primal, and Martial mostly just seem to be 'flavor', and basing it on what sort of weapons/implements they have, or the sort of damage they do.. In terms of other class features then equipment there's not much tying Artificer with Wizard, say, and not much differentiating Ranger with Warlock, as another example.

 

[Hawke]

In addition there are paragon paths that are restricted to power source if I remember correctly... perhaps epic destinies, too.

I would've liked to see more power source feats like channel divinity stuff for each of the flavors. Perhaps Primal will get some stuff? Time will tell... I hope that PHB2 has as many feats as PHB1.

 

[TheWyrd]

I would've liked to see more power source feats like channel divinity stuff for each of the flavors. Perhaps Primal will get some stuff? Time will tell... I hope that PHB2 has as many feats as PHB1.

We may see it in Psionics depending on if they keep the Psionic Focus concept or go back to the old Psionic Combat rules. Either one screams power source feats.