Hawk Diesel
Adventurer
So let me begin this with a disclaimer. This post is not about whether or not the Sorcerer Bloodline Spells (akin to Cleric Domain Spells) are good or bad, balanced or broken (I'm happy to engage in this discussion, just not as part of this thread). I personally believe that WotC had it right with the initial Stormborn Sorcerer as presented in UA, and this post follows this premise and works from this perspective. So I've created similar lists of Spells Known that sorcerers in my games get as related to their bloodlines. What I'm looking for is feedback on how closely the spells follow the theme associated with the sorcerer bloodline, and whether their may be better options. Let me know your thoughts.
Sorcerous Bloodline Magic: A sorcerer gains additional spells known related to the source or their power. These spells are gained automatically at the given level, do not count towards the normal number of spells a sorcerer can know, and cannot be traded out for new spells.
Dragon Sorcerer
Level - Spells
1st - Burning Hands,* Detect Magic
3rd - Agnazaar’s Scorcher,* Enthrall
5th - Fear, Fireball*
7th - Elemental Bane**, Wall of Fire*
9th - Cone of cold*, Dominate Person
* Damage type changes to type associated with your dragon heritage
** Damage type affected by spell is always the type associated with your dragon heritage
Reasoning: Dragons are all about their breath weapon, but they are also creatures magic and inspire both awe and terror. I was trying to capture that aspect in their spell choices.
Wild Magic Sorcerer
Level - Spells
1st- Chromatic Orb,* Hex
3rd - Crown of Madness, Mirror Image
5th - Counterspell, Hypnotic Pattern
7th - Confusion, Freedom of Movement
9th - Animate Objects, Circle of Power
*Does not require Material Component, but must roll a d6 to randomly determine energy type of the spell damage.
Reasoning: I did may best to capture spells that represent chaos, chance, madness, and the ability to bend the normal rules of physics and magic. This list was really difficult to design, so I'd definitely appreciate feedback for this list.
Stormborn Sorcerer
Level - Spells
1st - Fog Cloud, Thunderwave
3rd - Gust of Wind, Warding Wind
5th - Call Lightning, Sleet storm
7th - Conjure Minor Elementals,* Ice Storm
9th - Conjure Elemental**, Control Winds
* Unless you gain this spell from another source, you can summon only smoke mephits, steam mephits, ice mephits, or dust mephits with it.
**Unless you gain this spell from another source, you can summon only air elementals with it.
Reasoning: Another difficult list due to the overlap between the Stormborn Sorcerer and the Sea Sorcerer. I tried to make this list more about control over the weather and elements on larger scales.
Shadow Sorcerer
Level - Spells
1st - Silent Image, Sleep
3rd - Darkness, Misty Step
5th - Major Image, Nondetection
7th - Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility
9th - Dream, Mislead
Reasoning: In my mind, the Shadow Sorcerer is all about deception, illusion, teleportation, and trickery.
Phoenix Sorcerer
Level - Spells
1st - Faerie Fire, Hellish Rebuke
3rd - Flame Blade, Flaming Sphere
5th - Daylight, Revivify
7th - Fire Shield, Wall of Fire
9th - Flame Strike, Immolation
Reasoning: This was difficult due to the potential overlap with the Dragon Sorcerer. However, my thoughts are that dragons are more destructive and unrefined, while the fire of the Phoenix is more about creation, protection, and it much more focused.
Sea Sorcerer
Level - Spells
1st - Ice Knife, Witch Bolt
3rd - Invisibility, Snilloc’s Snowball Swarm
5th - Lightning Bolt, Tidal Wave
7th - Storm Sphere, Watery Sphere
9th - Cone of Cold, Maelstrom
Reasoning: Where the Stormborn Sorcerer is more generalized, large area effect and weather, the Sea Sorcerer in my mind is more focused and localized in their magic. Obviously there is a greater use of water and cold than the Stormborn Sorcerer (which is more about wind and lightning), but the curse of the Sea Sorcerer indicates importance with lightning and forced movement. Also, invisibility seemed to fit because it is as if the sorcerer turns into water and becomes invisible.
Stone Sorcerer
Level - Spells
1st - Earth Tremor, Shield of Faith
3rd - Maximilian’s Earthen Grasp, Spike Growth
5th - Erupting Earth, Meld Into Stone
7th - Stone Shape, Stoneskin
9th - Transmute Rock, Wall of Stone
Reasoning: I didn't really feel the Stone Sorcerer's expanded spell list represented stone magic so much as weapon or war magic. So Stone Sorcerer's in my game don't have access to that list, and instead gain these spells.
Sorcerous Bloodline Magic: A sorcerer gains additional spells known related to the source or their power. These spells are gained automatically at the given level, do not count towards the normal number of spells a sorcerer can know, and cannot be traded out for new spells.
Dragon Sorcerer
Level - Spells
1st - Burning Hands,* Detect Magic
3rd - Agnazaar’s Scorcher,* Enthrall
5th - Fear, Fireball*
7th - Elemental Bane**, Wall of Fire*
9th - Cone of cold*, Dominate Person
* Damage type changes to type associated with your dragon heritage
** Damage type affected by spell is always the type associated with your dragon heritage
Reasoning: Dragons are all about their breath weapon, but they are also creatures magic and inspire both awe and terror. I was trying to capture that aspect in their spell choices.
Wild Magic Sorcerer
Level - Spells
1st- Chromatic Orb,* Hex
3rd - Crown of Madness, Mirror Image
5th - Counterspell, Hypnotic Pattern
7th - Confusion, Freedom of Movement
9th - Animate Objects, Circle of Power
*Does not require Material Component, but must roll a d6 to randomly determine energy type of the spell damage.
Reasoning: I did may best to capture spells that represent chaos, chance, madness, and the ability to bend the normal rules of physics and magic. This list was really difficult to design, so I'd definitely appreciate feedback for this list.
Stormborn Sorcerer
Level - Spells
1st - Fog Cloud, Thunderwave
3rd - Gust of Wind, Warding Wind
5th - Call Lightning, Sleet storm
7th - Conjure Minor Elementals,* Ice Storm
9th - Conjure Elemental**, Control Winds
* Unless you gain this spell from another source, you can summon only smoke mephits, steam mephits, ice mephits, or dust mephits with it.
**Unless you gain this spell from another source, you can summon only air elementals with it.
Reasoning: Another difficult list due to the overlap between the Stormborn Sorcerer and the Sea Sorcerer. I tried to make this list more about control over the weather and elements on larger scales.
Shadow Sorcerer
Level - Spells
1st - Silent Image, Sleep
3rd - Darkness, Misty Step
5th - Major Image, Nondetection
7th - Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility
9th - Dream, Mislead
Reasoning: In my mind, the Shadow Sorcerer is all about deception, illusion, teleportation, and trickery.
Phoenix Sorcerer
Level - Spells
1st - Faerie Fire, Hellish Rebuke
3rd - Flame Blade, Flaming Sphere
5th - Daylight, Revivify
7th - Fire Shield, Wall of Fire
9th - Flame Strike, Immolation
Reasoning: This was difficult due to the potential overlap with the Dragon Sorcerer. However, my thoughts are that dragons are more destructive and unrefined, while the fire of the Phoenix is more about creation, protection, and it much more focused.
Sea Sorcerer
Level - Spells
1st - Ice Knife, Witch Bolt
3rd - Invisibility, Snilloc’s Snowball Swarm
5th - Lightning Bolt, Tidal Wave
7th - Storm Sphere, Watery Sphere
9th - Cone of Cold, Maelstrom
Reasoning: Where the Stormborn Sorcerer is more generalized, large area effect and weather, the Sea Sorcerer in my mind is more focused and localized in their magic. Obviously there is a greater use of water and cold than the Stormborn Sorcerer (which is more about wind and lightning), but the curse of the Sea Sorcerer indicates importance with lightning and forced movement. Also, invisibility seemed to fit because it is as if the sorcerer turns into water and becomes invisible.
Stone Sorcerer
Level - Spells
1st - Earth Tremor, Shield of Faith
3rd - Maximilian’s Earthen Grasp, Spike Growth
5th - Erupting Earth, Meld Into Stone
7th - Stone Shape, Stoneskin
9th - Transmute Rock, Wall of Stone
Reasoning: I didn't really feel the Stone Sorcerer's expanded spell list represented stone magic so much as weapon or war magic. So Stone Sorcerer's in my game don't have access to that list, and instead gain these spells.
