D&D 5E Sorcerer Changes

[ManBagel]

So I have seen a lot of chats fixing sorcerer and I was wondering how the best way to fix it would be. I have a few examples on what I think would help sorcerers.

• Origin Spells
I would say origin spells aren’t like normal subclass spells. I think like Divine Soul you should get a list and you can pick out 2 every time you gain a new level of spell slot until you reach 9th level. I’m not saying a class list for each sorcerer but a list for each one like Storm gets Gust of Wind, Summon Wind
Elemental and access to spells that make
sense for that class.

• Spell Casting Modifier Change
Is it just me or is it stupid that charisma is the spell casting modifier? I think it should be swapped to constitution instead. Constitution makes more sense you are casting with yourself as the conduit. Intelligence makes sense for an artificier and Wizard since they learned how to cast spells and bend the weave. Wisdom makes sense for Nature Casters and Clerics is because they are calling upon primal magic. Charisma makes sense for Paladins because there belief in there oath is strengthened by there personality and warlocks being more likable by there patrons granting them more power. Bards are Charisma casters because they are performers and that is what performance is in DnD. Sorcerers make very little since why they are Charisma Casters. Does there magic increase there force of personality? Constitution makes far more since with them being a conduit of magic. They are a knot in the weave. Am I the only one that finds this weird? Something else this would do is make proficiency in those Constitution Saves a bit better.

•Sorcery Points back on a Short Rest
I think you should be able to regain half your sorcery points on a short rest. The Maximum amount of extra spell slots is equal to your constitution modifier. This makes sorcerers more viable since there Metamagic can be used more freely then. The Spell slot limit is to make sorcerers have extra slots, but more limited, making the Sorlock not have limitless spell slots of low levels given time. The sorcerer can have the same amount of extra spell slots as a Sorlock besides the slots on a short rest.

• More stuff to do with sorcery points
The following is UA made for sorcerer. I did not create the following.

Empowering Reserves
When you make an ability check on your turn, you can spend 2 sorcery points to gain advantage on the check.

Imbuing Touch
As an action, you can touch one nonmagical weapon and spend 2 sorcery points to imbue it with magic for 1 minute. For the duration, the weapon is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming immunity and resistance to nonmagical attacks.

Sorcerous Fortitude
As an action, you can spend any number of sorcery points to roll a d4 for each point expended. You gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the total rolled. The temporary hit points last until you take a short or long rest.

• Proficiencies Fixed
A simple change for sorcerer is to make them proficient with simple weapons. The reason why just simple weapons is because adding light armor proficiency makes draconic sorcerer 13+Dexterity not as powerful. Allowing 12+Dexterity if you pay a little is a bit dumb. Simple Weapons allows some melee utility.

• No need for a Wand for waving your hands
Sorcerers should only need to speak to cast spells. Somatic and Material Components should not be needed for a sorcerers spells. Spells from other classes? Yes. Sorcerer shouldn’t need a wand or staff unless they want it for flavor.

Now I agree that not all of these should be added to sorcerer, but they should be considered. They should be taken with a grain of salt since I typed what came to my head.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I've done spellcasting modifier change before (not just for sorcerer, but for clerics and wizards too) and it was fine. An enchantment wizard using Charisma, or a Knowledge cleric using Intelligence, or a Divine Soul using wisdom caused no issues.

As far as Origin spells... I'm of the opinion the DM who wants to use sorcerers should re-write the spell list for each individual sorcerous origin. So not just add spells, but completely change the entire list. It does no thematic good for a Shadow Sorcerer to constantly be throwing fireballs for instance. It also allows you do give them spells normally found on other lists-- so the Blue Dragon sorcerer can have Call Lightning for example. In my last Eberron game I had a player who was an aberrant dragonmark sorcerer whose was about time magic, and I re-did their spell list to only give them time-based spells or spells whose effects could be re-flavored illustrated as being time related (so for instance Ray of Frost was renamed Ray of Dilation.)

Giving back sorcery points on a short rest or just increasing total spell points is something others have done and seems to be okay so long as you don't go crazy with it.

I personally would not do some of those UA abilities, because they don't make thematic sense to me. Why should sorcerers have advantage using all their skills? If they can't use all magic and are restricted, it makes no sense there is no restriction on which skills they can use their magic to boost. At the most if I thought sorcerers needed skill boosts I'd let them choose one skill they could boost with sorcery points for Advantage.

Making weapons magical is not unbalanced per se... but it impinges on other classes who already do the same thing. It makes sense for Forge Clerics to have this ability... not so much for ALL sorcerers to. At the most here I'd just put the Magic Weapon spell on their spell list if I thought they needed it.

Simple Weapon proficiency is fine. Most players probably wouldn't ever use one, but there are some traditional sorcerer players who think they should have the use of spears, and I don't see any issues with it.

And as far as components... sorcerers already have subtle spell available to them. If I thought components were an issue, I'd just give sorcerers the subtle spell metamagic to them all for free.

 

[Pauln6]

I think a simple way would be to take a leaf out of the shadow sorcerer book and give them some free thematic spells known, which they can then cast at a cheaper sorcery point cost.

 

[Krachek]

Empowering Reserves
When you make an ability check on your turn, you can spend 2 sorcery points to gain advantage on the check.

IMO i found it very thematic with blood line or origin. Sorcerer are connected to power greater than himself and being able to do unexpected thing could be possible.

 

[Shiroiken]

• Spell Casting Modifier Change
Is it just me or is it stupid that charisma is the spell casting modifier? I think it should be swapped to constitution instead. Constitution makes more sense you are casting with yourself as the conduit. Intelligence makes sense for an artificier and Wizard since they learned how to cast spells and bend the weave. Wisdom makes sense for Nature Casters and Clerics is because they are calling upon primal magic. Charisma makes sense for Paladins because there belief in there oath is strengthened by there personality and warlocks being more likable by there patrons granting them more power. Bards are Charisma casters because they are performers and that is what performance is in DnD. Sorcerers make very little since why they are Charisma Casters. Does there magic increase there force of personality? Constitution makes far more since with them being a conduit of magic. They are a knot in the weave. Am I the only one that finds this weird? Something else this would do is make proficiency in those Constitution Saves a bit better.

There are two reasons against this, one thematic and one mechanical. Charisma has changed over the years to represent not just your personality but also your sense of self. A high Charisma person usually (not always, but usually) a powerful presence, which makes sense for them to use Charisma to use that sense of self to draw upon magic.

Secondly, and more importantly, as long as Constitution give bonus HP every level, there should never be a class that uses Constitution as its primary ability score. Constitution is already the secondary or tertiary ability score for every other character, so it's obviously an important ability score already.

 

[Iry]

I would do sorcery points equal to your proficiency bonus which are regained on a short or long rest.

 

[Redwizard007]

First, what is wrong with Sorcerers as written? They are already a popular choice at many tables.

 

[Xeviat]

My table hates the sorcerer as written and we're looking into adapting the Pathfinder 2 Sorcerer to D&D5.

 

[Redwizard007]

There are two reasons against this, one thematic and one mechanical. Charisma has changed over the years to represent not just your personality but also your sense of self. A high Charisma person usually (not always, but usually) a powerful presence, which makes sense for them to use Charisma to use that sense of self to draw upon magic.

Secondly, and more importantly, as long as Constitution give bonus HP every level, there should never be a class that uses Constitution as its primary ability score. Constitution is already the secondary or tertiary ability score for every other character, so it's obviously an important ability score already.

I agree with everything you said here, but a Con based "Blood Mage" with a limited casting, or a feat that allows taking Con damage to boost spellcasting would both be thematically gratifying.

 

[Weiley31]

I have thought of a crazy idea: keep the sorcery points for Meta magic ONLY and have sorcerer's cast their spells via the Spell Points rule variant. You can still cast spells, but Sorcery Points would be used only for when you need a Meta Magic.

I was originally for combining both Spell Points and Sorcery Points, but I know not everybody is fond of that and takes the careful usage of Meta Magic outta the question.