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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Khaalis" data-source="post: 1373882" data-attributes="member: 2167">Thanks! I wanted to be as clear and concise as I could be. On Use Magic Device I tend to agree on this point, but I am open to hear arguments to the contrary of the logic so far introduced before I make up my mind.On HeredityI fully agree on the logic of a sorcerer being a bordeline Racial Class. I have the same issues with Barbarian. IF I had my way (and I will in my revised Classes) I would rename the Barbarian to Berserker and remove all pseudo-cultural references from the flavor text.  A barbarian "culture" belongs to a race or in a campaign world write-up. I do however see the possibility to allow a sorcerer to come into their power but not know their heredity. However once going that route, I do see the ability to abuse the "conecting" to one's heredity. As you mention, pick a heredity that best suits the style.I do feel that heredity should be chosen at the sorcerer's 1st level though as it makes the most logical sense. I am thinking that the "knowledge" of one's heredity should be player choice. Just as any player can choose their background, so should the sorcerer. Some sorcerers may know their heritage while others may not. For example Sorcerer A might know that his great great grandfather was a 1/2-Dragon, but Sorcerer B might Not know that his great great grandfather was 1/2-Celestial.  What we have to ask is...Will this effect the game mechanic?Do we force heredity? Or do we make it an option that must be chosen or not at first level?  Something along the line of allowing a sorcerer to truly not know their heritage or their heritage is so old (ie so generic) that it isnt strong enough to influence the sorcerer in any way.The large question is how to introduce Heredity to the class without making it too restrictive, or too powerful.How do we quantify ability to access spells outside of the Wizard list, but do it so that it is set generic ability/restriction? Or de we specify certain heredities and their capabilities? What I was thinking of starting by defining a basic generic Heredity Template such as: • Gain one Class Skill related to the heredity. • Gain an appropriate bonus language (draconic by default) • Special Bonuses (set number?) <ul style="margin-left: 20px"> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Specific Ability related to the heredity</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spell List designation – what spells the heredity may learn outside of the Wizard spell list if any, and any restrictions on spells they may not learn at all</li> </ul> • Additional Spell Path (gain a Spell Path related to the heredity) This would give the class some defined Heredities of the more common types, as well as provide the template for new ones to be developed. This would be similar to Cleric Domains providing a list of base domains for reference with many other possibilities to be devised later. Two examples classes like this are Monte's Totem Warrior and Witch.If we do go with something like this. What do we begin with in the core? Do we begin offering all of the "Typical" sorcerer heredities or only one or two such as focusing on the Dragon and a Divine Inspired?Once heredity is designed, how do we want to link heredity to class abilities or do we?Here is an Example: At 1st level grant "Spell Path" as the set class ability. This would be the same level of "Mutability" as in the Cleric's Domain Choice, the Monk's Style Choice, or the Ranger's Weapon Style Choice.Spell Path: Each sorcerer’s magic is somewhat unique. At 1st level the sorcerer may choose one of the following magic paths: Unknown Heredity or Heredity.Unknown Heredity: The sorcerer's magic ancestry is so old that it has no overtly obvious source and takes on a more broad effect for the sorcerer. The sorcerer of an unknown heredity may choose one of the following Spell Paths.Sorcerous Specialization: The sorcerer chooses a single school of magic known as their specialty school. The sorcerer is most attuned with the spells from that given school. When choosing the specialist school, the sorcerer must also choose opposition schools that are banned to them. If they choose to specialize in Divination they may choose any one other school (excluding Universal). If they choose any other school they must choose any two schools of opposition except Divination and Universal. The benefit of sorcerous specialization is that the sorcerer gain one extra spell known of their choice per spell level, from their specialist school only, these spells are cast as if the sorcerer were one level higher and they also increase the save DC of all spells used from the Specialty School by +1. Domain Sorcerer: The sorcerer chooses an Arcane Domain from those listed on p.57 of Unearted Arcana. This domain may never be changed even through spell swapping. A domain sorcerer gains the spells of their arcane domain as bonus known spells as soon as they are able to cast spells of that spell level. These bonus domain spells are cast as if the sorcerer were one level higher and they also increase the save DC of all spells used from the Specialty School by +1.  The domains a sorcerer may choose are: Abjuration, Antimagic, Battle, Cold, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Fire, Illusion, Necromancy, Storm, Transmutation.Heredity: The sorcerer has a specific heredity that has a strong influence on their abilities. The sorcerer may choose from the Arcane Experiment, Child of Magic (dragons; celestial or fiend {maybe just Outsider?}; shapeshifters; and storm giants {or just giants?}), Child of Nature, Child of the Elements, Divine Receptacle, and Sorcerous Family. ExamplesChild of Magic - Dragon: The sorcerer has the blood of a dragon in their veins. The connection to their draconic heritage is strong in the sorcerer and has manifested itself in the sorcerer's abilities. <ul style="margin-left: 20px"> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gain Survival as a Class Skill.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gain draconic as a bonus language.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Strange Appearance: The draconic sorcerer manifests minor but strange colorations in their hair and/or skin reflecting the coloration for their draconic heritage. This grants a +2 racial bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information and Intimidate skill checks, but applies a -4 racial penalty to all Disguise skill checks.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Energy Focus: The sorcerer's draconic blood gives them an affinity for energy spells that relate to their specific draconic heritage. The sorcerer may choose one energy descriptor based on their dracon ancestor's breath weapon (if the dragon type has 2, choose 1). That energy descriptor is now a specialty for the sorcerer and the sorcerer can learn any spell with that descriptor regardless of spell list. However, when this ability is chosen the sorcerer is banned from learning that energy descriptor's opposition element descriptor (such as acid vs. electricity), or if there is no opposition they must choose a banned energy descriptor.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Draconic Spell Path: This spell path may never be changed even through spell swapping. The sorcerer gains the spells of this spell path as bonus known spells  as soon as they are able to cast spells of that spell level. 0 – Resistance; 1st - Comprehend Languages; 2nd - Darkvision; 3rd - Protection from Elements; 4th - Fear; 5th - Mind Fog; 6th - True Seeing; 7th - Vision; 8th - Mind Blank; 9th - Dominate Monster</li> </ul> Child of Nature: The Child of Nature is the descendant of a supernatural fey species such as Satyrs, Faeries, etc. or possibly even been imbued with their special powers by the powers that control nature.  This ancestry is powerful and of all heredities, most directly links the sorcerer to the forces of their heredity – nature, imbuing in them a sense of need to protect nature. Their personalities are even reflective of the changing of the seasons. The nature sorcerers powers are born and influenced by this heritage. <ul style="margin-left: 20px"> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gain Survival as a Class Skill.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gain sylvan as a bonus language.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Woodland Stride: The Sorcerer may move through natural ground covered terrain (shrubs, thorns, etc.), at their normal speed and without suffering damage or other impairment.  This does not provide protection from enchanted or magically manipulated areas.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Nature Focus: The sorcerer may learn any spell from the Druid spell list. In return however, they may not learn spells of the Evocation school.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Nature Spell Path: This spell path may never be changed even through spell swapping. The sorcerer gains the spells of this spell path as bonus known spells  as soon as they are able to cast spells of that spell level. 0 – Know Direction; 1st - Summon Nature's Ally I; 2nd - Summon Nature's Ally II; 3rd - Summon Nature's Ally III; 4th - Summon Nature's Ally IV; 5th - Summon Nature's Ally V; 6th - Summon Nature's Ally VI; 7th - Summon Nature's Ally VII; 8th - Summon Nature's Ally VIII; 9th - Summon Nature's Ally IX</li> </ul>Note that while the Non-Heredity options do not gain a new Class Skill or Language, they do gain 2 abilities (+1 caster level and +1 spell DC) and a Spell Path.Thoughts, Opinions and Ideas?</blockquote>

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