D&D 5E Sorcerers Should Be Constitution-Based Casters, Not Charisma

[Benjamin Olson]

I hate constitution based casting. I hate it from a lore perspective. I hate it from a mechanical perspective.

Fundamentally "constitution" just has the wrong connotations for me in D&D. I get the appeal of somehow casting at the cost to ones own vital essence, if Sorcerers got an ability to do X extra special magical thing but had to make a con save to avoid necrotic damage from it, I'm fine by that. I also like that Sorcerers are proficient in con saves, since that indicates some sort of advanced control over their health rather than more health.

But D&D constitution is very much about one's mundane health. Lore-wise, someone with a high constitution is someone who exercises regularly and takes their fantasy vitamins. That should not increase their spell save DC. Nor do I like the mechanical incentive to emphasize stats that go cross-purpose to being given a d6 hit die, nor do I like the game balance implications making an already fairly SAD class more so.

If there was an ability score for "innate magical energy" I'd say Sorcerers should use that. In lieu of that, however, I'd say "Charisma", the pure force of personality, is the best match available.

 

[Maxperson]

Charisma is also your sense of self. To me that sense of self is what allows the Sorcerer to tap into that innate magical power in his body. The Sorcerer's brother who doesn't have that high charisma still has the blood, but isn't able to use it. I wouldn't change Sorcerer out of charisma.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

I actually think that clerics being WIS is weird for me. Do we think of priests as people with supernatural hearing and eyesight? Seems weird that the "blinded by the light" archetype is actually pretty impossible in D&D.

 

[Imaculata]

I find the idea of a high con sorcerer very interesting, and can see that working well with blood magic and sacrifices.

 

[turnip_farmer]

I actually think that clerics being WIS is weird for me. Do we think of priests as people with supernatural hearing and eyesight? Seems weird that the "blinded by the light" archetype is actually pretty impossible in D&D.

That's just the result of Wisdom being the least coherent of the ability scores (and thus the one they threw out in DCC).

 

[Aldarc]

I actually think that clerics being WIS is weird for me. Do we think of priests as people with supernatural hearing and eyesight? Seems weird that the "blinded by the light" archetype is actually pretty impossible in D&D.

If the cleric is framed as a "divine mystic" that actually meditated, relied on intuition, and had extrasensory perception? Sure. But the crusader-based cleric of D&D? Nah.

That's just the result of Wisdom being the least coherent of the ability scores (and thus the one they threw out in DCC).

I like a base four: (1) Strength/Might/Brawn; (2) Dexterity/Agility; (3) Intellect/Wits/Smarts; (4) Spirit/Willpower.

IMHO, Constitution/Stamina doesn't really do anything apart from bonus HP and Con saves. It's too passive, and it doesn't really tell a player how the character would approach or interact with the world like other attributes. The Con saves part could be added to Strength, and why do we even need bonus HP when HP bloat is a problem and classes determine HD?

 

[TheSword]

I would actually have a sorcerer key off both abilities.

Spell casting: Charisma
Arcana Points: Level + Con bonus.

I think making Sorcerers all about Con would make them too good for multiclassing into fighting classes - when they’re already good at that.

I definitely agree that too much keys of Charisma. Make Paladins Wisdom again and Warlocks Intelligence.

 

[BookTenTiger]

I want to make the case for Sorcerers using Strength!

I don't think it's supported by any of the lore, but I love the idea of Sorcerers expressing their magic through martial will. Pinching out fireballs, kicking lightning bolts... Turning sorcerers into little Avatars could be a lot of fun.

 

[MoonSong]

In addition to the arguments held so far, Sorcerers are the original Charisma caster! Changing them away from Charisma would be like making them prepared casters. Sorcerers are enigmatic and mysterious, that is part of their charm. Shifting them away from it would mean a huge loss. A constitution based sorcerer would feel less magical -IMO, I could be biased because in 3.x monsters derived mundane effects like poison DC from Constitution. -.

Now, I love the idea of mechanics to represent the connection of magic with life force. It could be something as simple as having the ability to convert hit dice to sorcery points, and to take damage if we are put of hit dice.

 

[Scribe]

Now, I love the idea of mechanics to represent the connection of magic with life force. It could be something as simple as having the ability to convert hit dice to sorcery points, and to take damage if we are put of hit dice.

I've written up a few classes/sub-classes on this mechanism since this topic started, but I'm focusing on the Warlock instead, HP for Sorcery Points for Spell Slots, could just be HP for Spell Slots, or even HP for Spells. Lots of ways to play around with it. I'm surprised we dont already have this mechanic in 5e actually its quite common when I start looking around.

I believe there's maybe a 3rd Party class for it in Mercer's world but I dont own his stuff.