Sorcerers use Divine Spells!

[swordsmasher]

I am trying this out in my new campaign; I think it will work well. The sorcerer may select his spells known from the sorcerer/wizard or cleric spell list. how could this effect game play and balance?

 

[haiiro]

The sorcerer may select his spells known from the sorcerer/wizard or cleric spell list. how could this effect game play and balance?

That's an important "or" -- do you mean they choose during character creation which list to use, or that they can mix freely between the two (taking spells from both lists)?

If the former, there are at least of couple of spontaneous divine caster classes already. I don't remember them being that different than "sorcerer who can cast divine spells," so you should be OK with that one. The main difference is fewer blast and utility spells, so if you already find the sorcerer a bit underpowered that won't help any.

If the latter, I think you'll have serious balance issues. You'll run into sorcerers who take the cure spell at every level, and also get to choose good damage and utility spells. IMO, that's problematic -- and if you don't feel it'd cause balance issues in your game, there's still the problem that anyone playing a cleric or a wizard is going to feel left out: now the sorcerer treads on both their roles in the party.

 

[BSF]

Much will depend on your game style and class choices for the group. There are spontaneous divine spell casters in theird-party supplements, so the spontanaity shouldn't be an issue. Fantasy Flight games has a caster that melds divine and arcane spells in Path of Magic. It is called the Sun mage and it is pretty cool.

There will be some things you need to address with allowing a Sorceror to choose from Wizard & Cleric spells. Essentially, you are opening all of those spells to that class for spell-completion items. Scrolls, wands, etc. If that is not desirable, create a merged spell list that does not include all spells. (The Sun Mage has such a spell list.)

With a high charisma, the Sorceror might be able to out-heal some clerics. In all likelihood, that will not happen since you will probably see some cool flash-bang spells as well. But, it is one thing to consider.

 

[Saeviomagy]

I am trying this out in my new campaign; I think it will work well. The sorcerer may select his spells known from the sorcerer/wizard or cleric spell list. how could this effect game play and balance?

Fundamentally - it'll have almost no impact. As someone once said: wizard spells are considered sufficiently better than cleric spells to justify the wizards lower hit dice, lack of armour, less spell slots per day, less weapons, lack of domains, 8 hours of required rest, expensive access to spells and the precariousness of his spellbook. In short, unless clerics are horribly, horribly broken, no sorceror in his right mind would lessen his own abilities by taking cleric spells.

In practise, they'll probably pick up a low level curative spell, swap it out for the heal spell and possibly divine power for the ability to fight and cast simultaeneously.

I think a wizard would scribe a lot of the spells as a 'just in case' measure, but not use them unless the cleric was unwilling or unable to.

In short - adding every spell from the divine list to the sorceror/wizard spell list would have almost no effect on the game, except to lessen the absolute need of a cleric in the average party.

 

[DragonLancer]

The 3.5 Dragonlance CS has the Mystic core class which is a clerical version of the sorcerer. Along the same lines except it gets 1 domain at 1st, and only gets turn undead if it chooses a domain that affects turning (Sun I believe).

A little different to what your thinking of, but I have had a Mystic in my game and it works out very well.

 

[RuminDange]

I've allowed this to some degree IMC without too much problem. I have PC sorcerer's that know cure spells and even heal. But there is a role-playing connection to allow it. First they had to have a patron deity. Second they cannot just learn divine spells, they must find a scroll, have one made or be taught by a priest of thier religion and then attempt to learn it via a spellcraft check.

The only problem it has caused I guess was make the two characters that have done this a little more self-reliant on themselves for healing, not they are always wise enough to do so. It freed up the Priest that was with the group to pursue other avenues of spell usage instead of being thier healer. And allowed the Druid to also pursue other courses after she became the only divine spellcaster in the group. Both of the sorcerers are the up front fighters. (Ranger/Sorcerer/Arcane Archer and Fighter/Sorcrerer/Bladesinger) so having them spend a round to heal themselves takes away a round of them doing damage. Of course that allows the other players to continue to deal out damage without having to dedicate time/action/spells to saving thier butts. Although the Druid does that alot anyway.

RD