The sorcerer as a unique class (with bloodlines - see post #1)

[Jack Simth]

So far so good Kerrick. Not everyone has MS Office, so I PDFed document.

Hope you don't mind.

I don't have MS Office on my computer. I'm using OpenOffice. Why pay for something from MS when, for free, you can get something that does essentially everything you'd use MS Office to do?

The .doc opened just fine.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I am aware of Open Office. Some people prefer PDF over document files.

 

[Kerrick]

Okay - unless you go overboard with the Innate Powers or Heritage abilities (which you don't seem want to do, from what I've seen of your bloodlines so far), my impression is that you've now got something that's sitting roughly between the PHB Sorcerer and the PHB Wizard on the power curve.

That's pretty much where I want it - better than the old sorcerer, but not outshining the wizard.

I'll get some more stuff up soon... I've been too busy to do much the last few days

So far so good Kerrick. Not everyone has MS Office, so I PDFed document.

Hope you don't mind.

Oh, no problem. I forget about that - should've made it .rtf instead.

 

[Kerrick]

I need an opinion on this. I revised the immolation thing, but I'm thinking about just dropping it - it's a cool idea, but not really practical unless you're an NPC (you can pretty well guarantee they'd use it).

Hellfire (Su): At 1st level, a fiend-blooded sorcerer can infuse herself with hellfire as a free action. A sorcerer holding hellfire is easy to spot for those who know what to look for – her eyes have a slight orange glow, the air around becomes warm, and she glows with an elemental aura if spells or effects that detect magic are used.

She can hold it safely for up to 3 rounds; after that, she must make a Will save (DC 10, +1 per round after that) each round to avoid taking 1d6 points of damage from the fires. There is no way to mitigate this damage, as it is magical energy infusing her being.

The sorcerer can instead choose to immolate herself with hellfire; this kills her and destroys her body, but it deals massive damage to those around her. It is used as a last-ditch defense, or as a final act of defiance to those who would kill her anyway. In order to immolate, the sorcerer must open herself completely to the hellfire; this requires a full-round action, during which her eyes glow brightly and the air around her grows warm even to those not paying attention. On her turn on the next round, she explodes in a fiery inferno of black-tinged flames. All creatures and objects within 5 feet per class level take 1d6 points of fire damage per class level (they can make a DC 20 Reflex save for half damage).

The sorcerer can let the hellfire drain away at any time (this doesn’t count as a use), unleash it as a bolt of energy, or make a touch attack, infusing a creature or object with the hellfire and causing it to burst into flame. Releasing the hellfire is a free action; using a bolt or touch attack is a standard action.

A hellfire bolt is a ray of fiery energy that can strike a creature within 40 feet and deals 1d6 points of fire damage per class level. The sorcerer must make a ranged touch attack to hit; there is no save to mitigate the damage, but spell resistance does apply.

If the sorcerer chooses to make a touch attack, she deals 2d6 fire damage and the creature or object bursts into flames, taking an additional 1d6 points of fire damage per round until extinguished. Good-aligned creatures take an additional +1 points per die of damage due to the infernal origin of the fire. She can "hold the charge" for up to 3 rounds safely; after that, the hellfire begins to deal damage to her at the rate of 1d4 points per round (no save) as it burns her from the inside out. After 1 minute, she automatically immolates, destroying herself and dealing 10d6 fire damage to anything within 10 feet (anything caught in the blast can make a DC 20 Reflex save for half damage).

 

[Jack Simth]

I need an opinion on this. I revised the immolation thing, but I'm thinking about just dropping it - it's a cool idea, but not really practical unless you're an NPC (you can pretty well guarantee they'd use it).

Too complex. There's little point to holding it, if it's a free action to load, so rules for what happens when you carry it are pretty much mechanically meaningless.

 

[Kerrick]

Too complex. There's little point to holding it, if it's a free action to load, so rules for what happens when you carry it are pretty much mechanically meaningless.

Eh, I'll drop it.


Here's what I've got pencilled in for the other bloodlines, in case anyone's interested:

Celestial

• Aura of power (minor SR, bonus to saves/AC, etc.)
• Clarion call (puts fear into evil creatures, bolsters good ones, can command)
• Energy bolt (positive damage)
• Summon celestial ally

Chaos (This is the standard sorcerer for those who don't want to use bloodlines. There are no heritage abilities.)

• Energy bolts (a magic-missile-type thing, with the energy being pure magical; missiles deal 1d4 each)
• Metamagic mastery (bonus feats)
• Unnamed power (can reroll damage/CL check but must take the second roll, for better or worse; at higher levels, you can choose to take the better roll 3/day)
• Unnamed power (increases variability of the magic, so it's harder to resist - bonus to DC, spell penetration, bypasses some resistance)

Draconic (I'm still unsure on this one, since I can't come up with much for it.)

• Aura of fear (similar to a dragon's aura)
• Breath weapon?
• SR?
• ???

Elemental (as mentioned before, this will be split up into the four different elements)

• Elemental affinity (improved movement through the element)
• Elemental shroud (a shield-type power)
• Energy bolt (damage type relates to element)
• Summon elemental

Fey (I'm working on this one currently)

• Energy shield (grants bonus to saves vs. spells, SR)
• Fey charm (can charm and eventually control people/creatures)
• Levin bolt (positive energy bolt)
• ??? (maybe an illusion power?)

Shadow

• One with the shadows (shadows can shroud the form, improved hiding, HiPS, etc. - this is only an idea right now)
• Shadow bolt (negative energy + Str damage)
• Shadow jump (as SD, plus can eventually shadow walk as the spell)
• ???

 

[Lopke_Quasath]

Double-post. Excuse me.

 

[Lopke_Quasath]

I realize I'm jumping in a bit late, but I want to throw in a sorcerer variant class from a few years ago, also made on ENWorld. I've used it in one of my campaigns, and the flavour and crunch were great. It's what you are looking, a seperate class with lots of options for heritage and bloodlines.

Originally done by Khaalis (who's still around here), the pdf file is gone from its original site, but I have an older version (from 10/12/04). Let me see if I can upload it.

Khaalis' old thread is here: http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=82388
He says you can email him for a recent file copy.
I highly recommend his class (or at least looking at it).

 

[Khaalis]

I realize I'm jumping in a bit late, but I want to throw in a sorcerer variant class from a few years ago, also made on ENWorld. I've used it in one of my campaigns, and the flavour and crunch were great. It's what you are looking, a seperate class with lots of options for heritage and bloodlines.

Originally done by Khaalis (who's still around here), the pdf file is gone from its original site, but I have an older version (from 10/12/04). Let me see if I can upload it.

Khaalis' old thread is here: http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=82388
He says you can email him for a recent file copy.
I highly recommend his class (or at least looking at it).

Wow, talk about resurrecting the dead...

I'm glad to see this class is still getting some attention actually. At last count before the original web host crashed, I had somewhere around 1,450 downloads of the Lineage Sorcerer. In the past 3.5 years since then I still get an email request for it every few months. Some from new people, some from people who had but lost a copy. The file's last revision was 10/12/04, so that is a good file. I know a lot of people have used it and there was never any request for tweaks or further revisions so it stood as completed at that stage. it is highly adaptable, and I hope it works for what you are looking for.

On a side note, I personally dislike the UA's Bloodlines. The mechanic is a bit clunky, and I feel they are weak overall for the cost. JMHO, but it is one I know to a general consensus on them from when UA 1st came out both here and on the official boards. I honestly don't think I have ever seen them used or heard of them used in a game. It was a great concept, but I think the system left a lot to be desired. YMMV.

 

[Kerrick]

Yeah, I didn't really like UA's bloodlines either - they're goofy, and they don't work well for sorcerers (at least my idea of the sorcerer). I'd like to see what you've done with it - can you send me a copy?