fuindordm
Adventurer
What is the sorcerer's reason for existence? Does it have enough traction to continue as a class?
When introduced in 3rd edition, its only distinction from the wizard was limited spells known and more spell slots. The class was a reaction to Vancian spell preparation, but didn't introduce any new story elements to support the mechanical change. Over time, and through into 5th edition, designers leaned into the "ancestry" theme, proposing sorcerer variants and subclasses that granted new spells or magical powers so the PC could be more like a dragon/demon/angel/aberration/etc. So the PC got some story hooks, but they always came from the customization and not the base class. In 5th edition the design also introduced sorcery points and metamagic for sorcerers--but as with the 3rd edition innovation, this feature is a meta-gaming rule innovation intended to create contrast with wizards, with minimal story or flavor to back it up.
On the other side of the fence, the wizard also got new magical powers through "specialization". Initially this provided more spell slots and a boost to learning spells in one of the "academic" schools, but wizard specializations now have much wider variety than the 8 schools, and also grant innate magical powers to the PC.
Consider a wizard and a feyblooded sorcerer, both specialized in illusions. The two PCs have different innate powers via their subclasses, but in 5th edition they both prepare spells, cast with spell slots, can modify their spells (the wizard needs more time and does it later), get some extra spell slots (arcane recovery vs sorcery points)... in short they are functionally very similar.
Frankly, my own feeling is that the sorcerer has outlived its usefulness as a base class. The wizard class could easily take on all the story-driven innate powers of sorcerers by adopting the subclasses. There could be a subclass that grants sorcery points and sorcery-style metamagic options : the "Intuitive". There could be a subclass that focuses on transforming into a dragon, and a wild magic subclass that has access to chaos bolt, arcane eruption and the other new, unique spells from the playtest.
In short, the only unique distinction remaining between the wizard and the sorcerer is the spellbook--an evolutionary oddity that now serves little purpose and has almost zero impact on the game. If you want your wizard to feel more like a sorcerer, just keep your spells somewhere else: in your familiar, in your arcane focus, as runes that appear on your skin. I don't have a problem with "sorcerers" learning new magic they encounter.
When introduced in 3rd edition, its only distinction from the wizard was limited spells known and more spell slots. The class was a reaction to Vancian spell preparation, but didn't introduce any new story elements to support the mechanical change. Over time, and through into 5th edition, designers leaned into the "ancestry" theme, proposing sorcerer variants and subclasses that granted new spells or magical powers so the PC could be more like a dragon/demon/angel/aberration/etc. So the PC got some story hooks, but they always came from the customization and not the base class. In 5th edition the design also introduced sorcery points and metamagic for sorcerers--but as with the 3rd edition innovation, this feature is a meta-gaming rule innovation intended to create contrast with wizards, with minimal story or flavor to back it up.
On the other side of the fence, the wizard also got new magical powers through "specialization". Initially this provided more spell slots and a boost to learning spells in one of the "academic" schools, but wizard specializations now have much wider variety than the 8 schools, and also grant innate magical powers to the PC.
Consider a wizard and a feyblooded sorcerer, both specialized in illusions. The two PCs have different innate powers via their subclasses, but in 5th edition they both prepare spells, cast with spell slots, can modify their spells (the wizard needs more time and does it later), get some extra spell slots (arcane recovery vs sorcery points)... in short they are functionally very similar.
Frankly, my own feeling is that the sorcerer has outlived its usefulness as a base class. The wizard class could easily take on all the story-driven innate powers of sorcerers by adopting the subclasses. There could be a subclass that grants sorcery points and sorcery-style metamagic options : the "Intuitive". There could be a subclass that focuses on transforming into a dragon, and a wild magic subclass that has access to chaos bolt, arcane eruption and the other new, unique spells from the playtest.
In short, the only unique distinction remaining between the wizard and the sorcerer is the spellbook--an evolutionary oddity that now serves little purpose and has almost zero impact on the game. If you want your wizard to feel more like a sorcerer, just keep your spells somewhere else: in your familiar, in your arcane focus, as runes that appear on your skin. I don't have a problem with "sorcerers" learning new magic they encounter.
