D&D 5E The Soul of the Sorcerer

[Mercule]

YOu were this close to get xp from me, but no you had to go to "Warlocks rules"....

I actually like the Warlock mechanics -- kinda. I still prefer the 3.5 version, where the point was that anything you had was always available. I'd happily go back to that.

The 5E Warlock may not really look like that Warlock, but it's interesting. It's actually the only mechanically interesting caster (I like what they've done with Wizard/Cleric and multi-classing casters, but it's the baseline, which is inherently, well, baseline). Even if they're a little wonky, that earns some points from me.

The new Warlock is more of a combination of the original Warlock and the ToM Binder. Since I despise the Far Realms, I even replaced the fluff of the GOO Warlord with Vestige. Boom! I have simplified Binders back. Even though I loved how rich the ToM Binder was, I appreciate simplicity in the PHB and can easily convert some of the abilities to Incantations. Again, the class gets some points from me.

Would I like to see a thematically and mechanically inspiring and coherent Sorcerer? Heck yes! Is it important enough to me to spend much time on it? Not even close. Since I don't like wild magic, didn't care for the storm sorcerer, and am neutral on Favored Soul, that leaves a class dedicated to "grandpappy was a magic lizard". The sorcery points thing is really lame, even with meta-magic. There's just nothing in the Sorcerer class worth bothering with, other than the dragon-blooded archetype, which is stupid easy to just move over to Warlock.

Ideally, we'll see an alternate Sorcerer in Unearthed Arcana, like they did with Ranger -- twice. I can even compound my sins by saying that what I've always used psionics for has been for the "touched by power" and "font of magic" themes called out in the Sorcerer fluff. The first psionic character in my game (1E AD&D) who got psionics happened to be the son of another, retired, PC who had used an artifact for quite some time. The causal relationship was established. "Psionics are different" just doesn't make sense with my established table rules. If we can get a Sorcerer class that really models that sort of innate power, it would solve my need for psionics and I'd totally be on board with whatever weird experiments they want to do with it (well, other than tie it to the Far Realms, which is just wrong).

 

[I'm A Banana]

I think of the Sorcerer first in terms of narrative:

It is the spellcaster who acquired their powers through a quirk of fate. They haven't learned their magic through study, or bargained for it. They weren't granted their magic by divinities, or otherworldly entities. They were born that way, or they were made that way through no impetus of their own. The story of a sorcerer is a story of self-understanding, of coming to terms with the world that has acted upon them, of mastering their own desires and their hazards. An unusual birth, a miracle, a twist of fate...these things affect you, and you have to come to terms with them.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I really miss the Sorcerer from the playtest. The Dual-soul concept, that magic was an innate part of their being but an alien art they struggled with, and the ability for their magic to massively change them as a demonstration of them loosing control or letting loose their power was great.

Fluff-wise I think it was everything I'd always wanted from a sorcerer. Mechanically it was way OP, at least that's what I heard.

I'm currently playing a Tiefling Storm Sorcerer, who got his powers by fusing with an "elemental crystal" when he was younger and surviving the massive surge of power that followed. The DM changed some of my abilities around (he's heavily homebrewing and upping the power of the campaign) and following his logic I've realized my sorcerer is, mentally, close to being an elemental or Genie. Almost Sociopathic in some respects, which is very interesting for me to work with.

 

[possessedbyfiredemon]

I voted Thematic blaster but more so for the thematic than for the blaster

I see sorcerers as the embodiments of something powerful like a storm or chaos or a particular draconic origin. How they get these powers is not of their choosing, it is just part of their genes or fate or some random act that has them this way which to me at least makes them distinctly different to the warlock who has chosen a patron and like someone else said it then becomes a journey of self-discovery for that sorcerer to harness their new power. In my head this makes them like mutants from the marvel universe, they have a power they didnt ask for but now have to come to terms with

 

[Minigiant]

I see the difference between wizard and sorcerer as the writer and actor of magic.

The wizard is the writer of words. They know all the words, the definitions, usages, translations, and histories. They read books for ideas and can identify concepts. But many can't act. They maybe can say the words but only in robotic from without feeling.

The sorcerer is the actors. Whatever role the world forced on them, they exceed at. The beauty can seduce. The sting can inspire. The funny can joke. But they necessarily don't understand their lines nor their words. And they may or may not be able to pull off some roles.

That's why I see them as thematic blaster and blunt hammer. The wold gave them magic. They don't understand it but they do what they do know well. And they use it for every obstacle even if if isn't the best fit.

 

[The Myopic Sniper]

I would like to ultimately see alternate versions of all the core classes to help focus them conceptually a little better in UA. The Wizard is "just about done" in my view. The Ranger seems to be too far away from most people's expectations so should get a rebuild sooner (even though I think that the Hunter subclass works just fine in actual play.) But it is the Sorcerer that I think needs the most thorough reworking. As is, it is just kind of "meh" more than anything. The four competing visions here probably means that it is closer to the Ranger problem than anything and I find the Metamagic and sorcery points mechanic kind of uninspiring.

I guess ultimately I would like most of the flavor of the class to be locked up in something other than the spell list and just give the big three Arcane casters full access to the wizards list. The fact that I can't cast... to pick a random, made-up example... Otiluke's Freezing Sphere for my ice sorcerer because it has the name Otiluke in it seems like it defeats the purpose if an IQ 3 minor ice elemental has access to it.

As it is, I think that the not being able to prepare your spells on a daily basis is plenty of restriction as well as having a smaller spell list to draw from anyway. The few spells from other sources doesn't really color the class enough to give it enough identity on that count.

 

[Minigiant]

I guess I would ultimately I would like most of the flavor of the class to be locked up in something other than the spell list and just give the big three Arcane casters full access to the wizards list. The fact that I can't cast... to pick a random, made-up example... Otiluke's Freezing Sphere for my ice sorcerer because it has the name Otiluke in it seems like it defeats the purpose if an IQ 3 minor ice elemental has access to it.

As it is, I think that the not being able to prepare your spells on a daily basis is plenty of restriction as well as having a smaller spell list to draw from anyway. The few spells from other sources doesn't really color the class enough to give it enough identity on that count.

I see similarities in the ranger of sorcerer's image.

I think it really comes down to how the sorcerer casts magic. D&D is very vague on it.

Does the sorcerer have the "fireball" spell in their blood? Like spell runes are in its DNA or under its skin. If so it should have access to all magic spells but can't rewrite them.

Does the sorcerer simply summons up magic and shape it into a spell with their will? Then sorcerer can cast whatever spell you think the sorcerer can shape.

Does the sorcerer invoke their magic origin for magic? Then the sorcerer can only cast spells associated to their origin.

Does the sorcerer have magic inside and learns the symbols and motions to shape it into spells? Then the sorcerer should have free roam to all arcane spells.

Is the Sorcerer Harry Potter, Scarlett Witch, Zatanna, Hannah Ascher, or Naruto?

 

[77IM]

Sorcerer, to me, is generic magic-user, much like Fighter is generic warrior. Barbarian, Paladin and Ranger are non-generic warriors; they have interesting and flavorful trappings that give them a specific place in the world or role in the story. The Fighter is defined almost by the absence of such, and consequently the breadth of concepts it can support.

Similarly, I see Wizard, Warlock, Bard, Cleric, and Druid as the non-generic magic-users. Those classes all have interesting and flavorful trappings that give them a specific place in the world or role in the story. The Sorcerer has always had magic "just because." So it should be more generic in its mechanics and support a breadth of concepts.

For example, many fantasy settings have only one type of spellcaster (e.g. Wheel of Time). I think when designing such a setting for D&D, that the Sorcerer should be the go-to class for that. If you want only 3 core classes, you would go with Fighter, Rogue, Sorcerer -- I think Sorcerer should be able to replace Cleric and Druid. This would mean giving them access to some healing magic and some nature magic. Sure, why not? The more specific classes are always going to do those things better, just like a Fighter with a greatsword and anger-management issues can act like a Barbarian but the real Barbarian is going to do it better.

EDIT: I voted "thematic blaster" although I feel the term "blaster" is unnecessary and misapplied. However organizing magic around themes is the best way to give such a class a lot of breadth without a lot of complexity.

EDIT2: Thinking more about my comparison of the Sorcerer to the Fighter, both of these classes have been difficult to design in 5e precisely because of their generic/flavorless nature.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

Mechanically, I think WotC missed the boat by making metamagic the sorcerer's gig. I would have made them the con caster, made their noncantrip spell list the concentration spells from the wizard, bard, and warlock (subclasses could add concentration spells from the druid and cleric), and restrict the war mage feat to 11th level or higher characters. Metamagic could go to magic items (get your wand of twinning for 20 gps....). As high con types, they would make more con saves so it is less likely that their concentration spells will be disrupted--sorcerers are so in tune with magic it is hard to break their spells by hitting them like it is for other casters.....Plus sorcerers ought to have mutant (hybrid) vitality.

Thematically (and I admit this doesn't quite square with the mechanical idea), I like the thought that the sorcerer only thinks he/she is a human, elf, dwarf, etc., but is really a nascent elemental/dragon/demon/angel, etc. Kind of protective camouflage. As they level up, their "true selves" manifest more.

 

[Minigiant]

Mechanically, I think WotC missed the boat by making metamagic the sorcerer's gig. I would have made them the con caster, made their noncantrip spell list the concentration spells from the wizard, bard, and warlock (subclasses could add concentration spells from the druid and cleric), and restrict the war mage feat to 11th level or higher characters. Metamagic could go to magic items (get your wand of twinning for 20 gps....). As high con types, they would make more con saves so it is less likely that their concentration spells will be disrupted--sorcerers are so in tune with magic it is hard to break their spells by hitting them like it is for other casters.....Plus sorcerers ought to have mutant (hybrid) vitality.

Thematically (and I admit this doesn't quite square with the mechanical idea), I like the thought that the sorcerer only thinks he/she is a human, elf, dwarf, etc., but is really a nascent elemental/dragon/demon/angel, etc. Kind of protective camouflage. As they level up, their "true selves" manifest more.

There was no boat to missed. Sorcerer was forced to be Cha based as prievious versions were. They tried to innovate during the playtest and were shot down hard.

So They stuck to the basics:

• Casts spells
• Charisma based
• Has access to attack spells (no need to take them but access)
• No spellbook
• Can cast know spells at any time in any open slot (given to all casters)
• Knows spells
• Has Charisma skills
• No armor by default
• Low Hp by default

Add in the fact that 3rd and 4rd edition sorcerer were very different even with rule changes in style, theme, spells, and available combat, exploration, and interaction roles,, WOTC did a decent job given the harsh playtest backlash. They were just too tame after the harsh words and their wizard favoritism took over.