The sorcerer class doesn't make sense. Sorcerers supposedly possess "raw power that they direct at will," yet they have to abide by the same verbal, somatic, and material components that wizards do.
I think it makes more sense for sorcerers to have spell-like abilities. Spell-like abilities represent inherent magical power and don't require study or preparation to use. Instead of saying that a sorcerer somehow intuitively learns the words, gestures, and material components of a fireball spell, why not just say that a sorcerer gains the power to throw fireballs? (Intuitively learning the components to a spell makes about as much sense as intuitively learning a foreign language, IMO.)
Here are some possible changes to the class to accomplish this. I am posting for suggestions and comments.
HD: d6 (They aren't studious, after all.)
Class skills: Concentration, Craft, Profession, Use Magic Device, any two others
(No reason sorcerers should share many class skills - they don't share a common training.)
Armor and weapon proficiency: Simple weapons, no proficiency in armor or shields
Skill points, BAB, and Saving throw bonuses the same.
Spell-like abilities: Sorcerers develop innate magical powers called spell-like abilities. Spell-like abilities duplicate the effects of spells, but unlike spells do not require preparation or components. They do require concentration, however. A sorcerer develops spell-like abilities that duplicate the effects of spells on the wizard’s spell list. If a spell on the wizard’s spell list requires an expensive material component, it is considered one level higher for a member of the sorcerer class.
Most creatures with spell-like abilities may use them either at will or a limited number of times per day. A sorcerer has ability slots that determine how many times a day he can use his spell-like abilities. One ability slot counts towards one use of any spell-like ability of an equivalent level or lower. The sorcerer’s ability slots are determined by the Spells Per Day chart. A sorcerer gains additional ability slots based on his Charisma, just as spellcasters gain bonus spells from having a high spellcasting statistic.
The number and level of spell-like abilities a sorcerer has are determined by the Spells Known chart. A sorcerer’s Charisma determines the highest level of spell he may duplicate as a spell-like ability. In order to take a spell as a spell-like ability, the level of the spell must be less than or equal to the sorcerer’s Charisma minus 10.
At 4th level and every 2 levels afterwards, a sorcerer may change one of his spell-like abilities to another of an equivalent level. The highest level of ability the sorcerer may change is equal to his class level minus 4.
Summon familiar: Sorcerers have the power to forge a mystic link with a small animal that becomes the sorcerer’s familiar. Unlike wizards, who learn a ritual for summoning familiars as part of their training, sorcerers have no control over the type of familiar they attract. Some say that a sorcerer’s familiar finds him, not the other way around, and many sorcerers are surprised when they start to share the feelings of an intelligent animal.
At first level a sorcerer rolls a d10 to see what type of familiar he attracts. Whether or not he chooses to accept a familiar of the randomly determined type is up to him – an animal of that type will approach the sorcerer at some point regardless. The sorcerer may not change the type of familiar except by taking the Improved Familiar feat. It does not cost a sorcerer anything to attract a familiar, although it still takes 24 hours for a sorcerer to find a new familiar if he loses his old one.
Item Creation Feats Variant: Spell-like abilities may be substituted for spells in the item creation process, except for the purpose of scribing scrolls. A magical scroll contains a written record of a spell’s components – since spell-like abilities have no components, they cannot be recorded on a scroll.
Any creature using a spell-like ability to meet a spell prerequisite for the creation of an item must be able to use the spell-like ability at least once per day.
Metamagic Feats and Spell-like Ability Feats: Metamagic feats modify spells, not spell-like abilities. In order to gain the advantages of a metamagic feat, a sorcerer must take a General feat that modifies a spell-like ability. As a rule, any metamagic feat has an equivalent General feat that modifies spell-like abilities. The obvious exceptions would be the Still Spell and Silent Spell feats. The Empower Spell-like Ability and Quicken Spell-like Ability feats are examples of Metamagic Feats converted to General feats. Each feat modifies one spell-like ability only. It allows the modification of the spell-like ability three times per day. The sorcerer must meet a minimum caster level in order to apply feats to spells of certain levels. The formula given in the Empower Spell-like Ability and Quicken Spell-like Ability feats may be used. In that formula, the number subtracted is equal to the number of spell slots the equivalent Metamagic feat uses up. The minimum caster level can also be determined like this:
(Level of spell + Spell slots used by Metamagic feat) x 2 = Minimum caster level
In order to qualify for the Extend Spell-like Ability (displacement) feat, a sorcerer would have to be at least 8th level: (3rd level spell + 1 spell slot used by Extend Spell feat) = 4 x 2 = 8th caster level.
Spell Focus vs. Ability Focus: Sorcerers do not cast spells, thus Spell Focus is useless to them. They may take the Ability Focus feat.
Use Magic Device: Sorcerers receive a +10 inherent bonus to use magical items they created or helped create.
Possible variants: Sorcerers can choose to take their spell-like abilities from the cleric spell list or druid spell list instead. Clerical sorcerers gain a domain instead of a familiar. Druidic sorcerers gain an animal companion instead of a familiar.
Major implications of these rules:
- Sorcerers can wear armor without restriction.
- Sorcerers are more specialized because of the restrictive nature of the spell-like ability modifying feats and the Ability Focus feat.
- Sorcerers cannot use arcane items without using the UMD skill.
- Sorcerers can choose class skills.
A different approach to Spell-like Abilities.
The capacity to manifest spell-like abilities without any discernible components and to wear armor without penalty may create some balance issues for the sorcerer class. Changing the nature of spell-like abilities could ameliorate this (and make the game cooler in general).
Spell-like ability variant #1: Spell-like abilities produce a discernible display.
Glowing eyes, energy halos around the hands or head, swirling mists, or other types of effects should accompany the use of a spell-like ability. These effects should normally be visual, although they could be auditory, olfactory, material, or mental, too. Officially, spells in D&D don’t have display effects, much to the boredom of players. The sorcerer would be the exception by using spell-like abilities.
Having a discernible display could make spell-like abilities eligible for counterspelling. Counterspelling is a rarely used mechanic, but I suggest a Spellcraft DC of 20 + spell level to identify a spell-like ability as it is being manifested. A character with 5 or more ranks in a Knowledge skill relating to a creature type would gain a +2 synergy bonus to identify spell-like abilities of creatures of that type. For instance, 5 ranks in Knowledge (the Planes) would give a character a +2 synergy bonus to identify the spell-like ability of a balor as it is being manifested. 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana) gives a +2 synergy bonus to identify the spell-like abilities of sorcerers and bards.
Spell-like ability variant #2: Spell-like abilities require freedom of movement to manifest.
Creatures that use spell-like abilities must be free to point, dance, play a musical instrument, hold their index fingers to their temples, raise their crackling hands to the air, or any other number of gestures in order to summon and shape their magic. Creatures may not use their spell-like abilities while bound or grappled. Wearing armor and shields can interfere with a creature’s ability to use its spell-like abilities, even though the gestures associated with spell-like abilities are not strictly speaking somatic components. Creatures with spell-like abilities suffer the same chance for arcane spell failure as wizards, reduced by 20%.
These are inspired in part by the fictional characters Princess Ariel from the cartoon “Thundarr the Barbarian” and the Scarlet Witch from Marvel Comics. Princess Ariel was called a “sorceress.” She did not cast spells, but manifested magical powers by gesturing. These powers were accompanied by a visual display, and Ariel could not use them if her hands were bound. The Scarlet Witch had inherent “magic-like” mutant powers that she invoked by gesturing. Like Ariel, she could not use her power while grappled or entangled. Both of these characters display the “feel,” but not the mechanics, of the D&D sorcerer class.
Spell-like abilities with no display or gesturing: In order to manifest a spell-like ability without gesturing or producing a display, a sorcerer or other creature must take the Supernatural Transformation feat.
I think it makes more sense for sorcerers to have spell-like abilities. Spell-like abilities represent inherent magical power and don't require study or preparation to use. Instead of saying that a sorcerer somehow intuitively learns the words, gestures, and material components of a fireball spell, why not just say that a sorcerer gains the power to throw fireballs? (Intuitively learning the components to a spell makes about as much sense as intuitively learning a foreign language, IMO.)
Here are some possible changes to the class to accomplish this. I am posting for suggestions and comments.
HD: d6 (They aren't studious, after all.)
Class skills: Concentration, Craft, Profession, Use Magic Device, any two others
(No reason sorcerers should share many class skills - they don't share a common training.)
Armor and weapon proficiency: Simple weapons, no proficiency in armor or shields
Skill points, BAB, and Saving throw bonuses the same.
Spell-like abilities: Sorcerers develop innate magical powers called spell-like abilities. Spell-like abilities duplicate the effects of spells, but unlike spells do not require preparation or components. They do require concentration, however. A sorcerer develops spell-like abilities that duplicate the effects of spells on the wizard’s spell list. If a spell on the wizard’s spell list requires an expensive material component, it is considered one level higher for a member of the sorcerer class.
Most creatures with spell-like abilities may use them either at will or a limited number of times per day. A sorcerer has ability slots that determine how many times a day he can use his spell-like abilities. One ability slot counts towards one use of any spell-like ability of an equivalent level or lower. The sorcerer’s ability slots are determined by the Spells Per Day chart. A sorcerer gains additional ability slots based on his Charisma, just as spellcasters gain bonus spells from having a high spellcasting statistic.
The number and level of spell-like abilities a sorcerer has are determined by the Spells Known chart. A sorcerer’s Charisma determines the highest level of spell he may duplicate as a spell-like ability. In order to take a spell as a spell-like ability, the level of the spell must be less than or equal to the sorcerer’s Charisma minus 10.
At 4th level and every 2 levels afterwards, a sorcerer may change one of his spell-like abilities to another of an equivalent level. The highest level of ability the sorcerer may change is equal to his class level minus 4.
Summon familiar: Sorcerers have the power to forge a mystic link with a small animal that becomes the sorcerer’s familiar. Unlike wizards, who learn a ritual for summoning familiars as part of their training, sorcerers have no control over the type of familiar they attract. Some say that a sorcerer’s familiar finds him, not the other way around, and many sorcerers are surprised when they start to share the feelings of an intelligent animal.
At first level a sorcerer rolls a d10 to see what type of familiar he attracts. Whether or not he chooses to accept a familiar of the randomly determined type is up to him – an animal of that type will approach the sorcerer at some point regardless. The sorcerer may not change the type of familiar except by taking the Improved Familiar feat. It does not cost a sorcerer anything to attract a familiar, although it still takes 24 hours for a sorcerer to find a new familiar if he loses his old one.
Item Creation Feats Variant: Spell-like abilities may be substituted for spells in the item creation process, except for the purpose of scribing scrolls. A magical scroll contains a written record of a spell’s components – since spell-like abilities have no components, they cannot be recorded on a scroll.
Any creature using a spell-like ability to meet a spell prerequisite for the creation of an item must be able to use the spell-like ability at least once per day.
Metamagic Feats and Spell-like Ability Feats: Metamagic feats modify spells, not spell-like abilities. In order to gain the advantages of a metamagic feat, a sorcerer must take a General feat that modifies a spell-like ability. As a rule, any metamagic feat has an equivalent General feat that modifies spell-like abilities. The obvious exceptions would be the Still Spell and Silent Spell feats. The Empower Spell-like Ability and Quicken Spell-like Ability feats are examples of Metamagic Feats converted to General feats. Each feat modifies one spell-like ability only. It allows the modification of the spell-like ability three times per day. The sorcerer must meet a minimum caster level in order to apply feats to spells of certain levels. The formula given in the Empower Spell-like Ability and Quicken Spell-like Ability feats may be used. In that formula, the number subtracted is equal to the number of spell slots the equivalent Metamagic feat uses up. The minimum caster level can also be determined like this:
(Level of spell + Spell slots used by Metamagic feat) x 2 = Minimum caster level
In order to qualify for the Extend Spell-like Ability (displacement) feat, a sorcerer would have to be at least 8th level: (3rd level spell + 1 spell slot used by Extend Spell feat) = 4 x 2 = 8th caster level.
Spell Focus vs. Ability Focus: Sorcerers do not cast spells, thus Spell Focus is useless to them. They may take the Ability Focus feat.
Use Magic Device: Sorcerers receive a +10 inherent bonus to use magical items they created or helped create.
Possible variants: Sorcerers can choose to take their spell-like abilities from the cleric spell list or druid spell list instead. Clerical sorcerers gain a domain instead of a familiar. Druidic sorcerers gain an animal companion instead of a familiar.
Major implications of these rules:
- Sorcerers can wear armor without restriction.
- Sorcerers are more specialized because of the restrictive nature of the spell-like ability modifying feats and the Ability Focus feat.
- Sorcerers cannot use arcane items without using the UMD skill.
- Sorcerers can choose class skills.
A different approach to Spell-like Abilities.
The capacity to manifest spell-like abilities without any discernible components and to wear armor without penalty may create some balance issues for the sorcerer class. Changing the nature of spell-like abilities could ameliorate this (and make the game cooler in general).
Spell-like ability variant #1: Spell-like abilities produce a discernible display.
Glowing eyes, energy halos around the hands or head, swirling mists, or other types of effects should accompany the use of a spell-like ability. These effects should normally be visual, although they could be auditory, olfactory, material, or mental, too. Officially, spells in D&D don’t have display effects, much to the boredom of players. The sorcerer would be the exception by using spell-like abilities.
Having a discernible display could make spell-like abilities eligible for counterspelling. Counterspelling is a rarely used mechanic, but I suggest a Spellcraft DC of 20 + spell level to identify a spell-like ability as it is being manifested. A character with 5 or more ranks in a Knowledge skill relating to a creature type would gain a +2 synergy bonus to identify spell-like abilities of creatures of that type. For instance, 5 ranks in Knowledge (the Planes) would give a character a +2 synergy bonus to identify the spell-like ability of a balor as it is being manifested. 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana) gives a +2 synergy bonus to identify the spell-like abilities of sorcerers and bards.
Spell-like ability variant #2: Spell-like abilities require freedom of movement to manifest.
Creatures that use spell-like abilities must be free to point, dance, play a musical instrument, hold their index fingers to their temples, raise their crackling hands to the air, or any other number of gestures in order to summon and shape their magic. Creatures may not use their spell-like abilities while bound or grappled. Wearing armor and shields can interfere with a creature’s ability to use its spell-like abilities, even though the gestures associated with spell-like abilities are not strictly speaking somatic components. Creatures with spell-like abilities suffer the same chance for arcane spell failure as wizards, reduced by 20%.
These are inspired in part by the fictional characters Princess Ariel from the cartoon “Thundarr the Barbarian” and the Scarlet Witch from Marvel Comics. Princess Ariel was called a “sorceress.” She did not cast spells, but manifested magical powers by gesturing. These powers were accompanied by a visual display, and Ariel could not use them if her hands were bound. The Scarlet Witch had inherent “magic-like” mutant powers that she invoked by gesturing. Like Ariel, she could not use her power while grappled or entangled. Both of these characters display the “feel,” but not the mechanics, of the D&D sorcerer class.
Spell-like abilities with no display or gesturing: In order to manifest a spell-like ability without gesturing or producing a display, a sorcerer or other creature must take the Supernatural Transformation feat.
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