D&D 5E (2024) What’s the difference between sorcerers, warlocks, and wizards?

[Corinnguard]

Is there a link to Laserllama's work in general? I really need to look into it.

GM Binder

This link leads to his GM Binder profile where he has most of his alternate takes on the classes. I've had heard that he's currently working on an alternate take for the Druid and Cleric classes.

 

[Minigiant]

Aren't Bards supposed to be the natural smooth talker of the party with the Charisma buff spells?

They are!

But in my system and head, they have different exploration and combat roles.

That's the gimmick. Classes can share 1 role but they will have different roles in other pillars.

Bards, Sorcerers, and Paladins would all be smooth talkers. But in a fight or on the map, they fill different roles.

 

[Minigiant]

Can the wizard have a good charisma and proficiency in social skills, or is that too much bleed over?

Sure. But they'll be outclassed but a natural smooth talker.

A sorcerer, bard, or paladin would have higher Charisma and actual Charisma boosting spells.

But the social wizard would not be a slouch if the party lacks a charmer. And they'll have information divination by default.

 

[Minigiant]

The flaw of multiple charisma casters, all being full casters as well.

Kinda becoming a fan of Warlock Spellcasting ability score being dependent on the nature on the pact.

Bargained Pacts are Charisma.
Researched Pacts are Intelligence
Forced/Unwilling/Stolen Pacts are Constitution

 

[cbwjm]

I mean, I have way more trouble shoehorning clerics into my more defined settings than warlocks, but that's because classic D&D henotheism is the worst.

I've stopped having clerics of a god and instead have clerics of a faith, like you'll follow the Olympians instead of Ares. If you're a priest of a god then in reality you are simply in charge of a temple dedicated to that god, performing rituals and probably not adventuring.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

BTW, regarding the diegetic specificity of subclasses, I finds it odd that some people implied they are not specific enough. My issue with many of the newer ones is that they are weirdly specific. Like a barbarian that reveres animal totems and draws power to them seems to me like a clear archetype that is diegetically connected to the setting, and I can easily see it working in many different settings and cultural contexts (bonus point for having modularity within the subclass, so it can be used to represent revering different animals.) But a barbarian that is somehow connected to giants and grows randomly larger? That is weirdly specific to me and not an universal archetype. Like sure I can see people like this existing, but it is weird if they exist in every D&D setting. Same with the playtest version of the purple dragon knight. A knight that has purple (and specifically purple!) dragon as a pet. Weirdly specific. "A knight" is specific enough archetype to be represented by a subclass.

 

[Horwath]

So fans of these three classes, besides the mechanics, what’s the draw?

mostly mechanics, as in how the class is played.
Also patrons, in any level you want to implement them.

Honesty, you could take warlock patron as a wizard subclass and just change Cha with Int if you want to be a wizard that signed a deal with some Fey for some extra teleportation gimmicks.

 

[NotAYakk]

3e had a Warlock that was more into invocations.

I've 'brewed a difference between wizards and sorcerers and warlocks.

Wizards get features that let them cast spells over multiple turns for a power up. Starting at level 5, you can extend an action casting time over 2 turns and deal 2x damage plus disadvantage on saving throws; during this time you are Focused on the spell and can have that Focus disrupted and can't move. They can also swap a spell out as an action with their spellbook.

Sorcerers I lean into sorcery points; they are now short-rest based and they power up spells when used ("at higher level"), so sorcerers are (in theory) constantly modifying their magic.

Warlocks I lean into their invocation features and their pact feature, make it carry more weight, plus stealing from 4e and having them harvest "resources" from cursed foes.

The goal is to make their combat gameplay loops more distinct.

 

[Autumnal]

The difference? Two classes start with W, one with S.

 

[TwoSix]

The difference? Two classes start with W, one with S.

If you seek magic, just head WSW.