D&D 5E What are your thoughts on the DnD Next playtest sorcerer compared to the final 5e sorcerer?

[Frozen_Heart]

Lots of things were different in the DnD Next playtest, with things like martials getting a variety of manoeuvres, to casting in armour still not being allowed as a holdout from earlier editions. However one of the biggest differences was the sorcerer, which was an entirely different class concept altogether.

We only saw the draconic sorcerer, and only up to level 5, but it has almost nothing in common with the final sorcerer which we got later on, appearing for only a single playtest packet and then vanishing again until the final release of 5e.

The class was an arcane half caster, with a d8 hit die, and proficiency in all weapons and armour. Rather than spell slots it used 'will points' similar to the variant rule in the DMG. What really set it apart was that it would gain the abilities of its subclass as it spent those will points, becoming more like its power source as the adventuring day progressed. So for draconic you would gain claws and scales after spending 3 and 10 willpower respectively, turning you more melee orientated over time.

Sadly we never got to see what the other subclasses would be, or what would happen past level 5. But I found the class concept fascinating, and not really alike to anything we have in game currently.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

The sorcerer was great. It was a martial/spellcaster hybrid getting more powerful the more spells they cast.
I was really fond of the concept, but it was not well received, because people wanted a more traditional sorcerer.

Maybe a different name and half casting would bring us the arcane paladin/ranger so many people would like.

So what name could they get?

 

[Frozen_Heart]

The sorcerer was great. It was a martial/spellcaster hybrid getting more powerful the more spells they cast.
I was really fond of the concept, but it was not well received, because people wanted a more traditional sorcerer.

Maybe a different name and half casting would bring us the arcane paladin/ranger so many people would like.

So what name could they get?

Thing is I don't think this thematic concept would even have to be tied to a half caster technically. Using up your willpower and transforming over the day could easily be pushed down a pure martial route too. Might be perfect for werewolf/vampire PC's which so many people ask for.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Thing is I don't think this thematic concept would even have to be tied to a half caster technically. Using up your willpower and transforming over the day could easily be pushed down a pure martial route too. Might be perfect for werewolf/vampire PC's which so many people ask for.

Could be called something like "Inheritor".

The subclass could define if you inherit werewolf, vampire or draconcic abilities.
It could either be fueld by spell slots (maybe only for certain subclasses) or prof bonus per long rest abilities.

 

[Shardstone]

Could be called something like "Inheritor".

The subclass could define if your inherit werewolf, vampire or draconcic abilities.
It could either be fueld by spell slots (maybe only for certain classes) or prof bonus per long rest abilities.

Maybe the "Scion?"

 

[Frozen_Heart]

Could be called something like "Inheritor".

The subclass could define if your inherit werewolf, vampire or draconcic abilities.
It could either be fueld by spell slots (maybe only for certain subclasses) or prof bonus per long rest abilities.

Was thinking something like bloodcursed. But I'm no good at thinking of names.

But yeah some subclasses having spells but not others could work. Will points to fuel both spells and class abilities, and as you spend them you gain features which change your playstyle.

 

[DND_Reborn]

The playtest sorcerer almost sounds like the gish class a lot of people are looking for?

 

[Frozen_Heart]

The playtest sorcerer almost sounds like the gish class a lot of people are looking for?

It's the reason we don't have an arcane gish class. In older editions the 'sorcerer thing' was spontaneous casting, while everyone else used vancian casting. When 5e came along all casters got spontaneous casting and so the sorcerer suddenly had no unique thing (metamagic being a feat for all caster back then).

So the playtest sorcerer was a half casting will point powered arcane gish, which gradually transformed into their bloodline as their will was exhausted. Giving it a completely unique set of themes and mechanics.

At the last minute it got switched to the sorcerer we have now (discount wizard with the metamagic feat duct taped to the side), and the arcane gish role got left empty.

 

[Greg K]

The hybrid idea was interesting. However, I thought the draconic sorcerer implementation and other ideas hinted at were terrible.

 

[jmartkdr2]

I didn't play the Next version, but the idea is cool as heck.

I'm not sure how well it works as a "sorcerer," per se, but frankly replacing the sorcerer class with whatever you'd call that concept and moving wild magic (and maybe a couple other subclasses) to another class could work.