
Sorcerer Legacy This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore. Learn More Class Details
Golden eyes flashing, a human stretches out her hand and unleashes the dragonfire that burns in her veins. As an inferno rages around her foes, leathery wings spread from her back and she takes to the air.
Long hair whipped by a conjured wind, a half-elf spreads his arms wide and throws his head back. Lifting him momentarily off the ground, a wave of magic surges up in him, through him, and out from him in a mighty blast of lightning.
Crouching behind a stalagmite, a halfling points a finger at a charging troglodyte. A blast of fire springs from her finger to strike the creature. She ducks back behind the rock formation with a grin, unaware that her wild magic has turned her skin bright blue.
Sorcerers carry a magical birthright conferred upon them by an exotic bloodline, some otherworldly influence, or exposure to unknown cosmic forces. One can’t study sorcery as one learns a language, any more than one can learn to live a legendary life. No one chooses sorcery; the power chooses the sorcerer.
Raw Magic
Magic is a part of every sorcerer, suffusing body, mind, and spirit with a latent power that waits to be tapped. Some sorcerers wield magic that springs from an ancient bloodline infused with the magic of dragons. Others carry a raw, uncontrolled magic within them, a chaotic storm that manifests in unexpected ways.
The appearance of sorcerous powers is wildly unpredictable. Some draconic bloodlines produce exactly one sorcerer in every generation, but in other lines of descent every individual is a sorcerer. Most of the time, the talents of sorcery appear as apparent flukes. Some sorcerers can’t name the origin of their power, while others trace it to strange events in their own lives. The touch of a demon, the blessing of a dryad at a baby’s birth, or a taste of the water from a mysterious spring might spark the gift of sorcery. So too might the gift of a deity of magic, exposure to the elemental forces of the Inner Planes or the maddening chaos of Limbo, or a glimpse into the inner workings of reality.
Sorcerers have no use for the spellbooks and ancient tomes of magic lore that wizards rely on, nor do they rely on a patron to grant their spells as warlocks do. By learning to harness and channel their own inborn magic, they can discover new and staggering ways to unleash that power.
Unexplained Powers
Sorcerers are rare in the world, and it’s unusual to find a sorcerer who is not involved in the adventuring life in some way. People with magical power seething in their veins soon discover that the power doesn’t like to stay quiet. A sorcerer’s magic wants to be wielded, and it has a tendency to spill out in unpredictable ways if it isn’t called on.
Sorcerers often have obscure or quixotic motivations driving them to adventure. Some seek a greater understanding of the magical force that infuses them, or the answer to the mystery of its origin. Others hope to find a way to get rid of it, or to unleash its full potential. Whatever their goals, sorcerers are every bit as useful to an adventuring party as wizards, making up for a comparative lack of breadth in their magical knowledge with enormous flexibility in using the spells they know.
Creating a Sorcerer
The most important question to consider when creating your sorcerer is the origin of your power. As a starting character, you’ll choose an origin that ties to a draconic bloodline or the influence of wild magic, but the exact source of your power is up to you to decide. Is it a family curse, passed down to you from distant ancestors? Or did some extraordinary event leave you blessed with inherent magic but perhaps scarred as well?
How do you feel about the magical power coursing through you? Do you embrace it, try to master it, or revel in its unpredictable nature? Is it a blessing or a curse? Did you seek it out, or did it find you? Did you have the option to refuse it, and do you wish you had? What do you intend to do with it? Perhaps you feel like you’ve been given this power for some lofty purpose. Or you might decide that the power gives you the right to do what you want, to take what you want from those who lack such power. Perhaps your power links you to a powerful individual in the world—the fey creature that blessed you at birth, the dragon who put a drop of its blood into your veins, the lich who created you as an experiment, or the deity who chose you to carry this power.
QUICK BUILD
You can make a sorcerer quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the hermit background. Third, choose the light, prestidigitation, ray of frost, and shocking grasp cantrips, along with the 1st-level spells shield and magic missile.
The Sorcerer Table
Level | Proficiency | Sorcery | Features | Cantrips | Spells | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | ||||||
1st | +2 | — | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
2nd | +2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
3rd | +2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
4th | +2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
5th | +3 | 5 | — | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
6th | +3 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
7th | +3 | 7 | — | 5 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
8th | +3 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | |
9th | +4 | 9 | — | 5 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
10th | +4 | 10 | 6 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |
11th | +4 | 11 | — | 6 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
12th | +4 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | |
13th | +5 | 13 | — | 6 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
14th | +5 | 14 | 6 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
15th | +5 | 15 | — | 6 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
16th | +5 | 16 | 6 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | |
17th | +6 | 17 | 6 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
18th | +6 | 18 | 6 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
19th | +6 | 19 | 6 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
20th | +6 | 20 | 6 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Class Features
As a sorcerer, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per sorcerer level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per sorcerer level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, and Religion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus
- (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
- Two daggers
Spellcasting
An event in your past, or in the life of a parent or ancestor, left an indelible mark on you, infusing you with arcane magic. This font of magic, whatever its origin, fuels your spells. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the sorcerer spell list.
Cantrips
At 1st level, you know four cantrips of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. You learn additional sorcerer cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Sorcerer table.
Spell Slots
The Sorcerer table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your sorcerer spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these sorcerer spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
For example, if you know the 1st-level spell burning hands and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast burning hands using either slot.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the sorcerer spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Sorcerer table shows when you learn more sorcerer spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the sorcerer spells you know and replace it with another spell from the sorcerer spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your sorcerer spells, since the power of your magic relies on your ability to project your will into the world. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a sorcerer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus (see the Adventuring Gear section) as a spellcasting focus for your sorcerer spells.
Sorcerous Origin
Choose a sorcerous origin, which describes the source of your innate magical power: Draconic Bloodline, detailed at the end of the class description, or one from another source.
Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 1st level and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level.
Font of Magic
At 2nd level, you tap into a deep wellspring of magic within yourself. This wellspring is represented by sorcery points, which allow you to create a variety of magical effects.
Sorcery Points
You have 2 sorcery points, and you gain more as you reach higher levels, as shown in the Sorcery Points column of the Sorcerer table. You can never have more sorcery points than shown on the table for your level. You regain all spent sorcery points when you finish a long rest.
Flexible Casting
You can use your sorcery points to gain additional spell slots, or sacrifice spell slots to gain additional sorcery points. You learn other ways to use your sorcery points as you reach higher levels.
Creating Spell Slots. You can transform unexpended sorcery points into one spell slot as a bonus action on your turn. The Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating a spell slot of a given level. You can create spell slots no higher in level than 5th.
Any spell slot you create with this feature vanishes when you finish a long rest.
Creating Spell Slots
SPELL SLOT LEVEL |
SORCERY POINT COST |
---|---|
1st |
2 |
2nd |
3 |
3rd |
5 |
4th |
6 |
5th |
7 |
Converting a Spell Slot to Sorcery Points. As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend one spell slot and gain a number of sorcery points equal to the slot’s level.
Metamagic
At 3rd level, you gain the ability to twist your spells to suit your needs. You gain two of the following Metamagic options of your choice. You gain another one at 10th and 17th level.
You can use only one Metamagic option on a spell when you cast it, unless otherwise noted.
Careful Spell
When you cast a spell that forces other creatures to make a saving throw, you can protect some of those creatures from the spell’s full force. To do so, you spend 1 sorcery point and choose a number of those creatures up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one creature). A chosen creature automatically succeeds on its saving throw against the spell.
Distant Spell
When you cast a spell that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can spend 1 sorcery point to double the range of the spell.
When you cast a spell that has a range of touch, you can spend 1 sorcery point to make the range of the spell 30 feet.
Empowered Spell
When you roll damage for a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to reroll a number of the damage dice up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one). You must use the new rolls.
You can use Empowered Spell even if you have already used a different Metamagic option during the casting of the spell.
Extended Spell
When you cast a spell that has a duration of 1 minute or longer, you can spend 1 sorcery point to double its duration, to a maximum duration of 24 hours.
Heightened Spell
When you cast a spell that forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist its effects, you can spend 3 sorcery points to give one target of the spell disadvantage on its first saving throw made against the spell.
Quickened Spell
When you cast a spell that has a casting time of 1 action, you can spend 2 sorcery points to change the casting time to 1 bonus action for this casting.
Subtle Spell
When you cast a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to cast it without any somatic or verbal components.
Twinned Spell
When you cast a spell that targets only one creature and doesn’t have a range of self, you can spend a number of sorcery points equal to the spell’s level to target a second creature in range with the same spell (1 sorcery point if the spell is a cantrip).
To be eligible, a spell must be incapable of targeting more than one creature at the spell’s current level. For example, magic missile and scorching ray aren’t eligible, but ray of frost and chromatic orb are.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Sorcerous Restoration
At 20th level, you regain 4 expended sorcery points whenever you finish a short rest.
Sorcerous Origins
Different sorcerers claim different origins for their innate magic. Although many variations exist, most of these origins fall into two categories: a draconic bloodline and wild magic. Choose the draconic bloodline below or one from another source.
Draconic Bloodline Legacy This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore. Learn More
Your innate magic comes from draconic magic that was mingled with your blood or that of your ancestors. Most often, sorcerers with this origin trace their descent back to a mighty sorcerer of ancient times who made a bargain with a dragon or who might even have claimed a dragon parent. Some of these bloodlines are well established in the world, but most are obscure. Any given sorcerer could be the first of a new bloodline, as a result of a pact or some other exceptional circumstance.
Dragon Ancestor
At 1st level, you choose one type of dragon as your ancestor. The damage type associated with each dragon is used by features you gain later.
Draconic Ancestry
Dragon | Damage Type |
---|---|
Black |
Acid |
Blue |
Lightning |
Brass |
Fire |
Bronze |
Lightning |
Copper |
Acid |
Gold |
Fire |
Green |
Poison |
Red |
Fire |
Silver |
Cold |
White |
Cold |
You can speak, read, and write Draconic. Additionally, whenever you make a Charisma check when interacting with dragons, your proficiency bonus is doubled if it applies to the check.
Draconic Resilience
As magic flows through your body, it causes physical traits of your dragon ancestors to emerge. At 1st level, your hit point maximum increases by 1 and increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.
Additionally, parts of your skin are covered by a thin sheen of dragon-like scales. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier.
Elemental Affinity
Starting at 6th level, when you cast a spell that deals damage of the type associated with your draconic ancestry, you can add your Charisma modifier to one damage roll of that spell. At the same time, you can spend 1 sorcery point to gain resistance to that damage type for 1 hour.
Dragon Wings
At 14th level, you gain the ability to sprout a pair of dragon wings from your back, gaining a flying speed equal to your current speed. You can create these wings as a bonus action on your turn. They last until you dismiss them as a bonus action on your turn.
You can’t manifest your wings while wearing armor unless the armor is made to accommodate them, and clothing not made to accommodate your wings might be destroyed when you manifest them.
Draconic Presence
Beginning at 18th level, you can channel the dread presence of your dragon ancestor, causing those around you to become awestruck or frightened. As an action, you can spend 5 sorcery points to draw on this power and exude an aura of awe or fear (your choice) to a distance of 60 feet. For 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were casting a concentration spell), each hostile creature that starts its turn in this aura must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed (if you chose awe) or frightened (if you chose fear) until the aura ends. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is immune to your aura for 24 hours.
Just hombrew it! It’s actually not that hard to do. If I have time I can make it later for you today!
Twinned Spell allows you to target an additional creature with the spell. Conjure/Summon spells don't target any creature when you cast them, so it doesn't apply.
How does twined spell metamagic interact with summoning? e.g can I summon two elementals instead of one.
I wish the Hound of Ill Omen in the Shadow Sorcerer Subclass had an actual statblock, like the one for the Drakewarden and the Artilerist and other subclass specific creatures
A few of these changes/ideas/comments are things I actually went through myself when seeking to refine the Wild Magic sub-class for one of my campaigns; you can try my resulting Wild Sorcery sub-class here.
Basically I added a spell list (like newer sub-classes get), Tides of Chaos becomes a more central feature with more uses, Bend Luck and Controlled Chaos became a single feature at 6th level (as they're both a bit weak on their own), 14th level adds several bonus actions that can be used when casting a spell, and 18th adds the ability to attempt to cast any spell you don't know (with a risk of failing and a guaranteed surge). It's been playtested a bit and proven to be a lot of fun, while still being a bit wild and unpredictable.
Well its kind of late, but i think the Wild Magic Sorcerer needs a polish.
If we look at the other subclasses, wild magic is only there for funny scenes.
The general kit is fine but needs a little tweaking, for example:
1. Wild Magic Surge
should be updated to a real d100 list of possible outcomes, with a good ratio of 45% good, 20% flavor, 35% bad
while good is around 50/50 (always good / good depending on the situation)
and bad is about 80/20 bad (like fireball) / strictly bad (effects that remove you from the fight / poded plant etc.)
The chances of a surge should also be greater and not reliable on the DM for effects such as tides of chaos,
Most DM's forget this function and so you go on the back burner with your primary class feature.
A better way would be like this:
Instead of rolling a d20 and on a 1 the surge happens,
You roll a d20 and on a roll with a used Spell Slot level or below the surge happens
---- More surges through more power
2. Tides of Chaos
Can be used far too seldom, especially if your DM forgets to reload the skill.
So remove the reload and build the ability more like the Power Surge from Wizards War Magic:
Power SurgeTides of ChaosStarting at 1th level, you can manipulate the forces of chance and chaos to gain advantage on one attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.
You can use this feature a maximum number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.
Whenever you finish a long rest, your number of uses resets to one.
Whenever you create an Wild Magic Surge you regain one use.
If you end a short rest with no use, you gain one back.
3. Bend Luck
for what its does a little bit too pricey.
2 Sorc.-Points AND a Reaction for just a d4 non Scaling,
make it either 1 Sorc.-Point or no-reaction
4.Controlled Chaos
a bit late but fine. Now with the increased chances of surge it feels like regaining a bit of control over the wild chaos
and 5. Spell Bombardment
a joke of a skill
yes, it is triggered by every spell (cantrips and leveled spells),
but the average damage die is a D8 (from D4 / D6 / D8 / D10 / D12) with an average damage of 4.5 and only 1/8 times per die rolled.
the lower the dice, the more often it happens, but instead the average damage goes down
Tech-wise, your cool mastering ability is that most of your spells hit with 5 more damage (scales to AoE)
while other classes:
- Obtaining resistance or immunity
- acquire the ability to fly
- Received an AOE fear attack
- Get a decent damage escape
- win back half of the hitpoints once per short break
- Summon a spirit that heals / repairs and dispels magic
if the skill were more effective, e.g. B.
Reroll dice up to your Charisma modifier
or get an additional die for each maximum die roll
or so on, would it be more powerful and more like a "This is the brute strength of a wild magician"
Just my opinion though, I still have fun playing my wild magic Sorlock and Homebrew can always "try" to save a bad day. ;D
Thanks to Google Translate for helping me make this kind of readability ;D
I always pitch this, and people sometimes get huffy about it, but here it is: start with 2 levels in Tempest Cleric.
That nets you heavy armor and martial weapons. You bank a couple of d8s for a little more staying power. You get fog cloud and thunderwave as bonus spells, which will help you control the battlefield and engage on your terms, plus 1st-level cleric goodies like bless, healing word, and/or shield of faith.
But the true coup is Destructive Wrath, which lets you use Channel Divinity to maximize lightning or thunder damage. When you pick up Transmuted Spell (a must) you can turn damaging AoE spells into thunder/lightning spells, then max the damage. So Fireball -->Transmuted Spell --> now does thunder damage --> Destructive Wrath --> max fireball damage (save for half as normal.)
That's a good pick up! Wouldn't matter typically, bc it takes almost the full sum of your sorcery points to get one slot of the highest level you can cast. But with the Metamagic Adept feat, this could come into play often at lower levels. Technically you could, if your DM lets know know when you're about to bump a level, chose to gain a spell of a higher level than you could normally, since you DO have "a spell slot of that level." So a 5th-level sorcerer could actually know a 5th-level spell, per RAW. All of this is resource-intensive to the point where it's be impractical in many instances, but higher-level spells are potent!
So the Aberrant Mind archetype as well as the Clockwork Soul archetype each give you an additional spell list, and both allow you to switch out those spells as you level up with spells of specific schools of magic from the Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard spell lists. BUT this feature doesn't work on DnDBeyond! Also I'm pretty sure the Divine Soul archetype lets you switch out your favored by the gods spell and that never got fixed on here either! PLEASE FIX THIS!
Re: freeing up your spell selection, you can take a spell other than Misty Step because you can cast something more powerful than a cantrip and hop away. Where other sorcerers may be tempted to take Shocking Grasp to get out of a sticky situation, you can instead take a different cantrip, knowing that you'll be able to disengage as long as you have a spell slot available.
[Edited to add: A lot of smart sorcerers also use Quickened Spell in these situations: Disengage as action and cast your powerful spell as a bonus action. A Storm Sorcerer often doesn't have to spend those sorcery points.]
As for Cloudkill, you're right, it doesn't really work RAW, but it's easy to make a compelling argument to a DM that if the wind is blowing, you can change the direction of the wind to blow the cloud around, either slowing it down or moving it off-course. If you're a Storm Sorcerer, you should always be asking the DM about the weather, or if someone in the party has Druidcraft, have them cast it frequently to find out what the weather is going to be like that day.
The UA spell list is fine; Levitate is a fun control spell for sorcerers (whose metamagic can deal with that usually-strong CON save), and I especially like the idea of summoning only air-type elementals. But I also like the idea of an expanded spell list that continues to grow with the character past the middle levels and ultimately gives you power over the storms. Even the new sorcerer subclasses lose their thematic progression for big gaps between 9th and 14th level and then between 14th and 18th level. If you spread it out to one per spell level, you get new distinct toys at 11th, 13th, 15th, and 17th level too, and if you can swap those spells every time you gain a level, that allows you to try different things at literally every level. You get more flexibility and more of a consistent feeling of power progression.
The approach to this is laid out in the Player's Handbook, under the section appropriately titled "Using This Book." The specific part you want is on page seven, titled "Specific Beats General." Relevant portion:
Sorcerer's flexible casting doesn't anywhere say that the spell slot created has to be of a level that you have spell slots for.
No mention that you need to already have spell slots of that level.
In the second part of the feats description it says "You gain 2 sorcery points to spend on metamagic (these points are added to any sorcery points you have from another source but can only be used on metamagic. You regain all spent sorcery points when you finish a long rest." So these ones can go over your maximum.
Not sure what you mean when you say "no preparation." Sorcerers have the spells they have, they don't prepare from a list. Although I agree the class has definite limitations, they can be lessened by a few homebrew tweaks. I've really enjoyed playing my draconic bloodline sorcerer with these changes: the number of sorcery points I have is equal to my level *plus* charisma mod, and as I level I get additional spells based on my origin. I feel like most of my origin abilities are pretty weak, but elemental affinity can add up in AoEs and I like the higher AC and health points.
Being a tiefling probably helps too, with the three additional racial spells, plus if your DM allows the tiefling subraces out of MToF you can customize the spells and secondary stat you receive.
Does this actually work when it says you can't gain extra sorcery points?
"Sorcery Points
You have 2 sorcery points, and you gain more as you reach higher levels, as shown in the Sorcery Points column of the Sorcerer table. You can never have more sorcery points than shown on the table for your level".
where gold die
helped me make
pog
nice, ive been looking into ab mind sorc and applying the Graviturgy spell list!
Seriously!