Sorcerers can operate pretty well in a few roles. They're charisma based, so a sorcerer can function perfectly well as the party face if you select the social skills as your proficiencies.
A sorcerer's choice of metamagics maps pretty well onto their expected role. Picking subtle spell generally means that you're planning on being a social caster, using spells in plain sight without being detected. Choosing empowered spell means you want to be a blaster, wiping out mobs better than any other class. Twin spell usually means that you're planing on focusing on buffs and debuffs such as twinned haste, which is incredibly potent in the right party. It's important to note that with so few spells known and only two metamagics known until level 10, you'll usually want to focus on one role, with a secondary focus on the other.
Also note that the choice of origin influences expected role, though you're always free to break from this mold. A divine soul, thanks to their access to the spell list of clerics and their level 6 feature, makes one of the best healers in the game. Draconic sorcerers, thanks to their elemental damage bonus and use of empowered metamagic, make arguably the best blasters in the game.
The pillar where sorcerers generally fall short imo is exploration. A background can give you skills for this, but that's generally all the support a sorcerer has for this pillar. There are a few exceptions of course if you have room for the spells in your list. Enhance ability, for instance, can give one or more party members advantage on any check, including exploration checks. Sorcerer's class features don't lend a lot of exploration support, and with their limited spells known it's tough to pick a situational exploration spell, of which there aren't many on the sorcerer list to begin with.
Generally, you can expect a sorcerer to play a part in social interactions and a prominent role in combat, being highly focused in one or two of blasting, buffing, or debuffing.
That's going to depend entirely on what subclass and what metamagics you take, honestly. Sorcerer can make a very powerful blaster archetype, for instance. I've made a Wild Magic buffing specialist. Shadow magic seems like it has some exploration abilities. Many people expect sorcerers to cover the Arcana checks, but that's going to vary by group.
I think its easier to say what you're not going to be (ie no picking up weapons for you!). You're not a swiss army knife like the wizard, but definitely have a much tighter focus, and you will excel in that focus.
I'm curious about the Sorcerer class, and would enjoy a primer on what my expected roles would be in each pillar of play.
Sorcerers can operate pretty well in a few roles. They're charisma based, so a sorcerer can function perfectly well as the party face if you select the social skills as your proficiencies.
A sorcerer's choice of metamagics maps pretty well onto their expected role. Picking subtle spell generally means that you're planning on being a social caster, using spells in plain sight without being detected. Choosing empowered spell means you want to be a blaster, wiping out mobs better than any other class. Twin spell usually means that you're planing on focusing on buffs and debuffs such as twinned haste, which is incredibly potent in the right party. It's important to note that with so few spells known and only two metamagics known until level 10, you'll usually want to focus on one role, with a secondary focus on the other.
Also note that the choice of origin influences expected role, though you're always free to break from this mold. A divine soul, thanks to their access to the spell list of clerics and their level 6 feature, makes one of the best healers in the game. Draconic sorcerers, thanks to their elemental damage bonus and use of empowered metamagic, make arguably the best blasters in the game.
The pillar where sorcerers generally fall short imo is exploration. A background can give you skills for this, but that's generally all the support a sorcerer has for this pillar. There are a few exceptions of course if you have room for the spells in your list. Enhance ability, for instance, can give one or more party members advantage on any check, including exploration checks. Sorcerer's class features don't lend a lot of exploration support, and with their limited spells known it's tough to pick a situational exploration spell, of which there aren't many on the sorcerer list to begin with.
Generally, you can expect a sorcerer to play a part in social interactions and a prominent role in combat, being highly focused in one or two of blasting, buffing, or debuffing.
That's going to depend entirely on what subclass and what metamagics you take, honestly. Sorcerer can make a very powerful blaster archetype, for instance. I've made a Wild Magic buffing specialist. Shadow magic seems like it has some exploration abilities. Many people expect sorcerers to cover the Arcana checks, but that's going to vary by group.
I think its easier to say what you're not going to be (ie no picking up weapons for you!). You're not a swiss army knife like the wizard, but definitely have a much tighter focus, and you will excel in that focus.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)