Greetings, this thread's about tier 4 sorcerer (at least 17 levels in the sorcerer class). The arguably fastest way to reach 17th sorcerer level is to take 17 sorcerer levels before considering multiclass should the dungeon master allow that option. A tier 4 sorcerer, unless stated otherwise by the dungeon master, has at least 4 metamagics, 6 cantrips, 15 leveledspells and 17 sorcery points. One way to look at it is that a tier 4 sorcerer knows at least 14 leveled spells besides the wish spell. The subtle spell metamagic is a way to make the wish spell potentially uncounterspellable just like counterspell itself, as well as dispel magic, dimension door, misty step and teleport. Let's say the sorcerer's also learned acid splash, chill touch, light, mage hand and two other cantrips. The tier 4 sorcerer, then, knows another 3 metamagics and 9 leveled spells after learning the aforementioned ones.
Position is power. Depending on position, a creature might not be able to breathe, or move without provoking deadlyopportunity attacks. Fly, haste and polymorph can support position whenever teleportation magic follows different rules or when the tier 4 sorcerer determines the combined effects of certain spells are worth their spell slot investment. The twinned spell and distant spell metamagics improve spell effects; upcasting the fly spell at 5th level or higher without applying the distant spell metamagic may frustrate a caster in the heat of battle when they want to affect more than two targets with it. Distant spell metamagic should also work on dimension door and dispel magic. The sorcerer's still able to learn 1 metamagic and 6 leveled spells after improving their magical maneuverability; they currently access six cantrips, subtle smm (spell metamagic), twinned smm, distant smm, misty step, fly, haste, counterspell, dispel magic, dimension door, polymorph, teleport, wish.
The wish spell should be able to duplicate the simulacrum spell which would allow the sorcerer to copy themselves and access combined spell effects such as upcasted fly with twinned haste for trying to move 240 feet and still have an action, bonus action and reaction on the same turn. They should also be able to subtle teleport or subtle, perhaps distant dimension door. Haste should allow a barbarian to dodge (when they're not incapacitated and their speed's greater than zero, the dodge action expands their danger sense to function in more circumstances, a dodging creature's usually more likely to succeed dexteritysaving throws and, when they can see who's attacking them, the attacker's less likely to hit/score critical hits) with their main action and attack to keep their rage going on their turn, a spirit guardians caster to dodge with their main action and disengage to move out of opponents' reaches without normally provoking opportunity attacks so they can more easily reposition on their turn maybe to chase down a beefy baddie going down or something, a two-weapon fightingcharacter to attack with both weapons and take any main action that doesn't require a free hand, and much more.
The remaining 1 metamagic and 6 leveled spells depend on the sorcerer as well as the character creation and progression rules/guidelines at the table. There's the greater invisibility and see invisibility combination, etherealness, disintegrate enemies' forcecages/wall of forces, sunbeamvampires, absorb elements (some fifth edition content doesn't allow it since it isn't included in the basic rules, therefore ask the dungeon master for it) because dragons/traps/stuff can hurt a lot, otherwise consider thunderwave to change enemies' position or something to enhance team play. Good luck on the metamagic, maybe quickened spell's worth the action in exchange of being unable to counterspell, maybe extended spell's worth it for something like etherealness or a duplication provided by the wish spell.
Cantrip selection Acid splash can target up to two adjacent creatures and isn't an attack; a saving throw cantrip's preferred over an attack one whenever there's a threatening hostile or the caster's dropped themselvesprone to cause disadvantage to incoming ranged attacks,acid splash, furthermore, might work on creatures immune to some ranged spells because it deals aciddamage and requires a dexterity saving throw while other saving throw cantrips either have a less effective damage type or require a different saving throw and most of them can't target more than one creature by themselves, or without concentration/reducing the range. Chill touch should block potion of healing, trolls, any form of regeneration, so opponents may change their strategy and the battle may become more interesting, usually for the caster. Light illuminates without fuel, which can be a life-saver in many places for many races (humandiving in darkwater appreciates it). Mage hand to tap away, trigger traps from 30 feet which is better than a 10 foot pole, the pole, by the way, is light enough for the mage hand to handle, like 10 foot chains tossed around when suspecting pressure plates, etc. The remaining two cantrips are up to what's allowed and what's gonna go well for the team, something to mitigate incoming damage at higher levels of play, fire ancestrydraconic bloodline sorcerer might want fire bolt before 6th class level for the elemental affinity feature, etc.
Assuming multiclass isn't allowed, every 1st level sorcerer should know two 1st level spells and 4 cantrips, the sleep spell affects 22 hp (hit points) on average at this level so it's a decent pick even though I personally believe 22 hp for a 1st level spell is a bit low. The caster might be able to get more out of it, maybe the current 13 hp npc (nonplayer character) is known to average 15 dpr (damage per round) so incapacitating them makes the 1st level spell slot worthwhile because 13+15=28 which equals or exceeds my 26 hp expectation for a 1st level spell. Another potentially worthwhile spell for a 1st level sorcerer is expeditious retreat if the sorcerer's base speed is about 30 or higher since a dire wolf usually has a speed of 50; mage armor, thunderwave, magic missile can be decent at this character level among other spells. A 2nd level sorcerer could learn the shield spell since they access up to four 1st level spell slots between long rests thanks to their sorcery points.
A 5th level sorcerer might be able to apply the twinned spell metamagic to both fly and haste spells. Cast subtle counterspell or dispel magic at 4th spell level at 6th character level by creating a 4th level spell slot with 6 sorcery points beforehand and converting a different spell slot into one or more sorcery points for the metamagic. Twinned polymorph at 7th character level. And more.
Every 1st level sorcerer should be proficient in constitution saving throws to add their proficiency bonus to their concentration checks. A bonus of at least +9 to concentration during play's preferred because one usually doesn't roll below a 1 on the d20. It's a lot better with advantage and should be the highest mathematical priority for a sorcerer to somehow apply advantage to all their concentration checks making one of the few reliable ways to end the duration of a sorcerer's concentration spell against their will to cast dispel magic while 65 feet or farther away from their subtle counterspell. Advantage mathematically counts as another 10 (+5) constitution for concentration checks, so having advantage +9 mathematically counts as +14 and can't get below 10 because the lowest value on the d20 is 1.
For the curious, because a sorcerer and life cleric multiclass may apply both the twinned spell metamagic and the disciple of life feature to the heal spell, 1 sorcery point's worth 13 hp or [(eleven times one) plus (two times one)], which I use for leveled spells above 1st level since a 1st level spell slot's mathematically worth the same as a 2nd level spell slot due to the fact that it takes 2 sorcery points to create a 1st level spell slot, therefore a 1st level spell slot's worth 26 hp (in case sorcery points are plentiful and there aren't enough 1st level spell slots to cast 1st level spells). A 2nd level spell slot can be converted into 2 sp (sorcery points) so it's also worth 26 hp, which is [(eleven times two) plus (two times two)]. The calculation remains true with the increase of spell levels because every spell slot can be converted into an amount of sp equal to the level of the converted spell slot. A 3rd level spell slot's worth 3 sp so 39 hp which is [(eleven times three) plus (two times three)]. A 6th level spell slot's worth 6 sp, [(eleven times six) plus (two times six)] hp, which you get by twinning disciple of life heal at 6th spell level.
If we're being honest, a 5th level sorcerer applying the twinned spell metamagic to the haste spell is the mathematical equivalent of casting a 6th level spell six levels before any class is able to cast a 6th level spell. Twinning polymorph at 7th class level is casting an 8th level spell eight levels before able to cast an 8th level spell. The subtle spell metamagic is the mathematical equivalent of upcasting a spell by one level to make it require no breathing and, if the spell somehow lacks material components, no hands and its caster should become impossible to target with counterspell unless the dungeon master rules otherwise.
The reincarnate spell is 4% likely to result in half-elf should the dungeon master keep it as written while prohibiting the race from being selected at character creation.
Multiclass allowed
Consider 18th, 19th and 20th character levels in warlock pact of the blade to provide an ally with a melee magic weapon without concentration for ten rounds in an emergency and have both agonizing blast and eldritch spear invocations on top of the eldritch blast cantrip.
Read the previous sections and replace eldritch spear with repelling blast if you found a way to increase the range of eldritch blast after boosting concentration with one feat. All a creature needs is the ability to engage at 200 feet without disadvantage unless player versus player is a thing, then you know better than me what you need to do (I have no clue who you're potentially up against, the lay of the land, which rules you're using, etc).
Good game and have fun! May your rolls elevate your party to greatness :)
If we're being honest, a 5th level sorcerer applying the twinned spell metamagic to the haste spell is the mathematical equivalent of casting a 6th level spell six levels before any class is able to cast a 6th level spell. Twinning polymorph at 7th class level is casting an 8th level spell eight levels before able to cast an 8th level spell.
Two third level spells is not the mathematical equivalent of a 6th level spell, spells are not linear in power like that. While there is no way to haste or plymorph multiple creatures outside of twinning look at banish.
By your logic twinning Banish is the mathematical equivalent of an 8th level spell but casting banishing using a 5th level slot does exactly the same thing. Twinning banish comes 2 levels beofre other classes can Banish two creatures with a single spell. Using that logic Twinning polymorph is the equivalent of a 5th level spell, not an 8th.
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Greetings, this thread's about tier 4 sorcerer (at least 17 levels in the sorcerer class). The arguably fastest way to reach 17th sorcerer level is to take 17 sorcerer levels before considering multiclass should the dungeon master allow that option. A tier 4 sorcerer, unless stated otherwise by the dungeon master, has at least 4 metamagics, 6 cantrips, 15 leveled spells and 17 sorcery points. One way to look at it is that a tier 4 sorcerer knows at least 14 leveled spells besides the wish spell. The subtle spell metamagic is a way to make the wish spell potentially uncounterspellable just like counterspell itself, as well as dispel magic, dimension door, misty step and teleport. Let's say the sorcerer's also learned acid splash, chill touch, light, mage hand and two other cantrips. The tier 4 sorcerer, then, knows another 3 metamagics and 9 leveled spells after learning the aforementioned ones.
Position is power. Depending on position, a creature might not be able to breathe, or move without provoking deadly opportunity attacks. Fly, haste and polymorph can support position whenever teleportation magic follows different rules or when the tier 4 sorcerer determines the combined effects of certain spells are worth their spell slot investment. The twinned spell and distant spell metamagics improve spell effects; upcasting the fly spell at 5th level or higher without applying the distant spell metamagic may frustrate a caster in the heat of battle when they want to affect more than two targets with it. Distant spell metamagic should also work on dimension door and dispel magic. The sorcerer's still able to learn 1 metamagic and 6 leveled spells after improving their magical maneuverability; they currently access six cantrips, subtle smm (spell metamagic), twinned smm, distant smm, misty step, fly, haste, counterspell, dispel magic, dimension door, polymorph, teleport, wish.
The wish spell should be able to duplicate the simulacrum spell which would allow the sorcerer to copy themselves and access combined spell effects such as upcasted fly with twinned haste for trying to move 240 feet and still have an action, bonus action and reaction on the same turn. They should also be able to subtle teleport or subtle, perhaps distant dimension door. Haste should allow a barbarian to dodge (when they're not incapacitated and their speed's greater than zero, the dodge action expands their danger sense to function in more circumstances, a dodging creature's usually more likely to succeed dexterity saving throws and, when they can see who's attacking them, the attacker's less likely to hit/score critical hits) with their main action and attack to keep their rage going on their turn, a spirit guardians caster to dodge with their main action and disengage to move out of opponents' reaches without normally provoking opportunity attacks so they can more easily reposition on their turn maybe to chase down a beefy baddie going down or something, a two-weapon fighting character to attack with both weapons and take any main action that doesn't require a free hand, and much more.
Wish should be able to duplicate the effect of mind blank, plane shift, heroes' feast, find steed, find familiar. Some effects' duration shouldn't be able to be dispelled due to have already ended by being instantaneous.
The remaining 1 metamagic and 6 leveled spells depend on the sorcerer as well as the character creation and progression rules/guidelines at the table. There's the greater invisibility and see invisibility combination, etherealness, disintegrate enemies' forcecages/wall of forces, sunbeam vampires, absorb elements (some fifth edition content doesn't allow it since it isn't included in the basic rules, therefore ask the dungeon master for it) because dragons/traps/stuff can hurt a lot, otherwise consider thunderwave to change enemies' position or something to enhance team play. Good luck on the metamagic, maybe quickened spell's worth the action in exchange of being unable to counterspell, maybe extended spell's worth it for something like etherealness or a duplication provided by the wish spell.
Cantrip selection
Acid splash can target up to two adjacent creatures and isn't an attack; a saving throw cantrip's preferred over an attack one whenever there's a threatening hostile or the caster's dropped themselves prone to cause disadvantage to incoming ranged attacks, acid splash, furthermore, might work on creatures immune to some ranged spells because it deals acid damage and requires a dexterity saving throw while other saving throw cantrips either have a less effective damage type or require a different saving throw and most of them can't target more than one creature by themselves, or without concentration/reducing the range. Chill touch should block potion of healing, trolls, any form of regeneration, so opponents may change their strategy and the battle may become more interesting, usually for the caster. Light illuminates without fuel, which can be a life-saver in many places for many races (human diving in dark water appreciates it). Mage hand to tap away, trigger traps from 30 feet which is better than a 10 foot pole, the pole, by the way, is light enough for the mage hand to handle, like 10 foot chains tossed around when suspecting pressure plates, etc. The remaining two cantrips are up to what's allowed and what's gonna go well for the team, something to mitigate incoming damage at higher levels of play, fire ancestry draconic bloodline sorcerer might want fire bolt before 6th class level for the elemental affinity feature, etc.
Nine aspects to spellcasting
Preparation/slot;
Components;
Casting time;
Range;
Cover;
Sight/obscurement;
Suffocation;
Arcanist's magic aura/specifics;
Tactical/narrative implications.
Aspects of the journey to 17th sorcerer level
Assuming multiclass isn't allowed, every 1st level sorcerer should know two 1st level spells and 4 cantrips, the sleep spell affects 22 hp (hit points) on average at this level so it's a decent pick even though I personally believe 22 hp for a 1st level spell is a bit low. The caster might be able to get more out of it, maybe the current 13 hp npc (nonplayer character) is known to average 15 dpr (damage per round) so incapacitating them makes the 1st level spell slot worthwhile because 13+15=28 which equals or exceeds my 26 hp expectation for a 1st level spell. Another potentially worthwhile spell for a 1st level sorcerer is expeditious retreat if the sorcerer's base speed is about 30 or higher since a dire wolf usually has a speed of 50; mage armor, thunderwave, magic missile can be decent at this character level among other spells. A 2nd level sorcerer could learn the shield spell since they access up to four 1st level spell slots between long rests thanks to their sorcery points.
A 5th level sorcerer might be able to apply the twinned spell metamagic to both fly and haste spells. Cast subtle counterspell or dispel magic at 4th spell level at 6th character level by creating a 4th level spell slot with 6 sorcery points beforehand and converting a different spell slot into one or more sorcery points for the metamagic. Twinned polymorph at 7th character level. And more.
Every 1st level sorcerer should be proficient in constitution saving throws to add their proficiency bonus to their concentration checks. A bonus of at least +9 to concentration during play's preferred because one usually doesn't roll below a 1 on the d20. It's a lot better with advantage and should be the highest mathematical priority for a sorcerer to somehow apply advantage to all their concentration checks making one of the few reliable ways to end the duration of a sorcerer's concentration spell against their will to cast dispel magic while 65 feet or farther away from their subtle counterspell. Advantage mathematically counts as another 10 (+5) constitution for concentration checks, so having advantage +9 mathematically counts as +14 and can't get below 10 because the lowest value on the d20 is 1.
For the curious, because a sorcerer and life cleric multiclass may apply both the twinned spell metamagic and the disciple of life feature to the heal spell, 1 sorcery point's worth 13 hp or [(eleven times one) plus (two times one)], which I use for leveled spells above 1st level since a 1st level spell slot's mathematically worth the same as a 2nd level spell slot due to the fact that it takes 2 sorcery points to create a 1st level spell slot, therefore a 1st level spell slot's worth 26 hp (in case sorcery points are plentiful and there aren't enough 1st level spell slots to cast 1st level spells). A 2nd level spell slot can be converted into 2 sp (sorcery points) so it's also worth 26 hp, which is [(eleven times two) plus (two times two)]. The calculation remains true with the increase of spell levels because every spell slot can be converted into an amount of sp equal to the level of the converted spell slot. A 3rd level spell slot's worth 3 sp so 39 hp which is [(eleven times three) plus (two times three)]. A 6th level spell slot's worth 6 sp, [(eleven times six) plus (two times six)] hp, which you get by twinning disciple of life heal at 6th spell level.
If we're being honest, a 5th level sorcerer applying the twinned spell metamagic to the haste spell is the mathematical equivalent of casting a 6th level spell six levels before any class is able to cast a 6th level spell. Twinning polymorph at 7th class level is casting an 8th level spell eight levels before able to cast an 8th level spell. The subtle spell metamagic is the mathematical equivalent of upcasting a spell by one level to make it require no breathing and, if the spell somehow lacks material components, no hands and its caster should become impossible to target with counterspell unless the dungeon master rules otherwise.
Extra
Becoming a half-elf
The reincarnate spell is 4% likely to result in half-elf should the dungeon master keep it as written while prohibiting the race from being selected at character creation.
Multiclass allowed
Consider 18th, 19th and 20th character levels in warlock pact of the blade to provide an ally with a melee magic weapon without concentration for ten rounds in an emergency and have both agonizing blast and eldritch spear invocations on top of the eldritch blast cantrip.
Feats allowed
Look for something to boost concentration.
Multiclass and feats allowed
Read the previous sections and replace eldritch spear with repelling blast if you found a way to increase the range of eldritch blast after boosting concentration with one feat. All a creature needs is the ability to engage at 200 feet without disadvantage unless player versus player is a thing, then you know better than me what you need to do (I have no clue who you're potentially up against, the lay of the land, which rules you're using, etc).
Good game and have fun! May your rolls elevate your party to greatness :)
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Two third level spells is not the mathematical equivalent of a 6th level spell, spells are not linear in power like that. While there is no way to haste or plymorph multiple creatures outside of twinning look at banish.
By your logic twinning Banish is the mathematical equivalent of an 8th level spell but casting banishing using a 5th level slot does exactly the same thing. Twinning banish comes 2 levels beofre other classes can Banish two creatures with a single spell. Using that logic Twinning polymorph is the equivalent of a 5th level spell, not an 8th.