Hey guys and gals! I've been looking over the Unearthed Arcana Sorcerer class features and am looking for what I may ask my DM to let me incorporate for my draconic blaster caster sorcerer. What do you all think about these new options? I'm not particularly excited about the expanded spell list. I may end up getting Flaming sphere or fire shield. The thought of twinning Foresight sounds amazing (and expensive!).
I think that elemental metamagic is great, and should help to improve the draconic sorcerer. Changing the damage type of a spell into your dragon type.
I think that elemental metamagic is great, and should help to improve the draconic sorcerer. Changing the damage type of a spell into your dragon type.
I think this is cool too, but they forgot about poison type for the Green Dragon Sorcerers. It shouldn't really unbalance it since Sorcerers only have 3 poison spells.
Other than that, I love most of the new stuff. My only issue is with the Spell Versatility, as a long rest is a bit too often, but maybe that'll get changed later. Perhaps a day of downtime per the level of spell. That way, it allows forgiveness to low levels but makes you think at high-levels (which is usually required anyway).
Loving the idea of Spell Versatility and swapping one spell after a long rest as opposed to after leveling up. It punishes people less for picking a spell which may not work the way they intended with their character or with their party dynamics and it allows for cantrips to be replaced at higher levels. My only hangup is coming up with a narrative way to explain the change of a spell overnight. Has anyone played around with this or have ideas?
Sorcerer magic is innate and weird. Who knows why today you can cast charm person and have no idea why burning hands doesn't work anymore? You sure don't, but charm person came in handy, so that's nice.
0 Level Cantrips: Primal savagery (Xanathar’s Guide) - I do not know. Straight up worse Firebolt for melee sorcerers?
1st Level: Grease - ok I guess? Protection from evil and good - The spell that Divine Soul sorcerer would take but he already has it from Divine Magic
2nd Level: Flame blade - no, just no Flaming sphere - spell that is really cool for red and gold draconic bloodlines, I always wondered why sorcerers cannot use this. It is still much worse then Scorching Ray
3rd Level Vampiric touch - ok I guess, thematic for shadow Sorcerers
4th Level Fire shield - Nice spell to have
6th Level Flesh to stone - Another nice addition to a spell list. The spell is not all that great but I somehow like the idea of Wild sorcerer turning people to stone.
8th Level Demiplane - One of those awesome utility spells you love to have as a wizard. Not sure if you can justify having it as a sorcerer.
9th Level Foresight - Yeah ultimate twin spell buff. Still hard to take over wish (but that applies to every other 9th level spell a sorcerer has).
Spell Versatility
I am somehow conflicted about this. It definitely makes your life easier. It is an improvement. It alleviates mistakes in spell selection early on (I was always of the opinion that if you really **** up your "build" you can always talk to your DM). But it lessens the idea of having fewer spells but stronger ones which we are presented should be the core of sorcerer's gameplay. I roleplay that I am gradually taking control of my innate powers and once I know something I know it really well. This feels like cheapening that premise. But I can see why it can be awesome for the Wild sorcerer.
Font of Magic Options
Empowering Reserves - This one is crazy. Constant Luck feat for the ability checks. This one is almost too good.
Imbuing Touch - Situational, cool, good at low levels. Useless higher on.
Sorcerous Fortitude - Interesting trade-off. Potentially 20d4 heal for the price of your unique magic abilities.
Metamagic Options
I am not going to go into detail. They are all great additions. The problem is that we have SO LITTLE Metamagic options that I find that none of these will be taken over Twinned/Quickened/Subtle/Enhanced.
Overall
I am disappointed. Enhanced spell selection is nice but nothing world-breaking. Spell versatility is cool but you still have extremely limited spell selection and wizards can still cast more spells per long rest then you can. New metamagic seems fun and all but you will still not use them because of the number of metamagics options that you can take and when you take them in level progression. Font of magic options are interesting. One of those is extra overpowered and 2 are ok-ish. I do not think that these changes will restore the sorcerer's reputation. We will remain wizard's poor cousins.
I have to agree with most of that. I'm all for spell versatility for a number of reasons so no conflict there. Not every party has a wizard ( lots of them have two rogues and a bard, though) so if you are it in the damage department you want to be able to have at least one spell that will work.
I'm not sure I would want to spend sorcery points on any of the font of magic or new metamagics but at least they tried?
Still no method of recovering some sorcery points on a short rest. Please don't talk about slot synthesis. Most of us don't have sorcery points leftover after a big battle and it's super expensive so we are going to save our points for metamagic.
Expanded spell list is meh but glad to see flaming sphere.
I do like primal savagery for a black dragon sorc. As a melee spell to replace shocking grasp. (granted not the effect but ey). along with acid splash you have two solid cantrips, and then add Elemental Adept for acid and the Metamagic: Elemental Spell for spells not doing acid. Making something that is all around a solid character.
However tis strange that neither the elemental metamagic nor the elemental feat does poison. And this doesn't take into account how common poison resistance/immunity is.
elemental spell is great for people who have synnergies with particular damage types, such as multiclass tempest clerics, storm sorcerers and dragonic sorcerers, as well as letting you alter damage types to overcome resistance, uneering spell is great for people who use inflict wounds chromatic orb or catapult, it also seems you can use the option multiple times on the same casting of your spell in for instance flame blade
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i am soup, with too many ideas (all of them very spicy) who has made sufficient homebrew material and character to last an thousand human lifetimes
Protection from Evil is actually a pretty good buff to take. Twin it on your party's tanks, and now it's harder for extra planar stuff to screw with them. It's also a good use for a low level spell slot if you anticipate fighting a lot of those things.
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Hey guys and gals! I've been looking over the Unearthed Arcana Sorcerer class features and am looking for what I may ask my DM to let me incorporate for my draconic blaster caster sorcerer. What do you all think about these new options? I'm not particularly excited about the expanded spell list. I may end up getting Flaming sphere or fire shield. The thought of twinning Foresight sounds amazing (and expensive!).
I think that elemental metamagic is great, and should help to improve the draconic sorcerer. Changing the damage type of a spell into your dragon type.
I think this is cool too, but they forgot about poison type for the Green Dragon Sorcerers. It shouldn't really unbalance it since Sorcerers only have 3 poison spells.
Other than that, I love most of the new stuff. My only issue is with the Spell Versatility, as a long rest is a bit too often, but maybe that'll get changed later. Perhaps a day of downtime per the level of spell. That way, it allows forgiveness to low levels but makes you think at high-levels (which is usually required anyway).
yes, i hope they correct that. with poiosn.
Loving the idea of Spell Versatility and swapping one spell after a long rest as opposed to after leveling up. It punishes people less for picking a spell which may not work the way they intended with their character or with their party dynamics and it allows for cantrips to be replaced at higher levels. My only hangup is coming up with a narrative way to explain the change of a spell overnight. Has anyone played around with this or have ideas?
Sorcerer magic is innate and weird. Who knows why today you can cast charm person and have no idea why burning hands doesn't work anymore? You sure don't, but charm person came in handy, so that's nice.
Partway through the quest for absolute truth.
So let's make a little review:
Enhanced Spell selection
0 Level Cantrips: Primal savagery (Xanathar’s Guide) - I do not know. Straight up worse Firebolt for melee sorcerers?
1st Level: Grease - ok I guess?
Protection from evil and good - The spell that Divine Soul sorcerer would take but he already has it from Divine Magic
2nd Level: Flame blade - no, just no
Flaming sphere - spell that is really cool for red and gold draconic bloodlines, I always wondered why sorcerers cannot use this. It is still much worse then Scorching Ray
3rd Level Vampiric touch - ok I guess, thematic for shadow Sorcerers
4th Level Fire shield - Nice spell to have
6th Level Flesh to stone - Another nice addition to a spell list. The spell is not all that great but I somehow like the idea of Wild sorcerer turning people to stone.
8th Level Demiplane - One of those awesome utility spells you love to have as a wizard. Not sure if you can justify having it as a sorcerer.
9th Level Foresight - Yeah ultimate twin spell buff. Still hard to take over wish (but that applies to every other 9th level spell a sorcerer has).
Spell Versatility
I am somehow conflicted about this. It definitely makes your life easier. It is an improvement. It alleviates mistakes in spell selection early on (I was always of the opinion that if you really **** up your "build" you can always talk to your DM). But it lessens the idea of having fewer spells but stronger ones which we are presented should be the core of sorcerer's gameplay. I roleplay that I am gradually taking control of my innate powers and once I know something I know it really well. This feels like cheapening that premise. But I can see why it can be awesome for the Wild sorcerer.
Font of Magic Options
Empowering Reserves - This one is crazy. Constant Luck feat for the ability checks. This one is almost too good.
Imbuing Touch - Situational, cool, good at low levels. Useless higher on.
Sorcerous Fortitude - Interesting trade-off. Potentially 20d4 heal for the price of your unique magic abilities.
Metamagic Options
I am not going to go into detail. They are all great additions. The problem is that we have SO LITTLE Metamagic options that I find that none of these will be taken over Twinned/Quickened/Subtle/Enhanced.
Overall
I am disappointed. Enhanced spell selection is nice but nothing world-breaking. Spell versatility is cool but you still have extremely limited spell selection and wizards can still cast more spells per long rest then you can. New metamagic seems fun and all but you will still not use them because of the number of metamagics options that you can take and when you take them in level progression. Font of magic options are interesting. One of those is extra overpowered and 2 are ok-ish. I do not think that these changes will restore the sorcerer's reputation. We will remain wizard's poor cousins.
We are not impressed.
I have to agree with most of that. I'm all for spell versatility for a number of reasons so no conflict there. Not every party has a wizard ( lots of them have two rogues and a bard, though) so if you are it in the damage department you want to be able to have at least one spell that will work.
I'm not sure I would want to spend sorcery points on any of the font of magic or new metamagics but at least they tried?
Still no method of recovering some sorcery points on a short rest. Please don't talk about slot synthesis. Most of us don't have sorcery points leftover after a big battle and it's super expensive so we are going to save our points for metamagic.
Expanded spell list is meh but glad to see flaming sphere.
Overall, there is still a lot to fix.
I do like primal savagery for a black dragon sorc. As a melee spell to replace shocking grasp. (granted not the effect but ey). along with acid splash you have two solid cantrips, and then add Elemental Adept for acid and the Metamagic: Elemental Spell for spells not doing acid. Making something that is all around a solid character.
However tis strange that neither the elemental metamagic nor the elemental feat does poison. And this doesn't take into account how common poison resistance/immunity is.
elemental spell is great for people who have synnergies with particular damage types, such as multiclass tempest clerics, storm sorcerers and dragonic sorcerers, as well as letting you alter damage types to overcome resistance, uneering spell is great for people who use inflict wounds chromatic orb or catapult, it also seems you can use the option multiple times on the same casting of your spell in for instance flame blade
i am soup, with too many ideas (all of them very spicy) who has made sufficient homebrew material and character to last an thousand human lifetimes
Protection from Evil is actually a pretty good buff to take. Twin it on your party's tanks, and now it's harder for extra planar stuff to screw with them. It's also a good use for a low level spell slot if you anticipate fighting a lot of those things.