Hi, everyone! I'm working in a series of articles for my blog dedicated to each of the 13 classes, and I plan to finish each one with a short list famous examples of such class in fantasy tropes, be it novels, movies, TV shows, comics or video games.
(Extra XP if you also include some details about the reason for your ideas and what you like or don't like about the class, both as a player or DM)
Having said that, what characters come to your mind when thinking of SORCERERS?
The Aes Sedai from The Wheel of Time series - for them, magic is in their blood. They learn to control their magic but they don't learn it from books the way the typical wizard does. This matches up the best with what the PHB says about the class.
A major problem here is that for most literature/historical?/ fabled spellcasters they could be either mages or sorcerors as their down time activities are seldom described in detail so we don’t know whether they were used spellbooks or not .
Strangely enough, Terry Pratchett's Sourcery was a great book to read but it also really did a great job of distinguishing a wizard from a sorcery (and a witch) in his world. Even for a parody it's well worth a read.
The other one, and I'd be showing my age, is the main character from the last bok in the enchanted forest series from Patricia C. Wrede. Where as the prince in the previous novels could manipulate magic through a "web", the son(?) was extremely adept at it.
I'm actually on this forum to try and learn more about playing them and playing them effectively at lower levels.
What captivates me about the sorcerer is the idea of innately being tied to the very elemental forces of the world and being able to manipulate them freely. What frustrates me is that for such amazing lore and flavor, the sorcerer pulls a lot from the wizard spell list, and generally behaves like another type of wizard in a way that other spellcasters do not. The warlock, for example, its dramatically different from a wizard, and a bard stands on its own. But the sorcerer...
In my own head canon sorcerors ( and psions) came before wizards. They were people who had magic in their blood ( for what ever reason) and could do things others couldn’t. Wizards were wannabes - they didn’t have that direct connection so they researched how to make connections using materials, sounds and gestures (which probably started as focusing agents for sorcerors). Warlocks are a sidetrack - they are folks that want the power without the connection or the work so they make deals with those of great power to use small bits in exchange for something of value to the patron (but not of value to the warlock).
That's sort of how I see it as well. The players handbook agrees with you, it talks about how wizards have studied magic, warlocks have made a pack, and sorcerers have innate magic.
Doc strange is a Wizard not a sorceror - yes despite his title “sorceror supreme” his magic was never innate - he has to study to learn his spells as has been shown several times in both the movies and comics. He also has a huge load of magic items that can not only do things but also cast spells or have spell like abilities
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Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
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Hi, everyone! I'm working in a series of articles for my blog dedicated to each of the 13 classes, and I plan to finish each one with a short list famous examples of such class in fantasy tropes, be it novels, movies, TV shows, comics or video games.
(Extra XP if you also include some details about the reason for your ideas and what you like or don't like about the class, both as a player or DM)
Having said that, what characters come to your mind when thinking of SORCERERS?
"Let your dice roll"
codexanathema.com
Scarlet Witch
The witches and wizards from harry potter
Storm from X-Men
Medea and Circe from Greek Mythology
Shazam from DC Comics
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
The Aes Sedai from The Wheel of Time series - for them, magic is in their blood. They learn to control their magic but they don't learn it from books the way the typical wizard does. This matches up the best with what the PHB says about the class.
Skeeve from Myth Adventures. Billed as a magician but all his powers seem to come from within.
Wow, it's been a long time since I read those.
Potter and Co are only Sorcerers in the USA. Kidding ...
Merlin from the BBC show. He is specifically a Wild Magic sorc with infinite Subtle Spell.
Constantine and Dr. Fate (DC), Dr. Strange and Scarlet Witch and Doctor Doom (Marvel), Jafar (Disney), Rumplestiltskin (Once upon a time TV show).
Food, Scifi/fantasy, anime, DND 5E and OSR geek.
A major problem here is that for most literature/historical?/ fabled spellcasters they could be either mages or sorcerors as their down time activities are seldom described in detail so we don’t know whether they were used spellbooks or not .
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
I usually draw the line answering the question: "Did I see their spellbook?" XD
"Let your dice roll"
codexanathema.com
Dr Strange is a wizard, so is John Constantine and Dr Fate. Rumple is a pact of the blade warlock.
Yennefer, Fringilla, Triss, etc and the brotherhood from the Witcher.
Food, Scifi/fantasy, anime, DND 5E and OSR geek.
Strangely enough, Terry Pratchett's Sourcery was a great book to read but it also really did a great job of distinguishing a wizard from a sorcery (and a witch) in his world. Even for a parody it's well worth a read.
The other one, and I'd be showing my age, is the main character from the last bok in the enchanted forest series from Patricia C. Wrede. Where as the prince in the previous novels could manipulate magic through a "web", the son(?) was extremely adept at it.
I'm actually on this forum to try and learn more about playing them and playing them effectively at lower levels.
What captivates me about the sorcerer is the idea of innately being tied to the very elemental forces of the world and being able to manipulate them freely. What frustrates me is that for such amazing lore and flavor, the sorcerer pulls a lot from the wizard spell list, and generally behaves like another type of wizard in a way that other spellcasters do not. The warlock, for example, its dramatically different from a wizard, and a bard stands on its own. But the sorcerer...
High Sorcerer Baradoon from epic npc man
Dr Fate, Dr strange
Rønken bilde
In my own head canon sorcerors ( and psions) came before wizards. They were people who had magic in their blood ( for what ever reason) and could do things others couldn’t. Wizards were wannabes - they didn’t have that direct connection so they researched how to make connections using materials, sounds and gestures (which probably started as focusing agents for sorcerors). Warlocks are a sidetrack - they are folks that want the power without the connection or the work so they make deals with those of great power to use small bits in exchange for something of value to the patron (but not of value to the warlock).
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
That's sort of how I see it as well. The players handbook agrees with you, it talks about how wizards have studied magic, warlocks have made a pack, and sorcerers have innate magic.
Doc strange is a Wizard not a sorceror - yes despite his title “sorceror supreme” his magic was never innate - he has to study to learn his spells as has been shown several times in both the movies and comics. He also has a huge load of magic items that can not only do things but also cast spells or have spell like abilities
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.