The only way Sorcerous Vitality is worth is casting twice with the new Twinned metamagic, that should be integrated into the Font of Magic, and if it takes Bonus Action instead Action.
Also, the concentration requirement for Sorcery Incarnate is an issue, you'd want to use it in another effect at that level.
I hope necroing this thread isn't too frowned upon, but I didn't see very much discussion on the sorcerer since the latest changes/reversions and most of that was buried with other discussion or in very old posts well before update 7. I must start by saying that I don't have a lot of experience with non-PHB sorcerer subclasses. That said, I love the flavor of the sorcerer (main character in a story I'm crafting), especially the draconic, so I thought I'd take a look specifically at that and see how it looks now since there are apparently no more public changes until 1dnd comes out. The following feature commentary are presented in level order and really only for things that changed from the PHB since I'm assuming this is effectively going to be the "new PHB" come May or whenever.
Starting Equipment: Spear? Why? Nothing else of note.
Spellcasting Changes: More known (I really don't like the verbiage they use here, sorcerers don't "prepare" spells... do they?!) spells than before certainly can't be seen as a bad thing. I won't comment on the brief swap to arcane spell list since that's been reverted back. I'll tackle the new spells (sorcerous burst and arcane eruption) later.
Innate Sorcery: Seems decent as essentially a replacement for what subclasses would have gotten here, mostly because you still get those subclass features, just later. You get a little something for attack roll spells and a little something for saving throw spells. I also like how the later features riff off of it.
Font of Magic: Only change here seems to be the removal of the bonus action required to convert spell slots into sorcery points. Can't complain.
Metamagic: Bringing the floor down to level 2 and increasing the amount you get at level 10 and 17 by 1 each is a straight buff. Probably necessary since there are now a couple more to choose from. Being able to swap on level up is interesting, but I don't know how useful that will be for people that already carefully plan out their level progression. Only two use-cases I see are people who want to try things out and people that swap metamagic at the same time as swapping out a spell that would have taken advantage of that metamagic for a different spell/metamagic combo. Careful Spell getting a buff is nice. Now you can launch fireballs willy nilly. Heightened Spell getting cheaper is nice. Of the 10 options, I still wonder how many people would choose it over the other 9. Quickened Spell reads a little wonky, but I guess it has to for what they were going for (only able to tack on a cantrip to a leveled spell). Seeking/Transmuted I don't have Tasha's, but these seem unmodified from what I can tell. Both are great metamagic additions to the base game. For a draconic sorcerer in particular, Transmuted is a huge boon, but this is old news by now. Subtle Spell seems ok in combat, but really fun for RP. Twinned I'm not going to cry about. It's been fun in BG3, but 1 SP for a whole spell is pretty OP once you're beyond level 1 spells.
Sorcerer Subclasses: Level 3 now, huh? I actually think this can work (if it must), but they really need to rework how they describe this. Sorcerer subclasses are NOT specializations! A sorcerer doesn't just "decide" where their power comes from (a few other classes suffer from this change as well). That said, I could totally see a sorcerer learning about/channeling more of that power starting at level 3. It would be no different than trying to justify a sorcerer multiclass without having an event happen in game to trigger it.
Draconic Resilience: Having to wait 2 levels for the HP and AC boosts hurts. The good news is that you can start with Mage Armor and then swap it out when you reach level 3 if you really want. That and the AC bonus scales a bit better now since it tags off of CHA in addition to DEX.
Draconic Speech: I'm glad they reverted the change they made. Being able to now talk to any "dragon" type NPC is a slight buff for those spells that require the creature to understand you, I guess. I'm unsure how many dragon creatures don't speak draconic, though.
Sorcerous Restoration: Ok, this one I'm really unsure about. Sure, you are now able to get back some sorcery points at a much lower level and it scales to the same number you had before at level 20, but... needing to be completely out is a pretty rough requirement. At level 20 this seems like a straight nerf. Sure you get to check if you're out more often (on initiative rolls in addition to short rests, instead of just short rests), but there was no such requirement to be completely spent before. I'd be happier with a middle ground like it can't restore you to more than half your total, or something of that nature.
Elemental Affinity: I really like this change. Not needing to spend the SP for the resistance is really nice. Like the rework of sorcerous origin, however, it needs a major do over on the language. "Your draconic magic has an affinity with one of the damage types associated with dragons..." is so... bland. It doesn't even sound like you got your magic from a specific dragon any more. It's just, "Hey, dragons do this kind of damage! I should too!" That's wizard thinking. It was so much more flavorful when you actually chose the dragon type (at level 1). Perhaps something like, "Tapping deeper into your magic you now begin to feel the presence of the actual dragon from which your power originates. They are still but a shadow in the back of your mind, but the elemental energy they exude is impossible to ignore and begins to course through you. Choose a dragon type that this draconic progenitor of you powers belongs to from the metallic or chromatic families. The elemental type of that dragon is now a part of you as well..." Then go into the mechanics. Not great, but I also just did that in 5 minutes.
Sorcery Incarnate: Well, this is a freebie and has two decent effects. We didn't have anything at level 7 before, so I'm happy with it.
Dragon Wings: Welp, after several attempts, the only change here is that you can now choose to make the wings spectral so they don't make you nekked every time you try to use them. One of the coolest parts about being a draconic sorcerer and you have to wait until level 14 to... fly. I guess it's just another level you swap a spell out because your sorcery subclass makes it redundant? Between SI and this you have 2 ASIs/feats and 2 more metamagics, but nothing really "new" or that screams "sorcerer feature". On it's face, levels 7 to 14 just seem pretty bland, though some feats (elemental adept) really propel draconic sorcerer forward in power in certain encounters. ASIs are now almost guaranteed to be put into CHA until you hit 20 in it what with the AC bonus in addition to extra damage on your element and spell casting modifier/DC.
Draconic Presence: Well, I can't say they didn't buff it. It's a BA now instead of an action, you no longer have to concentrate on it, it targets every creature (not just hostiles), but you also have a choice to exclude any creature, they have to make a save every turn they are in the aura, and they no longer become immune if they pass. A lot of changes, all for the better, and yet... it still doesn't really feel like a level 18 power. This is supposed to be a capstone to the subclass, right? Great for RP and little else, as far as I can tell. You now have the known spells to take something that is just strictly better. Over a quarter of your precious SP for this effect seems... not good.
Arcane Apotheosis: Ok, this I like. The fact that it riffs off of your level 1 feature is really cool, tying the base sorcery features together and giving incredible consistency. The flavor here is pretty nice, too. You aren't just bending the weave to your will anymore, you are breaking it and reforming it however you choose as if it were you personal plaything with no effort or expenditure. It doesn't limit you to which MM you choose, so of course you will choose the one that costs more if that's an option you're considering. Now you can use those sorcery points to... use Innate Sorcery AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN! Twice a battle, if you like, even if you had run out from the previous battle!
Added Spells:
- Sorcerous burst: This is a great cantrip for draconic sorcerer. The exploding dice put it just below firebolt (5.14 vs 5.5 average) in damage, but you get to choose the damage type without spending the SP on transmute? I ran the numbers and although exploding dice happen more often at d6, the lower average without brings it down to almost a whole damage lower (4.19 average). Someone mentioned 2d4 somewhere, but that would actually be well above the curve (6.6 average) and completely outclass firebolt. This is all assuming below level 5 and with a +3 CHA modifier (so a max of 3 exploded dice). Once you hit level 5 and start doing 2d in damage as a base the average jumps to 10.28 (vs 11 for firebolt), so still quite good and only getting better with added CHA.
- Arcane Eruption: Damn, I rolled crap on my damage... oh wait... This is actually bonkers. AoE incapacitation is one hell of a consolation prize for rolling low on damage, and it's really only one of the dice that needs to do that. Oh yeah, and I can choose the damage type for this as well. I really do wonder if they will be giving any monsters immunity to incapacitation and if so how many. It's also a 4th level spell, so up against Banishment and other fairly powerful spells, but come on... I can't see this surviving internal testing in its current form.
I'm not sure where draconic sorcerer falls in the grand scheme of sorcerer-things now. As I said, my knowledge of non-PHB subclasses is quite limited. Having extra spells available to the Aberrant and Clockwork sorcerers off the bat, but not wild or draconic seems very strange, but I guess we'll have to wait and see at this point. Overall, the biggest problem is the way they are communicating the lore/flavor of the class/subclasses. It just doesn't make any sense. I'm really hoping a lore team gives it a few "once-overs" before release.
*Formatting stopped working properly about halfway through the post. It's getting under my skin more than it should...
The only way Sorcerous Vitality is worth is casting twice with the new Twinned metamagic, that should be integrated into the Font of Magic, and if it takes Bonus Action instead Action.
Also, the concentration requirement for Sorcery Incarnate is an issue, you'd want to use it in another effect at that level.
I hope necroing this thread isn't too frowned upon, but I didn't see very much discussion on the sorcerer since the latest changes/reversions and most of that was buried with other discussion or in very old posts well before update 7. I must start by saying that I don't have a lot of experience with non-PHB sorcerer subclasses. That said, I love the flavor of the sorcerer (main character in a story I'm crafting), especially the draconic, so I thought I'd take a look specifically at that and see how it looks now since there are apparently no more public changes until 1dnd comes out. The following feature commentary are presented in level order and really only for things that changed from the PHB since I'm assuming this is effectively going to be the "new PHB" come May or whenever.
Starting Equipment: Spear? Why? Nothing else of note.
Spellcasting Changes: More known (I really don't like the verbiage they use here, sorcerers don't "prepare" spells... do they?!) spells than before certainly can't be seen as a bad thing. I won't comment on the brief swap to arcane spell list since that's been reverted back. I'll tackle the new spells (sorcerous burst and arcane eruption) later.
Innate Sorcery: Seems decent as essentially a replacement for what subclasses would have gotten here, mostly because you still get those subclass features, just later. You get a little something for attack roll spells and a little something for saving throw spells. I also like how the later features riff off of it.
Font of Magic: Only change here seems to be the removal of the bonus action required to convert spell slots into sorcery points. Can't complain.
Metamagic: Bringing the floor down to level 2 and increasing the amount you get at level 10 and 17 by 1 each is a straight buff. Probably necessary since there are now a couple more to choose from. Being able to swap on level up is interesting, but I don't know how useful that will be for people that already carefully plan out their level progression. Only two use-cases I see are people who want to try things out and people that swap metamagic at the same time as swapping out a spell that would have taken advantage of that metamagic for a different spell/metamagic combo. Careful Spell getting a buff is nice. Now you can launch fireballs willy nilly. Heightened Spell getting cheaper is nice. Of the 10 options, I still wonder how many people would choose it over the other 9. Quickened Spell reads a little wonky, but I guess it has to for what they were going for (only able to tack on a cantrip to a leveled spell). Seeking/Transmuted I don't have Tasha's, but these seem unmodified from what I can tell. Both are great metamagic additions to the base game. For a draconic sorcerer in particular, Transmuted is a huge boon, but this is old news by now. Subtle Spell seems ok in combat, but really fun for RP. Twinned I'm not going to cry about. It's been fun in BG3, but 1 SP for a whole spell is pretty OP once you're beyond level 1 spells.
Sorcerer Subclasses: Level 3 now, huh? I actually think this can work (if it must), but they really need to rework how they describe this. Sorcerer subclasses are NOT specializations! A sorcerer doesn't just "decide" where their power comes from (a few other classes suffer from this change as well). That said, I could totally see a sorcerer learning about/channeling more of that power starting at level 3. It would be no different than trying to justify a sorcerer multiclass without having an event happen in game to trigger it.
Draconic Resilience: Having to wait 2 levels for the HP and AC boosts hurts. The good news is that you can start with Mage Armor and then swap it out when you reach level 3 if you really want. That and the AC bonus scales a bit better now since it tags off of CHA in addition to DEX.
Draconic Speech: I'm glad they reverted the change they made. Being able to now talk to any "dragon" type NPC is a slight buff for those spells that require the creature to understand you, I guess. I'm unsure how many dragon creatures don't speak draconic, though.
Sorcerous Restoration: Ok, this one I'm really unsure about. Sure, you are now able to get back some sorcery points at a much lower level and it scales to the same number you had before at level 20, but... needing to be completely out is a pretty rough requirement. At level 20 this seems like a straight nerf. Sure you get to check if you're out more often (on initiative rolls in addition to short rests, instead of just short rests), but there was no such requirement to be completely spent before. I'd be happier with a middle ground like it can't restore you to more than half your total, or something of that nature.
Elemental Affinity: I really like this change. Not needing to spend the SP for the resistance is really nice. Like the rework of sorcerous origin, however, it needs a major do over on the language. "Your draconic magic has an affinity with one of the damage types associated with dragons..." is so... bland. It doesn't even sound like you got your magic from a specific dragon any more. It's just, "Hey, dragons do this kind of damage! I should too!" That's wizard thinking. It was so much more flavorful when you actually chose the dragon type (at level 1). Perhaps something like, "Tapping deeper into your magic you now begin to feel the presence of the actual dragon from which your power originates. They are still but a shadow in the back of your mind, but the elemental energy they exude is impossible to ignore and begins to course through you. Choose a dragon type that this draconic progenitor of you powers belongs to from the metallic or chromatic families. The elemental type of that dragon is now a part of you as well..." Then go into the mechanics. Not great, but I also just did that in 5 minutes.
Sorcery Incarnate: Well, this is a freebie and has two decent effects. We didn't have anything at level 7 before, so I'm happy with it.
Dragon Wings: Welp, after several attempts, the only change here is that you can now choose to make the wings spectral so they don't make you nekked every time you try to use them. One of the coolest parts about being a draconic sorcerer and you have to wait until level 14 to... fly. I guess it's just another level you swap a spell out because your sorcery subclass makes it redundant? Between SI and this you have 2 ASIs/feats and 2 more metamagics, but nothing really "new" or that screams "sorcerer feature". On it's face, levels 7 to 14 just seem pretty bland, though some feats (elemental adept) really propel draconic sorcerer forward in power in certain encounters. ASIs are now almost guaranteed to be put into CHA until you hit 20 in it what with the AC bonus in addition to extra damage on your element and spell casting modifier/DC.
Draconic Presence: Well, I can't say they didn't buff it. It's a BA now instead of an action, you no longer have to concentrate on it, it targets every creature (not just hostiles), but you also have a choice to exclude any creature, they have to make a save every turn they are in the aura, and they no longer become immune if they pass. A lot of changes, all for the better, and yet... it still doesn't really feel like a level 18 power. This is supposed to be a capstone to the subclass, right? Great for RP and little else, as far as I can tell. You now have the known spells to take something that is just strictly better. Over a quarter of your precious SP for this effect seems... not good.
Arcane Apotheosis: Ok, this I like. The fact that it riffs off of your level 1 feature is really cool, tying the base sorcery features together and giving incredible consistency. The flavor here is pretty nice, too. You aren't just bending the weave to your will anymore, you are breaking it and reforming it however you choose as if it were you personal plaything with no effort or expenditure. It doesn't limit you to which MM you choose, so of course you will choose the one that costs more if that's an option you're considering. Now you can use those sorcery points to... use Innate Sorcery AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN! Twice a battle, if you like, even if you had run out from the previous battle!
Added Spells:
- Sorcerous burst: This is a great cantrip for draconic sorcerer. The exploding dice put it just below firebolt (5.14 vs 5.5 average) in damage, but you get to choose the damage type without spending the SP on transmute? I ran the numbers and although exploding dice happen more often at d6, the lower average without brings it down to almost a whole damage lower (4.19 average). Someone mentioned 2d4 somewhere, but that would actually be well above the curve (6.6 average) and completely outclass firebolt. This is all assuming below level 5 and with a +3 CHA modifier (so a max of 3 exploded dice). Once you hit level 5 and start doing 2d in damage as a base the average jumps to 10.28 (vs 11 for firebolt), so still quite good and only getting better with added CHA.
- Arcane Eruption: Damn, I rolled crap on my damage... oh wait... This is actually bonkers. AoE incapacitation is one hell of a consolation prize for rolling low on damage, and it's really only one of the dice that needs to do that. Oh yeah, and I can choose the damage type for this as well. I really do wonder if they will be giving any monsters immunity to incapacitation and if so how many. It's also a 4th level spell, so up against Banishment and other fairly powerful spells, but come on... I can't see this surviving internal testing in its current form.
I'm not sure where draconic sorcerer falls in the grand scheme of sorcerer-things now. As I said, my knowledge of non-PHB subclasses is quite limited. Having extra spells available to the Aberrant and Clockwork sorcerers off the bat, but not wild or draconic seems very strange, but I guess we'll have to wait and see at this point. Overall, the biggest problem is the way they are communicating the lore/flavor of the class/subclasses. It just doesn't make any sense. I'm really hoping a lore team gives it a few "once-overs" before release.
*Formatting stopped working properly about halfway through the post. It's getting under my skin more than it should...