I am looking forward to playing a sorcerer using the UA Phoenix Sorcery, but saw it was a little underpowered when compared when it came to the other origin choices.
So after talking with my DM, we came up with this revised Phoenix Sorcery listing.
Please give any feedback about these adjustments and also any helps with the formatting an wording of the new material. Thanks
At 1st level, you gain the ability to start fires with a touch. As an action, you can magically ignite a a flammable object you touch with your hand—an object such as a torch, a piece of tinder, or the hem of drapes.
(Replaceable by cantrips; think of more unique options/ribbons)
Mantle of Flame
Starting at 1st level, you can unleash the phoenix fire that blazes within you.
As a bonus action, you magically wreathe yourself in swirling fire, as your eyes glow like hot coals. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
You shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
Any creature takes fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier if it hits you with a melee attack from within 5 feet of you, touches you, or ends its turn within 5 feet of you
Whenever you roll fire damage on your turn, the roll gains a bonus to equal to your Charisma modifier.
You can use this feature a number of times a day equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
Phoenix Spark
At 6th level, you gain resistance to fire damage.
Also, the fiery energy within you grows restless and vengeful. In the face of defeat, it surges outward to preserve you in a fiery roar.
If you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to draw on the spark of the phoenix. You are instead reduced to hit points equal to your sorcerer level, and each creature within 10 feet of you takes fire damage equal to half your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier. You are put under your effects Mantle of Flame after using this features, if you weren’t already.
If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, You immediately stand up (if you so choose), and you regain hit points equal to half your hit point maximum. All hostile creatures within 10 feet of you take fire damage equal to your sorcerer level + double your Charisma modifier and are blinded until the end of your turn.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Nourishing Flames
Starting at 14th level, your fire spells soothe and restore you. When you expend a spell slot to cast a spell that includes a fire damage roll, you regain hit points equal to the slot’s level + your Charisma modifier.
If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, this feature instead regains hit points equal to the slot’s level + spellcasting modifier.
Form of the Phoenix
At 18th level, you gain immunity to fire damage.
Also, while under the effect of your Mantle of Flame feature, you gain additional benefits:
You have a flying speed of 40 feet and can hover.
You have resistance to all damage.
If you use your Phoenix Spark, that feature deals an extra 20 fire damage to each creature.
Starting at 1st level, you can unleash the phoenix fire that blazes within you.
As a bonus action, you magically wreathe yourself in swirling fire, as your eyes glow like hot coals. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
You shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
Any creature takes fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier if it hits you with a melee attack from within 5 feet of you, touches you, or ends its turn within 5 feet of you
Whenever you roll fire damage on your turn, the roll gains a bonus to equal to your Charisma modifier.
You can use this feature a number of times a day equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
The underlined addition above would be great if it weren't for the extra damage when you roll for fire damage. Lets say you cast scorching ray each bolt benefits from the effect, it's no big deal right? Just increases the floor damage by a ridiculous amount for a second(?) level spell so we are looking at a potential 6d6+3XCHA. That's 15 damage(if you can get 20 Charisma) before you roll dice on a level 2 spell as a third level caster up to a maximum of 51 hp which is more than some CR5 creatures have I believe. It would be better if you got an extra use every 3-5 levels, not based off charisma. Scaling is huge in this game if you quickened that scorching ray and threw out a fire bolt that's 1d8+5 (2d8+10 if twinned) fire damage on top of your 6d6+15. we will just assume you don't cast hold person the turn before and cause the aforementioned spells to automatically crit.
Starting at 1st level, you can unleash the phoenix fire that blazes within you. As a bonus action, you magically wreathe yourself in swirling fire, as your eyes glow like hot coals. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
You shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
Any creature takes fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier if it hits you with a melee attack from within 5 feet of you, touches you, or ends its turn within 5 feet of you
Whenever you roll fire damage on your turn, the roll gains a bonus to equal to your Charisma modifier.
I like where you're going with this. Phoenix sorcerery is my favorite origin flavor-wise, so I definitely want to see it get better. That being said, I have a some suggestions. TL;DR Mantle of flame shouldn't hurt people next to you, Phoenix Spark shouldn't heal so much or activate Mantle of Flame, Nourishing Flames should be reworded, and Form of the Phoenix shouldn't give fire immunity. Brace for detail.
Ignite
This is just a ribbon, so don't worry that it can be replaced by a cantrip. If you want to make it a little more interesting, giving it additional range as you level up could make for some neat interactions. For example, if you add "This spell has a range of 10 feet at level 4, and gains an additional 5 feet of range at levels 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19" then you would have a sorcerer that could set stuff on fire just by looking at it or throwing a magic spark, which could make for some fun situations and remain a ribbon. Just a thought.
Mantle of Flame
I like your addition of creatures taking damage if they end their turn near you. It really provokes an image of the sorcerer radiating power. I think this isn't necessary, though. Phoenix Sorcery lends itself a little to being a "front line sorcerer," but barely. You already make yourself a riskier target by hurting anyone that attacks you, but making it risky to even stand close to you gives a lot of battlefield control that (a) is useless to a caster in the back line and (b) could easily be abused with certain builds. On top of that, it risks punishing your allies for being next to you, which they very frequently will in combat. It's just a little too much for a level 1 ability.
I like the multiple charges for Mantle of Flame a lot, though. I think that goes a really long way to making the subclass viable. Personally I think it should only lead to 3-4 charges a day considering how powerful it is once you get Form of the Phoenix, but I'll leave that to someone more balance-minded than I. An alternative method I have seen proposed is to make it cost spell points after the first charge, if you want to play with that.
Phoenix Spark
Nice addition with the fire resistance. It's thematic and adds some helpful survivability to a feature focused on surviving. I think the additional healing when you survive is a good idea to make this just a little more potent than similar features for other classes, but the HP might be a little high by comparison. Maybe cut it down to half your sorcerer level. However, I don't think it should activate Mantle of Flame. It turns a survivability spell into an offensive spell, and that just makes it a little too powerful. The very fact that you survive shouldn't be undervalued. Survival features like Phoenix Spark are great because they (a) stop you from dying (b) give you the opportunity to deal more damage and (c) essentially waste your enemy's attack. On top of all those, Phoenix Spark hurts enemies for trying to kill you with some explosion damage. Granting Mantle of Flame on top of all that punishes enemies just a little too much, I think. If you still think it needs to be stronger, maybe make it dispel certain kinds of conditions. Also, as you have it written, it could be abused for when you're out of charges on your Mantle. Say you're in the middle of a fight and out of charges. "Quick, stab me in the neck!" "Why?" "I'll come back to life and can do bonus damage for a whole minute!" It could just get a touch ridiculous. As one last point, I also think this cuts against the theme of the subclass, which I think of as "burn fast, burn bright." Like the cycle of a phoenix, your sorcery is characterized by moments of incredible power before you burn out and have to replenish your strength. Dying shouldn't make you stronger. The fact that you get to cheat death already expresses your power.
Regarding your changes for Phoenix Spark under the effects of Mantle, I think you're awarding way too much health. Half your HP maximum is simply tremendous, especially at high levels. I suggest bringing it down to be something like double what you would heal without Mantle up. Keep in mind that you will very likely have someone in the party that can heal you, or have some potions, or use Nourishing Flames to replenish HP after you come back to life. In a similar vein, blinding enemies is a pretty serious debuff, and I don't think it's necessary. With the extra explosion damage and the extra healing, this is already pretty strong. That being said, I like that you deleted the provision about Mantle of Flame ending. It's just one more place where the phoenix sorcerer was lacking in power for no good reason, in my opinion.
Nourishing Flames
Nice little boost to it under Mantle of Flame, which I think is appropriate. However, as you have it written it's "spellcasting modifier" which sounds like spellcasting ability. Your spellcastingability is just Charisma, and your spell attack modifier is [Charisma bonus + Proficiency bonus]. I think you meant to use the latter, so it should read: "If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, this feature instead regains hit points equal to the slot’s level + your spell attack modifier."
Form of the Phoenix
Immunity to fire damage should just be taken out. Even as a level 18 capstone, immunity to any kind of damage is incredibly potent. Becoming immune through a temporary ability is one thing, but just having a passive immunity to all fire damage is too strong. Form of the Phoenix gives a ton of survivability when you pop Mantle. All damage you take is cut in half, and you're pretty much immune from melee attacks. Fire immunity is just overkill. If you want to give the capstone a little more panache, I'd suggest editing the bonus damage to Phoenix Spark into a more interesting effect, like blinding enemies or giving your next spell a huge damage boost or something.
Here’s the modifications I’ve been looking at for comparison/some ideas:
Fire Starter:
At 1st level, you gain the ability to start fires with a touch. As an action, you can magically ignite a a flammable object you touch with your hand—an object such as a torch, a piece of tinder, or the hem of drapes. Additionally when you learn spells you may chose a spell from any spell list as long as that spell deals fire damage.
Mantle of Flame
Starting at 1st level, you can unleash the phoenix fire that blazes within you. As a bonus action, you magically wreathe yourself in swirling fire, as your eyes glow like hot coals. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits: * Resistance to Cold damage * You shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. * Any creature takes fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier if it hits you with a melee attack from within 5 feet of you, touches you, or ends its turn within 5 feet of you * Whenever you roll fire damage on your turn, the roll gains a bonus to equal to your Charisma modifier. You gain an additional use at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level.
Phoenix Spark
You gain resistance to fire damage. The fiery energy within you grows restless and vengeful. In the face of defeat, it surges outward to preserve you in a fiery roar. If you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to draw on the spark of the phoenix. You are instead reduced to 1 hit point, and each creature within 10 feet of you takes fire damage equal to half your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier. If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, This feature instead deals fire damage equal to your sorcerer level + double your Charisma modifier, you regain hit points equal to the damage your Mantle can deal to a single character, and your Mantle of Flame immediately ends. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
(the wording on this one might be weird but you’re suppose to regain hit points equal to sorcerer level + double your Charisma modifier. At 18th level it’ll also gain the additional 20 maxing out at 50 hit points = 20 lvls +10 for double Cha + 20)
Norishing Fire
Starting at 14th level, your fire spells soothe and restore you. When you expend a spell slot to cast a spell that includes a fire damage roll, you regain hit points equal to the slot’s level + your Charisma modifier.
If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, this feature instead regains hit points equal to the slot’s level + double your Charisma modifier.
Form of the Phoenix:
while under the effect of your Mantle of Flame feature, you gain additional benefits: * You have a flying speed of 40 feet and can hover. * You have resistance to all damage. * You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Charisma modifier * If you use your Phoenix Spark, that feature deals an extra 20 fire damage to each creature, affected creatures are pushed back 10ft and knocked prone
Something I was considering was allowing my player to consume 3 Sorcery points to "reignite" the Mantle. To me, this gives the player an option to reactivate the Mantle or use the points to do what Sorcerers do best. I like the idea of increases it by every 5 levels as well and may implement that idea into our campaign!
I'm wondering if it would be too much to either add some sort of way to bypass fire resistance at either the 18th lvl ability or the 14th lvl one; or give some sort of healing or utility option for the sorcerer to do against fire resistant/immune monsters.
Fire damage is IMO a big part of this subclass's theme and I just wouldn't want this subclass to be completely without anything to contribute in such a fight. Dragon sorcerers at least have their awe/fear aura or can gain resistance to the element they specialize in.
Perhaps remove the "when a creature hits you with a melee attack, it takes cha mod fire damage" feature from Mantle of Flame and replace it with a fire resistance or some sort of fire resist bypass? I've never been particularly impressed with these "when you get hit" abilities on spellcasters. Optimally you would want to avoid being hit and so you end up having an ability which you are consistently trying to avoid being triggered. Although, if the whole Phoenix Sorcery subclass was reworked to encourage the sorcerer to be more in the fray, then an ability like this would be more useful and it would fit with the Phoenix sorcery recklessness theme.
At 1st level, you gain the ability to start fires with a touch. As an action, you can magically ignite a flammable object you touch with your hand—an object such as a torch, a piece of tinder, or the hem of drapes.
When you reach 3rd level in this class, you learn the flame blade spell, which doesn’t count against your number of sorcerer spells known. In addition, you can expend 2 sorcery points to cast this spell instead of expending a spell slot to do so.
Mantle of Flame
Starting at 1st level, you can unleash the phoenix fire that blazes within you. As a bonus action, you magically wreathe yourself in swirling fire, as your eyes glow like hot coals. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
Resistance to Cold damage.
You shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
Any creature takes fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier if it hits you with a melee attack from within 5 feet of you, touches you, or ends its turn within 5 feet of you.
Whenever you roll fire damage on your turn, the roll gains a bonus to equal to your Charisma modifier.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. You gain an additional use at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level.
Tempered Soul
When you reach 6th level, you gain resistance to Fire damage.
Fiery Rage
The chaotic nature of the phoenix rages within you, beckoning to see your enemies smolder in ash. At 6th level, when you make a melee spell attack, you gain a bonus to the damage roll equal to your half your sorcerer level. In addition, if you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to draw on the spark of the phoenix. You are instead reduced to 1 hit point, and each creature within 10 feet of you takes fire damage equal to half your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier.
If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, you regain hit points equal to your sorcerer level and your Mantle of Flame immediately ends.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Nourishing Fire
Starting at 14th level, your fire spells soothe and restore you. When you expend a spell slot to cast a spell that includes a fire damage roll, you regain hit points equal to the slot’s level + your Charisma modifier.
If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, this feature instead regains hit points equal to the slot’s level + double your Charisma modifier.
Form of the Phoenix
While under the effect of your Mantle of Flame feature, you gain additional benefits:
You have a flying speed of 40 feet and can hover.
You have resistance to all damage.
You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Charisma modifier.
If you use your Fiery Rage, that feature deals an extra 20 fire damage to each creature. Affected creatures are pushed back 10ft and knocked prone.
Ok, I've been looking at the other Sorcerer subclasses and came up with some UA Phoenix Sorcerer edits based on some of the ideas thrown around this thread. As I understand it, this subclass's theme would be a more reckless spellcaster who is more inclined to cast their fire spells in the thick of a fight (relying on getting hit to do additional fire damage on opponents' turns, instead of being more of a gish). The bolded sections are the edits:
Ignite(rename?) - At 1st level, you gain the ability to start fires with a touch. As an action, you can magically ignite a flammable object you touch with your hand - an object such as a torch, a piece of tinder, or the hem of drapes. Additionally, your hit point maximum increases by 1 and increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.
Mantle of Flame - Starting at 1st level, you can unleash the phoenix fire that blazes within you. As a bonus action, you magically wreathe yourself in swirling fire, as your eyes glow like hot coals. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
You shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
Any creature takes fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier if it hits you with a melee attack from within 5 feet of you or if it touches you.When a creature hits you with a melee attack from within 5 feet, you can use your reaction to deal fire damage to the attacker. The damage equals your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier.
Whenever you roll fire damage on your turn, the roll gains a bonus equal to your Charisma modifier. (The wording of this benefit may need to be modified so that the damage isn’t added to each damage roll of spells like Scorching Ray. This is to bring it in line with similar abilities such as the Draconic Sorcerer’s Elemental Affinity.)
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. When you reach 2nd level in this class, you may spend 1 (maybe 2?) sorcery point(s) to gain an additional use of this feature before you finish a long rest.
Phoenix Spark - Starting at 6th level, the fiery energy within you grows restless and vengeful. In the face of defeat, it surges outward to preserve you in a fiery roar.
If you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to draw on the spark of the phoenix. You are instead reduced to 1 hit point, and each creature within 10 feet of you takes fire damage equal to half your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier.
If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, this feature instead deals fire damage equal to your sorcerer level + double your Charisma modifier, and your Mantle of Flame immediately ends.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Nourishing Fire - Starting at 14th level, your fire spells soothe and restore you. When you expend a spell slot to cast a spell that includes a fire damage roll, you regain hit points equal to the slot’s level + your Charisma modifier.
Form of the Phoenix - At 18th level, you finally master the spark of fire that dances within you. While under the effect of your Mantle of Flame feature, you gain additional benefits:
You have a flying speed of 40 feet and can hover.
You have resistance to all damage
If you use your Phoenix Spark, that feature deals an extra 20 damage to each creature.
When a creature fails a saving throw for a spell you cast which includes a fire damage roll, it is blinded until the end of your next turn.
The core issue with this subclass appears to be the exceptionally limited uses of the core feature of the subclass, Mantle of Flame. Allowing Sorcerers to spend sorcery points to get more uses out of it gives the player more flexibility in when they'd want to use it than simply having a static uses per day table. A lower level sorcerer could end up getting more uses of Mantle of Flame than what the suggested uses table describes but at a significant cost of not being able to quicken or empower one more spell etc.
The way I see this subclass playing is that they are constantly managing the balance between how much damage they are putting out and how much danger they are in. The extra damage on an opponent's turn comes at the price of a melee hit. The extra HP per sorcerer level gives the phoenix sorcerer a little more wiggle room when it comes to managing this balance (especially at early levels). The Nourishing Fire feature makes this a bit easier as your fire spells start giving some hit points back (possibly giving you the buffer you need to move out of melee, taking a opportunity attack, and doing a bit more damage before getting out of melee to drink a potion or something). Then if all else fails you have your last resort Phoenix Spark once per day if a monster gets a crit or if some other unforeseen event comes up. I thought the Form of the Phoenix blind idea offered Legimus earlier in this thread was more interesting than the flat damage boost to Phoenix Spark.
Very excited about this subclass, I hope WotC picks it up in a future book.
I’m wondering if Mantle of Flame has to have a limited use. It doesn’t seem overpowered to me, compared to the Draconic bloodline features. Just make the dmg boost and the retaliatory fire dmg passive and move the light radius feature to the Phoenix form ability.
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Hey,
I am looking forward to playing a sorcerer using the UA Phoenix Sorcery, but saw it was a little underpowered when compared when it came to the other origin choices.
So after talking with my DM, we came up with this revised Phoenix Sorcery listing.
Please give any feedback about these adjustments and also any helps with the formatting an wording of the new material. Thanks
Ignite
At 1st level, you gain the ability to start fires with a touch. As an action, you can magically ignite a a flammable object you touch with your hand—an object such as a torch, a piece of tinder, or the hem of drapes.
(Replaceable by cantrips; think of more unique options/ribbons)
Mantle of Flame
Starting at 1st level, you can unleash the phoenix fire that blazes within you.
As a bonus action, you magically wreathe yourself in swirling fire, as your eyes glow like hot coals. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
You can use this feature a number of times a day equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
Phoenix Spark
At 6th level, you gain resistance to fire damage.
Also, the fiery energy within you grows restless and vengeful. In the face of defeat, it surges outward to preserve you in a fiery roar.
If you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to draw on the spark of the phoenix. You are instead reduced to hit points equal to your sorcerer level, and each creature within 10 feet of you takes fire damage equal to half your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier. You are put under your effects Mantle of Flame after using this features, if you weren’t already.
If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, You immediately stand up (if you so choose), and you regain hit points equal to half your hit point maximum. All hostile creatures within 10 feet of you take fire damage equal to your sorcerer level + double your Charisma modifier and are blinded until the end of your turn.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Nourishing Flames
Starting at 14th level, your fire spells soothe and restore you. When you expend a spell slot to cast a spell that includes a fire damage roll, you regain hit points equal to the slot’s level + your Charisma modifier.
If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, this feature instead regains hit points equal to the slot’s level + spellcasting modifier.
Form of the Phoenix
At 18th level, you gain immunity to fire damage.
Also, while under the effect of your Mantle of Flame feature, you gain additional benefits:
Mantle of Flame
Starting at 1st level, you can unleash the phoenix fire that blazes within you.
As a bonus action, you magically wreathe yourself in swirling fire, as your eyes glow like hot coals. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
You can use this feature a number of times a day equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
The underlined addition above would be great if it weren't for the extra damage when you roll for fire damage. Lets say you cast scorching ray each bolt benefits from the effect, it's no big deal right? Just increases the floor damage by a ridiculous amount for a second(?) level spell so we are looking at a potential 6d6+3XCHA. That's 15 damage(if you can get 20 Charisma) before you roll dice on a level 2 spell as a third level caster up to a maximum of 51 hp which is more than some CR5 creatures have I believe. It would be better if you got an extra use every 3-5 levels, not based off charisma. Scaling is huge in this game if you quickened that scorching ray and threw out a fire bolt that's 1d8+5 (2d8+10 if twinned) fire damage on top of your 6d6+15. we will just assume you don't cast hold person the turn before and cause the aforementioned spells to automatically crit.
Starting at 1st level, you can unleash the phoenix fire that blazes within you. As a bonus action, you magically wreathe yourself in swirling fire, as your eyes glow like hot coals. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
Level 1
1 use every long rest
Level 5
2 uses every long rest
Level 10
3 uses every long rest
Level 15
4 uses every long rest
Level 20
5 uses every long rest
Thank you for your input. I adjusted the Mantle of Flame uses to increase by one every 5th level
I like where you're going with this. Phoenix sorcerery is my favorite origin flavor-wise, so I definitely want to see it get better. That being said, I have a some suggestions. TL;DR Mantle of flame shouldn't hurt people next to you, Phoenix Spark shouldn't heal so much or activate Mantle of Flame, Nourishing Flames should be reworded, and Form of the Phoenix shouldn't give fire immunity. Brace for detail.
Ignite
This is just a ribbon, so don't worry that it can be replaced by a cantrip. If you want to make it a little more interesting, giving it additional range as you level up could make for some neat interactions. For example, if you add "This spell has a range of 10 feet at level 4, and gains an additional 5 feet of range at levels 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19" then you would have a sorcerer that could set stuff on fire just by looking at it or throwing a magic spark, which could make for some fun situations and remain a ribbon. Just a thought.
Mantle of Flame
I like your addition of creatures taking damage if they end their turn near you. It really provokes an image of the sorcerer radiating power. I think this isn't necessary, though. Phoenix Sorcery lends itself a little to being a "front line sorcerer," but barely. You already make yourself a riskier target by hurting anyone that attacks you, but making it risky to even stand close to you gives a lot of battlefield control that (a) is useless to a caster in the back line and (b) could easily be abused with certain builds. On top of that, it risks punishing your allies for being next to you, which they very frequently will in combat. It's just a little too much for a level 1 ability.
I like the multiple charges for Mantle of Flame a lot, though. I think that goes a really long way to making the subclass viable. Personally I think it should only lead to 3-4 charges a day considering how powerful it is once you get Form of the Phoenix, but I'll leave that to someone more balance-minded than I. An alternative method I have seen proposed is to make it cost spell points after the first charge, if you want to play with that.
Phoenix Spark
Nice addition with the fire resistance. It's thematic and adds some helpful survivability to a feature focused on surviving. I think the additional healing when you survive is a good idea to make this just a little more potent than similar features for other classes, but the HP might be a little high by comparison. Maybe cut it down to half your sorcerer level. However, I don't think it should activate Mantle of Flame. It turns a survivability spell into an offensive spell, and that just makes it a little too powerful. The very fact that you survive shouldn't be undervalued. Survival features like Phoenix Spark are great because they (a) stop you from dying (b) give you the opportunity to deal more damage and (c) essentially waste your enemy's attack. On top of all those, Phoenix Spark hurts enemies for trying to kill you with some explosion damage. Granting Mantle of Flame on top of all that punishes enemies just a little too much, I think. If you still think it needs to be stronger, maybe make it dispel certain kinds of conditions. Also, as you have it written, it could be abused for when you're out of charges on your Mantle. Say you're in the middle of a fight and out of charges. "Quick, stab me in the neck!" "Why?" "I'll come back to life and can do bonus damage for a whole minute!" It could just get a touch ridiculous. As one last point, I also think this cuts against the theme of the subclass, which I think of as "burn fast, burn bright." Like the cycle of a phoenix, your sorcery is characterized by moments of incredible power before you burn out and have to replenish your strength. Dying shouldn't make you stronger. The fact that you get to cheat death already expresses your power.
Regarding your changes for Phoenix Spark under the effects of Mantle, I think you're awarding way too much health. Half your HP maximum is simply tremendous, especially at high levels. I suggest bringing it down to be something like double what you would heal without Mantle up. Keep in mind that you will very likely have someone in the party that can heal you, or have some potions, or use Nourishing Flames to replenish HP after you come back to life. In a similar vein, blinding enemies is a pretty serious debuff, and I don't think it's necessary. With the extra explosion damage and the extra healing, this is already pretty strong. That being said, I like that you deleted the provision about Mantle of Flame ending. It's just one more place where the phoenix sorcerer was lacking in power for no good reason, in my opinion.
Nourishing Flames
Nice little boost to it under Mantle of Flame, which I think is appropriate. However, as you have it written it's "spellcasting modifier" which sounds like spellcasting ability. Your spellcasting ability is just Charisma, and your spell attack modifier is [Charisma bonus + Proficiency bonus]. I think you meant to use the latter, so it should read: "If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, this feature instead regains hit points equal to the slot’s level + your spell attack modifier."
Form of the Phoenix
Immunity to fire damage should just be taken out. Even as a level 18 capstone, immunity to any kind of damage is incredibly potent. Becoming immune through a temporary ability is one thing, but just having a passive immunity to all fire damage is too strong. Form of the Phoenix gives a ton of survivability when you pop Mantle. All damage you take is cut in half, and you're pretty much immune from melee attacks. Fire immunity is just overkill. If you want to give the capstone a little more panache, I'd suggest editing the bonus damage to Phoenix Spark into a more interesting effect, like blinding enemies or giving your next spell a huge damage boost or something.
Here’s the modifications I’ve been looking at for comparison/some ideas:
Fire Starter:
At 1st level, you gain the ability to start fires with a touch. As an action, you can magically ignite a a flammable object you touch with your hand—an object such as a torch, a piece of tinder, or the hem of drapes.
Additionally when you learn spells you may chose a spell from any spell list as long as that spell deals fire damage.
Mantle of Flame
Starting at 1st level, you can unleash the phoenix fire that blazes within you. As a bonus action, you magically wreathe yourself in swirling fire, as your eyes glow like hot coals. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
* Resistance to Cold damage
* You shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
* Any creature takes fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier if it hits you with a melee attack from within 5 feet of you, touches you, or ends its turn within 5 feet of you
* Whenever you roll fire damage on your turn, the roll gains a bonus to equal to your Charisma modifier.
You gain an additional use at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level.
Phoenix Spark
You gain resistance to fire damage.
The fiery energy within you grows restless and vengeful. In the face of defeat, it surges outward to preserve you in a fiery roar.
If you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to draw on the spark of the phoenix. You are instead reduced to 1 hit point, and each creature within 10 feet of you takes fire damage equal to half your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier.
If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, This feature instead deals fire damage equal to your sorcerer level + double your Charisma modifier, you regain hit points equal to the damage your Mantle can deal to a single character, and your Mantle of Flame immediately ends.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
(the wording on this one might be weird but you’re suppose to regain hit points equal to sorcerer level + double your Charisma modifier. At 18th level it’ll also gain the additional 20 maxing out at 50 hit points = 20 lvls +10 for double Cha + 20)
Norishing Fire
Starting at 14th level, your fire spells soothe and restore you. When you expend a spell slot to cast a spell that includes a fire damage roll, you regain hit points equal to the slot’s level + your Charisma modifier.
If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, this feature instead regains hit points equal to the slot’s level + double your Charisma modifier.
Form of the Phoenix:
while under the effect of your Mantle of Flame feature, you gain additional benefits:
* You have a flying speed of 40 feet and can hover.
* You have resistance to all damage.
* You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Charisma modifier
* If you use your Phoenix Spark, that feature deals an extra 20 fire damage to each creature, affected creatures are pushed back 10ft and knocked prone
Something I was considering was allowing my player to consume 3 Sorcery points to "reignite" the Mantle. To me, this gives the player an option to reactivate the Mantle or use the points to do what Sorcerers do best. I like the idea of increases it by every 5 levels as well and may implement that idea into our campaign!
Would it be too much to make the Mantle once per short rest?
I'm wondering if it would be too much to either add some sort of way to bypass fire resistance at either the 18th lvl ability or the 14th lvl one; or give some sort of healing or utility option for the sorcerer to do against fire resistant/immune monsters.
Fire damage is IMO a big part of this subclass's theme and I just wouldn't want this subclass to be completely without anything to contribute in such a fight. Dragon sorcerers at least have their awe/fear aura or can gain resistance to the element they specialize in.
Perhaps remove the "when a creature hits you with a melee attack, it takes cha mod fire damage" feature from Mantle of Flame and replace it with a fire resistance or some sort of fire resist bypass? I've never been particularly impressed with these "when you get hit" abilities on spellcasters. Optimally you would want to avoid being hit and so you end up having an ability which you are consistently trying to avoid being triggered. Although, if the whole Phoenix Sorcery subclass was reworked to encourage the sorcerer to be more in the fray, then an ability like this would be more useful and it would fit with the Phoenix sorcery recklessness theme.
What about something like this:
Fire Starter
At 1st level, you gain the ability to start fires with a touch. As an action, you can magically ignite a flammable object you touch with your hand—an object such as a torch, a piece of tinder, or the hem of drapes.
When you reach 3rd level in this class, you learn the flame blade spell, which doesn’t count against your number of sorcerer spells known. In addition, you can expend 2 sorcery points to cast this spell instead of expending a spell slot to do so.
Mantle of Flame
Starting at 1st level, you can unleash the phoenix fire that blazes within you. As a bonus action, you magically wreathe yourself in swirling fire, as your eyes glow like hot coals. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. You gain an additional use at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level.
Tempered Soul
When you reach 6th level, you gain resistance to Fire damage.
Fiery Rage
The chaotic nature of the phoenix rages within you, beckoning to see your enemies smolder in ash. At 6th level, when you make a melee spell attack, you gain a bonus to the damage roll equal to your half your sorcerer level. In addition, if you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to draw on the spark of the phoenix. You are instead reduced to 1 hit point, and each creature within 10 feet of you takes fire damage equal to half your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier.
If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, you regain hit points equal to your sorcerer level and your Mantle of Flame immediately ends.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Nourishing Fire
Starting at 14th level, your fire spells soothe and restore you. When you expend a spell slot to cast a spell that includes a fire damage roll, you regain hit points equal to the slot’s level + your Charisma modifier.
If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, this feature instead regains hit points equal to the slot’s level + double your Charisma modifier.
Form of the Phoenix
While under the effect of your Mantle of Flame feature, you gain additional benefits:
Ok, I've been looking at the other Sorcerer subclasses and came up with some UA Phoenix Sorcerer edits based on some of the ideas thrown around this thread. As I understand it, this subclass's theme would be a more reckless spellcaster who is more inclined to cast their fire spells in the thick of a fight (relying on getting hit to do additional fire damage on opponents' turns, instead of being more of a gish). The bolded sections are the edits:
Ignite(rename?) - At 1st level, you gain the ability to start fires with a touch. As an action, you can magically ignite a flammable object you touch with your hand - an object such as a torch, a piece of tinder, or the hem of drapes. Additionally, your hit point maximum increases by 1 and increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.
Mantle of Flame - Starting at 1st level, you can unleash the phoenix fire that blazes within you. As a bonus action, you magically wreathe yourself in swirling fire, as your eyes glow like hot coals. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:
Any creature takes fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier if it hits you with a melee attack from within 5 feet of you or if it touches you.When a creature hits you with a melee attack from within 5 feet, you can use your reaction to deal fire damage to the attacker. The damage equals your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier.Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. When you reach 2nd level in this class, you may spend 1 (maybe 2?) sorcery point(s) to gain an additional use of this feature before you finish a long rest.
Phoenix Spark - Starting at 6th level, the fiery energy within you grows restless and vengeful. In the face of defeat, it surges outward to preserve you in a fiery roar.
If you are reduced to 0 hit points, you
can use your reaction todraw on the spark of the phoenix. You are instead reduced to 1 hit point, and each creature within 10 feet of you takes fire damage equal to half your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier.If you use this feature while under the effects of your Mantle of Flame, this feature instead deals fire damage equal to your sorcerer level + double your Charisma modifier
, and your Mantle of Flame immediately ends.Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Nourishing Fire - Starting at 14th level, your fire spells soothe and restore you. When you expend a spell slot to cast a spell that includes a fire damage roll, you regain hit points equal to the slot’s level + your Charisma modifier.
Form of the Phoenix - At 18th level, you finally master the spark of fire that dances within you. While under the effect of your Mantle of Flame feature, you gain additional benefits:
If you use your Phoenix Spark, that feature deals an extra 20 damage to each creature.The core issue with this subclass appears to be the exceptionally limited uses of the core feature of the subclass, Mantle of Flame. Allowing Sorcerers to spend sorcery points to get more uses out of it gives the player more flexibility in when they'd want to use it than simply having a static uses per day table. A lower level sorcerer could end up getting more uses of Mantle of Flame than what the suggested uses table describes but at a significant cost of not being able to quicken or empower one more spell etc.
The way I see this subclass playing is that they are constantly managing the balance between how much damage they are putting out and how much danger they are in. The extra damage on an opponent's turn comes at the price of a melee hit. The extra HP per sorcerer level gives the phoenix sorcerer a little more wiggle room when it comes to managing this balance (especially at early levels). The Nourishing Fire feature makes this a bit easier as your fire spells start giving some hit points back (possibly giving you the buffer you need to move out of melee, taking a opportunity attack, and doing a bit more damage before getting out of melee to drink a potion or something). Then if all else fails you have your last resort Phoenix Spark once per day if a monster gets a crit or if some other unforeseen event comes up. I thought the Form of the Phoenix blind idea offered Legimus earlier in this thread was more interesting than the flat damage boost to Phoenix Spark.
Very excited about this subclass, I hope WotC picks it up in a future book.
I’m wondering if Mantle of Flame has to have a limited use. It doesn’t seem overpowered to me, compared to the Draconic bloodline features. Just make the dmg boost and the retaliatory fire dmg passive and move the light radius feature to the Phoenix form ability.