Hello everyone, I would like to see some tips about the balance of this subclass. I want to create some caster types who go beyond their limits, nearly dying, to deal devastating amounts of damage in devastating areas. I will playtest as well.
Sorcerer: Elemental Origin
Sorcerers with the Elemental Origin can achieve great power… at a cost. They are adapted to one or some specific damage types. Whether you were born during an ice storm, whether you have an elemental family member, whether you have been struck by lightning, as masters of bitter cold, crackling force, scorching fire or striking lightning you can blast, scorch or freeze enemies, you can reduce lives and souls to ashes, you can wield pure force, but the mighty elements can have disastrous effects on your body. A sorcerer with this origin will never be safe for his own might. Many of them have died during their studies or during fights, not being able to control their own powers.
Inner Elements
At 1 level, elemental might flows through your body. Whenever you deal damage with a spell, you can change one of the damage types of that spell by your inner damage type. If a creature would normally take less damage, but due to your favorite element it takes more damage, because of effects such as resistance, immunity and vulnerability, you suffer one level of exhaustion. You can choose a number of favored elements equal to your Intelligence Modifier divided by two (rounded up). One could, for example, want to be master of heat and cold (fire and cold damage), lightning and thunder, undead and living (necrotic and radiant damage), …
Beyond Limits
Starting at 1 level when you choose this subclass, you can enhance the spells of your own element. Whenever you cast a spell of 1 level of higher which deals damage of your favorite element, you can expend a number of hit points equal to your sorcerer level. The spell then deals an extra amount of damage to all creatures within its area equaling the damage you have taken divided by the number of creatures that are affected by the spell + your charisma modifier (rounded up). The damage type is the same one as your favorite element type.
Powerful Elements
Starting at 6 level, you can increase the area of your area of effect spells. Whenever you cast an area of effect spell of first level or higher which deals your favored damage type, you can increase the area of that spell by 5 feet (a five foot cone becomes a 10 foot cone, a 20 foot radius becomes a 25 foot radius, four cubes of 10 foot become 4 cubes of 15 foot etc.). Whenever you choose to do so, you take damage equal to four times the expended spell slot level.
None Shall Survive
Starting at 10 level, you can increase one of the save DC’s of a spell which deals your favored damage type you cast by 2. All creatures affected must make a higher save. The first time you do so, you suffer no adverse effect. Whenever you do so thereafter, before finishing a long rest, you suffer one level of exhaustion. You can also change one saving throw of a spell into another when you choose this benefit (for example, strength into dexterity). The first time you do so, you suffer no adverse effect. If you use this feature again before you finish a long rest, you take 2d12 force damage and you suffer one level of exhaustion. Every time you do so thereafter, you suffer an additional 1d12 force damage and an additional level of exhaustion. This damage ignores resistance and immunity.
Adapted Body
Starting at 14 level, your body is trained and adapted to the disastrous magical effects of your own spells. You can reduce one level of exhaustion per short rest, and two levels per long rest. In addition, the spells you cast which deal damage of your favorite damage type ignore resistance. Immune creatures are treated as if they were resistant.
Variant Rule
At 1level, you can choose your constitution modifier, instead of your charisma modifier, as a spellcasting ability. Whenever an effect in this class uses your charisma modifier, you can use your constitution modifier instead.
This feels like a very rough draft... I think that the whole thing needs to be cleaned up a bit before I can even accurately offer suggestions. I think this has the problem that many homebrew builds have: the person who wrote it knows what they want the subclass to do, and it ends up written in a way that makes perfect sense to the person writing it, but which doesn't really make sense to other readers.
The Inner Elements feature description seems too focused on the intended flavor of the feature, however, it seems vague and contradictory when describing the actual in-game mechanics. I think it's also odd that this feature keys off of INT, instead of CHA or even CON. It makes this whole subclass concept very MAD.
Ugh... another take damage to do a cool thing subclass, those are horrible to balance (see the many, many revisions of Bloodhunter). In general the proposed subclass is super weak and hardly ever would want to use its subclass features as the trade-off is not worth it.
At 1 level, elemental might flows through your body. Choose one element of your choice from: fire, cold, lightning, thunder, necrotic, radiant. You choose a second element from this list at when you reach 10th level.
When you cast a spell that deals damage, you can choose to change one of the damage types to the element you chose when you gained this feature.
Beyond Limits
Starting at 1st level your inner elemental power enhances spells you cast of the same element. When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher that deals damage of the same type as you choose for your Inner Element, you can empower the spell increasing the damage dealt by your proficiency bonus, you take damage equal to your proficiency bonus whenever you use this ability.
Over Extend
Starting at 6 level, you can over extend yourself to expand your spells beyond their normal size. When you cast a spell, using a spell slot, that targets an area you can increase the area of the spell by 5ft (a five foot cone becomes a 10 foot cone, a 20 foot radius becomes a 25 foot radius, four cubes of 10 foot become four cubes of 15 foot etc.). Whenever you choose to do so, you take damage equal to four times the expended spell slot level.
None Shall Survive
Starting at 10th level, when you cast a spell of 1st level or higher that deals damage, you can change the saving throw of that spell to that of another spell you know (e.g. strength into dexterity). You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier, regaining all uses when you finish a long rest. When you have no uses of this feature remaining you can choose to gain 1 level of exhaustion to regain one use of it.
In addition, your spells that deal damage of your chosen Inner Elements ignore resistance to that element.
Adapted Body
Starting at 14 level, your body is trained and adapted to the disastrous magical effects of your own spells. You gain resistance to the your chosen Inner Elements. When you cast a spell of 3rd level or higher that deals damage of one of your chosen Inner Elements, you can expend 1 sorcery point as a bonus action to channel some of the excess energy around yourself granting yourself a fly speed equal to your walking speed for 1 minute.
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Hello everyone, I would like to see some tips about the balance of this subclass. I want to create some caster types who go beyond their limits, nearly dying, to deal devastating amounts of damage in devastating areas. I will playtest as well.
Sorcerer: Elemental Origin
Sorcerers with the Elemental Origin can achieve great power… at a cost. They are adapted to one or some specific damage types. Whether you were born during an ice storm, whether you have an elemental family member, whether you have been struck by lightning, as masters of bitter cold, crackling force, scorching fire or striking lightning you can blast, scorch or freeze enemies, you can reduce lives and souls to ashes, you can wield pure force, but the mighty elements can have disastrous effects on your body. A sorcerer with this origin will never be safe for his own might. Many of them have died during their studies or during fights, not being able to control their own powers.
Inner Elements
At 1 level, elemental might flows through your body. Whenever you deal damage with a spell, you can change one of the damage types of that spell by your inner damage type. If a creature would normally take less damage, but due to your favorite element it takes more damage, because of effects such as resistance, immunity and vulnerability, you suffer one level of exhaustion. You can choose a number of favored elements equal to your Intelligence Modifier divided by two (rounded up). One could, for example, want to be master of heat and cold (fire and cold damage), lightning and thunder, undead and living (necrotic and radiant damage), …
Beyond Limits
Starting at 1 level when you choose this subclass, you can enhance the spells of your own element. Whenever you cast a spell of 1 level of higher which deals damage of your favorite element, you can expend a number of hit points equal to your sorcerer level. The spell then deals an extra amount of damage to all creatures within its area equaling the damage you have taken divided by the number of creatures that are affected by the spell + your charisma modifier (rounded up). The damage type is the same one as your favorite element type.
Powerful Elements
Starting at 6 level, you can increase the area of your area of effect spells. Whenever you cast an area of effect spell of first level or higher which deals your favored damage type, you can increase the area of that spell by 5 feet (a five foot cone becomes a 10 foot cone, a 20 foot radius becomes a 25 foot radius, four cubes of 10 foot become 4 cubes of 15 foot etc.). Whenever you choose to do so, you take damage equal to four times the expended spell slot level.
None Shall Survive
Starting at 10 level, you can increase one of the save DC’s of a spell which deals your favored damage type you cast by 2. All creatures affected must make a higher save. The first time you do so, you suffer no adverse effect. Whenever you do so thereafter, before finishing a long rest, you suffer one level of exhaustion. You can also change one saving throw of a spell into another when you choose this benefit (for example, strength into dexterity). The first time you do so, you suffer no adverse effect. If you use this feature again before you finish a long rest, you take 2d12 force damage and you suffer one level of exhaustion. Every time you do so thereafter, you suffer an additional 1d12 force damage and an additional level of exhaustion. This damage ignores resistance and immunity.
Adapted Body
Starting at 14 level, your body is trained and adapted to the disastrous magical effects of your own spells. You can reduce one level of exhaustion per short rest, and two levels per long rest. In addition, the spells you cast which deal damage of your favorite damage type ignore resistance. Immune creatures are treated as if they were resistant.
Variant Rule
At 1level, you can choose your constitution modifier, instead of your charisma modifier, as a spellcasting ability. Whenever an effect in this class uses your charisma modifier, you can use your constitution modifier instead.
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This feels like a very rough draft... I think that the whole thing needs to be cleaned up a bit before I can even accurately offer suggestions. I think this has the problem that many homebrew builds have: the person who wrote it knows what they want the subclass to do, and it ends up written in a way that makes perfect sense to the person writing it, but which doesn't really make sense to other readers.
The Inner Elements feature description seems too focused on the intended flavor of the feature, however, it seems vague and contradictory when describing the actual in-game mechanics. I think it's also odd that this feature keys off of INT, instead of CHA or even CON. It makes this whole subclass concept very MAD.
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my guess is that the person hasnt been doing dnd for very long and thinks that sorcerers are int based like wizards
Ugh... another take damage to do a cool thing subclass, those are horrible to balance (see the many, many revisions of Bloodhunter). In general the proposed subclass is super weak and hardly ever would want to use its subclass features as the trade-off is not worth it.
Here I fixed it for you:
Inner Element
At 1 level, elemental might flows through your body. Choose one element of your choice from: fire, cold, lightning, thunder, necrotic, radiant. You choose a second element from this list at when you reach 10th level.
When you cast a spell that deals damage, you can choose to change one of the damage types to the element you chose when you gained this feature.
Beyond Limits
Starting at 1st level your inner elemental power enhances spells you cast of the same element. When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher that deals damage of the same type as you choose for your Inner Element, you can empower the spell increasing the damage dealt by your proficiency bonus, you take damage equal to your proficiency bonus whenever you use this ability.
Over Extend
Starting at 6 level, you can over extend yourself to expand your spells beyond their normal size. When you cast a spell, using a spell slot, that targets an area you can increase the area of the spell by 5ft (a five foot cone becomes a 10 foot cone, a 20 foot radius becomes a 25 foot radius, four cubes of 10 foot become four cubes of 15 foot etc.). Whenever you choose to do so, you take damage equal to four times the expended spell slot level.
None Shall Survive
Starting at 10th level, when you cast a spell of 1st level or higher that deals damage, you can change the saving throw of that spell to that of another spell you know (e.g. strength into dexterity). You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier, regaining all uses when you finish a long rest. When you have no uses of this feature remaining you can choose to gain 1 level of exhaustion to regain one use of it.
In addition, your spells that deal damage of your chosen Inner Elements ignore resistance to that element.
Adapted Body
Starting at 14 level, your body is trained and adapted to the disastrous magical effects of your own spells. You gain resistance to the your chosen Inner Elements. When you cast a spell of 3rd level or higher that deals damage of one of your chosen Inner Elements, you can expend 1 sorcery point as a bonus action to channel some of the excess energy around yourself granting yourself a fly speed equal to your walking speed for 1 minute.