PDA

View Full Version : Proposed Sorcerer Revision



noparlpf
2011-04-17, 09:13 PM
I rewrote the sorcerer this evening.

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Sorcerer,_Jude_Paxmrosy_Variant_(3.5e_Class)

I do realize that this makes the class significantly stronger. However, I've always been bothered by the lack of class features for the sorcerer. I'd love to know what people think of this idea.

Summary:
-I changed the HD to d6. This makes sense to me, but it could also make sense to leave it as a d4 like commoners, since sorcerers are commoners who find out they have magic abilities, not people who train to gain their abilities.
-I upped skill points to Int + 4; again, it may make more sense to leave it as Int + 2 like a commoner.
-I added a 1st-level bonus bloodline feat to parallel Scribe Scroll for wizards, although I made it optional and it won't apply if a character starts in another class.
-I made 0th level spells free; using a 0th level spell does not use up a spell slot.
-I added bonus metamagic or item creation feats at every 5th level like a wizard; this could be reduced to every 10th level, but I feel like they ought to get bonus feats at some point.
-I removed the need for material components and arcane foci at 6th and 12th levels, respectively. It fits the image of a sorcerer better to be able to just manifest magic without needing external aids, but being able to do so might require practice, which is why I made these abilities kick in at higher levels. It could also be more practical to push these to 10th and 20th levels, respectively to power it down a little.
-I did not give the sorcerer access to school specialization or domains like some other edited sorcerers I've seen people create.

-I also edited two of the published variants slightly. I'd appreciate input on these too.

thompur
2011-04-17, 09:46 PM
I've done similar revisions, but instead of Meta-Magic or Item creation feats, I give them free Heritage feats(Dragon, Fey, or Fiendish).
Also, I eliminate the need for Material components less than 100gp. Any spell with material components over 100gp isn't a sorcerer spell.
I like the idea of cantrips being at-will abilities.
Since I am...under employed, I have time to create separate spell lists for Sorcerers and Wizards. Sorcerers get the more primal spells, and Wizards the bookish spells. And Sorcerers get some spells earlier, Wizards some later.

Rising Phoenix
2011-04-17, 10:04 PM
The Pathfinder Sorcerer has certainly moved in the right direction:

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/sorcerer

McSmack
2011-04-18, 09:41 AM
Yeah I'm playing a PF sorcerer these days. I think they did a good job of adding in just enough class abilities to keep me satisfied.

Telonius
2011-04-18, 10:26 AM
Warforged Sorcerers just got (pretty much) Fast Healing 1 from Repair Minor Damage, but there's probably only about three of them anyway. Looks decent otherwise.

I usually houserule free Eschew Materials for sorcerers, but waiting until 6th level sounds reasonable. However, I'm not sure about "no material components" at all. Expensive material components are included in the pricing of magic items made with their respective spells. That could be a whole lot of bookkeeping to figure out which items are affected, and recalculating the prices based on that.

Creating Undead also just got a whole lot cheaper.

noparlpf
2011-07-03, 10:45 AM
I forgot I posted threads on this site. Geez, it's been a while.

After playing a sorcerer in a few adventures, I decided most of this was unnecessary. I do think they ought to have a d6 HD (I don't like dying quite so often) and 4 skill points per level instead of 2. I also think that Eschew Materials for free fits with the theme, and that they deserve some form of class features. On the other hand, I think that what I proposed might have been a bit OP.
I played a 16th level sorcerer 6/stormcaster 10 using only the rules in the books I have, and in a playtest he killed the tarrasque in under four rounds single-handedly. Of course, with only 7th-level spells, you can't Wish it permanently dead, but it's the killing it that's usually the hard part.