The following subclass is an attempt to make a relatively generic subclass for the sorcerer that lacks the LOLrandom and DM-dependent nature of Wild Magic, while still having some flavor. As you can see from the
homebrewery copy of this brew, Simon Aumar from last year’s D&D movie was a significant source of inspiration. Now, onto the subclass itself!
Arcane Bloodline
The blood of a mighty mage runs in your veins, a person whose immense magical skill has impacted their descendants, both direct and indirect. On Toril, home of the
Forgotten Realms setting, the wizard Elminster Aumar, Chosen of Mystra, is a common ancestor of arcane bloodlines. The weight of big expectations can sometimes crush these sorcerers, but those that answer their heritage’s call oft become archmages themselves.
Archmage Spells
You learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Archmage Spells table. Each spell counts as a sorcerer spell for you, but it does not count against the number of sorcerer spells you know. When you gain a level in this class, you can replace one spell you gained from this feature with another spell of the same level. The new spell must be an abjuration or evocation spell from the artificer, warlock, or wizard spell list. You waive the royalty components of Archmage Spells you cast.
Sorcerer level |
Spells |
1st |
find familiar, Jim’s magic missile |
3rd |
Nystul’s magic aura, wrispocket |
5th |
magic circle, pulse wave |
7th |
arcane eye, gate seal |
9th |
Bigby’s hand, wall of force |
Instinct for Magic
Beginning at 1st level when you gain this Sorcerous Origin, you gain proficiency in the Arcana skill. If you are already proficient in the Arcana skill, you become proficient in another skill from the sorcerer class’s skill list. Whatever skill you gain, you add your Charisma modifier to Intelligence (Arcana) checks you make.
Maximized Arcane Potential
Starting at 6th level, you can cast a levelled spell with a casting time of 1 action and another with a casting time of 1 bonus action on the same turn.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Eschew Materials
At 14th level, your lineage allows you to rely on your raw magical ability to cast spells. When you cast a spell with material components, you can spend sorcery points to cast the spell without material components. The number of sorcery points you must spend is determined by the material components of the spell, as shown in the Waived Materials table. When you use this feature, you can’t use Subtle Spell metamagic with the same spell.
Material Components |
Sorcery Point Cost |
Materials neither have a cost nor are consumed |
3 |
Materials have a cost but are not consumed |
4 |
Materials do not have a cost but are consumed |
4 |
Materials have a cost and are consumed |
5 |
Arcane Apotheosis
Starting at 18th level, you are now so suffused with magic that you can alter reality itself. You know the
wish spell, which doesn’t count against your number of sorcerer spells known, and if you undergo the spell’s casting stress, you can expend 11 Sorcery points to have no chance of losing the ability to cast the spell.
In addition, you can cast
wish to replicate a spell of 1st through 8th level without expending a 9th-level Spell Slot. You instead expend a slot of the replicated spell’s level. Once you use
wish in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
(Yes, this is a slightly nerfed version from One D&D’s initial attempt at a sorcerer capstone)
Spoiler: Non-PHB Spell Sources
Show
Four spells in the default Archmage Spells list come from books other than the Player’s Handbook.
Jim’s magic missile comes from Acquisitions Incorporated.
Wristpocket and pulse wave are from Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount.
Gate seal originates from Planescape: Adventures in the Mulitverse, specifically Sigil and the Outlands.