How to Rend Fiends and Immolate People: A Guide to Sorcery

[strangebloke]

Felt like the right place to ask as both search function and a google search failed to answer but I do not want to clutter the forum for asking a simple question, it seems obvious to me but I am having this argument with someone at the moment, about Draconic Bloodline's level 18 ability Draconic Presence, looking at the way it is worded failing the saving throw means the creature falls under the effects of the frightened/charmed condition for the duration of the aura which is at most 1 minutes (10 rounds) and they do NOT get to make another saving throw at the end of their turns (unlike the Frightful Presence the dragons in the MM have), it lasts until the aura ends no matter what (unless it is dispelled of course), whether it is that aura ended naturally by its duration or you failed a constitution saving throw to mantain concentration. Am I right?

Correct, the first time you are in the aura, you makes a save. If you succeed, you're immune to the aura, if you fail, you're frightened or charmed until the minute is up.

[WilliamHuggins]

Thank you, I was having an argument with someone over whether the reason that 24 hour immunity exists is because of the insane duration of the effect or not, I had an homebrew feature at the same level that had to use its bonus action each round to to force wisdom saving throw for 1 round of fear effect, and he was insisting it should have the same 24 hour immunity on success...

Cheers and thank you again.

[samcifer]

You mark Earth Tremor as red, but I can think of a use for it: A sorcadin or melee sorlock who whats a quick way to gain advantage with doesn't require concentration. Quicken it and anyone knocked prone grants advantage for a round for you and your allies. You don't even need to use up concentration on it.

[EvilAnagram]

You mark Earth Tremor as red, but I can think of a use for it: A sorcadin or melee sorlock who whats a quick way to gain advantage with doesn't require concentration. Quicken it and anyone knocked prone grants advantage for a round for you and your allies. You don't even need to use up concentration on it.

Fair point.

[MightyDuck]

The sorcerer's level 20 class feature, sorcerous restoration, isn't listed in the class feature. Is this intentional or just a mistake? Sorry if someone has already brought this up or if its explained somewhere but I was a bit confused as to why its missing.

[EvilAnagram]

The sorcerer's level 20 class feature, sorcerous restoration, isn't listed in the class feature. Is this intentional or just a mistake? Sorry if someone has already brought this up or if its explained somewhere but I was a bit confused as to why its missing.

It was accidentally deleted during a revision. Good catch!

[KyleG]

SO im going to play a character who has a 'curse' on her which is her warlock status. This is being used to render her sorcerer powers hidden.
MY question is simple i hope
If we start at level 1 i will have to go warlock first...how many levels in a row and/or in total should i then take in warlock?...im thinking MAX would be 6 for story.

On the other hand we may start at level 3 in which case my question is Should i choose Sorceror as the level 1 character and build some warlock levels in subsequently or should is it better that warlock is treated as the first class?

[Destructor]

Wizard: Don't cast spells with your dump stat.

Wizard 2 can be good for a draconic sorcerer. Get lore mastery and now every spell you cast has +CHA modifier to damage and resistance to the damage type for 1 sorcery point.

EDIT: also to get ritual casting

[TheUser]

Wizard 2 can be good for a draconic sorcerer. Get lore mastery and now every spell you cast has +CHA modifier to damage and resistance to the damage type for 1 sorcery point.

EDIT: also to get ritual casting

Draconic Sorcerer/Invoker 2 (evocation) is the greatest sorcerer I've played to date.

Ritual Casting + Sculpt spells with empower and draconic boost is legit broken AF.

Most fun character I've ever played.

EDIT: It also so gives a nice surge in spells to prepare at level 1 that don't rely on int like shield and absorb elements

[mjp1050]

Question on Quickened Spell: Do you actually get to cast two spells a turn? PHB says that if you cast a spell as a bonus action, you can't cast another on the same turn.

[strangebloke]

Question on Quickened Spell: Do you actually get to cast two spells a turn? PHB says that if you cast a spell as a bonus action, you can't cast another on the same turn.

You can't cast two leveled spells on the same turn. You can cast a quickened spell, and a cantrip, though.

So the real way to think about quicken isn't "I can cast two spells" its "I can cast a spell and do something else with my action."

In general, it isn't very good unless you have something that isn't a spell that's really good. At low levels you will sometimes find that quickening a spell and then dodging is a good strategy. Quicken a spell and dash. The question you have to ask yourself is:

"do I really need to cast this spell this turn?"

-and-

"Is what I'm doing with my action worth a second level spell slot?"

[Galithar]

It's also good for using spells that have a consistent need to use your action. (Maximilian's Earthen Grasp, Enervation) and still cast another leveled spell while you're using it. It's pretty powerful, but like many things with the Sorcerer it has to be properly planned and set up.

[Godshoe]

Hi there!
This guide is absolutely excellent, EvilAnagram, as all your others.
May I ask, what you think about Giant Soul UA bloodline? How broken is it?

[mjp1050]

You can't cast two leveled spells on the same turn. You can cast a quickened spell, and a cantrip, though.

So the real way to think about quicken isn't "I can cast two spells" its "I can cast a spell and do something else with my action."

I know a lot of people who have misinterpreted that particular minutia. Thank you for the clarification.

[paladinn]

A couple of ideas addressing the perceived disparity between wizards and sorcerers:

1. Have sorcerers use the optional spell point system from the DMG. Put all one's spell points and sorcery points into one pool, to be used as the player wishes: spells or metamagic or whatever.

2. Add the sorcerer's charisma bonus to the magic pool. This would slightly increase the amount of magic available daily.

3. There needs to be a good "generic" sorcerer origin for a player that doesn't feel enamored with weather, stone, shadow, the divine, etc.

I've seen option 1 suggested before; I don't think I've seen option 2, and I don't know of a good option 3 either.

Any thoughts? OP or crazy or too complicated or ?

Gratzi!

[bendking]

A couple of ideas addressing the perceived disparity between wizards and sorcerers:

1. Have sorcerers use the optional spell point system from the DMG. Put all one's spell points and sorcery points into one pool, to be used as the player wishes: spells or metamagic or whatever.

2. Add the sorcerer's charisma bonus to the magic pool. This would slightly increase the amount of magic available daily.

3. There needs to be a good "generic" sorcerer origin for a player that doesn't feel enamored with weather, stone, shadow, the divine, etc.

I've seen option 1 suggested before; I don't think I've seen option 2, and I don't know of a good option 3 either.

Any thoughts? OP or crazy or too complicated or ?

Gratzi!

3. The draconic sorcerer is a the generic option already.

And anyway, I don't think there is much of a disparity between Wizards and Sorcerers.
Wizards get to be a swiss-knife with a lot of solutions to many situations, while Sorcerers get more potent spells via Metamagic and are more useful in combat I would say.

[Revaros]

My fav. Sorcerer is a Paladin. Paladin 6 / Sorcerer 12 / Fighter 2. Gish smite all day, sometimes double with Action Surge.

[RulesJD]

I know a lot of people who have misinterpreted that particular minutia. Thank you for the clarification.

That's not actually accurate and is cause of a LOT of misunderstanding.

You can cast two leveled spells on a single turn. Examples:

1. You move away from a creature on your turn, it makes an attack of opportunity against you. You cast Shield (a level 1 spell) so the attack misses. You then keep moving 10 feet away. You can cast any leveled spell you want that uses your Action, but you cannot cast any spell (leveled or otherwise, aka Shillelagh) that uses your Bonus Action.

2. You use your Action to cast a spell on your turn. An enemy attempts to Counterspell. You can still use your Reaction to cast a Counterspell (a leveled spell).

3. You use your Action to cast a spell on your turn. Because you have at least two levels in Fighter, you can then Action Surge and cast another spell that uses your Action.

The general rule is: If you cast any spell with your Bonus Action at any point on your turn, you cannot cast anything other than a cantrip for the rest of your turn. If your Bonus Action is not used to cast any spell, you can do whatever you want for spell casting within the normal rules (one Reaction per round, etc.).

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Sorry if someone's already pointed this out, but Tempest Cleric is probably worth a two level dip on a Storm Sorcerer (or lightning element Dragon I suppose). You get some overlap with the 1st level ability, but heavy armor+shields, martial weapons, and the ability to deal maximum damage to every target you hit with a thunder or lightning spell 1/day (not to mention the utility of extra cantrips and 1st level spells) is well worth being behind on spells known. Requires some investment in STR to wear the heavy armor, but means you can dump Dex, so I'd call it net even there.

[bendking]

Sorry if someone's already pointed this out, but Tempest Cleric is probably worth a two level dip on a Storm Sorcerer (or lightning element Dragon I suppose). You get some overlap with the 1st level ability, but heavy armor+shields, martial weapons, and the ability to deal maximum damage to every target you hit with a thunder or lightning spell 1/day (not to mention the utility of extra cantrips and 1st level spells) is well worth being behind on spells known. Requires some investment in STR to wear the heavy armor, but means you can dump Dex, so I'd call it net even there.

Indeed. It's pretty much the only way to make the Storm Sorcerer viable.

[werescythe]

So what do you all think of that new Aberrant Soul Sorcerer origin that showed up in the UA?

[Corallion]

Hey EvilAnagram, great guide! I tend to read your guides when i'm about to create a new character.
That said, i'm planning on creating an aberrant mind sorcerer, and would like to know your opinion on the subclass.
Thanks in advance!

[Katvrouw]

3. There needs to be a good "generic" sorcerer origin for a player that doesn't feel enamored with weather, stone, shadow, the divine, etc.

I don't actually agree. Sorcery is not a generic experience. Having magic welling up inside you spontaneously, without having studied it, made a pact with some entity, etc., is meant to be an unusual thing. It doesn't happen to just anyone — there has to be a reason for it. Something strange about you, and that something is going to be something specific. Could be something elemental, fey, divine, whatever, but it's going to be something. The idea of a generic sorcerer doesn't really make sense.

It's like saying there needs to be an option for a warlock who doesn't want to have a patron, or wants one that's generic and uninteresting and doesn't really influence them in any way. It kind of negates the whole point of the class...

[Katvrouw]

And on the topic of sorcerous origins — any chance of eventually adding the newer sorcerous origins to this guide? Sea sorcery, phoenix, etc.?

My longest-running character is a sea sorcerer. I really like that origin, although partly just for flavour, as the character in question is also a selkie (from a homebrew version of that race). A few of my thoughts on its abilities:

• Soul of the Sea is useful IF you're not already playing an aquatic race, though in practice a lot of people who would choose this origin probably are...
• Curse of the Sea is very handy at lower levels, less so as you go up in level because the bonuses it gives you aren't as significant once you gain more powerful spells.
• Watery Defence — the fire resistance is a definite plus, while the turning-to-water thing is only occasionally useful, but can be a lifesaver (sometimes literally) in a pinch.
• Shifting Form and Water Soul I don't have yet, as I'm only level 10, but they sound pretty cool! We'll see how they work out in practice once I get there...

Really, though, I think my finest sea sorcery moment thus far was hitting my entire party with Tidal Wave the other night... After first shouting "I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU DON'T ALL STOP FIGHTING I WILL DOUSE YOU LIKE A PACK OF FERAL CATS!" (my character is normally the patient, sensible one in the group, but it had been a rough night, and everyone has limits...).