PDA

View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Sorcerous Origin - Dark Experiment



Diane-35
2015-05-23, 01:04 AM
Mainly inspired by PHB wording "Perhaps your power links you to a powerful individual in the world—<..> the lich who created you as an experiment" (p.100)
Also somewhat inspired by 3.5 SRD Elan race.


Sorcerous origin – Dark Experiment (v. 1.2)
Your innate magic comes from you being a subject of a certain ritual or experiment. Perhaps you were a victim of an evil genius wizard that strived to create a powerful servant. Or you might have found some sort of forbidden knowledge and tried using it to gain power. Or your magic may come from a complex restoration spell that went horribly wrong. Whatever the case, you are now infused with necromantic energy that changed both your body and spirit.

Blackened by magic
The experiment changed your body – it is now covered in multiple black scars and burns, your eyes – including sclera and iris - turned pitch black. All this makes you look somewhat ill or repulsive to some people, while others may be outright scared by your looks.
At 1st level you gain proficiency in Intimidation skill.

Abnormal Vitality
Your body becomes more resistant to common afflictions and damage. Starting at 1st level you have advantage on all saving throws against disease. Additionally, whenever you finish a short or a long rest, you gain temporary hit points equal to your sorcerer level plus your charisma modifier that last until your next rest.

Black energy
Starting at 6th level you learn a new metamagic option that doesnt count against your options known:
Blacken Spell whenever you cast a spell that deals damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point to substitute that spell’s damage type for necrotic and add your charisma modifier to damage. This also makes the spell look pitch black (a fireball changed in that way creates an explosion of black flame).

Life without end (ribbon)
Starting at 6th level, you stop aging and therefore cannot die of old age. Your body may be scarred and look repulsive for some, but it stays forever young.
You still can be magically aged (and even killed that way) though.

Life and death manipulation
Starting at 14th level, whenever someone within 60ft of you casts a healing spell, a spell that deals necrotic damage or grants temporary hit points, you can use your reaction to affect this spell with metamagic OR spend sorcery points equal to the spell’s level to gain control of the spell and redirect it to a new target (including you or the original caster) or a new area of effect.

Aberrant Immortality
At 18th level, your experimental transformation is complete – you have immunity to necrotic damage, disease, poisoned condition and resistance to poison damage. You also cannot be magically aged. Your creature type changes to “aberration”.
Your blood may now be used to create that very same elixir or ritual that changed you.


Blackened by magic
The experiment changed your body – it is now covered in multiple black scars and burns, your eyes – including sclera and iris - turned pitch black. All this makes you look somewhat ill or repulsive to some people, while others may be outright scared by your looks.
At 1st level you gain proficiency in Intimidation skill.

Abnormal Vitality
Your body becomes more resistant to common afflictions and damage. Starting at 1st level you have advantage on all saving throws against poison and disease. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level in this class.

Black energy
Starting at 6th level, you have resistance to necrotic damage.
In addition, whenever you cast a spell that deals damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point to substitute that spell’s damage type for necrotic. This also makes the spell look pitch black (a fireball changed in that way creates an explosion of black flame).

Life without end (ribbon)
Starting at 6th level, you stop aging and therefore cannot die of old age. Your body may be scarred and look repulsive for some, but it stays forever young.
You still can be magically aged (and even killed that way) though.

Life and death manipulation
Starting at 14th level, whenever someone within 60ft of you casts a healing spell or a spell that deals necrotic damage, you can use your reaction to affect this spell with metamagic OR spend sorcery points equal to the spell’s level to gain control of the spell and redirect it to a new target (including you or the original caster) or a new area of effect.

Aberrant Immortality
At 18th level, your experimental transformation is complete – you have immunity to necrotic damage, disease and poison. You also cannot be magically aged. Your creature type changes to “aberration”.

--

Tried balancing it against PHB sorcerer variants and UA one (http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/UA_Waterborne_v3.pdf).

Im now writing a campaign, where one of the villains is that type of sorcerer. Her loved one died in a catastrophe and she failed to save them, but gave a promise to continue living. Eventually that promise led her to creating a horrible ritual that transformed and scarred her, but made effectively immortal.

Im prone to rethinking stuff, so I might as well change something later.

Please feel free to comment!

Diane-35
2015-05-25, 12:44 AM
changed a few things...

lvl1 - removed advantage vs poison, replaced bonus hp with temporary hp every rest (still seems kinda underpowered compared to draconic AC).
lvl6 - removed necrotic resistance. Added a feature to spend temporary hp to deal damage.
lvl14- added control of spells that add temporary hp
lvl18 - added some fluff feature.

Ninja_Prawn
2015-05-26, 02:56 PM
First impressions:


Love the aesthetic, it's definitely a niche that isn't well-serviced elsewhere.
Defense against Necrotic damage could be very good or totally useless depending on the campaign. I might be tempted to add something that is specifically useful against non-undead enemies. Maybe some kind of life-drain? Or bonus-action intimidate? I don't know what level that would come at though.
The 18th level feature is too weak for me. Storm sorcerers get 60ft flight (and flight for their party) and two damage immunities. Favoured Souls get a HP-drain rider to their Cleric spells. The PHB Origins don't get much, but I'd argue that they're underpowered as well.
Your 'Black Energy' feature seems a little... complicated? And you don't get to use it very often. I would change it into a Metamagic option that you automatically get and doesn't count against your total. Something like: "Whenever you use a spell slot to cast a spell (or whatever) that deals damage, you may expend 1 sorcery point to change that spell's damage type to Necrotic. The spell deals an additional d4 (or whatever) damage".
The rest looks pretty good! :smallsmile:

Gr7mm Bobb
2015-05-27, 10:49 AM
Aberrant Immortality
At 18th level, your experimental transformation is complete – you have immunity to necrotic damage, disease and poison. You also cannot be magically aged. Your creature type changes to “aberration”.
Your blood may now be used to create that very same elixir or ritual that changed you.


First off, awesome job, love the flavor and I know where to put this kind of thing in a world.

I would like some clarity on 'immunity to poison', do you mean the poisoned condition or poison damage or both? I recommend only immunity to the condition, with resistance to the damage.

I personally do like handing out Immunities to players for a lot of thing. I agree with necrotic damage because it isn't common. But with WotC's new stormborn archetype, I was outraged that they just handed out 2 types of immunities at 0 cost to the player. Not only that, but with that 18th level feature, the player has 2/3 of an epic boon from the DMG.

Stan
2015-05-27, 12:22 PM
I really like the concept. I haven't walked through the mechanics enough to really speak to balance. The powers at 14th and 18th do have the issue that how often they come into use is largely outside the character's control.

If I were to use this, I would change the character to be bleached entirely white (including their blood) by magic to mess with expectations.

Diane-35
2015-06-03, 01:52 PM
Thank you for the comments! (a lot! really!) :smallsmile:

Changed a few things (see the first post):

lvl6 - metamagic and +cha to damage. Behold necrotic scorching rays!
seems balanced, since it actually allows to change any damaging spell, but requires sorcery points.

lvl18 - now we have immunity to poisoned condition and resistance to poison damage.


Also, I'd like to somewhat clarify my intent on lvl14 feature - the main purpose is to affect your allies' spells with metamagic. Quicken heals, for example.
The ability to redirect enemies' spells is just sort of icing on the cake, but can potentially be extremely useful, if you face a spellcaster.
Or, if you are playing a villain and assault a fortress full of clerics/paladins, that can even be gamebreaking.