Mcdt2
2015-10-22, 10:43 AM
A player of mine wanted to play as a summoner type character without being a druid (as his character concept called for a low wisdom and high charisma). Since a subclass is easier to create than a full-fledged summoner class, we came up with this Sorcerous Origin.
Aetherborn
Born of the Ethereal Plane and its connections to the Inner Planes, you possess a natural skill with calling and sending magic. You can speak, read, and write Primordial. In addition, you gain the following spells at the listed sorcerer level. These spells do not count against the number of sorcerer spells you know.
Sorcerer Level
Spells
1st
Conjure Minor Animals*, Unseen Servant
3rd
Misty Step, Rope Trick
5th
Conjure Animals, Blink
7th
Conjure Minor Elementals, Dimension Door
9th
Conjure Elemental
1st level conjuration
Casting time: 1 Action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
You summon fey spirits that take the form of beasts and appear in unoccupied spaces that you can see within range. Choose one of the following options for what appears:
◾One beast of challenge rating 1/4 or lower
◾Two beasts of challenge rating 1/8 or lower
◾Four beasts of challenge rating 0
The summoned creatures are friendly to you and your companions. Roll initiative for the summoned creatures as a group, which has its own turns. They obey any verbal commands that you issue to them (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any commands to them, they defend themselves from hostile creatures, but otherwise take no actions. The DM has the creatures’ statistics.
This origin is pretty dependent on the UA style bonus spells, so consider it in regards to those. I'm a little concerned about how many new spells this gives the sorcerer from other lists, especially with how powerful some of these spells are. Each was chosen for thematic reasons, fitting with the concept of Ethereal magic, connecting the Inner Planes (the Elemental Planes, the Positive and Negative Energy Planes, and the various quasi-elemental and para-elemental planes) to the Material Prime, as well as the Ethereal Demiplane of Faerie. Which brings me to a good thematic point: I'm using a mix of 2e and 3.5 era Great Wheel cosmology.
Dimension Hop
At 1st level, you can see small pathways through the worlds, and open them briefly. When you cast a spell other than a cantrip during your turn, you can step through space. You can use a bonus action to teleport up to 10 feet away, which doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.
Simple refluff of the Storm Magic ability at the same level.
Whisk Away
At 6th level, you can extend your dimensional influence to your allies. As an action, choose one ally within 30 feet of yourself. That ally may, if they choose, teleport to any square adjacent to you, without provoking opportunity attacks.
This ability may be used a number of times equal to your Charisma mod (min. 1). You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.
This was designed to be a reverse Misty Step, of sorts. It takes an action instead of a bonus action, so it should be fairly balanced, although it's likely to be potentially game-changing.
Planar Attunement
At 6th level, you feel at home in the Inner Planes as much as on the Prime Material. You are immune to all negative environmental effects of the Inner Planes and the Ethereal Plane, and can navigate these planes without ever getting lost.
Ribbon ability. Adventures to the Inner or Ethereal Planes are pretty rare, especially at this level, and I don't think there actually is any RAW yet about the conditions on the Elemental Planes. Personally, I'd adapt the rules from the 2e Planescape box for this.
Dismissal
At 14th level, you can cut the magic holding outsiders to this plane, or bind a native to another plane entirely. You can cast banishment once without expending a spell slot. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
I wanted to give them a way to banish summoned or called outsiders, but they already had plenty of bonus spells. I think this is a fair compromise, but I'm not super keen on balance above 10th-11th level.
???
At 18th level, ???
Yeah, I'm stumped. I can't think of anything which wouldn't be either vastly underwhelming, or far too powerful. Suggestions?
Thoughts, questions, concerns? I'm somewhat new to 5e, but I think I've mostly got a handle on the balance of it now. If you disagree, please point out where I have gone wrong.
Aetherborn
Born of the Ethereal Plane and its connections to the Inner Planes, you possess a natural skill with calling and sending magic. You can speak, read, and write Primordial. In addition, you gain the following spells at the listed sorcerer level. These spells do not count against the number of sorcerer spells you know.
Sorcerer Level
Spells
1st
Conjure Minor Animals*, Unseen Servant
3rd
Misty Step, Rope Trick
5th
Conjure Animals, Blink
7th
Conjure Minor Elementals, Dimension Door
9th
Conjure Elemental
1st level conjuration
Casting time: 1 Action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
You summon fey spirits that take the form of beasts and appear in unoccupied spaces that you can see within range. Choose one of the following options for what appears:
◾One beast of challenge rating 1/4 or lower
◾Two beasts of challenge rating 1/8 or lower
◾Four beasts of challenge rating 0
The summoned creatures are friendly to you and your companions. Roll initiative for the summoned creatures as a group, which has its own turns. They obey any verbal commands that you issue to them (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any commands to them, they defend themselves from hostile creatures, but otherwise take no actions. The DM has the creatures’ statistics.
This origin is pretty dependent on the UA style bonus spells, so consider it in regards to those. I'm a little concerned about how many new spells this gives the sorcerer from other lists, especially with how powerful some of these spells are. Each was chosen for thematic reasons, fitting with the concept of Ethereal magic, connecting the Inner Planes (the Elemental Planes, the Positive and Negative Energy Planes, and the various quasi-elemental and para-elemental planes) to the Material Prime, as well as the Ethereal Demiplane of Faerie. Which brings me to a good thematic point: I'm using a mix of 2e and 3.5 era Great Wheel cosmology.
Dimension Hop
At 1st level, you can see small pathways through the worlds, and open them briefly. When you cast a spell other than a cantrip during your turn, you can step through space. You can use a bonus action to teleport up to 10 feet away, which doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.
Simple refluff of the Storm Magic ability at the same level.
Whisk Away
At 6th level, you can extend your dimensional influence to your allies. As an action, choose one ally within 30 feet of yourself. That ally may, if they choose, teleport to any square adjacent to you, without provoking opportunity attacks.
This ability may be used a number of times equal to your Charisma mod (min. 1). You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.
This was designed to be a reverse Misty Step, of sorts. It takes an action instead of a bonus action, so it should be fairly balanced, although it's likely to be potentially game-changing.
Planar Attunement
At 6th level, you feel at home in the Inner Planes as much as on the Prime Material. You are immune to all negative environmental effects of the Inner Planes and the Ethereal Plane, and can navigate these planes without ever getting lost.
Ribbon ability. Adventures to the Inner or Ethereal Planes are pretty rare, especially at this level, and I don't think there actually is any RAW yet about the conditions on the Elemental Planes. Personally, I'd adapt the rules from the 2e Planescape box for this.
Dismissal
At 14th level, you can cut the magic holding outsiders to this plane, or bind a native to another plane entirely. You can cast banishment once without expending a spell slot. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
I wanted to give them a way to banish summoned or called outsiders, but they already had plenty of bonus spells. I think this is a fair compromise, but I'm not super keen on balance above 10th-11th level.
???
At 18th level, ???
Yeah, I'm stumped. I can't think of anything which wouldn't be either vastly underwhelming, or far too powerful. Suggestions?
Thoughts, questions, concerns? I'm somewhat new to 5e, but I think I've mostly got a handle on the balance of it now. If you disagree, please point out where I have gone wrong.