Taming the Wild Magic - Ideas to make it more fun

[Markoff Chainey]

To the point: A Wild Magic Sorcerer could actually be fun, but Wild Magic Surge and Tides of Chaos suck because of the line: "..the DM can have you..".


What I normally see happening is:
- the DM simply forgets
- the DM lets you roll because she is pissed by something you did
- the DM does not let you roll because she is pissed by something you did
- the DM does not care that this is actually an important class feature for you and has other things on her mind

As a DM, I really do not want to count or make notes how often a Wild Magic Sorcerer rolled a Surge or not.. So, in my opinion, this is a badly designed class feature and I would like to change it so that:
- it still stays unpredictable
- is calculateable
- is independent from the emotional state of the DM or her awareness or whatever

I thought about solutions to that with the additional aim to balance the Wild Magic Sorcerer to the other Sorcerer options, but most importantly, to remove the DM from the class feature.


My preferred solution so far is:
- Whenever a Wild Magic Sorcerer rolls for a spell of lvl1 or higher and the d20 shows a (natural) uneven result, roll a d20 again. - On a "1", roll on the Wild Magic Surge table.
- After you used Tides of Chaos today... Whenever you roll a natural 1 or 20 when you cast a spell of lvl1 or above, you regain the use of that feature and have to roll on the Wild Magic Surge table.

This way, the chance that a normal spell proc's a roll on the Wild Magic Surge table is 1:40 and the chance to regain a use of Tides of Chaos by casting a spell after using it is 10%.

Thanks, Mal. (see below)
Whenever you cast a spell roll 1d20. If the result of the d20 is equal to or less than the spells level, you must roll on the wild magic chart. Imediately after you do so, you regain the use of your tides of chaos ability if you have this ability and have already expended it.

[CoggieRagabash]

I would go even further, especially since your first point assumes the spell will have a roll, which many don't. Wild magic really only comes alive if its effects are going off frequently. So in my opinion (and this is what my DM agreed on):

1. Every time you cast a spell of level one or higher, roll a d20 to check for a wild magic surge. Otherwise this acts as normal. This works well because it takes thought out of the hands of the DM who has enough to deal with, and as a player you quickly get used to rolling a d20 immediately after casting a spell.

2A. If you have used Tides of Chaos and then cast a spell of level one or higher, you automatically trigger a wild magic surge that refreshes the ability. We considered this balanced since relatively few sorcerer spells involve rolls that can benefit from advantage, and skill rolls worthy of the use generally came in chunks out of combat where casting spells that might turn you blue or set off an explosion were ill-advised.

If 2A comes out too powerful in the experiences of your campaign, switch it to:

2B. If Tides of Chaos is on cooldown and you cast a spell of level one or higher, roll for a wild magic surge automatically as per 1, but with an increased threat range to be agreed upon by your DM. For instance, instead of only triggering on a 1, perhaps it triggers on 1-10. If a wild magic surge is triggered, then the ability is reset as usual.


Either way the DM only has to make a single decision about how it generally works, rather than having to divert attention to an individual case in the middle of a session.

[SwordChuck]

My way of doing it would be on every spell and make the effects non-direct damage. Sorcerers can do direct damage just fine but having a bunch of fun (for you or the enemy ;) ) effects that are all mostly minor can be awesome.

You could even do some not so minor stuff if your table likes it that way.

[Blacky the Blackball]

My group simply assumed that the "the DM can have you..." wording was a sop to those who don't like the random surge table and who don't want to include it in their campaigns (so the DM can decide not to use the table at all), rather than an implication that the DM should be deciding whether to use it or not on a case by case basis each time the wild mage casts a spell.

We do like it, so we have the roll to see if there's a surge after every non-cantrip spell; and if our wild mage uses Tides of Chaos then we'll normally give her an automatic surge on her next spell to refresh the ability as soon as possible.

[Markoff Chainey]

... and if our wild mage uses Tides of Chaos then we'll normally give her an automatic surge on her next spell to refresh the ability as soon as possible.

Thanks for your thoughts!

After thinking about your comments, I do think that rolling after every spell for a surge is fine.

But Tides of Chaos... isn't that really very OP? I am not very concerned about ability checks or attacks (ability checks rarely break the game and her attacks are not that scary). It works on saving throws - meaning that the Sorc can basically have it ready whenever she needs to make one as it is very rare that she has to make more than 1/round.

[Malifice]

To the point: A Wild Magic Sorcerer could actually be fun, but Wild Magic Surge and Tides of Chaos suck because of the line: "..the DM can have you..".


What I normally see happening is:
- the DM simply forgets
- the DM lets you roll because she is pissed by something you did
- the DM does not let you roll because she is pissed by something you did
- the DM does not care that this is actually an important class feature for you and has other things on her mind

As a DM, I really do not want to count or make notes how often a Wild Magic Sorcerer rolled a Surge or not.. So, in my opinion, this is a badly designed class feature and I would like to change it so that:
- it still stays unpredictable
- is calculateable
- is independent from the emotional state of the DM or her awareness or whatever

I thought about solutions to that with the additional aim to balance the Wild Magic Sorcerer to the other Sorcerer options, but most importantly, to remove the DM from the class feature.


My preferred solution so far is:
- Whenever a Wild Magic Sorcerer rolls for a spell of lvl1 or higher and the d20 shows a (natural) uneven result, roll a d20 again. - On a "1", roll on the Wild Magic Surge table.
- After you used Tides of Chaos today... Whenever you roll a natural 1 or 20 when you cast a spell of lvl1 or above, you regain the use of that feature and have to roll on the Wild Magic Surge table.

This way, the chance that a normal spell proc's a roll on the Wild Magic Surge table is 1:40 and the chance to regain a use of Tides of Chaos by casting a spell after using it is 10%.

What do you think? Too good/ too bad? Do you have a better solution?

Too complex. I prefer:

'Whenever you cast a spell roll 1d20. If the result of the d20 is equal to or less than the spells level, you must roll on the wild magic chart. Imediately after you do so, you regain the use of your tides of chaos ability if you have this ability and have already expended it.

[ryan92084]

For surge we've been increasing the trigger roll required by 1 for every non cantrip spell until a surge is triggered or forced. Tides we just ignore the DM part and let the sorcerer choose when they want to force a surge to reset the advantage. The player seems to be enjoying it thus far.

[Markoff Chainey]

Too complex. I prefer:

'Whenever you cast a spell roll 1d20. If the result of the d20 is equal to or less than the spells level, you must roll on the wild magic chart. Imediately after you do so, you regain the use of your tides of chaos ability if you have this ability and have already expended it.

Thanks! I will try that one. I like its simplicity.

I am still a tad worried about the power of Tides of Chaos when it can be reset so easily, on the other hand... a Favored Soul gains lots of divine extra spells, wings and extra attack, so the Wild Magic Sorc is in dire need of love anyways.

[Blacky the Blackball]

Thanks for your thoughts!

After thinking about your comments, I do think that rolling after every spell for a surge is fine.

But Tides of Chaos... isn't that really very OP? I am not very concerned about ability checks or attacks (ability checks rarely break the game and her attacks are not that scary). It works on saving throws - meaning that the Sorc can basically have it ready whenever she needs to make one as it is very rare that she has to make more than 1/round.

We haven't noticed it being OP in play.

She almost always has it available, but she knows that each time she uses it she's pretty much guaranteed to 'explode' (i.e. have a wild magic surge) the following round when she casts a spell - so she doesn't use it every time, only when she thinks the need is great.

[ad_hoc]

Tides of Chaos is what makes Wild Magic Sorcerers good.

I can see why people think they aren't very good if they don't get to use it whenever they cast a leveled spell.

They should be getting advantage a lot. On attack rolls and saving throws sure, but they can also get it on initiative rolls, charisma checks, etc. It's great.

I have always seen the stipulation about the DM choosing to enable the DM to choose not to do it if it is not dramatically appropriate. Or put another way, to not waste time with a wild surge when the wild mage casts a spell out of combat.

This is in line with the way the rules are written in general. The DM also chooses when ability checks are rolled for example. If it doesn't add to the game there is no point in wasting time on it.