Sea vs Storm Sorcerous Origins

[retaliation08]

I just joined a game that will likely go above level 15 with a 7th level Sorcerer. Based on my character's backstory, both the Storm and Sea origins are appropriate thematically. I happen to like both, but have not played either (nor a sorcerer for that matter).

The party is made up of a lore bard, vengeance paladin, life cleric, and battlemaster fighter. Multi-classing is not really an option.

I am hoping for some insight from people who have played mid level sorcerers (preferably single classed) about which origin is more fun/ helpful to a party. I am open to insight from anyone who has had a sorcerer at their table as well.

Thanks all :)

[Haldir]

I just joined a game that will likely go above level 15 with a 7th level Sorcerer. Based on my character's backstory, both the Storm and Sea origins are appropriate thematically. I happen to like both, but have not played either (nor a sorcerer for that matter).

The party is made up of a lore bard, vengeance paladin, life cleric, and battlemaster fighter. Multi-classing is not really an option.

I am hoping for some insight from people who have played mid level sorcerers (preferably single classed) about which origin is more fun/ helpful to a party. I am open to insight from anyone who has had a sorcerer at their table as well.

Thanks all :)

Your party is well rounded, so it really depends on the role you want to play around that party. Sea is super powerful if you want to try being a controller.

I still think the Draconic Origin in one of the best, but you'd have to dig to find enough Cold damage spells to make it super useful for your origin. Still, AC and HP is sweet stuff for a Sorc, especially if you're limited to a single class.

[Beechgnome]

I've only played them as NPCs as a DM, but given you have two heavy hitters and a bunch of healing you might want to focus on control. I think Sea's curse abilities - the cold slowing and the extra pushing - will serve the party better than the storm stuff at that level which is more personal mobility and some area damage.

[Sigreid]

My storm sorc, level 9 with careful spell is a great controller.

Having looked at it, I do think the sea sorcerer is objectively more powerful, much like storm was before becoming official.

[SharkForce]

i would say sea is both more powerful and more interesting personally. if it were me choosing, i'd choose sea no problem.

[retaliation08]

Ok, I think I have settled on Sea. The curse thing is just too cool to pass up on, and it is pretty tanky.

Is Gust of wind a viable spell choice? It seems difficult to use effectively without screwing over your party.

However, coupled with Ray of frost, it could push an enemy 30 ft per round, reduce move speed by 10 feet, and offer difficult terrain to advance. Essentially the creature with 30ft walk speed and failing saves could never make up ground to get to me.

Worth it?

[Foxhound438]

I have played sorcerers in one shots, and have planned out more than one sorcerer build, but I haven't actually played a sorcerer of either of those origins.


With that in mind, I think that storm sorcerer is pretty much a solid blaster, while sea sorcerer gets some solid defensive abilities but nothing stellar in the damage department. Just as a reminder, in order for you to get anything out of sea sorcery's curse ability, you have to cast cantrips. Personally I feel like there's give and take to the control aspect of a sorcerer because of that: you have the benefit of being able to have some at-will control ability, but at the same time it's far less potent than throwing out leveled spells for AOE control and hard (incapacitating) control. Which one you take is really a matter of how you want to play: if you want to be more of a high-impact, low-capacity caster, take storm; if you want to be able to constantly exert less potent control, while having less damage when you need damage, go sea.

[Beechgnome]

Is Gust of wind a viable spell choice? It seems difficult to use effectively without screwing over your party.

I think it can be, but only if, as Sigreid pointed out with his sorcerer, you take the Careful Spell Metamagic.

Gust of Wind is good with Careful, because there is no damage to consider, so letting your party members save means they only suffer one adverse effect: they must spend 2 feet of movement to move 1 when moving through it. Meanwhile, your enemies will have that effect and be pushed 30 (!) feet if they are cursed and fail their save. They may never reach you.

[retaliation08]

With that in mind, I think that storm sorcerer is pretty much a solid blaster, while sea sorcerer gets some solid defensive abilities but nothing stellar in the damage department. Just as a reminder, in order for you to get anything out of sea sorcery's curse ability, you have to cast cantrips. Personally I feel like there's give and take to the control aspect of a sorcerer because of that: you have the benefit of being able to have some at-will control ability, but at the same time it's far less potent than throwing out leveled spells for AOE control and hard (incapacitating) control. Which one you take is really a matter of how you want to play: if you want to be more of a high-impact, low-capacity caster, take storm; if you want to be able to constantly exert less potent control, while having less damage when you need damage, go sea.

I started this thread because I tend to agree about the damage, but I think that may not be too big a dealbreaker:

Quicken spell requires you to cast cantrips anyway, so using the cantrips won't have as large of an effect on damage and action economy.

Storm Sorcerers extra damage caps at 10 with a 10 foot AOE. That is really not a whole lot of extra damage, although it is nice. The best part is that it's auto damage. The short range is a bummer.

Sea Sorcerers can still add extra lightning damage onto spells.

I feel now like Storm sorcerer can be much better as a MC to reliably stay in combat and output short range AOE and control.




I think it can be, but only if, as Sigreid pointed out with his sorcerer, you take the Careful Spell Metamagic.

Well at level 7 I still only have two metamagics. Quicken is necessary for triggering curse of the sea reliably, and twinned is just so nice. I really hadnt considered Careful at all as next on my list were things like Distant (which I could simulate with spell sniper), Heighten, and Empower (which doesnt seem that good for Sea Sorc really).

Careful would help with spells such as Thunderwave, Gust of Wind, Lightning Bolt, Tidal Wave, Ice Storm etc...

[SharkForce]

honestly, i would advise every sorcerer player interested in crowd control to take careful (i would even - or especially - recommend it if you're starting at level 1). it is low cost, which means you can afford to use it often, and with the right spells, it lets you do some really cool stuff.

you're thinking about it wrong, in fact. yes, it helps (somewhat) with spells like lightning bolt. but what you really want it for are spells like web, stinking cloud, sleet storm, and even gust of wind as noted.

these types of spell typically do little or nothing on a successful save. which means that your party can just hang out inside and fight all they want, web will never ever ever entangle them, stinking cloud will never ever nauseate them, grease will never ever ever make them trip and fall, and so on.

and, once again, i must emphasise: low cost! you can afford to use it pretty much as often as you want. being able to do stuff like twin polymorph is amazing. but it is also expensive. a single twin polymorph takes over half of your daily sorcerer points at level 7. quicken takes up just under a third. after that, it's time to start burning spell slots for SP, and in 5e, you don't *have* absurd amounts of spell slots to burn.

[Oramac]

My storm sorc, level 9 with careful spell is a great controller.

Having looked at it, I do think the sea sorcerer is objectively more powerful, much like storm was before becoming official.

I agree with this. I've played a Storm sorc up to 7 (character level 9, MC'd to Cleric) and it was very useful, both as a controller and a blaster.

I'd highly recommend taking a look at this guide (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxHRu80oFd2icEdZczJWZWpfbGM/view). It's incredibly useful for getting a handle on the metamagic feature.