Jorgumander
2017-03-10, 12:54 PM
Hey all! Long time reader, first time poster here. Experienced playing DnD from 2E through to now playing (DMing) a 5E game with my children! Has been super fun finally getting to play with my kids as we learn the system together. However, I would like to tweak out the Sorcerer class to more closely match a Spellshaper-like class from MtG, which we all have experience playing.
Specifically what I like about the Sorcerer is it's ability to use metamagic, so I would like to keep that aspect. I love the Sorcerery point system, but in our house rules, we add the Charisma Modifier to the total as well. Also did a conversion to allow the points to be used to make more spell slots all the way up to 9th level. Especially enjoy the spontaneous spellcasting.
Things I'm not a fan of, are the ultra-limited spells known. Heck, even the Bard gets more spells known! While I understand a little of why this is the way it is, it's just not helping much in our home campaign. Every other caster type seems to gain or have the ability for spontaneous spellcasting as well, so it seems a little unfair that the Sorc gets the shaft as hard as it does here.
While I have stated my opinion on the matter, I invite others to as well, but it's not meant as a debate topic as much as to show why I feel the way I do so I can get a little help fixing it in our home campaign.
Sorcerers seem like the kind of class that SHOULD make the best specialists in a school, if they were made just a little differently. Therefore, instead of delving into the Color Wheel of MtG and jumbling up those rules so much, what I would PREFER to do is simply make Sorcerers able to know more spells, but from a much more limited set of Schools of Magic.
For instance, what I am thinking, is that at level 1, you pick a school to have access to. Perhaps you know 2-3 EXTRA spells from said school + Universal (if that's still a thing in 5E...can't recall as my books are at home). Effectively, you would gain knowledge of spells known somewhat equivalent to what a bard would know. Where it would get a little more interesting, and this is where I'm struggling the most, is I want the SSorcerer to, over the course of 20 levels, either gain bonuses to Spell School Specialized in OR gain access to additional schools.
Example: You could Choose say, Necromancy as the school you will focus in. At say 3rd level, you would either gain a +1 bonus (not sure to how to implement this bonus yet) OR choose a second school to have access to. This would continue through all 20 levels. Eventually giving you a potential of a +5 bonus to 1 school of magic or allowing you access to up to 5 schools total. If you choose a little of each choice, you simply split the bonuses between the schools focused in.
Example: Perhaps at 3rd level, you decide to focus on the one school. So Necromancy gains the +1 bonus (or whatever is decided on) and then at the next opportunity to gain a bonus, you decide to add Abjuration. So now Necromancy has the +1 bonus still, and Abjuration has no bonus, but you have access to it. At the next opportunity, you decide these two schools are fine. So they both gain an additional +1 bonus. Necromancy moves up to +2 total while Abjuration gains a +1. Next opportunity you stick with it again, granting both schools an additional +1. Necromancy goes up to +3, while Abjuration goes to +2. Next and final (unless I miscounted) you decide to add one more school to your repertoire. You settle on Divination. So by level 20, you would have a +3 to Necromancy, +2 to Abjuration, and +0 to Divination.
I hope that made sense.
But what should the bonuses be? + to caster level? Could be cool, but could really be abused maybe too? ++ to spell level? Say for instance, it's a freebie upgrade to cast spells from that school. So say you choose Evocation and focus all the way on it. By level 20, you would have a +5 bonus, right? So even though you are casting it as a 1st level spell only, it would COUNT as being cast from a 6th level spell slot. You wouldn't have to spend the higher level slot to get that boost. Which could be powerful...but you are also limited severely by only having access to Evocation spells. Even though you would know 22 of them.
I really hope this makes sense and I could REALLY use your help here. Thank you all so much!
Specifically what I like about the Sorcerer is it's ability to use metamagic, so I would like to keep that aspect. I love the Sorcerery point system, but in our house rules, we add the Charisma Modifier to the total as well. Also did a conversion to allow the points to be used to make more spell slots all the way up to 9th level. Especially enjoy the spontaneous spellcasting.
Things I'm not a fan of, are the ultra-limited spells known. Heck, even the Bard gets more spells known! While I understand a little of why this is the way it is, it's just not helping much in our home campaign. Every other caster type seems to gain or have the ability for spontaneous spellcasting as well, so it seems a little unfair that the Sorc gets the shaft as hard as it does here.
While I have stated my opinion on the matter, I invite others to as well, but it's not meant as a debate topic as much as to show why I feel the way I do so I can get a little help fixing it in our home campaign.
Sorcerers seem like the kind of class that SHOULD make the best specialists in a school, if they were made just a little differently. Therefore, instead of delving into the Color Wheel of MtG and jumbling up those rules so much, what I would PREFER to do is simply make Sorcerers able to know more spells, but from a much more limited set of Schools of Magic.
For instance, what I am thinking, is that at level 1, you pick a school to have access to. Perhaps you know 2-3 EXTRA spells from said school + Universal (if that's still a thing in 5E...can't recall as my books are at home). Effectively, you would gain knowledge of spells known somewhat equivalent to what a bard would know. Where it would get a little more interesting, and this is where I'm struggling the most, is I want the SSorcerer to, over the course of 20 levels, either gain bonuses to Spell School Specialized in OR gain access to additional schools.
Example: You could Choose say, Necromancy as the school you will focus in. At say 3rd level, you would either gain a +1 bonus (not sure to how to implement this bonus yet) OR choose a second school to have access to. This would continue through all 20 levels. Eventually giving you a potential of a +5 bonus to 1 school of magic or allowing you access to up to 5 schools total. If you choose a little of each choice, you simply split the bonuses between the schools focused in.
Example: Perhaps at 3rd level, you decide to focus on the one school. So Necromancy gains the +1 bonus (or whatever is decided on) and then at the next opportunity to gain a bonus, you decide to add Abjuration. So now Necromancy has the +1 bonus still, and Abjuration has no bonus, but you have access to it. At the next opportunity, you decide these two schools are fine. So they both gain an additional +1 bonus. Necromancy moves up to +2 total while Abjuration gains a +1. Next opportunity you stick with it again, granting both schools an additional +1. Necromancy goes up to +3, while Abjuration goes to +2. Next and final (unless I miscounted) you decide to add one more school to your repertoire. You settle on Divination. So by level 20, you would have a +3 to Necromancy, +2 to Abjuration, and +0 to Divination.
I hope that made sense.
But what should the bonuses be? + to caster level? Could be cool, but could really be abused maybe too? ++ to spell level? Say for instance, it's a freebie upgrade to cast spells from that school. So say you choose Evocation and focus all the way on it. By level 20, you would have a +5 bonus, right? So even though you are casting it as a 1st level spell only, it would COUNT as being cast from a 6th level spell slot. You wouldn't have to spend the higher level slot to get that boost. Which could be powerful...but you are also limited severely by only having access to Evocation spells. Even though you would know 22 of them.
I really hope this makes sense and I could REALLY use your help here. Thank you all so much!