Pyromaniac sorcerer build

[lordorinko]

Hi everyone;

So the character that my friend plays in one of the game we played died unfortunately. He was playing a barbarian but now he wants to roll a caster.
He liked the raging uncontrolable aspect of the barbarian rp he were doing and wanted to carry on that type of rp. So he decided to play a sorcerer halfling with a tribal origin which builded around desiring and worshipping fire. His character idea came from the battlerite character ASHKA https://battlerite.gamepedia.com/g00/Ashka?i10c.encReferrer=&i10c.ua=1&i10c.dv=3. He will probably go berzerk with the fire spells during the combat.

My question is; which sorcerous origin should he pick for a pyromaniac. Pyromancer seems good but doesn't offer too much except ignoring resistance which is awesome, phoenix also seems good and he might come from a phoenix worshipping tribe.he doesn't like the dragon origin...

...and what spells should he pick, remember most of his spells will be fire based. But i told him to get some utility spells or defensive spells so if you guys can recommend some spells which offer utility or fire type damage it would be awesome!

[Skyblaze]

Well, besides dragon sorcerer, at least "official" in production stuff, the only other option is Pheonix from UA (I think?).

He has plenty of fire spells to pick from but I would suggest also taking a secondary damaging type to deal damage against fire immune creatures (there are a lot), like my demon sorcerer has fire as his main damage and then I have a couple psychic damage spells. Then, if he wants spells other than damage, decide if he wants to buff PCs or debuff enemies since you have limited spells as a sorcerer.

Oh, for specific spells:, slow and haste are always good. Enlarge/reduce is good for shenanigans.

[Mana Opal]

There's also the Pyromancer subclass from Planeshift: Kaladesh, which is at least still a Wizards product (and written by a former DnD designer, to boot). It's mechanically straightforward, specializing in setting fire to things that shouldn't be on fire (read: it can bypass resistances and eventually immunities, though that last bit doesn't come until Lv. 18), and doesn't rely on a single Long Rest ability for all of its subclass abilities (like the Phoenix Soul did). Aside from those two, however, your only other option without diving into public homebrew is the Draconic Bloodline- but hey, that one gives you free armor and wings, so that's at least helpful in other ways!

[Keravath]

I think the best bet from the basic material is a draconic sorcerer (brass, red or gold) with the Elemental Adept (fire) feat. If they don't like a draconic background they probably spin that piece of lore into any other fire related creature at the DMs discretion.

Tiefling would be another thematic appropriate race option for a pyromancer.

Alternatively, all they really need to be a "pyromancer" is the attitude and the Elemental Adept feat to overcome resistance to fire. It may not optimize damage but it works fine with any theme you like.

[Laserlight]

he doesn't like the dragon origin...

Because of its mechanics, or for RP? Because if he's okay with the mechanics (which he should be, Draconic Bloodline is pretty good), then it's easy to say "Additionally, parts of your skin are covered by a thin sheen of dragon-like scales fiery phoenix feathers" and such.

As for spells, you might read this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?485646-Sorcerer-spell-list&highlight=sorcerer+fire)

[Asensur]

Adventure League: Draconic Bloodline

Non Adventure League: Pyromancer (Plane Shift Kaladesh)

[lunaticfringe]

Draconic: Ditch the fluff. Why you are tougher than normal can be explained however you like. Maybe the raw magic that is part of your being makes you more robust, doesn't have to be scales. And you don't have to sprout wings to fly in D&D land. A lot of people I have met are turned off by the fact the bloodline turns you into a scaly freak monster, so just keep the mechanics.

Fire Immunity/Resistance: This is really simple to get around, don't use fire against mooks that resist your spells. Again this is going to be simple refluffs. Poison Damage can be Smoke. Radiant damage can be pure heat. You can use the Avatar explanation to throw the occasional Lightning bolt. My personal favorite is dealing Cold damage as a fire mage. How? Change the direction. Instead of shooting Freezy Beams and frost at people you rip the heat out of their bodies dealing Cold damage to them.

[Tanngrisnr]

Since picking from UA is ok at your table, have your friend take a look at the Fire Giant Soul Sorcerer.

I don't think it is better than a Draconic Bloodline, but it may fit your friend's needs.

[Nhorianscum]

Best I could come up with was...

Sorc 1 or 5/Zeal cleric 2 (pyro) or 3 (draconic)/Sorc 18/17. (Pyro, or draconic)

Heavy armor, shield, 1st/2nd level cleric spells, maximize a fireball once per short rest, sorc goodies.

Searing ray and fireball are your mainstay blasts the rest are based on metamagic.

Quickened + Subtle (sorc 3), twin (sorc 10), empower, or extend (sorc 17).

The idea here would be to blast hard in the window where an upcast maximized blast can potentially end an encounter. Then swap into a buffer/controller role that keeps the ability to drop big booms 1/short rest as blasting is painfully weak later on. Loss of spell progression (sans delaying wish) is negligable as your workhorse spells are all 2nd-4th level.

Sample spell list
Cantrips: GFB, BB, Minor Image, Lightning Lure, Firebolt, Guidance, flavor cantrip (Thautamurgy or Presdig), Filler.
1: Shield, absorb elements, cleric stuff
2: Phantasmal image or suggestion, Searing ray, (cleric stuff if draconic)
3: Fireball, Haste, Counterspell
4: Dimension Door, greater invis
5: Wall of stone, synaptic static
6: mass suggestion
7: reverse gravity
8: (Nope)
9: Wish

14/15 spells used fill in the last with... whatever, web, hypnotic pattern and fog cloud are good filler pre-twin. Major image, dispel magic, and fly fill the last slot if another caster fails to take them (or flying items don't drop). Mswarm is a guilty pleasure blast.

Feats/ASI's in no real order assuming a +2 cha race: Warcaster, Inspiring leader if nobody takes it, tough, lucky or alert if they do, Half feat for cha (Menacing!), CHA +2. (Edit: just saw halfling)

Magic item wishlist: Anything that gives spellslots (Sorcerers are required by the code of munchkin to kill anyone who even looks at that ring of spell storing) , off class scrolls (find familiar etc), pretty much any magic stave. Non atunment and consumables.

[CTurbo]

Sounds like Phoenix Sorcerer would be perfect. I think it's pretty strong, but it really is a long rest subclass.

[ImproperJustice]

Yeah. I started a character as a Phoenix sorceror and later switched to Draconic.

It’s just terribly underpowered. Everything is based upon a single ability you can only use once per day.
Very poor design, but a generous GM could consider allowing a number of uses of that ability equal to the number of times a Barbarian can rage and it would be viable.

[Skyblaze]

Searing ray and fireball are your mainstay blasts the rest are based on metamagic.




At level 20, I'd say scorching ray is useless since you have fire bolt which does 4d10 (+5 for dragon) and you can just quicken it for the most powerful single target equal to a 2nd lvl spell.

[Nhorianscum]

At level 20, I'd say scorching ray is useless since you have fire bolt which does 4d10 (+5 for dragon) and you can just quicken it for the most powerful single target equal to a 2nd lvl spell.

Edit: Draconic gets less value than pyro from Sray. The following was mostly me thinking Pyro. Though the draco variant does have 2nd level cleric spells for a broader spell list at base so I'll stand by ray here regardless.

While upcasting sray normally may not be worth an 8th level slot maximize lets you drop a flat 108 damage that bypasses everything on an attack roll. By comparison if you were to use the floating 15th slot on meteor swarm, it does 95 damage average when maximized on a creature with Legendary resistance from a 9th level slot (obv meteor does more with res stripped on a failed save but that's just gross overkill in a rare situation... and is also not wish)

Needless to say (when maximized) it remains the highest single output option at all levels. With no save it suck element.

It's a guilty pleasure 1/short rest blast, but it's the best single target bang for your buck you could possibly ask for on that use, and at the end of the day. This is a pyro build. Guilty pleasure blast comes with the territory.

[Misterwhisper]

Depending on if he can swing the stats:

Celestial warlock 6
Pyro sorcerer 6
Arcana cleric 8
Play an aasimar

Fire bolt 4d10 +cha +cha +wis + 20 for one min.

Or play a tiefling and take flames of whatever to make it slightly less damage but flying demon of fire.