Houserules Collection: are these a 3 or an 18? Class overhaul - Sorcerer

[lucky9]

I will be posting one change, or group of changes, at a time to hopefully allow for a little more discussion/ tweaks/ general thoughts, if you would be so kind:smallsmile:

A note before starting: I am aware that this edition is.. unstable, especially at higher levels. My rules don't necessarily aim to completely eliminate that issue, too large a task. What I'm going for is general playability, a certain feel I have about things, and of course, fun for all players including those running muggles. With that said, do let me know if I've horribly broken anything. Also, feel free to ask for any clarification.

Last for the overhauled classes, the Sorcerer!... Does this?.. did I break anything??:smalleek: I only wanted style... Your insight please:
Sorcerers do not learn or cast spells, but instead use spell-like abilities.

Therefore, they need no verbal, somatic, or material components, they cannot be counterspelled nor used to counterspell, and they are unhindered by armor; though Sorcerer’s still gain no armor proficiencies.

Sorcerers do however still need to produce any material components with a specific cost, any specified arcane spell focus, and any gp for xp cost as outlined in the General Rules.

These spell-like abilities otherwise count towards all effects that a Sorcerer’s spells normally would have, such as item creation, feats, prestige classes, etc.

Spell-like abilities follow the same rules as regular spells in regards to metamagic.

Sorcerers may learn and cast, as spell-like abilities, any spells uniquely available to Bards, within their level restrictions.

At levels 5, 10, 15, and 20 a Sorcerer receives either a Metamagic or Heritage feat of their choice for which they meet all other prerequisites.

Heritage feats must all be of the same lineage.

They receive 4 +Intelligence skill points per level, not 2.

Intimidate becomes a class skill for Sorcerers.

Links to other rule sections:

General Rules
No xp Loss
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?584101-Houserules-Collection-are-these-a-3-or-an-18

Massive Damage Variants
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?584140-Houserules-Collection-are-these-a-3-or-an-18-Item-2

Size/ Space Sharing
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?584141-Houserules-Collection-are-these-a-3-or-an-18-Item-3
Races
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?584144-Houserules-Collection-are-these-a-3-or-an-18-Races

Classes
Multi-Classing
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?584145-Houserules-Collection-are-these-a-3-or-an-18-Classes

Classes w/ Minor Change
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?584150-Houserules-Collection-are-these-a-3-or-an-18-Classes-w-minor-tweaks

Bard Overhaul
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?584153-Houserules-Collection-are-these-a-3-or-an-18-Class-overhaul-Bard

Monk Overhaul
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?584154-Houserules-Collection-are-these-a-3-or-an-18-Class-overhaul-Monk
Skills
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?584156-Houserules-Collection-are-these-a-3-or-an-18-Skills

Feats
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?584160-Houserules-Collection-are-these-a-3-or-an-18-Feats

Magic
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?584164-Houserules-Collection-are-these-a-3-or-an-18-Magic

[nonsi]

A spell-like ability slot of any given level is equal to two slots of the previous level.
For example: A level 14 Sorcerer may choose to consume one of their level 7 spell-like ability slots in order to cast two additional level 6 spell-like abilities that day, or four additional level 5 spell-like abilities, and so on.


Too good.
No explanation needed here.

[lucky9]

Too good.
No explanation needed here.

Yes, I feared as much. I liked the idea of the flexibility but I suppose they really don't need anything more.

I did also toy around with an idea to give them the ability to cast metamagic at a lower level. Would that be pushing it too mfar as well, in your opinion?

Thank you for the input here and elsewhere!

[nonsi]

I did also toy around with an idea to give them the ability to cast metamagic at a lower level. Would that be pushing it too mfar as well, in your opinion?


In order to formulate an opinion, I'll need more specifics. Sorcerers already have accrss to metamagic, even if it's more costly to them on the action economy aspect.

[lucky9]

Well for example, at level 10 they can start casting metamagic at one level lower than would normally be the case, and one level further at 20th as a capstone feature. Similar to certain prestige classes.

[rferries]

On the one hand, this definitely makes sorcerers feel "inherently" magical (as opposed to the "acquired" magic of wizards and clerics).

On the other hand:

-dragons and other monsters etc have racial sorcerer casting; your fix would logically require that all such creatures have SLAs instead of spellcasting (a lot of work to rewrite, perhaps)

-XP cost spells would need a clause

-[Metamagic] feats would need rewrites to apply to the SLAs

-existing SLA feats (Empower Spell-Like ability etc) have lower effective metamagic adjustments than the actual metamagic feats (i.e. a 20th-level sorcerer could Quicken a 6th-level SLA, but a 20th-level wizard can only Quicken a 5th-level spell).

All of the above are minor quibbles though.

[lucky9]

On the one hand, this definitely makes sorcerers feel "inherently" magical (as opposed to the "acquired" magic of wizards and clerics).

On the other hand:

-dragons and other monsters etc have racial sorcerer casting; your fix would logically require that all such creatures have SLAs instead of spellcasting (a lot of work to rewrite, perhaps)
Yes, and a rewrite that may come in future days.


-XP cost spells would need a clause
Added it in, thank you for the catch!:smallsmile:


-[Metamagic] feats would need rewrites to apply to the SLAs

-existing SLA feats (Empower Spell-Like ability etc) have lower effective metamagic adjustments than the actual metamagic feats (i.e. a 20th-level sorcerer could Quicken a 6th-level SLA, but a 20th-level wizard can only Quicken a 5th-level spell).
Very good points.. My intent, which I touched on when I mentioned their SLAs counting for metamagic, was that SLAs would follow regular metamagic rules.