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Blackflight
2019-03-26, 06:35 AM
Arcanist Bloodline: Sorcerous Origin

Link: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/ryuwmj8ON

I´ve created a sorcerer subclass that aims to give the sorcerer more flexibility and personal customization options in the way the class casts spells. I appreciate your feedback on this. Do you think its balanced?


Eldritch knowledge
When you choose this bloodline at 1st level, you gain proficiency in the arcana skill. If you are already proficient in arcana, you may choose a different skill avaiable to the sorcerer class.

In addition, whenever you make an arcana check, you may add your charisma modifier (minimum 1) to the skill check.

Comment: Since this subclass is called an arcanist I think it makes thematical sense that this subclass has greater knowledge of arcana than most spellcasters. However, I didn´t want charisma to replace intelligence for the checks but rather add on top of intelligence. This makes it so that playing a ”dumb” or ”smart” character still has impact on your ability to identify magic.


Unearthed arcana
Also at 1st level, you learn one additional 1st level spell from the bard, warlock or wizard spell list (your choice). Whenever you gain a level in this class you may change this spell to a different spell from the bard, warlock or wizard spell list as long as you have spell slots for that spell. The spell known from this feature counts as a sorcerer spell to you.

Comment: Sorcerers are designed by WotC to have a limited amount of spells known, so I didnt want to add an entire spell list gained per level (like clerics, druids, paladins, rangers and warlocks get). The idea is rather to allow the player to get that ONE spell they would have liked to have from one of the other classes without having to multiclass.


Irresistable magic
At 6th level, when you cast a spell that involves a spell save, you may spend 2 sorcery points to enhance the effect of that spell. Whenever a creature attempts to make a saving throw against this spell, they must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from their saving throw.

Comment: Possibly quite strong when combined with other metamagic options. However, I wanted this subclass to have an edge over other spellcasters (namely wizards) and I think that being able to enhance the limited spells at your disposal is the very essence of playing a sorcerer. Feature has been edited since initial post.



Spellbending
At 14th level, whenever you convert spell slots from your sorcerer class into sorcery points, you gain an amount shown on the table below:

| Spell slot level | Sorcery points gained |
| 1st | 2 |
| 2nd | 3 |
| 3rd | 5 |
| 4th | 6 |
| 5th | 7 |
| 6th | 9 |
| 7th | 10 |
| 8th | 11 |
| 9th | 12 |

Note: This feature replaces the ruling that you gain 1 sorcery point per level of the spell slot. However, this feature only applies to spell slots from the sorcerer class.

Comment: This basically makes it so that converting sorcery points into spell slots and vice versa has no taxing cost.


Arcane intuition
At 18th level, you may cast a spell from the sorcerer spell list that you do not currently know. The spell must be of 5th or lower level and once you cast it you must complete a short or long rest before you can use this feature again.

Comment: Magic for sorcerers is intuitive and I wanted to capture this by spontaneously being able to cast the right spell at the right moment when you reach the end game.


Edits:
* I´ve added comments to all features to explain my thoughts behind each.
* Corrected misspellings
* Changed ruling on the lvl 6 feature
* Added 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th level slots to the lvl 14 feature
* Added Link to NaturalCrit

nickl_2000
2019-03-26, 07:14 AM
I like the versatility that this subclass provides, it is something you don't always see in sorcerers.

I worry about a one major thing here.

This subclass would be an absolutely killer dip for many classes (most predominately Paladin). Taking one level in this could net you a ranged attack, shield, a new skill, and hex. This is a pretty substantial boon for a paladin. While I don't think that this is particularly broken or more powerful than some other options (cough, hexblade, cough), it is something that you need to watch out for when it's being used in game.

Blackflight
2019-03-26, 08:09 AM
I like the versatility that this subclass provides, it is something you don't always see in sorcerers.

I worry about a one major thing here.

This subclass would be an absolutely killer dip for many classes (most predominately Paladin). Taking one level in this could net you a ranged attack, shield, a new skill, and hex. This is a pretty substantial boon for a paladin. While I don't think that this is particularly broken or more powerful than some other options (cough, hexblade, cough), it is something that you need to watch out for when it's being used in game.

Thanks for the reply! Yeah, I could see it be a good multiclass for bards, paladins and warlocks. But then again, the things you described here are the same benefits you would get from multiclassing to a warlock (hexblade or not). But I see the point and I understand the worry that it could potentially be exploited.

Funnily enough, the idea behind this subclass was to create a sorcerer that lets you play the way you want without having to multiclass :)

nickl_2000
2019-03-26, 08:19 AM
Thanks for the reply! Yeah, I could see it be a good multiclass for bards, paladins and warlocks. But then again, the things you described here are the same benefits you would get from multiclassing to a warlock (hexblade or not). But I see the point and I understand the worry that it could potentially be exploited.

Funnily enough, the idea behind this subclass was to create a sorcerer that lets you play the way you want without having to multiclass :)

Part of the problem is how front stacked sorcerers and warlocks are, it's a design choice that WotC made and something we can't really work around. That being said, the unearthed arcana ability is the main reason why this would be such a good dip class for Gishy type character (Paladin, Valor/Swords Bard, EKs, etc). Being able to choose 1 spell from three different lists is very powerful.

clash
2019-03-26, 08:46 AM
I think the multiclassing concerns are not really an issue when comapred to other subclasses or the warlock itself. I like all of these features except irresistible magic. I would make it subtract 1d4 from their save similiar to bane rather than a flat bonus. Otherwise looks good.

Arkhios
2019-03-26, 09:31 AM
Having read it through, I began to reiterate Unearthed Arcana from scratch, looking into what the words actually mean:

Unearthed means something you have found from the ground by digging.

Arcana by definition means secrets or mysteries.

In context it would mean knowledge long forgotten. It would be weird to first unearth a secret and then, when you learn something new, simply forget what you've already learned.
I know that sorcerers can already do this by default, but since Arcanist seems to be intended as a versatile or "wizardly" origin, I came to think of the following:

Unearthed Arcana
At 1st level, when you choose this origin, you gain a spellbook, like a wizard. You can add one spell into your spellbook, chosen from the bard, warlock, or wizard spell list (your choice). The spell must be of a level you can cast. At each sorcerer level you can add one more spell of a level you can cast into your spellbook. You cast these spells as if they were sorcerer spells you know, except you can do so only once per long rest. To cast a spell in your spellbook, you must have at least one hand free, but you can use the spellbook as your spellcasting focus for the spell being cast.

In addition, you gain the Ritual Casting class feature. You can cast any spell you know or any spell in your spellbook as a ritual as long as it's a ritual spell.

Blackflight
2019-03-26, 11:46 AM
Having read it through, I began to reiterate Unearthed Arcana from scratch, looking into what the words actually mean:

Unearthed means something you have found from the ground by digging.

Arcana by definition means secrets or mysteries.

In context it would mean knowledge long forgotten. It would be weird to first unearth a secret and then, when you learn something new, simply forget what you've already learned.
I know that sorcerers can already do this by default, but since Arcanist seems to be intended as a versatile or "wizardly" origin, I came to think of the following:

Unearthed Arcana
At 1st level, when you choose this origin, you gain a spellbook, like a wizard. You can add one spell into your spellbook, chosen from the bard, warlock, or wizard spell list (your choice). The spell must be of a level you can cast. At each sorcerer level you can add one more spell of a level you can cast into your spellbook. You cast these spells as if they were sorcerer spells you know, except you can do so only once per long rest. To cast a spell in your spellbook, you must have at least one hand free, but you can use the spellbook as your spellcasting focus for the spell being cast.

In addition, you gain the Ritual Casting class feature. You can cast any spell you know or any spell in your spellbook as a ritual as long as it's a ritual spell.

While I like the idea of making a sorcerer/wizard hybrid I must admit it wasn´t where I had intended for this subclass to go. The idea was rather that the limited sorcerer spell list feels very restrictive if you want to play a specific theme. Example: if you want to play a fire mage, having flaming sphere is very much missed in the sorcerer list. Likewise if you want to play a psyker it would have been nice to have dissonant whispers or if you want to play a storm mage you really miss out on spells like control weather. I kinda wanted to capture the feeling of magic being spontaneous with this subclass and also wanted to keep the core sorcerer mechanics (still limited in their spells known and never having to prepare stuff).

I also kinda fear that being able to have a spellbook and prepare spells like a wizard might make this subclass OP. At the very least it makes this subclass a lot better than the other sorcerer subclass options.

As a side note: I see your point on the "unearthed" word and I might have to rename this feature :) it was just to throw in a minor spoof as unoffical WotC material is called unearthed arcana :)

Blackflight
2019-03-26, 11:49 AM
I think the multiclassing concerns are not really an issue when comapred to other subclasses or the warlock itself. I like all of these features except irresistible magic. I would make it subtract 1d4 from their save similiar to bane rather than a flat bonus. Otherwise looks good.

I like this change actually. I´ve edited in the initial post to a d4 rather than a flat score of 2. Thanks!

Garfunion
2019-03-26, 05:10 PM
“Spellbinding”
If I’m not mistaken the sorcerer can convert any spell slot including 9th level into sorcerer points, your table only goes up to 5th level. Would it be easier just to state that when a sorcerer converts a spell slot into sorcerer points the sorcerer gains one additional sorcerer point?

“Unearthed Arcana”
Because this feature only gives the sorcerer access to one spell, why don’t you just open it up to any casters spell list?

Blackflight
2019-03-27, 03:32 AM
“Spellbinding”
If I’m not mistaken the sorcerer can convert any spell slot including 9th level into sorcerer points, your table only goes up to 5th level. Would it be easier just to state that when a sorcerer converts a spell slot into sorcerer points the sorcerer gains one additional sorcerer point?

“Unearthed Arcana”
Because this feature only gives the sorcerer access to one spell, why don’t you just open it up to any casters spell list?

Yeah. I agree that it is a bit wonky that the table doesn´t extend to high level spells. I initially made this feature to match the opposite table of converting sorcery points into spell slots. I´ve added the lvl 6+ spells to the table as well now.

As for the unearthed arcana feature, i´m a bit torn on this - clerics, druids, rangers and paladins are often considered divine magic users (at least in d&d 3.5). While changing the feature to allow any kind of spell would add more versatility, I´m afraid it sort of beats the theme of magic being of arcane origin for this subclass.