Segev
2019-07-25, 02:56 PM
In Pathfinder, they gave Sorcerers a new mechanic: bloodlines. They did similarly for wizards with their arcane traditions. And some of what I'm going to say here applies to wizards, as well, but for some reason it stands out more to me on sorcerers.
Other classes in Pathfinder, like the Rogue, Investigator, Witch, Soulknife, Magus, even the Fighter have talents or hexes or other slottable class features that you pick and choose to build a unique structure and type into your class. You can buid towards a singular synergy, towards a theme, or just pick and choose all over.
Bloodlines are...fixed. You pick one, and get those particular powers. Every Infernal-blooded sorcerer has the same bloodline arcana and bonus spells, etc.
Now, objectively, sorcerers have tremendous flexibility to customize their spell selection. But for some reason, that doesn't feel quite the same. Maybe it's that it's just 20ish years old as a concept and PF is only 13ish, and so the slottable class features are newer? But I doubt that. I think part of it is that, for the most part, the class features are at-will abilities, or otherwise interesting unique powers. Spells consume slots, have to be cast, have durations, and are available to wizards and a number of other various classes.
The idea of building to a theme can also apply to a sorcerer's spell selection, but is almost warred against by their narrow number of spells known: lock yourself too into a theme, and you create deep vulnerabilities. Somehow, this feeling isn't transmitted by Blade Skills or Weapon Mastery or Hexes.
Am I just thinking about it wrong? Am I missing something? Or is there something to this? IF so, what is it? I'm not really sure I'm putting my finger on why I get this feeling about Sorcerers.
Even Psions, which have a similar fixed progression for their Disciplines, feel more interestingly unique; the powers they get feel like something special to that Discipline, rather than somewhat generic ribbons the way most Sorcerer Bloodline Arcana do. (Admittedly, the Shapechanger getting really long-duration self-transmutations is nice, but the 3.5 Changeling race has a more interesting feeling unique power. And the Infernal bloodline is great for a charm-focused sorcerer, but still is just bigger numbers for DCs.) So maybe that's it? Sorcerer Bloodlines don't actually give unique powers, as a general rule? Could they, and nto be overpowered? One of my favorites out of Psion is Nomad's Step, for instance, which nothing else quite matches, especially at 2nd level.
Other classes in Pathfinder, like the Rogue, Investigator, Witch, Soulknife, Magus, even the Fighter have talents or hexes or other slottable class features that you pick and choose to build a unique structure and type into your class. You can buid towards a singular synergy, towards a theme, or just pick and choose all over.
Bloodlines are...fixed. You pick one, and get those particular powers. Every Infernal-blooded sorcerer has the same bloodline arcana and bonus spells, etc.
Now, objectively, sorcerers have tremendous flexibility to customize their spell selection. But for some reason, that doesn't feel quite the same. Maybe it's that it's just 20ish years old as a concept and PF is only 13ish, and so the slottable class features are newer? But I doubt that. I think part of it is that, for the most part, the class features are at-will abilities, or otherwise interesting unique powers. Spells consume slots, have to be cast, have durations, and are available to wizards and a number of other various classes.
The idea of building to a theme can also apply to a sorcerer's spell selection, but is almost warred against by their narrow number of spells known: lock yourself too into a theme, and you create deep vulnerabilities. Somehow, this feeling isn't transmitted by Blade Skills or Weapon Mastery or Hexes.
Am I just thinking about it wrong? Am I missing something? Or is there something to this? IF so, what is it? I'm not really sure I'm putting my finger on why I get this feeling about Sorcerers.
Even Psions, which have a similar fixed progression for their Disciplines, feel more interestingly unique; the powers they get feel like something special to that Discipline, rather than somewhat generic ribbons the way most Sorcerer Bloodline Arcana do. (Admittedly, the Shapechanger getting really long-duration self-transmutations is nice, but the 3.5 Changeling race has a more interesting feeling unique power. And the Infernal bloodline is great for a charm-focused sorcerer, but still is just bigger numbers for DCs.) So maybe that's it? Sorcerer Bloodlines don't actually give unique powers, as a general rule? Could they, and nto be overpowered? One of my favorites out of Psion is Nomad's Step, for instance, which nothing else quite matches, especially at 2nd level.