Royal Blood Sorcerer

[Yunru]

Royalty Crystal:
Starting when you choose this origin at 1st level, you can manifest a crystalline representation of your magic as a bonus action. You can cast spells through this crystal, causing it to glow with an inner light that sheds bright light for 10 feet, and dim light for an additional 10 feet. The glow, and the light shed, increases by 10 feet for each slot level used. You can dismiss the crystal with a bonus action.
You can forgo costly material components up to 500 gp in value when using your crystal, although the crystal becomes more ethereal when used in place of costly components that are consumed, reducing the value it can replace by the same amount. When the crystal becomes entirely ethereal (reaches 0 gp), you can’t manifest it again until you complete a long rest.

Beginnings of Power:
Starting at 1st level, when you cast a sorcerer spell through your royalty crystal, you can choose one of the following effects:
• You regain Sorcery Points equal to half the spell’s level.
• You add half your proficiency modifier to the attack roll and saving throw DCs of the spell.

Potentia Rex:
Starting at 6th level, when you cast a sorcerer spell through your royalty crystal, the spell is one level higher than the slot used to cast it.

Crystal Break:
At 14th level, you can partially shatter your crystal in order to protect yourself. When you are hit by a ranged or melee attack that you can see, you can use your reaction to deal 5d10 force damage in a 15 foot cone in the direction of the attack. Creatures in the cone can make a Dexterity saving throw against your Spell DC, taking half as much damage on a success. The attack’s damage is reduced by the amount rolled. This causes your crystal to become 20% more ethereal (100 gp).

Bow Before Royalty:
Beginning at 18th level, once per day, you can choose to unleash the full power of your crystal when you cast a sorcerer spell with it. If you do, double the casting time of the spell and choose one of the following:
• Triple the range of the spell, and any ranges listed in its effect.
• Triple the damage dealt by the spell.
• Targets of the spell make any saves at disadvantage. Additionally, for the first save against the spell, each creature must roll an additional die and take the lowest result.

[Yunru]

So, as is probably obvious, the subclass focuses around the manifestation of your magic into a crystal. This crystal basically serves double duty as a foci (with the 1st level feature putting it around the level of a Rod of the Pact Keeper) and as material components with a price (being effectively partially consumed).

While powerful (although, the hope is not too powerful), using the crystal is also showy, and not good for stealth. Indeed, for the capstone you make yourself a large target just to use it.

[Segev]

A bit on the strong side, but not...too much, mostly. I was initially concerned by Crystal Break - a high-ish damage AoE that also reduces damage you take as a reaction is potent, especially usable up to 5x per long rest (even if it taps a resource used by other abilities). But it IS the level 14 ability.

The 500 gp per day of free material components might be a bit much at level 1. Maybe make it 100 gp at level 1, 300 gp at level 5, and 500 gp at level 10?

I could see a cleric dipping one level of this for the crystal in order to get free castings of revivification, for instance.

[Yunru]

Hmm, you have a very valid point about the dips. The 500 gp was quite deliberately designed to line up with Raise Dead's cost, but there's no reason it has to start out that high. Maybe 50x Sorcerer level?

For Crystal Break, also note that it's neither friendly, nor a spell (so not metamagic/sculpt-able), so there may be situations where you don't want to use it.

Edit: And I realise the wording on Potential Rex wouldn't work, since up casting is worded based on the slot used.
Maybe "upcast 1 additional level"? Or "when you cast a spell, the slot is considered one level higher" (but that make become ambiguous for if you can use 1st level slots to cast 2nd level spells)?

[Segev]

Hmm, you have a very valid point about the dips. The 500 gp was quite deliberately designed to line up with Raise Dead's cost, but there's no reason it has to start out that high. Maybe 50x Sorcerer level? Might work. A thought: do you want it to diminish even when the material is not consumed? Or do you want, for example, a Royal Sorcerer to be able to cast chromatic orb with just the spell slot and the crystal, as many times as he has spell slots to support?

The exact rate of advance and maximum price it can replace is a tricky question to answer. It might need some examination of spells at various levels you want them to be able to cast versus what you want dips to enable.

Note, too, that raise dead is not a Sorcerer spell, and the primary way to get it on their list is a different bloodline, so having this bloodline precludes having that option.


For Crystal Break, also note that it's neither friendly, nor a spell (so not metamagic/sculpt-able), so there may be situations where you don't want to use it.True.


And I realise the wording on Potential Rex wouldn't work, since up casting is worded based on the slot used.
Maybe "upcast 1 additional level"? Or "when you cast a spell, the slot is considered one level higher" (but that make become ambiguous for if you can use 1st level slots to cast 2nd level spells)?Hm. I did know what you meant when I read it.

Perhaps: "Starting at 6th level, when you cast a spell that has a greater effect when cast from a higher level than its minimum, it has effect as if cast from a spell slot one level higher than you actually expend. The spell must be able to be cast from the spell slot actually used without benefit from this ability, however; you could not, for example, cast a fireball from a 2nd level spell slot with this ability."

[RecordedChaos]

Might want to look into the Destined bloodline for sorcerers in pathfinder, they did it pretty neat and it might give you some ideas.

[Damon_Tor]

This is interesting from a mechanical perspective, but I'm not clear on the lore. How does this tie into royal bloodlines? Is this specific to a Homebrew setting?

[Yunru]

This is interesting from a mechanical perspective, but I'm not clear on the lore. How does this tie into royal bloodlines? Is this specific to a Homebrew setting?

Yes :P
Long story short, I was playing Long Live the Queen, where the Royal line all inherit the ability to manifest magical crystals.

For vanilla, either change the name, or assume it's some long-dead Sorcerer kingdom.