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redmordred
2020-07-12, 12:01 PM
Here's my first attempt at homebrewing a subclass. Tips and suggestions welcome.

The power of the elements courses through your veins.

Primordial Ancestor

At 1st level, you choose one type of elemental as your ancestor. The damage type associated with each elemental is used by features you later gain.


Ancestry
Damage Type
Movement


Acid
Acid
Swim


Air
Thunder
Fly


Earth
Force
Burrow


Fire
Fire
Land


Gravity
Force
Fly


Ice
Cold
Burrow


Lightning
Lightning
Fly


Steam
Fire
Fly


Venom
Poison
Swim


Water
Cold
Swim



You can speak, read, and write Primordial. Additionally, whenever you make a Charisma check when interacting with elementals, your proficiency bonus is doubled if it applies to the check.


Primordial Magic

At 1st level, your innate primordial heritage allows you to alter your spells. You can turn any spell you cast that deals elemental damage (acid, cold, fire, etc.) into the damage type associated with your ancestry. You can do this a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier and regain all uses on a short rest.


Heart of the Elements

At 6th level, you gain resistance to your damage type. In addition, whenever you start casting a spell of 1st level or higher that deals elemental damage, this power erupts from you. This eruption causes creatures of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of you to take elemental damage equal to half your sorcerer level (minimum of 1).


Elemental Movement

At 14th level, you gain a special movement based on your ancestry equal to your walking speed.

If you already possess the chosen movement type then you add 10 feet to your existing movement while wearing light or no armor and as a bonus action on your turn, you can choose to increase your movement speed another 10 feet or gain a flying speed of 10 feet until the end of your turn. If you end your turn in the air, you fall. You can use this ability an number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regaining all expended uses upon a long rest.

In addition if you have a swim speed you can breathe underwater and if you have fly speed you can hover. If you have a burrow speed then packed or loose earth is considered difficult terrain and you are unable to burrow through solid rock.


Primordial Soul

At 18th level, you become altered by power of your ancestors. You gain the following benefits:

• Immunity to your damage type.

• You no longer need to eat, drink, or sleep.

• You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.



I know there are other elemental subclasses like Sea, Stone, and Storm sorcery but I kinda wanted one that adjustable and all encompassing while showcasing the powers of an elemental. Is this thing balance? Overpowered? Underpowered? Needs work? Would this or that mechanic work better if you ______? Would it be better just to make a subclass for every elemental type? I'm kinda interest in adding Dust, Smoke, and Magma. Should I rework this into a subclass for secondary and hybrid elements instead and leave out that classical ones?

EDIT: Updated abilities to reflect feedback.

JNAProductions
2020-07-13, 09:00 AM
Primordial Ancestor, fine.

Primordial Magic, NOT FINE. It's either OP (Gravity means that literally ONE MONSTER in the entire game has resistance or immunity to your damage) or atrocious (Venom means half the goddamn Monster Manual has immunity) and either way, it's bad. Offer the ability to, Charisma Mod times per Short Rest, change any damage you deal with a spell to your ancestor's type, or something like that.

Heart Of The Elements seems fine.

Elemental Movement is fine when it grants a Swim or Fly speed.
A Burrow speed is kinda iffy, though, and doubling your Land speed is probably too good.

Primordial Soul should have non-magical Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing, same as a high-level War Cleric gets. Otherwise fine.

redmordred
2020-07-13, 07:56 PM
Thank you for the input. I hadn't really considered the effectiveness (good or bad) of the elemental damages themselves. I also adjusted the movement to better reflect the utility of each type and the idea I had around them. Mainly in how fire affects movement, kinda like the having the ability to temporarily propel jets of flame from you feet to boost your speed.

Does anyone think adding a second minor utility ability at level 6 would be too much (as the Storm Sorcery subclass) or should I maybe make it a more modular ability like the Elemental Movement?