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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Ogre in the Playground
     
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    Post Starmarked Sorcerer

    This page on the homebrewery

    Marked by the sky above, you have been exposed to the magic of the heavens, whether by travel, a strange portal, or simply by a cosmic entity such a comet having marked you at birth. Whatever the source, your travels are tied to the stars that twinkle in the night sky, and they infuse your very essence.

    Starmarked Sorcerer Quirks
    At your option, you can pick from or roll on the Starmarked Sorcerer Quirks table to create a quirk for your character.

    Starmarked Sorcerer Quirks
    d6 Quirk
    1. Your eyes glow faintly in the dark
    2. When you are angry, cold lights rise from you like embers off a bonfire
    3. You converse with one particular star or constellation
    4. You sleep with your eyes open
    5. You never shiver and your breathe does not fog
    6. You are always flushed and warm to the touch



    Guiding Star
    When you choose this archetype at 1st letter, you learn the Radiant Flame cantrip, which doesn't count against the number of sorcerer cantrips you know. As an action, you can also create a small hovering light, resembling a star, shining down on a point on the ground you can see up to 120 feet away. The light shines dim light on that point a 60 foot tall cylinder with a 5 foot radius.

    Suffusion of Sun
    At 1st level, you can use a bonus action on your turn to suffuse your attacks and spells with distant flame. When you do so, one target you hit with an attack or spell before the end of your turn takes an extra 1d4 fire damage.

    This damage increases as you gain sorcerer levels. It increases to 2d4 at 6th level, 3d4 at 14th level, and 4d4 at 18th level. Starting at 14th level, you can choose to deal radiant damage with this feature instead of fire damage.

    This is intended as a feature competing with Quickened Spell. It should be weaker than casting an additional cantrip, as you lose the damage on a miss, but this doesn't cost sorcery points. Hopefully it gives a slight edge to other metamagics for PCs of this subclass?

    Searing Starlight
    Starting at 6th level, you are inured to the heat of the stars. You gain resistance to fire and radiant damage. In addition, whenever you start casting a spell of 1st level or higher that deals fire or radiant damage, starbidden magic erupts from you. Creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or be blinded until the start of your next turn.

    Trek to Distant Stars
    At 14th level, your connection to far off celestial objects allow you to travel as far as they reach. When you are in bright or dim light, as a bonus action, you can teleport up to 120 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in bright or dim light.

    Knockoffs of the 6th level Storm Sorcery and Shadow Magic features.

    Form of Starlight
    Starting at 18th level, you can spend 5 sorcery points as a bonus action to transform yourself into a form of pure starlight. In this form, you no longer need to breath, have immunity to fire and radiant damage, you deal your suffusion of sun damage each turn without having to spend a bonus action, and a creature that takes damage from your suffusion of sun must make a saving throw against your spell save DC or be blinded until the start of your next turn. You also gain resistance to cold, force, and nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage.

    You remain in this form for 1 minute. It ends early if you are incapacitated, if you die, or if you dismiss it as a bonus action.

    This feature in particular I'm worried is a bit weak. it mostly builds off of the 1st level feature, and costs sorcery points. On the other hand, it improved your action economy slightly, so it might still allow for some very strong options.
    Last edited by sandmote; 2021-02-24 at 06:38 PM.

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    Halfling in the Playground
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    Default Re: Starmarked Sorcerer

    Is the intention that the Suffusion of Sun bonus action must be taken prior to making the attack or casting the spell? Because that was not totally clear from the description of the feature but appears to be implied by your comment about the feature. Also, how does this interact with spells? For instance, if you cast Fireball can you use the Suffusion of Sun damage against one of the creatures that took half damage after successfully saving against the fireball? Because that makes the ability totally reliable for save for half spells, and much more valuable for are spells even if they are save for no damage.

    Also there is a typo in Suffusion of Sun. I am sure you do not intended to add 43 dice of damage at level 14.

    The level 6 and 14 features look fine.

    I understand your concern about the level 18 feature. Maybe add resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage?

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    Default Re: Starmarked Sorcerer

    This sounds cool! I can see a DM working astrology into it somehow.

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    Default Re: Starmarked Sorcerer

    Quote Originally Posted by kosh49 View Post
    Is the intention that the Suffusion of Sun bonus action must be taken prior to making the attack or casting the spell? Because that was not totally clear from the description of the feature but appears to be implied by your comment about the feature. Also, how does this interact with spells? For instance, if you cast Fireball can you use the Suffusion of Sun damage against one of the creatures that took half damage after successfully saving against the fireball?
    Would it work if I reworded it to work like a Paladin's smite, just requiring a bonus action? Although that might be too strong...

    Alternatively, specify that it deals half damage if the target successfully makes a saving throw, and full damage if they fail or the attack uses an attacks roll?

    Quote Originally Posted by SandyAndy View Post
    This sounds cool! I can see a DM working astrology into it somehow.
    Actually, the 4e version this draws from had an astrology thing going on, with different benefits based on the sun, moon, and stars that you shift between; I think its a bit too complex for 5e. But yeah, an innately knowledgeable astrologer could work pretty well with the crunch, although the theme might limit your spell choice a bit.

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    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Default Re: Starmarked Sorcerer

    I like this!

    Guiding Star

    Sacred Flame would also be a thematic cantrip to add. The sorcerer spell list has no real options for dealing radiant damage until 4th level spells. Keep this in mind for the bonus spells too (Guiding bolt, etc.).

    Suffusion of Sun

    If this works on ALL spells, not just damaging ones, it is very competitive with other options.

    Searing Starlight
    Very good, but what about tweaking it to: "Whenever you cast a spell that deals fire or radiant damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point. If you do, any creature that takes damage from the spell must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or be blinded until the start of your next turn."

    Trek to Distant Stars

    Knockoffs are fine, especially if they are good.

    Form of Starlight

    6 SP is too much for this. That's 2 heighten or 6 empowers for not enough return. You could cut it to 3SP, or eliminate the cost entirely, and be fine.

    Adding an SP cost should come with a couple more goodies like flight = land speed and/or resistance to weapon attack damage. Add in vulnerability to cold and you have a very "star body" theme going.

    Change the Suffusion boost to:
    "Every target you hit with an attack or spell takes your Suffusion of Sun damage and this does not use you bonus action."
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    Default Re: Starmarked Sorcerer

    Quote Originally Posted by Zaile View Post
    If this works on ALL spells, not just damaging ones, it is very competitive with other options.
    it's intended to work with most spells, but should I specify the damage is dealt after the effects of the feature? I'm not sure about letting it overlap with control spell like hideouts laughter-- the subclass is meant to be more of a blaster.

    That said, I think I'm adding Sacred Flame and some more resistances at 18th. Edit: in doing so, I've also replaced with lesser Dancing Lights effect with something more specific to the subclass (and the new thing in meant to work indoors).

    Quote Originally Posted by Zaile View Post
    Searing Starlight
    Very good, but what about tweaking it to: "Whenever you cast a spell that deals fire or radiant damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point. If you do, any creature that takes damage from the spell must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or be blinded until the start of your next turn."

    Change the Suffusion boost to:
    "Every target you hit with an attack or spell takes your Suffusion of Sun damage and this does not use you bonus action."
    Both of these become incredibly broken if you're running any sort of large scale combat. I'd rather just let you stack Suffusion of Sun and hasted spell + twinned cantrip on the same turn; it's strong enough.
    Last edited by sandmote; 2021-02-24 at 06:40 PM.

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    Default Re: Starmarked Sorcerer

    Quote Originally Posted by sandmote View Post
    it's intended to work with most spells, but should I specify the damage is dealt after the effects of the feature? I'm not sure about letting it overlap with control spell like hideouts laughter-- the subclass is meant to be more of a blaster.

    That said, I think I'm adding Sacred Flame and some more resistances at 18th. Edit: in doing so, I've also replaced with lesser Dancing Lights effect with something more specific to the subclass (and the new thing in meant to work indoors).

    Both of these become incredibly broken if you're running any sort of large scale combat. I'd rather just let you stack Suffusion of Sun and hasted spell + twinned cantrip on the same turn; it's strong enough.
    1. I think in needs to be damage > feature, otherwise it could negate the effects of spells like sleep.

    2. Agree on potential OP on AOE part, but isn't that the point of a blaster? I still think letting each creature hit by fire/radiant spells while in starform take Suffusion damage is very blastey and on theme.
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    Default Re: Starmarked Sorcerer

    Quote Originally Posted by Zaile View Post
    1. I think in needs to be damage > feature, otherwise it could negate the effects of spells like sleep.
    The intent was specifically to interfere with spells like sleep, as I'm worried about the power of it. If that's too weak I can change it, but I'm not sure it needs the buff.

    2. Agree on potential OP on AOE part, but isn't that the point of a blaster? I still think letting each creature hit by fire/radiant spells while in starform take Suffusion damage is very blastey and on theme.[/QUOTE] OP relative to other blaster options. The effect would be about the same as upcasting fireball by 3 spell levels. For every fireball you cast. For a full minute.

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    Default Re: Starmarked Sorcerer

    Quote Originally Posted by sandmote View Post
    The intent was specifically to interfere with spells like sleep, as I'm worried about the power of it. If that's too weak I can change it, but I'm not sure it needs the buff.

    2. Agree on potential OP on AOE part, but isn't that the point of a blaster? I still think letting each creature hit by fire/radiant spells while in starform take Suffusion damage is very blastey and on theme.
    OP relative to other blaster options. The effect would be about the same as upcasting fireball by 3 spell levels. For every fireball you cast. For a full minute.[/QUOTE]

    I think having the damage happen, then the effect won't be too powerful. Look at it with stronger spells like hold person. If you do the damage after, it always crits if the spell succeeds.

    I think "everyone can cast sleep" vs "well I can damage and cast sleep" is unique and not OP for a sub-class.

    Good point about the damage. Was your original intent for the sorcerer to just deal damage to one creature as a free action every round? Move > Action > Bonus > free xd4 to 1 target?
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    Default Re: Starmarked Sorcerer

    Quote Originally Posted by Zaile View Post
    I think "everyone can cast sleep" vs "well I can damage and cast sleep" is unique and not OP for a sub-class.
    I suppose. Given the example of Hold Person, I guess I'll switch the order. Edit: After double checking, it is unlikely Suffusion of Sun's damage will crit on a paralyzed target, because not all attacks auto-crit against some paralyzed:

    Quote Originally Posted by Appendix A of the Player Handbook
    Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.
    Quote Originally Posted by Zaile View Post
    Good point about the damage. Was your original intent for the sorcerer to just deal damage to one creature as a free action every round? Move > Action > Bonus > free xd4 to 1 target?
    The original intent was a damage increase that isn't usable with the Hasted Spell/Twinned Cantrip combo that's very common for sorcerers. That would then (hopefully) make other Metamagic effects better choices in comparison, because you're giving up less damage by choosing them.
    Last edited by sandmote; 2021-03-04 at 10:56 AM.

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