Arcanist [Sorcerous Origin]

[Dhavaer]

Arcanist

Not all sorcerers gain their powers early and easily. Many require a catalyst - stress, violence, exposure to other magic. For the sorcerers known as arcanists, their catalyst was education; they studied and trained as wizards until, one day, they exhibited powers far in excess of what their lessons should have granted them

Spellbook
You start with a spellbook containing a number of level 1 Wizard spells equal to your Intelligence modifier. You may add an additional spell of a level you can cast whenever you gain a Sorcerer level.

In addition to your spells known you may prepare a number of spells from your spellbook equal to the lower of your Intelligence modifier and proficiency bonus. You may change your prepared spells after a long rest. From level 2, you may spend a Sorcery point as a bonus action to replace one prepared spell.

See the Wizard class description for rules on adding spells to your spellbook.

Ritual Caster
You may cast any ritual spell from your spells known or spellbook as a ritual. You do not need to have the spell prepared as long as you have your spellbook.

Analytical Caster
At level 6, you gain the ability to add your Intelligence modifier to the damage of your cantrips and any checks you make as part of casting a spell that you do not already add your proficiency modifier to.


Synthesis of Blood and Ink
At level 14, if you prepare a spell that is also one of your spells known, you may apply two metamagic effects when you cast that spell and the total cost of the metamagic is reduced by half your Intelligence modifier rounded up.

Empowered Rituals
At level 14, you may spend a sorcery point to reduce the additional time to cast a spell as a ritual to 1 minute.

High Sorcery
At level 18, you may cast any spell of a level equal to or less than your Intelligence modifier that does not have an expensive material component, without using a spell slot. You may use this ability once per short or long rest.

[JNAProductions]

Synthesis of Blood and Ink
At level 14, if you prepare a spell that is also one of your spells known, you may apply two metamagic effects when you cast that spell and the total cost of the metamagic is reduced by half your Intelligence modifier rounded up.

This NEEDS a minimum 1 Sorcery Point clause.

With an Int of 12, the following metamagics are free:
Careful
Distant
Empowered
Extended
Subtle
Transmuted

With an Int of 16, Quickened and Seeking become free.

And with an Int of 20, Heightened becomes free.

[MrStabby]

Arcanist

Not all sorcerers gain their powers early and easily. Many require a catalyst - stress, violence, exposure to other magic. For the sorcerers known as arcanists, their catalyst was education; they studied and trained as wizards until, one day, they exhibited powers far in excess of what their lessons should have granted them

I like the theme and think it could be something fun.

Spellbook
You start with a spellbook containing a number of level 1 Wizard spells equal to your Intelligence modifier. You may add an additional spell of a level you can cast whenever you gain a Sorcerer level.

In addition to your spells known you may prepare a number of spells from your spellbook equal to the lower of your Intelligence modifier and proficiency bonus. You may change your prepared spells after a long rest. From level 2, you may spend a Sorcery point as a bonus action to replace one prepared spell.

See the Wizard class description for rules on adding spells to your spellbook.

I don't really get this ability. If you want a spell book play a wizard... the class even wants intelligence, further minimising the difference. And the sorcerer pretty much only has wizard spells anyway (so it isn't like the arcana cleric that gets it on a different class). To me this kind of screams 'wizard but also gets metamagic' which might euphemistically be described as hard to balance. The smaller number of prepared spells relaive to the wizard isn't even a major hinderance as there are oly a few that are likey to get swapped round much anyway.

I guess it doesn't help that I don't like adding spells known or equivalent to the sorcerer - its balance hinges around having to make difficult spell selections. Recent sorcerer subclasses that bypass this weakness through more spells known are, to my mind, much much more powerful than the others and the older sorcerer subclasses seemed pretty much in the middle of the pack when it came to character power.

Ritual Caster
You may cast any ritual spell from your spells known or spellbook as a ritual. You do not need to have the spell prepared as long as you have your spellbook.

A modest benefit, but a good one. This works for me as part of the theme.

Analytical Caster
At level 6, you gain the ability to add your Intelligence modifier to the damage of your cantrips and any checks you make as part of casting a spell that you do not already add your proficiency modifier to.

I would say this is a very cool ability but its worth comparing it to others. Its basically the abjuration wizard's level six ability but also working for spells like telekinesis (possibly) and boosting damage, at the cost of needing higher int. Whilst it kind of works, I think it is going to step on the toes of the abjuration wizard a bit much. I might be tempted to add something like Int to concentration saves instead of to spell checks (and power unlocked through sudy seems like it should be great at concentrating).

Synthesis of Blood and Ink
At level 14, if you prepare a spell that is also one of your spells known, you may apply two metamagic effects when you cast that spell and the total cost of the metamagic is reduced by half your Intelligence modifier rounded up.

What?! This is crazy. Free metamagic? Even getting to apply two metamagics for less than the cost that other sorcerers get to apply one is crazy.

Empowered Rituals
At level 14, you may spend a sorcery point to reduce the additional time to cast a spell as a ritual to 1 minute.

Cool, nice. I really like that the sorcerer is nowa great ritual caster. Could maybe use something more at this level as well though.

High Sorcery
At level 18, you may cast any spell of a level equal to or less than your Intelligence modifier that does not have an expensive material component, without using a spell slot. You may use this ability once per short or long rest.

Yeah, fine.


I worry that this origin as it is has the best metamagic and, through the wizard spell list, the best spells, and it also gets aditional flexability and access just to more spells. It feels kind of like this sorcerer is the best at everything. Then you get further benefits like ritual casting and bonus damage added on. I get that its MAD, and this is a real cost, but it might not be as much as you think - with access to the wizard list there are plenty of summoning spells, conjured walls, buffs etc. that can be cast if you want to dump CHA and focus on Int to use all the origin abilities. You get to play a wizard with metamagic and free proficiency in Con saves and still pick up powerful additional abilities.

[Old Harry MTX]

The idea is interesting, but I feel that it should be a wizard's subclass that add metamagic, rather than a sorcerer's one that add a spellbook. I would probably keep the MAD dependance from Charisma, for example, the number of sorcery points could depends from your Charisma MOD.