Dungeons and Dragons lore: Sorcerer Player Character Class

[@leorblumenthal5239]

Having played a Human Sorcerer in 3.5 to 12th level, and having a player with a 15th level Storm Sorcerer in my 5E game, I've learned a few tricks to playing the class. First, your AC will be terrible. Even with Mage Armor or the Draconic Sorcerer's natural armor, you're going to have a low AC. Stay out of melee. In 3.5 you may be tempted to wear light armor. Don't. The chance of spell failure is too much, even if its only 10%. Take a few utility spells. Fly is a good choice for a utility spell, as you can cast it ob yourself to stay out of melee or cast it on a melee fighter to deal with flying foes. In 3.5 there is a spell called Mass Fly which lets the whole party fly. In 5E you can spend higher level slots to add more targets to Fly. In 5E don't rely on a single attack cantrip. Diversify, such as with Ray of Frost and Firebolt. That way if a foe is immune or resistant to one type, you can fall back on the other. Note that some fiends are immune to multiple types of damage! In both 3.5 and 5E you can swap out spells that you don't want anymore. If a spell stops being effective, swap it out. Sleep is a good candidate for this. If you take Quicken Spell in 5E, save it for a high level spell, rather than a cantrip. The way using a bonus action to cast a spell works in 5E is that you can't use your action to cast anything but a cantrip. It doesn't pay to spend Sorcerery Points to cast two cantrips in one turn. Instead quicken Fireball and then pick off survivors with your ranged cantrip. Sorcerers should dump Intelligence. Even in 3.5, its not worth taking a high Intelligence score for skill points. Focus on a high Charisma, followed by Dexterity and Constitution. In a party with a Wizard and a Sorcerer, let the Wizard focus on battlefield control while you focus on blasting enemies. My 5E campaign has a Bladesinger Wizard and a Storm Sorcerer. The Wizard prepares Wall of Force to herd enemies, while the Sorcerer flies overhead zapping them with chain lightning. Its an effective combination.

[@Hektols]

Monks need to have good stats in everything in order to be effective.

[@ericcloud1023]

Really comprehensive little guide! You sir are clearly a veteran D&D'r and my level 4 half-orc would follow you.... his intelligence of 6 just confirms it! Lol

[@AmaryInkawult]

Very effective strategies. And yes, even with Draconic bloodlines AC you're still pretty defense starved but hey it's better than wearing armor and risking spell chances. We're called Glass Cannons for a reason.

[@dhammer5842]

If you can score that coveted 20 dex score you will be able to get to 18 with just the mage armor or natural draconic, Eladrin is a good choice. Then proceed to beg and plead for a ring and cloak of protection or bracers if you want to burn the attunement slot.

[@zoestrassfield9352]

I can vouch for all of this, I’m currently playing a Warforged Storm Sorceress and even with Internal Protection, I tend to lose half my HP in one attack if I get hit, and in my past two sessions I’ve been “deactivated” (dropped to 0 HP) and had to be rescued by my friends. I tend to rely on Magic Missile and Shocking Grasp, but last time we ended up breaking into a wizards’ lab and almost everybody could Shield... whoops.

[@TheSubscriberWithNothing]

I've always liked the idea of a sorcerer who uses con as a casting stat, representing that a sorcerer is physically altered in some way by their magic.

[@DCBruinsMedia]

Coming back to this *five years later* to confirm that a CON sorcerer is a lot of fun. The power curve in fights is a bit higher than a standard charisma caster due to beefier hitpoints and better concentration checks, but it doesn't feel *too* crazy. Run it by the DM, of course. It also unlocks some refreshing rp prompts of playing a low charisma powerhouse, shyly stumbling over their words before accidentally blowing a wall down by sneezing.

[@rezonpokemon3854]

I read a funny comment that perfectly describes the spell casters. Grades in school: *Wizards* study to get an A. *Sorcerers* sleep in class and still get an A. *Warlocks* sleep with the teacher to get that A. Thats how you can sum them up pretty simply.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

XD

[@alexkregel8915]

Their grade is more baced their on self control.

[@jacobfreeman5444]

@sum body I would say wizards are book smart and clerics are street smart. A wizard may know much they have learned from books or study. A cleric would have a greater understanding of themselves and others through self-reflection. They intuit the lessons of life better. So a cleric would get that A through related life experience. Maybe they frequently work in gardens and such, and that test is on botany.

[@joshshin6819]

More like the Warlock was failing so damn bad they had to make a deal just to get a C to pass. Fucking the teacher woulda been Bard since they are an Arcane Caster as well

[@peytonsims5380]

So then for comparison of spellcastors, wizards were the nerds in magic high school, sorcerers were the jocks, clerics were the nice one who were never in trouble, bards were the class clowns and popular kids, warlocks were the bad kids who cheated on there tests to pass, and druids were really environmentalists who were gone from school a lot but still got ok grades. Is that about right?

[@wjefoiafjalfkjadfjk7045]

Peyton Sims Sorcerers are the gifted and talented students. Paladins are the religious and political kids. Magic initiate Fighters are the jocks.

[@elijuhtobler1470]

"if power is good then more power is better" AJ 2018 thanks i'll remember that.

[@Anacronian]

One of the best characters I have played from a role playing standpoint is a Neutral Good Sorcerer which spells were the kind often deemed "bad" or "evil" by other (animate dead etc etc), I played it like the character had no choice in what spells he got (I the player did but he didn't) so my character was scared of his own power and tried to hide it, Pretty fun and great role playing came from that.

[@rustyspurs771]

Refer to the Prime Constants table to determine the prime constants that can be used to cast a spell of the desired effective spell level. Then roll a number of d6s equal to the number of ranks you possess in Knowledge (engineering). Perform some combination of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division upon the numbers rolled that gives rise to one of the relevant prime constants. If you can produce one of the relevant prime constants, the spell takes effect with the declared metamagic effects, and you expend a spell slot of the unaltered spell’s level.

[@AJPickett]

Worst rule ever made for the game.

[@lordnaarghul]

10:25 I actually have an amazing story that came from an epic failure. Our party was being ambushed by a bandit raid on the road, and the barbarian in our party went to attack one of their warriors. However, he critically failed his attack roll and ended up tossing his greataxe behind himself. He then rolled a critical success on an intimidate check, saying "I don't need it." The poor bandit shat himself and ran screaming into the forest, and severely demoralized most of the rest. My character, a wizard, then melted the face off of another poor bandit with a Scorching Ray, and the DM decided to roll to see if this event routed them. It did. The rest of the bandits fled in just as much terror as the first. The barbarian never went back for his axe. He just picked up the melted face's axe and carried on with the adventure. The DM was so impressed with this series of events he awarded us an entire level earlier than he'd originally intended. It did lead to a good fight with the bandit chief a little while later.

[@raen19]

I absolutely love this class. Sorcerer has basically been my "go to" class since 3rd edition. Often I'll just see what a party is lacking and run with that, but if I have any excuse to play Sorcerer I sure as hell will! Awesome vid AJ!

[@AJPickett]

Wow, long time no comment Brother Silence, I have missed you :)

[@raen19]

Yeah i should comment more often. Definitely still watching though. Should really try to catch up with you soon too.

[@gerbill13]

honestly never played them. so far never had a go to class

[@gerbill13]

join the discord bruv

[@raen19]

I really should. Need to find some d&d that can work with my odd working hours, or at least people to talk shop with.

[@antwan1357]

I always wanted to think of Sorcerers as X-men's Mutants each Sorcerer is born with a special gift that makes them special.

[@nimbarzentivos1237]

I've been waiting on your dissertation on this subject. Loved it. My sorcerer, Godam Zeuslayer was born from an ancient Priest-king bloodline and matched with the infernal blood of the Tieflings. He was acknowledged as a Favored Soul (UA) when an other-world being "touched" him during a summoning. Priests of Darkness quickly began training him in the Priesthood, so he has the Background of Acolyte. He is very devout. We've home-brewed Favored and Divine Soul so that he can have the Affinity Spell at first level (and 2 more at higher level), but keep the Blessed Countenance at 6th level, and immunity to disease and poison at 14th. (Not everyone wants wings). Someday he will rule his people as did the Priest-kings of old......

[@spectralimages8961]

Mr Pickett. It's time. I'm clutching an old dead lizard and my favourite shiny. I must have an ecology: Gully Dwarf!

[@00784865]

Warlock/Sorcerers or Paladin/Sorcerers can be very op.Twined hold person into a bonus action fireball,or even better,ligthning bolt with the tempest clerics channel divinitiy.

[@nullvoid4063]

Nice work AJ, thanks for answering my previous comments. It makes me feel like part of the community.

[@AJPickett]

You are most welcome Null.

[@jimwhite2541]

Your enthusiasm for the subject shows through on this one. I am glad you are having fun making videos.

[@wobblefoot7607]

Sorcerers my favorite class in D&D and Pathfinder.. I have been looking forward to this hardcore. Your narrative style gets the creative juices flowing something tough I love it. Favorite channel right here without a doubt. My last sorcerer was in a campaign with a killer DM. I got to play a Umbral dragon(pathfinder I believe) that had its draconic power flayed from it with an artifact of it's own creation. The draining left the character weak and stuck in a humanoid form. She was stuck that way till level 10ish. As a side note.. I wish magus had an analogue in 5e :( maybe I'm not looking hard enough?

[@stellaraevum799]

Wobblefoot There really isn’t a true analogue for Magus in 5e. There is the Fighter archetype the Eldritch Knight which is far more martial focused than most Magi and there is the Wizard archetype the Bladesinger which is far more casting focused than most Magi. A split between those two would likely be the best you could get.

[@DreadnoughtFiend]

Right now I have a Gnoll Sea Sorcerer level 3 right now. While he's super squishy I been having him function like a weird doctor, and I have honestly enjoyed using the cantrip to setup more powerful spells. One story from this character is using Gust to help allies over a pit trap, tricking an orc tribe into thinking he was on their side before my teammates let loose a Flail Snail, and of coarse eating the corpses of our dead enemies. Oh also he is slowly becoming team mom.

[@TealFirefox4387]

I'm currently building a Human Sorcerer based of my main Elderscrolls 5 Skyrim character. This video is a real big help

[@csadelack]

Hey AJ I'm now starting to repeat watching/listening to your vids while painting--thank you for the efforts

[@AJPickett]

Well done! I shall have to try an keep up with you. Oh, and Reaper Bones is about to deliver another horde of miniatures!

[@cypher4783]

Here's a story idea sorcerers are disappearing. Dropping hints that someone is gathering supplies for controlling spell casters. If they fallow the hints they raid a shipment of sorcerers and learning or getting a hint who's kidnapping sorcerers they fallow that imfo to a old wizards lab we're wizards are testing, terrorizing, and be killing the sorcerers as they are burned out all to learn more about magic. With the level of fear the sorcerers are experiencing the wizards would end up only learning dark and frightful spells.

[@BenMcMurray]

We had a wild mage in one of our campaigns. We wanted the wild magic effects to happen more often. So we used a set of role tables that broke the effects down by spell level strength. So we could have things happen more often and be unique and interesting with out breaking the game.

[@draxthemsklonst]

To answer you AJ: The medical professions use 'psycho-*somatic*' in reference to physical signs & symptoms of stress. Examples would be, cold sweats, increased pulse, clammy skin, hypervigilance...

[@soserious4738]

Sorcerers grill, Wizards bake. Both cook stuff, one is just a lot more of a science.

[@jacobfreeman5444]

Science is just knowing and learning the mechanics of existence. You can't cook without science. So unless you are ignoring how to cook to achieve the desired effect and just accepting whatever result you get then you are scienceing. Sorcerors have a good feel for how to achieve that result intuitively. Wizards follow detailed instructions. One can see this is why high level wizards get meta magic late where sorcerors have it early. Wizards learn to have a good feel for it. Sorcerors have it from the beginning and learn to work that intuition into more complex things.

[@TheHornedKing]

In many other settings, sorcerers and wizards are kinda combined into one. Harry Potter or Dragon Age are some good examples, where you have to be born with magical powers, but you have to study how to use those powers in a manner much like a dnd wizard does. How much of something like that is there in DnD? Do sorcerers ever do much study into magic and magical lore (not talking about outright multiclassing into wizard)?

[@effretibooyag7837]

I guess either human variant or custom lineage wizard with a meta magic adept feat or the magic initiate feat in sorcerer spells. That’s the only way without using a level in wizard to multi class to sorcerer front the start.

[@TheHornedKing]

@@effretibooyag7837 I think you must have misunderstood me, because your comment had nothing to do with what I was asking about. If I wasn't clear enough, I was talking puerely about lore, not game mechanics. And to use different words, my question is if there are anything in lore about sorcerers actually studying sorcery. Not wizardry, but sorcery. Or just studying magic in general, which in game mechanics I'm thinking would be the arcana skill.

[@Buck4811]

I’m really curious about this exact subject!

[@damienjordan3859]

Long live, Lore Master AJ!

[@alexandarvoncarsteinzarovi3723]

There several cardinal rules of magic, I always teach to my students, Nr.1, Magic is powerful, Nr.2, Magic dangerous, Nr.3, Magic is addictive, Nr.4, Magic is corruptive, Nr.5, Magic can draw the attention of being from the realms beyond. That being said magic ai about control and focus, know what you can do and what you cannot, not just throwing fireballs a rats or roaches like scarred little princess,

[@Ipanophis]

Sorcerers have always been my favorite class. Hands Down.

[@AJPickett]

I say thee nay Sorcerer! Keep thine hands where they may be seen at all times... *points wand threateningly*

[@robertmartinu8803]

@@AJPickett subtle spell - nothing beats the moment of surprise when they think they are watching diligently!

[@Ipanophis]

@@AJPickett Keeps hand up. (Silent Spell, Blindness/Deafness; Targets with Blindness on Wizard) Laughs as the wiz fails the Con Save and becomes Blinded. Walks away to the left. "You shouldn't play with your rod like that. You'll go blind."

[@bigd7861]

@@Ipanophis *slow clap* Well played, Sir! Well played!

[@jakeschreiner8567]

twin casting disintegrate is nice

[@sagesheahan6732]

That is definitely the kind of spell I would write in my spellbook like sectumsempra was spelled out in Harry Potter in just the corner of a page, and written as a note beside it was "for enemies".

[@ultimateninjaboi]

Was very happy when the Divine Soul was added to the mix. Oracle is one of my favorite Pathfinder classes (essentially the Cleric version of the Sorcerer.) And the Divine Soul lets me scratch that Oracle itch, without just being a copy of it. Being a living conduit of (ostensibly) divine power is such a fascinating idea for me.

[@flibbernodgets7018]

Mutations never occurred to me as a sorcery vector. I like that better than the heritage track because i can't imagine that many dragons are running around making half-dragon grandparents for the amount of sorcerers I've seen

[@AJPickett]

We should make a weird origins table.

[@nimbarzentivos1237]

One of many lists already on line. www.pinterest.com/gakress/dd-homebrew-sorcerous-origins-for-sorcerers/?lp=true

[@AmaryInkawult]

AJ Pickett I did come up with an origin story for my human sorcerer's family. Essentially, a red dragon offered some of its blood to a family in return for them to do its bidding. Taught them a ritual that would imbue his blood into their bodies which lasted for several generations up to my sorcerer's generation. It would have continued if my character's father didn't kill everyone in order to draw in their blood with the ritual (my character included mind you!) To gain more and more power. This did eventually get to the dragon that first gave the family it's blood and the resulting abomination the father became was the final encounter of that session. If a DM says they may use something from your character's back story for their plot, they mean it.

[@ChasoGod]

They need to add more Bloodlines for Sorcerer Such as Arcane, Undead, Fey, Terran, Aquan, Auran, Ignan, and proper Celestial and Fiend (Divine Soul is more of Deity Chosen). Also ALL Sorcerer Bloodlines should have a Bloodline Spell list, spells that the Sorcerer has access to because they are born with the ability to cast them without having to learn them. For Divine Soul I would suggest they choose a Cleric Domain and they use that as their Bloodline Spells. The way how I see a Sorcerer casting magic is that when they do their eyes, veins, and arteries close to the surface of the skin to glow.

[@AutomaticOps]

I am currently playing a Storm Sorcerer and I am having a blast casting Witch Bolt! That spell, plus being able to fly without opportunity attacks as a bonus action, and a small nova of lightning when I initially cast it. Twinning it too and dancing between my targets is a fun challenge.

[@joshuazane3210]

Chaos gnomes? You made a gnome video and this is the first time I've heard of chaos gnomes? "My disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is ruined." Not really, but they might well be my new favorite player race, because who wouldn't want to play as an eccentric or even outright unhinged gnome?

[@AJPickett]

I think I mentioned Chaos Gnomes when I was talking about the earlier editions in the Gnome video, but yeah, chaos gnomes!

[@rickeymariu1]

I was wondering when you would get to my fav caster. Thanks A.J.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

I love the idea of a mage/wizard learning magic with other mages in a school as a student, who seems to be a prodical student, but they "awaken" take over the school and distort it with their perticular influence. well corupt or convert it. honestly, sorcerers are role playing gold & you can start with annother class then, after afew months in the campagin they get hit with "Blood of the dragon" or some other O.P. critter in their bloodline that subconciously innevitably warps their personality. And beyond that sorcerers have some amazing tropes, or you can whole populations of NPC's who are sorcerers who can be ignorant of meeting strangers who can't do what they can do, or they can be ruthless imperialists, by why not something pleasent-ish but unwanted. so SO many ideas, so many possibilities for sorcerers, give me a charachter & lore and i bet i can improve it with secret sorcerery.

[@AngelusAnsell]

"oohhh my character's not proficient in that, you can do it" "oh i don't have that skill" "who's got X proficiency?" Lines I've heard so often and every time I cannot agree more. Do it anyways! Maybe you'll land it, maybe you won't be either way it'll be interesting. Having to roll a check you don't have proficiency in doesn't mean you're just gonna fail, or that you shouldn't try if it makes any sense at all to.

[@michaelkelligan7931]

I might be wrong but I haven't seen a video you've done on the various aspects of the necromancer class. Hope to see one though good vid mate keep them coming kiwi 😁

[@jacen16]

Thanks missed the class series glad for the update

[@TheRedneckGamer1979]

In 5e Shadow sorcerer is so much fun and can be a real step away from the usual blasting style of sorcerer to a more control and CC based character whom still has blasting potential. Protip: If you are playing a shadow sorcerer Subtle spell is SO GOOD

[@sameraiza5767]

My first Sorceror was Horhay of lemontree village he wanted to be a cobbler like his father by keeping his powers a secret. But when goblins attacked his powers were revieled when he saved the shop with magic. The magic council had him in the Draconium within 3 weeks

[@Greenscyth22]

Whenever I think of sorcerers I think of what in their bloodline gives them their specific spells. I understand elemental based sorcerers (dragon, fire, devilish heritage), but what about illusionist or conjuration sorcerers? Fun to create the backgrounds for what ancestry borne that ability.

[@JoshuaEFinley]

The Phoenix sorcerer can be a game breaking pyromaniac at higher levels when touch spells can be used at a distance as they can simply point at something flamable and set it ablaze!

[@Ghostneedle1]

Prophetic bolt :O Seems like you love your MTG art too.

[@MRDicristofaro]

who doesnt ?

[@AJPickett]

Exactly, there is something for everyone.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

23:00 Not yet actually, but one should take every opportunity they get, to expand their volcabuary, often different words that can be used interchangeably have slightly different meanings. That said, the authors probably just liked how the word somatic sounds.

[@dragonlord498]

currently making a monk which im going to add some sorc levels too so can get some spells which improve my unarmed attacks among other benefits

[@christianrodriguez7534]

I feel like when you multiclass sorcerer and wizard there should be some sort of bonus (like the paladin trading levels for blackguard in 3.5) Like the sorcerer's innate control of magic would enlightened the wizard in new ways to manipulate magic. Like adding Int bonus to damage rolls or allow him to break down higher level spell slots for lower ones and vice versa, or make a Constitution roll to generate/recover used spell slots. I dunno just feels like wasted potential 😕

[@huntingaliens5477]

Problem is the int vs cha

[@hamptonhansen6498]

Been playing for 2 years and could never get into the role playing part nearly well enough to enjoy the characters character, then I tried playing a wild magic sorcerer mind flayer and trying to balance his hatred of his own power and desire to eat everyone around him with a desire for power and cold calculation trying to produce a new colony without being caught has been the best RP I've ever had

[@rickeymariu1]

Yay spell scales! I love them!

[@sugar4me225]

Clever, inserting how the phoenix made no sense. hahahaha

[@flibbernodgets7018]

You'd think there would be powerful noble families nursing a sorcerous bloodline across the ages, but most of what I see is that sorcerers are always shunned weirdos or generic YA fantasy protagonists.

[@patrickmiklos7008]

It's like a birth defect, one wrong move with a sorcerer and boom, no more town.

[@smile-tl9in]

there is a lot of ideas i had about sorcerers that I could never get to play with mechanically but sounds interesting. wizard experiment to try to use sorcerous blood and transmutation magic to try to gain intuitive magic like sorcerer do. Sounds like an interesting mad scientist type villain. A sorcerer learning wizard style magic to try to gain better control on their magic and how the two style of magic would mix and clash A clan of sorcerer mercenaries who maintain the magic in the bloodline by making arranged marriages with other sorcerers, dragons, devil and various intelligent magical being. They would have their own martial arts style training to master their power. A bit on the squicky side but I can imagine an evil wizard or dragons creating a sorcerer breeding program for their evil armies. Sorcerer learn magic much faster than wizard do especially if they are born from short-lived races. Humains, kobold and half-orc would allow to create magical cannon fodder. Considering the power magic have in d&d such an army would be redoutable

[@thedragondaddydm6182]

In video games I’m always the “I got a giant stick and imma crush you with it” guy but in Dnd I decided to try out magic for the first time with a sorcerer and I gotta say I love it and only once have I played as a non magic caster in Dnd so far my favorite was an aberrant mind sorcerer I designed as a failed warlock that got mutated instead of being given power by a deal when he encountered a great old one

[@skydude7682]

Aberrant mind is my favorite too, probrably because I love the idea of psykers from 40k

[@elwoodbrown7005]

Back in the 2nd ed days, we had a homebrew game where they used mana points instead of spell slots. That made mages work like the current sorcerer class. There was a sub-class called a star-mage that could boost their mana pool when under the night sky.

[@Greatermememan]

Awesome can't wait for the next love stream.

[@dhammer5842]

Twin Hold Person and back up, let the meat shields do what they were born to do. Another good one is to Heighten Bestow Curse so that the initial saving throw is hampered, use it to impose disadvantage on Wisdom Saving Throws, doing this at level 5 will make the curse not require concentration. Then drop that Hold, or other crippling concentration spell that forces a wisdom save and watch the target have to suffer through disadvantage every round, and if a buddy has bestow or you have another casting in you do it a second time with the ability that forces a saving throw each round with a failure taking away their action. Great lock down technique.

[@chriscalvin5083]

Good video AJ

[@MRDicristofaro]

i love your idea for a random chance with spells , it gives a chance of disaster that scares even the DM at times lol . another thing iv used it a critical fail and save , which pretty much works out that if you roll a 1 or a 20 ill have you roll again and if you roll 1 or 20 again . if yhou get a double 1 your day just got overly bad and if you got a double 20 you managed to dodge a fire ball while you were sleeping . iv had a lot of fun doing this and it has made crits and rolling 1s far more entertaining

[@steveno3141]

Ive always seen sorcerers as the base multi class character, using magic to augment their trained skills.

[@steveno3141]

Some races just scream sorcerer multiclass, elves should be fae blooded, dragon born should be draconic, dampyre (pathfinder) should be undead bloodline.

[@bigd7861]

@@steveno3141 Undead aren't born, they are created. However,, a MAJOR twist, would be a dampyr with a celestial bloodline! Naturally pissed at true vampires, and vaping them with a holy light!

[@steveno3141]

@@bigd7861 dampyre in pathfinder are born and are considered undead. And pathfinder does have an undead sorcerer bloodlines, like having a powerful lich, vampire, or something in the family tree. So it is possible to get a undead bloodline if say your vampire father had relations with your human mother resulting in you being a dampyre with the undead bloodline.

[@steveno3141]

@@bigd7861 legacy.aonprd.com/coreRulebook/classes.html bottom of the list

[@steveno3141]

legacy.aonprd.com/advancedRaceGuide/featuredRaces/dhampirs.html dhampirs (spelled wrong earlier)

[@KevlarIlluminati]

Sorcerer multi-classes are notoriously unbalanced. Hence why they are so much fun. I'm currently playing a Shadow Sorcerer / Grave Cleric, an amazingly awesome combo. Having access to the cleric's Inflict Wound (the most powerful for level spell in the game) with the sorcerer's Distant Spell metamagics, combined with Spellsniper feat grants you an effective 60ft ranged spell attack @ 3d10 necrotic damage, with a level 1 spell. Alternatively you can go for the twinned spells and Inflict Wound two adjacent enemies, provided you want to get into melee range of them as a sorcerer. (Not that big of an issue if you have the cleric's Medium armor and Shield proficiency.)

[@AJPickett]

You could also use that combo for the Divine Soul Sorcerer, as they can already choose from Cleric spells.. it is a wicked combo.

[@KevlarIlluminati]

Aye. But I picked the Grave Cleric because at a mere 2nd level, their channel divinity exposes your target to vulnerability. If you hold action to channel divinity before the start of your next turn, you can follow that up with a double damage Inflict Wound. If that humanoid enemy also happens to be Shadowhounded into a disadvantaged save against a Hold Person spell... Well... Even at 8th level with access to 4rd level Inflict Wound, that's a potential 12d10x2 Necrotic damage. (Average of 110 necrotic damage and a max potential of 240 Necrotic damage.) It's a bit of a setup granted. But if you pull it off even once, it will be remembered in your gaming group for years.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

well... multiclasses are fun. 😸😈 immesively if a character has multiple life experiences, they would be more versitile than most. 👍

[@Partyffs]

So multi-classing Sorcerer and Necromancer would just break the game completely then... sounds like fun! Necromancer is the best class EVER! and death to all DMs that deny me my army of corpses! (I'm good guy! I swear I won't turn every village i see into a graveyard... you know unless the village angers me, but but... I'm GOOD!)

[@thedarkmaster4747]

XD

[@michaelkelligan7931]

Mystogan Edolas yeah but the problem with Necromancers is the penchant for corruption...even the death slayer out of the complete book of necromancers has to worry about curses,dark gifts from evil gods and the drawing of negative attention from Paladins Chevaliers and L.G. Priests and believe me I have one bad necromancer that achieved godhood and he absolutely delights in corruption of the naive and innocent. But your right Necromancers and death priests are clearly the most powerful classes in d&d....fun to play too!💀💀💀

[@thedarkmaster4747]

Michael kelligan #MorePower. 👍

[@sagesheahan6732]

Yes.

[@gaelofariandel6747]

Half Elf Variant (weapon training for short swords just in case you're in a sticky situation) starting at 8/15+1/13+1/10/10/15+2 for 8/16/14/10/10/17 at level 1. At level 4 get Elven Accuracy (Charisma 18) then Charisma +2 at level 8 to cap it off at 20. Alternatively, you can get Fey Touched & Shadow Touched at 8 & 12 to expand your spell list from 15 spells (ugh) to 19. At levels 12 & 16 I prefer to increase my Constitution to 16 & 18 to help with HP & concentration checks the (weird, I know) the Tough feat at level 19 to spike my HP by 38 then 40 points. I normally go average hit dice (4+Con) so bumping the average from 4 to 6 is effectively increasing the average from a D6 to D10 in addition to having 16/21 AC & already starting off with proficiency in Constitution saving throws. This means that at 8/16/18/10/10/20 you have 202 HP, 16/21 AC (without items) & 15 spells (25 if you go aberrant Mind Sorcerer) Alternatively, you can go Variant Human for 8/15+1/14/10/8/15+1 & pick up Metamagic Adept fr 2 more sorcery points & metamagic options /or/ a Tiefling for 14/15/9/10/17 to pick up Flames of Phlegethos, Infernal Constitution, Charisma +2, Constitution +2 & Tough. The reason why I don't go Tiefling is that I have OCD with even numbers on an Ability Score (Intelligence 9) but that's entirely BC of me

[@JCResDoc94]

*☼ **23:00** somatic is used in all of medicine.*

[@normknapp4404]

I would love to see a variant based on the 3.5 Sand sculptor arcane caster and also the "dread" necromancer for Sorcerer's

[@Drew-qs2wk]

I use the word somatic a lot, but I'm a medical student. Somatic is useful in medicine for, as an example, anatomically differentiating somatic innervation from visceral or special sensory innervation. It's pretty much a vocabulary word we keep to ourselves, pulling it out and dusting it off for academic purposes; there's not a good reason to use a word like that with patients.

[@bricefos]

Good to know for today!!

[@alanschaub147]

“We skip 4th Edition”? Good advice! 😉

[@AJPickett]

It's in the script :) just thought that would be super easy for everyone to remember.

[@SoCalStyles]

@@AJPickett I'm 20 minutes in just chilling and I had to pause because I laughed so hard.

[@jgr7487]

is this your 1st Class vid? I like it!

[@AJPickett]

No, there are class videos in a playlist, Wizard, Druid, Warlock, Sorcerer, I guess the next logical progression would be the Bard?

[@jgr7487]

yeah, I remembered it just after sending this question....

[@AvromCrovax]

Avrom Crovax is one of the first sorcerers son of merlin and the lady of the lake. First character I made the day 3.0 came out. Had to shelf him of like a year in order to craft a crap load of items n gear in preparation for his epic lvl journeys which was awesome and insane.

[@Hektols]

Personally I prefer the Pathfinder Sorcerer variants, with the Sorcerer gradually changing depending on the origin of his powers, getting new abilities and extra spells related to it. One of the worst point of Sorcerers is that their highest level spells will be half the time a level below other caster classes, they get Level 2 spells at level 4 while the rest of caster classes get it at level 3. Wizards, Clerics and Druids can take a single level in another class to expand their abilities and the highest level spells they will be able to cast will be the same as a Sorcerer who completely focused nn his magic.

[@jaymeVos]

I still use the word somatic while immersing in game play. And I encourage my pc's to use similar language. Get in really deep & nerdy. I had a game where I made an actual treasure-hunt map and I had hidden some small trinkets earlier. Then would leave clues (in paint or ink) in Draconic, Dwarvish runes, Espruar or Thorassi since not many would recognize it ;) Plus we all normally wear cloaks & one guy made a suit ov leather armor and wears it fairly often. One ov ladies in the group looks like a female enchantress that dresses like a fox(furry but very well done) and the other looks like a Druid/Witch ov the Wildwoods. We have a pirate bard that carries a nice cutlass, is always at the drink and never shuts up & is always whistling & singing. And we all have leather utility belts with multiple pockets and pouches full o' trinkets (never know when you might happen upon and barter with some friendly wanderer in the woods) with about $20 worth ov 1$ coins. Plus I Always carry my short sword on my belt as do two ov my other friends. They consider me the Ranger ov the group since my parents still own where I grew up bordering a state forest near the ocean. My wife keeps telling me I've been playing table top rpg games for way too long lol. 28 years is not that bad 😝

[@Rain0and0Thunder]

"Then we skip 4th edition.." I think that was actually the correct comment. My boyfriend and DM did this much...used 3rd until 5th cam out and skipped 4th. XD

[@snforde4603]

Say AJ, we all know how much renown a high level wizard gets in universe, but what reputations do high level sorcerers have? Do they invent new spells, like a wizard? What role would a level 20 sorcerer- an arch-sorcerer if you will- have in the forgotten realms?

[@AJPickett]

Hmmm, good question! Its true you really don't hear much about sorcerers in the lore books... I think I need to take a look into this subject.

[@bahamutkaiser]

I thought I saw a few mentions of Sorcerer Kings, but they don't seem to distinguish between sorcerers and wizards, I wish they made a better avenue for sorcerers to use wizardry.

[@Orthanderis]

Theoretically there wouldn't really be a difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer in lore because a sorecerer would simply be seen as a magic progedy, especially if magic 'runs in the family'. Would a Chosen, such as a Chosen of Mystra, be a sorcerer for example, or a wizard? Is it innate or learned? I could argue the difference is mostly a game feature of practical wizards versus academic wizards, and they're not mutually exclusive.

[@lorekeeper685]

subtle power word kill to take down a king it works even better with invisibility. and I as a dm would give advantage on introgation if they emodify memory on the sorcerer so he looks more innocent. so the enemy king is dead which has many implications

[@AJPickett]

Divination magic makes getting away with crimes of that magnitude very difficult, however... turning the population against the king before hand may result in a cursory investigation and pronouncement of death by natural causes.

[@lorekeeper685]

@@AJPickett true, but i would be very hard to get past non-detection from a 17+ sorcerer, since such npcs are rare and even if they find they may also try to make sure there is a new king, if king was tyranical for such. Turning the population is more like a bard thing, but sorcerer can do too

[@jacobfreeman5444]

Wouldn't the king be one of those people who have invested in the kind of trinkets and personnel that would make that kind of tomfoolery rather difficult to say the least?

[@soulssurvivor3455]

I saw that soul of cinder art. Was really good.

[@spikegilfer1997]

Is there any particular reason that Sorcerers have a D6 hit-die in 5e? A wizard spends years in secluded study, so it's understandable why they'd have a smaller hit-die. But a sorcerer is just a regular person, whose powers and life-style are more readily compared to the warlock. Is it a concern on having a full-arcane caster that's less squishy? Because my understanding was that Sorcerer was tied with unrevised Ranger for the least powerful (And or satisfying) class in 5e in the polls. Also, you know, the other gripes people have about them just being a less potent wizard.

[@AJPickett]

Glass Canon.

[@stellaraevum799]

spikegilfer1997 A commoner that works in the fields has a 1d6 hit die in most systems where a sorcerer does.

[@bigd7861]

Also, the use of the power flowing through them can/is/should be taxing on the physical body that holds it.

[@redfaux74]

My fave character was multi classed Psionicist Mage Sorcerer. No one understood it at first. They thought it was a clash in concept. Later... they got it. He was a talented Elminster type.

[@geraltgrey-mane695]

is it possible in DND for a etc a human sorcerer to become a dragon ? like in pathfinder kingmaker game or is it simply not possible :D?

[@AJPickett]

Darksun has evil sorcerer tyrants who transform over time into dragons.

[@geraltgrey-mane695]

@@AJPickett oh cool :D bad ass but judgeing from how you said it they cant transform back and worth? :) still cool!

[@randomdragon8245]

There’s True Polymorph, which you might use to turn yourself into a dragon. No guarantee that it’ll work out though.

[@geraltgrey-mane695]

@@randomdragon8245 thank you random dragon are u stuck in that form or? :) heher

[@randomdragon8245]

Geralt Grey-Mane You mistake Dragonborn for Dragons.

[@jordanstaat6310]

I always thought a spear would be a good weapon for a sorcerer.

[@Unlimitedpowah]

I have learned to appreciate the sorcerer. Wizard is traditionally my favorite class, but, just the way I play I'm always trying to make things happen through dialogue so I'm always frustrated playing classes that aren't charisma based.

[@ArtFord]

Point: when you talked about the draconic origin, you mentioned the natural armor trait, but it seemed like you might have implied the wrong rules. Natural armor never stacks with regular armor. You get one or the other, whichever is better. It seemed almost like you implied you get both. Note: you also don't stack monk or barbarian ac values with natural armor. Also, Tortolan dragon sorcerers don't really benefit from that trait. (Because they've got better traits) The more you know!

[@AJPickett]

My bad, I was not implying the armor stacks, but it might have sounded that way, I was just comparing it to the AC that the Stone Sorcery origin grants and how that is negated by any armor worn. Sometimes I lament the simplistic Armor system in D&D, but it is what it is.

[@leafloaf3232]

Somatic is used frequently in medical and psychological fields to describe things such as psychosomatic disorders which is when a patient may be experiencing chronic pain or unusual sensations without any evident physical cause

[@finnmcool2]

When was the last time you said 'material components' instead of 'ingredients'? D&D had it's own vocabulary.

[@draxthemsklonst]

Are there any examples of Bard+Sorcerer "out there?"

[@AJPickett]

Chaos! *writes that down for future playtesting*

[@AmaryInkawult]

I tried...but I couldn't find a bard that would take on a pupil who already uses magic with little effort. Thank the DM at the time for that missed opportunity

[@Kid_illithid]

I always think of Master Shake head banging to your intro music

[@tylergilbert3736]

Hill Dwarf who is draconic bloodline sorcerer with tough and durable. Pretty unstoppable.

[@krispalermo8133]

What about Earth Elemental ?!

[@mikeedmondson8917]

wow i love this guy a offspring of sam tarly

[@AJPickett]

Thanks! I quite like that character.

[@pupstarproduction15]

Wow now I can't think about the undertaker being a shadow mage. I theory it makes sense with his gimmick

[@jsizzlesaurusrex]

I really find sorcerers lack luster in comparison to wizards, which really disappoints me. I think that they need access to an additional skill or something to showcase how they don't have to spend all of that time studying. I also rule in my games that, unless circumstances in game provide an opportunity, sorcerer is a level 1 pick up or not an option at all. They also need to do some errata's on giving some of the classes spells from other spell lists (looking at storm sorcerer in particular not being able to call lightning or control weather) Great content as usual. Also, Aberrant mind sorcerers need flumph familiars. Change my mind.

[@jacobfreeman5444]

There are plenty of ways to use fluff to explain picking up sorc later. But I agree that by the nature of the beast someone shouldn't be allowed to pick it up if they are not willing to roleplay the reason for them suddenly awakening to magic.

[@brothermutant7370]

Did D&D ever do Magus as a class? The wizard or sorcerer/fighter combo? Not the Eldritch Knight but a whole class like they do in Pathfinder?

[@krispalermo8133]

Fighter/wizard or fighter/ sorcerer are call Gish by the Gith.

[@goolabbolshevish1t651]

Duskblade and warmage from 3.5e are basically what pathfinder used as inspiration for magus and its various subtypes. Both are found in the players handbook volume two.

[@movespammerguyteam7colors]

Well the "Draconic Line" sorcerer sounds like the Dragonborn or Dovakin from Skyrim. And now I know what must be done. Shouting for days casting draconic magic!!

[@thedarkmaster4747]

greybears are wizards... ulfric is a wizard, he knows only one shout. You & Miraak are sorcerers... other people study & meditate for years to learn shout, you rip the souls out of the dragons - that you hunt. And you secret and undeniable urge to bend the world to your will... like an actual dragon.

[@gabrielshervo678]

So, later in life, experimented on against her will, charismatic albino drow bard gets forcefed a potion of additional armament and has her heart replaced with a huge amethyst cut and faceted in the shape of a heart, that refills with magical energy each day. Alignment swapped and forced to do evil, rescued by an old rival/frenemy, restored to her original alignment, but now a four armed sorceress. Boosh.

[@GnarledStaff]

Wait, did you say the drow turned evil?

[@snforde4603]

Hey AJ, any particular thoughts on any possible origins for a clockwork soul sorcerer?

[@AJPickett]

Mechanus, its a very large and very diverse place.

[@sirloin869]

Update after tasha cauldron'o everything?

[@Razdasoldier]

So Stone sorcerer is NOT a gish. It is a tank. People miss it is a BACKLINE tank. It made a good gish before booming blade was nerfed because it could cast up to 4 booming blades in a turn but it that was only because of the exploit. The proper play style is stand behind the tanks and give them ageis. Then you stand back and add HALF YOUR LEVEL to damage!!!

[@AzraelThanatos]

You know the Stalwart Battle Sorcerer says hello and probably introduces martial weapons and armor to the mix...Lesser Aasimar as a race Or if you want to outright butcher things in your path, gestalt with Swordsage to be your straight up melee murder machine.

[@xthor86]

My favourite concept in DnD is the pyromaniac socerer. And just going ful on firespells. And chaotic neutral. Its just so thematic.

[@bigd7861]

Until it rains, or someone hits them with a water balloon...

[@zmishiymishi5349]

Great video

[@utubenewb777]

Is the Spell Scale race video available yet?

[@GuardianArk15]

I like divine sorcerer with some celestial warlock (tome). Have a character I want to run with that mix one day, a scourge assimar child of the sun. Preparing for the day he must take his father's place in the sky.

[@djinnidungeneering]

stone sorcery is by far my favorite thing to play... conceptually. unfortunately they have one major falt ive found. the design of paladin spells. the only spells i know of in 5e you have to hit twice (using two different stats) to get full effect, once with an attack, then a dc that they have to fail, plus its concentration duration starts when its primed before its even activated. do to its nature as a aggro drawing tank, it needs to focused on con as its primary stat to both make up for hp, and to determine ac, but also needs a weapon stat, and a casting stat for there intended spells, which if your rolling stats means you need 3 high stat rolls, or if your doing point but forces dumping the other 3 stats, unless you want to waste spells getting only half the effect it should have or losing duration as you try to hit. but i still chose to play it because its the only class that i feel achieves the one thing i really want out of the game.