Show Notes

Guest Overview

Lex Olden, @Call_me_they, makes subclasses for 5e and a video series called Backstory and Chill, where there’s a speed draw of a character and then they narrate backstory over the speed draw and briefly talk mechanics of the character!

Sorcerer Deep Dive: Question is /u/asa1128: There's been a lot of talk about the sorcerer class being considered underpowered, care to weigh in? They've got a much smaller list of spells known than other full casters, and many don't consider their font of magic and meta magic abilities to be enough to make up for it. Do you guys think the class could use a buff or do you think it's fine as is? What would you do to buff it? More meta magic options? More sorcery points? More spells known? Use the spell point variant rule in the dmg for sorcerers?

First thoughts:
  Kevin - Loves the Wild Magic Sorcerer but has issues with the Wild Magic Surge ability.

Will - Thinks magic was a mistake. In that the magic aspects are the only interesting part of sorc.

Lex - Major issue is the lack of spells specific to their bloodline.

Jarred - Sorc’s have no uniqueness to their spell list. They only have 1 spell that’s specific to them, chaos bolt.

Metamagic - Supposed to be the main reason why it’s okay they have so few spell options, but, with them having so few metamagic points it feels very limiting. It takes until level 10 or so until you feel like you actually have a good amount and can start playing around with them.

The lack of choices on your metamagic is a bit difficult as well. You only get 2 at 3rd level, then 3 and 10th level and 4 at 17th. And you can’t change it at any level up. Certain metamagic options are so great but they’re too situational to justify taking.

Will asks, why are they limited on meta magic options at all? If they had them all would it really break anything?

A compromise would be being able to change them on a long rest and getting to prepare more at those extra choice levels (10 and 17).

More Metamagic Options would be useful as well.

Sculpt, the evocation wizards constant ability, is much better than the Careful metamagic option.

More Subclasses need non spell ways to use Sorc points like the Shadow Sorcs Hound of Ill Omen

Font of Magic feels pointless. Any time a Sorcerer is out of spell slots they are probably out of sorcery points as well. It’s too situational.

Better option is removing it and adding Magical Mutations. Class abilities similar to the Warlocks Invocations (at least the style) that augment the sorcerer. This makes the Sorc feel like they are actually magical.

One option is to tie them to subclasses to make them feel very different from Warlocks invocations.

This let’s you sorta save certain sorcerer subclasses as well by giving them mutations of varying power levels based on how good or bad the subclass is.

Sorcerer’s have a weird overlap with abilities that work at close range but have the worst hit die.
Wild Magic Surge discussion. Rehashing old ideas but it’s the Sorc episode so we have to talk about it again!

Let Sorcerers go through a ritual to gain their powers. Imbuing themselves with magic. This adds a way to choose having the power for the character.

The default flavor has a lot you can do with it but they do all center around being born with it or having the greatness thrust upon the character. Adding a new way to gain the powers not only helps with Multiclassing, but also gives a shortcut to magical powers.