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Sorcerer

Sorcerer

A sorcerer’s magics spring from something supernatural within them, something which urges them on—perhaps birthright, or perhaps exposure to a greater power. They may have it under wraps, it may still surprise them, or they may not be able to fully control it but one thing is certain: it fights to be let out.

“Scholarly” spellcasters scoff at sorcerers as if they stumbled into power by luck without any hardships or effort, but while rigorous study may not be the sorcerer’s path, theirs is not without tribulations of its own. The discovery of arcane power within can bear stigma from society, expectations from kin, becoming the prey of others, and so much more. While some welcome the opportunities that being a sorcerer provides, to others it is more burden than boon.

 

Innovators

Many claim to have “invented” spells. Through years of research, arrogant creatures “create” spells and brand their name upon it, as though they own the magic of the multiverse. But sorcerers know they’re not inventing—they’re just workshopping. By bending the rules of magic and twisting it in unique ways, sorcerers are truly innovative with the arcane. Scholars may call sorcerers fools for playing dice with the universe, yet they would never dare say it in front of one.

Creating a Sorcerer

At some point your life was forever changed as your magical nature presented itself. This may have been a joyous moment, or a tragic one. How did you face it? Few sorcerers can remain in quiet lives when their magic begins to blossom, as it fights to be free. Did your sorcerer give up their old life willingly to chase their newfound power, or were they forced out of it? Do they see themselves as doomed to failure, or destined for greatness (or neither)? 

The nature of your power might have made it an obstacle or a gift depending on your circumstances. Is the font of arcana within you a weight around your neck, a tool with which you accomplish your goals, both, or do you have a different relationship with it? Are you eager to share your abilities with others or do you work hard to conceal them?

Table: Sorcerer

Level

Proficiency
Bonus

Sorcery
Points

Features

Innovations
Known

1st

+2

0

Sorcerer Archetype, Spellcasting

2nd

+2

2

Font of Magic, Manifestation

3rd

+2

3

Latent Power, Metamagics

4th

+2

4

Ability Score Improvement, Arcane Innovations

1

5th

+3

5

Additional Metamagics

1

6th

+3

6

Arcane Refinement, Sorcerer Archetype Feature

1

7th

+3

7

1

8th

+3

8

Ability Score Improvement

2

9th

+4

9

Rapturous Presence

2

10th

+4

10

Additional Metamagics

2

11th

+4

11

2

12th

+4

12

Ability Score Improvement, Evolving Manifestation

3

13th

+5

13

3

14th

+5

14

Sorcerer Archetype Feature

3

15th

+5

15

Additional Metamagics, Major Metamagic

3

16th

+5

16

Ability Score Improvement

4

17th

+6

17

4

18th

+6

18

Sorcerer Archetype Feature

4

19th

+6

19

Ability Score Improvement, Additional Metamagics

4

20th

+6

20

Arcane Clutch, Explosive Magics

5

 


1st LevelCLASS FEATURES

As a sorcerer, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d6 per sorcerer level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per sorcerer level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: None

Weapons: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows

Tools: None 

Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion, and Religion

Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma

Equipment

You begin the game with 100 gold, which you can spend on your character’s starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can select your own gear, or use one of the packages below. Also consult the Suggested Equipment section of your background.

  • Light Traveler’s Set (Cost 36 gold): Quarterstaff, sling and 20 sling bullets, component pouch, explorer’s pack
  • Troublemaker’s Set (Cost 70 gold): 2 daggers, light crossbow and 20 bolts, explorer’s pack, wand arcane focus

1st LevelSorcerer Archetype

Something in your past, or in the life of an ancestor, created the magic within you. Choose a sorcerer archetype, which describes what this source was. Your choice grants you features when you choose it, and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level.

Sorcerer Archetype Spells. You know additional spells from your sorcerer archetype. At 1st level, choose one spell from the 1st-level row of your archetype’s Archetype Spells table and add it to your spell list. It does not count against your total spells known. At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, choose an additional spell from a row on the table equal to or lower than your sorcerer level. When you gain a level, you can replace one of your archetype spells with an archetype spell of equal or lower level.


1st LevelSpellcasting

You have awoken a latent magic within yourself caused by something you were exposed to, a quirk of an ancestor that has now manifested in you, supernatural experimentation, or something else entirely. This conduit, which you may not yet fully understand, fuels your spellcasting .

Level

Cantrips
Known

Spells
Known

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

1st

4

2

2

2nd

4

3

3

3rd

4

4

4

2

4th

5

5

4

3

5th

5

6

4

3

2

6th

5

7

4

3

3

7th

5

8

4

3

3

1

8th

5

9

4

3

3

2

9th

5

10

4

3

3

3

1

10th

6

11

4

3

3

3

2

11th

6

12

4

3

3

3

2

1

12th

6

12

4

3

3

3

2

1

13th

6

13

4

3

3

3

2

1

1

14th

6

13

4

3

3

3

2

1

1

15th

6

14

4

3

3

3

2

1

1

1

16th

6

14

4

3

3

3

2

1

1

1

17th

6

15

4

3

3

3

2

1

1

1

1

18th

6

15

4

3

3

3

3

1

1

1

1

19th

6

16

4

3

3

3

3

2

1

1

1

20th

6

16

4

3

3

3

3

2

2

1

1

 

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know four cantrips of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. You learn additional sorcerer cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Sorcerer table.

Spell Slots

The Sorcerer table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st-level and higher. To cast one of these sorcerer spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest .

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher

You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the sorcerer spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Sorcerer table shows when you learn more sorcerer spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st- or 2nd-level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the sorcerer spells you know and replace it with another spell from the sorcerer spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your sorcerer spells, as your magic is fueled by an attunement to your very soul. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a sorcerer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier 

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your sorcerer spells.


Level 2Font of Magic

At 2nd level, you’ve begun to understand the well of power within you that you draw from to cast your magics. Up until now, it’s just been something abstract, maybe hardly understood, but now you can use it in a precise manner to fuel your magics. It grants you a new resource in the form of Sorcery Points, as well as a way to use them.

Sorcery Points

You have 2 Sorcery Points, and you gain more as you reach higher levels, as shown in the Sorcery Points column of the Sorcerer table. You can never have more Sorcery Points than shown on the table for your level. You regain all spent Sorcery Points when you finish a long rest .

Flexible Casting

You can use your Sorcery Points to gain additional spell slots, or sacrifice spell slots to gain additional Sorcery Points. 

Conversion. You can transform unexpended Sorcery Points into one spell slot, or vice versa, as a bonus action. The Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating a spell slot of a given level, or the value of sacrificing a spell slot for Sorcery Points. You cannot convert spells of 6th-level or higher.

Table: Creating Spell Slots

Spell Slot Level Sorcery Point Cost
1st 2
2nd 3
3rd 5
4th 6
5th 7

 


Level 2Manifestation

At 2nd level, you also choose one of the following manifestations, which represents a kind of energy you are especially effective at producing. When you cast a spell that deals acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder damage, you can change the damage type to your manifestation’s damage type.

Blizzard (Cold)

When you cast a spell that deals cold damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point and choose one creature you can see. If that creature takes cold damage from the spell, it is also chilled, reducing its movement speeds by 10 feet for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell (minimum 1 round).

Corrosion (Acid)

When you cast a spell that deals acid damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point and choose one creature you can see. If that creature takes acid damage from the spell, its Armor Class is reduced by 2 until the end of your next turn. 

Hurricane (Lightning or Thunder)

You can treat both lightning and thunder as your manifestation’s damage types. When you cast a spell that deals lightning or thunder damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point to produce a thunderous blast around you. Large or smaller creatures within 5 feet of you must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be pushed back 10 feet and knocked prone

Inferno (Fire)

When you cast a spell that deals fire damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point and choose one creature you can see. If that creature takes fire damage from the spell, it is also set ablaze, taking 2d4 ongoing fire damage for a number of rounds equal to the spell’s level, or until it uses an action to put itself out.

Venom (Poison)

When you cast a spell that deals poison damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point, causing creatures immune to poison damage to take half damage, and creatures resistant to poison damage to take full damage.


Level 3Latent Power

By 3rd level, your Sorcerer Archetype starts to manifest as something people can subconsciously sense, even if they know nothing beyond the mundane, and it affects how they see you. Choose one of the following.

All Eyes

You gain an expertise die on Performance and Persuasion checks. In addition, you can use your magic to make your presence known. As a bonus action, you can spend 1 sorcery point to put out a subtle pulse that causes all creatures within 60 feet to take notice of you, allowing you to speak and be heard even in the midst of chaos. During combat, this notice lasts only a split second—not long enough to distract, but allowing you to make a Charisma check as part of the bonus action used to activate this feature.

Daunting Energy

You gain an expertise die on Intimidation checks. If you fail an ability check or saving throw against a creature trying to intimidate you, or against an effect that would cause you to become frightened , you can spend 1 sorcery point to immediately reroll the check or save.

Unsuspecting

You gain an expertise die on Deception checks. When you fail on a Deception check against a humanoid, you can use a combination of fast-talk and your magic to make them forget your misstep, spending 1 sorcery point to reroll the check. On a success, their memory skips a beat and fills in the gap with your new story. On a failure, not only do they not believe you, but anyone who can cast spells and observed the exchange (including your target, if applicable) knows that arcane subterfuge was attempted.


Level 3Metamagic

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to twist your spells to suit your needs. You gain two minor Metamagic options, and one moderate Metamagic option. You gain another minor Metamagic option at 5th level, 10th level, 15th level, and 19th level. You gain an additional moderate Metamagic option at 10th and 19th level. When you gain a level in this class, you can replace one Metamagic option with another, instead of replacing a spell.

You can use only one Metamagic option on a spell when you cast it, unless otherwise noted.

Minor Metamagic

Delayed Spell. When you ready a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point. The spell can be held for up to 1 minute, instead of 1 turn.

Distant Spell. When you cast a spell that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can spend 1 sorcery point to double the range of the spell. Alternatively, if you cast a spell that has a range of touch, you can spend 1 sorcery point to make the range of the spell 20 feet.

Persistent Spell. When you cast a spell that has a duration of 1 minute or longer, you can spend 1 sorcery point to double the duration, to a maximum of 24 hours.

Reliable Spell. When you roll a 4 or lower on a spell attack, you can spend 1 sorcery point to reroll the attack. You can use Reliable Spell even if you have already used a different Metamagic option during the casting of the spell.

Subdual Spell. When damage from one of your spells reduces one or more creatures to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction and spend 1 sorcery point to stabilize one of the creatures knocked unconscious by it.

Subtle Spell. When you cast a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to cast it without any vocalized or seen components.

Treacherous Spell. When you cast a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to alter its components in subtle ways. A creature attempting to identify the spell based on its components perceives it as a different spell of your choice, of the same or lower level. Attempts to counterspell this spell are made at disadvantage .

Moderate Metamagic

Careful Spell. When you cast a spell with an instantaneous duration that affects an area, you can spend 1 sorcery point, and choose a number of creatures up to your Charisma modifier in the area (minimum of one creature). A chosen creature is unaffected by the spell.

Empowered Spell. When you roll damage for a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to reroll a number of the damage dice up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one). You must use the new rolls. You can use Empowered Spell even if you have already used a different Metamagic option during the casting of the spell.

Heightened Spell. When you cast a spell that forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist its effects, you can spend 3 Sorcery Points to give one target of the spell disadvantage on its first saving throw made against the spell.

Quickened Spell. When you cast a spell that has a casting time of 1 action, you can spend 2 Sorcery Points to change the casting time to 1 bonus action for this casting.

Reflexive Spell. Immediately before rolling initiative, you can spend 2 Sorcery Points to cast a spell of up to 3rd-level that has a casting time of 1 action or 1 bonus action. The spell activates before any other actions in initiative, but doing so uses your action for your first turn in the combat.

Refracting Spell. When you cast a spell that involves a spell attack roll and targets only a single creature, you can spend an additional 2 Sorcery Points. If the spell hits, a creature within 5 feet of the original target takes half the spell’s damage.

Twinned Spell. When you cast a spell that targets only one creature and doesn’t have a range of Self, you can spend a number of Sorcery Points equal to the spell’s level (or 1 for a cantrip) to target a second creature in range with the same spell.

To be eligible, a spell must be incapable of targeting more than one creature at the spell’s current level. For example, magic missile and scorching ray are ineligible, but ray of frost can be modified by Twinned Spell.


Level 4Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or increase two ability scores of your choice 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.


Level 4Arcane Innovations

At 4th level, you acquire insights in arcana that others would never realize. You gain an arcane innovation of your choice. Your arcane innovations are detailed at the end of the class description. The Innovations Known column of the Sorcerer table shows when you gain additional innovations.


6th LevelArcane Refinement

At 6th level, your command over your magic becomes more precise, and you are able to assert more control over it. Choose one of the following.

Deep Font

You can reach beyond your limits to draw more power from within. When you finish a short rest , you may expend a number of Hit Dice up to your Charisma modifier to regain some of your magic essence. For each hit die expended in this way, you regain 2 Sorcery Points. Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.

Patient Aptitude

You may pick a number of spells with the ritual tag equal to your Charisma modifier. These spells need not be from the sorcerer spell list, but they must be of a level for which you have spell slots. You can cast these spells as rituals, though you don’t gain the ability to cast them normally with spell slots, nor do they count toward your spells known. If you increase your Charisma modifier, the number of ritual spells you know also increases. Each time you gain a sorcerer level, you may replace one of these ritual spells with another.

Prodigious Innovator

Choose three cantrips from any spell list. These cantrips don’t count toward your cantrips known.


6th LevelArchetype Feature

At 6th level you gain another archetype feature.


9th LevelRapturous Presence

Beginning at 9th level, your magic becomes a presence that noticeably bears down on creatures. Choose one of the following.

Larger Than Life

Your power tends to distort people’s perception of you, causing you to seem more dangerous than you are. You have advantage on Intimidation checks made to threaten someone with your magic. On a failure, your target is unconvinced and unless you make good on your threat with an unambiguous show of force to prove your mettle, this feature no longer functions until you prove your reputation again. Additionally, features and traits that attempt to evaluate how tough you are, such as the fighter’s Size Up, always give the impression that you are more dangerous than you actually are.

Nobody’s Fool

People find it difficult to lie to you or to conceal their motives in your presence. You gain a bonus to Insight checks equal to your Charisma modifier. In addition, you can spend 1 sorcery point as an action to project an aura of honesty. For the next 10 minutes, creatures within 10 feet of you have disadvantage on Deception checks made to lie or conceal the truth. When a creature in this aura fails a Deception check, it accidentally blurts out something it didn’t mean to while attempting to spin its lie.

Otherworldly

You have a way with creatures wildly unlike yourself. Select three of the following creature types: aberration, celestial, dragon, elemental, fey, fiend, or undead. You have advantage on Charisma checks to make a first impression on a creature of one of your chosen types, and if you do not share a common language, you can still communicate some simple concepts to them such as “friendly”, “help”, and “run”. In addition, by spending 2 Sorcery Points and 1 minute in meditation, you can change your creature type to one of the chosen creature types. This transformation lasts for 1 hour, and cannot be reversed early without repeating the meditation and spending the Sorcery Points again.


12th LevelEvolving Manifestation 

At 12th level, you gain a deeper understanding of your magics. You may either take the improved form of the manifestation you selected at 2nd level, or you may choose an additional feature from the Manifestation list.

Evolving Blizzard 

When you cast a spell of 1st-level or higher that deals cold damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point to gain 1d6 temporary hit points per level of the spell cast. While you have these temporary hit points and a creature hits you with a melee weapon attack, the attacker takes 1d10 cold damage. These temporary hit points last for 1 hour.

Evolving Corrosion

When you cast a spell of 1st-level or higher that deals acid damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point to create a 10-foot radius pool of acid centered on either the target of the spell or the spell’s point of origin. The area is difficult terrain , and when a creature ends its turn in the area it takes 2d8 acid damage. The pool remains for 1 minute or until you use a bonus action to dismiss it.

Evolving Hurricane

When you cast a spell of 1st-level or higher that deals thunder or lightning damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point to create a 15-foot radius storm centered on you, which moves with you. The area of the storm is heavily obscured and counts as difficult terrain , but you can see and move through it normally. At the end of each subsequent turn you can spend an additional sorcery point to maintain it, otherwise it dissipates.

Evolving Inferno

When you cast a spell of 1st-level or higher that deals fire damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point to store some of the energy of the spell as a flame you hold in one hand. You can use an action to throw this flame, making a ranged spell attack against a target you can see within 30 feet. On a hit, the creature takes 1d8 fire damage per level of the spell cast to trigger this effect. The flame lasts for up to 1 minute or until it is thrown.

Evolving Venom

When you cast a spell that deals poison damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point and choose one creature you can see. If the target creature takes poison damage from the spell, it takes 2d6 ongoing poison damage for 1 minute or until a creature uses an action to treat the victim (requiring a Medicine check against your spell save DC).


14th LevelArchetype Feature

At 14th level you gain another archetype feature.


Level 15Major Metamagic

At 15th level, in addition to a minor metamagic option, you gain one major metamagic option. These are more powerful expressions of your magics, though they come at significantly higher costs. You gain an additional major metamagic option at 20th level.

Major Metamagic Options

Consumptive Spell. When you cast a spell that deals damage, you can spend 4 Sorcery Points. You, or a creature within 10 feet of you, regain hit points equal to half the damage roll for the spell. If you roll damage multiple times for a spell, you only restore hit points from the first roll.

Contingent Spell. When you cast a spell, rather than have it go off immediately, you can spend 6 Sorcery Points and describe an external condition. When that condition occurs before you finish a long rest , you can use your reaction to cast the spell. You can only have one Contingent Spell at a time.

Echo Spell. When you cast a spell of 5th-level or lower, you can spend Sorcery Points equal to the sorcery point conversion cost for a spell slot of that level (see Table: Creating Spell Slots). The spell repeats on the next turn, originating from the same point and aimed at the same target as the first instance of the spell.

Intense Spell. Before rolling damage for a spell or seeing the result of any saving throws or attack rolls for the spell, you can spend Sorcery Points equal to the spell’s level. The spell deals its maximum possible damage to one target.


18th LevelArchetype Feature

At 18th level you gain another archetype feature.


Level 20Arcane Clutch

Starting at 20th level, you can reclaim some fraction of the energies you expend as you cast. Whenever you cast a spell of 3rd-level or higher, you regain Sorcery Points equal to a third of the expended spell slot’s level.


Level 20Explosive Magics

Also at 20th level, the magic you bring to bear can be made to build upon itself. When you cast a spell of 4th-level or lower that deals damage, you can spend a number of Sorcery Points equal to half the spell’s level (minimum 1) to reroll any dice that have the maximum result and add them to the total. For example, if you cast an exploding fireball and roll three 6s among your damage dice, you roll an additional 3d6, and continue to reroll any 6s, adding them to the total damage dealt. 


Arcane Innovations

When you gain access to a new arcane innovation, choose one of the following.

Draw Nourishment

You can consume things that most people wouldn’t consider sustenance, though it’s hardly pleasant. You can spend 3 Sorcery Points before eating a pound of just about anything organic—bark, grass, cactus flesh, bone, whatever’s at hand—and so long as you can stomach the taste, it counts as 1 Supply for you as your body transmutes it into something more edible. A poisonous substance consumed in this way is still poisonous.

Hot Air

The source of your magic is strangely buoyant. Any time you have Sorcery Points remaining, your weight is reduced by half, and you take half damage from falling. Additionally, if you are carrying less than a quarter of your maximum equipment load, you float on water.

Lingering Touch

When you encounter a shed piece of a creature (such as a lock of hair, bloody bandage, a scale, or a tooth), you can touch that object and instantly attune to it as if it were a magic item. If you are carrying the shed piece and attuned to it when you see the creature from which it originated, you immediately know that it belongs to that creature, at which point the attunement ends. At the Narrator’s discretion, you may learn additional cryptic information from being attuned to such things.

Retrace

By spending 1 minute in meditation, you can reflect on the magical aura you leave behind as you travel. After doing so, you can perfectly retrace the steps you’ve taken in the past 4 hours.

Mage Hunter

When tracking a creature that can cast at least 1 spell, you can attempt to do so by focusing on the mystic energy it leaves in its wake, allowing you to use your Charisma for any ability checks made to track it.

Magnetic Step

You can move along vertical surfaces at half your Speed without needing to make an ability check. If you end your turn on such a surface, you immediately fall unless you have some other way to support yourself.

Strange Traces

While traveling, you can spend 1 sorcery point to obscure your trail. For the next hour, any tracks your group leaves become random, zigzagging, and incomprehensible. Creatures have disadvantage on Survival checks to track you and become lost on a failed check.

Ominous Insight

When you know, you know, you know? When you fail an Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion check, you can attempt to draw on your magics to find an answer and reroll the check. On a failure, your attempt clouds your mind and you have disadvantage on Intelligence checks until you finish a short rest . While suffering this disadvantage, you can’t use Ominous Insight again.

Wode Sense

While traveling, any time you enter an illusory terrain or magic is used to cause you to become lost, you always notice within 1 minute of being affected.