Sorcerer
Player's Handbook p51

I have always had problems with sorcerers. The problems do not lie in the nature of the class, or the availability of the magic; rather annoyingly the problems are all my own making. I have always used a spell point system in D&D, which was all well and good until Wizards of the Coast introduced the concept of the "spontaneous arcane caster" and players could choose between the sorcerer and the wizard. Suddenly I had to bend over backward to create some difference between the two.

The exercise in differentiating between sorcerer and wizard has led me to create two very different spell systems that seemed to have worked reasonably well in play. The Blood and Water campaign sported a PC sorcerer and a PC wizard, and neither seemed to step on the other's toes too much. However, in this revamp of the website I am conscious that although the wizard has an identity the sorcerer is still a little adrift. There is no incentive to remain in the sorcerer class instead of joining a prestige class. Hence some of the following changes.

With Marc's input I considered what it was that made a sorcerer different from a wizard. It is not only the way they go about casting spells but also their lifestyle. Wizards are cloistered academicians - they are scholars and students in the science of magic. Sorcerers are none of these things. Sorcerers are instinctive spell-casters. They are loners living on the edge, they are seen as threatening by the general populace and as loose cannons by governments, churches and wizards' guilds. They don't study so they don't have the support of a teaching body. Very few will even have mentors.

There are many changes to the class to those published in the core rulebooks. There are also some fundamental changes since the first version of this website, but change is in the spirit of 3.5, and I think change is for the better in this case. This version of the sorcerer must choose between two life paths (urban or wilderness) that reflects the life the sorcerer has led before becoming an adventurer. Each path gives the sorcerer different class skills and bonus abilities at levels 5, 9 and 13.

Game Rule Information

The following changes have been made to the powers and abilities of the Sorcerer. Any published rules for the sorcerer that do not directly contradict the contents of this page still apply.

Class Features

Hit Die: d6

Skill Points at first level: (4 + Int mod) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int Mod

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: I use the rules for Weapon Group Feats (UA p94). At 1st level the sorcerer gains the Basic Weapons feat plus either Weapon Group (Spear and Lances) or Weapon Group (crossbows) feat. This replaces the weapon proficiencies listed for the class. They are not proficient with armour or any type of shield.

Class Skills: At first level the sorcerer must select one of two life paths to pursue. He must decide if he has grown-up in an urban envirnoment or in the wilderness. Once made this choice cannot be altered at later levels. The choice grants the sorcerer one of two different lists of class skills. These class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are listed below:

Urban Path: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Spellcraft (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha)

Wilderness Path: Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spot (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Wis), Survival (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Spellcasting: Sorcerers cast a form of arcane magic known as sorcery. They take their spells exclusively from the sorcerer/wizard spell list and do not have to be prepare them in advance. Full details of sorcery can be found in the section on arcane magic. Sorcerers gain access to cantrips and 1st level spells at level one, 2nd level spells at level four and to each successive spell level at even numbered levels thereafter to a maximum of 9th level spells at level eighteen. The caster level of the sorcerer is equal to his class level.

Summon Familiar: At 1st level the sorcerer can forego the right to a familiar. If he does so he receives a bonus metamagic or item creation feat. If the sorcerer wants to summon a familiar later in his career he will need to spend a feat to be able to do so. Familiars are generally unchanged from the PHB p52 and DMG p200, except to say that the base creature is not typical for its type. Familiars should be generated using the same rules as player characters. Attributes should be rolled on 4d6 (drop the lowest die) and hit points should also be rolled rather than taking the average.

Eschew Materials: The sorcerer is an instinctive spell-caster with none of the trappings of the wizards - including the need for material components. From first level the sorcerer gains the eschew materials ability. This ability functions as the metamagic feat of the same name, except the casting time and level of the spell does not change. Usually when a sorcerer applies a metamagic feat to a spell it is cast as a full round action.

Life Path Advantage I: From fifth level the sorcerer gains the first advantage from his chosen life path. If he chose the urban path he gains Persuasive (PHB p98) as a bonus feat. If he chose the wilderness path he gains Self Sufficient (PHB p100) as a bonus feat.

Life Path Advantage II: From ninth level the sorcerer gains the second advantage from his chosen life path. If he chose the urban path he gains the special ability Slippery Mind. If he chooses the wilderness path he gains the special ability Mettle. See below for details.

Slippery Mind (Ex): This ability represents the urban sorcerer's ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a sorcerer with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw.

Mettle (Ex): The wilderness sorcerer's reliance on herself to the exclusion of others allow him to shrug off magical effects that would otherwise harm her. If a sorcerer makes a successful Will or Fortitude saving throw that would normally reduce the spell's effect, she suffers no effect from the spell at all. Only those spells with a saving throw entry of "Will partial", "Fortitude half" or similar entries can be negated by this ability.

Life Path Advantage III: From thirteenth level the sorcerer gains the third advantage gained from his chosen life path. The sorcerer selects one school of magic. When casting spells through this chosen school he receives a +2 bonus to his caster level and to the DC of his spells. This bonus stacks with the Spell Focus feat. An urban sorcerer applies the bonus to spells of the Enchantment school, while a wilderness sorcerer applies this bonus to spells of the Abjuration school.

Ignore Material Components: At 20th level, the sorcerer's eschew materials ability reaches new heights. The character gains the epic feat Ignore Material Components as a bonus feat even though the sorcerer has not reached epic levels.

Variants

The following sorcerer variant appears in the offical rules. Players shouldn't feel obligued to adopt it instead of the standard class. Variants don't make the character any more powerful, they simply make it different. "Official" variants are found in a variety of sources, for a complete list of all the variants I use in my campaigns follow this link.

Planar Substituion Levels: Sorcerers who make the prerequisites may swap out certain class abilities in favour of planar-related ones. These rules are slightly changed from those published in the Planar Handbook p27 and 35. At 1st level sorcerers add Knowledge (the planes) to their list of class skills. At 5th level they may swap Life Path Advantage I for Force-charged Energy. At 9th level they may swap Life Path Advantage II for Extraplanar Spell Penetration. At 11th level they may swap Life Path Advantage III for Spontaneous Planar Summoning.

Spontaneous Planar Summoning is slightly altered in the house rules. A sorcerer with this ability does not count any of the nine Summon Monster... spells against his maximum spell levels. He automatically acquires all such spells he can cast at 13th level (Summon Monster I to VI) and to the more powerful versions as he becomes capable of casting them. If the sorcerer has already selected these spells then he gets the spell-levels back to spend on other spells.

See Also:

• Magic
• Arcane Magic
• Spell Points
• Spell Failure
• Languages
• Sorcerers of Iourn