Arcane Tradition: Sorcery
Unlike other arcane traditions, you are born into sorcery. Sorcerers carry a magical birthright conferred upon them by an exotic bloodline, some otherworldly influence, or exposure to unknown cosmic forces. One can’t study sorcery as one learns a language, any more than one can learn to live a legendary life. No one chooses sorcery; the power chooses the sorcerer.
Sorcerers are rare in the world, and it’s unusual to find a sorcerer who is not involved in the adventuring life in some way. People with magical power seething in their veins soon discover that the power doesn’t like to stay quiet. A sorcerer’s magic wants to be wielded, and it has a tendency to spill out in unpredictable ways if it isn’t called on.
Born Magician
At 2nd level, the current contents of your spellbook, as well as any spells you learn by gaining wizard levels, are committed to memory. Your memory is considered a spellbook. You can add spells to your memory as you would a spellbook by spending time and gold as normal, to utilize mnemonic tools and purchase research materials.
Font of Magic
At 2nd level, you tap into a deep wellspring of magic within yourself. This wellspring is represented by sorcery points, which allow you to create a variety of magical effects.
You have 2 sorcery points, and you gain more as you reach higher levels. You have as much Sorcery Points as you have levels in wizard. You regain all spent sorcery points when you finish a long rest.
Metamagic
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to twist your spells to suit your needs. You gain two of the following Metamagic options of your choice. You gain another one at 8th and 16th level.
Careful Spell When you cast a spell that forces other creatures to make a saving throw, you can protect some of those creatures from the spell’s full force. To do so, you spend 1 sorcery point and choose a number of those creatures up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one creature). A chosen creature automatically succeeds on its saving throw against the spell.
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.
When you cast a spell that has a range of touch, you can spend 1 sorcery point to make the range of the spell 30 feet.
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.
Extended Spell When you cast a spell that has a duration of 1 minute or longer, you can spend 1 sorcery point to double its duration, to a maximum duration of 24 hours.
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.
Subtle Spell When you cast a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to cast it without any somatic or verbal components.
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 to target a second creature in range with the same spell (1 sorcery point if the spell is a cantrip).
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 aren’t eligible, but ray of frost and chromatic orb are.
You can use only one Metamagic option on a spell when you cast it, unless otherwise noted.
Flexible Casting
Starting at 6th level, you can use your sorcery points to gain additional spell slots, or sacrifice spell slots to gain additional sorcery points.
Creating Spell Slots. You can transform unexpended sorcery points into one spell slot as a bonus action on your turn. The Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating a spell slot of a given level. You can create spell slots no higher in level than 5th.
Any spell slot you create with this feature vanishes when you finish a long rest.
Creating Spell Slots
| Spell Slot Level | Sorcery Point Cost |
|---|---|
| 1st | 2 |
| 2nd | 3 |
| 3rd | 4 |
| 4th | 5 |
| 5th | 6 |
Converting a Spell Slot to Sorcery Points. As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend one spell slot and gain a number of sorcery points equal to the slot’s level.
Bloodline
Different sorcerers claim different origins for their innate magic. Beginning at 10th level, you gain an ability that differentiates your bloodline from others. Choose one bloodline from the Bloodlines table below.
Bloodlines
| Bloodline | Bloodline's Ability |
|---|---|
| Aberrant | You can spend as a bonus action 2 Sorcery Points and grow tentacles for 1 minute. Everyone who ends their turn within 5 feet of you takes 3d6 bludgeoning damage. |
| Giant | You can spend as a bonus action 2 Sorcery Points and become a giant for 1 minute. Your size increases by one category (from Medium to Large, for example). You gain 3d6 temporary hit points for a minute and when you make a melee weapon attack, your reach for it is 5 feet greater than normal. You can also temporarily increase your Strenght modifier equal to 1d6. |
| Godtouched | You can spend as a bonus action 2 Sorcery Points and radiate an healing light arround you for 1 minute. Everyone who ends their turn within 5 feet of you gains 1d6 hit points. You also emit bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light 30 feet beyond that. |
| Imperial | You can spend as a bonus action 2 Sorcery Points and inspire your allies for 1 minute. Every ally who starts their turn within 5 feet of you can make this turn their attacks with an advantage. |
| Phoenix | You can spend as a bonus action 2 Sorcery Points and fly like a phoenix for 1 minute. Everyone who ends their turn within 5 feet of you takes 1d6 fire damage. You also gain flying speed equal to 30 feet. |
| Shadow | You can spend as a bonus action 2 Sorcery Points and surround yourself with a thick cloud of shadows for 1 minute. Only those, who are 5 feet of you or who attack with an AoE attack, can attack you normally. For others you are hidden behind a full cover. |
| Undead | You can spend as a bonus action 2 Sorcery Points and raise a skeleton that will aid you and your allies for 1 minute or until it dies. Stats for a Skeleton can be found in Monster Manual. |
| Vampiric | You can spend as a bonus action 2 Sorcery Points and start sucking out life force from other creatures for 1 minute. Every spell of yours that deals damage deals additional 1d6 necrotic damage to every creature that is in the radius of that spell. You also gain hit points equal to the additional necrotic damage that you dealt. |
| Wild | You can spend as a bonus action 2 Sorcery Points and gain a random spell slot for 1 minute. You roll d6 and you gain a spell slot equal to your roll minus 1. If you roll 1 then you don't get a spell slot. |
All effects of your Bloodline's Ability are temporary and they last for 1 minute only. Also, you can use your Bloodline's Ability only once and you regain those abilities when you finish a short or a long rest.
Sorcerous Restoration
At 14th level, you regain 2 expended sorcery points whenever you finish a short rest.
At 20th level you regain 4 Sorcery Points instead.
Art credits
Sorcerer from D&D's Players Handbook made by Wizards of the Coast.