The Sorcerer Nobody Asked For
Golden eyes flashing, a human stretches out her hand and unleashes the dragonfire that burns in her veins. As an inferno rages around her foes, leathery wings spread from her back and she takes to the air.
Long hair whipped by a conjured wind, a half-elf spreads his arms wide and throws his head back. Lifting him momentarily off the ground, a wave of magic surges up in him, through him, and out from him in a mighty blast of lightning.
Crouching behind a stalagmite, a halfling points a finger at a charging troglodyte. A blast of fire springs from her finger to strike the creature. She ducks back behind the rock formation with a grin, unaware that her wild magic has turned her skin bright blue.
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.
Raw Magic
Magic is a part of every sorcerer, suffusing body, mind, and spirit with a latent power that waits to be tapped. Some sorcerers wield magic that springs from an ancient bloodline infused with the magic of dragons. Others carry a raw, uncontrolled magic within them, a chaotic storm that manifests in unexpected ways.
The appearance of sorcerous powers is wildly unpredictable. Some draconic bloodlines produce exactly one sorcerer in every generation, but in other lines of descent every individual is a sorcerer. Most of the time, the talents of sorcery appear as apparent flukes. Some sorcerers can’t name the origin of their power, while others trace it to strange events in their own lives. The touch of a demon, the blessing of a dryad at a baby’s birth, or a taste of the water from a mysterious spring might spark the gift of sorcery. So too might the gift of a deity of magic, exposure to the elemental forces of the Inner Planes or the maddening chaos of Limbo, or a glimpse into the inner workings of reality.
Sorcerers have no use for the spellbooks and ancient tomes of magic lore that wizards rely on, nor do they rely on a patron to grant their spells as warlocks do. By learning to harness and channel their own inborn ability, they can unleash a never ending torrent of magic.
Unexplained Powers
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.
Sorcerers often have obscure or quixotic motivations driving them to adventure. Some seek a greater understanding of the magical force that infuses them, or the answer to the mystery of its origin. Others hope to find a way to get rid of it, or to unleash its full potential. Whatever their goals, sorcerers are every bit as useful to an adventuring party as wizards, making up for a comparative lack of breadth in their magical knowledge with a seemingly endless font of power.
Creating a Sorcerer
The most important question to consider when creating your sorcerer is the origin of your power. As a starting character, you’ll choose an origin that ties to a draconic bloodline or the influence of wild magic, but the exact source of your power is up to you to decide. Is it a family curse, passed down to you from distant ancestors? Or did some extraordinary event leave you blessed with inherent magic but perhaps scarred as well?
How do you feel about the magical power coursing through you? Do you embrace it, try to master it, or revel in its unpredictable nature? Is it a blessing or a curse? Did you seek it out, or did it find you? Did you have the option to refuse it, and do you wish you had? What do you intend to do with it? Perhaps you feel like you’ve been given this power for some lofty purpose.
The Sorcerer
| Level | Proficiency | Features | Sorcery Points | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Spellcasting, Sorcerous Origin | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Font of Magic | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Esoteric Sorcery, Magnum Opus | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Surge of Power | 5 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Sorcerous Origin Feature | 6 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | — | 7 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 8 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | — | 9 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Signature Spells | 10 | 5 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | — | 11 | 5 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 12 | 6 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | — | 13 | 6 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | +5 | Sorcerous Origin Feature | 14 | 6 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 15th | +5 | Signature Spells (2nd) | 15 | 6 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 16 | 6 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 17th | +6 | — | 17 | 6 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Sorcerous Origin Feature | 18 | 6 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 19 | 6 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20th | +6 | Signature Spells (3rd) | 20 | 6 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Or you might decide that the power gives you the right to do what you want, to take what you want from those who lack such power. Perhaps your power links you to a powerful individual in the world—the fey creature that blessed you at birth, the dragon who put a drop of its blood into your veins, the lich who created you as an experiment, or the deity who chose you to carry this power.
Class 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
- Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
- Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, and Religion.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus
- (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
- Two daggers
Spellcasting
An event in your past, or in the life of a parent or ancestor, left an indelible mark on you, infusing you with arcane magic. This font of magic, whatever its origin, fuels your spells. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the sorcerer spell list.
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 sorcerer 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.
For example, if you know the 1st-level spell burning hands and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast burning hands using either slot.
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, since the power of your magic relies on your ability to project your will into the world. 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
Spell attack modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus (see the Adventuring Gear section) as a spellcasting focus for your sorcerer spells.
Sorcerous Origin
Choose a sorcerous origin, which describes the source of your innate magical power detailed at the end of the class description, or one from another source.
Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 1st level and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level.
Font of Magic
When you reach 2nd level, you can effortlessly draw on your own well of power.
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. Additionally, after finishing a short rest, you can regain a number of spent Sorcery Points up to your proficiency bonus.
Conversion
You can sacrifice spell slots to gain 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.
Flexible Casting
Whenever you cast a Sorcerer spell, you can cast the spell using a spell slot normally or by expending sorcery points. Refer to the following table to determine the number of sorcery points required to cast a spell at different levels. You cannot cast spells higher than 5th level using Sorcery Points.
Sorcery Point Costs
| Spell level | Sorcery Points |
|---|---|
| 1st | 2 |
| 2nd | 3 |
| 3rd | 5 |
| 4th | 6 |
| 5th | 7 |
Esoteric Sorcery
Starting at 3rd level, whenever you might find spells or sources of magic during your adventures, you may gain the power that it holds. You could discover a spell recorded on a scroll in an evil wizard's chest, a spell imprinted to a rune stone, or castable from a magic ring, or a mighty wellspring of magic surging from a place of power. These acquisitions provide you the opportunity to absorb its magic and make it your own.
When you find a sorcerer spell of 1st level or higher for which you have spell slots, you can consume the magic within the item or source of power, potentially nullifying the source. You instantly learn that spell. Spells learned this way do not count against your number of spells known.
However, you are limited to a number of spells learned this way equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one). If you desire to learn additional spells in this manner, you must choose and replace one of the spells you have already learned using this feature, and forget it. These spells cannot be replaced by any other means.
Magnum Opus
Starting at 3rd level, your control of raw magical power lets you weave your spells with great flair and might. You learn to control your spells in the following ways, but can only apply one effect per spell cast.
Quickened. 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.
Maximized. Before you roll damage for a spell, you can spend 2 Sorcery Points to choose a number of damage dice up to your proficiency bonus. Set the value of those dice before rolling any others.
Ability 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 you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Sorcerous Versatility
Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace one cantrip you learned from this class’s Spellcasting feature with another cantrip from the sorcerer spell list. This represents the magic within you flowing in new ways.
Surge of Power
Starting at 5th level, drawing success from the clasp of failure requires you to tap into your wellspring of raw power. Whenever you make an ability check or an attack roll, you can choose to reroll the d20, but you must use the new roll. You must do this before knowing the outcome of the roll.
Once you use this feature to reroll the d20, you cannot do so again until your finish a short or long rest. Alternatively, you can spend 2 Sorcery Points to use this feature again.
Signature Spells
You have achieved such mastery over certain spells that you can cast them with ease; these are your signature spells.
At 10th level, choose a 1st level sorcerer spell that you know to be your signature spell. Your signature spells cannot be spells you learned through your Esoteric Sorcery feature. Whenever you cast a signature spell at its lowest level, you can cast it using 1 Sorcery Point instead of its normal cost or spell slot.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the signature spells you know and replace it with another spell that you know that is of the same spell level.
At later levels you gain access to additional signature spells: a 2nd level spell at 15th level, and a 3rd level spell at 20th level.
