Post/Author/DateTime	Post
codexia 06-13-05, 02:27 AM	I had this posted a few days ago, but since I was sick, I got to lose track of my thread ^^; So i'm reposting it (due to the fact i'm an idiot and have no clue how to find my old threads). Sorcerers...need flavor. Badly. Very, very badly. They are toned down wizards, thats about it. So...I just wanted to run this by people, see if they think this is unbalancing, overpowered, or just adds some flavor that will make them playable again. (I know some people like Sorcs, a lot, but with the people I play with, Sorcs are practicaly Taboo) Remove familiar - Familiars really seem to be more a Wizard thing...like Merlin... No spell components - Sorcs spells are supposed to be innate, so, no physical components would ever be needed on their spells. Ever. This would only work on Sorc spells. Random Bloodline - Every sorcerer is decended from dragons? Booooooooring. Instead, give them a random greater bloodline from the Unearthed Arcana book. That way there's actually some reason to level sorc up past whatever you want for a prestige class, since this would only improve with Sorc levels. Anyway, let me know what you think ^^; is it just dumb...?
Keldarth 06-13-05, 07:31 AM	As a player of a sorcerer (and enjoying it!), I think the sorcerer class is not underpowered or lacking flavor... Every player should make up his/her own flavor to his/her character... But I also think that if Wizards would invent the class today, they would add a little "something" to it... something like the things you propose... Just take a look to the Favored Soul from Complete Divine... a spontaneous divine caster who also has some nifty class abilities... I have always been a defender of the no spell components for the sorcerer, but I understand the need of them to balance the game... some spells would have to be reworked by adding something like xp costs (in the manner of psionics, who also don't have material components)... No familiar.... I understand your logic and I agree with the flavour of it being clearly "wizard-like", but I like the summon familiar ability, and with the right in-game explanation, it can become something very sorcey... Innate magician who summons an otherworldly "companion" or perhaps even "teacher"... or forms a bond with an animal without even knowing how he did it... The Bloodline rules you suggest are very very appropiate and do a lot to giving each sorcerer a specific flavour, besides they give reasons to level up as full-fledged sorcerer instead of going prestige at the first chance... But I would not make it random... every class can choose his options, be it feats, combat styles, etc... I think sorcerers could do the same... Of course, that means that all of the bloodlines must be balanced against each other... Well, just my two cents...
Xeviat-DM 06-13-05, 07:45 AM	Compare the Favored Soul to the Cleric, the Spirit Shaman to the Druid, and then the Sorcerer to the Wizard. You should be able to quickly see that the Sorcerer is missing a whole lot of flavor. In my opinion, they should slowly gain draconic abilities as they increase in levels, or in my campaign they would gain elemental abilities if I was using the standard Sorcerer mold. For a being of pure magic, you'd think they'd get some nice special abilities.
Nyferto 06-13-05, 07:47 AM	Sorcerers...need flavor. Badly. Very, very badly. They are toned down wizards, thats about it. So...I just wanted to run this by people, see if they think this is unbalancing, overpowered, or just adds some flavor that will make them playable again. (I know some people like Sorcs, a lot, but with the people I play with, Sorcs are practicaly Taboo) It's naff. You inject flavour, that's the point of classes without inbuilt flavour. You do it to wizards. How are they toned down when all they really lack is a few bonus feats? Remove familiar - Familiars really seem to be more a Wizard thing...like Merlin... Maybe it's just an Arcane caster thing, who said Merlin was a Wizard anyway? No spell components - Sorcs spells are supposed to be innate, so, no physical components would ever be needed on their spells. Ever. This would only work on Sorc spells. They have an inate talent, anyone can learn how to paint, but only an artist can do it spontaneously, he still needs tools though. From a rules perspective - stupid No components means any number of loopholes. Is XP phsyical? Because it's the only remaining component on spells like Wish. Random Bloodline - Every sorcerer is decended from dragons? Booooooooring. Instead, give them a random greater bloodline from the Unearthed Arcana book. That way there's actually some reason to level sorc up past whatever you want for a prestige class, since this would only improve with Sorc levels. No, many Sorcs claim to be decended from Dragons. The PrC excuse is always junk, it's the PrC's that are the problem, not the class. Bloodlines mean that every sorc has to have a bloodline, which is dumb. Anyway, let me know what you think ^^; is it just dumb...? Yes, very.
runestar 06-13-05, 08:05 AM	Sorcs are not toned down wizs, they are a whole class of their own, with their own distinct style of arcane spellcasting(ignoring the magelord prc). If you want, simply swap out the familiar class ability for the eschew materials feat. Plus, I don't see the wiz having any more flavour, and the sorc class comes before the wiz class in the PHB. If you need to copy flavour straight out of a book for your rp purposes, it is a very sad thing since you are supposed to make your own, the book merely provides suggestions and the mechanics for playing them.