Aberrant Sorcery Sorcerer: D&D 2024 Optimisation Guide

Draw from the psionic powers of your aberrant magic with this sorcerous subclass.

Warped by the aberrant powers of the the Far Realm, the aberrant sorcery sorcerer is “gifted” psionic powers from this otherworldly influence.

Primarily, this makes them a bit of a utility specialist among the sorcerer’s subclasses. Telepathy, telekinesis and even body altering transformations to fly, swim and even squirm… are all useful abilities for exploring the darkest corners of the multiverse.

You can check out my tactics and optimisations for the 2024 aberrant sorcerer below.

At a glance

Powerful spellcasting class with enhanced spells
Makes a capable party face
Use psionics and transformations for utility like flight, a swim speed and telepathy
Protection from psychic damage and the charmed and frightened conditions

What’s changed in D&D 2024?

Basically nothing. The aberrant sorcerer is pretty much unchanged from the version in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything other than a few wording tweaks and the changes that come from the core sorcerer class.

Related articles

Aberrant sorcerer features

Sorcerer DND 2024 — Human sorcerer: Wizards of the Coast

Psionic spells – Lv3

How it works

You get the below spells as prepared spells.

Sorcerer level	Spells
3	Arms of Hadar, calm emotions, detect thoughts, dissonant whispers, mind sliver
5	Hunger of Hadar, sending
7	Evard’s black tentacle, summon aberration
9	Rary’s telepathic bond, telekinesis

Tactics

Use mind sliver with the quickened spell metamagic allowing you to reduce an enemy’s saving throws before launching a saving throw spell with your bonus action.
Use dissonant whispers to drive melee enemies away from you (so you can flee more easily).
Use hunger of Hadar to disrupt foes with darkness that also works to slow enemies in its area and harm them. Works great in narrow spaces like corridors and tunnels. Evard’s black tentacles will do this even more effectively by restraining them.

Telepathic speech – Lv3

How it works

Gain telepathy with a range of a few miles and a duration in minutes equal to your sorcerer level.

Tactics

Great for stealth moments when you need to communicate or if you need speak discretely during social situations.
Although there’s a limit on duration, there’s no limit on the uses of this, so if you’re close to the target, you can just keep reapplying the telepathic bond as soon as it runs out.
You can also just keep switching between party members if you need to as well. This won’t work at long distances though so you may need to plan a little more if you’re going to split the party.

Psionic sorcery – Lv6

How it works

You can cast spells really discreetly if you use sorcery points to cast that spell instead.

Tactics

Discreet spells can be really useful in stealth segments or during conversation. The problem is that sorcery points are a precious commodity that can quickly become used up, especially when expending multiple sorcery points on one spell.
You could instead just grab the subtle spell metamagic option which I think is a better use of your spellcasting resources.
Still, if sorcery points are more plentiful than spells, this is a decent option, and saves the need to take the subtle spell metamagic option which likely isn’t as high as other options on the list. It’s also a more efficient use of resources if expending this in a 1st level spell (essentially gaining the same benefit without using a spell slot).

Psychic defenses – Lv6

How it works

You now have resistance to psychic damage and advantage on saving throws against the charmed and frightened conditions.

Revelation in flesh – LV14

How it works

This is your big utility feature. You can now transform yourself so you can have a fast swim speed, breath under water, gain a fly speed, see invisibility and/or squeeze through small spaces.

Tactics

This is a really versatile utility feature that can help you in loads of situations. Flight is really versatile and could be worth using in many combats just for the safety it provides. Seeing invisibility tackles a very problematic issue and you’re now very difficult to grapple or restrain.

My issue with this though (despite how good it is) is how late it kicks in. Many characters gain access to these types of features much earlier. And there are spells to fly, swim and see invisibility that kick in at level 5 or even earlier. Admittedly these require prepared spells, but level 14 is quite late in the game to gain this kind of utility in my opinion.

Warping implosion – Lv18

How it works

Teleport up to 120ft and cause 3d10 damage to anything within 30ft of your former space while sucking them into that space.

Tactics

This is a tricky one as the circumstances in which this could be useful, should be the kind you are actively trying to avoid (especially with flight now in your arsenal).
At least being able to escape a crowd is useful, but you’re also reliant on having no allies within 30ft of you and plenty of enemies. If these are your circumstances, something has normally gone very wrong as a sorcerer

Building an optimised aberrant sorcerer

Elf sorcerer casting a spell — Elf sorcerer: Wizards of the Coast

If you’re playing an aberrant sorcerer, you continue to have the powerful spells of any sorcerer, but you’ll likely want to lean into some of the utility aspects of the subclass as well. This might mean taking advantage of your telepathy, flight and your ability to squeeze through enclosed spaces. In some ways, this means leaning into stealth and scout capabilities too.

While I’ve prioritised spellcasting acumen for this subclass, I’ve also included scouting and stealth in my advice below, though you don’t have to go this route if you don’t want to.

Ability scores

Recommended options

Charisma: Your most important ability score. You’ll need this for casting spells. It also enhances some of your metamagic options and can be used for face skills too.
Dexterity: You’re light on AC with no armor options available as standard so a decent dexterity will be important for a decent AC. This includes if you take mage armor or the lightly armoured feat.
Constitution: With the lowest hit dice in the game, you’ll need all the hit points you can grab. Constitution will help here. It’ll also help when you need to maintain concentration on spells.

Options to avoid

Strength: Dump, you’ve got no use for strength.
Wisdom: Only useful for some skills and saving throws. Use perception proficiency to compensate for your weaker wisdom while trying to be a scout.
Intelligence: You don’t need intelligence, you cast spells with your social magnetism!

Ability score	Point Buy	Standard Array
Strength	8	10
Dexterity	15	14
Constitution	14	13
Intelligence	8	8
Wisdom	10	12
Charisma	15	15

Skills

Recommended options

Deception: Important face skill, especially if you plan on going the stealth route (you may need to explain why you’re somewhere you shouldn’t be).
Insight: Your intelligence may not be high, but if you’re going to be the party face, you might want this to be decent.
Intimidation: Less important than your other face skills, but still a decent option.
Persuasion: Your most important face skill.

Options to avoid

Arcana: Not a bad option, but you won’t be investing in intelligence. Only go for this if you have another party face and no one else to take this in the party.
Religion: Also a decent option, but not as important as face skills and you don’t have the ability scores to support this so only take if you’re the only option for religion proficiency.

Species/race

As a potent spellcaster and potential utility subclass, you’ll want a species that helps with the following:

Resilience: This could come in the form of more hit points, but also in being more evasive like through flight or teleportation.
Damage dealing: Often, you’ll be tasked with dealing big damage with enhanced spells. Anything that can aid this will be handy.
Innate spellcasting: More spell options is always handy, and you should get some free uses too.
Skills and utility: Aberrant sorcerers lean into utility aspects of the class meaning proficiency in skills like perception or stealth are handy to make the most of these capabilities. Any other utility elements like a Wood Elf’s pass without trace spell are going to be helpful too.

Recommended options

Aasimar (2024): Damage resistances as well as some light healing for recovering allies are both solid. But you’re mainly here for temporary flight. You can get this through your subclass, but that doesn’t kick in till level 14, which many characters may not even reach.
Elf (2024): An extra skill and darkvision are both helpful. Perception is good for a potential scout. You’re mainly here for the innate spellcasting though. High Elf is a good option for misty step and an extra cantrip (toll the dead is a great choice you don’t get naturally). Drow is good for buffs and debuffs with the likes of faerie fire and darkness. If you want to lean into some of the stealth elements of the subclass, Wood Elf makes a good option, particularly with pass without trace.
Gnome (2024): Extra magic resilience is great as you’ll undoubtedly be the target of some spells. Minor illusion and speak with animals are better options than the Rock Gnome has, especially as a charisma-focused character (you may need to get persuasive with some beasts).
Human (2024): An extra skill will help you become more of a scout or stealth specialist. You could also pick up the skilled feat with the extra origin feat too if you need even more skills. Other origin feats could be useful depending on your priorities. The consistent supply of heroic inspiration is useful as well.
Tiefling (2024): 4 extra spells known is mainly what you’re after here. I’d favour the infernal legacy.

Backgrounds

Backgrounds are much more important now with D&D 2024 with ability score increases, origin feats and skills all now linked to your background.

For a sorcerer, I’d prioritise charisma and then one of dexterity or constitution with the below being your best options:

Name	Ability scores	Origin feat	Skill proficiencies	Tool proficiency
Charlatan	Dexterity, constitution, charisma	Skilled	Deception, sleight of hand	Forgery kit
Entertainer	Strength, dexterity, charisma	Musician	Acrobatics, performance	One kind of musical instrument
Merchant	Constitution, intelligence, charisma	Lucky	Animal handling, persuasion	Navigator’s tools
Wayfarer	Dexterity, wisdom, charisma	Lucky	Insight, stealth	Thieves’ tools

Charlatan is a great option if you want to lean into the subclass’ utility aspects.

Feats

Origin feats

I’d say the below are your best origin feats for an aberrant sorcerer:

Alert: Unless you’re using careful spell, you may find it useful to take your turn early in combat before those pesky martials get in the way of your AoE spells. It also gives you a chance to thin the herd early on.
Lucky: Advantage on d20 tests and disadvantage on your aggressors is universally useful. Especially as avoiding getting hit is one of the best ways to not lose concentration.
Magic initiate: Grab some extra spells known from another spell list.
Musician: A generally excellent origin feat for helping your allies out with some heroic inspiration (kind of like a slightly better lucky, you give to your friends).
Skilled – If you want to play the party face or make the most of those utility features, grab some stealth, perception or sleight of hand proficiency.
Tough: Really valuable extra hit points for a class lacking so much in durability.

General feats

Actor: Can be a good option for a party face if you want to do a lot of impersonations.
Fey touched: Misty step is great for staying safe. Plus you get more spells known. You can read my fey-touched guide for more advice.
Inspiring leader: Temporary hit points after every rest for your whole party is very handy. Just make sure you’re boosting your charisma for this feat.
Lightly armored: If you don’t want to keep spending spell slots on mage armor, then you could invest in this, especially as studded leather and a shield will give you better AC than mage armor.
Mage slayer: Great for disrupting mages and gives you something similar to legendary resistance.
Ritual caster: If you’re lacking a wizard, you might want to consider this for a bunch of utility spells you often can’t afford to invest in otherwise (like find familiar or detect magic). You can check out my full guide to ritual casting for more tips.
Shadow touched: Invisibility and an illusion spell are great for a caster class.
Skill expert – Get really good at a face skill, scouting skill or any other skills.
Spell sniper: Great for bypassing cover and getting some extra range on your spells.
War caster: Great for better concentration and it stacks with constitution proficiency.

Weapons

Really, the only reason to go with weapons over spells is if you happen to be caught in an anti magic field, a silence spell or something similar. Grab a light crossbow and dagger just in case.

It’s possible at early levels, with a decent dexterity, that a light crossbow might slightly outperform your cantrips. By level 5 though, your cantrips will definitely be outperforming any weapons and with metamagic and innate sorcery, you might hit that point earlier anyway.

Armor

You don’t have any armor proficiency, but if you do want to buff your AC, the mage armor spell is a great option. You can also grab the lightly armoured feat for light armor and shield proficiency.