Sorcerer 5e - DnD Class Guide

Unleash innate magical powers upon your enemies with this dedicated spellcasting class

Sorcerer’s have natural, innate magical abilities that come either as a gift or inherited from some ancestor. They tend to be highly attuned to their innate magical abilities with the ability to magnify their spells beyond that of other spellcasters.

It can be easy to confuse the different types of spellcasters available and what distinguishes them. Below is an easy summary:

Bard: Use music to tap into magical energy.
Cleric: Receive magical powers from their god.
Druid: Obtain magic from the powers of nature.
Sorcerer: Obtain magic through innate or inherited abilities.
Warlock: Obtain magic through a pact with a powerful patron.
Wizard: Scholars of magic that learn it through study and practice.

Sorcerers can be found in popular media like Scarlett Witch (note that in D&D terms, Dr Strange is not a sorcerer, despite being the sorcerer supreme, but would actually be classed as a wizard). Witches and wizards of Harry Potter are more like sorcerers than wizards as you must be born with magical abilities to wield magic. Ciri from the Witcher is also a sorcerer with a hefty class dip in fighter.

If you’re looking for a powerful spellcasting class with the ability to enhance spells, then a sorcerer may be a good fit for you. Our guide will take you through how to play as a sorcerer, how to optimise one and role playing ideas for your character.

At a glance

Choose a sorcerer if you want…

To cast lots of spells
Want to cast more powerful versions of spells than anyone else
Want to have strong face skills
Want to wield innate magical powers

A sorcerer might not be for you if…

A martial class
A durable character
Don’t want to play a spellcaster
Want to play a healer

For a more detailed look at a Sorcerer’s capabilities, I’ve put together the scoring matrix below. This rates sorcerers on different features and abilities to give you a clear idea of where their strengths and weaknesses lie. For a full comparison of all classes and their capabilities, check out our class guide:

Class ratings (out of 5)

Combat

Armor class: 1

Weapon damage: 1

Durability: 1

Mobility: 3

Combat abilities: 3

Spellcasting

Spells known: 4

Spell slots: 4

Spell damage: 5

Spell buffs: 3

Spell debuffs: 2

Spell healing: 1

Battlefield control spells: 4

Out of combat spells: 3

Out of combat

Face abilities: 4

Skills: 2

Out of combat abilities: 1

How have we worked out these scores?

We’ve reviewed and played all the officially released D&D 5e classes and looked at a typical build for these class types. Because subclasses offer a lot of variety, we’ve had to exclude these from our considerations.

There is an exception here as the artificer is shaped hugely by their subclass. When it comes to something like weapon damage, we’ve had to take into consideration the fact that most artificers are decent with weapons, but an alchemist would probably only score a 2, even if the other artificer subclasses would score a 3.

We’ve scored each attribute out of 5 with a score of 5 reserved for classes that are the very best at that attribute. There’s some judgement required here. For example, a druid is typically a 3 in mobility (average mobility), but with wildshape, they can fly and swim quicker (and just travel faster). This elevates their score in our minds, even if they don’t consistently have these levels of mobility.

It’s important to understand though, that these scores are not hard and fast. Obtaining feats and pumping more into certain ability scores can turn any class into a decent face, for example. Different subclasses will also make a class better at different things (like an eldritch knight gaining spellcasting) but we feel that these scores represent most typical versions of their class.

The above tackles a typical sorcerer build, but with subclasses and multi-classing, there are some interesting and unique sorcerer builds available to allow you to excel in different areas.

If you think a sorcerer isn’t for you, not to worry, there are 12 other classes for you to pick from, just check out our class guide to find out about all of them. Some great alternatives to the spell-focused sorcerer include; bards, clerics, druids, warlocks and wizards.

Sorcerer class features

Below I’ve outlined a sorcerer’s class features. They have great options for saving throw proficiencies with charisma and constitution both being common saving throws. Sorcerers have very little in the way of weapon proficiencies so magic should be your main source of damage. They also have the lowest hit dice in the game alongside wizards making constitution important for adding a bit of durability to your sorcerer. On top of this, they don’t have access to any form of armor proficiency so dexterity also needs to be a priority, and preferably some kind of magical armor. However, what sorcerers lack in durability and martial prowess, they make up for in spellcasting ability.

Party Role	Spell Damage Dealer, Control
Main Ability	Charisma
Saving Throws	Constitution, Charisma
Hit Dice	1d6 + Consitution modifier per level
HP at 1st Level	6 + Constitution Modifier
Spell Casting Ability	Charisma
Armour Proficiency	None
Weapon Proficiency	Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows

Strengths

Sorcerers are powerful spellcasters, but there are so many spellcasting classes out there, and they all have different capabilities so I’ve outlined exactly what strengths sorcerers have:

Enhanced spells: Sorcerers have access to meta magic which gives them different ways of enhancing their spells from making them do more damage to being able to cast a spell at a second target. While not unlimited, meta magic can be a hugely powerful way to make some of your spells extra powerful, temporarily exceeding the capabilities of other spellcasters.
Spell damage dealers: Sorcerers have access to a lot of spells (not as many as wizards, but still a lot). In particular, they have access to a lot of effective, damage dealing spells. Meta magic can even be used to enhance how much damage you can output on a turn. If you’re going for a high damage spellcaster, sorcerers are one of the best!
Controlling the battlefield: It’s not just pure damage output that sorcerers are good at when it comes to spellcasting, they have a decent range of buffs and spells that can control the battlefield. Consider using something like enemies abound with twinned spell to wreak even more carnage on the enemy hordes (especially low intelligence enemies). Twinned spell on haste is also hugely effective and means you can augment 2 allies while concentrating on just one spell, doubling your influence on the battlefield.
Concentration: On that note, sorcerers have proficiency in constitution saving throws making it easier to remain focused on your spells.
Face skills: Not only are sorcerers charisma powerhouses, but they also have options for skill proficiencies in the 4 best face skills, deception, insight, intimidation and persuasion. This makes them a highly capable face for the party.

Weaknesses

Sorcerers are a highly specialised class. What they do well, they do really well (spellcasting), but what they don’t do well, they do really poorly:

Durability: With just d6 hit dice and no armor proficiency, sorcerers, alongside wizards, are the least durable class in the game. A couple of good saving throw proficiencies only make up for this shortfall by a small amount. A bit of dexterity and some spells that enhance your AC (like mage armor and shield) will help, but let’s be honest, you’re a pretty weedy class.
Weapons: Sorcerers are pretty rubbish when it comes to any kind of armed combat. Dexterity-based ranged weapons are your best bet if for some reason you can’t cast a cantrip. A light crossbow is your friend, especially as you should have some capability in dexterity. In fact, a light crossbow could average more damage than your cantrips at earlier levels.
Reliant on spell slots and meta magic: When spell slots and sorcery points dry up, sorcerers become much less effective. This means a lot of resource management to unleash your power during important moments.

Sorcerer Abilities

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Sorcery Points	Features	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+2	–	Spellcasting, Sorcerous Origin	3	2	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2nd	+2	2	Font of Magic	3	3	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
3rd	+2	3	Meta Magic	3	4	4	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
4th	+2	4	Ability Score Improvement	4	5	4	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
5th	+3	5		4	6	4	3	2	–	–	–	–	–	–
6th	+3	6	Sorcerous Origin Feature	4	7	4	3	3	–	–	–	–	–	–
7th	+3	7		4	8	4	3	3	1	–	–	–	–	–
8th	+3	8	Ability Score Improvement	4	9	4	3	3	2	–	–	–	–	–
9th	+4	9		4	10	4	3	3	3	1	–	–	–	–
10th	+4	10	Meta Magic	5	11	4	3	3	3	2	–	–	–	–
11th	+4	11		5	12	4	3	3	3	2	1	–	–	–
12th	+4	12	Ability Score Improvement	5	12	4	3	3	3	2	1	–	–	–
13th	+5	13		5	13	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	–	–
14th	+5	14	Sorcerous Origin Feature	5	13	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	–	–
15th	+5	15		5	14	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	–
16th	+5	16	Ability Score Improvement	5	14	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	–
17th	+6	17	Metamagic	5	15	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	1
18th	+6	18	Sorcerous Origin Feature	5	15	4	3	3	3	3	1	1	1	1
19th	+6	19	Ability Score Improvement	5	15	4	3	3	3	3	2	1	1	1
20th	+6	20	Sorcerous Restoration	5	15	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	1	1

How to play as a sorcerer

Sorcerers are best kept out of harms way while they blast out overpowered spells using their metamagic abilities. Action economy is important for sorcerers, without their spell slots, they’re much less effective in combat and become even less effective as they run out of sorcery points. Make sure you save your powerful spells for dangerous moments rather than wasting them on weaker enemies. Charisma is their spellcasting ability so it’s important to make sure this is high.

What meta magic options you take and the spells you choose will largely determine how you play, but having a variety of tools at your disposal will make you more readily able to adapt. Consider mixing damage dealing AOE spells like fireball, with buffs like haste. Avoid relying too much on concentration spells as you can only have one going at a time. You’ll also want some spells that can be cast as bonus actions and some spells that will help protect you.

Which subclass should I choose?

There are lots of great sorcerer subclasses to choose from (known as sercerous origins) so much of this decision comes down to the kind of character you’re trying to build and where the origin of their magic comes from.

I’ve popped some guidance below on which subclasses are useful for different types of sorcerous builds and origins.

Draconic Bloodline

Source Book: Player’s Handbook

Description: These sorcerers have the powers of dragons coursing through their veins.

Good for: For scorcerers that want to be a bit tougher and embody the powers of a dragon.

Wild Magic

Source Book: Player’s Handbook

Description: Chaotic sorcerers whose magic is wild and unpredictable.

Good for: For sorcerers that want chaotic magical powers that are difficult to fully control.

Storm Sorcery

Source Book: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything

Description: Sorcerers whose abilities originate from the element of air.

Good for: For sorcerers that want to wield the powers of the elements to their advantage.

Divine Soul

Source Book: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything

Description: Such sorcerers have their magic originating from divine sources.

Good for: For sorcerers that want access to healing and buffs like a halfway cleric.

Shadow Magic

Source Book: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything

Description: Their magic comes from shadowy and sinister origins.

Good for: For sorcerers that want to gain the upper-hand from the darkness. Also great for sorcerers that live in a state between life and death.

Aberrant Mind

Source Book: Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

Description: Their abilities derive from psychic origins.

Good for: Sorcerers that want to add psychic abilities to their repertoire as well as creepy occult spells.

Clockwork Soul

Source Book: Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

Description: Sorcerers with innate magic derived from mechanus.

Good for: For risk-free sorcerers that want to make sure the right thing happens in important moments.

Lunar Sorcery

Source Book: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

Description: Sorcerer’s whose magic comes from the powers of the moon.

Good for: For sorcerers that want to use meta magic more and have more versatility in their spellcasting.

How to optimise a sorcerer

Optimising a character properly can be tricky. Below I’ve picked out some key attributes for you to use with a sorcerer to turn them into a fearsome spellcaster:

Ability score

Recommended options: Charisma is the most important. Any spare points can go into dexterity and constitution to make you a bit hardier.

Options to avoid: Intelligence, wisdom and strength can all be dumped (wisdom is maybe slightly more important for the saving throws, but that’s all).

Considerations: Sorcerers are spell casters and also great faces. With charisma being your spellcasting ability, you’ll want to max this out as soon as possible to make sure you’re as effective as possible.

Dexterity will help increase your AC (remember, you have no armor so any bonus you can get here, the better). With only d6 hit dice too, constitution will help toughen you up a bit.

Races

Recommended options: Aarakocra, Aasimar, Astral Elf Autognome, Changeling, Deep Gnome, Fairy, Githyanki, Githzerai, Goblin, Half-Elf, Harengon, Kalashtar, Owlin, Satyr, Tiefling, Tortle, Verdan, Warforged, Yuan-Ti Pureblood

Options to avoid: Centaur, Hill Dwarf, Earth Genasi, Wood Elf, Fire Genasi, Giff, Forest Gnome, Rock Gnome, Ghostwise Halfling, Stout Halfling, Leonin, Locathah, Minotaur, Shifter

Considerations: Any race that can add to your charisma, dexterity and/or constitution is going to be useful. On top of this, look for races with face skills. You only get 2 as standard so one or 2 extra will go a long way in making you an effective face.

Innate spellcasting is useful as you won’t have a huge spell list and can recast innate spells. Just be aware that some older rules will have spells cast with a certain ability so make sure you can cast these spells with your charisma.

Some races have abilities that will make you more evasive or durable too. A fairy’s flight or Harengon’s ability to hop out of melee combat is useful for keeping you away from danger. Tortles and Warforged will enhance your pathetic AC while something like a Yuan-Ti Pureblood will give you a bunch of resistances.

Backgrounds

Recommended options: Courtier, Faceless, Faction Agent, Gambler, Guild Artisan, House Agent, Rewarded, Urban Bounty Hunter

Options to avoid: Archaeologist, Athlete, Cloistered Scholar, Hermit, Inheritor, Knight of Solamnia, Marine, Outlander, Pirate, Sage, Uthgardt Tribe Member, Wildspacer

Considerations: Really, you’re here for some face skills or maybe another more generally useful skill like perception or insight so go for backgrounds that will offer you these types of skills.

Skills

Recommended options: Persuasion, deception, intimidation and insight

Options to avoid: Arcana and religion aren’t bad, but your intelligence likely isn’t good enough to make good use of this. Save it for your wizard or artificer.

Considerations: As the likely face of the party, you’ll want to double down on face skills (insight being useful for a face too).

Feats

Recommended options: Inspiring Leader, metamagic adept, spell sniper, telekinetic

Options to avoid: Linguist, observant, skilled

Considerations: Gaining extra sorcery points through metamagic adept is great. Enhancing your cantrips with spell sniper is also a good option, telekinetic can give you something useful to do with your bonus action while inspiring leader takes great advantage of your charisma. Other options are decent but not many really shine on a sorcerer.

Avoid feats like linguist that a spell can do just as well for you or things like observant or skilled which are unlikely to be used much by a sorcerer.

Weapons

Recommended options: Light crossbow is best for ranged, dagger for utility

Options to avoid: Quarterstaff

Considerations: Weapons aren’t going to be used much by a sorcerer. If your dexterity is decent enough, a light crossbow might do more damage than a cantrip from levels 1-4 but after then, you’ll want to focus on spells unless you absolutely can’t cast any. Use something like shocking grasp for melee combat as it’ll be better than a dagger.

Quarterstaffs are rubbish as you shouldn’t have focused on strength anyway.

Armor

Recommended options: Mage armor and shield (spell)

Options to avoid: Any actual armor you aren’t proficient, unless you multiclass or take a feat.

Considerations: Sorcerers don’t get proficiency in any type of armor so you’re reliant on your dexterity and magical armor like mage armor and shield. For the most part though, just try and stay out of the way of the danger.

Metamagic

Recommended options: Heightened spell, quickened spell, twinned spell, empowered spell

Options to avoid: Extended spell, careful spell, distant spell

Considerations: Go for quickened spell if you want to cast more spells in a turn, go for twinned spell to buff multiple allies or harm multiple foes (something like haste is brilliant and you can essentially concentrate on 2 effects of spells rather than one as it’s a single spell). Empowered spell is good for ensuring AOE spells (or other spells with lots of dice) deal more damage while heightened spell is good if you intend to cast a lot of save or suck spells.

Sadly, lengthening the duration of a spell often isn’t worthwhile as most spells last a very adequate amount of time. Careful spell is usually a waste as you can usually avoid your allies naturally anyway. Distant spell isn’t that great either as most spells have a good distance for what they do.

Multiclassing

Recommended options: Bard, Cleric, Warlock

Options to avoid: Barbarian, Fighter, Monk, Wizard

Considerations: Bard and Warlock can feel like obvious choices as they also use charisma as their spellcasting ability. Both will give you access to light armor proficiency, though a hexblade can be tempting as at 1st level, you can have medium armor and shield proficiency. Bards will help you improve on your skills too.

Cleric is an interesting option as you’ll be a little more reliant on wisdom with their spells, but that’s not too much of a problem for a sorcerer. What they will give you is medium armor proficiency, or if you choose your subclass well, heavy armor proficiency, to make you that much more durable.

One thing to consider is how far you want to progress when multiclassing (if at all) as you may get some extra benefits, but will delay the higher spell levels by multiclassing so best to limit this for a sorcerer.

On top of this, avoid any classes that rely on you getting into melee combat to be of use. This automatically excludes things like barbarians, fighters and monks, even if they’ll make you more durable. Even a paladin is problematic despite the shared spellcasting ability as they’re also heavily reliant on getting in close to enemies. A cleric remains a better multiclass option if you want armor and/or healing.

Roleplaying a sorcerer

Blessed/cursed with innate magical powers, sorcerers gain their magic through no effort of their own (though mastering those powers does take great effort). This is unlike other classes who might gain their powers through study (like wizards and bards), devotion (like clerics and paladins) or through a pact (like a warlock).

This can make them loads of fun to roleplay potentially even adding an element of unpredictability into the mix.

There are a whole host of ways you could roleplay a sorcerer, but if you’re struggling for inspiration, I’ve listed below a few ways you could roleplay your sorcerer:

Untamed power: You don’t know where your magic came from, but you struggle to always keep it under control. Maybe it manifests when you get angry, anxious or even passionate! Controlling your powers is your main desire, but along the way, amusing/embarrassing/destructive things may happen to you. Kissing a loved one might result in scorch marks, scary dreams might end in lightning bolts and secret thoughts might manifest as illusions, visible to those around you. Imagine people like Rogue from the X-Men or Neera from Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2.
Cursed with magic: You’d love nothing more than to just be normal, but your inherited gifts make you different from everyone else. Perhaps your draconic bloodline gives you a scaly appearance or your shadowy, magical origins leave you looking gaunt and feeling half-dead. Reality is, your magic doesn’t always feel like a gift. Perhaps you begrudgingly see the benefits of your powers, or maybe you actively seek to get rid of your powers. Either way, it feels like more of a curse than a blessing.
Gift from the gods: Perhaps your powers were gifted you by the gods. A wonderful miracle to bring salvation to the downtrodden. Perhaps a miraculous sign was present at your birth, a prophecy was made foretelling your birth or you have the faint glow of celestial light. Whatever it is, you were given magic for a purpose. But do you work towards this purpose, or try to ignore your fate?
Odd influences: It wasn’t just magic you received, you also received some unusual idiosyncrasies. Perhaps you are the subject of illithid experimentation, and along with psychic powers, you inherited alien ways of thinking too! Maybe your clockwork soul makes you very precise and ordered in your attitudes. Whatever it is, your personality seems to be influenced as much as your powers by whatever has influenced your soul.