Learn all about the innately magical sorcerors of D&D
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. Of course this greater spell power does come with drawbacks as they have less spells available in their repertoire when compared to wizards.
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 quite ineffective in combat and become less effective as they run out of sorcery points. Charisma is their spellcasting ability so it’s important to make sure this is high. This does have the added bonus of making sorcerers good when it comes to role playing elements of the game.
Sorcerer Strengths
Sorcerer’s meta magic makes their spells extra powerful, whether that’s giving them extra range, extra damage, increasing the number of targets or one of the other effects of meta magic, sorcerers can be terrifying opponents capable of dealing huge damage and providing extra buffs.
Sorcerer Weaknesses
The challenge for sorcerers is how to make them survive long enough to deal out the damage. They have a low AC and low HP so are best kept at long range. In addition to this is their limited repertoire of spells means they must choose their spell list wisely with a little less versatility than wizards for instance.
Sorcerer class features
| 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 |
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 |
Sorcerer subclasses in D&D 5e
| Sorcerous Origin | Subclass Abilities | Source Book | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draconic Bloodline | Dragon Ancestor, Draconic Resilience, Elemental Affinity, Dragon Wings, Draconic Presence | Player’s Handbook | These sorcerers have the powers of dragons coursing through their veins. |
| Wild Magic | Wild Magic Surge, Tides of Chaos, Bend Luck, Controlled Chaos, Spell Bombardment | Player’s Handbook | Chaotic sorcerers whose magic is wild and unpredictable. |
| Storm Sorcery | Wind Speaker, Tempestuous Magic, Heart of the Storm, Storm Guide, Storm’s Fury, Wind Soul | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything | Sorcerers whose abilities originate from the element of air. |
| Pyromancer | Heart of Fire, Fire in the Veins, Pyromancer’s Fury, Fiery Soul | Plane Shift – Kaladesh | Sorcerers whose magical origins come from beings that control fire. |
| Divine Soul | Divine Magic, Favoured by the Gods, Empowered Healing, Angelic Form, Unearthly Recovery | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything | Such sorcerers have their magic originating from divine sources. |
| Shadow Magic | Eyes of the Dark, Strength of the Grave, Hound of Ill Omen, Shadow Walk, Umbral Form | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything | Their magic comes from shadowy and sinister origins. |
| Aberrant Mind | Psionic Spells, Telepathic Speech, Psionic Sorcery, Psychic Defenses, Revelation in Flesh, Warping Implosion | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything | Their abilities derive from psychic origins. |
| Clockwork Soul | Clockwork magic, Restore Balance, Bastion of Law, Trance of Order, Clockwork Cavalcade | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything | Sorcerers with innate magic derived from mechanus. |
| Lunar Sorcery | Lunar Embodiment, Moon Fire, Lunar Boons, Waxing and Waning, Lunar Empowerment, Lunar Phenomenon | Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen | Sorcerer’s whose magic comes from the powers of the moon. |
