Sorcerer (Sea Sorcerer)

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Overview & Creation

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

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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 magic, they can discover new and staggering ways to unleash that power.  

Unexplained Powers

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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 enormous flexibility in using the spells they know.  

Creating a Sorcerer

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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. 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.  

QUICK BUILD

You can make a sorcerer quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the hermit background. Third, choose the light, prestidigitation, ray of frost, and shocking grasp cantrips, along with the 1st-level spells shield and magic missile.  

The Sorcerer Table

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

 

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Class Features

Sorcerous Origin

Choose a sorcerous origin, which describes the source of your innate magical power: Draconic Bloodline, 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

At 2nd level, you tap into a deep wellspring of magic within yourself. This wellspring is represented by sorcery points, which allow you to create a variety of magical effects.  

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.  

Flexible Casting

You can use your sorcery points to gain additional spell slots, or sacrifice spell slots to gain additional sorcery points. You learn other ways to use your sorcery points as you reach higher levels.   Creating Spell Slots You can transform unexpended sorcery points into one spell slot as a bonus action on your turn. The Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating a spell slot of a given level. You can create spell slots no higher in level than 5th.   Any spell slot you create with this feature vanishes when you finish a long rest.  

Creating Spell Slots

Spell slot level	Sorcery point cost
1st	2
2nd	3
3rd	5
4th	6
5th	7

  Converting a Spell Slot to 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.  

Metamagic

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to twist your spells to suit your needs. You gain two of the following Metamagic options of your choice. You gain another one at 10th and 17th level.   You can use only one Metamagic option on a spell when you cast it, unless otherwise noted.  

Careful Spell

When you cast a spell that forces other creatures to make a saving throw, you can protect some of those creatures from the spell’s full force. To do so, you spend 1 sorcery point and choose a number of those creatures up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one creature). A chosen creature automatically succeeds on its saving throw against the spell.  

Distant Spell

When you cast a spell that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can spend 1 sorcery point to double the range of the spell.   When you cast a spell that has a range of touch, you can spend 1 sorcery point to make the range of the spell 30 feet.  

Empowered Spell

When you roll damage for a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to reroll a number of the damage dice up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one). You must use the new rolls.   You can use Empowered Spell even if you have already used a different Metamagic option during the casting of the spell.  

Extended Spell

When you cast a spell that has a duration of 1 minute or longer, you can spend 1 sorcery point to double its duration, to a maximum duration of 24 hours.  

Heightened Spell

When you cast a spell that forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist its effects, you can spend 3 sorcery points to give one target of the spell disadvantage on its first saving throw made against the spell.  

Quickened Spell

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.  

Subtle Spell

When you cast a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to cast it without any somatic or verbal components.  

Twinned Spell

When you cast a spell that targets only one creature and doesn’t have a range of self, you can spend a number of sorcery points equal to the spell’s level to target a second creature in range with the same spell (1 sorcery point if the spell is a cantrip).   To be eligible, a spell must be incapable of targeting more than one creature at the spell’s current level. For example, magic missile and scorching ray aren’t eligible, but ray of frost and chromatic orb are.  

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 Restoration

At 20th level, you regain 4 expended sorcery points whenever you finish a short rest.
 

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Starting 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

 

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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 = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier   Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier  

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus (see the Adventuring Gear section) as a spellcasting focus for your sorcerer spells.

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Subclass Options

Sorcerous Origins

Different sorcerers claim different origins for their innate magic.  

Sea Sorcery

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The power of water is the strength of flexibility, resilience, and a relentless nature. Water parts to allow a ship to sail over it or a diver to plunge into it, but their passing leaves no mark. Water flowing down a mountain reaches the sea. It might bend and turn across valleys and down hillsides, but it slowly and steadily returns to the waves. Those whose souls are touched by the power of elemental water command a similar power.   Your heritage ties to powerful creatures of the sea, such as nereids, the lords of the merfolk, and elemental powers. Like a river, you feel the call of the ocean. The call is ever present in your heart, and you are never completely at peace until you are near the sea.  

Soul of the Sea

At 1st level, your tie to the sea grants you the ability to breathe underwater, and you have a swim speed equal to your walking speed.  

Curse of the Sea

When you choose this origin at 1st level, you learn the secret of infusing your spells with a watery curse.   When you hit a creature with a cantrip’s attack or when a creature fails a saving throw against your cantrip, you can curse the target until the end of your next turn or until you curse a different creature with this feature.   Once per turn when you cast a spell, you can trigger the curse if that spell deals cold or lightning damage to the cursed target or forces it to move. Doing so subjects the target to the appropriate additional effect below, and then the curse ends if the spell isn’t a cantrip (you choose the effect to use if more than one effect applies):   Cold Damage If the affected target takes cold damage from your spell, the target’s speed is also reduced by 15 feet until the end of your next turn. If the spell already reduces the target’s speed, use whichever reduction is greater.   Lightning Damage If the affected target takes lightning damage from your spell, the target takes additional lightning damage equal to your Charisma modifier.   Forced Movement If the target is moved by your spell, increase the distance it is moved by 15 feet.  

Watery Defense

At 6th level, you gain resistance to fire damage.   You also gain the ability to defend yourself by momentarily assuming a watery form. As a reaction when you are hit by an attack and take bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage from it, you can reduce that damage by an amount equal to your sorcerer level plus your Charisma score, and then you can move up to 30 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.   Once you use this special reaction, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.  

Shifting Form

Starting at 14th level, you gain the ability to enter a liquid state while moving.   When you move on your turn, you take only half damage from opportunity attacks, and you can move through any enemy’s space but can’t willingly end your move there.   On your turn, you can move through any space that is at least 3 inches in diameter and do so without squeezing. When you stop moving, the regular squeezing rules apply if you’re in a space one size smaller than you. You can’t willingly stop in a space smaller than that, and if you’re forced to do so, you immediately flow to the nearest space that can fit you, back along the path of your movement.  

Water Soul

Starting at 18th level, your being is altered by the power of the sea. You gain the following benefits:  

• You no longer need to eat, drink, or sleep.
• A critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.
• You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.