If Wizards are the Harry Potter casters of Dungeons & Dragons 5E, then the Sorcerers are the X-Men, as they gain powers through the magical blood coursing their veins. The magic of the Sorcerer is infused into their being, which is now being incorporated into their class as part of the latest Unearthed Arcana article for D&D 5E, with new options that are available for playtesting so that they can be refined for inclusion in the next iteration of the Player’s Handbook.
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The D&D Sorcerer’s New Class Features
The new Unearthed Arcana for D&D can be found on D&D Beyond, featuring a new version of the Sorcerer. The Sorcerer gains new exclusive spells that provide offensive options tied to the elements and a unique healing spell that can remove some of the more annoying status conditions in the game.
- Innate Sorcery – A level 1 class feature that provides access to the Sorcerer-exclusive chaos bolt spell and sorcerous bolt Cantrip. These are always considered to be part of the character’s spell list.
- Chaos Bolt – A new level 1 Sorcerer-exclusive Evocation spell. Chaos bolt deals 2d8 + 1d6 damage, with the d8 numbers determining the elemental damage type. If the player rolls the same number of both d8s, then the spell can attack another target within 30ft.
- Sorcerous Bolt – A new Sorcerer-exclusive Evocation Cantrip. Sorcerous bolt is a ranged attack spell that deals 1d6 damage, and if they roll a 6, they roll the damage again.
- Sorcerous Vitality – A level 5 class feature that grants the spell of the same name. Sorcerous vitality level 3 Sorcerer-exclusive Abjuration spell, healing the caster by 2d6 + Charisma modifier and ending the Blinded, Deafend, or Poisoned condition.
- Arcane Eurupion – A level 7 class feature that grants the spell of the same name. Arcane eruption is a level 4 Sorcerer-exclusive Evocation spell, allowing the caster to create a sphere from a chosen element, dealing 6d6 damage (or half that on a Constitution saving throw). The spell also causes a status effect based on the result of one of the damage dice.
- Sorcery Incarnate – A level 9 class feature that grants the spell of the same name. Sorcery incarnate is a level 5 Sorcerer-exclusive Transmutation spell that restores 1d4 Sorcery Points, allows the caster to use two Metamagic options on one spell, and they gain Advantage on attack rolls made with spells.
- Arcane Apothesis – A level 18 class feature that grants them the wish spell, with the ability to endure its stress effect to ensure they never lose the ability to cast wish again. They can also use wish to replicate a level 1-8 spell without expending a level 9 spell slot, which can be done once per long rest.
- Epic Boon – A new level 20 class feature that lets the Sorcerer choose an Epic Boon Feat.
How D&D Changed The Sorcerer’s Existing Class Features
The D&D Sorcerer now gets more spells for their list, which doesn’t count the exclusive spells they receive when they level up. And while Font of Magic now has a spell level cap; the Metamagic feature has seen a huge boost, making it far better than it is in the Player’s Handbook.
- Sorcerers get more spells for their list, capping at 22. This means Sorcerers have way more options in combat, especially as they also gain new exclusive spells.
- Sorcerers choose their subclass at level 3 instead of level 1. They gain a new subclass feature at level 10 but don’t get one at level 18.
- Metamagic is now received at level 2, and several of the Metamagic effects have been changed, as detailed in the section below. Sorcerers can now change a Metamagic option when they take a long rest.
- Additionally, Sorcerers gain three Metamagic options at level 2 but don’t gain more until level 13. They no longer gain Metamagic options at level 10 and level 17.
- Font of Magic is now capped at creating spell slots of level 5 or lower.
- Sorcerous Restoration is received at level 15 and not level 20. The caster now regains Sorcery Points upon rolling Initiative.
How D&D Changed The Sorcerer’s Metamagic Feature
Many of the D&D Sorcerer’s Metamagic features have been tweaked in Unearthed Arcana, with a few of the options from later books as part of the core selection. This has resulted in a lot of rebalancing, with weaker Metamagic options strengthened and some of the OP ones nerfed, as Sorcerer players tended to pick the same few.
- Careful Spell now allows the recipient to take no damage if they usually take half damage.
- Distant Spell now increases the distance based on the Sorcerer’s level.
- Extended Spell now gives you Advantage on Concentration checks for the spell.
- Heightened Spell now costs 2 Sorcery Points, and the target has Disadvantage on EVERY saving throw against the spell, not just the first.
- Quickened Spell has new text outlining D&D’s Bonus Action + Cantrip casting rule from the Player’s Handbook, which many players miss.
- Subtle Spell now prevents the spell from needing material components unless it would be consumed.
- Twinned Spell is completely different, as the original version was too powerful. Now, if you cast a level 1-5 Sorcerer spell in the previous turn, you can cast it again this turn by expending Sorcery Points equal to the level of the spell rather than using spell slots.
How One D&D Changed The Sorcerer’s Draconic Sorcery Subclass
The new Unearthed Arcana features the Draconic Sorcery subclass for Sorcerers in, which will be the new naming convention for the class, rather than using the term Bloodlines. In Unearthed Arcana, Sorcerers won’t be able to access these draconic powers until later, but they’ve all been improved to varying degrees.
- Sorcerers no longer choose a Draconic Ancestor at level 1. This has been rolled into Elemental Affinity.
- Draconic Resilience is now AC 10 + Dexterity modifier + Charisma modifier, rather than AC 13 + Dexterity modifier. This will likely result in a higher AC for the character, especially as the Sorcerer levels up and gains more stat points.
- Dragon Speech replaces the Draconic language feature of Draconic Ancestor. Now, the Sorcerer can communicate with all Dragon-type monsters.
- Elemental Affinity now grants permanent resistance to the Sorcerer’s damage type rather than spending Sorcery Points to activate it for an hour.
- Draconic Exhalation is a new level 10 feature that lets the Sorcerer turns the sorcerous burst Cantrip into a 15ft cone breath attack, but its damage type much match the one chosen by Elemental Affinity.
- Dragon Wings only creates wings while the sorcery incarnate spell is active, but it grants an elemental wing flap attack at the end of your turn, hitting every target within 15ft, and it doesn’t cost an action to use this ability!
- Draconic Presence has been removed.
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Like the Warlock, the Sorcerer has seen a massive boost in power in the new Unearthed Arcana. The Sorcerer-exclusive spells are all fantastic, and they really capture the chaotic, elemental-infused nature of their powers. It’s a shame they must wait longer to pick their subclass, but they get many new toys to compensate for it.
