Sorcerer (Dungeons & Dragons)
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- For other uses, see Sorcerer.
| Base classes from Player's Handbook |
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Barbarian |
| Additional/Alternative base classes |
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Archivist |
| NPC Classes |
| Unearthed Arcana generic classes |
| Prestige classes |
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the sorcerer is one of the base character classes. A sorcerer is weak in mêlée combat, but a master of arcane magic, the most generally powerful form of D&D magic. Sorcerers' magical ability is innate rather than studied.
Compared to wizards, sorcerers' instinctive grasp of magic has more flexibility within the moment but less versitility overall. That is, they do not need to prepare specific spells in advance, but each sorcerer also acquires a much smaller number of spells, since they do not use spell books and cannot simply copy new spells from others' writing. Conversely, they do not worry about carrying spell books and having them stolen. Other effects of the sorcerers' intuitive approach are that they can cast more spells per day, but qualify for more powerful spells slightly more slowly than wizards.
Since sorcerers can only have a limited number of spells at their arsenal, most tend to specialize in the offensive magic that an adventurer will use most. While they gain only a few noncombat spells, they have perhaps more sheer destructive force than any other character class. Their biggest strength is also their most fundamental disadvantage: sorcerers lack the versatility of wizards, who can use any information on an adventure ahead to prepare spells from a wide range of options. The flexible sorcerer, however, can still choose which of his few spells to use or re-use next based on each new thing he learns in the adventure, regardless of any predictions.
Sorcerers and wizards often disagree; wizards tend to think of sorcerers as sloppy and undisciplined, while sorcerers can consider wizards obsessive and distant. The flexible strength a sorcerer adds to a team, however, can be the perfect compliment to a wizard's wider range of spells.
(Sorcerers were introduced in 3rd Edition D&D, to give players an alternative to the game's traditional wizard and specific spell preparation.)
Chaos Gnomes (a subrace of Gnomes introduced in the Races of Stone supplement) and Diaboli (an obscure race of anarchists that first appeared in Dragon magazine #327) both have Sorcerer as their favored class.
[edit] Sorcerer spell preparation and casting
Sorcerers may cast spells depending on their experience and their Charisma ability. Although they are generally smart people, their magic does not (unlike wizards') come from Intelligence and study. Instead they have a purely instinctive affinity for arcane forces, a power that also amplifies their personal presence and gives them a Charisma similar to their potential power.
Many sorcerers claim that their magic comes from draconic blood, from some ancestor who was a dragon in human or other form. In the D&D world, this theory has not been confirmed, but people with dragon ancestors seem to be more common than most would think.
Preparing: Sorcerers do not need to prepare spells prior to using them. They may call upon whichever spell they innately know and may cast it using only the trigger sequence. Reasons for this are speculative at best, but some philosophers believe that sorcerers continually subconsciously recall the bulk of the spell at all times that they are awake.
Casting: When sorcerers want to cast a spell, they know instinctively which spell to use. They may then (as mentioned above) perform the same trigger sequence as a wizard would.
Resting: Sorcerers need to rest in the same way as wizards, otherwise they may fall into mental fatigue after too many castings.
Weapons and Armor Sorcerers, like wizards, do not wear armor or use shields. However, unlike the wizard, sorcerers are proficient with the complete range of simple weapons, including the spear and shortspear.
