Two quick notes. With suggestion you would likely still make a verbal suggestion, as the text of the spell certainly implies a verbal suggestion has been made. I also say "Warlock" instead of "Sorcerer" once in this video, though it should be obvious what I meant.
Dude, Psionic sorcery? so anti-magic field wont work against our Psionic spells? please can you confirm that? is it Innate Spellcasting or Psionic that are not hindered by anti-magic field and similar affects ?
@@Deal101 Mechanically speaking it's still just spellcasting. It is just flavoured as psionics. But so far I'm pretty sure there's no official mechanical distinction between psionics and any other form of magic that would allow one to function where the other couldn't. This is likely because they want to keep some freedom for players to reflavour how their magic works for their specific characters.
Hey Chris, what do you think about letting players use the telepathic ability in conjuction with psionic suggestioni? Raw maybe not correct but imo it would fit perfectly with character's concept
Modify memory would also be really cool as a psionic spell. You can just stare at a guy and alter his memory without anyone noticing. It's absolutely diabolical
You can actually take it. "Psionic spells" let you change one of spells from list to another, as long as it's from Enchantment or Divination spells of wizard, sorcerer or warlock. Just swap "Telekinesis" or "Rery's Telepathic Bond" to "Modify Memory" and you're good to go.
It was silly they did not put optional rules for an additional spells known for the prior subclasses. Besides the Divine Soul Sorcerer there is no way any of the others subclasses are near as optimal as these two in Tasha's. I am playing a Shadow Magic Sorceress in one campaign and I love her theme and luckily my DM gave me a magic item that provides bonus spells similar to these subclasses, which has made the game much more fun as I now can have several circumstantial spells and non combat spells to play around with in all situations. There has been no balance issues and I highly recommend it to all the DM's out there when they have a player who wants to play the substandard subclasses, especially the PHB subclasses.
That may be true of some of the PHB sorcerers but the Xanathars sorcerers would be very powerful. Imagine the divine soul sorcerer with access to both sorcerer and divine spells lists with 10 extra spells known. You would outshine not only other sorcerers but also most clerics.
The ability to spend sorcery points to cast spells makes me think this one is the better subclass of the two, but without a doubt Tasha's gave new life to the sorcerer in a big way
I agree that the spells the clockwork has access to can be more potent. And for a sorcadin it probably beats the divine sorcerer, but for a straight sorcerer I think Aberrant is better as it will have the ability to play around their sorcery points and slots more easily. Also the lvl 14 abilities are things that very rarely come into play
@@logicseeker3770 I have rarely seen magic resistance, far more often it's legendary saves or counterspell, and the later is suppressed by psionic spell casting and still can be metamagic'd
@@logicseeker3770 I have had lots of DMs that customized their monsters and bosses and it's yeah it's been spellcasting dragons sometimes, or archmages that are vampires or liches
Before this came out I made what I call the Bane sorcerer. Took variant human (could use custom lineage as well) to get Fey touched (Cha) and the Bane spell. The idea is you use Mind Sliver and Quickened Bane to give -2d4 to saves and later Tasha's Mind Whip to literally be the bane of your enemy's existence.
My AM Sorc multiclassed into Eloquent Bard a bit; it takes two turns, but Quickened Bane + Mind Sliver (Turn 1) + Unsettling Words + Heightened Spell is just gross. -(2d4) + -(1d6) + disadvantage
This subclass works perfectly for a Jedi build I'm working on. Ditching all the flavor text and focusing on the mechanics, of course. Playing Gith for sword (Lightsaber) proficiency and invisible Mage Hand, grabbing the free subtle casting on quite a few "force" themed spells, and those sweet new telekinetic and telepathic feats make a uniquely Jedi feel.
@@studynot757 That doesn’t work. Eldritch Adept does not let you choose invocations with pre-requisites unless you are a warlock, and Repelling Blast has Pre-requisite: Eldritch Blast cantrip. Plus for a jedi concept, dipping Hexblade also lets you use charisma for weapon attack, which is relevant.
I'm soo happy for the addiction of the Bigby's hand spell, it fits really well in the caster specialist archetype that the sorcerer take (which is an incredibly cool archetype in my opinion)
Man, do I feel silly for never realizing that thing about subtle spell and counterspell interacting. It seems so obvious in hindsight and it just never occurred to me that there would be an interaction between those two. Thanks for the unexpected lesson, very eager to try out this subclass.
I would like to see a an aberrant mind sorcerer build video that is the ultimate spy infiltrator. Actor plus changeling or Actor plus mask of many faces. Use detect thoughts and modify memory type spells.
This is creepy, I was theory crafting an aberrant mind sorcerer and though “I want treantmonk to make a video on this.” Treantmonk is an aberrant sorcerer confirmed.
@@TreantmonksTemple Imagine the amount of havoc you can create with in an undetectable twinned enemy abound in the right setting. Let say you're a Filblog and use invisibility to walk in the enemy base and aim at the two biggest pudding brain but muscly type in sight. Hide, then do your worst. If the spot you, firblog trait and then DASH LIKE HELL. Or any Tavern, really. Any tense situations. Can also Heightened. Mouhahaha!
I like Enemies Abound as a 3rd level psionic spell. You can create havoc on social encounters for the cost of 3 sorcery points. For example, I love the idea of a Queen sucker-punching the King in front of their guests.
I love enemies abound. Social chaos for a distraction. Target an enemy in the back ranks to essentially gain an ally. Target an enemy in the middle of a group and force attack of opportunity. Int save is a great stat to target. Works on ANY enemy. So when you don’t want an AOE, it’s a fantastic spell. And you can twin it and turn an entire fight.
also a thought use your telepathic speech for spells like suggestion. since the person you are establishing the bond with doesn't have to be willing you can cast suggestion using psionic sorcery and give them the suggestion telepathically so nobody around you knows what's going on. its could have amazing utility uses.
I think Hex is still a valid option because it's a free way to give anyone disadvantage on an ability check. Silently. For a bonus action. Make an enemy rogue less sneaky. If you think you may fight someone, give them disadvantage on initiative. Make sure the cops can't sense your lies. Make that fighter climbing after you have a hard time climbing. Help your buddy gamble by making their opponent suck.
Aberrant mind sorcerer + reborn "race" to make a pseudo-frankenstein sorcerer. Woke up in on a slab in an abandoned labratory filled with all variation of autopsied monsters & "failed experiment" cadavers. In your corner of the room there's an autopsied ____ (in this case, a mind flayer, but replace it with anything fitting the class/subclass you want).
I jumped all over this as soon as I got my copy of Tasha's. Character just got to level 6 sorcerer 2 warlock. Basically a combo build between Treantmonk's Sorlock and Voice from Beyond. The character is a Changeling that can psionically twin things like suggestion, while looking like whoever they want. In and out of combat, it's devastating. "You can do what?" is a common phrase for my DM now.
My ideal Abberant Mind is in a social heavy campaign. Literally walk into a banquet with your high charisma (grab telepathic for free subtle detect thoughts!) and all of a sudden you are in near total and complete control over the mood of a room! Suggest someone to liven up the party, twin it so it looks like others are getting into it. Drop someone dead from across the room with literally zero proof it was you (I’d even say divination spells will have a hard time pinning it on you since thoughts seem to be semi-completely private in D&D since stuff like prayer has implications to connecting to divine entities that could pick them up otherwise). You can enthrall any politician or celebrity you set your mind to: they literally won’t be able to tell it’s you! And if such a spell has that clause that they know it’s you, you’re a charisma caster with an alibi that you were literally standing there talking to someone else. Deception rolls out the wazoo! Take a feat for expertise in deception when doing this for near-impossible to crack lies. Just maybe consider resilience wisdom for if the court clerics get involved with circle of truth. Or take subtle spell anyway and counterspell your accuser’s circle of truth (if the system works like that) so they think he’s suspicious instead 😉 There’s no end of tricks for a psionic sorcerer in society!
Twin dissonant whispers is so good for the cheap cost in spell slots and sorcery points. Combined with warcaster you get a reaction spell off that same round, along with triggering ally OAs. Just crazy.
This subclass fits nicely with Changeling, making you more like your Doppelganger ancestors. I recall someone telling me Changelings are now hag related? Nah, not on my watch.
Literally was making an aberrant sorcerer, and wanted to know more about it. Thanks for the suggestions on spell changes, saves some time looking through 3 books and checking each school of magic.
My first thought with the 18th lvl ability: Bonus action sorcery point for flight & hover. Fly over target/s location to max pull range. Activate Warping Implosion to yank enemies into the air for the 3d10 then they drop for a little falling damage and likely end up prone. It’s not the biggest damage output but it sure lines things up for a massive aoe from a fellow teammate. 👍
Longtime fan. Keep up the good work. I'm playing the aberrant sorcerer currently and its been an amazing experience. I love all the built-in control/rp options which have avoided so many lengthy combats altogether.
Transmuted spell meta-magic plays very well into that Tempest 2/X Storm Sorcerer build you've mentioned from time to time. Transmuted meteor swarm from fire to maxed Thunder/lightning = 120 L/T +20d6 bludgeoning. That's not nothing. Transmuted cone of cold/fireball maxed to lightning/thunder. Fun stuff. :)
Yup. I personally run a lightning scorching ray that hits 120 dmg at level 10. The hero is a fighter/tempest/shadow sorcerer with electrifying rays that deal lots of dmg (for that level). I RP him as a renegade sith/dark jedi.
I thought you didn’t appreciate Magical Guidance (able to re-roll Counterspell) enough. Not that it’s a bright blue ability, but it’s better than the “meh it’s okay” reaction you had. It’s green IMO. Love your perspectives! 👍
I honestly really like the option of swapping Arms of Hadar for Hex, which you can easily combine with Scorching Ray, where you can cast Hex (potentially through Psionic sorcery to make it even cheaper) on your first turn of combat alongside an attack roll cantrip as your action, then keep spamming Scorching Ray and swap targets on Hex as a bonus action as things die. I might be wrong, but it can be growing more and more powerful as you level up and gain more spell slots as a reasonably cheap nova option.
@O K True, but it allows you to do that kind of concept without multiclassing, especially considering the reputation of the warlock/sorcerer multiclass. Plus, it has the advantage of scaling of a normal full-caster, so you will always have your next biggest spell slot available when you level up, though having short-rest based first level spell slots reserved for Hex can be super handy.
I'm playing an aberrant mind sorcerer right now and I can't imagine how a clockwork soul would be more powerful. Dissonant whispers breaks grapples and procs AoO. 1sorcery point. 2sp to twin. Calm emotions paused a fight to heal or buff on a Cha save, and cancelling charm or fear is unreal. Tashas hideous laughter for 1sp actually makes me laugh, and twinned is frighteningly cost effective, worth noting it drops a lot of things from the skies if ever they get in range. Suggestion is so strong, the only problem is not abusing it. There's a learning curve to hunger of hadar, but a no-save darkness and difficult terrain is one hell of a wall. Pick a side of the battlefield and deal with it later. Cover your retreat of stop the enemie's. But what really takes the cake is silvery barbs for 1sorcery point. Absolutely disgusting. Cancels advantage, and no need to take heightened metamagic.
Aberrant Mind Sorcerer 6 / Warlock 5. Take the Maddening Hex invocation. Psionic cast hex and walk through town killing everyone with no one the wiser.
An option I think it is good for 3rd lvl spells that is usualy bad is Enemies Aboud,as with your six lvl ability gives you an autonatic and better version of silent spell,you can safely heighten or twin the spell to increase the odds of the creature failing it without giving away that something happened at all. This could be used for assasination ,casting it on someone near the guards to get them arested,causing a comotiong to get past guards,or anything really, even in combat. The only problem is that it is a very Dm dependant spell
The huge degree by which this subclass is better than the previous sorcerer subclasses is indicative of power creep. Albeit, much of that seems to come in rectifying errors with the sorcerer core design.
I think you're slightly underselling Transmuted Spell, especially for blasters. The amount of times in higher tiers of play where you encounter enemies who are resistant or outright immune to your primary blast spells seemingly keeps increasing which each CR level. Most fiends, for example are at least resistant to fire and frost damage, many are immune. The same is obviously true for dragons and elementals. Now, this still isn't a metamagic that I would pick at low levels or prioritize very highly, but it is certainly one I would choose at 10th level if I know the game will go beyond that level.
For fourth level psionic spell swaps I would think about removing summon aberration and replacing it with Psychic Lance (which wasn't out at the time of this video I think). As you will already have a lot of concentration spells at that point. And Psychic Lance is pretty strong and fits the theme. So yes hunt me down ;).
Feels like we can't overlook the telepathic speech lasting "sorc level minutes" with 1 to 20 minutes, which greatly limits it's application and nerfs the near unlimited range though :l
It still holds up through speedbumps like not only range, but line of sight, divination proof rooms (the ol' thin sheet of lead or X inches of stone), even teleportation within a couple miles - druid tree strides from a park tree into a forest on the other side of town? Psi-Walkie-Talkie works. Wizard dimension doors through the walls of a castle? Psi-Walkie-Talkie works. Rogue rolls a 3 on a stealth roll but with his +25 to stealth still disappears from sight? Psi-Walkie-Talkie works.
I picked up Charm Person instead of Arms of Hardar, since a lot of DM's I have played with note that anyone seeing a spellcaster just openly using Charm Person would know that magic was being used since it has verbal and somatic component. I really had to think about switching detect thoughts to either Suggestion or Tasha's Mind Whip. Because of how my DM's play, they like to assume that Guards would know that spellcasting is a thing, and that anybody walking up with a focus of some kind could try to charm them. So having the option to, with no focus, cast Suggestion on someone was really useful. On the other hand, Mind Whip is so very good, and having the option of casting the spell extra times in combat sounded wonderful. Ended up with Suggestion, but really wanted Mind Whip. Hunger of Hadar is super nice way to giving advantage to any darkvision user's while making anyone inside blinded and dealing with difficult terrain, so keeper for me. Summon Aberration is a wonderful spell and not having to pay the 400g to cast this is sweet.
First of all, thank you again! Sorcerer is my favorite class and I agree that there is some lack of versatility. The most interesting thing of the AM sorcerer is that they can do a lot of spell-like thing (see invisibility, fly, water breathing, etc). Right now I prefer the abilities of the AM, but the spell list of the CS is (IMO) better.
Hi! I've been following our channel for a while now, but never had a chance do comment. Thanks for all your reviews about almost every aspect of the game! As a player, I've been seraching for fun in playing a Wild Magic Sorcerer for the past year, leaning on the random aspect to have fun. It has been nice, although I had this feeling that something in the sorcerer was missing. Never got to me that was all about spells, hehehe. I may look more closely to my character now and think about it. As a DM, I just have to thanks you. I've been looking all around tasha's book for ideas and applications in my campaign, but as I am already playing as a sorcerer in another campaign, never had a look at the new subclasses. You just gave me my campaign BBEG, a disturbed sorcerer that maybe deceive a entire colony of mind flayers to do whatever he wants! A humanoid mortal aberrant sorcerer to surprise the party when they think they're only going against aberrations and stuff. If you can, gimme a thought about it! Thanks for all the contet! Great job!
Since Tasha's opened the door for this, I basically just gave every subclass a list like the Clockwork and Aberrant Mind Sorcerers. I haven't yet given those other classes the ability to switch out yet, but I am considering it.
I love the theme of the Shadow Magic Sorcerer but I haven't played one yet because of the lack of spells for sorcerers. I tried to do a shadow themed wizard but that was less than satisfying since you didn't have the Shadow Magic Sorcerer's subclass features. What spells would you give for a Shadow Magic Sorcerer? Thematically I would guess a couple on the Aberrant Mind list like Dissonant Whispers and Evard's Black Tentacles. Also maybe something like Shadow Blade or Shadows of Moil. Maybe a shadow themed version of Hellish Rebuke that does force or necrotic damage. Maybe Summon Shadowspawn. What did you have on your list for this subclass?
I've been playing a clockwork soul sorcerer multiclassed with a level of fighter recently and loving it, the extra spells are amazing. The original idea was being a melee sorcerer who with the extra spells can take armour of agathys. I took level 1 in fighter as a variant human and took heavy armour master and play as a kind of proto cyborg trying to find out where he came from. But being able to get armour of agathys and absorb elements as free level 1 spells is great. Currently only level five but hoping to get the lvl 6 feature which will reduce incoming damage making armour of agathys last longer and hence deal more damage as well as absorbing more damage. Heavy armour master and armour of agathys had made him strong against weak crowds so I've been taking spells which are more utility or good against scary bosses.
My personal picks for the psionic spells: Cantrips: Mind Sliver: Targets Int, debuffs the targets next save & deals psychic. Only real downside is the D6 damage die. 1st Level: Dissonant Whispers: Good control/damage spell. As Chris says, begging to be twinned. Tasha's Hideous Laughter: Again as Chris said, a good control spell begging to be twinned. OR Hex: This doesn't so much matter for the damage side, but being able to give 2 creatures disadvantage on certain ability checks. This relies more on teamwork (ie. having another caster in your party cast web, & you hex one or two creatures in the area, so they have disadvantage to get out). 2nd Level: See Invisibility: A spell I always like to have. Having it always prepared & being able to cast it using 2 sorcerery points (equivalent cost to a 1st level spell) makes it even better. Hold Person: Somewhat circumstantial, but twinning this can change the outcome of a fight. Again, this effectively costing a 1st level spell slot is very nice. OR Suggestion: This one is self explanatory. 3rd Level: Sending: Great utility. Hunger of Hadar: There aren't many great options for this level. OR Tongues: Again, some nice utility. OR Clairvoyance: It's nice to ignore the component cost I guess? 4th Level (Sorry Chris!) Evard's Black Tentacles: Nice damage/control spell. OR Arcane Eye: A very nice utility spell (depending on the location, can be an excellent scout). Summon Aberration: Do not get rid of this summoning spell! Sorcerers didn't get any of the new Tasha's summoning spells! 5th Level: Telekinesis: A good all around spell. AND/OR Rary's Telepathic Bond: Not too bad since this effectively only costs the equivalent of a 3rd level spell slot, but sucks you can't ritually cast it. AND/OR Hold Monster: Twinning this is nasty, & it isn't nearly as restrictive as Hold Person. Again, this is effectively costing you a 3rd level spell slot, which is very nice. AND/OR Modify Memory: Very campaign dependant, but could be a nice spell to have (especially to cast subtly for free). AND/OR Scrying: Again, campaign specific (& unfortunately you can't ignore the material cost). AND/OR Synaptic Static: A nice blast/debuff spell.
This subclass has become my favorite in the whole game so far! and with the New Tashas Feats makes for Telekinetic Shadow touched and fey touched makes it an answer for everything. espically sense I took Hex as the 1sh level spell for Fey touched at L4 (vereant human so I had telekinetic from the get go)
I think the value of Transmuted spell is in reducing the number of spells known that you need to spend on damage dealing spells, you can pick up scorching ray and leave it like that and not be useless when fighting fire elementals.
those extra spells known blow the previous subclasses out of the water, not to mention their subtle & reduced casting cost. So much potential. -One thing that seemed kind of weird though with Revelation in Flesh is that if you are restrained or grappled then your speed is 0, so RAW it seems like you wouldn't have the 5' to spend to escape them...
I like to think that when ever a player plays the Aberrant mind Sorcerer, Great Old one, or Fathomless Warlock subclasses. HP Lovecraft smiles a bit cause he always thought his work would be lost and forgotten, and these subclasses are very much influenced by his work. I know he gets a bad rap for being “racist” but if you look at his later years he questioned and changed a lot of those views, that’s why I will always be fond of Lovecraft.
As great as the 4th level spells are, I found myself switching one of them for Rautholim's psychic lance when I found an opportunity to. I generally found it hard to pick however, and I usually push out the one that I feel is going to be used the least in that campaign
Hey, long time fan ever since the god Wizard guide for 3e. This subclass is indeed very good, and very suitable for a full sorcerer. I must say I think Revelation in Flesh is not okay, its sky blue excellent. Bonus action, non concentration 10 minute buffs with 4 choices, very cheaply, that's not a spell. I don't even have to look at the choices to know it's amazing. Seeing flight in there? Wanna make a GOD sorcerer now.
Been loving transmuted spell for turning fireballs into acid balls. Also as a tiefling, I still get flame blade as a racial and being able to turn that into another element comes in handy.
What I did for my character is create a copy of it as a Homebrew subclass and switch out the spells within the subclass. An inconvenience, to be sure, but my character sheet functions correctly now.
With the 18th level feature, you can still cast a quickened spell along with it since it’s a full action but not a spell. So, do your teleport and then cast your AOE, quickened.
Not sure if anyone mentioned it, but at 18th level with the Warping Implosion, you could use that to setup a nice AoE spell for yourself using Quickened spell! Its quite expensive at 7 sorcery points, but I could see situations where that could be worthwhile. Or even just setting up another ally who goes next in the intiative order with a cluster of enemies where they could drop a powerful spell in an area you setup to avoid friendly fire.
To me, transmuted spell is an extremely powerful metamagic for a lot of players. I see so many sorc players wrestling with limited known spells and soaking a lot of them to have blast spells of various kinds so they have a blast for all occasions. No more! Unless you want a few different shapes or save vs spell attack, it just frees up a lot of potential spell known slots for many players. Mind you they may not be 'optimancers' but I would say the average and especially new sorc player can really diversify their spells known with this feat.
when I made teh comment in one of your earlier videos about "sorcerers getting shafted again", I was referring to a few thigns mainly. 1) There are a ton of spells that should have been available for the sorcerer. Wotc gave very few of these, in a backhanded manner to silence the players legitimate complains 2) wotc went back to buff bladesingers extra attack, but didnt go back to give every sorcerer subclass origin spells - even when every second homebrewer already figured out that sorcerers need those It reeks of wotc acknowledging the problem, but actively refusing to fix it, and such mindset should not be supported. Also wotc completely gave up on psionics and dumped it into a sorcerer subclass, for some reason
@@M0ebius thats their fault as well, but slightly different. Besides, most GMs I played under dont really like this "I start a calss for 1-2 levels then multiclass out" approach, making these builds unfeasable in my experience, and not a crutch to rely on.
@@texteel I mean, optimally you’d start Sorcerer 1 for the CONsave. But I know what you mean. Personally my games tend to start at level 3+ so I just take the Hexblade levels in the skipped levels and roll it into the backstory.
"Also wotc completely gave up on psionics and dumped it into a sorcerer subclass, for some reason" They spread it across a number of subclasses and feats. I'm strongly inclined to think this was because there are so many conflicting ideas of what psionics should be (even within previous d&d editions) that they figured this was the best way to satisfy as many of those ideas as possible.
@@timeforsuchaword FR is the "main setting" for D&D. Psionics have been a thing for a very long time. wotc gave psionic options as subclasses without making a core psion class. These psionic options are bad because they dont have a mechanical conection to an official psion, AND the way they are implemented in 5e, they have no place in the lore, even tho they should have both because they had these for years. Just as the sword coast would be wierd without arcane magic (wizards sorcerers bards) but arcane related subclasses randomly populating it (EK AT), it is equally wierd to have no codified psionics but have psionic related things. The whole thing is just weightless and floats on nothing. Wizard tower needs bodyguards -> trains EKs. Wizard tower needs spies -> trains ATs. Natural progression of why those subclasses exsist. There is no psionic tower to train psi knights and soul blades. So the only reason this could work is because psionics is just being discovered, and there is no concrete order - except this is false because we have had psionics since 3.5, perhaps even earlier than that.
For the 4th-level Psionic spell, I was hoping to trade in Psychic Lance (though I could just learn it outright). 7d6 psychic ranged attack that can go through cover that incapacitates on a failed INT save seems worth it. Clairvoyance is a good spell to swap Hunger of Hadar with to save your party 100gp otherwise
Thanks for the guide. I'm doing a custom lineage (Ritual Caster: Wizard) with Witherbloom Student background, Aberrant Mind Sorcerer with a warlock dip, Fey Touched feat at level 4. At level 5 I have 19 spells I can cast, including the 5 in my ritual book. If my math is right, I could have up to 49 castable spells at level 20 between background, feats, and subclasses.
Wither & Bloom synergy with a Bloodwell Vial to Damage, regain HP & 5 sorc points. Did your witherbloom pick; Find Familiar / Dragons Breath Combo, Gift of Alacrity for the party, or Goodberry for all those leftover spell slots b4 a long rest?
@@Paul-nn9oj Just hit level 11. Zero regrets on my build. For fey touched I put it to the party and they said Gift of Alacrity. We've found several spell books so thanks to Ritual Caster I have more spells than I know what to do with. Went 3 levels of Warlock and it was a game changer for Sorc. Basically got an improved version of the lvl 20 capstone at level 8. My intelligent, talking familiar with opposable thumbs has been a huge asset to the party and with the Magic Stone cantrip can do some decent bonus action damage. A second player got find familiar so I can twin spell Dragon's Breath and cause chaos. With those extra Sorc points Quickened spell becomes a rechargeable Action Surge so I'm frequently doing 6 Eldritch Blasts for 1d10+5+1d6 (hex) each, better than the fighter and ranger while still being a full caster.
One question that's been bothering me that I haven't found an answer to yet (Unless I totally missed it in one of your videos which is entirely possible since I have the attention span of a goldfish), is whether or not you can double up on swapping spells on level-up. To clarify, the base Sorcerer class allows you to swap one spell on level-up, "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.". Additionally, there is a blob of text under the "domain" spells if you will, "Whenever you gain a sorcerer level, you can replace one spell you gained from this feature with another spell of the same level. The new spell must be an abjuration or a transmutation spell from the sorcerer, warlock, or wizard spell list.". Since they're different features and don't reference one another, my best guess is that they stack, but I haven't been able to find anything confirming or denying that. Any thoughts?
Draconic sorc is amazing with transmute spell because if you change the damage type on a spell with recurring damage every round, elemental affinity adds to the entire casting, not per damage roll like the tempest cleric does
elemental affinity damage applies to when you cast that spell -so the initial damage. After that it is no longer being cast so no extra damage unfortunately.
In my mind, the real strength (among other) of psionic sorcery is that it actually allows for "tax free" flexible spellcasting. Spending 1 sorcery point to cast dissonant whispers, is nice... but it is not strong if you then later spend a 1st level spell slot to create that sorcery point... then it is just the same. The real strength (I think) is that you can give up a second level spell and get two casting (or a twinned castin) - or a 5th level spell to get 5 additional castings of that first level spell... Because of the TAX-FREE flexibility of this feature, I think it is really strong - I think the benefit of always being immune to counterspell... is still very circumstantial (though subtle spell is my favourite metamagic feature!! so it just adds to the utility of this feature).
Taaha's unfortunately doesn't fix my biggest complaint about Sorcerers. Namely: not enough unique spells for the sorcerer spell list. I'd even argue that thematically speaking they shouldn't have any of the named spells since their magic is less learned and more innate. As they are now there is very little to distinguish sorcerers from wizards, in my opinion, which in my mind at least lessens both classes. I will say, I love that the psionic spell caster went to the sorcerer. It just kind of fits in my opinion.
I've always been a proponent of adding things like shadow evocation and shadow conjuration as unique sorcerer spells. This would give sorcerers some of the on-the-fly versatility that they were all about in previous editions.
I don't think they should be unique, I think wizards should be able to learn any arcane spell. That said I also think that wizards should not get spells above spell level 5 automatically from leveling. That should be their trade of, they can learn anything but they have to actually find those spells.
I feel similar regarding the lack of sorcerer exclusive spells. My criteria for sorcerer exclusive spells has them themed around harnessing raw/dangerous magic with a natural finesse or fortitude. -Where it's easier for them to recklessly handle this magic because it's just more intuitive and natural due to their innate magical connection. The way they handle magic they don't really know the risk so they lack hesitation/inhibition and just go with the flow. The spells might be riskier or potentially self destructive -that may kill or maim a wizard who tried to learn them without this innate degree of handling, so they either don't bother or they fail and suffer the consequences. -So spell concepts which kind of lean in to the risky wild magic thematics -but less kooky and more dangerous. Maybe side effects that could risk the caster to lose the ability to speak temporarily, involuntarily banish themselves or suffer damage or levels of exhaustion, fall unconscious, accidental Freaky Friday life-swap?, etc. This is just one idea for sorcerer exclusive spell criteria but I'm sure people could think of others. The thing is, these spells need to be representative of the sorcerer classes thematics and not just an origin's flavor. -And there kinda needs to be a justification for why wizard's or other casters have not learned to reproduce them by this point in history.
@@DaDunge actually pretty good idea, but instead of over 5th level, the wizard has to find every spell to put in their book after character creation. Fuck wizard
18th level ability - you quicken your favorite area control spell after teleporting; this is an amazing control feature! or group them up for a synaptic static. If you ever played a Witch Doctor in Diablo 3, you know how powerful forced vortex movement into AoE control/damage is!! Also, Evard's / Web + Twinned Mind Whip is just flat out MEAN.
Subtle Suggestions (even with telepathy) Many spells (Gift of Gab) state the verbal component is the words used. The old 2E power word kill also says the verbal component is the word "kill"
I'm thinking actually this class works well as part of a Gish Sorcadin, much like the previous Ultimate Spellsword video. Psionic Spells gives you more variety and control, Psionic Sorcery gives you more spell slots effectively (with the reduced sorcery point cost) for either more spell casting per day and/or more smites per day... Getting resistance to Psychic Damage is nice, and the advantage on Charmed and Frightened stacks well with a Paladin's Level 6 bonus to saves. If you do 6/14 Paladin/Aberrant Mind you would also still grab 9th level spells at level 20, and still get Revelation in the Flesh as your mobility capstone. Or adjust levels as necessary.
Thoughts before watching: I have been theorycrafting this since it came out. Please don't break my heart and convince me to unsubscribe. Post watching thoughts: I would have preferred you highlight a bit more on how many extra casts the cheaper spells from Psionic Sorcery allow. Great video!
@@inMYtimeOFneed92 at level 9, by dumping all your spell slots into points you would have 45 in total. That amounts to 9 castings of Sypnatic Static. Most casters, even the Warlock themselves only can cast up to 1-2 5th level spells at that point, not this class.
Sorcerers in general still got screwed by the choice to include worthless battlemaster builds in Tasha's instead of a page of Sorcerer Origin spell updates for prior Origins. Now we have the option of playing half of an origin with the PHB options, or 2/3 of an origin with the Xanathar's options, or a Full Origin with the Tasha's options. Feels bad man. Feels bad.
The main weakness of this subclass’ spell options compared to the clockwork soul IMO is not third level spells but first level ones: while you have a couple good options in Tasha’s hideous laughter and dissonant whispers you still need 2 (or 3 without multiclassing) “tax” spells in shield, absorb elements and mage armour, so in the end you’ll be stuck with 4 or 5 first level spells while the CWS sorcerer has +2 spells known of ANY level. That’s not immediately obvious but it makes a big difference when you’re building the character. And I decided to play AM anyway because the concept is just better IMO lol Now please please Treantmonk do a AM build video 😍
many years late. I know you say don't switch out any of those 4th level spells, but depending on your DM's interpretation, charm monster might be a really good option. Much like suggestion, subtle charming of a creature before combat starts on its own can be hugely impactful, while also depending on your DM it can have big combat implications as well.
Yep add a DC20 persuasion check (DMG chapter8) & a friendly creature will risk its life for you. (dominate person with a 1st level spell & ability check)
I think you're underestimating Warping Implosion. Beyond just having a free teleport once a day to get out of trouble, the pulling effect can allow for some stupid enviromental fun. Imagine being chased to a cliff face, using a sorcery point to gain flight, hovering 10 feet out from the cliff then teleporting 110 feet behind your enemies while pulling them off the cliff. Then there's just using it normal, causing enemies to bunch up, then using quicken spell to fire off an AOE to where you were. You escape, do damage and position your enemies where you want them, then hit them with a powerful spell. All that for nothing more then the cost of the quicken spell. I honestly quite approve of this effect as an 18th level ability. Used properly you can seriously mess with enemies with a FREE once a day ability. I honestly would probably end up using 5 sorcery points to re-use this ability quite often. As soon as I see an enviromental way of messing with people. I wouldn't be able to resist.
I have a question. If I remember well, in the video ranking Tasha's spells you did not regard the summon aberration as a great spell, and in this guide you don't think it should be traded at all. Did your perception about the spell itself changed, is it beacause of the limitation on the possible tradeable spells or is it because of something exclusive to the aberrant mind that I don't see? Great vid, can't wait to play a mind mending aberrant mind soon, it is my favorite subclass from Tasha's!
The "transmuted spell" its really usefull for the draconic or other kind of sorcerers who specialize in one type of damage for flavor or backstory. Imagine a gold or red dragon ancetor sorcerer fighting a red dragon. Now fireball can be iceball or thunderball.
35 years of gameplay earns me a 16th character Half-Elf Aberrant Mind 0- Mage Hand-Mending-Firebolt-Mind Sliver-Minor Illusion-Light-Prestidigitation 1-Detect Magic-Comprehend Languages-Absorb Elements-Shield-Mage Armor 2- See Invisibility(1 hour 2 with extended spell)-Detect Thoughts-Levitate-Misty Step 3-Counterspell-Dispel Magic-Tongues-Sending 4-Raulothim's Psychic Lance-Summon Aberration-Dimension Door-Greater Invisibility 5-Synaptic Static-Scrying-Telekenesis-Wall of Stone 6-Disintegrate 7-Planeshift 8- Sunburst (As it covers a big hole of spell list not being able to deal with multiple Undead until now...) and you can guess what the 9th level would be.... Scream. Silvery Barbs-Polymorph-Wish to OP, should be nerfed/removed.
Well sorcerers get a lot of cantrips though, and I really think if they should be buffed it should be with more sorcery points or more spellslots. Perhaps some spells known but Sorcerers should be more limited than wizards but better at what they do. These are beings who's power flows in their blood, they have little to no training but magic courses through their veins. I am reminded of Jadis from The Magician's Nephew when she met the eponymous magician, learning that he was someone who had learned magic rather than been born with it called him a common conjurer and claimed "Your kind was made an end of in my world a thousand years ago." Also I am very wary of buffing spellcaster. I really think five bonus spells would have been enough. It's also annoying warlocks don't get their subclass spells automatically know. Really I think the fix is for wizards to not get 6th level spells and up on leveling getting those spells slots but having to actually find and transcribe those spells. That way the power of Sorcerers grow faster but a wizard who finds the right spells can rise higher.
i've said it before but I'll say it again, I think all the subclasses should get a set of domain spells, but I don't think they should be swappable. It lets every subclass get a set of theme-appropriate spells without going overkill.
My first AL character that got to 20th level was a Storm Sorcerer 18/ Tempest Cleric 2. If I had access to Transmute Spell, instead of taking Lightning Bolt, I could have use the better Fireball and other big area of effect spells like Cone of Cold to deal 48 and 64 thunder damage, respectfully, to everyone in the area.
Do try to find me, because Arcane Eye is such a good 4th level spell that I can't pass it up. Web will have to do as a cheaper alternative to Evard's black tentacles- when I first get 4th level spells I'll probably be twinning polymorph anyway, which I can later swap out for maybe a banishment if I dipped anywhere else. Another thing that wasn't mentioned, that I do like about Aberrant Mind Sorcerers: We don't end up in the situation where we somehow can't cast lower level magic because we spent all our lower level slots, and can only cast powerful magics instead, which is what sometimes makes spellslots over spellpoints a bit weird. The Aberrant mind can turn higher level slots into sorcery points, and if using those sorcery points to cast spells from their psionic spells feature, lose no value in doing so (Other than, the non-psionic spells of that level of slot you transmuted in sorcery points). Looking forward to your take on Clockwork soul- on one hand Aberrant mind gets to cast way more spells than anyone else, and most of their features are very good. On the other, the spells clockwork soul gets from their features, and the ones they can potentially swap out for (often ones you really want anyway, praise abjuration) are way better.
Okay one thing I don’t see ANYBODY talk about with the Psionic Sorcery feature - I’ve read the feature multiple times, and nothing in it prevents you from UPCASTING spells beyond your spellslot levels. What this means is you can take a spell like Hold Monster (or to a lesser extent Hold Person), and upcast it as a 9th level spell again and again and again by converting spellslots into sorcery points as early as Sorcerer 9. By tier 3 you have enough spellslots to do this basically all day even if your table run alot of encounters, and disable a significant chunk of the encounter every single fight. Heck you can even just switch over to warlock after Sorc 9-11ish (after the slot progression slows down) and just build up your pact slot battery and specialize in Hold Monster/Person.
The ability doesn't need to restrict this, because the rules governing upcasting already do this. Upcasting requires you to use a spell slot unless something otherwise gives you explicit permission do so. From "Spell Slots": "When a character casts a spell, he or she expends a slot of that spell's level or higher, effectively "filling" a slot with the spell." From Casting a Spell at a Higher Level: "When a spellcaster casts a spell using a slot that is of a higher level than the spell, the spell assumes the higher level for that casting." Psionic Sorcery says: "When you cast any spell of 1st level or higher from your Psionic Spells feature, you can cast it by expending a spell slot as normal or by spending a number of sorcery points equal to the spell’s level." If you use Sorcery Points to cast the spell, you are not using a spell slot, which means you are not fulfilling the "When a spellcaster casts a spell using a slot that is of higher level" requirement detailed in Casting a Spell at a Higher Level. Nothing in the Psionic Sorcery ability gives you the option to upcast. Compare this to other abilities that allow you to cast spells without a slot, like the Four Elements monk. Their Discipline of the Elements ability specifically says "Once you reach 5th level in this class, you can spend additional ki points to increase the level of an elemental discipline spell that you cast, provided that the spell has an enhanced effect at a higher level, as Burning Hands does. The spell’s level increases by 1 for each additional ki point you spend." There is no such text in the Psionic Sorcery ability.
@@aildeokl PHB 201 says “When a spell caster casts a spell using a slot that is of a higher level than the spell, the spell assumes the higher level for that casting. For instance, if Umara casts magic missile using one of her 2nd-level slots, that magic missile is 2nd level.” So you simply cast the Psionic Sorcery spell as a X level spell, and use the Psionic Sorcery feature to expend X sorcery points. Specific trumps general.
The key words you are glossing over are "using a spell slot". You are not using a spell slot, you are using sorcery points. This doesn't apply to spells using Psionic Sorcery.
@@aildeokl I’m not disputing that the general rule says “spell slot”, I’m saying the specific rule of Psionic Sorcery says you can use Sorcery Points in place of spell slots.
@M0ebius Yes you can, but doing so does not provide a mechanism for upcasting. Using your Sorcery Points to cast Hold Person costs 2 sorcery points, because the spell is 2nd level. There is no 3rd level Hold Person you can decide to cast, but if you cast it with a 3rd level slot it would then become a 3rd level spell at that point. There is no mechanism that allows you to spend additional Sorcery Points on a spell. You can only spend equal to the spell's level, which in the case of Hold Person, is level 2. If you were using spell slots, you could use a higher level spell slot to cast it and the spell would assume that level. Upcasting a spell REQUIRES either using a spell slot, or some other ability(like the 4 elements monk) providing you a mechanism with which to cast them at a higher level. You say "you simply cast the Psionic Sorcery spell as a X level spell", but that isn't how spellcasting works. You cant "cast Hold Person as a 3rd level spell," because Hold Person is a 2nd level spell. You cast Hold Person, and as per PHB 201, it BECOMES a higher level spell only -when you use cast a spell using a slot that is of a higher level than the spell-. The spell becoming a higher level is a result of expending the spell slot, not a choice you can make before casting it.
If you chose hex as one of your psionic spells you could cast it with a single sorcery point, and without the enemy knowing. Also if you are moving hex to a new target you could still cast a leveled spell on the same turn. Scorching ray also scales well because with hex it increases 3 d6 with every level spell slot above second. That's 9d6 as a 2nd level spell of 12d6 as a third level spell. Also an excellent candidate for transmute spell since fire is so highly resisted. Even if your not going sorlock this seems like a great combination for single target damage unless my math is wrong somewhere.
Yes, psionic spells faces the not-enough-versatility issue. Is it good design? I don’t think so. The unique thing about sorcerer design is that they have few spells but they can modify those. Psionic spells breaks this, removing what’s unique of this class compared to other spellcaster concepts. I believe that sorceress should get more metamagic options which costs less, not more know spells.
Hi Matteo, yes I agree, but at the same time I feel that 15 spells total are too few for a full spell caster. Giving thme 10 more is too much, I would have given them 5 more, and more metamagic, and a way to recover sorcery points on a short rest once per day.
Is the acquisitions incorporated book not official? Because there are a lot of good enchantment spells in it. Like Jim’s glowing coin and motivational speech.
I disagree with your conclusion for Hex. With Hex and Scorching Ray and Transmuted Spell, all my blasting requirements are met, except for crowds. This leaves all my spells available for anything else, giving much me much more flexibility than you would expect from a Sorcerer.
@@aldoushuxley5953 yup. But only if you miss. Which means you'd probably just be spending 1 assuming you max charisma, get a wand of the war mage and somehow get advantage. Its just to ensure you hit. Magic missile on the other had has a lower ceiling as very few things can boost it unlike scorching ray which is an attack (making it fair game for an upcasted spirit shroud, hexblades curse, etc.) Personally, at 10th level i usually had +11 to hit already with each scorching ray without factoring any other bonuses to hit given by allies (like bless) or advantage (coming out of stealth, opponent paralyzed, etc). At this point the ac off most opponents would generally be around 17-18 so i had at minimum 70% chance to hit (therefore only 1 ray woild miss unless i had other aforemention bonuses).
@@aldoushuxley5953 i guess that would depend on what you need at that moment. In the times i've used it has become worth it because the extra little bit of dmg removed an opponent from the board. Most people undervalue the effect of dmg as a term of control. No need to control when enemies are dead. Is it worth if its clear you cant kill the big threat nor help your allies kill it before it can act? No. But if its highly likely that you can kill it or your allies can finish the opponent off then? then yes. Here's an example sequence of how i've used it solo (no ally help). I had a level 10: fighter 2, shadow sorcerer 6, tempest cleric 2 bonus action: hound of ill omen action: hold person with disadvantage action surge: upcast scorching ray to 4th level. Transmute to lightning via transmute spell. I got 10d6 lightning dmg on 5 attack attempts with advantage (now i want all those attacks to hit so i use seeking spell). All hit. Since opponent is paralyzed, all are crits. I have 20d6 now. Use channe divinity to maximize. I deal 120 dmg in one turn. So yup, a single attack that i dont let it hit (in case my attack roll fails), i actually lose 24 points of dmg. Oh and bonus. If the opponent is still hanging on to life my hound of ill omen could actually get in an get more dmg in vs. a paralyzed opponent. In case i wasnt clear about the abovr example, this is worth it when you remove the major threats off the board.
While extra spells are definitely nice, I always thought the biggest problem with a sorcerer was a lack of metamagics known and to a lesser extent lack of sorcery points. This is your primary class feature, practically your only one, and presumably the reason sorcerer doesn't have a lot of spells known or ritual castings, and you only get two lousy metamagics until lvl 10? The metamagic adept feat solves this some what. It kind of sucks that sorcerers have to spend and ASI, but then again they don't need to take a feat to shore up their concentration as badly as other casters. Also, why on earth do sorcerers still not have force cage on their list? Wizards, Bards and Warlocks get it, but Sorcerers are the only "arcane caster" left out in the cold? There's a conspiracy I tell ya!
I think summon abberation is a decent spell...but i changed it out for one single reason, I would never use it over the other spells that require concentration.
How do you think this stacks up against the wizard class now？ As much as I love wizard, Aberrant feels like the better option because it takes away one of the biggest issues they have. Giving them so many extra spells. Lets them be good with utility as well as blasting on top of having the metamagics. Does the more expansive spell list a wizard has access to outweigh the features aberrant gets?
2 years later and I'm back to say that Aberrant Mind is my favorite subclass in the entire game. No matter if I'm going straight sorc, multiclassing with a warlock, whatever. Baldur's Gate 3 is out now and my only wish is that someone makes a mod for this subclass sooner than later. It's way too much fun.
Two quick notes. With suggestion you would likely still make a verbal suggestion, as the text of the spell certainly implies a verbal suggestion has been made. I also say "Warlock" instead of "Sorcerer" once in this video, though it should be obvious what I meant.
Dude, Psionic sorcery? so anti-magic field wont work against our Psionic spells? please can you confirm that? is it Innate Spellcasting or Psionic that are not hindered by anti-magic field and similar affects ?
@@Deal101 Its normal spellcasting it just spends sorcery points instead of spellslots and gets rid of verbal and somatic components.
@@Deal101 Mechanically speaking it's still just spellcasting. It is just flavoured as psionics. But so far I'm pretty sure there's no official mechanical distinction between psionics and any other form of magic that would allow one to function where the other couldn't. This is likely because they want to keep some freedom for players to reflavour how their magic works for their specific characters.
@@Deal101 Anti Magic will block both innate spellcasting and psionics.
Hey Chris, what do you think about letting players use the telepathic ability in conjuction with psionic suggestioni? Raw maybe not correct but imo it would fit perfectly with character's concept
Modify memory would also be really cool as a psionic spell. You can just stare at a guy and alter his memory without anyone noticing. It's absolutely diabolical
Oh my! Combined with telepathic speech, it's actually scary !
It's a great spell to Heighten, as it can change everything.
@@Adurnis Can you apply the psionic casting with other metamagics?
@@ashtonpeterson4618 yes bc psionic casting ISN'T a metamagic, it's a separate class feature
You can actually take it. "Psionic spells" let you change one of spells from list to another, as long as it's from Enchantment or Divination spells of wizard, sorcerer or warlock.
Just swap "Telekinesis" or "Rery's Telepathic Bond" to "Modify Memory" and you're good to go.
It was silly they did not put optional rules for an additional spells known for the prior subclasses. Besides the Divine Soul Sorcerer there is no way any of the others subclasses are near as optimal as these two in Tasha's. I am playing a Shadow Magic Sorceress in one campaign and I love her theme and luckily my DM gave me a magic item that provides bonus spells similar to these subclasses, which has made the game much more fun as I now can have several circumstantial spells and non combat spells to play around with in all situations. There has been no balance issues and I highly recommend it to all the DM's out there when they have a player who wants to play the substandard subclasses, especially the PHB subclasses.
That is a really good idea.
They put an option to expand the spell list, but it is still counting on your spells known and are kind of useful but not really, I dont know
The pre tasha sorcerers frequently have better abilities. They might be able to give a few extra spells prepared but not 10.
Not really, clockwork and aberrant mind are top tier subclasses even without the free spells.
That may be true of some of the PHB sorcerers but the Xanathars sorcerers would be very powerful. Imagine the divine soul sorcerer with access to both sorcerer and divine spells lists with 10 extra spells known. You would outshine not only other sorcerers but also most clerics.
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The ability to spend sorcery points to cast spells makes me think this one is the better subclass of the two, but without a doubt Tasha's gave new life to the sorcerer in a big way
@@aldoushuxley5953 you forgot tiny servant. Very useful spell for both in combat and out of combat.
I agree that the spells the clockwork has access to can be more potent. And for a sorcadin it probably beats the divine sorcerer, but for a straight sorcerer I think Aberrant is better as it will have the ability to play around their sorcery points and slots more easily. Also the lvl 14 abilities are things that very rarely come into play
@@logicseeker3770 unfortunately the restore order ability negates both advantage and disadvantage. So it can’t be stack with heightened
@@logicseeker3770 I have rarely seen magic resistance, far more often it's legendary saves or counterspell, and the later is suppressed by psionic spell casting and still can be metamagic'd
@@logicseeker3770 I have had lots of DMs that customized their monsters and bosses and it's yeah it's been spellcasting dragons sometimes, or archmages that are vampires or liches
Before this came out I made what I call the Bane sorcerer. Took variant human (could use custom lineage as well) to get Fey touched (Cha) and the Bane spell. The idea is you use Mind Sliver and Quickened Bane to give -2d4 to saves and later Tasha's Mind Whip to literally be the bane of your enemy's existence.
When you combine this with the Hound of ill Omens -6th lvl -disadvantage on saves it's just devastating to one enemies saves..-2d4 & at Disadvantage..
My AM Sorc multiclassed into Eloquent Bard a bit; it takes two turns, but Quickened Bane + Mind Sliver (Turn 1) + Unsettling Words + Heightened Spell is just gross. -(2d4) + -(1d6) + disadvantage
This subclass works perfectly for a Jedi build I'm working on. Ditching all the flavor text and focusing on the mechanics, of course. Playing Gith for sword (Lightsaber) proficiency and invisible Mage Hand, grabbing the free subtle casting on quite a few "force" themed spells, and those sweet new telekinetic and telepathic feats make a uniquely Jedi feel.
You can go Hexblade 2 Aberrent Mind X, and theme Eldritch Blast + Repelling Blast as a force push.
@@M0ebius That is brilliant
You could get there with no multiclassing. Magic Initiate (warlock) + Eldritch Adept (repelling blast)
@@studynot757 That doesn’t work. Eldritch Adept does not let you choose invocations with pre-requisites unless you are a warlock, and Repelling Blast has Pre-requisite: Eldritch Blast cantrip.
Plus for a jedi concept, dipping Hexblade also lets you use charisma for weapon attack, which is relevant.
If you roll for stats and your Int was decent enough (+2) you could dip into fighter psi warrior for some of those abillities
I'm soo happy for the addiction of the Bigby's hand spell, it fits really well in the caster specialist archetype that the sorcerer take (which is an incredibly cool archetype in my opinion)
Addiction?
@@thefracturedbutwhole5475 typo, "addition"
Man, do I feel silly for never realizing that thing about subtle spell and counterspell interacting. It seems so obvious in hindsight and it just never occurred to me that there would be an interaction between those two. Thanks for the unexpected lesson, very eager to try out this subclass.
I missed the Psionic Sorcery ability when I skimmed over the kit earlier. That is a good feature!
I would like to see a an aberrant mind sorcerer build video that is the ultimate spy infiltrator. Actor plus changeling or Actor plus mask of many faces. Use detect thoughts and modify memory type spells.
I did that build already with Warlock. ruclips.net/video/ZcUT0V8SOzY/видео.html
This is exactly what I'm playing now. It's great!.
@@LukmanJuan Do you have a build you could share?
@@rothgartheviking858 We start at lvl 6. So sorcerer 6, then warlock 2 and Sorcerer all the way. I get a Glamoured Studded Leather for max camouflage.
Hahaha am about to play a 15th level heist and was going to go with this
This is creepy, I was theory crafting an aberrant mind sorcerer and though “I want treantmonk to make a video on this.”
Treantmonk is an aberrant sorcerer confirmed.
Or you are. Psionic Spells Suggestion?
@@TreantmonksTemple Imagine the amount of havoc you can create with in an undetectable twinned enemy abound in the right setting. Let say you're a Filblog and use invisibility to walk in the enemy base and aim at the two biggest pudding brain but muscly type in sight. Hide, then do your worst. If the spot you, firblog trait and then DASH LIKE HELL. Or any Tavern, really. Any tense situations. Can also Heightened. Mouhahaha!
I like Enemies Abound as a 3rd level psionic spell. You can create havoc on social encounters for the cost of 3 sorcery points. For example, I love the idea of a Queen sucker-punching the King in front of their guests.
I love enemies abound. Social chaos for a distraction. Target an enemy in the back ranks to essentially gain an ally. Target an enemy in the middle of a group and force attack of opportunity. Int save is a great stat to target. Works on ANY enemy. So when you don’t want an AOE, it’s a fantastic spell. And you can twin it and turn an entire fight.
Honestly love this subclass so much. It’s a masterclass of combining superb flavour with mechanical effectiveness.
also a thought use your telepathic speech for spells like suggestion. since the person you are establishing the bond with doesn't have to be willing you can cast suggestion using psionic sorcery and give them the suggestion telepathically so nobody around you knows what's going on. its could have amazing utility uses.
I think Hex is still a valid option because it's a free way to give anyone disadvantage on an ability check. Silently. For a bonus action.
Make an enemy rogue less sneaky.
If you think you may fight someone, give them disadvantage on initiative.
Make sure the cops can't sense your lies.
Make that fighter climbing after you have a hard time climbing.
Help your buddy gamble by making their opponent suck.
Aberrant mind sorcerer + reborn "race" to make a pseudo-frankenstein sorcerer. Woke up in on a slab in an abandoned labratory filled with all variation of autopsied monsters & "failed experiment" cadavers. In your corner of the room there's an autopsied ____ (in this case, a mind flayer, but replace it with anything fitting the class/subclass you want).
I jumped all over this as soon as I got my copy of Tasha's. Character just got to level 6 sorcerer 2 warlock. Basically a combo build between Treantmonk's Sorlock and Voice from Beyond. The character is a Changeling that can psionically twin things like suggestion, while looking like whoever they want. In and out of combat, it's devastating. "You can do what?" is a common phrase for my DM now.
A psionic spell cast Modify Memory, Geas would make for great villain choices
My ideal Abberant Mind is in a social heavy campaign.
Literally walk into a banquet with your high charisma (grab telepathic for free subtle detect thoughts!) and all of a sudden you are in near total and complete control over the mood of a room! Suggest someone to liven up the party, twin it so it looks like others are getting into it.
Drop someone dead from across the room with literally zero proof it was you (I’d even say divination spells will have a hard time pinning it on you since thoughts seem to be semi-completely private in D&D since stuff like prayer has implications to connecting to divine entities that could pick them up otherwise).
You can enthrall any politician or celebrity you set your mind to: they literally won’t be able to tell it’s you! And if such a spell has that clause that they know it’s you, you’re a charisma caster with an alibi that you were literally standing there talking to someone else. Deception rolls out the wazoo!
Take a feat for expertise in deception when doing this for near-impossible to crack lies. Just maybe consider resilience wisdom for if the court clerics get involved with circle of truth. Or take subtle spell anyway and counterspell your accuser’s circle of truth (if the system works like that) so they think he’s suspicious instead 😉
There’s no end of tricks for a psionic sorcerer in society!
Twin dissonant whispers is so good for the cheap cost in spell slots and sorcery points. Combined with warcaster you get a reaction spell off that same round, along with triggering ally OAs. Just crazy.
Very efficient and spammable, especially when you add some warlock levels for pact slots.
Don't forget dissonant whispers can break grapples.
Make that warcaster reaction a 'COMMAND' "FLEE" so after its reaction run it uses its turn to run some more lol
This subclass fits nicely with Changeling, making you more like your Doppelganger ancestors. I recall someone telling me Changelings are now hag related? Nah, not on my watch.
TREANTMONK WILL FIND U - he will use his Aberrant abilities and FIND you!
Literally was making an aberrant sorcerer, and wanted to know more about it. Thanks for the suggestions on spell changes, saves some time looking through 3 books and checking each school of magic.
Big fan of this subclass, so looking forward to watching this tonight!
My first thought with the 18th lvl ability:
Bonus action sorcery point for flight & hover.
Fly over target/s location to max pull range.
Activate Warping Implosion to yank enemies into the air for the 3d10 then they drop for a little falling damage and likely end up prone.
It’s not the biggest damage output but it sure lines things up for a massive aoe from a fellow teammate. 👍
Longtime fan. Keep up the good work. I'm playing the aberrant sorcerer currently and its been an amazing experience. I love all the built-in control/rp options which have avoided so many lengthy combats altogether.
Transmuted spell meta-magic plays very well into that Tempest 2/X Storm Sorcerer build you've mentioned from time to time. Transmuted meteor swarm from fire to maxed Thunder/lightning = 120 L/T +20d6 bludgeoning. That's not nothing. Transmuted cone of cold/fireball maxed to lightning/thunder. Fun stuff. :)
Yup. I personally run a lightning scorching ray that hits 120 dmg at level 10.
The hero is a fighter/tempest/shadow sorcerer with electrifying rays that deal lots of dmg (for that level). I RP him as a renegade sith/dark jedi.
Switching my Sorlock from Shadow to Abbarent Mind has made him SO much more powerful!
@@aldoushuxley5953 Hexblade of course
I was playing around with a Hexblade / Abbarent Mind Sorlock character as well. Very good for a Witch-like character.
I’m shocked you didn’t mention modify memory. It’s easily the most optimized use of Psionic sorcery and really the only good way to use the spell.
I thought you didn’t appreciate Magical Guidance (able to re-roll Counterspell) enough. Not that it’s a bright blue ability, but it’s better than the “meh it’s okay” reaction you had. It’s green IMO.
Love your perspectives! 👍
I honestly really like the option of swapping Arms of Hadar for Hex, which you can easily combine with Scorching Ray, where you can cast Hex (potentially through Psionic sorcery to make it even cheaper) on your first turn of combat alongside an attack roll cantrip as your action, then keep spamming Scorching Ray and swap targets on Hex as a bonus action as things die. I might be wrong, but it can be growing more and more powerful as you level up and gain more spell slots as a reasonably cheap nova option.
@O K True, but it allows you to do that kind of concept without multiclassing, especially considering the reputation of the warlock/sorcerer multiclass. Plus, it has the advantage of scaling of a normal full-caster, so you will always have your next biggest spell slot available when you level up, though having short-rest based first level spell slots reserved for Hex can be super handy.
To be honest I'd probably ask if I could swap out Divination for Illusion, very thematic.
I'm playing an aberrant mind sorcerer right now and I can't imagine how a clockwork soul would be more powerful.
Dissonant whispers breaks grapples and procs AoO. 1sorcery point. 2sp to twin.
Calm emotions paused a fight to heal or buff on a Cha save, and cancelling charm or fear is unreal. Tashas hideous laughter for 1sp actually makes me laugh, and twinned is frighteningly cost effective, worth noting it drops a lot of things from the skies if ever they get in range.
Suggestion is so strong, the only problem is not abusing it.
There's a learning curve to hunger of hadar, but a no-save darkness and difficult terrain is one hell of a wall. Pick a side of the battlefield and deal with it later. Cover your retreat of stop the enemie's.
But what really takes the cake is silvery barbs for 1sorcery point. Absolutely disgusting. Cancels advantage, and no need to take heightened metamagic.
Aberrant Mind Sorcerer 6 / Warlock 5. Take the Maddening Hex invocation.
Psionic cast hex and walk through town killing everyone with no one the wiser.
That’s genius!
An option I think it is good for 3rd lvl spells that is usualy bad is Enemies Aboud,as with your six lvl ability gives you an autonatic and better version of silent spell,you can safely heighten or twin the spell to increase the odds of the creature failing it without giving away that something happened at all. This could be used for assasination ,casting it on someone near the guards to get them arested,causing a comotiong to get past guards,or anything really, even in combat. The only problem is that it is a very Dm dependant spell
Could you then use Dissonant Whispers on enemy creatures near the target of Enemies abound to create Opportunity Attacks?
Tasha's hideous laughter for One sorcery point? Yes please
The huge degree by which this subclass is better than the previous sorcerer subclasses is indicative of power creep. Albeit, much of that seems to come in rectifying errors with the sorcerer core design.
I think you're slightly underselling Transmuted Spell, especially for blasters. The amount of times in higher tiers of play where you encounter enemies who are resistant or outright immune to your primary blast spells seemingly keeps increasing which each CR level. Most fiends, for example are at least resistant to fire and frost damage, many are immune. The same is obviously true for dragons and elementals. Now, this still isn't a metamagic that I would pick at low levels or prioritize very highly, but it is certainly one I would choose at 10th level if I know the game will go beyond that level.
For fourth level psionic spell swaps I would think about removing summon aberration and replacing it with Psychic Lance (which wasn't out at the time of this video I think). As you will already have a lot of concentration spells at that point. And Psychic Lance is pretty strong and fits the theme. So yes hunt me down ;).
Feels like we can't overlook the telepathic speech lasting "sorc level minutes" with 1 to 20 minutes, which greatly limits it's application and nerfs the near unlimited range though :l
It still holds up through speedbumps like not only range, but line of sight, divination proof rooms (the ol' thin sheet of lead or X inches of stone), even teleportation within a couple miles - druid tree strides from a park tree into a forest on the other side of town? Psi-Walkie-Talkie works. Wizard dimension doors through the walls of a castle? Psi-Walkie-Talkie works. Rogue rolls a 3 on a stealth roll but with his +25 to stealth still disappears from sight? Psi-Walkie-Talkie works.
@@sontypohnenamen5161 it's also one is the only 'free' lv1 telepathy options, if not THE only, to be 2 way
I picked up Charm Person instead of Arms of Hardar, since a lot of DM's I have played with note that anyone seeing a spellcaster just openly using Charm Person would know that magic was being used since it has verbal and somatic component. I really had to think about switching detect thoughts to either Suggestion or Tasha's Mind Whip. Because of how my DM's play, they like to assume that Guards would know that spellcasting is a thing, and that anybody walking up with a focus of some kind could try to charm them. So having the option to, with no focus, cast Suggestion on someone was really useful. On the other hand, Mind Whip is so very good, and having the option of casting the spell extra times in combat sounded wonderful. Ended up with Suggestion, but really wanted Mind Whip. Hunger of Hadar is super nice way to giving advantage to any darkvision user's while making anyone inside blinded and dealing with difficult terrain, so keeper for me. Summon Aberration is a wonderful spell and not having to pay the 400g to cast this is sweet.
First of all, thank you again! Sorcerer is my favorite class and I agree that there is some lack of versatility. The most interesting thing of the AM sorcerer is that they can do a lot of spell-like thing (see invisibility, fly, water breathing, etc). Right now I prefer the abilities of the AM, but the spell list of the CS is (IMO) better.
Hi! I've been following our channel for a while now, but never had a chance do comment. Thanks for all your reviews about almost every aspect of the game!
As a player, I've been seraching for fun in playing a Wild Magic Sorcerer for the past year, leaning on the random aspect to have fun. It has been nice, although I had this feeling that something in the sorcerer was missing. Never got to me that was all about spells, hehehe. I may look more closely to my character now and think about it.
As a DM, I just have to thanks you. I've been looking all around tasha's book for ideas and applications in my campaign, but as I am already playing as a sorcerer in another campaign, never had a look at the new subclasses. You just gave me my campaign BBEG, a disturbed sorcerer that maybe deceive a entire colony of mind flayers to do whatever he wants! A humanoid mortal aberrant sorcerer to surprise the party when they think they're only going against aberrations and stuff. If you can, gimme a thought about it!
Thanks for all the contet! Great job!
Since Tasha's opened the door for this, I basically just gave every subclass a list like the Clockwork and Aberrant Mind Sorcerers. I haven't yet given those other classes the ability to switch out yet, but I am considering it.
I love the theme of the Shadow Magic Sorcerer but I haven't played one yet because of the lack of spells for sorcerers. I tried to do a shadow themed wizard but that was less than satisfying since you didn't have the Shadow Magic Sorcerer's subclass features. What spells would you give for a Shadow Magic Sorcerer? Thematically I would guess a couple on the Aberrant Mind list like Dissonant Whispers and Evard's Black Tentacles. Also maybe something like Shadow Blade or Shadows of Moil. Maybe a shadow themed version of Hellish Rebuke that does force or necrotic damage. Maybe Summon Shadowspawn. What did you have on your list for this subclass?
@@ronnoe6708 I did the following:
1st- Disguise Self, Silent Image
3rd- Darkness, Darkvision
5th- Major Image, Summon Shadowspawn
7th- Greater Invisibility, Shadow of Moil
9th- Enervation, Seeming
@@GroovyLemming Thanks. I'll consider some of these.
I've been playing a clockwork soul sorcerer multiclassed with a level of fighter recently and loving it, the extra spells are amazing.
The original idea was being a melee sorcerer who with the extra spells can take armour of agathys. I took level 1 in fighter as a variant human and took heavy armour master and play as a kind of proto cyborg trying to find out where he came from.
But being able to get armour of agathys and absorb elements as free level 1 spells is great.
Currently only level five but hoping to get the lvl 6 feature which will reduce incoming damage making armour of agathys last longer and hence deal more damage as well as absorbing more damage.
Heavy armour master and armour of agathys had made him strong against weak crowds so I've been taking spells which are more utility or good against scary bosses.
My personal picks for the psionic spells:
Cantrips:
Mind Sliver: Targets Int, debuffs the targets next save & deals psychic. Only real downside is the D6 damage die.
1st Level:
Dissonant Whispers: Good control/damage spell. As Chris says, begging to be twinned.
Tasha's Hideous Laughter: Again as Chris said, a good control spell begging to be twinned.
OR
Hex: This doesn't so much matter for the damage side, but being able to give 2 creatures disadvantage on certain ability checks. This relies more on teamwork (ie. having another caster in your party cast web, & you hex one or two creatures in the area, so they have disadvantage to get out).
2nd Level:
See Invisibility: A spell I always like to have. Having it always prepared & being able to cast it using 2 sorcerery points (equivalent cost to a 1st level spell) makes it even better.
Hold Person: Somewhat circumstantial, but twinning this can change the outcome of a fight. Again, this effectively costing a 1st level spell slot is very nice.
OR
Suggestion: This one is self explanatory.
3rd Level:
Sending: Great utility.
Hunger of Hadar: There aren't many great options for this level.
OR
Tongues: Again, some nice utility.
OR
Clairvoyance: It's nice to ignore the component cost I guess?
4th Level (Sorry Chris!)
Evard's Black Tentacles: Nice damage/control spell.
OR
Arcane Eye: A very nice utility spell (depending on the location, can be an excellent scout).
Summon Aberration: Do not get rid of this summoning spell! Sorcerers didn't get any of the new Tasha's summoning spells!
5th Level:
Telekinesis: A good all around spell.
AND/OR
Rary's Telepathic Bond: Not too bad since this effectively only costs the equivalent of a 3rd level spell slot, but sucks you can't ritually cast it.
AND/OR
Hold Monster: Twinning this is nasty, & it isn't nearly as restrictive as Hold Person. Again, this is effectively costing you a 3rd level spell slot, which is very nice.
AND/OR
Modify Memory: Very campaign dependant, but could be a nice spell to have (especially to cast subtly for free).
AND/OR
Scrying: Again, campaign specific (& unfortunately you can't ignore the material cost).
AND/OR
Synaptic Static: A nice blast/debuff spell.
This subclass has become my favorite in the whole game so far! and with the New Tashas Feats makes for Telekinetic Shadow touched and fey touched makes it an answer for everything. espically sense I took Hex as the 1sh level spell for Fey touched at L4 (vereant human so I had telekinetic from the get go)
I think the value of Transmuted spell is in reducing the number of spells known that you need to spend on damage dealing spells, you can pick up scorching ray and leave it like that and not be useless when fighting fire elementals.
those extra spells known blow the previous subclasses out of the water, not to mention their subtle & reduced casting cost. So much potential. -One thing that seemed kind of weird though with Revelation in Flesh is that if you are restrained or grappled then your speed is 0, so RAW it seems like you wouldn't have the 5' to spend to escape them...
You are the First person to see this oversight CONGRATULATIONS you are obviously too overqualified to work at WotC
I like to think that when ever a player plays the Aberrant mind Sorcerer, Great Old one, or Fathomless Warlock subclasses. HP Lovecraft
smiles a bit cause he always thought his work would be lost and forgotten, and these subclasses are very much influenced by his work.
I know he gets a bad rap for being “racist” but if you look at his later years he questioned and changed a lot of those views, that’s why I will always be fond of Lovecraft.
As great as the 4th level spells are, I found myself switching one of them for Rautholim's psychic lance when I found an opportunity to. I generally found it hard to pick however, and I usually push out the one that I feel is going to be used the least in that campaign
Hey, long time fan ever since the god Wizard guide for 3e.
This subclass is indeed very good, and very suitable for a full sorcerer. I must say I think Revelation in Flesh is not okay, its sky blue excellent. Bonus action, non concentration 10 minute buffs with 4 choices, very cheaply, that's not a spell. I don't even have to look at the choices to know it's amazing. Seeing flight in there? Wanna make a GOD sorcerer now.
Been loving transmuted spell for turning fireballs into acid balls. Also as a tiefling, I still get flame blade as a racial and being able to turn that into another element comes in handy.
Unfortunately, if you’re using DND Beyond, you can’t switch your psionic spells out when you level up. I really hope they fix this soon. Great video!
Yeah, I noticed that.
What I did for my character is create a copy of it as a Homebrew subclass and switch out the spells within the subclass. An inconvenience, to be sure, but my character sheet functions correctly now.
Yep if only WotC earnt their pay (5E companion app is free & good)
With the 18th level feature, you can still cast a quickened spell along with it since it’s a full action but not a spell. So, do your teleport and then cast your AOE, quickened.
Not sure if anyone mentioned it, but at 18th level with the Warping Implosion, you could use that to setup a nice AoE spell for yourself using Quickened spell! Its quite expensive at 7 sorcery points, but I could see situations where that could be worthwhile. Or even just setting up another ally who goes next in the intiative order with a cluster of enemies where they could drop a powerful spell in an area you setup to avoid friendly fire.
I’m playing an aberrant mind Kalashtar right now and loving the theme
To me, transmuted spell is an extremely powerful metamagic for a lot of players. I see so many sorc players wrestling with limited known spells and soaking a lot of them to have blast spells of various kinds so they have a blast for all occasions. No more! Unless you want a few different shapes or save vs spell attack, it just frees up a lot of potential spell known slots for many players. Mind you they may not be 'optimancers' but I would say the average and especially new sorc player can really diversify their spells known with this feat.
For warping implosion use your bonus action to quicken a nasty AoE spell after warping from the spot!
when I made teh comment in one of your earlier videos about "sorcerers getting shafted again", I was referring to a few thigns mainly.
1) There are a ton of spells that should have been available for the sorcerer. Wotc gave very few of these, in a backhanded manner to silence the players legitimate complains
2) wotc went back to buff bladesingers extra attack, but didnt go back to give every sorcerer subclass origin spells - even when every second homebrewer already figured out that sorcerers need those
It reeks of wotc acknowledging the problem, but actively refusing to fix it, and such mindset should not be supported.
Also wotc completely gave up on psionics and dumped it into a sorcerer subclass, for some reason
At this point I treat Hexblade 2 as a given on any Sorcerer and treat the whole class as a three-quarters caster class.
@@M0ebius thats their fault as well, but slightly different.
Besides, most GMs I played under dont really like this "I start a calss for 1-2 levels then multiclass out" approach, making these builds unfeasable in my experience, and not a crutch to rely on.
@@texteel I mean, optimally you’d start Sorcerer 1 for the CONsave. But I know what you mean. Personally my games tend to start at level 3+ so I just take the Hexblade levels in the skipped levels and roll it into the backstory.
"Also wotc completely gave up on psionics and dumped it into a sorcerer subclass, for some reason"
They spread it across a number of subclasses and feats. I'm strongly inclined to think this was because there are so many conflicting ideas of what psionics should be (even within previous d&d editions) that they figured this was the best way to satisfy as many of those ideas as possible.
@@timeforsuchaword FR is the "main setting" for D&D. Psionics have been a thing for a very long time.
wotc gave psionic options as subclasses without making a core psion class.
These psionic options are bad because they dont have a mechanical conection to an official psion, AND the way they are implemented in 5e, they have no place in the lore, even tho they should have both because they had these for years.
Just as the sword coast would be wierd without arcane magic (wizards sorcerers bards) but arcane related subclasses randomly populating it (EK AT), it is equally wierd to have no codified psionics but have psionic related things.
The whole thing is just weightless and floats on nothing.
Wizard tower needs bodyguards -> trains EKs.
Wizard tower needs spies -> trains ATs.
Natural progression of why those subclasses exsist.
There is no psionic tower to train psi knights and soul blades.
So the only reason this could work is because psionics is just being discovered, and there is no concrete order - except this is false because we have had psionics since 3.5, perhaps even earlier than that.
This is my favorite scorcorer subclass. I'd probably multiclass with warlock just for eldritch blast damage.
For the 4th-level Psionic spell, I was hoping to trade in Psychic Lance (though I could just learn it outright). 7d6 psychic ranged attack that can go through cover that incapacitates on a failed INT save seems worth it.
Clairvoyance is a good spell to swap Hunger of Hadar with to save your party 100gp otherwise
Thanks for the guide. I'm doing a custom lineage (Ritual Caster: Wizard) with Witherbloom Student background, Aberrant Mind Sorcerer with a warlock dip, Fey Touched feat at level 4. At level 5 I have 19 spells I can cast, including the 5 in my ritual book. If my math is right, I could have up to 49 castable spells at level 20 between background, feats, and subclasses.
Wither & Bloom synergy with a Bloodwell Vial to Damage, regain HP & 5 sorc points.
Did your witherbloom pick; Find Familiar / Dragons Breath Combo, Gift of Alacrity for the party, or Goodberry for all those leftover spell slots b4 a long rest?
@@Paul-nn9oj Just hit level 11. Zero regrets on my build. For fey touched I put it to the party and they said Gift of Alacrity. We've found several spell books so thanks to Ritual Caster I have more spells than I know what to do with.
Went 3 levels of Warlock and it was a game changer for Sorc. Basically got an improved version of the lvl 20 capstone at level 8. My intelligent, talking familiar with opposable thumbs has been a huge asset to the party and with the Magic Stone cantrip can do some decent bonus action damage. A second player got find familiar so I can twin spell Dragon's Breath and cause chaos.
With those extra Sorc points Quickened spell becomes a rechargeable Action Surge so I'm frequently doing 6 Eldritch Blasts for 1d10+5+1d6 (hex) each, better than the fighter and ranger while still being a full caster.
What DnD needed was definitely a massive boost to full a full caster class. Yup not at all going to make martial classes even worse options.
we need a book just for martials 😤😤 1000 more polarms
One question that's been bothering me that I haven't found an answer to yet (Unless I totally missed it in one of your videos which is entirely possible since I have the attention span of a goldfish), is whether or not you can double up on swapping spells on level-up.
To clarify, the base Sorcerer class allows you to swap one spell on level-up, "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.".
Additionally, there is a blob of text under the "domain" spells if you will, "Whenever you gain a sorcerer level, you can replace one spell you gained from this feature with another spell of the same level. The new spell must be an abjuration or a transmutation spell from the sorcerer, warlock, or wizard spell list.".
Since they're different features and don't reference one another, my best guess is that they stack, but I haven't been able to find anything confirming or denying that. Any thoughts?
Draconic sorc is amazing with transmute spell because if you change the damage type on a spell with recurring damage every round, elemental affinity adds to the entire casting, not per damage roll like the tempest cleric does
elemental affinity damage applies to when you cast that spell -so the initial damage. After that it is no longer being cast so no extra damage unfortunately.
Ya, that's not how that works....
In my mind, the real strength (among other) of psionic sorcery is that it actually allows for "tax free" flexible spellcasting.
Spending 1 sorcery point to cast dissonant whispers, is nice... but it is not strong if you then later spend a 1st level spell slot to create that sorcery point... then it is just the same. The real strength (I think) is that you can give up a second level spell and get two casting (or a twinned castin) - or a 5th level spell to get 5 additional castings of that first level spell... Because of the TAX-FREE flexibility of this feature, I think it is really strong - I think the benefit of always being immune to counterspell... is still very circumstantial (though subtle spell is my favourite metamagic feature!! so it just adds to the utility of this feature).
as someone who is currently playing an abjurer I hate to agree but counterspell resistance isn't really all that important all the time
Taaha's unfortunately doesn't fix my biggest complaint about Sorcerers. Namely: not enough unique spells for the sorcerer spell list. I'd even argue that thematically speaking they shouldn't have any of the named spells since their magic is less learned and more innate. As they are now there is very little to distinguish sorcerers from wizards, in my opinion, which in my mind at least lessens both classes.
I will say, I love that the psionic spell caster went to the sorcerer. It just kind of fits in my opinion.
I've always been a proponent of adding things like shadow evocation and shadow conjuration as unique sorcerer spells. This would give sorcerers some of the on-the-fly versatility that they were all about in previous editions.
I don't think they should be unique, I think wizards should be able to learn any arcane spell. That said I also think that wizards should not get spells above spell level 5 automatically from leveling. That should be their trade of, they can learn anything but they have to actually find those spells.
@@sharkforce8147 eh, fair.
I feel similar regarding the lack of sorcerer exclusive spells. My criteria for sorcerer exclusive spells has them themed around harnessing raw/dangerous magic with a natural finesse or fortitude. -Where it's easier for them to recklessly handle this magic because it's just more intuitive and natural due to their innate magical connection. The way they handle magic they don't really know the risk so they lack hesitation/inhibition and just go with the flow. The spells might be riskier or potentially self destructive -that may kill or maim a wizard who tried to learn them without this innate degree of handling, so they either don't bother or they fail and suffer the consequences. -So spell concepts which kind of lean in to the risky wild magic thematics -but less kooky and more dangerous. Maybe side effects that could risk the caster to lose the ability to speak temporarily, involuntarily banish themselves or suffer damage or levels of exhaustion, fall unconscious, accidental Freaky Friday life-swap?, etc. This is just one idea for sorcerer exclusive spell criteria but I'm sure people could think of others. The thing is, these spells need to be representative of the sorcerer classes thematics and not just an origin's flavor. -And there kinda needs to be a justification for why wizard's or other casters have not learned to reproduce them by this point in history.
@@DaDunge actually pretty good idea, but instead of over 5th level, the wizard has to find every spell to put in their book after character creation. Fuck wizard
18th level ability - you quicken your favorite area control spell after teleporting; this is an amazing control feature! or group them up for a synaptic static. If you ever played a Witch Doctor in Diablo 3, you know how powerful forced vortex movement into AoE control/damage is!! Also, Evard's / Web + Twinned Mind Whip is just flat out MEAN.
Geas is quite a scary pick-up for 5th level spells. Having no components means you can Geas someone simply by being near them for a minute.
This is the next type of character I want to play in my next game....which is gonna be a year. Being the DM is a cursed fate.
Subtle Suggestions (even with telepathy) Many spells (Gift of Gab) state the verbal component is the words used. The old 2E power word kill also says the verbal component is the word "kill"
I'm thinking actually this class works well as part of a Gish Sorcadin, much like the previous Ultimate Spellsword video. Psionic Spells gives you more variety and control, Psionic Sorcery gives you more spell slots effectively (with the reduced sorcery point cost) for either more spell casting per day and/or more smites per day... Getting resistance to Psychic Damage is nice, and the advantage on Charmed and Frightened stacks well with a Paladin's Level 6 bonus to saves. If you do 6/14 Paladin/Aberrant Mind you would also still grab 9th level spells at level 20, and still get Revelation in the Flesh as your mobility capstone. Or adjust levels as necessary.
Some monsters have the ability to swallow you, causing you to be restrained. Could you technically use the 14th level feature to move 5ft to escape?
Thoughts before watching:
I have been theorycrafting this since it came out. Please don't break my heart and convince me to unsubscribe.
Post watching thoughts:
I would have preferred you highlight a bit more on how many extra casts the cheaper spells from Psionic Sorcery allow. Great video!
How many?
@@inMYtimeOFneed92 at level 9, by dumping all your spell slots into points you would have 45 in total.
That amounts to 9 castings of Sypnatic Static.
Most casters, even the Warlock themselves only can cast up to 1-2 5th level spells at that point, not this class.
Sorcerers in general still got screwed by the choice to include worthless battlemaster builds in Tasha's instead of a page of Sorcerer Origin spell updates for prior Origins. Now we have the option of playing half of an origin with the PHB options, or 2/3 of an origin with the Xanathar's options, or a Full Origin with the Tasha's options. Feels bad man. Feels bad.
The main weakness of this subclass’ spell options compared to the clockwork soul IMO is not third level spells but first level ones: while you have a couple good options in Tasha’s hideous laughter and dissonant whispers you still need 2 (or 3 without multiclassing) “tax” spells in shield, absorb elements and mage armour, so in the end you’ll be stuck with 4 or 5 first level spells while the CWS sorcerer has +2 spells known of ANY level. That’s not immediately obvious but it makes a big difference when you’re building the character.
And I decided to play AM anyway because the concept is just better IMO lol
Now please please Treantmonk do a AM build video 😍
many years late. I know you say don't switch out any of those 4th level spells, but depending on your DM's interpretation, charm monster might be a really good option. Much like suggestion, subtle charming of a creature before combat starts on its own can be hugely impactful, while also depending on your DM it can have big combat implications as well.
Yep add a DC20 persuasion check (DMG chapter8) & a friendly creature will risk its life for you. (dominate person with a 1st level spell & ability check)
I think you're underestimating Warping Implosion. Beyond just having a free teleport once a day to get out of trouble, the pulling effect can allow for some stupid enviromental fun. Imagine being chased to a cliff face, using a sorcery point to gain flight, hovering 10 feet out from the cliff then teleporting 110 feet behind your enemies while pulling them off the cliff. Then there's just using it normal, causing enemies to bunch up, then using quicken spell to fire off an AOE to where you were. You escape, do damage and position your enemies where you want them, then hit them with a powerful spell. All that for nothing more then the cost of the quicken spell. I honestly quite approve of this effect as an 18th level ability. Used properly you can seriously mess with enemies with a FREE once a day ability. I honestly would probably end up using 5 sorcery points to re-use this ability quite often. As soon as I see an enviromental way of messing with people. I wouldn't be able to resist.
I have a question. If I remember well, in the video ranking Tasha's spells you did not regard the summon aberration as a great spell, and in this guide you don't think it should be traded at all. Did your perception about the spell itself changed, is it beacause of the limitation on the possible tradeable spells or is it because of something exclusive to the aberrant mind that I don't see? Great vid, can't wait to play a mind mending aberrant mind soon, it is my favorite subclass from Tasha's!
The "transmuted spell" its really usefull for the draconic or other kind of sorcerers who specialize in one type of damage for flavor or backstory. Imagine a gold or red dragon ancetor sorcerer fighting a red dragon. Now fireball can be iceball or thunderball.
35 years of gameplay earns me a 16th character Half-Elf Aberrant Mind 0- Mage Hand-Mending-Firebolt-Mind Sliver-Minor Illusion-Light-Prestidigitation 1-Detect Magic-Comprehend Languages-Absorb Elements-Shield-Mage Armor 2- See Invisibility(1 hour 2 with extended spell)-Detect Thoughts-Levitate-Misty Step 3-Counterspell-Dispel Magic-Tongues-Sending 4-Raulothim's Psychic Lance-Summon Aberration-Dimension Door-Greater Invisibility 5-Synaptic Static-Scrying-Telekenesis-Wall of Stone 6-Disintegrate 7-Planeshift 8- Sunburst (As it covers a big hole of spell list not being able to deal with multiple Undead until now...) and you can guess what the 9th level would be.... Scream. Silvery Barbs-Polymorph-Wish to OP, should be nerfed/removed.
Well sorcerers get a lot of cantrips though, and I really think if they should be buffed it should be with more sorcery points or more spellslots. Perhaps some spells known but Sorcerers should be more limited than wizards but better at what they do. These are beings who's power flows in their blood, they have little to no training but magic courses through their veins.
I am reminded of Jadis from The Magician's Nephew when she met the eponymous magician, learning that he was someone who had learned magic rather than been born with it called him a common conjurer and claimed "Your kind was made an end of in my world a thousand years ago."
Also I am very wary of buffing spellcaster. I really think five bonus spells would have been enough. It's also annoying warlocks don't get their subclass spells automatically know.
Really I think the fix is for wizards to not get 6th level spells and up on leveling getting those spells slots but having to actually find and transcribe those spells. That way the power of Sorcerers grow faster but a wizard who finds the right spells can rise higher.
i've said it before but I'll say it again, I think all the subclasses should get a set of domain spells, but I don't think they should be swappable. It lets every subclass get a set of theme-appropriate spells without going overkill.
My first AL character that got to 20th level was a Storm Sorcerer 18/ Tempest Cleric 2. If I had access to Transmute Spell, instead of taking Lightning Bolt, I could have use the better Fireball and other big area of effect spells like Cone of Cold to deal 48 and 64 thunder damage, respectfully, to everyone in the area.
Use your level 14 feature to fly upwards as high as you can, warp to the ground, suck enemies high into the air, watch them splatter
Do try to find me, because Arcane Eye is such a good 4th level spell that I can't pass it up. Web will have to do as a cheaper alternative to Evard's black tentacles- when I first get 4th level spells I'll probably be twinning polymorph anyway, which I can later swap out for maybe a banishment if I dipped anywhere else.
Another thing that wasn't mentioned, that I do like about Aberrant Mind Sorcerers:
We don't end up in the situation where we somehow can't cast lower level magic because we spent all our lower level slots, and can only cast powerful magics instead, which is what sometimes makes spellslots over spellpoints a bit weird. The Aberrant mind can turn higher level slots into sorcery points, and if using those sorcery points to cast spells from their psionic spells feature, lose no value in doing so (Other than, the non-psionic spells of that level of slot you transmuted in sorcery points).
Looking forward to your take on Clockwork soul- on one hand Aberrant mind gets to cast way more spells than anyone else, and most of their features are very good. On the other, the spells clockwork soul gets from their features, and the ones they can potentially swap out for (often ones you really want anyway, praise abjuration) are way better.
Okay one thing I don’t see ANYBODY talk about with the Psionic Sorcery feature - I’ve read the feature multiple times, and nothing in it prevents you from UPCASTING spells beyond your spellslot levels. What this means is you can take a spell like Hold Monster (or to a lesser extent Hold Person), and upcast it as a 9th level spell again and again and again by converting spellslots into sorcery points as early as Sorcerer 9.
By tier 3 you have enough spellslots to do this basically all day even if your table run alot of encounters, and disable a significant chunk of the encounter every single fight. Heck you can even just switch over to warlock after Sorc 9-11ish (after the slot progression slows down) and just build up your pact slot battery and specialize in Hold Monster/Person.
The ability doesn't need to restrict this, because the rules governing upcasting already do this. Upcasting requires you to use a spell slot unless something otherwise gives you explicit permission do so.
From "Spell Slots":
"When a character casts a spell, he or she expends a slot of that spell's level or higher, effectively "filling" a slot with the spell."
From Casting a Spell at a Higher Level:
"When a spellcaster casts a spell using a slot that is of a higher level than the spell, the spell assumes the higher level for that casting."
Psionic Sorcery says:
"When you cast any spell of 1st level or higher from your Psionic Spells feature, you can cast it by expending a spell slot as normal or by spending a number of sorcery points equal to the spell’s level."
If you use Sorcery Points to cast the spell, you are not using a spell slot, which means you are not fulfilling the "When a spellcaster casts a spell using a slot that is of higher level" requirement detailed in Casting a Spell at a Higher Level. Nothing in the Psionic Sorcery ability gives you the option to upcast.
Compare this to other abilities that allow you to cast spells without a slot, like the Four Elements monk. Their Discipline of the Elements ability specifically says "Once you reach 5th level in this class, you can spend additional ki points to increase the level of an elemental discipline spell that you cast, provided that the spell has an enhanced effect at a higher level, as Burning Hands does. The spell’s level increases by 1 for each additional ki point you spend." There is no such text in the Psionic Sorcery ability.
@@aildeokl PHB 201 says “When a spell caster casts a spell using a slot that is of a higher level than the spell, the spell assumes the higher level for that casting. For instance, if Umara casts magic missile using one of her 2nd-level slots, that magic missile is 2nd level.”
So you simply cast the Psionic Sorcery spell as a X level spell, and use the Psionic Sorcery feature to expend X sorcery points. Specific trumps general.
The key words you are glossing over are "using a spell slot". You are not using a spell slot, you are using sorcery points. This doesn't apply to spells using Psionic Sorcery.
@@aildeokl I’m not disputing that the general rule says “spell slot”, I’m saying the specific rule of Psionic Sorcery says you can use Sorcery Points in place of spell slots.
@M0ebius Yes you can, but doing so does not provide a mechanism for upcasting. Using your Sorcery Points to cast Hold Person costs 2 sorcery points, because the spell is 2nd level. There is no 3rd level Hold Person you can decide to cast, but if you cast it with a 3rd level slot it would then become a 3rd level spell at that point. There is no mechanism that allows you to spend additional Sorcery Points on a spell. You can only spend equal to the spell's level, which in the case of Hold Person, is level 2.
If you were using spell slots, you could use a higher level spell slot to cast it and the spell would assume that level. Upcasting a spell REQUIRES either using a spell slot, or some other ability(like the 4 elements monk) providing you a mechanism with which to cast them at a higher level.
You say "you simply cast the Psionic Sorcery spell as a X level spell", but that isn't how spellcasting works. You cant "cast Hold Person as a 3rd level spell," because Hold Person is a 2nd level spell. You cast Hold Person, and as per PHB 201, it BECOMES a higher level spell only -when you use cast a spell using a slot that is of a higher level than the spell-. The spell becoming a higher level is a result of expending the spell slot, not a choice you can make before casting it.
new to dnd and im a bard sorc aberrant sorcerer so far working good
What do you think about hex+scorching ray? Would you feel differently about it on a sorlock who already has eldritch blast and hex?
If you chose hex as one of your psionic spells you could cast it with a single sorcery point, and without the enemy knowing. Also if you are moving hex to a new target you could still cast a leveled spell on the same turn. Scorching ray also scales well because with hex it increases 3 d6 with every level spell slot above second. That's 9d6 as a 2nd level spell of 12d6 as a third level spell. Also an excellent candidate for transmute spell since fire is so highly resisted. Even if your not going sorlock this seems like a great combination for single target damage unless my math is wrong somewhere.
Yes, psionic spells faces the not-enough-versatility issue. Is it good design? I don’t think so. The unique thing about sorcerer design is that they have few spells but they can modify those. Psionic spells breaks this, removing what’s unique of this class compared to other spellcaster concepts.
I believe that sorceress should get more metamagic options which costs less, not more know spells.
Hi Matteo, yes I agree, but at the same time I feel that 15 spells total are too few for a full spell caster. Giving thme 10 more is too much, I would have given them 5 more, and more metamagic, and a way to recover sorcery points on a short rest once per day.
Would it be OP to introduce the level 1 Magic tables as homebrew to the other Sorcerer Subclasses?
At this point it should be an obvious addition to sorcerers so I would say no
Is the acquisitions incorporated book not official? Because there are a lot of good enchantment spells in it. Like Jim’s glowing coin and motivational speech.
I disagree with your conclusion for Hex. With Hex and Scorching Ray and Transmuted Spell, all my blasting requirements are met, except for crowds. This leaves all my spells available for anything else, giving much me much more flexibility than you would expect from a Sorcerer.
+3000. seeking also helps ensure scorching ray hits alot/possibly rolls crits.
@@aldoushuxley5953 yup. But only if you miss. Which means you'd probably just be spending 1 assuming you max charisma, get a wand of the war mage and somehow get advantage. Its just to ensure you hit. Magic missile on the other had has a lower ceiling as very few things can boost it unlike scorching ray which is an attack (making it fair game for an upcasted spirit shroud, hexblades curse, etc.)
Personally, at 10th level i usually had +11 to hit already with each scorching ray without factoring any other bonuses to hit given by allies (like bless) or advantage (coming out of stealth, opponent paralyzed, etc). At this point the ac off most opponents would generally be around 17-18 so i had at minimum 70% chance to hit (therefore only 1 ray woild miss unless i had other aforemention bonuses).
@@aldoushuxley5953 i guess that would depend on what you need at that moment. In the times i've used it has become worth it because the extra little bit of dmg removed an opponent from the board. Most people undervalue the effect of dmg as a term of control. No need to control when enemies are dead. Is it worth if its clear you cant kill the big threat nor help your allies kill it before it can act? No. But if its highly likely that you can kill it or your allies can finish the opponent off then? then yes.
Here's an example sequence of how i've used it solo (no ally help).
I had a level 10: fighter 2, shadow sorcerer 6, tempest cleric 2
bonus action: hound of ill omen
action: hold person with disadvantage
action surge: upcast scorching ray to 4th level. Transmute to lightning via transmute spell. I got 10d6 lightning dmg on 5 attack attempts with advantage (now i want all those attacks to hit so i use seeking spell). All hit. Since opponent is paralyzed, all are crits. I have 20d6 now. Use channe divinity to maximize. I deal 120 dmg in one turn.
So yup, a single attack that i dont let it hit (in case my attack roll fails), i actually lose 24 points of dmg.
Oh and bonus. If the opponent is still hanging on to life my hound of ill omen could actually get in an get more dmg in vs. a paralyzed opponent.
In case i wasnt clear about the abovr example, this is worth it when you remove the major threats off the board.
While extra spells are definitely nice, I always thought the biggest problem with a sorcerer was a lack of metamagics known and to a lesser extent lack of sorcery points. This is your primary class feature, practically your only one, and presumably the reason sorcerer doesn't have a lot of spells known or ritual castings, and you only get two lousy metamagics until lvl 10? The metamagic adept feat solves this some what. It kind of sucks that sorcerers have to spend and ASI, but then again they don't need to take a feat to shore up their concentration as badly as other casters.
Also, why on earth do sorcerers still not have force cage on their list? Wizards, Bards and Warlocks get it, but Sorcerers are the only "arcane caster" left out in the cold? There's a conspiracy I tell ya!
Great video.
Hey RUclips, I too enjoy this creator!
I think summon abberation is a decent spell...but i changed it out for one single reason, I would never use it over the other spells that require concentration.
How do you think this stacks up against the wizard class now？
As much as I love wizard, Aberrant feels like the better option because it takes away one of the biggest issues they have. Giving them so many extra spells.
Lets them be good with utility as well as blasting on top of having the metamagics.
Does the more expansive spell list a wizard has access to outweigh the features aberrant gets?
2 years later and I'm back to say that Aberrant Mind is my favorite subclass in the entire game. No matter if I'm going straight sorc, multiclassing with a warlock, whatever. Baldur's Gate 3 is out now and my only wish is that someone makes a mod for this subclass sooner than later. It's way too much fun.