Sorcerer 5e: The Complete Class Guide

The Sorcerer is the spellcaster for people who want to cast fewer spells, but cast them harder. You have a smaller spell list than the Wizard. You know fewer spells than the Bard. You don't prepare like the Cleric. What you do have is Metamagic, the single most interesting spellcasting feature in 5e, and it turns your moderate spell knowledge into a blast radius.

The Pitch

A Sorcerer is a Charisma-based full spellcaster with innate magical power. Core features:

• Spellcasting. Full caster progression. Charisma-based. Spells Known, not prepared.
• Sorcerous Origin (subclass) at level 1. Your magic's source.
• Font of Magic at level 2. You get Sorcery Points equal to your Sorcerer level. Convert them to spell slots or vice versa.
• Metamagic at level 3. Pick two options. You spend Sorcery Points to modify how you cast spells. More options at level 10 and 17.
• Sorcerous Restoration at level 20. Recover 4 Sorcery Points on a short rest.

The class is smaller than Wizard but more flexible in the moment. A Sorcerer with Twinned Spell can duplicate a save-or-die spell on two targets for the price of a single slot plus some points. A Wizard cannot.

Stat Priorities

1. Charisma (primary). All your spellcasting.
2. Constitution. HP and concentration.
3. Dexterity. AC (no armor proficiency means you rely on Dex for AC), initiative.
4. Strength, Wisdom, Intelligence dumpable.

A typical Sorcerer: STR 8, DEX 14, CON 14, INT 10, WIS 10, CHA 16.

Metamagic: The Whole Point

Metamagic is the reason to play Sorcerer. Pick two options at level 3. More at level 10 and 17.

The options:

• Careful Spell. Spend 1 Sorcery Point. Protect allies from your AOE spells. They auto-succeed the save.
• Distant Spell. 1 point. Double the range of a spell (or make a touch spell 30-foot range).
• Empowered Spell. 1 point. Reroll a number of damage dice equal to your Charisma mod.
• Extended Spell. 1 point. Double the duration of a spell (up to 24 hours).
• Heightened Spell. 3 points. One target has disadvantage on their first save against the spell.
• Quickened Spell. 2 points. Cast a 1-action spell as a bonus action.
• Seeking Spell. 2 points. Reroll a spell attack roll.
• Subtle Spell. 1 point. Cast without verbal or somatic components.
• Transmuted Spell. 1 point. Change the damage type (acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, thunder).
• Twinned Spell. Points equal to the spell's level. Duplicate a single-target spell on a second target.

The top picks:

1. Quickened Spell. Cast a cantrip plus a leveled spell in the same turn. Massive damage nova capability.
2. Twinned Spell. Hasted two allies for one slot + 3 points. Doubled Hold Person. Doubled Polymorph.
3. Empowered Spell. Reroll damage dice. Huge average damage boost on big spells (Fireball, Disintegrate).
4. Subtle Spell. Cast Charm Person without anyone noticing. Invisibly cast Counterspell. Political intrigue superpower.
5. Careful Spell. Fireball your own party without hurting them.

Sorcery Points

Level 2 unlocks Font of Magic: Sorcery Points = Sorcerer level. Long rest restores all.

You can:

• Convert 1 Sorcery Point into a 1st-level slot
• Convert 2 points into a 2nd-level slot
• Convert 3 points into a 3rd-level slot
• Convert 5 points into a 4th-level slot
• Convert 6 points into a 5th-level slot

Going the other way: expend a slot to get Sorcery Points equal to the slot's level.

This means Sorcerers can shift resources. Burn a 5th-level slot to get 5 Sorcery Points for Metamagic. Or spend 6 points to recover a 5th-level slot. It's a flexible economy.

Subclasses

The SRD Sorcerer is Draconic Bloodline.

Draconic Bloodline

• Dragon Ancestor at level 1. Pick a chromatic or metallic dragon. Charisma-based skill checks involving that damage type get advantage, expanded dragon language options.
• Draconic Resilience at level 1. +1 HP per Sorcerer level. Natural armor: AC = 13 + Dex mod when not wearing armor.
• Elemental Affinity at level 6. Add your Charisma modifier to damage of one spell per turn that matches your dragon's damage type. Spend 1 Sorcery Point for resistance to that damage type for 1 hour.
• Dragon Wings at level 14. Grow wings, gain a fly speed equal to your walking speed.
• Draconic Presence at level 18. Create a 60-foot aura of awe or fear, spend 5 Sorcery Points.

Draconic Bloodline adds survivability (+1 HP per level is 20 HP extra at max level) and damage boost for one type. Solid, simple subclass.

Outside the SRD

Wild Magic (random effects on spells), Divine Soul (Cleric spell access), Shadow, Storm, Aberrant Mind, Clockwork Soul, Lunar. Each has flavor.

Draconic is a dependable SRD pick. Goes well with fire-themed builds.

Spell Selection

Spells Known, small list. Pick carefully. You get to swap one spell on each level-up.

Cantrips: Fire Bolt (damage), Ray of Frost (damage + slow), Minor Illusion, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Shocking Grasp (melee touch).

1st Level: Shield (+5 AC reaction), Magic Missile (guaranteed damage), Absorb Elements, Mage Armor (if you're not Draconic), Chromatic Orb.

2nd Level: Misty Step (teleport), Mirror Image, Scorching Ray, Hold Person.

3rd Level: Fireball (still the best 3rd-level damage spell), Counterspell, Haste, Fly.

4th Level: Greater Invisibility, Polymorph, Wall of Fire, Banishment.

5th Level: Synaptic Static, Hold Monster, Wall of Force, Telekinesis.

6th Level+: Disintegrate, Chain Lightning, Sunburst, Meteor Swarm.

For complete list, see our D&D 5e spell list.

The Twin-Haste Combo

One of the most famous Sorcerer combos: cast Haste (normally single-target), Twinned to target two allies. Now two allies are hasted. For 3 Sorcery Points + a 3rd-level slot, you've buffed two characters with +2 AC, advantage on Dex saves, doubled speed, and an extra attack action each turn for 1 minute.

This is a gigantic force multiplier for party play. In solo, you can't Twin the spell (only one of you), but you can use Twinned on other single-target buff spells like Polymorph (turn two enemies into sheep) or Charm Person (charm two NPCs).

The Quickened Nuke

Quickened Spell lets you cast a 1-action spell as a bonus action. Combined with your action, you cast two spells per turn. The catch: you can only cast one leveled spell per turn from a bonus action. So your action is a cantrip. Your bonus action is the big spell.

Still huge. A level 3 Sorcerer with Quickened can Fire Bolt (cantrip) + Quickened Magic Missile (3 missiles auto-hit) in one turn. A level 5 Sorcerer can Fire Bolt + Quickened Fireball. A level 11 Sorcerer can Fire Bolt + Quickened Chain Lightning.

Cost: Quickened is 2 Sorcery Points. If you Quickened three times a day at level 6, you've spent 6 points but taken three extra turns of action economy.

Sorcerer in Solo Play

Sorcerer is B-tier solo. Strong, not S-tier:

Strengths:

• Burst damage with Quickened + big spells.
• Metamagic flexibility for creative solutions (Subtle Spell for casting during conversations, etc.).
• Shield spell for defensive reactions.
• Font of Magic can convert resources on the fly.

Weaknesses:

• d6 hit die. You are squishy.
• Limited spell list means creative problems may have no answer.
• No healing spells (Divine Soul fixes this, but it's non-SRD).
• Concentration-heavy spells mean a single bad hit can drop a buff.

Solo Sorcerer is about picking the right 15 known spells and Metamagic options to cover all situations. A smart pick-list includes Shield, Mage Armor or natural armor equivalent, one save-or-suck, one big damage spell, Counterspell at level 5.

Leveling Path

• Level 1: Spellcasting, Sorcerous Origin.
• Level 2: Font of Magic.
• Level 3: Metamagic (2 options).
• Level 6: Origin feature.
• Level 10: Metamagic (1 more), Origin feature.
• Level 14: Origin feature.
• Level 17: Metamagic (1 more).
• Level 18: Origin capstone.
• Level 20: Sorcerous Restoration.

Common Sorcerer Mistakes

Hoarding Sorcery Points. They refresh on long rest. Spend them.

Picking bad spells known. You can't change your mind mid-adventure. Stick with proven spells.

Ignoring Shield. Shield is the single best 1st-level spell in the game. Know it.

Not converting slots to points. Mid-day resource conversion is the class's unique ability.

Forgetting Metamagic on turn 1. Pre-plan. If your plan is "Fireball with Empowered and Careful," remember that's 1 Sorcery Point for Careful + 1 for Empowered.

The Endlessness and the Sorcerer

Our AI Dungeon Master tracks Sorcery Points, slot conversions both directions, Metamagic costs per option, and all the moving parts of Quickened (bonus action leveled spell + action cantrip only rule), Twinned (single-target only rule), and others. When you Twin a spell, the system applies it to two targets and deducts points based on the original spell level.

For related reads, our concentration rules, action economy, and spell list are worth a look.

Final Verdict

Sorcerer is for spellcasters who want flexibility in how they cast rather than what they cast. Smaller spell list, bigger tricks.

If you like the idea of doing extra damage, twinning critical single-target spells, or quickly casting spells for a one-two punch, Sorcerer is your class.

Start a Sorcerer on The Endlessness, pick Draconic Bloodline, take Quickened and Twinned, and watch your fights change shape.