Zardnaar
Legend
So this build is a Draconic Sorcerer build for 5.5. It's a striker-controller hybrid. It's a refined build mined from reddit, youtubers specifically Treantmonk's Sorcerer build, Dungeon Dudes class guides and tier lists, and d4 D&D deep dives. Mixed with real life playtesting at level 12 and watching players level 1-4 and 1-8. And way to much BG3 honor mode. Basic ideas simple. Maximize accuracy and if ACs are high or situation calls for it go control instead. Overall the Dragon Sorcerer got buffed to the moon espicially at the levels that matter. It's basically an S tier class for the first 2 and a bit tiers of the game and can more than hold it's own later on.
Recommended Ability scores. 17 charisma, 14 minimum dexterity and constitution.
Recommended skills. Arcana.
Recommended tools. Whatever let's you craft the items you want.
Recommended Magic Items. +1 wand of the warmage, bloodwell vial (Tashas Cauldron of Everything). 5.5 let's you craft (DMG).
Suggested Races.
Human or Halfling, Elf if 5.0 material is allowed. Anything is viable but halflings luck and extra origin feat are juicy. Elf if 5.0 material is allowed probably high Elf for bonus cantrip.
Recommend origins. 5.0 background or custom. You want to pick your origin feat. Otherwise anything you like that has +2 charisma and +1 constitution or dexterity if the DMs a hard ass.
Recommend Origin Feats. Alert, Lucky, Magic Initiate or Musician. I prefer lucky and alert or magic initiate if human. Ideally someone else picks musician. Druid or Cleric magic initiate for bless or faerie fire as you desire and guidance. Magic innate wizard for tashas hideous laughter is also a good choice. Anything that buffs accuracy is usually good.
5.5 buffed a llot of spells you can up cast or make an attack roll with. Examples include chromatic orb, command, tashas hideous laughter. It's also easy to twin a lot of thise spells for a low low price of one sorcery point. Command halt is functionally a stun lock, blindness, hold person, tashas all can wreck you opponent.
Level 1 Key Ability. Innate Sorcery 2/long rest. You gain advantage on attack rolls of spells you cast or +1 spell DC for 10 rounds. Bigger effect on attack rolls but spell DC boosts are rare. Generally use it when you want to cast your highest level spells. Can be recharged level 7.
Level 1 Recommended cantrips. True strike and sorcerous burst. Rest is your choice. Don't forget a light crossbow it's functionally a cantrip espicially with 14+ dexterity and/or true strike
Recommended spells level 1&2. Pretty much whatever you like. Some sort of AoE or control spell is often good. Eg sleep, thunder wave, burning hands etc. Doesn't matter to much as long as you don't mess it up. Otherwise roleplay as an archer. You get another 2 spells level 2 consider adding shield for clutch emergencies.
Recommended Metamagic. Twin spell and empower (espically with 5.0 material). Quicken is to expensive to use early on. Seeking spell, subtle spell and transmuted spell have their uses. Transmuted spell is somewhat optional however as you can use chromatic orb, sorcererous burst or dragons breath to switch things up or go control mode. You only get two choices though can't do everything. Next two are level 10 which is a long way away.
Level 3. Your subclass comes online here and you get two more spells. The spells you care about the most are chromatic orb and command. Command functions like it's BG3 counterpart no shared language required. 1 Sorcerery point to twin.
Chromatic orb still deals 3d8 damage. But it can bounce based on if two identical numbers are rolled. It's bounce chances are level 1 34.4%, lvl 2 59%, lvl 3 79%, lvl 4 92.3%, lvl 5 98.1%, level 6 99.8. This is before you manipulate the dice rolls with empower spell. Critical hits start at 6d8 equivalent to 92.3% bounce chance. At higher levels it starts looking like a no save chain lightning. Vs Paralyzed opponents it starts becoming very unfair fast. Just stack accuracy buffs and advantage to get there. Oh look you get innate sorcery.
Level 2 spells. At level 3 you also pick 2 more spells. Your relevant control and damage spells are free. I like hold person, blindness and scorching ray either swapping out spells or wait to level 4 to get the ones you don't pick at 3. 1 sorcery point to twin hold person or blindness. Both provide advantage if they land. You can also upcast and twin hold person, blindness, command, tashas. Your basic bread and butter control spells. Command and Blindness do not require concentration.
Enter The Dragon. Level 3.
In 5.0 you pretty much picked fire maybe lightning. The rest mediocre to bad. Traditionally fire does the most damage but is easily resisted only beaten by poison. Chromatic Orb sorcererous burst and dragons breath make any of them vable. Mostly irrelevant until level 6. On paper fires the best my pick however is lightning. Mostly due to fire resistance and lightning bolt spell. The others lack fireball or lightning bolt but chromatic orb fills that gap close enough. Acid I think could be interesting leaning more into control to make up for a lack of fireball or lightning bolt. Poisons still bad. Transmute energy acid also gets interesting with fireball and scorching ray. If you don't like my basic idea you can still play traditional blaster.
Level 4. Feat. If 5.0 material is available and you're an Elf elven accuracy is your mvp. Super advantage to hit with your spells and +1 charisma. If Xanathar’s is off the table Fae Touched allows you to aquire hex. It's a nice damage boost to sorcerous burst and Chromatic Orb. It's a lot of fun with Scorching Ray or transmuted scorching ray. Espicially if you have advantage. 9d6 damage in a level 2 slot, 18d6 vs a paralyzed target that someone else pulls off. Otherwise treat it as artillery. Treantmonk missed it in his Sorcerer video. You can cast hex via feat and follow it up with another spell in 5.5.
Level 5. Cantrips scale which can lead to some very explosive sorcerous bursts more frequently. Espicially on crits. Otherwise pick up fireball or lightning bolt. Depending on the tactical situation situation you can use them, chromatic orb or control. Slow, Hypnotic Pattern, Haste are all good choices as well.
Sorcerous Restoration level 5. More Sorcery points.
Level 6. Elemental Affinity. Simple add your Charisma modifier to your chosen energy type.
From here on out you mostly just upcast and/or twin your spells. If 5.0 material is available spells that target intelligence saves are useful espically ones that can be twinned. Banishment, Hold Monster and Synaptic static are the stand outs imho. Warcasters useful level 8 or 12. Synaptic Static essentially obsoletes upcast fireballs while chromatic orbs starts getting silly around about level 5-7.
Your job is to basically make your DM cry it seems. Maybe it's just me doing the crying. 5.5 buffed monster HP so you need to buff your damage to compensate. Best I've seen is a twinned upcast hold monster taking out 3 CR 14 monsters then level 5 and 6 chromatic orbs hitting them (immune to fire). 14d8 and 16d8 damage no save.
Spell DCs start at around 18 at those levels and can hit 20-22 via magic items. That you can craft PCs can also apply vulnerability. Anything with a weak intelligence or wisdom save is very vulnerable to low level spells. AC 18 or 19 isn't that hard to hit either let alone anything lower.
Recommended Ability scores. 17 charisma, 14 minimum dexterity and constitution.
Recommended skills. Arcana.
Recommended tools. Whatever let's you craft the items you want.
Recommended Magic Items. +1 wand of the warmage, bloodwell vial (Tashas Cauldron of Everything). 5.5 let's you craft (DMG).
Suggested Races.
Human or Halfling, Elf if 5.0 material is allowed. Anything is viable but halflings luck and extra origin feat are juicy. Elf if 5.0 material is allowed probably high Elf for bonus cantrip.
Recommend origins. 5.0 background or custom. You want to pick your origin feat. Otherwise anything you like that has +2 charisma and +1 constitution or dexterity if the DMs a hard ass.
Recommend Origin Feats. Alert, Lucky, Magic Initiate or Musician. I prefer lucky and alert or magic initiate if human. Ideally someone else picks musician. Druid or Cleric magic initiate for bless or faerie fire as you desire and guidance. Magic innate wizard for tashas hideous laughter is also a good choice. Anything that buffs accuracy is usually good.
5.5 buffed a llot of spells you can up cast or make an attack roll with. Examples include chromatic orb, command, tashas hideous laughter. It's also easy to twin a lot of thise spells for a low low price of one sorcery point. Command halt is functionally a stun lock, blindness, hold person, tashas all can wreck you opponent.
Level 1 Key Ability. Innate Sorcery 2/long rest. You gain advantage on attack rolls of spells you cast or +1 spell DC for 10 rounds. Bigger effect on attack rolls but spell DC boosts are rare. Generally use it when you want to cast your highest level spells. Can be recharged level 7.
Level 1 Recommended cantrips. True strike and sorcerous burst. Rest is your choice. Don't forget a light crossbow it's functionally a cantrip espicially with 14+ dexterity and/or true strike
Recommended spells level 1&2. Pretty much whatever you like. Some sort of AoE or control spell is often good. Eg sleep, thunder wave, burning hands etc. Doesn't matter to much as long as you don't mess it up. Otherwise roleplay as an archer. You get another 2 spells level 2 consider adding shield for clutch emergencies.
Recommended Metamagic. Twin spell and empower (espically with 5.0 material). Quicken is to expensive to use early on. Seeking spell, subtle spell and transmuted spell have their uses. Transmuted spell is somewhat optional however as you can use chromatic orb, sorcererous burst or dragons breath to switch things up or go control mode. You only get two choices though can't do everything. Next two are level 10 which is a long way away.
Level 3. Your subclass comes online here and you get two more spells. The spells you care about the most are chromatic orb and command. Command functions like it's BG3 counterpart no shared language required. 1 Sorcerery point to twin.
Chromatic orb still deals 3d8 damage. But it can bounce based on if two identical numbers are rolled. It's bounce chances are level 1 34.4%, lvl 2 59%, lvl 3 79%, lvl 4 92.3%, lvl 5 98.1%, level 6 99.8. This is before you manipulate the dice rolls with empower spell. Critical hits start at 6d8 equivalent to 92.3% bounce chance. At higher levels it starts looking like a no save chain lightning. Vs Paralyzed opponents it starts becoming very unfair fast. Just stack accuracy buffs and advantage to get there. Oh look you get innate sorcery.
Level 2 spells. At level 3 you also pick 2 more spells. Your relevant control and damage spells are free. I like hold person, blindness and scorching ray either swapping out spells or wait to level 4 to get the ones you don't pick at 3. 1 sorcery point to twin hold person or blindness. Both provide advantage if they land. You can also upcast and twin hold person, blindness, command, tashas. Your basic bread and butter control spells. Command and Blindness do not require concentration.
Enter The Dragon. Level 3.
In 5.0 you pretty much picked fire maybe lightning. The rest mediocre to bad. Traditionally fire does the most damage but is easily resisted only beaten by poison. Chromatic Orb sorcererous burst and dragons breath make any of them vable. Mostly irrelevant until level 6. On paper fires the best my pick however is lightning. Mostly due to fire resistance and lightning bolt spell. The others lack fireball or lightning bolt but chromatic orb fills that gap close enough. Acid I think could be interesting leaning more into control to make up for a lack of fireball or lightning bolt. Poisons still bad. Transmute energy acid also gets interesting with fireball and scorching ray. If you don't like my basic idea you can still play traditional blaster.
Level 4. Feat. If 5.0 material is available and you're an Elf elven accuracy is your mvp. Super advantage to hit with your spells and +1 charisma. If Xanathar’s is off the table Fae Touched allows you to aquire hex. It's a nice damage boost to sorcerous burst and Chromatic Orb. It's a lot of fun with Scorching Ray or transmuted scorching ray. Espicially if you have advantage. 9d6 damage in a level 2 slot, 18d6 vs a paralyzed target that someone else pulls off. Otherwise treat it as artillery. Treantmonk missed it in his Sorcerer video. You can cast hex via feat and follow it up with another spell in 5.5.
Level 5. Cantrips scale which can lead to some very explosive sorcerous bursts more frequently. Espicially on crits. Otherwise pick up fireball or lightning bolt. Depending on the tactical situation situation you can use them, chromatic orb or control. Slow, Hypnotic Pattern, Haste are all good choices as well.
Sorcerous Restoration level 5. More Sorcery points.
Level 6. Elemental Affinity. Simple add your Charisma modifier to your chosen energy type.
From here on out you mostly just upcast and/or twin your spells. If 5.0 material is available spells that target intelligence saves are useful espically ones that can be twinned. Banishment, Hold Monster and Synaptic static are the stand outs imho. Warcasters useful level 8 or 12. Synaptic Static essentially obsoletes upcast fireballs while chromatic orbs starts getting silly around about level 5-7.
Your job is to basically make your DM cry it seems. Maybe it's just me doing the crying. 5.5 buffed monster HP so you need to buff your damage to compensate. Best I've seen is a twinned upcast hold monster taking out 3 CR 14 monsters then level 5 and 6 chromatic orbs hitting them (immune to fire). 14d8 and 16d8 damage no save.
Spell DCs start at around 18 at those levels and can hit 20-22 via magic items. That you can craft PCs can also apply vulnerability. Anything with a weak intelligence or wisdom save is very vulnerable to low level spells. AC 18 or 19 isn't that hard to hit either let alone anything lower.
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