Sorcerous Origin: Fey Bloodline (5E)

[JCW]

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[Rellott]

What's the action cost on Magical Resilience? Do you spend the sorcery point as a free action or as your reaction? Reaction seems most appropriate.

Secrets of the Fey seems like too much. WotC considered adding spells to the sorcerer's known spell list with the Storm Sorcerer in UA but ultimately decided that it was core to the sorcerer that they had a limited number of spells known. The PHB sorcerers' level 6 abilities do grant a small amount of power in combat (bonus damage on some spells plus resistance to damage via spent sorc point, and spend 2 sorc points to boost or hurt a d20 roll), but your grants an insane amount of versatility - especially considering you get additional spells every four levels. Maybe instead you gain the ability to cast a thematically appropriate spell once per day without expending a spell slot? Or you can add one thematically appropriate spell to your list and you can change it every 4 levels? As is, it's way too much.

Mask of the Fey seems like it's going around your elbow to say you can cast Invisibility on yourself. Again, what's the action cost - is it as per the spell? Does it expend a spell slot? Invisibility at-will seems like it might be overpowered, but this is at 14th level, so I don't know. You also have a typo: "...ability to magically turn invisible..."

Trough the Veil (for starters, it should be Through the Veil) seems like a ribbon ability. You get to plane-hop, but only between the material plane and the feywild, and you don't get to pick your destination. The PHB sorcerers get powerful combat abilities at this level. This is the capstone of your sorcerous origin - the thing that people ought to look forward to the most, even if the more thematic/emblematic powers came earlier. It should be better than what you've got.

[JCW]

Magical Resilience is a reaction.

Secrets of the Fey is nothing more than the Magical Secrets feat bards get, but limited to 1 spell instead of 2 per predetermine level. Giving you a bit of that Bard casting freedom.

The Mask of the Fey feat is a power a lot of fey have. The power to turn invisible at will as a standard action. This feat won't cost anything, just like the Dragonic Bloodline's Dragon Wings feat won't cost you anything, but has it's limits. At first I wanted to go for the Pixie's Superior Invisibility, but I thought that was too much, so I settled for the Sprite's, which loses its invisibility on attacks and such. Also, keep in mind that at that level you'll be facing a lot of creatures that have true sight, such as Demons and Dragons.

Through the Veil does seem a bit like a ribbon ability. It's a Plane Shift ability you can use 3 times a day, but unlike the spell, you are limited to the material plane and the feywild. However, Through the Veil allows you to see where you end up before sending you there. Something Plane Shift does not. It's true that it's not some over the top combat ability, but does it need to be?

However, I do have to admit that Through the Veil seems a bit mellow for an ability to get at 18th level, even though it has a lot of hidden potential from a role play point of view. Power-wise it is missing that WOW-factor, and I would be open to any suggestions on changing or improving it.

[Rellott]

Secrets of the Fey: But bards get it at level 10 and then 2 more times for a total of 6 spells. You're giving it to the sorcerer at level 6 and then 3 more times for a total of 4 spells. One could argue the whole point of bards is to be versatile supporters, and Magical Secrets is part of the core class. Adding spells to a sorcerer is changing the class's chassis, so to speak. WotC determined that sorcerers were supposed to have a limited number of spells known but their versatility comes with the metamagic and sorcerous origin abilities, unlike other caster classes that get versatility through more spells but must cast them as-is.

Mask of the Fey: Something that's important to remember about converting monster abilities for PC use is that monsters are not expected to survive very long. They may get to use the ability a few times, but then they're dead. PCs last longer and would get to use the power a lot more. I think placing some limitations on it would be appropriate. Perhaps a number of times per day equal to your charisma modifier, or once per rest, or something like that? And still, it's not really a monster ability - it's the spell Invisibility.

Through the Veil: I've only done a tiny bit of homebrewing, but in my opinion it's best to shoot for comparable features to official published material. When I homebrewed the Way of the Blurred Fist monastic tradition (also available in this forum, and in need of some revisions to eliminate redundant features to the core monk class), I evaluated the features that each monastic tradition got at each level, and saw that they were doing similar things at similar power levels, so I tried to emulate that. When you go off-script from the template, you run the risk of crippling or over-enhancing the archetype. Seeing that as my capstone ability would encourage me as a player of your sorcerous origin to multiclass into something else that's going to benefit me more. Put the flavor things in the middle so they have to take them to get to the good stuff at the end.

[JCW]

Secrets of the Fey doesn't affect their number of spells known. They still only know up to 15 spells and 6 cantrips. It only gives them access to spells from other classes to make them more versatile and less like the Glass Cannon role it is shoe-horned in to by the limited spell selection the Sorcerer spell list offers.

Mind you, the DB origin feat Dragon Wings gives you unrestricted unlimited access to the 3rd level Fly spell. No concentration needed, bonus action to (de)activate. The only restriction it implements is that you need to have your armor fit to accommodate the wings. The wings can't even be dispelled. Where as Mask of the Fey only copies a 2nd level spell that requires concentration, a standard action to activate, deactivates on attacks and casting of spells, and can be dispelled. So is this a powerful ability? Yes. Is it overpowered? I honestly don't know. I would have to play test that first to be sure.

I'm thinking of dropping Through the Veil, because it's really only in there for completing the Fey theme. I'll need to think of something good that will fit in that slot and still make sense as a Fey-originated power.

[Rellott]

Sorcerous Origin: Fey Bloodline (5E)

Secrets of the Fey: It's not clear from the wording that these count as your spells learned for that level.

Mask of the Fey: Fly vs invisibility is quite a debate to have. The Fly spell grants a fly speed of 60 feet, increasing your mobility. It allows for alternative movement that can impact the exploration pillar of the game. It has limited impact on combat since it only moves you out of melee range. True, dragon sorcs get it indefinitely, but they also get it at 14 when full casters could have picked up Fly around level 5. Invisibility also impacts exploration pillar but not as strongly because you are still susceptible to perception rolls. It impacts combat significantly as it allows for denial of target from pretty much everybody except those with truesight or tremorsense.

Through the Veil: Have you considered some teleportation abilities? Maybe the ability to teleport (misty step) up to your speed as a move action? Or swap this ability and your Mask of the Fey features' levels? I'm just spitballing.

[JCW]

Secrets of the Fey: It's not clear from the wording that these count as your spells learned for that level.

"The chosen spell counts as a sorcerer spell for you and is included in the number in the Spells Known column of the Sorcerer table.", it says so right there.

Mask of the Fey: Fly vs invisibility is quite a debate to have. The Fly spell grants a fly speed of 60 feet, increasing your mobility. It allows for alternative movement that can impact the exploration pillar of the game. It has limited impact on combat since it only moves you out of melee range. True, dragon sorcs get it indefinitely, but they also get it at 14 when full casters could have picked up Fly around level 5. Invisibility also impacts exploration pillar but not as strongly because you are still susceptible to perception rolls. It impacts combat significantly as it allows for denial of target from pretty much everybody except those with truesight or tremorsense.

Don't forget those with sharp hearing and/or smell. Just because they can't see you, doesn't mean they can't find you. And as a sorcerer, capable of bombarding enemies from long range, infinite flight is a pretty huge deal. Because it puts you out of range of pretty much all melee attacks. And yes, Mask of the Fey may offer a huge advantage in the first round of combat, allowing you be the last to be targeted or the first to attack, but unlike the spell Invisibility, Mask of the Fey does not get to affect your party members. So invisible or not, you might still get caught in the crossfire or AoE.

Through the Veil: Have you considered some teleportation abilities? Maybe the ability to teleport (misty step) up to your speed as a move action? Or swap this ability and your Mask of the Fey features' levels? I'm just spitballing.

I've considered a lot of things, Including the "Misty Step", or "Fey Step" as it would have been called in this list. The problem with the Misty Step is, it's hard to balance. Allow it once per short/long rest, and you're better off just having the spell as one of your Spells Known. Allow it to be used at will, and you'll never have to worry about being locked in melee combat ever again, or a prison cell for that matter. It's hard to write up a good middle ground.

I also had an idea that would turn the Polymorph spell into a lesser Shapechange spell. but this would be crossing too much into druid territory.

The best idea I had so far was called "Luck of the Fey", which basically allowed you to add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and skill checks for a limited times per day. But just like the "Misty Step" idea, it was hard to balance properly to make it work.