D&D 5e: Half-elf Sorcerer Guide

D&D 5e: Half-elf Sorcerer Guide
Compared to other magic users, Sorcerers are naturally magical and have no need for all that studying and deity crap wizards and warlocks do. Instead, they rely on the magic that they are born with because someone -cough- BARD -cough- was brave enough to bang,tie-the-knot with, or even piss off a magical creature/being. Producing a sorcerous power- in any race- is rare, so consider yourself an anime protagonist/ chosen one at this point.
The Half-Elf race AND the Sorcerer class can be found in the Player’s Handbook. Click here to pick up your own copy of The Player’s Handbook!
How to Make a Half-Elf Sorcerer
Unlike most mage classes, as a Sorcerer, how your character’s background is built is very, very important as the magic is born into them. You don’t have to be that kid that your mom had to convince your dad is his either, as sorcerers can be born off curses, prophecies foretold, and a variety of other ways. Unfortunately, Sorcerers have the least amount of spells and have only two subcategories, but you have the power to screw with reality on the bright side.
Sorcerous Origins: this is basically like archetypes for Sorcerers.
- Draconic Blood– This doesn’t mean one of your parents banged a dragon that eventually produced you- though it is possible. Those with Draconic magic could come from a powerful ancient Sorcerer’s lineage that made a deal with a dragon or born of a dragon.
- Dragon Ancestor– As a half-elf any additional advantages or disadvantages that you have depends upon your elven heritage. Same goes for your draconic heritage.
Dragon | Damage Type | Dragon | Damage Type |
Black | Acid | Gold | Fire |
Blue | Lightning | Green | Poison |
Brass | Fire | Red | Fire |
Bronze | Lightning | Silver | Cold |
Copper | Acid | White | Cold |
- Draconic Resilience– Half-elves are known to have more power, the less clothing they have. Unlike dark souls, there’s a solution if you have Draconic blood. You get to have scales for armour, and no, it doesn’t mean you have to become a furry (Scaley) as even a few scales here, and there will suffice. Your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier.
- Elemental Affinity
- Dragon Wings
- Draconic Presence
- WILD MAGIC– Aforementioned, not all Sorcerers are born magical; some can become magical due to a blessing, a curse, or even a mark made by Voldemort. There’s even a chance it’s because you walked into the wrong realm or bathroom. It can literally be anything so long as unintentional and involves magic hence the name.
- Wild magic surge– Not only is your origins wild but also your spells. You roll a d100 and whatever it lands on is what you use.It’s like you’re a warlock but your patron is a crackhead.
1-2 | Roll on this table at the start of each of your turns for the next minute, ignoring this result on subsequent rolls. | 33-34 | Maximize the damage of the next damaging spell you cast within the next minute. | 65-66 | Up to three creatures you choose within 30 feet of you take 4d10 lightning damage |
3-4 | For the next minute, you can see any invisible creature if you have line of sight to it. | 35-36 | Roll a d10. Your age changes by a number of years equal to the roll. If the roll is odd, you get younger (minimum 1 year old). If the roll is even, you get older. | 67-68 | You are frightened by the nearest creature until the end of your next turn. |
5-6 | A modron chosen and controlled by the DM appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, then disappears I minute later | 37-38 | 1d6 flumphs controlled by the DM appear in unoccupied spaces within 60 feet of you and are frightened of you. They vanish after 1 minute. | 69-70 | Each creature within 30 feet of you becomes invisible for the next minute. The invisibility ends on a creature when it attacks or casts a spell |
7-8 | You cast Fireball as a 3rd-level spell centered on yourself. | 39-40 | You regain 2d10 hit points. | 71-72 | You gain resistance to all damage for the next minute. |
9-10 | You cast Magic Missile as a 5th-level spell. | 41-42 | You turn into a potted plant until the start of your next turn. While a plant, you are incapacitated and have vulnerability to all damage. If you drop to 0 hit points, your pot breaks, and your form reverts. | 73-74 | A random creature within 60 feet of you becomes poisoned for 1d4 hours. |
11-12 | Roll a d10. Your height changes by a number of inches equal to the roll. If the roll is odd, you shrink. If the roll is even, you grow. | 43-44 | For the next minute, you can teleport up to 20 feet as a bonus action on each of your turns. | 75-76 | You glow with bright light in a 30-foot radius for the next minute. Any creature that ends its turn within 5 feet of you is blinded until the end of its next turn. |
13-14 | You cast Confusion centered on yourself. | 45-46 | You cast Levitate on yourself. | 77-78 | You cast Polymorph on yourself. If you fail the saving throw, you turn into a sheep for the spell’s duration. |
15-16 | For the next minute, you regain 5 hit points at the start of each of your turns. | 47-48 | A unicorn controlled by the DM appears in a space within 5 feet of you, then disappears 1 minute later. | 79-80 | Illusory butterflies and flower petals flutter in the air within 10 feet of you for the next minute. |
17-18 | You grow a long beard made of feathers that remains until you sneeze, at which point the feathers explode out from your face. | 49-50 | You can’t speak for the next minute. Whenever you try, pink bubbles float out of your mouth. | 81-82 | You can take one additional action immediately |
19-20 | You cast Grease centered on yourself | 51-52 | A spectral shield hovers near you for the next minute, granting you a +2 bonus to AC and immunity to Magic Missile. | 83-84 | You can take one additional action immediately |
21-22 | Creatures have disadvantage on saving throws against the next spell you cast in the next minute that involves a saving throw. | 53-54 | You are immune to being intoxicated by alcohol for the next 5d6 days. | 85-86 | You cast Mirror Image. |
23-24 | Your skin turns a vibrant shade of blue. A Remove Curse spell can end this effect. | 55-56 | Your hair falls out but grows back within 24 hours. | 87-88 | You cast Fly on a random creature within 60 feet of you. |
25-26 | An eye appears on your forehead for the next minute. During that time, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. | 57-58 | For the next minute, any flammable object you touch that isn’t being worn or carried by another creature bursts into flame. | 89-90 | You become invisible for the next minute. During that time, other creatures can’t hear you. The invisibility ends if you attack or cast a spell. |
27-28 | For the next minute, all your spells with a casting time of 1 action have a casting time of 1 bonus action. | 59-60 | You regain your lowest-level expended spell slot. | 91-92 | If you die within the next minute, you immediately come back to life as if by the Reincarnate spell. |
29-30 | You teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see. | 61-62 | For the next minute, you must shout when you speak. | 93-94 | Your size increases by one size category for the next minute. |
31-32 | You are transported to the Astral Plane until the end of your next turn, after which time you return to the space you previously occupied or the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. | 63-64 | You cast Fog Cloud centered on yourself. | 95-96 | You and all creatures within 30 feet of you gain vulnerability to piercing damage for the next minute |
97-98 | You are surrounded by faint, ethereal music for the next minute. |
99-100 | You regain all expended sorcery points. |
- Tides of chaos
- Bend luck
- Controlled chaos
- Spell bombardment
Like Warlocks, your attacks do rely on Charisma. Being a half-elf, you have the advantage of 2+ on your Charisma and proficiency in any 2 skills of your choice. In stat building, make Charisma your highest followed by Constitution. Higher Constitution means more Hit Points (HP), and higher Fortitude Save, which results in some bonus to spell defense-just like the actual Constitution. Finally, intelligence, strength, dexterity, then wisdom.
How to Play a Half-elf Sorcerer
Hit Dice: 1d6 per sorcerer level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per sorcerer level after 1st
Unlike Wiz-nerds and Warlocks, Sorcerers don’t have the advantage of many spells and spellcasting is costly. In hindsight, due to Metamagic you’ll be able to screw with the whole campaign and reality as you please. Think of your class as a double axe, it has only 2 blades but it’s high on impact. As you reach certain levels your attacks improve too until you reach level 20 where you get 4 expended sorcery points whenever you finish a short rest.
- Metamagic- You unlock this at 3rd level, where you’re able to twist your spells to suit your needs. Apart from spells like magic missile, chromatic orb, and whatever else is included, you can be creative on what you use. So if you’ve ever thought of having a fire breathing armpit this is your chance.
- Careful Spell
- Distant Spell
- Empowered Spell
- Extended Spell
- Heightened Spell
- Quickened Spell
- Subtle Spell
- Twinned Spell
As half-elf, you have an advantage in speed, dark vision, and saving throws in being charmed and put to sleep- just like a college student. Additionally, attacks that rely on precision have a boost due to your elven accuracy.
Outside of Combat, half-elves have their distinct traits like humans, some unique to elves. It can significantly depend upon their upbringing. A common attribute is that they value personal freedom and self-expression, demonstrating neither love of leaders nor the desire for followers. They chafe at rules, resent others’ demands, and sometimes unreliable and unpredictable. Though this does not mean half-elves are devoid of emotions. Compared to their purebred counterparts, they are more open to forming bonds with other races regardless of hierarchy, status, and benefit. Due to half-elves valuing creativity and self-expression, being a sorcerer is a good fit to your eccentric nature.
How to Roleplay as a Half-elf Sorcerer
Half-elves though being of two worlds, don’t have a place or land to call their own. Despite being openly allowed into both societies of humans and elves, they are discriminated against. Most end up as wanderers or diplomats. Considering that your character is a Sorcerer, a creature born with, cursed, blessed, or inherited magic, that could change those mentioned earlier, or it can further be a push in your plot of being an outcast in society. After all, uncommon power is risky and dangerous or even exploitable.
Regardless if you choose to be Draconic or Wild Magic type of Sorcerer, you or your Sorcerer character’s background is closely tied to their abilities. Were you born with your powers? Were you cursed, blessed, or in an unwarranted predicament? Was it something you ate? Was it foretold? Prophesied? Was one of your parents a bard? Be as creative as you like, make your DM and squad question you and your sanity, have crazy spells and devious shenanigans in mind, make sure how you became a Sorcerer makes sense.
As a half-elf you’ll be able to speak elvish with an addition of one or two languages. Any other characteristics about you and your advantages/weaknesses depends upon your sorcerous and elven heritage.