Potent spellcasters by inheritance rather than choice, Sorcerers draw upon the capability of their magically-infused blood for exceptional power. There are many potential sources for introducing magic into a character's ancestry, and a Sorcerer can arise as the result of interbreeding with powerful magical creatures, from ancestors that specialized in a specific type of magic or that cursed their issue with profane deals, or simply because the power was destined to be important.
ULTIMATE POWER
A Sorcerer's relationship with its spellcasting potential is often a struggle to keep all that inherited power under control. Where other primary spellcasters have spell slots of different spell levels, and must carefully choose how much power to imbue each spell with, a Sorcerer's spells have no such "volume knob." All of a Sorcerer's spell slots are always of the highest spell level they can cast, though this inability to innately ration their power results in the fewest spell slots of any primary spellcasting class. Some Sorcerers can learn to restrain themselves over time, gaining the ability to cast spells at a lower power level to preserve their spell slots, but all Sorcerers know several Cantrips that are never expended. So even though a Sorcerer might not have the ability to cast as many spells as other casters in terms of quantity, they're still able to always approach problem solving as a spellcaster first and foremost.
BLOODLINES
Realm of Runes includes eight basic bloodlines that represent the source of an individual Sorcerer's power. Yet even within these bloodlines, a specific Sorcerer is a unique expression of that power. Some fully develop the power of their blood as they grow, while others might instead only gain a fraction of its potential and instead use metamagic or other tricks to get the most out of what they have. Some even discover they have another latent bloodline within.
A Sorcerer's bloodline is its single most important choice, as each bloodline has an incredible impact on the abilities available. Each bloodline is different, but all of them have similar impacts. The skill that a Sorcerer gains expertise with at character creation is chosen from options offered by the bloodline, and each one automatically adds spells to a Sorcerer's repertoire that align strongly with its theme. The biggest impact, however, is to determine which magical tradition the Sorcerer's spells are drawn from. Depending on the source of a Sorcerer's power, its spells might be Arcane, Divine, Occult or Primal. This difference dramatically alters which spells are available to each Sorcerer, and also means that any spellcasting niche can potentially be filled by a Sorcerer with the appropriate bloodline.
In addition to the type of spells determined by a bloodline, each one grants access to a suite of exclusive class feats available only to that bloodline. Each Sorcerer gets one of these feats as a bonus feat at 1st-level, but after that the degree to which you explore your bloodline is up to you. Some of these bloodline feats grant access to Bloodline Powers, exclusive spells cast using Spell Points instead of spell slots. The remaining bloodline feats provide special abilities, like metamagic or other activities, that strongly align with the bloodline's theme. The basic bloodlines included in Realm of Runes are Aberrant, Angelic, Demonic, Draconic, Elemental, Fated, Fey and Undead.
ABERRANT
The Aberrant bloodline is the result of intermingling with aberrations, or ancestry that has been touched by the cults of eldritch beings, or even those beings themselves. A Sorcerer of this bloodline draws occult power from these strange and horrible circumstances, and is always internally struggling to avoid devolving into the sorts of monsters that its power comes from. As an Aberrant Sorcerer explores its bloodline, it becomes more resilient but also more bizarre. Developing Rubbery skin and Tentacular Limbs can help these Sorcerers reach enemies from far away avoid being grabbed and restrained, while Aberrant Whispers and Unspeakable Presence can harness the strange eldritch power growing within to damage the sanity of those to whom the Sorcerer shows its true nature.
ANGELIC
The Angelic bloodline is the result of intermingling with angels, or other good outsiders, or ancestry that has been touched by the grace of good gods for service and devotion. A Sorcerer of this bloodline draws divine power from this brush with divinity, and is pulled toward the path of righteousness, with or without its consent. While most consider this power and its source a blessing, living up to the expectations others have of their angelic blood can be difficult, and having good blood does not automatically make one a good person. As an Angelic Sorcerer explores its bloodline, it becomes more powerful and infused with goodness, but also more detached from the mortal world. Having an Angelic Halo or becoming a Holy Conduit provides great protection from evil and the ability to freely restore the grace of others, but is obvious and can draw unwanted attention, while Discerning Judgement and Truespeech can provide unhindered communication even as it makes plain all the reasons that others might be unworthy of it.
DEMONIC
The Demonic bloodline is the result of intermingling with foul demons, or ancestry tainted by consorting with the cults of powerful demons, or even those demons themselves. A Sorcerer of this bloodline draws divine power from these embodiments of sin, and is pulled toward the path of iniquity, with or without its consent. While most consider this power and its source a curse, embracing this power is the easiest way to control it, and even the most vile of deadly sins can be twisted to the path of good with enough effort. As a Demonic Sorcerer explores its bloodline it makes its peace with each of the traditional Seven Deadly Sins, reveling in them or finding the virtue hidden within. Covet Spell and Greedy Consumption can steal helpful spells from enemies just as easily as harmful spells from allies or use consumables more efficiently to draw maximum power from them or save more for others, while Gluttonous Jaws and a Lustful Caress can render dangerous foes into healing or make enemies too distracted to hurt your friends effectively.
DRACONIC
The Draconic bloodline is the result of intermingling with dragons, both true and lesser, and tends to come about from unknown dalliances with these powerful creatures while they disguise themselves as regular people for their own inscrutable reasons. A Sorcerer of this bloodline draws arcane power from these titanic wyrms, and has the power and arrogance of dragon-kind constantly trying to assert control. Each dragon-blooded Sorcerer is a variation on the core concept, modified by the type of dragon that the power is inherited from. Important variables like energy types and resistances are decided by the color of metallic or chromatic dragon. As a Draconic Sorcerer explores its bloodline, it becomes more and more like the wyrm that sired it. A Draconic Hoard and Dragon Breath harness the emotional resilience from amassing great wealth and the raw power and energy of the breath weapons that dragons are known for, while Dragon Wings and Frightful Presence allow a Sorcerer to fly and causes its raw power to intimidate foes just for looking upon its majesty.
ELEMENTAL
The Elemental bloodline is the result of intermingling with elemental genies, or from an ancestors that lived in an elemental plane or specialized in harnessing those elemental powers. A Sorcerer of this bloodline draws primal power directly from the inner planes, and has a special affinity for one element over all others. Each Elemental Sorcerer is a variation on the core concept, modified by the dominant element that the power is inherited from. Important variables like movement and damage types are decided by the elemental power inherited. As an Elemental Sorcerer explores its bloodline, it becomes more in tune with the element that infuses it. Elemental Assault and Elemental Versatility can add the bloodline's elemental damage to all sorts of attacks or change the damage types of spells to match the Sorcerer's inherent element, while Elemental Stride and Ride The Blast can allow a Sorcerer to move freely through its element and even become one with it so completely that it can use elemental damage spells to teleport within the area of effect.
FATED
The Fated bloodline is the result of a powerful destiny, whether it be a family prophecy or fluke of random chance, and history itself trembles at the decisions of these living vessels of fate. A Sorcerer of this bloodline draws occult power from those that have come before it, and is able to draw power from past lives or ancestors that also bore this power once. As a Fated Sorcerer explores is bloodline, it adds to its legend and prestige while always trying not to become consumed by it and become a puppet of forces beyond its knowledge or control. Ancestral Surge and Scion of Royalty tap directly into the power of a Sorcerer's fate and use its connections with past legends to garner preferential treatment from those that remember powerful ancestors, while Persistent Spell and Ancestral Supremacy use the power of destiny to ensure foes succumb to your magic and provide you with more magic than even other Sorcerers.
FEY
The Fey bloodline is the result of intermingling with strange and bizarre fairy-tale creatures, or possibly the result of being cursed by more malevolent tricksters, like hags and witches. A Sorcerer of this bloodline draws primal power directly from the positive energy plane, and can be as capricious and emotional as an fairy tale hero or villain. As a Fey Sorcerer explores its bloodline, it becomes more flighty and devious, and its tricks play havoc with the senses and sensibilities of those that cross its path. Faerie Dust and Fey Disappearance can put others into a magical slumber or cause a Sorcerer to vanish from all detection for a few moments of unhindered trickery, while Natural Ambassador and Blinding Beauty make a Sorcerer more at home with and accepted by creatures of the natural world or can cause others to go blind from the sheer ecstasy of its unnatural grace.
UNDEAD
The Fated bloodline is the result of the taint of undeath, and is often the result of ancestors that were powerful necromancers, or even liches, or can come about from one too many brushes with death or pregnancy while suffering a malady such as ghoul fever. A Sorcerer of this bloodline draws arcane power from this unnatural combination of life and death, and is always called by the grave. As an Undead Sorcerer explores its bloodline, it becomes more dead than alive, and can struggle to know which side of that metaphysical divide it truly belongs to. Feign Undeath and Grasping Dead can trick even true undead into believing it is not alive, allowing it to be at home among them, and can call forth the bones of the dead to clutch at the Sorcerer's foes, while Energy Manipulation and One Foot in the Grave can let the Sorcerer itself decide whether positive and negative energy treats it as living or dead, and even become immune to effects that only target living creatures.
CLASS FEATS
Beyond bloodline feats, a large number of Sorcerer class feats are special metamagic abilities designed to help a Sorcerer get the most out of its limited pool of Spell Slots. Others are evolution feats, which can cause even Sorcerers with different magical traditions to learn some of the tricks that belong to other traditions. Still others bolster the Sorcerer's magical resilience, granting additional protection from spells while turning magic back on those that try to use it against them.
The Sorcerer is an extremely versatile casting class that is very heavily focused on theme without sacrificing utility. The Sorcerer is always an interesting alternative to any other, more traditional casting class. It can keep up in occultism with the Bard, can draw the same divine power as the Cleric without requiring a deity, can tap into the same primal energy as the Druid, and has all of the Wizard's arcane power without fussing about with study. Next time we'll continue our exploration of more esoteric concepts with a look at the two types of multi-classing included in Realm of Runes, and how they help ensure the ability to make any character it's possible to envision, without making that character too powerful compared to its peers, or not powerful enough.
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