Sorcerers NPCs & How to Use Them for EVERY Tier of Play
If this is your first time reading this series, we’re going through each of the official classes in D&D Fifth Edition and making NPC statblocks inspired by them. They are not intended to be carbon copies of these classes, but rather to simplify your NPCs while maintaining the flavor and familiarity of a full character. If you are curious about this reasoning, you can read the first article in the series on paladins.
For each of the tiers of play, we’ll make an NPC stat block based on the relevant class. These tiers are a loose way of comparing your NPC’s power level to that of your party. Of course this is far from perfect, but you’ll be able to give the general feel of whether an NPC is over, under, or near the power level of a comparable player character. For reference, those tiers of play are:
Local Heroes (Levels 1-4)
Heroes of the Realm (Levels 5-10)
Masters of the Realm (Level 11-16)
Masters of the World (Levels 17-20)
With the table set, let’s move into our third round of NPCs: sorcerers!
How to Use NPC Sorcerers
Magic and spellcasting are among the hallmarks of D&D. When you think about mortal magic users, the default that comes to mind is often the sorcerer. Whether it's the studious young magic user or the cranky old hermit poring over decades of research in their secluded tower, we tend to associate humanoid magic users with learned ability. But there is a notable chunk of magic users in D&D that are born with the ability to use magic. These sorcerers have been touched by some extraplanar or otherworldly forces that have infused them with magic.
Sorcerers can occupy roles similar to sorcerers in your campaign world, but shifted slightly to the left. While a sorcerer and a sorcerer may seek out magical secrets, a sorcerer may do so in order to grow their own power while a sorcerer might do so as a favor to a powerful patron or to learn more about their origins. While sorcerers don’t need to learn spells through study as a sorcerer would, they often search far and wide to understand their own abilities, both how they got them and how they can expand them.
Tier 1 Sorcerers
Tier 1 sorcerers will typically be encountered between levels 1 and 4, although you may use them as allies or henchmen of more powerful beings at later levels. These sorcerers are still learning about their magic, they may or may not be aware of their sorcerous origin and they may fear or hide their abilities. They have the strange ability to bend and alter spells in ways traditional mages cannot. Their motivations are often tied to learning more about their abilities and their own heritage.
Customizing an NPC. For many NPCs, the following statblocks will be more than sufficient. However, keep in mind that a sorcerer’s origin will likely inform their behavior and their goals. While it is not necessary to add the Sorcerous Origin abilities to the statblock, having an idea of where the NPC gets their power can help you distinguish them from the wizards in your setting. If you do add additional abilities based on the NPCs origin, keep in mind that with each ability you add, you sacrifice some of the simplicity and approachability of the statblock. Some abilities may also significantly increase the Challenge Rating of the NPC, so be aware of that if you add more combat-centric abilities. To customize a sorcerer of this tier, you can do one or more of the following:
To further customize a sorcerer of this tier, you can do one or more of the following:
Swap out one of the sorcerer’s spells for another sorcerer spell of the same level or lower.
Add the 1st level ability from your chosen Sorcerous Origin.
Plot Hooks/Use in Your Game. As we have done for the past NPCs, I’m going to give you some potential hooks to place tier 1 sorcerer NPCs into your game world. As typical, I will also give a Sorcerous Origin (subclass) that fits that particular hook. However, it is not necessary for you to assign an NPC a subclass, nor is there any reason that an NPC of a different subclass than the one listed can’t be used for a given hook.
While resting for the evening in a modest inn, the party notices a commotion in the back of the room. A plainly dressed commoner is approached by two robed figures who draw their daggers and lunge at the commoner. The commoner instinctively raises their hand in defense, as they touch one of the assailants there is a blast of necrotic energy that leaves the assailant dead on the floor. The commoner is actually a divinely touched spellcaster on the run from a corrupt church. (Divine Soul).
A street performer is performing small acts of magic for coin. After shooting a dazzling array of flashing, colored light into the air, the performer suddenly transforms into a potted plant. (Wild Magic).
Tier 2 Sorcerers
Tier 2 sorcerers are most likely to be encountered in between levels 5 and 10, although they may be introduced earlier as a potential patron, mentor figure or future antagonist. You may also use them at later levels as allies or lieutenants of even more powerful creatures. At tier 2, these sorcerers are likely integrated into the world, naturally falling into a role fitting of their origin. A divine soul may be the leader of a church, while a shadow sorcerer may make their home in the Underdark.
Customizing an NPC. To customize a sorcerer of this tier, you can do one or more of the following:
Swap out one of the sorcerer’s spells for another sorcerer spell of the same level or lower.
Add the 1st level ability from your chosen Sorcerous Origin.
Add the 6th level ability from your chosen Sorcerous Origin.
Plot Hooks/Use in Your Game.
A ship is accepting passengers for a journey across the seas. Rates are high, but the ship is purportedly blessed: the crew hasn’t experienced bad weather for the last 12 years, ever since the current captain took over. (Storm Sorcery).
One of the noble families in the region has strong ancestral ties to a line of bronze dragons. A young lord is looking for mercenaries to assist him in the traditional coming of age trial of his family- slaying a chromatic dragon. (Draconic Bloodline).
Tier 3 Sorcerers
Tier 3 sorcerers are most likely to be encountered from levels 11 to 16, although you may insert them earlier as a potential patron or mentor figure. They may be used at later levels as allies or lieutenants of even more powerful creatures. Unless your setting has uniquely powerful NPCs, tier 3 sorcerers should be very rare. These high level spellcasters may lead secluded lives, controlling things from the shadows, or they could be well-known and politically powerful figures. Whatever their style, tier 3 sorcerers are powerful and influential casters.
Customizing an NPC. To customize a sorcerer of this tier, you can do one or more of the following:
Swap out one of the sorcerer’s spells for another sorcerer spell of the same level or lower.
Add the 1st level ability from your chosen Sorcerous Origin.
Add the 6th level ability from your chosen Sorcerous Origin.
Add the 14th level ability from your chosen Sorcerous Origin.
Plot Hooks/Use in Your Game.
A planar anomaly has caused energy from the Shadowfell to leak over into our plane. One man in particular has been subsumed by this energy, gaining strange abilities and a callousness towards death. (Shadow Magic).
The former captive of a mindflayer colony has escaped back up to the surface, but they are not the same as they once were. As a result of strange experimentation they now have unbelievable psionic abilities, but don’t know how to control them. (Aberrant Mind).
Tier 4 Sorcerers
Tier 4 sorcerers will probably be encountered by PCs from levels 17 to 20, if at all. A tier 4 sorcerer is comparable in many respects to a level 20 adventurer, there may only be one or two such figures in your entire setting. They have an unmatched mastery over their spells, able to twist them to suit almost any situation.
Customizing an NPC. To customize a sorcerer of this tier, you can do one or more of the following:
Swap out one of the sorcerer’s spells for another sorcerer spell of the same level or lower.
Add the 1st level ability from your chosen Sorcerous Origin.
Add the 6th level ability from your chosen Sorcerous Origin.
Add the 14th level ability from your chosen Sorcerous Origin.
Add the 18th level ability from your chosen Sorcerous Origin.
Plot Hooks/Use in Your Game.
Chaos has overrun the Material Plane as civilizations across the world crumble. A divine being, an aasimar, has been tasked with restoring law and order to the plane and preventing an all-out collapse.
Up next week: NPC wizards to serve as the iconic magic users of your setting!
