Page 49 - DnD 5e - Xanathar's Guide to Everything
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ARCANE ORIG I NS
d6 Origin
Your power arises from your family's bloodline.
You are related to some powerful creature, or you
inherited a blessing or a curse.
2 You are the reincarnation of a being from another
plane of existence.
SORCERER 3 A powerful entity entered the world. Its magic
changed you.
PRACTICE AND STUDY ARE FOR AMATEURS. TRUE POWER
4 Your birth was prophesied in an ancient text, and
is a birthright.
you are foretold to use your power for terrible ends.
- Hennet, scion ofTiamat
5 You are the product of generations of careful, se-
lective breeding.
When it comes to drawing forth their abilities in times
6 You were made in a vat by an alchemist.
of need, sorcerers have it easy compared to other char-
acters. Their power not only rests within them, but it
REACTIO N
likely takes some effort to keep it at bay. Every sorcerer
is born to the role, or stumbles into it through cosmic When a new sorcerer enters the world, either at birth
chance. Unlike other characters, who must actively or later when one's power becomes evident, the con-
learn, embrace, and pursue their talents, sorcerers have sequences of that event depend greatly on how its wit-
their power thrust upon them. nesses react to what they have seen.
Because the idea of an innately magical being trav- When your sorcerer's powers appeared, how did the
eling among them does not sit well with many folk, world around you respond? Were other people support-
sorcerers tend to breed mistrust and s uspicion in others ive, fearful, or somewhere in between?
they come across. Nonetheless, many sorcerers succeed
in overcoming that prejudice through deeds that benefit REACTIONS
their Jess magically gifted contemporaries. d6 Reaction
Sorcerers are often defined by the events surroundjng
Your powers are seen as a great blessing by those
the manifestation of their power. For those who receive
around you, and you are expected to use them in
it as an expected birthright, its appearance is a cause
service to your community.
for celebration. Other sorcerers are treated as outcasts,
banished from their homes after the sudden, terrifying 2 Your powers caused destruction and even a death
arrival of their abilities. when they became evident, and you were treated
Playing a sorcerer character can be as rewarrung as it as a criminal.
is challenging. The sections below offer suggestions on 3 Your neighbors hate and fear your power, causing
how to flesh out and personalize your persona. them to shun you.
4 You came to the attention of a sinister cult that
ARCANE ORIGIN plans on exploiting your abilities.
Some sorcerers understand where their power came 5 People around you believe that your powers are a
from, based on how their abilities manifested. Others curse levied on your family for a past transgression.
can only speculate, since their powers came to them in a 6 Your powers are believed to be tied to an ancient
way that suggests no particular cause. line of mad kings that supposedly ended in a
Does your character know the source of your magi-
bloody revolt over a century ago.
cal power? Does it tie back to some distant relative, a
cosmic event, or blind chance? If your sorcerer doesn't
know where their power arose from, your DM can use SUPER NATURAL MARK
this table (or select an origin) and reveal it to you when A sorcerer at rest is almost indistinguishable from a
the information plays a role in the campaign. normal person; it's only when their magic flies forth that
sorcerers reveal their true nature. Even so, many sorcer-
ers have a subtle but telling physical trait that sets them
apart from other folk.
CHAPTER l I CHARACTER OPTIONS

