Aberrant Mind Sorcerer: DnD Sub-Class Guide
top of page
Search

Aberrant Mind Sorcerer DnD Sub-Class Guide



So you decided to build the Aberrant mind sorcerer from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, but you are stuck on the most important part, how to create a compelling backstory and role play the character to its fullest. Lucky for you I have a system that works wonders for such a task, one that I have applied to every class in in 5e. But now I am undergoing the augmenting that series with each official subclass available. If you are not familiar with the color pie and how it can be used to craft the most robust characters at your table, then don't worry because I have a vast library of article that you can watch after this one to best get a handle on it, and truthfully it's sometimes just better to dive right in and see it in action. So let's not waste anymore time and talk about the Abhorrent mind Sorcerer.



Sorcerers are spell-casters granted power at birth or by some outside influence out of their control, and the Aberrant mind subclass is no different. Perhaps you were touched by the Far realm, implanted by a mind flayer tadpole, or born with some mysterious power to touch the minds of others. Whatever the case may be, you now are the host of psionic magics that allow you speak to others telepathically, summon tentacles and Aberrations, or otherwise manipulate the will of those around you. It's important to note that such a power would inevitably have a major effect on your character, it's no minor trait having access to the minds of those around you, and as such a moral dilemma is instantly baked into your characters identity.


Think of how such a power would shape someone when they grew up being able to read or shape minds. Is this something that they use to calm the unnerved, or is it something they use to get ahead in life, as no secret could be kept around them. Do they accept this power with open arms, or do they use it with reluctance only when needed? Whatever the case, this power is one of control and manipulation, whether for selfish or selfless means. This is why there are but two colors that I believe can best describe this subclass, and in turn your character. Those are Black or Blue.



Black is the obvious choice for a character like this, the inherent manipulation of others and the reliance on the Charisma stat are great reasons to build around this color. In many ways Black is a color who wishes to exert its will on others, and while this sounds evil in its own right, it doesn't have to be. Your character can be arrogant sure, to assume they can bend others to their will, but its important to note who they use it on and why. What is their deeper motivations for using such a power?


It is this question alone that will define their morality, even within this color, a color who is not shackled by morality dictated by others, but in that which they define themselves, which is fitting for such a sorcerer, with the term aberrant literally defined as, departing from an accepted standard, a short sentence that could be used to describe Black itself. Its honestly hard to escape a color like Black for this subclass, simply because there is a level of moral ambiguity to manipulating the minds of others, unless of course you only ever plan on casting calm mind.



Now if you don't want to go down the route of Black I would say a good alternate could be Blue for your character. What if your sorcerer was merely a curious individual who was digging into some magic they didn't quite understand, and their mind was forever altered by what they found beyond our own reality. As such they simply use this power to feed into their endless curiosity. Reading minds to uncover truths, telekinesis to manipulate objects, or utilizing sending to communicate with others via thought.


This kind of character may not even see the moral dilemma in front of them, in a way they are oblivious to it, as to them they are simply dealing in truths hidden, as such they take a logical stance with mind manipulation, but truthfully lean more into the mechanically useful side of the class. They merely want to control the outcomes of any battle or conversation.


Whichever you choose for the core colour of your character its important to note that when building your Sorcerer it's one of the few classes who subclass at level one and because of this it has a profound effect on the core flavour and mechanics of the class. In the case of the Aberrant mind sorcerer the shift is a substantial one that fully reshapes the sorcerer from an elemental source of power to one that is alien.



In my original Sorcerer article I suggested using a core color of Red, but when it comes to a subclass who is so far removed from the “down the middle” approach to its class, I would discard such a suggestion and instead lean on the core colors I have provided here. Remember though that we are simply talking about core colors here, and the beauty is in picking one of the two and augmenting them by adding in another color or two in order to make them a more complex character.


You could go the route of making a Black-Green Mind Sorcerer, one who is part of a long lineage of psionic masters, your power a birthright that you take with the upmost importance. To you this mind magic is to be protected and cultivated, and part of some greater force or plan. On the other side you could use the other core color Blue and add in White, to craft a mind sorcerer who may have stumbled upon this power but aims to use it in service of others, that is once you can master it for yourself.



In truth the best way to solve what colors your character would be, is to ask how they came upon the power and then how they plan to use it. A question vital to any sorcerer really, but in the case of such a morally ambiguous one, the question of application is a major driving force for your characters personality. In the case of enforcing your will upon others, start with Black, while in the application of distorting truth, or in that of curious exploration of the mind go with Blue, then choose a color pairing that will further enhance their motivations. Once you have all that in place you will have an Aberrant Mind sorcerer who feels like a real person, and one whose motivations are set in a way that allows them to play themselves.


Thanks for reading my latest article. This is the beginning of a new series on every DnD subclass, so if you don't want to miss it consider becoming a site member today. With that I will catch you in the multiverse, bye!


DiceTry SOCIAL MEDIA -------------------Follow me everywhere ------------------------------------------

387 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page