Pathfinder Sorcerer 2e class guide

Unlike the studious Wizard, a Pathfinder Sorcerer is someone who is naturally gifted with magical abilities. Whether inherited from ancestors or passed on by a random occult encounter, the Sorcerer 2e class is brimming with spellcasting potential. Crafty, charismatic, and often chaotic, they can be great fun to play.

Below you’ll find all the essentials for creating a Pathfinder 2e Sorcerer, one of the primary Pathfinder classes found in the Core Rulebook. Once you’re armed with arcane knowledge, you can choose one of the Pathfinder races, nab a Pathfinder character sheet, and get playing.

Here’s your guide to the Pathfinder Sorcerer class:

• Pathfinder Sorcerer stats and proficiencies
• Pathfinder Sorcerer class features
• Pathfinder Sorcerer spells
• Pathfinder Sorcerer bloodlines
• Pathfinder Sorcerer feats 

Pathfinder Sorcerer stats and proficiencies

Charisma is the most important stat for a Sorcerer, and level-one characters get a boost to this ability score. Your starting hit point maximum is your Constitution modifier plus six, and you’ll add this number to your total each time your Sorcerer levels up.

Here are the starting proficiencies for a Sorcerer:

There are plenty of additional starting proficiencies for a Sorcerer, and these offer a lot of flexibility. You’ll be trained in the spell attack rolls and spell difficulty checks of the spellcasting tradition associated with your bloodline (more on these later). Your bloodline also decides what extra skill proficiencies you start with. On top of that, you start with a trained level of proficiency in a number of skills equal to your Intelligence modifier plus two. These can be any skill you fancy. 

Pathfinder Sorcerer class features

As they level up, a Pathfinder Sorcerer unlocks all sorts of new abilities. Here’s an overview of the class-specific features you’ll be able to play with:

Bloodline

Level: One

Your bloodline tells you where your Sorcerer gets their magic from. As well as giving your backstory flavour, this helps decide what spells and skills will be the bread and butter of your Sorcerer experience.

There are ten bloodline options in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook:

• Aberrant
• Angelic
• Demonic
• Diabolic
• Draconic
• Elemental
• Fey
• Hag
• Imperial
• Undead

We’ll dive into deeper detail on each bloodline later in the guide.

Sorcerer Spellcasting

Level: One

Sorcerer Spellcasting basically means you can use an action to cast a spell, provided you have the right components. Sorcerers can often replace material components with somatic components (gestures), so these are less of a worry for this kind of spellcaster.

Spell Repertoire

Level: One

A Sorcerer’s Spell Repertoire is made up of the standard spells and cantrips they know, plus additional granted spells and cantrips learned through their bloodline. For example, a first-level Sorcerer knows four cantrips and two first-level spells, as well as a cantrip and spell associated with their bloodline.

Every time your Sorcerer gains a new spell slot, you can add a spell with the same level to your Spell Repertoire. If a level up allows you to learn spells at a new level, your first new spell will come from your bloodline list. After that, you have more freedom to choose. You can also swap out old spells in your repertoire for new ones when you gain a level and learn new spells (but you can’t swap bloodline spells – more on these later).

Bear in mind your spell slots and spell repertoire are mechanically separate. This means a feat or ability that adds a spell to your repertoire doesn’t automatically give you a new spell slot. The same is true if you obtain a new spell slot by other means.

Signature Spells

Level: Three

For every spell level you can learn, you can choose one spell from that level to be a signature spell. This means you can heighten this spell for free, without having to learn its heightened version separately. If your signature spell was learned at a higher level than minimum, you can also cast lower-level versions without needing to learn them first.

You can swap your signature spell with another, as long as the replacement was learned at the same level as the original signature spell. You can also learn a different spell of the same level without swapping if you spend time retraining your spell.

Magical Fortitude

Level: Five

This feature changes your proficiency rank for Fortitude saving throws to expert level.

Expert Spellcaster

Level: Seven

As your Sorcerer develops, their proficiency rank for spell attack rolls and spell difficulty checks when using spells from your bloodline’s tradition moves to expert level.

Lightning Reflexes

Level: Nine

Your proficiency rank is now expert for all Reflex saving throws.

Alertness

Level: 11

Your Sorcerer’s proficiency in Perception now reaches expert level.

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Weapon Expertise

Level: 11

Now more able to handle yourself in combat, you’re now at expert level proficiency for simple weapons and unarmed attacks.

Defensive Robes

Level: 13

Unarmoured defence proficiency reaches expert rank at this level.

Weapon Specialisation

Level: 13

If you’re an expert with a weapon or unarmed attacks, you can now deal two extra damage with every successful attack. This increases to three at master proficiency rank, and later four at legendary rank.

Master Spellcaster

Level: 15

Remember those proficiencies in spell attacks and difficulty checks? They both reach master rank at this level when you’re casting spells from your bloodline’s tradition.

Resolve

Level: 17

Will saving throws increase their proficiency rank to master. Plus, any time you roll a successful Will save, it counts as a critical success.

Bloodline Paragon

Level: 19

You can now add two level-ten spells from your tradition to your spell repertoire. You only get one tenth-level spell slot, but it can’t be used for any ability that lets you cast without expending a spell slot. The same goes for abilities that give you more spell slots; the only way to get another level-ten slot is through a feat.

Legendary Spellcaster

Level: 19

Finally, your spell attack and difficulty check proficiencies reach legendary rank when casting spells from your bloodline’s tradition. 

Pathfinder Sorcerer spells

These are the spell slots a Sorcerer has as they level up:

*See Bloodline Paragon class feature.

Pathfinder Sorcerer bloodlines

Mechanically, a Sorcerer bloodline gives you several things. It grants you the trained rank for specific proficiencies, and it decides your spell list, along with some specific granted spells you gain through the bloodline.

It also dictates which Bloodline spells you can learn. Bloodline spells are automatically heightened to half your level (rounded up), and they cost a focus point instead of a spell slot to cast. Although their pool of focus points is pretty limited, Sorcerers can spend ten minutes on the Refocus activity during their preparations to regain them, and their magical lineage means they can do so with ease. A Sorcerer automatically learns one of these extra spells at first level, and they can unlock more through the Advanced Bloodline and Greater Bloodline feats.

Finally, your Sorcerer Bloodline grants a Blood Magic effect. This comes into play whenever you cast a Bloodline spell with a focus point or a granted spell with a spell slot.

Here are the details of each Pathfinder Sorcerer bloodline:

Aberrant

Your bloodline once made contact with something humanoid-kind finds hard to define. Maybe it came from space, or maybe it dwells deep in the Darklands. Whatever this thing is, it’s graced you with its occult powers. Your Sorcerer uses the occult spell list, and they become trained in Intimidation and Occultism. There’s also the Blood Magic feature, which gives you plus two on Will saving throws for a single round.

Here are the granted spells for the Aberrant Sorcerer:

And these are the Bloodline spells for an Aberrant Sorcerer:

Angelic

An Angelic Sorcerer either has noble celestial blood somewhere down the line, or they come from a long line of devoted worshippers. This strain of magic is quite literally a blessing, giving you access to the divine spell list. You become proficient in Diplomacy and Religion, and your Blood Magic feature can be used to give a target a minus one AC penalty for a round, or to give you a plus one to Intimidation checks for a round.

Here are the granted spells for the Angelic Sorcerer:

And these are the Angelic Bloodline spells:

Demonic

Someone in your family history once fell prey to the wiles of a demon, and your entire bloodline now pays for this. Or, if you look at it the other way, you all reap the rewards of their awesome demon dealings. Your spell list is divine, and you are trained in Intimidation and Religion. Like the Angelic Sorcerer, your Blood Magic lets you deal a minus one AC penalty to an opponent for a round, or you can instead add one to your Intimidation checks for a round.

Here are the granted spells for the Demonic Sorcerer:

Plus, you get the following Bloodline spells:

Diabolic

Diabolic Sorcerers are also affected by their family’s evil doings, as they come from a line with connections to devils. Along with the divine spell list, your Diabolic Sorcerer gains trained proficiency in Deception and Religion. Your Blood Magic also grants two potential features; either you deal one fire damage per spell level to a target, or you get plus one to Deception checks for a whole round.

These are the granted spells for a Diabolic Sorcerer:

These are the Bloodline spells for the Diabolic bloodline:

Draconic

There’s a little dragon in your blood, so you’re able to access some of their strength as well as their magic. Draconic Sorcerers use the Arcane spell list, and they become trained in Arcana and Intimidation skill checks. Their Blood Magic allows them to grow scales on themselves or a target, increasing AC by one for a round.

These are the granted spells for Draconic Sorcerers:

Here are the Bloodline spells for Draconic:

Elemental

Elemental Sorcerers could be related to genies, or their ancestors may have simply encountered a creature with particularly potent primal powers. Whatever your origin, you can now cast from the Primal spell list, and you gain proficiency in Intimidation and Nature. The Elemental flavour of Blood Magic either gives you plus one to Intimidation checks for a round, or it deals one bludgeoning or fire damage per spell level to a target.

Here are the Elemental Sorcerer’s granted spells:

And these are the Bloodline spells:

Fey

The First World of Golarion is filled with the Fey, and somehow their magic has made its way into your bloodline. This Sorcerer also uses the Primal spell list, and they’re trained to be proficient in Deception and Nature skill checks. Fey Blood Magic can be used to conceal you or one other target in a magical glamour (though it can’t be used to Hide).

These are the granted spells for a Fey Sorcerer:

A Fey Sorcerer has the following Bloodline spells:

Hag

A Hag Sorcerer may have a Hag or Changeling ancestor, or they may be the latest recipient of a long-running Hag curse. Their bloodline is associated with the Occult spell list, as well as proficiencies in Deception and Occultism. Hag Blood Magic can be used to deal two mental damage per spell level to the first creature that deals damage to you before the end of your next turn.

Here are the granted spells for a Hag Sorcerer:

These are the Hag’s Bloodline spells:

Imperial

Supernatural beings aren’t the only ones with the magical goods; sometimes a Sorcerer is simply related to an ordinary person who got really good at magic. Imperial Sorcerers (also known as magical nepo babies) cast spells from the Arcane Spell list, and they’re trained in Arcana and Society. Their Blood Magic can give them a plus one to skill checks for a round.

Here are the Imperial Sorcerer’s granted spells:

These are the Imperial Bloodline spells:

Undead

Vampires and zombies have families too, and the Undead Sorcerer often pops out of a bloodline that’s seen a vampire’s bite or the bottom of a grave. Their spell list is Divine, and these Sorcerers are trained in Intimidation and Religion. As for Blood Magic, we hope you like necromancy: this feature gives you temporary hit points equal to the spell’s level for a round, or you can force a target to take one negative damage per spell level.

This is the Undead granted spell list for Sorcerers:

And here are the Bloodline spells:

Pathfinder Sorcerer feats

Here’s a list of all the feats specific to your Sorcerer: