Magic comes in a number of forms and from many sources in Dungeons & Dragons. Whether a Wizard has spent the long years of their life dedicated to their arcane studies, a Warlock has made a pact with a powerful entity to gain remarkable power or a Sorcerer was simply born with a wild spark of magic from an ancient bloodline, each one masters the ability to shape and wield magic.
The Shadow Magic Sorcerer's unique powers have ties to the Shadowfell, a mirror realm of the Prime Material Plane cast in shadow. In fact, their connection to Shadowfell magic, whether passed down through generations or thrust upon them by exposure to that realm, has made them shadows themselves, with a dark pall cast over their mortal visage that marks them as creatures of the in-between places that light doesn't quite touch.
Shadow Magic Build Summary
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Ability Scores (in order of importance) |
Charisma, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Strength |
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Race |
Drow, Shadow Elves |
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Feats |
Elven Accuracy, Shadow Touched, Metamagic Adept |
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Spells |
Invisibility, Darkness, Summon Shadow Demon, Tasha's Otherworldly Guise |
Charisma and Dexterity Are Core Stats for the Shadow Magic Sorcerer
Those who draw their powers from shadow rely on Charisma as their core stat. CHA contributes to their spellcasting modifier and any spell damage bonuses that apply. When enemies are forced to roll a skill check or saving throw against the Shadow Sorcerer's magical attacks, the roll they must beat is drawn from the Sorcerer's CHA bonus, and the higher that is, the better the chances are their spells will work. Getting CHA to 20 as quickly as possible will help ensure this Sorcerer becomes a terrifying foe enemies balk in the wake of early on.
Second to CHA is Dexterity, which grants the player the agility they need to move in and out of dangerous situations without taking too much damage. Since the Sorcerer's hit points tend to be among of the lowest in the game (only using a d6 when they roll for hp on each level), they need to be able to protect themselves in situations where they can't access their magic. DEX contributes to useful skills like Acrobatics, Stealth and Sleight of Hand, and bolsters their abilities with ranged weapons like darts or light crossbows and finesse weapons such as daggers.
Since their opportunity to accumulate hit points is hindered by the low dice they roll when leveling up, boosting Constitution can help significantly, since the CON modifier is added to the dice rolls to determine HP. A high CON score will also help them succeed when forced to make CON saves that may be imperative to maintaining concentration on any ongoing spell effects.
The Best Races for the Shadow Magic Sorcerer
Any race that provides a boost to CHA and/or DEX will work well for a Shadow Magic Sorcerer. It's also important to consider other racial boosts and buffs provided. For example, Drow and Shadow Elves have +2 DEX and +1 CHA, both of which contribute to their core stats. Plus, each one offers unique abilities that work aesthetically with the class itself. Drow have access to Drow Magic and can cast the Dancing Lights cantrip and Darkness spell without a spell slot once per day. Their sunlight sensitivity plays well into the role-playing aspect of a creature of shadow, and they have Drow Weapon Training, which includes proficiency with handheld crossbows.
Mark of the Shadow Elves are specifically attuned to darkness and can craft cunning illusions from the shadows around them. Additionally, they have the Cunning Intuition feature, which allows them to roll an extra d4 and add it to the total on any Performance or Stealth checks. Shadow Elves also have access to a list of spells that go hand in hand with Shadow Magic, like Darkness, Pass Without a Trace, Hallucinatory Terrain and Mislead.
Best Feats for Shadow Magic Sorcerers
When it comes to choosing feats, it's important to consider how they will benefit the Sorcerer overall. Because getting their core stats to twenty as quickly as possible improves their overall abilities, choosing feats that offer a stat boost as well as an ability is imperative. For example, if building a Shadow Elf or Drow Sorcerer, choosing the Elven Accuracy feat allows them to add +1 to either of the imperative DEX or CHA stats, while also giving them an opportunity to reroll one of their d20s when they have advantage on an attack that requires the use of their boosted stat.
Shadow Touched, while it offers access to a spell the player will likely already have: Invisibility, it can be cast once per day without using a spell slot, and they also learn another level one spell that can be cast the same way. In addition, they can boost their CHA by +1. Though it doesn't offer a stat boost, the Metamagic Adept feat is great for this build as well because it not only grants the player +2 Sorcery points to spend on metamagic and they can learn two new metamagic abilities.
Best Spells for Shadow Magic Sorcerers
When choosing spells, it's important to consider not only how they will benefit the party and the player, but how well they work with the Shadow Magic Sorcerer's skillset. For example, spells like Invisibility, Darkness and Summon Shadow Demon all work incredibly well with this specific Sorcerer's aesthetic. Reality manipulation spells like Major and Minor Image contribute to shaping the world around them into what they want their enemies to see.
They can also take on spells like Disguise Self to change their appearance or Tasha's Otherworldly Guise to buff their abilities, their armor class and gain spectral wings and a fly speed of 40 for up to a minute. Taking time to analyze each spell as new ones are offered will help create a Shadow Magic Sorcerer who not only knows how to take advantage of the light and shadow around them, but also put the fear of darkness into their enemies.