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Sorcerer Spells 5e List

Last Updated on January 23, 2023

Sorcerers learn the fewest spells of any class. The idea is to use Metamagic to modify your existing spells to meet all of your requirements. Metamagic options, on the other hand, are limited and distributed sparingly. A bad spell list can ruin a player’s experience with the Sorcerer and make it a difficult class to build for.

Newer subclasses introduce ten or eleven innate spells, significantly expanding your list of known spells while drastically unbalancing previous subclasses that Wizards of the Coast has neglected to update. Sorcerers are considered full casters. Full casters can eventually learn spells up to 9th level. 

Read our full guide to Sorcerer Spells 5e below:

Prepared Vs. Learned Spells

Sorcerers are learned spellcasters, so choose your spells carefully. When you gain another level in Sorcerer, you can swap out a learned spell for another spell, so you aren’t stuck with spells forever.

Cantrips

Sorcerers begin with four cantrips at level 1. They gain a fifth cantrip at level 4 and a sixth at level 10. Unlike leveled spells, cantrips are not interchangeable.

Mind Sliver

The damage isn’t particularly serious, but monster Intelligence saving throws are notoriously difficult. The real draw is the secondary effect: deducting 1d4 from the enemy’s next saving throw. You can cast this and use your bonus action to cast a catastrophic leveled spell like disintegrate if you take the Quickened Spell Metamagic.

Minor Illusion

This is a fantastic spell for imaginative players. A five-foot cube is quite large, and you could easily use this cantrip to conceal a door, object, or person. In a pinch, you could make it look like a wall and hide in a corner to avoid detection by the hapless guards.

Shape Water

Shape Water is an amusing spell because of its numerous applications. Our favorite application of this spell is to pour water into a doorknob and freeze it. The expanding ice should completely destroy the lock. You aren’t, however, limited to flexing on your party’s Rogue.

If your DM is willing, you could freeze the floor and make it very slippery, potentially forcing Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks to avoid falling. You can also deal significant damage if you can hurl a five-foot block of ice at an opponent or prevent anyone from entering through a frozen door. In some environments, you could even construct a bridge.

1st Level

You gain access to 1st level spells at level 1. 

Mage Armor

Because Sorcerers do not have access to armor or shields, this is the only way to increase your AC to something resembling reasonable. This spell may save your life at lower levels. Most Sorcerers, however, do not exceed 14 or 16 in Dexterity (making 16 AC with Mage Armor).

By level 8, the basic math of 5e allows most enemies to hit you anyway. Because Sorcerers have the fewest spells of any class, you should get rid of Mage Armor at that point because it won’t help you much.

2nd Level

You gain access to 2nd level spells at level 3. 

Suggestion

This is DnD’s Jedi mind control spell. If you make a friendly suggestion to someone to stop attacking your party or to let you all into the top-secret vault, they will have to obey your command.

The best part is that even if they succeed on their Wisdom saving throw and are not forced to obey your orders, they are unaware that you attempted to ensorcell them. If you successfully enchant them, they are also unaware when the spell ends.

3rd Level

You gain access to 3rd level spells at level 5. 

Haste

Haste is for you if you need to get somewhere quickly, want a small increase to your AC, and think getting another action on your turn is an excellent idea. Remember that it requires concentration. You cannot use the Cast a Spell action as a hasted action. This is typically cast on a Rogue, Barbarian, or Paladin. Sorcerers can also use Metamagic to Twin this spell.

4th Level

You gain access to 4th level spells at level 7.

Wall of Fire

Wall of Fire is a fantastic area control effect. It doesn’t do anything else, but it’s often enough to justify keeping this spell on hand.

5th Level

You gain access to 5th level spells at level 9. 

Bigby’s Hand

Bigby’s Hand functions in a variety of ways that are useful to a Sorcerer. Because you have so few spells, you must choose spells that serve multiple functions. You can use this spell to summon a massive hand to help you lift a heavy object (or yourself), block an enemy’s attack, punch someone, or grapple a creature.

6th Level

You gain access to 6th level spells at level 11. 

Disintegrate

This is a powerful damage spell, and necrotic damage is rarely resisted. Upcasting increases damage by 3d6 for each level, which is fantastic. To impose disadvantage on the saving throw, use Heightened Spell Metamagic or if you’re a Shadow Magic Sorcerer, your Hound of Ill Omen feature.

7th Level

You gain access to 7th level spells at level 13. 

Teleport 

This is one of the spells in DnD that we wish could be real. The ability to transport yourself and up to eight other eager creatures anywhere on your plane of existence is as impressive in-game as it is in real life.

8th Level

You gain access to 8th level spells at level 15. 

Dominate Monster 

You are given command of a monster. You can use your action to gain control of the monster and manipulate it to do your bidding, but you can also leave it alone and give it telepathic instructions if you’re busy doing something else. It only makes subsequent saving throws when it takes damage, so if you treat your new pet nicely, it will remain charmed for up to an hour.

9th Level

You gain access to 9th level spells at level 17. 

Meteor Swarm

This is the most powerful spell in DnD. Four massive meteors strike within one mile of your location, dealing 40d6 damage. Given the relative size of most fantasy cities and towns, that’s enough to do serious damage to both foes and buildings.

Sorcerer Spells 5e Complete List

Here is a complete list of Sorcerer 5e Spells in 5th Edition DnD, which also includes some Spells from Unearthed Arcana (UA), which is not official Material. While you’re here, be sure to check out our full guide to Sorcerer 5e Subclasses.

Cantrip

1st Level Sorcerer Spells

2nd Level Sorcerer Spells

3rd Level Sorcerer Spells

4th Level Sorcerer Spells

5th Level Sorcerer Spells

6th Level Sorcerer Spells

7th Level Sorcerer Spells

8th Level Sorcerer Spells

9th Level Sorcerer Spells

Alexa Tanen

Alexa Tanen

Alexa spends the majority of her days explaining the ins and outs of DnD to her two cats, much to their dismay.
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