Monstrous Soul Sorcerer

Folklore in Chronan tells stories of a village that survived famine during the Ashen Age when a thick layer of dust covered the sun for millennia by consuming the flesh of monsters. It is said that the villagers had learned a way to prepare the monster meat in a way that gave them similar capabilities but did not turn them into monsters themselves. This secret method is rumored to still be passed around in certain bloodlines, and those sorcerers who wield magic absorbed from monsters are said to possess a monstrous soul.  

Monstrous Soul Features

Sorcerers with a Monstrous Soul have the potential to learn and utilize the widest array of spells out of all classes, and even spells unavailable to other player characters. However, in order to do this, they must personally kill and consume monsters.

1st level: Monstrous Spells

6th level: Absorb Sorcery

14th level: Locate Monster

18th level: Monstrous Shape

Monstrous Spells

Starting at Level 1, you have the innate ability to consume a part or essence of a dead monster and learn magic through that method. The exact details of how you absorb the remains of the monster is up to you, whether it is through meticulously cooking its flesh or simply meditating near the body. If the creature does not leave material remains, you can still capture its essence, ashes or spirit in a way you choose. As a general rule, you cannot absorb anything from beasts, humanoids, constructs or most corporeal undead. However, at your DM's discretion, you can learn spells from creatures that are not on the list below.  

Learning Magic

The creature you can consume to learn magic from has to be delivered the killing blow by you. After you have killed the creature, you need to finish a long rest to permanently learn the spell contained within its essence. These spells do not count towards the spells you known through leveling up, but you cannot learn spells beyond the level you have spell slots for this way.   This feature allows you to learn spells that are not normally on the sorcerer spell list. Some monsters can even teach you spells that are not found on any spell list (marked with an asterisk*, descriptions are found at the bottom of this article). They are nonetheless counted as sorcerer spells to you.  

List of creatures you can absorb and spells you can learn from them:

Aboleth: charm monster (level 4)

Air Elemental: wind wall (level 3)

Air Elemental Myrmidon: investiture of wind (level 6)

Alicorn: feather fall (level 1)

Alkilith: confusion (level 4)

Allip: crown of madness (level 2)

Amnizu: dominate monster (level 8)

Androsphinx: heroes' feast (level 6)

Ankheg: Melf's acid arrow (level 3)

Annis Hag: fog cloud (level 1)

Arcanaloth: mind blank (level 8)

Armanite: lightning bolt (level 3)

Astral Dreadnought: demiplane (level 8)

Astronautilus: wind walk (level 6)

Azer: heat metal (level 2)

Babau: ray of enfeeblement (level 2)

Banderhobb: locate creature (level 4)

Banshee: fear (level 3)

Balhannoth: dimension door (level 4)

Balor: summon fiend (level 6)

Barbed Devil: scorching ray (level 2)

Barghest: pass without trace (level 2)

Barlgura: phantasmal force (level 2)

Basilisk: flesh to stone (level 6)

Bearded Devil: inflict wounds (level 1)

Behir: lightning bolt (level 3)

Beholder: antimagic cone* (level 6)

Berbalang: speak with dead (level 3)

Bheur Hag: cone of cold (level 5)

Black Abishai: darkness (level 2)

Black Zolm: vitriolic sphere (level 4)

Blue Abishai: chain lightning (level 3)

Boggle: grease (level 1)

Bone Devil: sting* (level 3)

Bulette: jump (level 1)

Bulezau: wither and bloom (level 2)

Catoblepas: finger of death (level 7)

Cambion: charm person (level 1)

Canoloth: tongues (level 3)

Carrion Crawler: spider climb (level 2)

Cave Fisher: web (level 2)

Centaur (any non-humanoid): monstrous mutation* (level 3)

Chain Devil: fear (level 3)

Chaos Mongrel: chaos bolt (level 1)

Charger Grub (any): thunderwave (level 1)

Chasme: drone* (level 3)

Chimera: dragon's breath (level 2)

Chitine: web (level 2)

Chlodritch: hold person (level 2)

Choker: spider climb (level 2)

Chuul: detect magic (level 1)

Cloaker: mirror image (level 2)

Cloud Giant (any): gaseous form (level 3)

Corpse Flower: animate dead (level 3)

Couatl: lesser restoration (level 2)

Cyclops: enlarge/reduce (level 2)

Darkling (any): darkvision (level 2)

Darkmantle: darkness (level 2)

Death Kiss: life drain* (level 5)

Death Knight: destructive wave (level 5)

Death Tyrant: negative energy cone* (level 6)

Demilich: life drain* (level 5)

Demogorgon: project image (level 7)

Deva: commune (level 5)

Devourer: soul cage (level 6)

Dhergoloth: sleep (level 1)

Displacer Beast: blur (level 2)

Doppelganger: alter self (level 2)

Draegloth: darkness (level 2)

Dragon, Wyrmling or Young (any color): dragon's breath (level 2)

Dragon, Adult or Ancient (any color): draconic transformation (level 7)

Dragon Turtle: steam breath* (level 8)

Dretch: fetid cloud* (level 1)

Drider: spider climb (level 2)

Dryad: barkskin (level 2)

Dybbuk: phantasmal force (level 2)

Earth Elemental: erupting earth (level 3)

Earth Elemental Myrmidon: investiture of stone (level 6)

Eidolon: fear (level 3)

Elder Brain: dominate monster (level 8)

Elder Tempest: storm of vengeance (level 9)

Empyrean: earthquake (level 8)

Erinyes: hellish weapon* (level 4)

Ettercap: web (level 2)

Ettin: monstrous mutation* (level 3)

Faerie Dragon: color spray (level 1)

Fire Elemental: fireball (level 3)

Fire Elemental Myrmidon: investiture of flame (level 6)

Fire Giant (any): fire shield (level 4)

Fire Snake: absorb elements (level 1)

Flail Snail: shield (level 1)

Flameskull: flaming sphere (level 2)

Flump: Rary's telepathic bond (level 5)

Fomorian: bestow curse (level 3)

Froghemoth: hunger of hadar (level 3)

Frost Giant (any): sleet storm (level 3)

Frost Salamander: cone of cold (level 5)

Galeb Duhr: transmute rock (level 5)

Gargoyle: stoneskin (level 4)

Gauth: enervation (level 5)

Gazer: ray of enfeeblement (level 2)

Genie (any): plane shift (level 7)

Ghost: blink (level 3)

Giant Strider: flaming sphere (level 2)

Gibbering Mouther: confusion (level 4)

Girallon: monstrous mutation* (level 3)

Glabrezu: confusion (level 4)

Gorgon: flesh to stone (level 6)

Goristro: find the path (level 6)

Gray Render: blade barrier (level 6)

Green Abishai: mass suggestion (level 6)

Green Hag: Tasha's caustic brew (level 1)

Grell: grasping vine (level 4)

Grick: stoneskin (level 4)

Griffon: feather fall (level 1)

Guardian Naga: true seeing (level 6)

Gynosphinx: legend lore (level 5)

Harpy (any): luring song* (level 2)

Hell Hound: burning hands (level 1)

Hezrou: stinking cloud (level 3)

Hill Giant (any): enlarge/reduce (level 2)

Hippogriff: feather fall (level 1)

Hook Horror: blindness/deafness (level 2)

Horned Devil: flame arrows (level 3)

Howler: Tasha's mind whip (level 2)

Hydra: water breathing (level 3)

Hydroloth: control water (level 4)

Ice Devil: wall of ice (level 6)

Imp: invisibility (level 2)

Intellect Devourer: detect thoughts (level 2)

Invisible Stalker: greater invisibility (level 4)

Jack-o'-Lantern: Tasha's hideous laughter (level 1)

Ki-rin: greater restoration (level 5)

Korred: Otto's irresistible dance (level 6)

Kraken: storm of vengeance (level 9)

Kruthik (any): spike growth (level 2)

Lamia: geas (level 5)

Leucrotta: expeditious retreat (level 1)

Leviathan: tsunami (level 8)

Lich: power word kill (level 9)

Lightmare: continual flame (level 2)

Magicat: sleep (level 1)

Magmin: burning hands (level 1)

Manticore: conjure barrage (level 3)

Marilith: summon greater demon (level 4)

Maurezhi: create undead (level 6)

Medusa: flesh to stone (level 6)

Meenlock: cause fear (level 1)

Mephit (any): absorb elements (level 1)

Merregon: shield (level 1)

Merrenoloth: gust of wind (level 2)

Merrow: water breathing (level 3)

Mezzoloth: cloudkill (level 5)

Mimic: mimic object* (level 2)

Mind Flayer: mind blast* (level 5)

Mindwitness: Rary's telepathic bond (level 5)

Minotaur (any non-humanoid): monstrous mutation* (level 3)

Morkoth: spell reflection* (level 2)

Mummy: bestow curse (level 3)

Mummy Lord: harm (level 6)

Myconid (any): speak with plants (level 3)

Nabassu: finger of death (level 7)

Nalfeshnee: summon lesser demons (level 3)

Narzugon: heal (level 6)

Needle Blight: hail of thorns (level 1)

Neogi (any): spider climb (level 2)

Neothelid: feeblemind (level 8)

Night Hag: dream (level 5)

Nightmare: blink (level 3)

Nightwalker: finger of death (level 7)

Nothic: weird insight* (level 1)

Nupperibo: cloud of daggers (level 2)

Nycaloth: dispel magic (level 3)

Ogre (any): enlarge/reduce (level 2)

Oinoloth: globe of invulnerability (level 6)

Oni: darkness (level 2)

Ooze (any): corrosion* (level 1)

Orthon: hellish weapon* (level 4)

Otyugh: grasping vine (level 4)

Owlbear: enhance ability (level 2)

Pegasus: feather fall (level 1)

Peryton: feather fall (level 1)

Phoenix: fire storm (level 5)

Piercer: spider climb (level 2)

Pit Fiend: wall of fire (level 4)

Pixie: detect evil and good (level 1)

Planetar: dispel evil and good (level 5)

Pseudodragon: find familiar (level 1)

Purple Worm: move earth (level 6)

Quasit: invisibility (level 2)

Quickling: haste (level 3)

Rakshasa: dominate person (level 5)

Red Abishai: illusory dragon (level 8)

Redcap: enlarge/reduce (level 2)

Remorhaz: fire shield (level 4)

Roc: fly (level 3)

Roper: grasping vine (level 4)

Rust Monster: corrosion* (level 1)

Rutterkin: cause fear (level 1)

Salamander: elemental weapon (level 3)

Shadow: inflict wounds (level 1)

Shadow Demon: shadow blade (level 2)

Shadow Mastiff: invisibility (level 2)

Shambling Mound: plant growth (level 3)

Shoosuva: sting* (level 3)

Slaad (any): alter self (level 2)

Sea Hag: disguise self (level 1)

Snowy Owlbear: Snilloc's snowball swarm (level 2)

Solar: blade barrier (level 6)

Sorrowsworn (any except The Wretched): summon shadowspawn (level 3)

Spectator: spell reflection* (level 2)

Specter: false life (level 1)

Spined Devil: hail of thorns (level 1)

Spirit Naga: dominate person (level 5)

Sprite: faerie fire (level 1)

Star Spawn Grue: command (level 1)

Star Spawn Hulk: Raulothim's psychic lance (level 4)

Star Spawn Larva Mage: circle of death (level 6)

Star Spawn Mangler: pass without trace (level 2)

Star Spawn Seer: dimension door (level 4)

Steeder: spider climb (level 2)

Stone Giant (any): stoneskin (level 4)

Storm Giant (any): control weather (level 8)

Succubus/Incubus: charm person (level 1)

Tarrasque: wish (level 9)

Thorny: hail of thorns (level 1)

Thunder Beetle: drone* (level 3)

Tlincalli: sting* (level 3)

Trapper: spider climb (level 2)

Treant: awaken (level 5)

Troll (any): regenerate (level 7)

Tunnel Worm: meld into stone (level 3)

Ulitharid: telekinesis (level 5)

Ultroloth: mass suggestion (level 6)

Umber Hulk: confusion (level 4)

Unicorn: heal (level 6)

Vampire: dominate person (level 5)

Vampiric Mist: vampiric touch (level 3)

Vargouille: hex (level 1)

Vegepygmy (any): pass without trace (level 2)

Vine Blight: entangle (level 1)

Vrock: stunning screech* (level 3)

Wastrilith: watery sphere (level 4)

Water Elemental: wall of water (level 3)

Water Elemental Myrmidon: investiture of ice (level 6)

Water Weird: create or destroy water (level 1)

White Abishai: magic weapon (level 2)

Will-o'-Wisp: invisibility (level 2)

Winter Wolf: Rime's binding ice (level 2)

Wood Woad: tree stride (level 5)

Woollygator: absorb elements (level 1)

Wraith: life drain* (level 5)

Wyvern: sting* (level 3)

Xorn: meld into stone (level 3)

Yagnoloth: lightning arrow (level 3)

Yeth Hound: fear (level 3)

Yeti (any): ice storm (level 4)

Yuan-ti (any non-humanoid except Anathema): suggestion (level 2)

Yuan-ti Anathema: divine word (level 7)

Yochlol: dominate person (level 5)

Zaratan: earthquake (level 8)

Absorb Sorcery

At 6th level, you learn how to feed your magical prowess by consuming souls of those you kill. Whenever you deliver a killing blow to a creature of Challenge Rating 1 or above, you regain Sorcery Points equal to its Challenge Rating (or Level), up to your maximum points.  

Locate Monster

At 14th level, you learn to use your sorcery to find nourishment for your magical needs. You can spend 4 sorcery points to gain the effect of the locate creature spell, but you cannot use it to locate beasts, constructs or humanoids.  

Monstrous Shape

At 18th level, whenever you cast a spell that you have learned by consuming a monster, you can spend 6 sorcery points to transform into the same creature you learned the spell from for 1 minute, after which you revert to your normal form. You can spend a bonus action to revert earlier, and you automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.   This transformation follows the same rules as a Druid's Wild Shape feature, except that you can speak and cast spells as normal. Any equipment that the creature would have are conjured by your magic and disappear as soon as the transformation ends.  

Monstrous Spell List:

Antimagic Cone (learned from a beholder)

Level 6 Abjuration

Casting Time: Action

Range: self

Components: V, S

Duration: concentration, up to 1 minute

You create an area of antimagic, as in the antimagic field spell, in a 50-foot cone for the duration. At the start of each of your turns, you decide which way the cone faces and whether the cone is active. You are not inside the area, but you cannot cast spells into the area either.

Corrosion (learned from any ooze and rust monsters)

Level 1 Transmutation

Casting Time: Action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: instantaneous

You corrode a nonmagical object you can see within range. If the object isn't being worn or carried, the spell destroys a 1-foot cube of it. If the object is being worn or carried by a creature, the creature can make a Dexterity saving throw to avoid the effect. If the object is either armor or a shield being worn or carried, it takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to the AC it offers. Armor reduced to an AC of 10 or a shield that drops to a +0 bonus is destroyed. If the object is a held weapon, the weapon takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to damage rolls. If its penalty drops to −5, the weapon is destroyed. The penalty can be removed by casting the mending spell on the object.

Drone (learned from a chasme or a thunder beetle)

Level 3 Enchantment

Casting Time: Action

Range: self

Components: V, S

Duration: concentration, up to 10 minutes

You produce a horrid droning sound to which all creatures of your choice are immune. Any other creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for the duration. A creature that can't hear the drone automatically succeeds on the save. The effect on the creature ends if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to wake it up. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, it is immune to the drone for the next 24 hours.

Fetid Cloud (learned from a dretch)

Level 1 Conjuration

Casting Time: Action

Range: self

Components: V, S

Duration: concentration, up to 1 minute

A 10-foot radius of disgusting green gas extends out from you. The gas moves with you, spreads around corners, and its area is lightly obscured. A strong wind disperses it until the start of your next turn. Each creature that starts its turn in that area must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. While poisoned in this way, the target can take either an action or a bonus action on its turn, not both, and can't take reactions.

Hellish Weapon (learned from an erinyes or an orthon)

Level 4 Transmutation

Casting Time: Action

Range: touch

Components: V, S

Duration: concentration, up to 1 hour

A nonmagical weapon you touch becomes a magic weapon. For the duration, the weapon has a +1 bonus to attack rolls and deals an extra 2d8 poison damage when it hits, and the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned. The poison lasts for the duration of the spell.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th or 6th level, the bonus to attack rolls increases to +2 and the extra damage increases to 3d8. When you use a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the bonus increases to +3 and the extra damage increases to 4d8.

Life Drain (learned from a death kiss, a demilich, or a wraith)

Level 5 Necromancy

Casting Time: Action

Range: 10 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: instantaneous

Target one creature within range. It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or take 6d6 necrotic damage, and you regain hit points equal to the damage dealt to the target. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies immediately if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the necrotic damage increases by 2d6 for each slot level above 5th.

Luring Song (learned from a harpy)

Level 2 Enchantment

Casting Time: Action

Range: self

Components: V, S

Duration: concentration, up to 1 minute

You sing a magical melody. Every humanoid and giant within 60 feet of you that can hear the song must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed until the song ends. You must take a bonus action on subsequent turns to continue singing for the duration of the spell, and you cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components while you do so. While charmed by you, a target is incapacitated and ignores other sounds. If the charmed target is more than 5 feet away from you, the target must move on its turn toward you by the most direct route. It doesn't avoid opportunity attacks, but before moving into damaging terrain, such as lava or a pit, and whenever it takes damage, a target can repeat the saving throw. A creature can also repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. If a creature's saving throw is successful, the effect ends on it. A target that successfully saves is immune to this song for the next 24 hours.

Mimic Object (learned from a mimic)

Level 2 Transmutation

Casting Time: Action

Range: self

Components: V, S

Duration: concentration, up to 1 hour

You transform yourself—including your clothing, armor, weapons, and other belongings on your person—into a non-magical object of roughly your size, such as a chest or an armchair. As long as you remain motionless, your form is indistinguishable from an ordinary object and can be lifted and dragged. The spell ends early if you move or take any sort of action.

Mind Blast (learned from a mind flayer)

Level 5 Enchantment

Casting Time: Action

Range: self

Components: S

Duration: instantaneous

You magically emit psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or take 4d8 psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Monstrous Mutation (learned from a centaur, an ettin, a girallon or a minotaur)

Level 3 Transmutation

Casting Time: Action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: concentration, up to 1 hour

You magically mutate the body of a willing humanoid. When you cast the spell, choose one of the following options, the effects of which last for the duration of the spell. You cannot choose an option that the target already has naturally.

Four Arms: The target temporarily grows more arms from their sides to have four. They can hold equipment in each hand, and they gain one extra attack if they hold at least two weapons. This extra attack must be made with a different weapon than their other attacks.

Four Legs: The target temporarily grows more legs out of their hip to have four. Their speed is increased by 20 feet, and if the target moves at least 30 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a melee attack on the same turn, the creature takes three extra dice of the weapon's damage.

Horns: The target temporarily grows a pair of large horns. The target can use these horns to make an unarmed strike that deals 1d8 plus their Strength piercing damage. If the target moves at least 10 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with their horns on the same turn, the creature takes an extra 2d8 piercing damage. The creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be pushed up to 10 feet away and knocked prone.

Two Heads: The target temporarily grows a duplicate of their head on their shoulders. They have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious. If they are put to sleep, their other head remains awake.

Negative Energy Cone (learned from a death tyrant)

Level 6 Necromancy

Casting Time: Action

Range: self

Components: V, S

Duration: concentration, up to 1 minute

You emit an invisible, magical 150-foot cone of negative energy. At the start of each of your turns, you decide which way the cone faces and whether the cone is active. You are not inside the area. Any creature in that area can't regain hit points. Any humanoid that dies there becomes a zombie permanently under your command. The dead humanoid retains its place in the initiative order and animates at the start of its next turn, provided that its body hasn't been completely destroyed.

Spell Reflection (learned from a morkoth or a spectator)

Level 2 Abjuration

Casting Time: Reaction

Range: 30 feet

Components: S

Duration: instantaneous

If you make a successful saving throw against a spell, or a spell attack misses you, you can choose another creature (including the spellcaster) you can see within 30 feet of you. The spell targets the chosen creature instead of you. If the spell forced a saving throw, the chosen creature makes its own save. If the spell was an attack, the attack roll is rerolled against the chosen creature.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the range of the spell increases by 30 feet per level above 2nd.

Sting (learned from a bone devil, a shoosuva, a tlincalli or a wyvern)

Level 3 Conjuration

Casting Time: Action

Range: 15 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: instantaneous

You conjure a barbed stinger out of your back that lunges towards one creature within range. Make a melee spell attack against the target. Hit or miss, the stinger then disappears. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 piercing damage and 2d8 poison damage, and the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned. While poisoned in this way, the target is also paralyzed. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, both the piercing and the poison damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 3rd.

Steam Breath (learned from a dragon turtle)

Level 8 Evocation

Casting Time: Action

Range: self

Components: V, S

Duration: instantaneous

You exhale scalding steam in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 15d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Being underwater doesn't grant resistance against this damage.

Stunning Screech (learned from a vrock)

Level 3 Enchantment

Casting Time: Action

Range: self

Components: V, S

Duration: instantaneous

You emit a horrific screech. Each creature within 20 feet of it that can hear it other than you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.

Weird Insight (learned from a nothic)

Level 1 Divination

Casting Time: Action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: instantaneous

You target one creature you can see within range. The target must contest its Charisma (Deception) check against your Wisdom (Insight) check. If you win, you magically learn one fact or secret about the target. The target automatically wins if it is immune to being charmed.