Seeking advice on deciding between feat vs racial ability

[Asmerv]

Hi all,

Summary: trying to pick between starting with a feat that feels central to a character vs picking the ideal race from an RP and abilities standpoint.

Making a character for an upcoming campaign starting at 1. I want to play a support character and am pretty much set on Divine Soul sorcerer (maybe with Order Cleric 1 dip). However, I cannot decide between a starting feat (Metamagic Adept) vs picking Protector Aasimar as my race, and wanted to ask for your opinions.

In case it matters, I will be playing Rime of the Frostmaiden, I rolled 18, 13, 12, 12, 11, 7 for stats, and I will have extra domain spells like Tasha's so not as limited on spells known.

Protector Aasimar fits the character backstory perfectly, is thematic with the character itself (going to focus on light/radiant abilities), has good strong abilities that feel at home. Overall, it's exactly what I want to play. However, I am really worried that Divine Soul is going to feel a lot like a watered down cleric until I get Metamagic, which will be at level 3 at the earliest, and most likely level 4 due to Order Cleric dip. That is potentially months of playtime where I'm waiting to do the cool unique stuff the character is based around.

Instead, I can grab Metamagic Adept at level 1 if I sacrifice Aasimar. Having two options and two points to play with right at the start feels sooo much better - can twin Guiding Bolt or Shield of Faith right out of the gate, or distant Cure Wounds etc. Feels like a Sorcerer at level 1 and onwards, not a domainless cleric.

In the end, it feels like I have to choose between feeling crappy the first 3-4 levels versus feeling crappy afterwards.

Any advice or opinions are welcome.

[Greywander]

Hmm, this is kind of tough. Normally, I'd say that the feat gives you too few sorcery points (my own pre-Tasha's homebrew version of a similar feat gives 4 sorcery points), so it's most useful on a sorcerer who already has sorcery points. However, this limitation would only really apply to 1st level, as you'll start getting sorcery points at 2nd level.

I know some tables give everyone a free feat at 1st level (including variant humans, who thus start with two feats), so you might ask your DM if they'd be willing to allow that for everyone at the table. It's just hard to create a unique character at 1st level, as there are only so many ways you can combine race, class, and ability scores. Adding a choice of feat to the mix greatly increases your customization options, and allows you to snag a build-critical feat early on before you've used your ASIs to boost your primary ability score to 20 (as it's usually not advised to pick up feats before then).

Otherwise, you might consider delaying your cleric dip until 4th level, so that you can get metamagic as soon as possible. A cleric dip gets you a lot as well, so you'll have to weigh which you'd rather have sooner. I'm not familiar with Rime of the Frost Maiden, but I'm going to take a guess that you're going to spend more time at 4th+ level than at 1st-3rd level. Don't forget that as a sorcerer you have access to much wider variety of spells than a cleric does, so make sure to leverage that if you don't want to feel like a watered down cleric.

[Emongnome777]

If you dip order cleric, you’re forced to take a 13 Wis. Doesn’t seem worth it. I’d go aasimar and just accept the lack of metamagic until 3rd. 1st to 3rd goes quickly. Just my opinion.

[Asmerv]

Thanks for the advice. I do agree Wis 13 is quite the ask for the dip normally, but I was planning on getting a decent Wis as it fits the character well and I want insight and perception as skills.

However, delaying the dip as Greywander suggested might be the way to go. I'll be missing on the extra AC and Voice of Authority, but Metamagic feels cooler to have access to sooner to me.

Of course, starting with Metamagic Adept allows another half-feat to bump Wis up to 14 at level 4, which would have to wait until 8.

Wish metamagic didn't come online so late or that Metamagic Adept didn't feel like a tax. Thanks again.

[Swosh]

If your looking for optimization, i would do a 1 lvl Peace Domain dip for the medium armor + shield and that insane "Emboldening Bond" feature, where you get to buff your party members with a Bless/Guidance without even having to use concentration.

Edit: If you looking for racial options i would easily drop Aasimar and go Yuan-Ti. With the new floating racial ability scores in Tashas you can get perfect fit aswell as those crazy good traits the race has to offer. Magic Resistance, Poison damage & poison condition Immunity, Darkvision and to top it all off 1/Day Suggestion for CHA based characters.

[Asmerv]

Wow, emboldening bond is seriously good. Scales with proficiency too. I really have to consider it as a contender to Order cleric. The channel divinity is also quite good especially with Quicken. Thanks!

As good as Yuan-ti is, if I'm picking any race over vuman/custom lineage it's going to be Aasimar due to RP and flavor. I'm less concerned with pure optimization and more concerned with getting to do what I mechanically designed the character around rather late, which is Metamagic.

Seems like the only decent way of getting to play with Metamagic is to go Sorc 3 right away and dip into cleric for 4th. Starting with Metamagic Adept remains so tempting though.

[MrStabby]

I would grab cleric at level 2.

Whatever domain you go for, most offer a lot on that first level, they are front loaded that way. I dont think you will seem like a watered down cleric at all unless there is an actual other cleric with a similar domain standing next to you. A 1/1 sorcerer cleric can stand shoulder to shoulder with most level 2 characters (excepting things like moon druids) and still look capable.

This gets you some armour proficiency early as well so you actually get to see those later levels.

The trick is to get your value from those early sorcerer levels. Lots of cantrips will make you stand out. Shield will set you apart from other clerics. Sleep rarely is bad at low levels. Absorb elements will see you through a lot of your career.

If you have to wait till 4th level to pick up metamagic, it isnt like you are not getting other tools along the way to make you stand out. Then at 4th, 5th and 6th levels you leap forward (metamagic, feat for more metamagic, 3rd level spells)

[Bundin]

I'd just play the Aasimar. In the end, having a character that really fits your ideas/concept is more important than levels 1-3. These levels tend to last only a few sessions anyway, compared to the rest of the campaign.

As for not feeling particularly sorcerery, will metamagic once a day make a huge difference? Roleplaying is what tends to ground a character in the campaign, especially the first few levels. Your magic is innate, not granted by anyone or learned from books. That is what defines a sorcerer, not having metamagic or not (especially now that everyone can dabble in it with that feat).

For me personally, that's also why I'd never dip any other casting class as sorcerer. It doesn't fit my personal view on what the class is :)

[Asmerv]

I'd just play the Aasimar. In the end, having a character that really fits your ideas/concept is more important than levels 1-3. These levels tend to last only a few sessions anyway, compared to the rest of the campaign.

As for not feeling particularly sorcerery, will metamagic once a day make a huge difference? Roleplaying is what tends to ground a character in the campaign, especially the first few levels. Your magic is innate, not granted by anyone or learned from books. That is what defines a sorcerer, not having metamagic or not (especially now that everyone can dabble in it with that feat).

For me personally, that's also why I'd never dip any other casting class as sorcerer. It doesn't fit my personal view on what the class is :)

I think I agree with the race part. Not worth sacrificing the concept that will last the character's lifetime for a few levels.

However, early metamagic would indeed make a huge difference in my opinion. At level 1 I could twin or empower or subtle twice (whichever two I pick), and right at level 2 the pool increases to 4 points so I could twin every spell I cast with a point left over, or quicken one and twin two more, or just make an additional 2 1st level spell slots. I think those are very substantial improvements and feel particularly sorcerery to me. I do agree that thematically the innate magic is cool and is different, but it might feel a bit flat without a mechanical expression. Wizards get a spell book and ritual casting to mechanically emphasize their flavor, warlocks get invocations, clerics get a domain and channel divinity etc.

[Samayu]

If I were choosing between a thematic but underpowered option, and a highly powered one, it would be tough choice. If they were both reasonably powered, I would make the thematic choice. The Aasimar divine soul isn't going to be weak, is it? Just not as good as you had hoped? You're not going to be watching the backs of your party members as they leave you in their dust.

[MrCharlie]

My advice-you don't play at 1st level long enough to make building for it worth it. In general, the amount of time I've spend at 1st level has decreased the more I've played. You get one session out of it. Ditto for level 2. This can take months if you are playing once a month, but otherwise it'll go quick.

(Unless you multi-class, in which case the solution is to wait until level 3 to multiclass).

For that reason, obsessing over the first few levels is largely pointless. It's not like a bit of optimization either way changes much anyway.

I'd take the Aasamir over the feat, for that reason. Better array and better abilities. Fits the character more.

[BloodSnake'sCha]

About the wis 13, I find it important to take around level 10 the feat resilient wisdom.
Wisdom saves are really important.

Con 12 may be a problem with HP but your proficiency in con saves as a sorcerer will boost your concentration saves.

I will say, go with protector assimer, take 3 levels is Sorcerer before considering to dip cleric.
Don't forget that font of magic allow you most of the time to get a spell slot one level above your max. Dipping may work against it if you planned on using it.

Don't forget you also have the sorcerer list, you can be more than a cleric, no need to feel like watered down cleric(sleep for example is great at low levels).

A feat may help but is probably not need for what you wrote you are looking for.