"Extra" sorcerer spell known vs elven accuracy, better starting stats, & drow magic

[The Alchemist]

Hi All. I'm playing in a new campaign, and I'm really torn regarding the character I'm creating. I'm making a shadow sorc, and I can't decide whether to go with variant human or with half-elf (drow). As a half-elf, I would get better starting stats, drow magic, and (at 4th level) elven accuracy, which are all quite appealing. However, with variant human, I can take the magic initiate feat for sorcerers at 1st level. As a result, I would get two extra cantrips and a first level spell, for which I would take shield. Now since I'm playing a sorc, I'll always take shield and hold onto it for my character's entire career, whether I have magic initiate or not. Without magic initiate though, I use up a known spell slot that could eventually be used for a higher level spell. So my question to all of you is, given the scarcity of known spells for sorcerers, whether getting that "extra" known spell is worth giving up all that half-elven goodness (not to mention burning a feat to get magic initiate).

Any suggestions and opinions are most welcome.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Plan for the long-term. Get Sleep and Burning Hands, take Shield at level 2, trade out Sleep once it's no longer effective.

[Dime]

If you haven't done it yet try mapping out the spells you will have at leach level, up to whatever level you think the campaign will run to. Is there one spell that you desperately want for you character concept and can't fit in any other way? Then sure, take variant human and get the one extra spell. Otherwise I would look at other options, like picking up some extra racial spells or even the ritual caster feat which is a great way to add some utility.

[bendking]

I would take V.Human for that extra spell known. Also, it will be a while before you can even afford to take Drow Magic since you have to max CHA first.

If you were playing any other Sorcerer, I would say Half-Elf is the better choice, but Humans get a lot of value from Shadow Sorcerer's inherent Dark Vision.

[Dork_Forge]

Hi All. I'm playing in a new campaign, and I'm really torn regarding the character I'm creating. I'm making a shadow sorc, and I can't decide whether to go with variant human or with half-elf (drow). As a half-elf, I would get better starting stats, drow magic, and (at 4th level) elven accuracy, which are all quite appealing. However, with variant human, I can take the magic initiate feat for sorcerers at 1st level. As a result, I would get two extra cantrips and a first level spell, for which I would take shield. Now since I'm playing a sorc, I'll always take shield and hold onto it for my character's entire career, whether I have magic initiate or not. Without magic initiate though, I use up a known spell slot that could eventually be used for a higher level spell. So my question to all of you is, given the scarcity of known spells for sorcerers, whether getting that "extra" known spell is worth giving up all that half-elven goodness (not to mention burning a feat to get magic initiate).

Any suggestions and opinions are most welcome.

For me it would depend on what your stats are, if your stats don't really need the Half Elf bump I'd go for V.HUman (Magic Initiate), not only is offloading shield onto the feat going to be nice, it'll also stretch your slots out a little bit by giving you a free casting.

I would take V.Human for that extra spell known. Also, it will be a while before you can even afford to take Drow Magic since you have to max CHA first.

If you were playing any other Sorcerer, I would say Half-Elf is the better choice, but Humans get a lot of value from Shadow Sorcerer's inherent Dark Vision.

They would get drow magic straight away (subject to the level gates), it's a variant of Half Elf that trades Skill Versatility for the casting a Drow gets.

[bendking]

They would get drow magic straight away (subject to the level gates), it's a variant of Half Elf that trades Skill Versatility for the casting a Drow gets.

Right, my bad. I thought it was a feature for some reason. Still, I don't think it's worth it.

[Monster Manuel]

Another point against drow magic is that the bonus spells you would get are dancing lights, faerie fire, and darkness. As a shadow sorcerer you already get darkness at 3rd level without using a Spells Known.

So, all you're getting is a utility cantrip and one spell with drow magic, as opposed to two of any cantrips and one spell with Vuman magic initiate. I guess the question is whether faerie fire or shield is the preferred bonus spell...

[Dork_Forge]

Another point against drow magic is that the bonus spells you would get are dancing lights, faerie fire, and darkness. As a shadow sorcerer you already get darkness at 3rd level without using a Spells Known.

So, all you're getting is a utility cantrip and one spell with drow magic, as opposed to two of any cantrips and one spell with Vuman magic initiate. I guess the question is whether faerie fire or shield is the preferred bonus spell...

This isn't entirely accurate, you don't get an extra spell like Magic Initiate (which you can cast with your own spell slots), with Drow Magic you get two once a day castings and a cantrip, your Sorcerer casting doesn't factor into it.

A bigger consideration is if the build will go Warlock 2 for Devil's Sight, otherwise it isn't really worth it since Shadow Sorcs can only see through Darkness cast with sorcery points.

[Mr Adventurer]

I didn't think you could cast your Magic Initiate spell with your class spell slots.

[Dork_Forge]

I didn't think you could cast your Magic Initiate spell with your class spell slots.

You can if you choose Magic Initiate (Your own class), but you couldn't if you were a Sorcerer and wanted to pick up something like Healing Word from the Cleric list.

[The Alchemist]

Thanks everyone. Lots of good pros & cons for both sides of the argument. However, given the circumstances/background for my character, I think the pros for the Variant Human outweigh the pros for the Half-Elf.

With starting stats for half-elf from point buy, I would have begun 1st level with a 17 charisma (after racial bumps), taken elven accuracy at 4th (and bumped charisma by 1 more) and then would have gotten up to 20 by 8th level. I think someone misunderstood me and thought I was trying to get access to the drow high magic feat. Just to be clear, half-elves of drow descent are not eligible for the drow high magic feat, so that was never an option. So as others pointed out, I would get dancing lights (nice), fairie fire (awesome), and darkness (for shadow sorc compared to darkness cast with sorcery points, <<shrug>>). Fairie fire is only once per day, and I won't be able to see through darkness when cast via the racial ability. Both of those factors dampened my enthusiasm a bit. I was really liking the synergy between seeing through my darkness (for advantage) and elven accuracy. However, as I mapped out spells and considered party dynamics, it looks like I'll be more of a controller. So what I really want is to make sure enemies have disadvantage (shadow hound should help with that).

With variant human, I'll start out with 16 charisma and end up with charisma of 20 at 8th level (same as half-elf). With the magic initiate feat at 1st level, I effectively get an extra known spell, and as someone else pointed out, the two cantrips. As I mapped out potential spell progression as the character levels up, I realized that I hadn't fully appreciated the impact of those two extra cantrips. They really enhance the characters arsenal (right now, I'm thinking fire bolt, mage hand, prestidigitation, and minor illusion, along with shape water and mending via the feat -- that's a lot of cantrips at 1st level and a lot of flexibility). Since as shadow sorc, I'll get darkvision, the last rationale for playing a half-elf over a human fell away for me.

Thanks again everyone. This is a great community, and I appreciate the help. If I've missed any factors, please do share.