D&D 5E sorcerer and metamagic feat

[ECMO3]

The metamagic adept feat says:
You've learned how to exert your will on your spells to alter how they function:

• You learn two Metamagic options of your choice from the sorcerer class. You can use only one Metamagic option on a spell when you cast it, unless the option says otherwise. Whenever you reach a level that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace one of these Metamagic options with another one from the sorcerer class.
• You gain 2 sorcery points to spend on Metamagic (these points are added to any sorcery points you have from another source but can be used only on Metamagic). You regain all spent sorcery points when you finish a long rest.

The sorcerer class states:
"You can never have more sorcery points than shown on the table for your level."

My understanding of these rules would indicate that a sorcerer who takes the metamagic adept is capped by the number of SPs shown on his class. So a 4th level sorcerer who takes this feat gets two more metamagic options but still has a maximum of 4 sorcery points at any time. So if he takes this feat he still only gets 4 SPs after a long rest at 4th level.

I think this is pretty clear as far as RAW. RAI I am not so sure.

 

[Dausuul]

I think the clear intent of the feat is to increase the cap. The sorcerer rules were written long before the feat was, hence the inconsistency.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

From the feat: "You gain 2 sorcery points to spend on Metamagic (these points are added to any sorcery points you have from another source but can be used only on Metamagic)."

The parenthetical has no significance under the current rules system unless these points are over and above what a Sorcerer normally has when a Sorcerer takes this feat. RAI therefore seems abundantly clear that a level 4 Sorcerer with the feat would start the day with 6 Metamagic points. RAW is arguably ambiguous, but specific rules beat general and a feat is generally considered more specific than a class feature. And, once again, the parenthetical can really only be referring to overriding the normal Sorcerer limit, whereas the language you quote about the Sorcery Point limit was clearly put there to keep people from being able to exceed their limit by burning slots rather than in reference to a feat that wouldn't exist for over 6 years.

From a super legalistic RAW perspective they could have phrased the feat a little more clearly and/or should errata the class description. Partly it has to do with a feat writing style choice to be class neutral when referencing abilities even if only one class has that ability at the time the feat is written (which maybe made sense when they started writing feats, but at this point it's pretty clear that this isn't going to be an add-a-bunch-of-classes-later edition). However, I think when you apply the knowledge that the class was written without the feat in mind it becomes clear enough what is intended and you have to cut them some slack for trying to make things written a half decade apart jive with each other.

 

[Flamestrike]

Specific overrides general.

They're added, and your max SP increases by 2.

 

[jgsugden]

They should errata the PHB and the feat to include a concept like maximum spell points. In the sorcerer class you have a maximum spell points, and the feat increases it.

The limitation is there to prevent a low level sorcerer from geting a 5th level slot through changing lower slots to SPs and then SPs to a higher level slot than they can cast.

 

[Steampunkette]

Specific overrides general.

They're added, and your max SP increases by 2.

This^ with a caveat:

You cannot use those 2 sorcery points to convert into a spell. So you should mark them on your sheet as a separate pool of sorcery points that are Metamagic Only.

 

[Flamestrike]

They should errata the PHB and the feat to include a concept like maximum spell points. In the sorcerer class you have a maximum spell points, and the feat increases it.

The limitation is there to prevent a low level sorcerer from geting a 5th level slot through changing lower slots to SPs and then SPs to a higher level slot than they can cast.

Didnt think of that.

A 1st level sorcerer with this can cast a 2nd level spell, a 3rd level can do a 3rd, 4th at 4th and 5th level slot at 5th!

Only to upcast with.

 

[Flamestrike]

You cannot use those 2 sorcery points to convert into a spell.

Why?

 

[Steampunkette]

Why?

Because the feat explicitly states that you can only use those Sorcery Points for Metamagic Feats. Flexible Casting is a different class feature of the Sorcerer.

Specific still beats general.

 

[Flamestrike]

Because the feat explicitly states that you can only use those Sorcery Points for Metamagic Feats.

But it also says to add them to any you may have (not keep them seperate), and you can use them for slots.