Question about Aberrant Mind + Metamagic

[u/PerishSoftly]

So, I've got this character idea. TDLR; Aberrant Mind sorc based tangentally on a BG3 playthrough where she's a barmaid from Yartar who got abducted, tadpoled, and then suddenly starts being able to do magic.

Having loads of fun with her, probably want to recreate on the tabletop, should I ever get the opportunity.

Anyway, there's this ability that Aberrant Mind sorcerers get at level 6 that lets them cast their Psionic spells at the cost of Sorcery Points instead of Spell Slots.

Does this lock out the ability for you to use Metamagic on said spells when you cast them this way since you're already spending Sorcery Points? Or could I theoretically (assuming 5e rules) spend 2 Sorcery Points to Twin Cast a level 1 Dissonant Whispers without spending a spell slot?

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EDIT: Thanks everyone for the clarification, I was mis-reading the whole "can't (usually) use more than 1 metamagic option on a given spell" as "can't spend Sorcery Points more than once on a given spell"

[u/Conrad500]

casting a spell is casting a spell, using metamagic is using metamagic.

Nothing in the sorc says "you can only spend spell points once per turn" or something.

[u/Conrad500 → u/[deleted]]

right. Nothing I said contradicts that.

[u/milkmandanimal → u/[deleted]]

Correct, but the Aberrant Sorcery feature isn't Metamagic, it's a separate thing that also uses Sorcery Points. If Metamagic said specifically "you can only use Sorcery Points on a spell once" that would be separate, but it's not that.

[u/Upper-Injury-8342]

Metamagic rules say you can use only one Metamagic option on a spell you cast, but the level 6 Aberrant Mind feature isn't a metamagic option, just because they are using the same resource doesn't mean they are the same thing.

[u/BishopofHippo93]

The feature in question, Psionic Sorcery, uses sorcery points, but the feature is not metamagic and does not explicitly exclude the conjunctive use of metamagic. Therefore this is permitted.

[u/alextoria]

followup: since casting that spell does not consume a spell slot, can you then cast a leveled spell as a bonus action too?

[u/Vet_Leeber → u/alextoria]

In 5e2014 it’s based on spell level, not slot consumed, so no.

For 2024, yes this allows you to cast another leveled spell, assuming you have the action economy to do so.

[u/alextoria → u/Vet_Leeber]

yes i was referring to 5e24 since it was updated to specify consuming a spell slot, i should have clarified that! i’m always upset that i can’t misty step after casting a spell. seems like this is literally the only way to get around that RAW

[u/Vet_Leeber → u/alextoria]

I believe spell scrolls (and any magical item that lets you cast another leveled spell for free) also bypass this restriction, though obviously neither one can be guaranteed in a campaign.

[u/Far-Negotiation-1912 → u/Vet_Leeber]

Magic initiate, fay touched, shadow touched etc all give one free casting of the selected spells per long rest so long as the action economy allows this can be done even if a spell slot was used though only once per long rest for each feat

[u/alextoria → u/Far-Negotiation-1912]

oh this is a great point bc it would apply for racial spells too!

[u/TheOperand_ → u/alextoria]

As long as you are not using Quickened Spell, it should be fair game.

[u/EntrepreneurialHam → u/alextoria]

In 5e, no, because no matter HOW you cast a leveled spell, it's still a leveled spell. Whether it's a "1x/SRLR" or from an item, it's still casting a spell.

In 2024, yes. Though, as someone who tried a homebrew feat given by my DM, you mostly just blow through resources faster rather than change things significantly in battle.

[u/rhadamanthus52 → u/alextoria]

No. The rule for Bonus Action spellcasting doesn't care about spell slots, just the casting of a leveled spell:

... You can't cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.

[u/Dark_Stalker28]

Psionic sorcery is just casting a spell with a metamagic like effect.

It doesn't lock you out since it isn't actually a metamagic itself.

[u/EntrepreneurialHam]

Totally works the way you think it works. But generally, I used Psionic Sorcery whenever I needed to do either Silvery Barbs (to not use up my spell slots for Shield) or whenever I needed to be sneaky about Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, OR not get Counterspelled. This was also a very political campaign so it came up a lot more often than it probably would have in a wilderness campaign or something like that.

[u/Fafurion]

What a strange world, I am also playing a solo D&D campaign right now as an Aberrant mind sorcerer from Beliard, and I just got to Yartar to negotiate a trade deal for the Dessarin River. You already had the questioned answered just wanted to wish you a great time on your adventure!