Do Racial Cantrips Count Against Cantrips Known?
Yes, racial cantrips generally do count against your total cantrips known. The rules as written in the Player’s Handbook and other official D&D 5e sourcebooks are fairly consistent on this point. If a race grants you a cantrip, it is a cantrip you know, and it subtracts from the number of cantrips you can learn from your class features.
Understanding Cantrips and Racial Traits in D&D 5e
In Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition (D&D 5e), cantrips are simple spells that can be cast at will without expending spell slots. They are a fundamental resource for spellcasting classes, providing consistent options in combat and utility outside of it. Racial traits, on the other hand, are features that define a character’s ancestry and provide unique benefits, including sometimes the ability to cast certain spells. The intersection of these two elements can lead to some confusion, especially when a race grants access to cantrips.
The Core Rule: Cantrips Known Limit
The crux of the matter lies in how cantrips are acquired. Most spellcasting classes, such as Wizards, Clerics, and Sorcerers, learn cantrips as they level up. These classes have a specific limit to the number of cantrips they can know. This limit is defined in their class progression table. Gaining cantrips from any source, including racial traits, contributes to this limit. If your class allows you to know four cantrips, and your race grants you one, you will then only be able to learn three cantrips from your class features.
The Wording of Racial Traits Matters
The exact wording of a racial trait that grants a cantrip is crucial. Most racial traits clearly state that the cantrip granted counts against your cantrips known. For example, a High Elf gains a cantrip from the Wizard spell list. This cantrip is considered a learned cantrip. Therefore, it reduces the number of cantrips the character can learn from their class.
Exceptions and Ambiguities
While the general rule is that racial cantrips count against the number you know, there may be occasional exceptions or ambiguous situations. These usually stem from specific subclasses or feats that alter the standard rules. Always carefully read the full description of any such feature to determine its impact on your cantrip limits.
Why This Matters: Character Building Implications
Understanding how racial cantrips affect your cantrips known limit is important because it directly influences your character’s capabilities. Every cantrip slot is valuable. Knowing that a racial cantrip will reduce the number you can learn from your class allows you to make more informed decisions during character creation and advancement. You might choose a different race if the cantrip it grants is not particularly useful to your character concept, or you may choose a class or subclass that synergizes well with the racial cantrip.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
FAQ 1: If I’m a Sorcerer and get Fire Bolt from my race, can I swap it out for another cantrip when I level up?
No. Sorcerers (and other classes that learn spells, not prepare them) only get to replace a cantrip when they gain a level in that class. Racial traits providing cantrips are separate from class progression. Therefore, you cannot swap out the racially-granted Fire Bolt using your Sorcerer class feature.
FAQ 2: Can I choose a cantrip from a different spell list if my race allows it?
Generally, yes. Many racial traits specify the spell list from which you can choose the cantrip. For example, High Elves choose a Wizard cantrip. Some other races may offer cantrips from the Druid or Cleric lists. You must adhere to the specified list when making your selection.
FAQ 3: What happens if I take a feat that grants me a cantrip? Does that also count against my total?
Yes, feats that grant cantrips also count against your total cantrips known. The same rule applies regardless of the source. The limit is determined by your class(es) level, and any cantrips you know from any source count towards it.
FAQ 4: If I multiclass, how do cantrips work?
Cantrips are handled separately for each class. Each class’s cantrip limit is independent. For example, if you are a Wizard 3/Cleric 2, you would have the cantrips known listed for Wizard 3 and the cantrips known listed for Cleric 2. Racial cantrips affect each class normally.
FAQ 5: Can I have the same cantrip multiple times from different sources?
No. The rules don’t allow you to know the same spell multiple times, even if obtained from different sources. If you already know Fire Bolt from your class and then gain it from a racial trait or feat, you don’t get to learn an additional cantrip.
FAQ 6: My race grants me a cantrip at a specific level. What happens if I haven’t taken any levels in a spellcasting class by that level?
You still gain the cantrip. The racial trait operates independently of your class levels. Even if you’re a Fighter 5 / Rogue 3 with no spellcasting classes, you still gain the cantrip granted by your race when you reach the level specified in the racial trait. You simply have a cantrip you can’t use until you gain the ability to cast spells through a class, feat, or other means.
FAQ 7: If my racial cantrip requires a saving throw, what is the DC?
The saving throw DC for a racial cantrip is determined by the ability score associated with your spellcasting class. If you don’t have a spellcasting class, some DMs may allow you to choose Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom as the spellcasting ability for the racial cantrip. The DC formula is usually 8 + your proficiency bonus + your spellcasting ability modifier.
FAQ 8: Does taking the Magic Initiate feat change how racial cantrips work?
No, the Magic Initiate feat is entirely separate from racial cantrips. Magic Initiate gives you two cantrips from a specific class list. These cantrips are subject to the feat’s own rules and don’t interact with your racial cantrips or your class cantrip limits.
FAQ 9: What if I’m playing a variant human and take a feat that grants a cantrip at level 1?
That cantrip counts against your cantrips known. The source of the cantrip is irrelevant. Whether it’s from your race, class, or a feat, any cantrip you know counts against your total limit based on your spellcasting class(es).
FAQ 10: Can I use my racial cantrip to fulfill the requirements of a prestige class or other advanced feature?
It depends on the specific requirements. Most prestige classes or features that require knowing a specific spell or cantrip will accept a spell learned from any source, including a racial trait. However, you should always check with your DM to confirm.
FAQ 11: If I forget a cantrip using a class feature, does my racial cantrip get replaced first?
No. You generally choose which cantrip to forget, irrespective of its origin. Unless a class feature specifies otherwise, you can choose to forget any cantrip you know when the opportunity arises, even your racial one.
FAQ 12: Does having a racial cantrip prevent me from choosing that same cantrip when I gain levels in a spellcasting class?
No. You can choose the same cantrip again when leveling up. While knowing the same cantrip multiple times doesn’t grant any additional benefits, there’s nothing preventing you from selecting a cantrip you already know. This might be strategically useful if, for example, you anticipate losing access to your racial traits somehow.
FAQ 13: Are there any races where the cantrip doesn’t count against your cantrips known?
While exceedingly rare, some homebrew races or modified racial traits might exist where the cantrip is explicitly granted in addition to your class cantrips. However, such instances are not standard within official D&D 5e materials. Always clarify with your DM if you encounter such a case.
FAQ 14: Can I use Metamagic on a racial cantrip if I’m a Sorcerer?
Yes, absolutely! If you are a Sorcerer, you can use your Metamagic options on any cantrip you cast, regardless of its source. This includes cantrips gained from racial traits.
FAQ 15: If a racial trait grants a cantrip based on my alignment, can I change the cantrip if my alignment changes?
Generally, no. Once chosen, the cantrip is locked in, regardless of subsequent alignment shifts. While DMs have the discretion to allow changes in specific circumstances, the standard rules do not provide a mechanism for swapping out a cantrip based on alignment changes.