They’re not contradictory as I read it- the first one is the general rule, and the multiclass supersedes it once you’re preparing spells from multiple class spellcasting features. Doesn’t help with at-will Invocations though, yeah.
You're right. When rules contradict you use the specific over the general. This does change things from how people used to rule Magic Initiate, Shadow-touched, and Fey-touched though. Also this can lead to weird interactions where you can select any of those feats and cast a class spell that doesn't use the ability modifier of your class spellcasting feature.
Boosting the feat spells a bit isn't an issue- that's a very small pool of all low end stuff, it's not like what I thought this would do Sorcerer dips. And while technically you could pick a stat besides one of your class stats to cast with, I doubt it will come up much if at all for obvious reasons.
A class’s spell list specifies the spells that belong to the class. For example, a Sorcerer spell is a spell on the Sorcerer spell list, and if a Sorcerer knows spells that aren’t on that list, those spells aren’t Sorcerer spells unless a feature says otherwise.
Honestly, it's good to finally see this included in the SAC.
It is worth noting that this question is in the General Spellcasting section, and neither the question nor the answer mention a multiclass situation.
The question and answer quoted from the multiclass section clearly implies that the class of the feature via which the spell is gained is the governing factor for deciding which other class-based effects are relevant for that spell.
A Wizard multiclasses into a Sorcerer with the Wild Magic Sorcery subclass. Do spells cast from their spellbook trigger Wild Magic Surge if they are on the Sorcerer spell list, or do they have to gain them from Sorcerer to trigger?
Since the Wild Magic Surge feature just looks for Sorcerer spells cast with a spell slot, this definitely answers the question: No, a spell doesn't qualify as a class spell just because it's on the list. You have to gain it from that class's features for it to qualify.
I'd say the jury's still out on whether or not a feat gained as part of your class progression counts as a class feature, but as a DM, I'd say no.
A Wizard multiclasses into a Sorcerer with the Wild Magic Sorcery subclass. Do spells cast from their spellbook trigger Wild Magic Surge if they are on the Sorcerer spell list, or do they have to gain them from Sorcerer to trigger?
Since the Wild Magic Surge feature just looks for Sorcerer spells cast with a spell slot, this definitely answers the question: No, a spell doesn't qualify as a class spell just because it's on the list. You have to gain it from that class's features for it to qualify.
I'd say the jury's still out on whether or not a feat gained as part of your class progression counts as a class feature, but as a DM, I'd say no.
Sage Advice got this one wrong unfortunately. Their explanation does not align with what the text actually says.
The Multiclass rule describes what to do when you have two different class Features called "Spellcasting".
When you do, you use this rule to determine how to prepare your spells and how to subsequently cast these spells which you have prepared:
Spells Prepared. You determine what spells you can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class.
. . .
Each spell you prepare is associated with one of your classes, and . . .
you use the spellcasting ability of that class when you cast the spell.
As written, none of that has anything at all to do with which spells are classified as "Warlock Spells", or "Cleric Spells" or any other classification of spells. By rule, those classifications are determined by which spells appear on which class spell lists.
The above rule is only essentially saying:
If you use your Wizard Spellcasting Feature to prepare a particular spell, then that prepared spell is associated with your Wizard class. Per this rule, ALL that that means is that when you cast that spell you must use Intelligence as your spellcasting ability.
Depending on which class spell list(s) this particular spell appears on, this prepared spell might be a Wizard spell, or it might be a Sorcerer spell, or it might be neither or it might be both.
One of the points of Sage Advice is to answer questions that the text does not. You are free to disagree and run your tables your way, but when the developers of the rules are telling you the Rules As Intended for something, by definition they cannot be "wrong".
Thinking about the last comments in the thread, and considering what SAC is saying, we could have two different scenarios ruled differently depending on whether the character is multiclassed or not.
Let's say you have Magic Initiate and you choose Ray of Sickness.
– Sorcerer: you roll with advantage (General Spellcasting answer) – Sorcerer/Wizard: you don't roll with advantage (Multiclassing answer)
Unless my interpretation of the Sorcerer/Wizard case is not right, and if you rule that the spell was prepared as a Sorcerer, then Innate Sorcery would apply too.
You're right. When rules contradict you use the specific over the general. This does change things from how people used to rule Magic Initiate, Shadow-touched, and Fey-touched though. Also this can lead to weird interactions where you can select any of those feats and cast a class spell that doesn't use the ability modifier of your class spellcasting feature.
Boosting the feat spells a bit isn't an issue- that's a very small pool of all low end stuff, it's not like what I thought this would do Sorcerer dips. And while technically you could pick a stat besides one of your class stats to cast with, I doubt it will come up much if at all for obvious reasons.
It is worth noting that this question is in the General Spellcasting section, and neither the question nor the answer mention a multiclass situation.
The question and answer quoted from the multiclass section clearly implies that the class of the feature via which the spell is gained is the governing factor for deciding which other class-based effects are relevant for that spell.
This one IS under Multiclassing, though!
Since the Wild Magic Surge feature just looks for Sorcerer spells cast with a spell slot, this definitely answers the question: No, a spell doesn't qualify as a class spell just because it's on the list. You have to gain it from that class's features for it to qualify.
I'd say the jury's still out on whether or not a feat gained as part of your class progression counts as a class feature, but as a DM, I'd say no.
Sage Advice got this one wrong unfortunately. Their explanation does not align with what the text actually says.
The Multiclass rule describes what to do when you have two different class Features called "Spellcasting".
When you do, you use this rule to determine how to prepare your spells and how to subsequently cast these spells which you have prepared:
As written, none of that has anything at all to do with which spells are classified as "Warlock Spells", or "Cleric Spells" or any other classification of spells. By rule, those classifications are determined by which spells appear on which class spell lists.
The above rule is only essentially saying:
If you use your Wizard Spellcasting Feature to prepare a particular spell, then that prepared spell is associated with your Wizard class. Per this rule, ALL that that means is that when you cast that spell you must use Intelligence as your spellcasting ability.
Depending on which class spell list(s) this particular spell appears on, this prepared spell might be a Wizard spell, or it might be a Sorcerer spell, or it might be neither or it might be both.
One of the points of Sage Advice is to answer questions that the text does not. You are free to disagree and run your tables your way, but when the developers of the rules are telling you the Rules As Intended for something, by definition they cannot be "wrong".
Ya I would agree that the sage advice isn't how the text is written but it definitely tells us what the intention is.
Thinking about the last comments in the thread, and considering what SAC is saying, we could have two different scenarios ruled differently depending on whether the character is multiclassed or not.
Let's say you have Magic Initiate and you choose Ray of Sickness.
– Sorcerer: you roll with advantage (General Spellcasting answer)
– Sorcerer/Wizard: you don't roll with advantage (Multiclassing answer)
Unless my interpretation of the Sorcerer/Wizard case is not right, and if you rule that the spell was prepared as a Sorcerer, then Innate Sorcery would apply too.