Fire Bolt may be more useful (for setting stuff alight even if hit percentage is rubbish for direct attacks), but not necessarily when everyone has it. And I'd always prioritise spells that make RP sense to me in any case. I think many of the cantrips could fit with Astarion and Shadowheart's backgrounds but Fire Bolt isn't one of them to my mind. I just don't feel right using it with them.
It suits Gale, though!
Pretty much exactly how I see it!
Useless honestly.
Her Sacred Flame was already useless enough due to its terrible 50%-60% accuracy, so giving her a Fire Bolt that is even lower (30%-40%) and uses a completely different main stat is even worse so I removed it from the ability bar in an instant. I just give her a Crossbow and go Dexterity with her. Much more useful that way.
Yeah, I don't think I will ever use SH and Astarion racial cantrip ever anymore. It does not fit from a RP stand-point, but also not a useful option in their build. Like you said, SH has better alternative and so does Astarion.
