Spellcasters don’t just “know spells” — they manage **what they have ready** and **how they cast them**. Two rules control this: - **Spell Preparation** - **Ritual Casting** #### The Core Rule (Read This First) > **Some spells must be prepared to use. > Some spells can be cast slowly without using spell slots.** Spell preparation is choosing which spells you have **ready to cast today**. #### Who Prepares Spells? Some classes **prepare spells** each day: - Clerics - Druids - Paladins - Wizards Other classes **know spells permanently**: - Bards - Sorcerers - Warlocks - Rangers (usually) Note: If your class prepares spells, this section applies to you. #### How Spell Preparation Works After a **long rest**, you choose a number of spells to prepare. Prepared spells: - Can be cast using spell slots - Can be changed later (after another long rest) Unprepared spells: - Cannot be cast, even if you know them ##### How Many Spells Can You Prepare? This depends on your class, but usually: > **Spellcasting Ability Modifier + Class Level** Example: - Level 3 cleric - Wisdom modifier +3 ➡ Can prepare **6 spells** Note: Cantrips do **not** count toward this limit. #### 📕 Wizards (Special Case) Wizards: - Have a **spellbook** - Can only prepare spells **written in it** - Can add more spells by copying them Spellbook = library Prepared spells = what you memorised today #### Changing Prepared Spells You can change your prepared spells: - After finishing a **long rest** - Not during combat - Not mid-adventure (unless the DM allows it) #### Ritual Casting Some spells can be cast **as rituals**. This means: - No spell slot is used - The spell takes **10 minutes longer** to cast #### The Core Rule > **Ritual spells trade time for spell slots.** #### How Ritual Casting Works To cast a spell as a ritual: - The spell must have the **Ritual** tag - You must have the spell available (rules vary by class) - You add **10 minutes** to the casting time - You do **not** spend a spell slot #### Who Can Cast Rituals? - Clerics & Druids: must have the spell **prepared** - Wizards: must have the spell **in their spellbook** - Bards: must **know** the spell Note: Warlocks can only ritual cast if they have a specific feature. #### When Ritual Casting Makes Sense Ritual casting is great when: - You aren’t under time pressure - You want to save spell slots - You’re exploring or investigating Common ritual spells: - _Detect Magic_ - _Identify_ - _Comprehend Languages_ - _Alarm_ #### When You Can’t Use Rituals You can’t ritual cast if: - You’re in combat - You’re being chased - Time matters immediately - The spell doesn’t have the Ritual tag #### Spell Preparation vs Ritual Casting (Quick Comparison) |Concept|Purpose| |---|---| |Spell Preparation|Limits what spells you can cast today| |Ritual Casting|Saves spell slots by taking extra time| #### DM Rule of Thumb > **If time is tight, rituals aren’t an option. > If time is free, rituals reward planning. #### Summary > **Prepared spells are what you can cast today. > Rituals let you cast certain spells slowly without using slots.**