I have a question about exactly when can Wizards prepare spells. The player's handbook states that:
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of wizard spells requires time spent studying your spellbook and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
According also to the player handbook, as I understand you are at long rest until you do something other than resting, eating, speaking or so. In my understand, anything adventurous.
So, my question is, can I prepare the spells at any time if I'm long rested? More specifically, are these situations possible?
- We just received our missions. We are living in one hour. I really think I need knock for the next mission, so I spend this hour preparing before we depart.
- We are traveling to our destination. I have my spellbook with me. I take some time to prepare the spells.
I know, but I think the question is more because on the definition of long rest.
If I start a long rest in one day I assume I'll only get control of my char 9 hours later.
The thing is, while we are not fighting or doing anything strenuous, as I understand the rules, I am still on a long rest.
So for example, if I sleep at 10 p.m, wake up at 8 a.m the next day, and have a meeting the next day at 12 p.m. to discuss the next adventure, with my understanding of the rules, I have been long resting during all this time, no?
And if I'm long resting during all this time, can I use any interval in this time to prepare spells or no?
I would say no. Technically, the long rest says that you can do light activity for no more than 2 hours (if you are elf this light activity can be 4 hours). So usually, even during downtime activity, daytime activity can't be considered long rest.
This question came up in a recent game I'm DMing. Actually it wasn't about half-preparing a list as much as it was about when lists of prepared spells could be changed.
I found this thread, and Jeremy's Sage Advice by searching around. I also found a thread stating that it was explicitly possible to change your list of prepared spells at any time in the play testing materials, and that this rule was dropped only when the game went to final printing. So it seems like this was a last minute alteration that was not openly play tested; a half-hearted attempt to return to Vancian magic perhaps?
And it raises a number of questions which have no particularly neat solutions. For example, an experienced wizard could easily spend over an hour preparing spells. What happens if they are interrupted during that once a day opportunity? Do they lose all the spells they were attempting to prepare? Do they lose some proportion of them? Do they retain their previously memorised spells instead? Are they able to continue after the interruption, or do they need to start again? If you only want to change a part of your prepared spell list, do you need to spend the time only on the changes, or do you need to forget everything and re-learn the entire list again?
It seems to me, these issues would go away if spell casters could prepare their spells whenever they wanted, as they could in the play tested material, as long as they invested the required time by hitting the books.
I mean, I do like the restrictions imposed by this ruling as a gameplay mechanic. But it does seem a botched job as it stands. What reasonable in world justification could I give?
Hello,
I have a question about exactly when can Wizards prepare spells. The player's handbook states that:
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of wizard spells requires time spent studying your spellbook and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
According also to the player handbook, as I understand you are at long rest until you do something other than resting, eating, speaking or so. In my understand, anything adventurous.
So, my question is, can I prepare the spells at any time if I'm long rested? More specifically, are these situations possible?
- We just received our missions. We are living in one hour. I really think I need knock for the next mission, so I spend this hour preparing before we depart.
- We are traveling to our destination. I have my spellbook with me. I take some time to prepare the spells.
Thanks for the help,
Yes only if you change the prepared spells you need a long rest. You can prepare spells during travelling.My mistake. See below.
I'm 99% sure that Jeremy Crawford had mentioned that you can only prepare spells once per day. Trying to hunt down the info now.
Edit: I found it rather quickly: http://www.sageadvice.eu/2015/11/30/can-spellcasters-prepare-spells-not-all-at-once/
So you can only prepare spells at the end of a long rest. You can only take one long rest per day, so constantly "resting" isn't really an option.
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Wary the wizard who focuses on homebrew, for he can create nightmares that you wouldn't even dream of
I know, but I think the question is more because on the definition of long rest.
If I start a long rest in one day I assume I'll only get control of my char 9 hours later.
The thing is, while we are not fighting or doing anything strenuous, as I understand the rules, I am still on a long rest.
So for example, if I sleep at 10 p.m, wake up at 8 a.m the next day, and have a meeting the next day at 12 p.m. to discuss the next adventure, with my understanding of the rules, I have been long resting during all this time, no?
And if I'm long resting during all this time, can I use any interval in this time to prepare spells or no?
I would say no. Technically, the long rest says that you can do light activity for no more than 2 hours (if you are elf this light activity can be 4 hours). So usually, even during downtime activity, daytime activity can't be considered long rest.
The latest printing also has a Long rest needing 6 hours of sleep.
Site Rules & Guidelines || How to Tooltip || Contact Support || Changelog || Pricing FAQ || Homebrew FAQ
If you have questions/concerns, please Private Message me or another moderator.
Wary the wizard who focuses on homebrew, for he can create nightmares that you wouldn't even dream of
This question came up in a recent game I'm DMing. Actually it wasn't about half-preparing a list as much as it was about when lists of prepared spells could be changed.
I found this thread, and Jeremy's Sage Advice by searching around. I also found a thread stating that it was explicitly possible to change your list of prepared spells at any time in the play testing materials, and that this rule was dropped only when the game went to final printing. So it seems like this was a last minute alteration that was not openly play tested; a half-hearted attempt to return to Vancian magic perhaps?
And it raises a number of questions which have no particularly neat solutions. For example, an experienced wizard could easily spend over an hour preparing spells. What happens if they are interrupted during that once a day opportunity? Do they lose all the spells they were attempting to prepare? Do they lose some proportion of them? Do they retain their previously memorised spells instead? Are they able to continue after the interruption, or do they need to start again? If you only want to change a part of your prepared spell list, do you need to spend the time only on the changes, or do you need to forget everything and re-learn the entire list again?
It seems to me, these issues would go away if spell casters could prepare their spells whenever they wanted, as they could in the play tested material, as long as they invested the required time by hitting the books.
I mean, I do like the restrictions imposed by this ruling as a gameplay mechanic. But it does seem a botched job as it stands. What reasonable in world justification could I give?