Imagine a multiclass like Sorceror 3/Bard 2, taken in that order.
I gain slots based on the sum of their levels (they're both full casters), so 4/3/2 slots (for spell levels 1/2/3).
I prepare a number of spells based on each class's level - 5 bard spells and 6 sorceror spells.
But what level spells can I prepare? Let's dispense with the obvious first:
Sorceror 3 was straight class levels, so they have at most 2nd level spells prepared (and could have up to 3 2nd level spells if they retrained a 1st level spell at 3rd level).
Bard starts with 4 1st level spells.
Now, the more tricky part - the first level of Bard was gaining a bard level, so you could presumably retrain one spell at Bard 1. Then you gain a spell and can retrain a spell at bard 2. What level of spells can those bard spells be?
So let's turn to the multiclassing rules: "You determine what spells you can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class."
Okay, so what does the Bard class say?: "The number of spells on your list increases as you gain Bard levels, as shown in the Prepared Spells column of the Bard Features table. Whenever that number increases, choose additional spells from the Bard spell list until the number of spells on your list matches the number on the table. The chosen spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots." And also: "Whenever you gain a Bard level, you can replace one spell on your list with another Bard spell for which you have spell slots."
So a single class Bard can prepare spells of levels for which they have spell slots. At level 4 (Sorceror 3/Bard 1), I could retrain a level 1 bard spell into a level 2 bard spell, because i have level 2 slots? And then at level 5 (Sorceror 3/Bard 2), I could learn a level 3 spell, and retrain another spell into a level 3 spell, because I have level 3 slots?
(For completeness, all classes use similar wording about a spell level for which you have spell slots).
That doesn't rub me wrong. It doesn't even sound overpowered (Same number of spells per day as a full caster. Fewer prepared spells per class. Doesn't fall behind a spell level, at least not for the most recently gained class level.) That is, until I finish reading the multiclass rules.
Because multiclassing then goes on to say: "This table might give you spell slots of a higher level than the spells you prepare." What? How can you be given spell slots of a higher level than spells you prepare, when spells you can prepare is based on spell slots you have? These can't both be true at the same time. (Unless they just meant you might choose to take lower level spells instead of higher level spells, but that could equally be true of a single-class caster, and they don't have that text, so that seems unlikely).
Did the person who wrote the multiclassing rules even read the class rules?
Somehow...that is what the wording would imply. I never considered that possibility since dndbeyond won't let you do that, but that is what it says. Obviously, though, that isn't how it is intended to work, considering the quote below.
Because multiclassing then goes on to say: "This table might give you spell slots of a higher level than the spells you prepare."
So, my answer would be yes, that is what it technically says. The wording makes it pretty clear, though, that that isn't how it is supposed to work. So, if you have a lenient dm, or one who believes in making multi-class casters possible, you could get away with this. Playing normally, however, I don't think so.
Somehow...that is what the wording would imply. I never considered that possibility since dndbeyond won't let you do that, but that is what it says. Obviously, though, that isn't how it is intended to work, considering the quote below.
Because multiclassing then goes on to say: "This table might give you spell slots of a higher level than the spells you prepare."
So, my answer would be yes, that is what it technically says. The wording makes it pretty clear, though, that that isn't how it is supposed to work. So, if you have a lenient dm, or one who believes in making multi-class casters possible, you could get away with this. Playing normally, however, I don't think so.
I mean, in 3e we would have concluded the multiclass rules were simply wrong about being able to have spell slots you couldn't have spells for, because the class pretty plainly tells you that you can prepare any spell you have a slot for. (As it's given descriptively, the author simply understood the class rules wrong. Similarly, examples are worth less than rules text, because the rules text governs and the example is simply wrong if it contradicts it. The actual rule here is you can learn spells as a single-class caster of each class).
Obviously the DM can choose to go with their interpretation of RAI as they wish, no matter what the rules say. RAW discussions are mostly for DMs to figure out how it works before she decides on house rules.
Imagine a multiclass like Sorceror 3/Bard 2, taken in that order.
I gain slots based on the sum of their levels (they're both full casters), so 4/3/2 slots (for spell levels 1/2/3).
I prepare a number of spells based on each class's level - 5 bard spells and 6 sorceror spells.
But what level spells can I prepare? Let's dispense with the obvious first:
Sorceror 3 was straight class levels, so they have at most 2nd level spells prepared (and could have up to 3 2nd level spells if they retrained a 1st level spell at 3rd level).
Bard starts with 4 1st level spells.
Now, the more tricky part - the first level of Bard was gaining a bard level, so you could presumably retrain one spell at Bard 1. Then you gain a spell and can retrain a spell at bard 2. What level of spells can those bard spells be?
Because you determine what spells you can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class, if you are a level 3 Sorcerer / level 2 Bard, you can prepare five level 1 Bard spells, and you can prepare six Sorcerer spells of level 1 or 2.
While technically when you gain a 2nd Bard level, you can replace one spell on your list with another Bard spell for which you have spell slots which is up to level 3, you wouldn't be able to preppare such spell until you're Bard level 5.
I'm not in front of my computer so I have to be brief for now. Prepare spells as if you are single class means prepare your Sorcerer spells as if you are Sorcerer 3. A Sorcerer 3 only has the spells slots that a Sorcerer 3 could have. Then, repeat as if you were a Bard 2. The text gives a pretty good example that explains it.
[...] So let's turn to the multiclassing rules: "You determine what spells you can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class."
Okay, so what does the Bard class say?: "The number of spells on your list increases as you gain Bard levels, as shown in the Prepared Spells column of the Bard Features table. Whenever that number increases, choose additional spells from the Bard spell list until the number of spells on your list matches the number on the table. The chosen spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots." And also: "Whenever you gain a Bard level, you can replace one spell on your list with another Bard spell for which you have spell slots."
So a single class Bard can prepare spells of levels for which they have spell slots. At level 4 (Sorceror 3/Bard 1), I could retrain a level 1 bard spell into a level 2 bard spell, because i have level 2 slots? And then at level 5 (Sorceror 3/Bard 2), I could learn a level 3 spell, and retrain another spell into a level 3 spell, because I have level 3 slots?
No, because "You determine what spells you can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class". So in this case, as a level 1 Bard, you can't prepare any level 2 Bard spells.
[...] Because multiclassing then goes on to say: "This table might give you spell slots of a higher level than the spells you prepare." What? How can you be given spell slots of a higher level than spells you prepare, when spells you can prepare is based on spell slots you have? These can't both be true at the same time. (Unless they just meant you might choose to take lower level spells instead of higher level spells, but that could equally be true of a single-class caster, and they don't have that text, so that seems unlikely).
Did the person who wrote the multiclassing rules even read the class rules?
The rules are fine. The spell slots of a higher level are only for upcasting your spells, not for preparing them, as stated in the rules:
This table might give you spell slots of a higher level than the spells you prepare. You can use those slots but only to cast your lower-level spells.
An example is also provided to show that you can't prepare spells higher than the levels listed in the Prepared Spells column of your Features table:
For example, if you are a level 4 Ranger / level 3 Sorcerer, you count as a level 5 character when determining your spell slots, counting all your levels as a Sorcerer and half your Ranger levels. As shown in the Multiclass Spellcaster table, you have four level 1 spell slots, three level 2 slots, and two level 3 slots. However, you can’t prepare any level 3 spells, nor can you prepare any level 2 Ranger spells. You can use the spell slots of those levels to cast the spells you do prepare—and potentially enhance their effects.
Also relevant for your cantrips:
Cantrips. If a cantrip of yours increases in power at higher levels, the increase is based on your total character level, not your level in a particular class, unless the spell says otherwise.
EDIT: I just realized that some answers had already been written!
Imagine a multiclass like Sorceror 3/Bard 2, taken in that order.
I gain slots based on the sum of their levels (they're both full casters), so 4/3/2 slots (for spell levels 1/2/3).
I prepare a number of spells based on each class's level - 5 bard spells and 6 sorceror spells.
But what level spells can I prepare? Let's dispense with the obvious first:
Sorceror 3 was straight class levels, so they have at most 2nd level spells prepared (and could have up to 3 2nd level spells if they retrained a 1st level spell at 3rd level).
Bard starts with 4 1st level spells.
Now, the more tricky part - the first level of Bard was gaining a bard level, so you could presumably retrain one spell at Bard 1. Then you gain a spell and can retrain a spell at bard 2. What level of spells can those bard spells be?
Because you determine what spells you can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class, if you are a level 3 Sorcerer / level 2 Bard, you can prepare five level 1 Bard spells, and you can prepare six Sorcerer spells of level 1 or 2.
I'm not in front of my computer so I have to be brief for now. Prepare spells as if you are single class means prepare your Sorcerer spells as if you are Sorcerer 3. A Sorcerer 3 only has the spells slots that a Sorcerer 3 could have. Then, repeat as if you were a Bard 2. The text gives a pretty good example that explains it.
A bard 2 with a 3rd level spell slot can still prepare a 3rd level spell, according to the bard rules. It doesn't care what your bard level is, only that you have the slot. If your DM gave you an (hypothetical) item that gave you a 9th level spell slot, you could prepare a 9th level spell. The class doesn't care how you got the spell slot, just that you have it. The class rules go by the spell slots you have, not your level.
You objectively have a level 3 spell slot (two of them, in fact) as a Sorceror 3/Bard 2.
It would have to say 'Prepare spells for each class as if you were a single-class character with spell slots only for the levels in that class.' It doesn't say anything to limit what spell slots you count as having.
Examples are simply wrong where they disagree with the rules text.
Edit: Would people please deal with the actual rules text in the spellcaster rules for preparing spells, like the bard rules I quoted? Nothing about them makes any mention of class level or even character level.
A sorceror 3/bard 2 does. The character has 3rd level slots. A single-class bard (of any level) with a 3rd level slot can, according to the Bard rules, prep a 3rd level spell.
It never says to limit your slots anywhere. It says you prep spells as a single-class character (ie, following the rules for a Bard preparing spells, which I quoted above). But the multi-class rules already replaced your spell slots with the multiclass spell slots.
A sorceror 3/bard 2 does. The character has 3rd level slots. A single-class bard (of any level) with a 3rd level slot can, according to the Bard rules, prep a 3rd level spell.
It never says to limit your slots anywhere. It says you prep spells as a single-class character (ie, following the rules for a Bard preparing spells, which I quoted above). But the multi-class rules already replaced your spell slots with the multiclass spell slots.
Yes, but you have to prepare the spells as though they are a single class. That means preparing the Sorcerer spells as if they are a Sorcerer 3 and the Bard spells as if they were a Bard 2. A Bard 2 cannot prepare 2nd or 3rd level spells, so even though the character has the slots available, those spells cannot be prepared.
A bard 2 with a 3rd level spell slot can still prepare a 3rd level spell, according to the bard rules.
But not according to the Multiclassing rules:
Spells Prepared.You determine what spells you can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class. If you are a level 4 Ranger / level 3 Sorcerer, for example, you can prepare five level 1 Ranger spells, and you can prepare six Sorcerer spells of level 1 or 2 (as well as four Sorcerer cantrips).
As mentioned earlier:
This table might give you spell slots of a higher level than the spells you prepare. You can use those slots but only to cast your lower-level spells.
So the slots in the table aren't for preparing spells. For that, each class is followed individually.
This table might give you spell slots of a higher level than the spells you prepare. You can use those slots but only to cast your lower-level spells.
So the slots in the table aren't for preparing spells. For that, each class is followed individually.
That's not what any of the text says, though.
How many spells you can prepare is specifically tied to class level. What spell slots you have is not, because the multi-class rules explicitly replace that.
"You determine your available spell slots by adding together all your levels in the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, and wizard classes, half your levels (rounded down) in the paladin and ranger classes, and a third of your fighter or rogue levels (rounded down) if you have the Eldritch Knight or the Arcane Trickster feature. Use this total to determine your spell slots by consulting the Multiclass Spellcaster table."
That's the multiclass rules for spell slots. (The table is the full caster table). It replaces the normal spell slots. Those are the spell slots you (your character) have.
So when they say "This table might give you...", that's a conditional which is always false, because a single class bard with those spell slots can always prepare a spell for all those spell slots, according to the bard class rules. (And so on for all other classes). So the table can never give you slots for which you don't have spells, because a single class character prepares spells based on spell slots the character has. (Note: the text you reference is not wrong, if it was possible to have a slot for which you couldn't prepare spells of that level, you could use those slots to upcast. I'm just not aware of any way to actually get slots for which the rules don't tell you that you can prepare spells. Certainly the table can't give you any according to the class text on preparing spells. But the conditional is still valid, the condition is just always false. (ie, 'if x then y' can be a true conditional, even if it is always the case that 'not x').
The bard rules for preparing spells never references your bard level for what level of spell they can prepare, they refer to slots you have. ("for which you have spell slots"). (And you, as a pronoun, is grammatically the character, not the class level.) Nor does any other full-caster class I checked.
At which point, their examples contradict what the rules actually say.
And each class says words to the effect of 'you can prepare a spell of a level you have slots for'. (Exact bard text in a response above).
[...] The bard rules for preparing spells never references your bard level for what level of spell they can prepare, they refer to slots you have. ("for which you have spell slots"). [...]
That sentence is referring to your Bard Features table:
Spell Slots.The Bard Features table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your level 1+ spells. You regain all expended slots when you finish a Long Rest.
Then,
The number of spells on your list increases as you gain Bard levels, as shown in the Prepared Spells column of the Bard Features table. Whenever that number increases, choose additional spells from the Bard spell list until the number of spells on your list matches the number on the table. The chosen spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots (ADDED BY ME: by context, according to the previously mentioned Prepared Spells column in the Bard Features table)
AnywaySquirrelloid there're some related threads in case you want to read similar explanations about how this works for different examples:
. . .And each class says 'you can prepare a spell of a level you have slots for'.
True, but what you are failing to take into account is that the instruction for preparing spells for a multiclass character is:
You determine what spells you can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class
That means that Bard 2 determines what spells you can prepare as a bard. You can't count the extra slots you get from being multi-classed because the rules explicitly state that you are doing it as if you were single-classed.
As additional clarity, and to forestall those who try to overly parse the words, they then immediately provide an example that illustrates this. The Ranger 4/Sorcerer 3 has 4 1st level spell slots, 3 2nd level spell slots, and 2 3rd level spell slots, but we are told he can only take 5 1st level Ranger spells and 6 1st or 2nd level Sorcerer spells. There is no mention of 3rd level spells, even though the character has the spell slots.
. . .And each class says 'you can prepare a spell of a level you have slots for'.
True, but what you are failing to take into account is that the instruction for preparing spells for a multiclass character is:
You determine what spells you can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class
That means that Bard 2 determines what spells you can prepare as a bard. You can't count the extra slots you get from being multi-classed because the rules explicitly state that you are doing it as if you were single-classed.
As additional clarity, and to forestall those who try to overly parse the words, they then immediately provide an example that illustrates this. The Ranger 4/Sorcerer 3 has 4 1st level spell slots, 3 2nd level spell slots, and 2 3rd level spell slots, but we are told he can only take 5 1st level Ranger spells and 6 1st or 2nd level Sorcerer spells. There is no mention of 3rd level spells, even though the character has the spell slots.
Single-class character means you look at the bard rules for spells. Those tie how many spells you prepare to your bard level, but the level of your spells to your spell slots.
And note that "you" must mean "character", because that's the only thing that makes sense. If they'd meant to tie it to Bard Level, they could have easily done so. So which spells a bard can prepare is about what spell slots the character has. Not their bard level (although normally the two would correlate, as bard level would normally be the source of spell slots, but multiclassing replaces that).
Examples which contradict the text are just wrong. Examples are not rules.
Look, I fully agree with all of you that RAI is as you say. But that doesn't make it RAW.
[...] The bard rules for preparing spells never references your bard level for what level of spell they can prepare, they refer to slots you have. ("for which you have spell slots"). [...]
That sentence is referring to your Bard Features table:
Spell Slots.The Bard Features table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your level 1+ spells. You regain all expended slots when you finish a Long Rest.
But that's not how you prepare spells, that's how many slots a single-class bard has to cast with. And we know that is replaced by the multiclass slots. (Nor is how many slots a single-class bard has to cast with something the multi-class rules refer you to.)
How you prepare spells is governed by separate text. Let's look at it (again):
The number of spells on your list increases as you gain Bard levels, as shown in the Prepared Spells column of the Bard Features table. Whenever that number increases, choose additional spells from the Bard spell list until the number of spells on your list matches the number on the table. The chosen spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots (ADDED BY ME: by context, according to the previously mentioned Prepared Spells column in the Bard Features table)
So, this covers two things, both relevant to multiclassing: (1) How many spells you prepare, and (2) what (level) spells you can prepare.
'How many' refers you to the Bard Features table. We all agree a level two bard prepares 5 bard spells, multiclassed or not.
However, which spells makes no reference to the table. It just says you must have spell slots. Note for which you have spell slots. You is your character, not your class level. And your character, via the multiclass rules on spell slots, has 3rd level slots. (By grammatical context, its your character, not the bard table, which has the spell slots).
It would have been really easy to say something like 'you can prepare any level of spell for which your bardic level grants you spell slots,' or '... for which your bardic level gives you spell slots in the table.' In fact, 3e gave spells known per spell level for bards, based on the bard level, so this is a specific change in how that works. Instead, they chose language that said nothing about bard level, and just said you, the character, had to have a slot of that level. And that's just how single-class bards determine if they can learn a spell, by the spell slots they have. The source of those spell slots is irrelevant, be it multiclassing, magic items, a blessing of the gods, or whatever else might conceivably give them a spell slot of some level. If they have it, they can learn a spell for it.
So now I have a question of my own that is on a very similar topic and seems relevant to this discussion. The 2014 Fey Wanderer subclass of Ranger says this:
Beginning at 3rd level, you can use your action and expend one ranger spell slot to focus your awareness on the region around you. For 1 minute per level of the spell slot you expend, you can sense whether the following types of creatures are present within 1 mile of you (or within up to 6 miles if you are in your favored terrain): aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead. This feature doesn’t reveal the creatures’ location or number.
If you are multi-classed, what qualifies as a ranger spell slot? If you are, for instance, a ranger 4/Bard 3, you have two level 3 spell slots, but neither of your classes can (according to RAI) have third level spells. What are those spell slots? Because if we want to say that neither class counts as having third level spell slots, and therefore cannot prepare third level spells, that implies that those spell slots are neither ranger spell slots nor bard spell slots. For that matter, what would your first level spell slots be? Would they be both ranger and sorcerer? Or would we consider them generic "multi-class" spell slots. Looking at the quote below...
. . .And each class says 'you can prepare a spell of a level you have slots for'.
True, but what you are failing to take into account is that the instruction for preparing spells for a multiclass character is:
You determine what spells you can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class
That means that Bard 2 determines what spells you can prepare as a bard. You can't count the extra slots you get from being multi-classed because the rules explicitly state that you are doing it as if you were single-classed.
As additional clarity, and to forestall those who try to overly parse the words, they then immediately provide an example that illustrates this. The Ranger 4/Sorcerer 3 has 4 1st level spell slots, 3 2nd level spell slots, and 2 3rd level spell slots, but we are told he can only take 5 1st level Ranger spells and 6 1st or 2nd level Sorcerer spells. There is no mention of 3rd level spells, even though the character has the spell slots.
If we take this to be true, then when determining the spells you can learn, you would count neither class as having 3rd level spell slots, and therefore those spell slots belong to neither class. This would imply, then, that in any multi-class case, you cannot use spell slots to activate the Fey Wanderer ability that you would not have if you were just Ranger.
If you are multi-classed, what qualifies as a ranger spell slot? If you are, for instance, a ranger 4/Bard 3, you have two level 3 spell slots, but neither of your classes can (according to RAI) have third level spells. What are those spell slots? Because if we want to say that neither class counts as having third level spell slots, and therefore cannot prepare third level spells, that implies that those spell slots are neither ranger spell slots nor bard spell slots. For that matter, what would your first level spell slots be? Would they be both ranger and sorcerer? Or would we consider them generic "multi-class" spell slots.
My ruling here would be that ALL of your multiclass spell slots are both Ranger spell slots and also Bard spell slots.
The 2014 and 2024 multiclass rules include this:
You can use the spell slots of those levels to cast the spells you do know — and potentially enhance their effects.
You can always use a larger spell slot to cast a lower-level spell. In the case of this Ranger 4/Bard 3, you CAN use a level 3 spell slot to cast one of your level 1 or 2 Ranger spells. Likewise for your Bard spells.
Possibly the intent of saying "ranger spell slots" there is to deliberately exclude Warlock spell slots (which are tracked separately and are not subject to the Spellcasting feature's multiclass rules) from being used for that ability.
How you prepare spells is governed by separate text . . .
When it comes to preparing spells as a multiclass character, it's really important to slow down and carefully read and correctly parse the following multiclass rule:
You determine what spells you can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class.
So, if you are a Sorcerer 3/Bard 2, you follow this process "as if" you literally split yourself in half and transformed into two totally separate characters: A Sorcerer 3 and a Bard 2.
Now, "for each" of those new characters, you prepare their spells "individually". First, the Sorcerer 3 character prepares his spells. A Sorcerer 3 has certain spell slots as indicated on the Sorcerer Features table (He has 4 level 1 slots and 2 level 2 slots). Therefore, the Sorcerer 3 character can prepare 6 spells, all of which must be of either first or second level (as required by the rules of the Sorcerer's Spellcasting class feature). Next, the Bard 2 character prepares his spells. A Bard 2 has certain spell slots as indicated on the Bard Features table (He has 3 level 1 slots). Therefore, the Bard 2 character can prepare 5 spells, all of which must be of first level (as required by the rules of the Bard's Spellcasting class feature).
Lastly, you zip yourself back together and become a Sorcerer 3/Bard 2 again (and you now have the proper spell slots that a Sorcerer 3/Bard 2 character should have). Then, you grab both of those Lists of prepared spells that you just created and stick them both into your pocket.
The book provides an example of executing this procedure:
If you are a level 4 Ranger / level 3 Sorcerer, for example, you can prepare five level 1 Ranger spells, and you can prepare six Sorcerer spells of level 1 or 2 (as well as four Sorcerer cantrips).
When following that example all the way through, it aligns with the procedure that I've just described above.
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Imagine a multiclass like Sorceror 3/Bard 2, taken in that order.
I gain slots based on the sum of their levels (they're both full casters), so 4/3/2 slots (for spell levels 1/2/3).
I prepare a number of spells based on each class's level - 5 bard spells and 6 sorceror spells.
But what level spells can I prepare? Let's dispense with the obvious first:
Sorceror 3 was straight class levels, so they have at most 2nd level spells prepared (and could have up to 3 2nd level spells if they retrained a 1st level spell at 3rd level).
Bard starts with 4 1st level spells.
Now, the more tricky part - the first level of Bard was gaining a bard level, so you could presumably retrain one spell at Bard 1. Then you gain a spell and can retrain a spell at bard 2. What level of spells can those bard spells be?
So let's turn to the multiclassing rules: "You determine what spells you can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class."
Okay, so what does the Bard class say?: "The number of spells on your list increases as you gain Bard levels, as shown in the Prepared Spells column of the Bard Features table. Whenever that number increases, choose additional spells from the Bard spell list until the number of spells on your list matches the number on the table. The chosen spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots." And also: "Whenever you gain a Bard level, you can replace one spell on your list with another Bard spell for which you have spell slots."
So a single class Bard can prepare spells of levels for which they have spell slots. At level 4 (Sorceror 3/Bard 1), I could retrain a level 1 bard spell into a level 2 bard spell, because i have level 2 slots? And then at level 5 (Sorceror 3/Bard 2), I could learn a level 3 spell, and retrain another spell into a level 3 spell, because I have level 3 slots?
(For completeness, all classes use similar wording about a spell level for which you have spell slots).
That doesn't rub me wrong. It doesn't even sound overpowered (Same number of spells per day as a full caster. Fewer prepared spells per class. Doesn't fall behind a spell level, at least not for the most recently gained class level.) That is, until I finish reading the multiclass rules.
Because multiclassing then goes on to say: "This table might give you spell slots of a higher level than the spells you prepare." What? How can you be given spell slots of a higher level than spells you prepare, when spells you can prepare is based on spell slots you have? These can't both be true at the same time. (Unless they just meant you might choose to take lower level spells instead of higher level spells, but that could equally be true of a single-class caster, and they don't have that text, so that seems unlikely).
Did the person who wrote the multiclassing rules even read the class rules?
Somehow...that is what the wording would imply. I never considered that possibility since dndbeyond won't let you do that, but that is what it says. Obviously, though, that isn't how it is intended to work, considering the quote below.
So, my answer would be yes, that is what it technically says. The wording makes it pretty clear, though, that that isn't how it is supposed to work. So, if you have a lenient dm, or one who believes in making multi-class casters possible, you could get away with this. Playing normally, however, I don't think so.
I mean, in 3e we would have concluded the multiclass rules were simply wrong about being able to have spell slots you couldn't have spells for, because the class pretty plainly tells you that you can prepare any spell you have a slot for. (As it's given descriptively, the author simply understood the class rules wrong. Similarly, examples are worth less than rules text, because the rules text governs and the example is simply wrong if it contradicts it. The actual rule here is you can learn spells as a single-class caster of each class).
Obviously the DM can choose to go with their interpretation of RAI as they wish, no matter what the rules say. RAW discussions are mostly for DMs to figure out how it works before she decides on house rules.
Because you determine what spells you can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class, if you are a level 3 Sorcerer / level 2 Bard, you can prepare five level 1 Bard spells, and you can prepare six Sorcerer spells of level 1 or 2.
While technically when you gain a 2nd Bard level, you can replace one spell on your list with another Bard spell for which you have spell slots which is up to level 3, you wouldn't be able to preppare such spell until you're Bard level 5.
I'm not in front of my computer so I have to be brief for now. Prepare spells as if you are single class means prepare your Sorcerer spells as if you are Sorcerer 3. A Sorcerer 3 only has the spells slots that a Sorcerer 3 could have. Then, repeat as if you were a Bard 2. The text gives a pretty good example that explains it.
No, because "You determine what spells you can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class". So in this case, as a level 1 Bard, you can't prepare any level 2 Bard spells.
The rules are fine. The spell slots of a higher level are only for upcasting your spells, not for preparing them, as stated in the rules:
An example is also provided to show that you can't prepare spells higher than the levels listed in the Prepared Spells column of your Features table:
Also relevant for your cantrips:
EDIT: I just realized that some answers had already been written!
A bard 2 with a 3rd level spell slot can still prepare a 3rd level spell, according to the bard rules. It doesn't care what your bard level is, only that you have the slot. If your DM gave you an (hypothetical) item that gave you a 9th level spell slot, you could prepare a 9th level spell. The class doesn't care how you got the spell slot, just that you have it. The class rules go by the spell slots you have, not your level.
You objectively have a level 3 spell slot (two of them, in fact) as a Sorceror 3/Bard 2.
It would have to say 'Prepare spells for each class as if you were a single-class character with spell slots only for the levels in that class.' It doesn't say anything to limit what spell slots you count as having.
Examples are simply wrong where they disagree with the rules text.
Edit: Would people please deal with the actual rules text in the spellcaster rules for preparing spells, like the bard rules I quoted? Nothing about them makes any mention of class level or even character level.
A Bard 2 does not have 3rd level slots.
A sorceror 3/bard 2 does. The character has 3rd level slots. A single-class bard (of any level) with a 3rd level slot can, according to the Bard rules, prep a 3rd level spell.
It never says to limit your slots anywhere. It says you prep spells as a single-class character (ie, following the rules for a Bard preparing spells, which I quoted above). But the multi-class rules already replaced your spell slots with the multiclass spell slots.
Yes, but you have to prepare the spells as though they are a single class. That means preparing the Sorcerer spells as if they are a Sorcerer 3 and the Bard spells as if they were a Bard 2. A Bard 2 cannot prepare 2nd or 3rd level spells, so even though the character has the slots available, those spells cannot be prepared.
But not according to the Multiclassing rules:
As mentioned earlier:
So the slots in the table aren't for preparing spells. For that, each class is followed individually.
That's not what any of the text says, though.
How many spells you can prepare is specifically tied to class level. What spell slots you have is not, because the multi-class rules explicitly replace that.
"You determine your available spell slots by adding together all your levels in the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, and wizard classes, half your levels (rounded down) in the paladin and ranger classes, and a third of your fighter or rogue levels (rounded down) if you have the Eldritch Knight or the Arcane Trickster feature. Use this total to determine your spell slots by consulting the Multiclass Spellcaster table."
That's the multiclass rules for spell slots. (The table is the full caster table). It replaces the normal spell slots. Those are the spell slots you (your character) have.
So when they say "This table might give you...", that's a conditional which is always false, because a single class bard with those spell slots can always prepare a spell for all those spell slots, according to the bard class rules. (And so on for all other classes). So the table can never give you slots for which you don't have spells, because a single class character prepares spells based on spell slots the character has. (Note: the text you reference is not wrong, if it was possible to have a slot for which you couldn't prepare spells of that level, you could use those slots to upcast. I'm just not aware of any way to actually get slots for which the rules don't tell you that you can prepare spells. Certainly the table can't give you any according to the class text on preparing spells. But the conditional is still valid, the condition is just always false. (ie, 'if x then y' can be a true conditional, even if it is always the case that 'not x').
The bard rules for preparing spells never references your bard level for what level of spell they can prepare, they refer to slots you have. ("for which you have spell slots"). (And you, as a pronoun, is grammatically the character, not the class level.) Nor does any other full-caster class I checked.
At which point, their examples contradict what the rules actually say.
And each class says words to the effect of 'you can prepare a spell of a level you have slots for'. (Exact bard text in a response above).
That sentence is referring to your Bard Features table:
Then,
Anyway Squirrelloid there're some related threads in case you want to read similar explanations about how this works for different examples:
True, but what you are failing to take into account is that the instruction for preparing spells for a multiclass character is:
That means that Bard 2 determines what spells you can prepare as a bard. You can't count the extra slots you get from being multi-classed because the rules explicitly state that you are doing it as if you were single-classed.
As additional clarity, and to forestall those who try to overly parse the words, they then immediately provide an example that illustrates this. The Ranger 4/Sorcerer 3 has 4 1st level spell slots, 3 2nd level spell slots, and 2 3rd level spell slots, but we are told he can only take 5 1st level Ranger spells and 6 1st or 2nd level Sorcerer spells. There is no mention of 3rd level spells, even though the character has the spell slots.
Single-class character means you look at the bard rules for spells. Those tie how many spells you prepare to your bard level, but the level of your spells to your spell slots.
And note that "you" must mean "character", because that's the only thing that makes sense. If they'd meant to tie it to Bard Level, they could have easily done so. So which spells a bard can prepare is about what spell slots the character has. Not their bard level (although normally the two would correlate, as bard level would normally be the source of spell slots, but multiclassing replaces that).
Examples which contradict the text are just wrong. Examples are not rules.
Look, I fully agree with all of you that RAI is as you say. But that doesn't make it RAW.
But that's not how you prepare spells, that's how many slots a single-class bard has to cast with. And we know that is replaced by the multiclass slots. (Nor is how many slots a single-class bard has to cast with something the multi-class rules refer you to.)
How you prepare spells is governed by separate text. Let's look at it (again):
So, this covers two things, both relevant to multiclassing: (1) How many spells you prepare, and (2) what (level) spells you can prepare.
'How many' refers you to the Bard Features table. We all agree a level two bard prepares 5 bard spells, multiclassed or not.
However, which spells makes no reference to the table. It just says you must have spell slots. Note for which you have spell slots. You is your character, not your class level. And your character, via the multiclass rules on spell slots, has 3rd level slots. (By grammatical context, its your character, not the bard table, which has the spell slots).
It would have been really easy to say something like 'you can prepare any level of spell for which your bardic level grants you spell slots,' or '... for which your bardic level gives you spell slots in the table.' In fact, 3e gave spells known per spell level for bards, based on the bard level, so this is a specific change in how that works. Instead, they chose language that said nothing about bard level, and just said you, the character, had to have a slot of that level. And that's just how single-class bards determine if they can learn a spell, by the spell slots they have. The source of those spell slots is irrelevant, be it multiclassing, magic items, a blessing of the gods, or whatever else might conceivably give them a spell slot of some level. If they have it, they can learn a spell for it.
So now I have a question of my own that is on a very similar topic and seems relevant to this discussion. The 2014 Fey Wanderer subclass of Ranger says this:
Beginning at 3rd level, you can use your action and expend one ranger spell slot to focus your awareness on the region around you. For 1 minute per level of the spell slot you expend, you can sense whether the following types of creatures are present within 1 mile of you (or within up to 6 miles if you are in your favored terrain): aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead. This feature doesn’t reveal the creatures’ location or number.
If you are multi-classed, what qualifies as a ranger spell slot? If you are, for instance, a ranger 4/Bard 3, you have two level 3 spell slots, but neither of your classes can (according to RAI) have third level spells. What are those spell slots? Because if we want to say that neither class counts as having third level spell slots, and therefore cannot prepare third level spells, that implies that those spell slots are neither ranger spell slots nor bard spell slots. For that matter, what would your first level spell slots be? Would they be both ranger and sorcerer? Or would we consider them generic "multi-class" spell slots. Looking at the quote below...
If we take this to be true, then when determining the spells you can learn, you would count neither class as having 3rd level spell slots, and therefore those spell slots belong to neither class. This would imply, then, that in any multi-class case, you cannot use spell slots to activate the Fey Wanderer ability that you would not have if you were just Ranger.
My ruling here would be that ALL of your multiclass spell slots are both Ranger spell slots and also Bard spell slots.
The 2014 and 2024 multiclass rules include this:
You can always use a larger spell slot to cast a lower-level spell. In the case of this Ranger 4/Bard 3, you CAN use a level 3 spell slot to cast one of your level 1 or 2 Ranger spells. Likewise for your Bard spells.
Possibly the intent of saying "ranger spell slots" there is to deliberately exclude Warlock spell slots (which are tracked separately and are not subject to the Spellcasting feature's multiclass rules) from being used for that ability.
pronouns: he/she/they
When it comes to preparing spells as a multiclass character, it's really important to slow down and carefully read and correctly parse the following multiclass rule:
So, if you are a Sorcerer 3/Bard 2, you follow this process "as if" you literally split yourself in half and transformed into two totally separate characters: A Sorcerer 3 and a Bard 2.
Now, "for each" of those new characters, you prepare their spells "individually". First, the Sorcerer 3 character prepares his spells. A Sorcerer 3 has certain spell slots as indicated on the Sorcerer Features table (He has 4 level 1 slots and 2 level 2 slots). Therefore, the Sorcerer 3 character can prepare 6 spells, all of which must be of either first or second level (as required by the rules of the Sorcerer's Spellcasting class feature). Next, the Bard 2 character prepares his spells. A Bard 2 has certain spell slots as indicated on the Bard Features table (He has 3 level 1 slots). Therefore, the Bard 2 character can prepare 5 spells, all of which must be of first level (as required by the rules of the Bard's Spellcasting class feature).
Lastly, you zip yourself back together and become a Sorcerer 3/Bard 2 again (and you now have the proper spell slots that a Sorcerer 3/Bard 2 character should have). Then, you grab both of those Lists of prepared spells that you just created and stick them both into your pocket.
The book provides an example of executing this procedure:
When following that example all the way through, it aligns with the procedure that I've just described above.