I’m a little confused on spell slots. Is it how many different spells I can cast between rests or how many spells I can cast period?
Example: if I have 1 spell slot and I cast Magic Missle, does that mean I can only cast MM until my next long rest, or that I’m completely out of spells until the rest?
Spell slots refers to how many spells you can cast, sort of like the number of arrows in a quiver. Once you're out of spell slots you cannot cast spells from that specific spell level until you take a long rest (unless otherwise stated by other game mechanics).
If you're a wizard and you have one 1st level spell slot and you cast a spell with it, you're out of 1st level spell slots until after your next long rest. If you have 2 1st level spell slots, you can cast any 2 1st level spells until you need a long rest to recover your spell slots.
Wait, so say i have a 2nd level spell slot and a 3rd level spell slot. Can i use them both in the same battle?
Yes, just not on the same turn. You can cast as many spells as you have spell slots. You are not locked into a spell if you cast it before and you can cast that same spell again if you so choose.
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1) Spell slots tell you how many spells of each level you can cast. A third level full caster has two second level spots and four first level slots.
2) Casting any spell requires expending a spell slot equal to or greater than the spells level. A first level spell can be cast with ANY spell slot (though usually you would use the lowest level spell slots first). A second level spell requires spell slots of second level or higher.
3) Some spells have additional benefits when cast with a higher level slot (magic missile is one example). Magic missile can be cast with any level slot and each level higher than a first level slot adds an additional d4+1 to the damage (read the spell descriptions for specific effects of upcasting spells). Usually it is better to reserve your higher level slots for higher level spells but there are times when it is advantageous to upcast something instead.
4) You can use a spell slot of the appropriate level to cast any spell that you have prepared. The method of preparation is different for different classes. Cleric/druid pick from a list each day. Wizard picks from the contents of their spellbook. Warlock/sorcerer/bard/arcane trickster/eldritch knight have specific spells that they know which they have chosen as they leveled up. You can't use spell slots on spells that you don't have prepared. A wizard could have featherfall in their spellbook but unless they chose that spell as a prepared spell for the day they can not use spell slots to cast it.
5) Cantrips do not require spell slots.
6) Assuming you have spell slots available, you can use one whenever you take the cast a spell action. However, if you cast a leveled spell as a bonus action (eg healing word, misty step or a quickened leveled spell from a sorcerer) you can only cast cantrips using any other actions during the turn.
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TL;DR Spell slots limit the number of leveled spells you can cast. You need to use a spell slot of a level equal to or greater than the level of the spell to cast it. You can only cast spells you automatically know or have prepared (depending on class).
Say youre out of 1st level slots but you have some 3rd slots available. Can you cast a 1st level spell with the 3rd level slots? Or do you still need to have an available 1st lvl slot?
Say youre out of 1st level slots but you have some 3rd slots available. Can you cast a 1st level spell with the 3rd level slots? Or do you still need to have an available 1st lvl slot?
Yes you can - and most spells benefit from being cast with a higher level spell slot. If they do benefit they will say so at the bottom of their blurb.
I'm thinking that I have asked that question before and whats weird is that I've been playing a Cleric for a while now. But I have brain farts now and then. Thanks for the assistance.
OK, how many spell slots do you gain each level? I'm still confused on it!
Each class' description will include a table showing you how many spell slots you have at a given level. You can find it in the Players Handbook and in the free Basic Rules which are available to everyone.
One doubt, I have the spell "Pass without Trace" but when I wanted to use it I got this "You don't have enough level 2 slots left!"
it was the first time I wanted to use that spell
Assuming you got the spell as part of your class and not through some racial ability or feat, to cast Pass Without Trace you need a spell slot of 2nd-level or higher. If you have no more available spell slots, it's because you used them for casting other spells.
If you're a wizard and you have one 1st level spell slot and you cast a spell with it, you're out of 1st level spell slots until after your next long rest. If you have 2 1st level spell slots, you can cast any 2 1st level spells until you need a long rest to recover your spell slots.
You can recover some spell slots after a short rest. Arcane recovery allows a wizard to recover half their wizard level (rounded up) worth of slots on a short rest and you will recover all spell slots on a long rest. The spell slots recovered in this way must not be higher than 6th level. For instance a tenth level wizard takes a short rest and decides to recover one third and one second level spell slot (3rd level +2nd level = 5 = 10th level / 2). A 14th level wizard may not recover a 7th level spell slot but may recover a 6th and a 1st level slot.
Additionally if you have a higher level spell slot open you can use that slot to cast a lower level spell at that higher level. Some spells gain additional advantage from this practice. For instance, casting a Magic Missile with a second level spell slot adds an additional missile to the spell (4 missiles total).
If, on the other hand, you are out of 1st level spell slots but you really need to use that shield spell, you can burn an open second level spell slot to do so. There is no benefit to casting that shield spell as a second level spell, but you can do it. Or if you want to cast a water breathing spell, but another caster keeps counter-spelling your effort you could cast it as a 4th level spell and make them roll dice to counter-spell it at a DC of 14 (instead of it being automatically countered as a 3rd level spell).
The one thing that you can't do is combine lower level spell slots to cast a higher level spell that you don't have a spell slot for.
I’m a little confused on spell slots. Is it how many different spells I can cast between rests or how many spells I can cast period?
Example: if I have 1 spell slot and I cast Magic Missle, does that mean I can only cast MM until my next long rest, or that I’m completely out of spells until the rest?
Thank you in advance
Spell slots refers to how many spells you can cast, sort of like the number of arrows in a quiver. Once you're out of spell slots you cannot cast spells from that specific spell level until you take a long rest (unless otherwise stated by other game mechanics).
If you're a wizard and you have one 1st level spell slot and you cast a spell with it, you're out of 1st level spell slots until after your next long rest. If you have 2 1st level spell slots, you can cast any 2 1st level spells until you need a long rest to recover your spell slots.
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Thank you! I wasn’t sure if it worked liked that, or if it locked me into a particular spell
Note that cantrips don't use spell slots and your character can cast the cantrips they know essentially an unlimited number of times.
Wait, so say i have a 2nd level spell slot and a 3rd level spell slot. Can i use them both in the same battle?
Yes, just not on the same turn. You can cast as many spells as you have spell slots. You are not locked into a spell if you cast it before and you can cast that same spell again if you so choose.
Lightning Strike - A rebranded Fire Bolt for Wizards & Sorcerers.
Spirit Bomb - A holy fireball for Clerics, Paladins, & Divine Soul Sorcerers!
Sword Dancer - A Cleric subclass specifically for the Drow goddess Eilistraee.
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1) Spell slots tell you how many spells of each level you can cast. A third level full caster has two second level spots and four first level slots.
2) Casting any spell requires expending a spell slot equal to or greater than the spells level. A first level spell can be cast with ANY spell slot (though usually you would use the lowest level spell slots first). A second level spell requires spell slots of second level or higher.
3) Some spells have additional benefits when cast with a higher level slot (magic missile is one example). Magic missile can be cast with any level slot and each level higher than a first level slot adds an additional d4+1 to the damage (read the spell descriptions for specific effects of upcasting spells). Usually it is better to reserve your higher level slots for higher level spells but there are times when it is advantageous to upcast something instead.
4) You can use a spell slot of the appropriate level to cast any spell that you have prepared. The method of preparation is different for different classes. Cleric/druid pick from a list each day. Wizard picks from the contents of their spellbook. Warlock/sorcerer/bard/arcane trickster/eldritch knight have specific spells that they know which they have chosen as they leveled up. You can't use spell slots on spells that you don't have prepared. A wizard could have featherfall in their spellbook but unless they chose that spell as a prepared spell for the day they can not use spell slots to cast it.
5) Cantrips do not require spell slots.
6) Assuming you have spell slots available, you can use one whenever you take the cast a spell action. However, if you cast a leveled spell as a bonus action (eg healing word, misty step or a quickened leveled spell from a sorcerer) you can only cast cantrips using any other actions during the turn.
---------
TL;DR Spell slots limit the number of leveled spells you can cast. You need to use a spell slot of a level equal to or greater than the level of the spell to cast it. You can only cast spells you automatically know or have prepared (depending on class).
Say youre out of 1st level slots but you have some 3rd slots available. Can you cast a 1st level spell with the 3rd level slots? Or do you still need to have an available 1st lvl slot?
Yes you can - and most spells benefit from being cast with a higher level spell slot. If they do benefit they will say so at the bottom of their blurb.
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I'm thinking that I have asked that question before and whats weird is that I've been playing a Cleric for a while now. But I have brain farts now and then. Thanks for the assistance.
OK, how many spell slots do you gain each level? I'm still confused on it!
Go to your class's page and view the class table. It tells you exactly how many spell slots you have for each level.
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Highest 41: brocker2001 (#11,285).
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Each class' description will include a table showing you how many spell slots you have at a given level. You can find it in the Players Handbook and in the free Basic Rules which are available to everyone.
No idea how I missed that before. Thanks, guys. Makes my job FAR easier.
One doubt, I have the spell "Pass without Trace" but when I wanted to use it I got this "You don't have enough level 2 slots left!"
it was the first time I wanted to use that spell
Assuming you got the spell as part of your class and not through some racial ability or feat, to cast Pass Without Trace you need a spell slot of 2nd-level or higher. If you have no more available spell slots, it's because you used them for casting other spells.
It was the first spell I used, I had not used any other, are there slots of different levels?
Yes. Here, read this:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules/spellcasting
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You can recover some spell slots after a short rest. Arcane recovery allows a wizard to recover half their wizard level (rounded up) worth of slots on a short rest and you will recover all spell slots on a long rest. The spell slots recovered in this way must not be higher than 6th level. For instance a tenth level wizard takes a short rest and decides to recover one third and one second level spell slot (3rd level +2nd level = 5 = 10th level / 2). A 14th level wizard may not recover a 7th level spell slot but may recover a 6th and a 1st level slot.
Additionally if you have a higher level spell slot open you can use that slot to cast a lower level spell at that higher level. Some spells gain additional advantage from this practice. For instance, casting a Magic Missile with a second level spell slot adds an additional missile to the spell (4 missiles total).
If, on the other hand, you are out of 1st level spell slots but you really need to use that shield spell, you can burn an open second level spell slot to do so. There is no benefit to casting that shield spell as a second level spell, but you can do it. Or if you want to cast a water breathing spell, but another caster keeps counter-spelling your effort you could cast it as a 4th level spell and make them roll dice to counter-spell it at a DC of 14 (instead of it being automatically countered as a 3rd level spell).
The one thing that you can't do is combine lower level spell slots to cast a higher level spell that you don't have a spell slot for.