This has probably been addressed but I couldn't find it so be nice.
In the PHB it states, "You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest." I'm a bit of a literalist and find this pretty straightforward but recognize that I might be wrong. Just getting back into gaming after a 10 year hiatus and everything is different. Sheesh!
It's Monday and Joe Cleric has prepared a 2nd level Ward Bond spell for the day. The group goes forth, survives and calls it a night. On Tuesday, he changes no spells when he awakens and the group goes back into the dungeon. Six hours later, he realizes that he really needs Silence rather than Warding Bond so he settles down in a quiet spot and prays for 2 minutes (1 minute/spell level) and the spell he had is replaced.
Is that how it works? I'd been thinking that one had to change out spells immediately after finishing a long rest but realized that is what the book says even if that's what I inferred.
Preparing spells must be done at the end of a long rest, the time spent should be part of your 2 hrs of light activity. Accurate timekeeping on that is usually just handwaved, but you should still be swapping them out as part of the bookkeeping for a long rest.
It should also be noted that the time required is based on all of the spells on your new list, not just the ones you're changing out.
No. You had it right that it is rather literally "when you finish [the] long rest".
Features that can be used whenever and have to rest to recharge always start with the amount of time it takes to use and ends with "can't be used again until you finish a rest".
From a different resource (Things You Didn’t Know About D&D 5e: Preparing Spells – Dungeon Master's Workshop (dmsworkshop.com)) it seemed that you didn't need to study spells each day, only when you changed them. The author posits, "What Fifth Edition has changed is that your prepared spells automatically refresh when you finish a long rest. It’s only if you didn’t have a spell prepared the previous day that you have to spend time preparing it. For example, wanting to swap out fireball for another spell you know, such as scorching ray, would require that you spend time studying your spellbook to refamiliarize yourself with the arcane formula of that spell. If you prepared a spell yesterday, it’s still prepared today, even if you cast it."
Is he wrong? Is this an assumption that's held over from previous versions or is there an authoritative reference you can offer?
From a different resource (Things You Didn’t Know About D&D 5e: Preparing Spells – Dungeon Master's Workshop (dmsworkshop.com)) it seemed that you didn't need to study spells each day, only when you changed them. The author posits, "What Fifth Edition has changed is that your prepared spells automatically refresh when you finish a long rest. It’s only if you didn’t have a spell prepared the previous day that you have to spend time preparing it. For example, wanting to swap out fireball for another spell you know, such as scorching ray, would require that you spend time studying your spellbook to refamiliarize yourself with the arcane formula of that spell. If you prepared a spell yesterday, it’s still prepared today, even if you cast it."
Is he wrong?
No, but he isn't talking about being able to change spells midday, just that you don't have to spend time changing spells at the end of a long rest if you are not changing your spells.
I found the reference in the Sage Advice Compendium from WotC which reads, "Can spellcasters prepare spells not all at once, but prepare spells at various times in the day? You prepare your list of spells only at the end of a long rest. You can’t prepare some spells at the end of the rest and then prepare more later."
The game balance rationale is completely separate form what maybe the lore reason, and immediately apparent: spell preparations are intended to be a weighty choice. Selecting spells when you need them is as good as having complete access to your class’s entire list.
I have been thinking about this topic and I still find myself a little unsure of the answer.
It's clear to me that once you've cast any spells or set out for an encounter, that your spells are set. IE, in the OP's example, changing spells after you've entered the dungeon seems wrong.
I feel pretty comfortable that resetting your spells after breakfast but before starting your proper day is acceptable.
What if you spend your morning say reading in the library, and after lunch a message comes summoning you to an encounter. Would it be appropriate to reset your spells before leaving for the encounter? What if the morning was shopping?
I have been thinking about this topic and I still find myself a little unsure of the answer.
It's clear to me that once you've cast any spells or set out for an encounter, that your spells are set. IE, in the OP's example, changing spells after you've entered the dungeon seems wrong.
I feel pretty comfortable that resetting your spells after breakfast but before starting your proper day is acceptable.
What if you spend your morning say reading in the library, and after lunch a message comes summoning you to an encounter. Would it be appropriate to reset your spells before leaving for the encounter? What if the morning was shopping?
Rules as Raw - no. You prepare your spells only when you complete the long rest and not later.
Rules as Fun - I'd allow it, but it is a houserule not RAW so check with your DM as your mileage may vary, as they say.
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It also depends on what you consider part of the long rest. Breakfast could be part of the long rest, resting is not just sleeping.
So I'd consider breakfast part of the rest as long as you didn't have to hunt for breakfast first.
That makes sense, especially in the campaigns my players are in where the DM most often provides really great breakfast spreads. (I'm frankly jealous of my characters on this point.)
It is rather silly that the PhB goes out of its way to spell out how much time it takes to memorize spells…after saying ‘when you finish a long rest’. If the first sentence is the requirement then the whole rest of the paragraph after the first sentence is utterly pointless. Why is that??
….I would argue the first sentence doesn’t have the word ‘only’….which is exactly why they added the rest of the paragraph…because there’s two options: 1) at the end of a long rest or 2) sitting down and spending the 1 min/ level….which makes WAY more sense.
from the PHb
“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.”
Rules as Raw - no. You prepare your spells only when you complete the long rest and not later.
Rules as Fun - I'd allow it, but it is a houserule not RAW so check with your DM as your mileage may vary, as they say.
this is my point….you are adding the word ‘only’…it’s not RAW…and they go out of their way to add additional specific requirements for memorizing spells - in a separate sentence from the long rest concept. It’s automatic at the end of a long rest-and there’s a rule for optionally doing it in addition to the first sentence (otherwise most of the paragraph is pointless).
The rules as written spell out HOW you memorize spells AFTER your long rest, which is to say that you still need to spend time AFTER the long rest doing it. It is not automatic at the end of a long rest, you have to spend 1 minute per level of the spell.
The rules tell you what you can do. The generally don't tell you the only way to do something because there are often exceptions. If that first sentence had 'only' in it, then you couldn't have features that changed the expectation, like scribes wizard.
On that note, the fact that scribes wizardspellbooks get a feature to change prepared spells outside of the normal times is plenty of indication that it is not expected otherwise.
edit: double-checking my memory.
Edit2: its the Tasha's spellbook magic items that allow mid-day preparation swaps, not the scribes order.
Okay, here's the thing. Using Cleric as the example wording:
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of cleric spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
This actually tells us two things:
1. You change spells only at the end of a long rest. No, it doesn't say only. No, it doesn't need to. You can't change them any time it doesn't say you can.
2. Preparing the new list requires at least 1 minute for each level of spell on your list that you're preparing. (Wizard has similar wording but wizard-flavored instead.)
When you put these together, that tells us the prep time must be at the end of your long rest. If you do other things after your long rest, that's new activity and your window has closed.
Now, here's the thing. The PHB considers eating a strenuous activity. With that in mind, since the PHB allows up to 2 hours of said activity as part of a long rest, breakfast could be ruled to be part of the long rest and not interrupt the process.
If that first sentence had 'only' in it, then you couldn't have features that changed the expectation,
Nor really-your scenario would still be a general rule…superceded by a specific rule in a feature
That wouldn't fit the design language of the rules. The authors know that when you give 'only' rules then exception priority becomes much less clear. One rule says you can do something only this way, and another says you can do it that way. Which one is more specific? No matter what section they're printed in? or what niche of characters they apply to? A certain number of people might decide that the 'only' rule is more specific no matter what. There is plenty of evidence on these forums of people not agreeing on rule specificity priority.
When rules are written to give you new possibilities, each exception can just be a new possibility. It takes nothing away from others and adds a lot less confusion.
Not to mention that it doesn't matter in this case because the paragraph in question isn't two different rules. It is one rule explaining when and how you can prepare spells.
Okay, here's the thing. Using Cleric as the example wording:
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of cleric spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
This actually tells us two things:
1. You change spells only at the end of a long rest. No, it doesn't say only. No, it doesn't need to. You can't change them any time it doesn't say you can.
2. Preparing the new list requires at least 1 minute for each level of spell on your list that you're preparing. (Wizard has similar wording but wizard-flavored instead.)
When you put these together, that tells us the prep time must be at the end of your long rest. If you do other things after your long rest, that's new activity and your window has closed.
Now, here's the thing. The PHB considers eating a strenuous activity. With that in mind, since the PHB allows up to 2 hours of said activity as part of a long rest, breakfast could be ruled to be part of the long rest and not interrupt the process.
One thing to keep in mind that I think many ignore (I tend to do so) is that the time required to prepare spells is a significant increase in rest time for higher level casters.
Level 1: 2 minutes
Level 5: 16 minutes
Level 12: 47 minutes
Level 20: 93 minutes
In addition, can you change individual spells or do you have to prepare the entire "list" at once even if only one spell changes? Since the rules state that you "can" change the spells, this implies that you don't have to prepare spells if you don't plan to change any. However, preparing the new "list" specifies a time for every spell in the list - not just the ones that may have changed. Personally, I would allow preparation of only the spells that change but it doesn't appear to be strictly RAW.
Finally :), the 1 minute/spell level rule when the time is simply added to the end of a long rest seems like a bit of excess detail given the general simplification philosophy of 5e. I'm a bit surprised that they didn't just leave the rule at "You can have a new list of spells prepared at the end of a long rest."
It is rather silly that the PhB goes out of its way to spell out how much time it takes to memorize spells…after saying ‘when you finish a long rest’. If the first sentence is the requirement then the whole rest of the paragraph after the first sentence is utterly pointless. Why is that??
….I would argue the first sentence doesn’t have the word ‘only’….which is exactly why they added the rest of the paragraph…because there’s two options: 1) at the end of a long rest or 2) sitting down and spending the 1 min/ level….which makes WAY more sense.
from the PHb
“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.”
I don't think the time part is silly. If you are awakened from your long rest by a monster attack, you don't have time to change out your spells if you want to be part of the initiative order.
It is interesting to note how long the required time is for high level spells, and that you have to spend the whole time even to swap just one. This is where being an Elf and needing only 4 hours for your long rest starts to look super attractive, if your table is rigorous about that. Or, your table could choose to only require the time for the spells changed (which would make sense to me, personally).
As the DM it's something to note that small changes in timing then affect whether your spellcasters can change out their spells. A missive that comes in the evening for an adventure tomorrow lets you change them. A missive that comes mid morning for a same day adventure does not.
This has probably been addressed but I couldn't find it so be nice.
In the PHB it states, "You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest." I'm a bit of a literalist and find this pretty straightforward but recognize that I might be wrong. Just getting back into gaming after a 10 year hiatus and everything is different. Sheesh!
It's Monday and Joe Cleric has prepared a 2nd level Ward Bond spell for the day. The group goes forth, survives and calls it a night. On Tuesday, he changes no spells when he awakens and the group goes back into the dungeon. Six hours later, he realizes that he really needs Silence rather than Warding Bond so he settles down in a quiet spot and prays for 2 minutes (1 minute/spell level) and the spell he had is replaced.
Is that how it works? I'd been thinking that one had to change out spells immediately after finishing a long rest but realized that is what the book says even if that's what I inferred.
Preparing spells must be done at the end of a long rest, the time spent should be part of your 2 hrs of light activity. Accurate timekeeping on that is usually just handwaved, but you should still be swapping them out as part of the bookkeeping for a long rest.
It should also be noted that the time required is based on all of the spells on your new list, not just the ones you're changing out.
Features that can be used whenever and have to rest to recharge always start with the amount of time it takes to use and ends with "can't be used again until you finish a rest".
From a different resource (Things You Didn’t Know About D&D 5e: Preparing Spells – Dungeon Master's Workshop (dmsworkshop.com)) it seemed that you didn't need to study spells each day, only when you changed them. The author posits, "What Fifth Edition has changed is that your prepared spells automatically refresh when you finish a long rest. It’s only if you didn’t have a spell prepared the previous day that you have to spend time preparing it. For example, wanting to swap out fireball for another spell you know, such as scorching ray, would require that you spend time studying your spellbook to refamiliarize yourself with the arcane formula of that spell. If you prepared a spell yesterday, it’s still prepared today, even if you cast it."
Is he wrong? Is this an assumption that's held over from previous versions or is there an authoritative reference you can offer?
No, but he isn't talking about being able to change spells midday, just that you don't have to spend time changing spells at the end of a long rest if you are not changing your spells.
I found the reference in the Sage Advice Compendium from WotC which reads, "Can spellcasters prepare spells not all at once, but prepare spells at various times in the day? You prepare your list of spells only at the end of a long rest. You can’t prepare some spells at the end of the rest and then prepare more later."
https://media.wizards.com/2021/dnd/downloads/SA-Compendium.pdf
It would be interesting to know the rationale for that though I suspect it's an arbitrary sort of thing.
Thanks to those who responded.
The game balance rationale is completely separate form what maybe the lore reason, and immediately apparent: spell preparations are intended to be a weighty choice. Selecting spells when you need them is as good as having complete access to your class’s entire list.
I have been thinking about this topic and I still find myself a little unsure of the answer.
It's clear to me that once you've cast any spells or set out for an encounter, that your spells are set. IE, in the OP's example, changing spells after you've entered the dungeon seems wrong.
I feel pretty comfortable that resetting your spells after breakfast but before starting your proper day is acceptable.
What if you spend your morning say reading in the library, and after lunch a message comes summoning you to an encounter. Would it be appropriate to reset your spells before leaving for the encounter? What if the morning was shopping?
Rules as Raw - no. You prepare your spells only when you complete the long rest and not later.
Rules as Fun - I'd allow it, but it is a houserule not RAW so check with your DM as your mileage may vary, as they say.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
It also depends on what you consider part of the long rest. Breakfast could be part of the long rest, resting is not just sleeping.
So I'd consider breakfast part of the rest as long as you didn't have to hunt for breakfast first.
That makes sense, especially in the campaigns my players are in where the DM most often provides really great breakfast spreads. (I'm frankly jealous of my characters on this point.)
It is rather silly that the PhB goes out of its way to spell out how much time it takes to memorize spells…after saying ‘when you finish a long rest’. If the first sentence is the requirement then the whole rest of the paragraph after the first sentence is utterly pointless. Why is that??
….I would argue the first sentence doesn’t have the word ‘only’….which is exactly why they added the rest of the paragraph…because there’s two options: 1) at the end of a long rest or 2) sitting down and spending the 1 min/ level….which makes WAY more sense.
from the PHb
“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.”
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
this is my point….you are adding the word ‘only’…it’s not RAW…and they go out of their way to add additional specific requirements for memorizing spells - in a separate sentence from the long rest concept. It’s automatic at the end of a long rest-and there’s a rule for optionally doing it in addition to the first sentence (otherwise most of the paragraph is pointless).
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
NO?
The rules as written spell out HOW you memorize spells AFTER your long rest, which is to say that you still need to spend time AFTER the long rest doing it. It is not automatic at the end of a long rest, you have to spend 1 minute per level of the spell.
The rules tell you what you can do. The generally don't tell you the only way to do something because there are often exceptions. If that first sentence had 'only' in it, then you couldn't have features that changed the expectation,
like scribes wizard.On that note, the fact that
scribes wizardspellbooks get a feature to change prepared spells outside of the normal times is plenty of indication that it is not expected otherwise.edit: double-checking my memory.
Edit2: its the Tasha's spellbook magic items that allow mid-day preparation swaps, not the scribes order.
Nor really-your scenario would still be a general rule…superceded by a specific rule in a feature
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
Okay, here's the thing. Using Cleric as the example wording:
This actually tells us two things:
1. You change spells only at the end of a long rest. No, it doesn't say only. No, it doesn't need to. You can't change them any time it doesn't say you can.
2. Preparing the new list requires at least 1 minute for each level of spell on your list that you're preparing. (Wizard has similar wording but wizard-flavored instead.)
When you put these together, that tells us the prep time must be at the end of your long rest. If you do other things after your long rest, that's new activity and your window has closed.
Now, here's the thing. The PHB considers eating a strenuous activity. With that in mind, since the PHB allows up to 2 hours of said activity as part of a long rest, breakfast could be ruled to be part of the long rest and not interrupt the process.
That wouldn't fit the design language of the rules. The authors know that when you give 'only' rules then exception priority becomes much less clear. One rule says you can do something only this way, and another says you can do it that way. Which one is more specific? No matter what section they're printed in? or what niche of characters they apply to? A certain number of people might decide that the 'only' rule is more specific no matter what. There is plenty of evidence on these forums of people not agreeing on rule specificity priority.
When rules are written to give you new possibilities, each exception can just be a new possibility. It takes nothing away from others and adds a lot less confusion.
Not to mention that it doesn't matter in this case because the paragraph in question isn't two different rules. It is one rule explaining when and how you can prepare spells.
One thing to keep in mind that I think many ignore (I tend to do so) is that the time required to prepare spells is a significant increase in rest time for higher level casters.
Level 1: 2 minutes
Level 5: 16 minutes
Level 12: 47 minutes
Level 20: 93 minutes
In addition, can you change individual spells or do you have to prepare the entire "list" at once even if only one spell changes? Since the rules state that you "can" change the spells, this implies that you don't have to prepare spells if you don't plan to change any. However, preparing the new "list" specifies a time for every spell in the list - not just the ones that may have changed. Personally, I would allow preparation of only the spells that change but it doesn't appear to be strictly RAW.
Finally :), the 1 minute/spell level rule when the time is simply added to the end of a long rest seems like a bit of excess detail given the general simplification philosophy of 5e. I'm a bit surprised that they didn't just leave the rule at "You can have a new list of spells prepared at the end of a long rest."
I don't think the time part is silly. If you are awakened from your long rest by a monster attack, you don't have time to change out your spells if you want to be part of the initiative order.
It is interesting to note how long the required time is for high level spells, and that you have to spend the whole time even to swap just one. This is where being an Elf and needing only 4 hours for your long rest starts to look super attractive, if your table is rigorous about that. Or, your table could choose to only require the time for the spells changed (which would make sense to me, personally).
As the DM it's something to note that small changes in timing then affect whether your spellcasters can change out their spells. A missive that comes in the evening for an adventure tomorrow lets you change them. A missive that comes mid morning for a same day adventure does not.
This leads me to another question:
At your tables, do players announce that they are changing out spells when they do, or do they just do it?