Ok I am confused between number of spells a wizard may know per wizard level and how many spell slots per level they have. Here's the issue. From PHB:
For instance which is the wizard table? It matches both descriptions for how many spells per spell level you can have but also seems to match a number of spell slots you can cast from at any given time. It's contradictory. Level 3 on the table shows a total of 6 spells: 4 1st level 2 3rd level Down below it tells you that wizards start with six level 1 spells. BUT then it says :
"You prepare the list of wizard spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of wizard spells from your spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + your wizard level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you’re a 3rd-level wizard, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination, chosen from your spellbook. If you prepare the 1st-level spell magic missile, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells."
That number is SIX the same number as on the chart therefore the modifier has nothing to do with it. /confused Also why restrict the number of spells you can learn? wizards are always on a quest for knowledge which leads them to the unkempt look and smell oft associated and even twisted by wild magic.
Wizards can theoretically have as many spells in their spellbooks as there are pages in it. They only get 2 free spells per level, mechanically that's so wizards dont get all their spells for a new level when they level up. they have the largest list of possible spells, the classes that give access to all spells on their classes list have a small number or spells in their spell list. As for the initial question of how many spells prepared its easy, take the level your wizard is and add your INT mod to that number and that is the total number of spells you can have prepared at one time.
It works like this: You start with 6 1st-level spells in your spellbook. You add 2 more spells per level. Every time you get a new wizard level, you add two new spells to your book that have to be of a level that you can cast at your wizard level. For example, if you go up to wizard level 3, those two spells could be either level 1 or level 2 (because the table tells you that a level 3 wizard has 4 level 1 spell slots, and 2 level 2 spell slots). ). If you were to go up to wizard level 5, those two spells could be level 1, level 2, or level 3 (since the table tells you that a level 5 wizard has 4 level 1 spell slots, 3 level 2 spell slots and 2 of level 3 spell slots). And so with each wizard level you get. After each long rest you prepare your spells from among the spells you have in your spellbook. You can only cast spells that you have prepared unless they are rituals (but don't worry about that now. The idea is that to cast a spell you have to have it prepared). You can prepare a maximum of spells equal to your wizard level plus your Int modifier. For example, a level 2 wizard with a +3 Int, prepare 5 spells from among the spells in his spellbook. When you cast a spell you consume a spell slot of the same level as the spell or higher. For example, to cast Shield, you have to spend a spell slot of level 1 or higher. You have a number of spell slots according to your level as shown in the table, and you get them back after a long rest. Think of spell slots as a currency that you pay in order to cast your spell. A level 3 spell, for example, "costs" a spell slot level 3 or higher. Regarding spells with the ritual tag, you can cast them as a ritual without spending a spell slot, or as normal. To cast it normally you have to have it prepared like any other spell. To cast it as a ritual, it simply has to be in your spellbook (you don't have to have it prepared).
Edit: You have the list of wizard spells in the PHB. A wizard can only write spells from that list into his spellbook.
You can always learn two new spells at every level up. You can also learn new spells through study or scrolls during your campaign according to DM ruling.
Wizards start with 6 spells in their spellbook chosen from the wizard spell list and gain 2 more at each level up, for a total of 44 spells at level 20. They can also scribe additional spells from the wizard spell list into their spellbook by copying them from scrolls or other spellbooks that they come across. Theoretically, though extremely unlikely, a wizard can have the entire wizard spell list copied into their spellbook.
Out of all those spells written in their spellbook, wizards can prepare a number of them equal to their wizard level plus their intelligence modifier, for a maximum of 25 spells prepared at level 20. They can change which spells are prepared whenever they finish a long rest. They can only cast the spells that they have prepared, with the exception of rituals which I'll explain in a moment.
Wizards also have a certain number of spell slots of each level, listed on the wizard table, for a total of 22 spell slots at level 20. This number doesn't change, no matter how many spells are in the spellbook or how many spells they can prepare.
Those spell slots can be used to cast any of their prepared spells, assuming they're of the appropriate level. They don't correlate with a specific spell. So for example, the wizard can use all four 1st level slots to cast the same spell multiple times, or they can use them to cast a different spell each time. I personally really like JoCat's use of the term "mage bullets," rather than "spell slots," because it's more accurate and less confusing to view them as ammunition with which to cast spells than as slots to be filled with specific spells.
Additionally, as I hinted at previously, wizards can cast certain spells as rituals. Those spells are indicated by the ritual tag. To do this, the casting time is increased by ten minutes, but it doesn't cost a spell slot/mage bullet. If a wizard wants to cast a ritual spell with its normal casting time instead of adding ten minutes, using a spell slot/mage bullet, they will still need to prepare it, however.
The "Spell Slot" concept comes from other editions, where the wizard "stored" his spells in his "Spell Slots", and then cast them. In turn, in those first editions, the concept came from the novels of Jack Vance, very influential in the conception of D&D. In Vantian magic, mages memorize spells, which are erased from their minds once cast (hence the mechanics of other editions).
Nowadays the use of spell slots is more akin to "coins" or "bullets", where you "spend" the spell slots to cast as opposed to "saving" your spells there so you can cast them later.
thanks guys. The Vancian from the earliest editions is what I'm used to but then when I saw mage level + intel bonus it threw me for a loop because the numbers added the same but I guess that was coincidence. I've always stayed away from casters except in 4e - that had a much simpler system but that's then, this way is back now. Thanks again I think I have a handle on it.
this throws me though. say level 3 and 3 intel mod. equals 6 able to memorize. chart shows 4 first level and 2 second level. i see now that both 6 is just coincidence but it means the six able to memorize per day (or between long rests) has to be 4 first and 2 second or does it mean wizard could cast the a 2nd level spell 6 times? And what if the wizard only has +2 bonus. Now the wizard is short and can't cast 4 and 2 since her slots is only 5 now.
this throws me though. say level 3 and 3 intel mod. equals 6 able to memorize. chart shows 4 first level and 2 second level. i see now that both 6 is just coincidence but it means the six able to memorize per day (or between long rests) has to be 4 first and 2 second or does it mean wizard could cast the a 2nd level spell 6 times? And what if the wizard only has +2 bonus. Now the wizard is short and can't cast 4 and 2 since her slots is only 5 now.
see my confusion?
The number you prepare ("memorize") i six. But they can be any combination of first and 2nd level spells as long as they are all within your book:
Example 1: If you want you can "memorize" all 1st level spells. Let's say shield, magic missile, sleep, protection from good and evil, absorb elements and feather fall.
That is 6 spells, so those can be the 6 you prepare (if they all are in your book). These are all 1st level spells, so in this case you have no 2nd level spells preapred. You can use any of your 1st or 2nd level slots to cast any of these spells. You can cast magic missile 6 times if you want using your slots or you can cast shield . If you cast magic missile using a 2nd level slot you get one extra missile.
Instead you can cast shield 6 times if you want. Since Shield is a 1st level spell you can use a 2nd level slot to cast it, but unlike magic missile there is nothing different about using a 2nd level slot.
You can cast any mix of those spells with any of your slots and some of them (like magic missile) are more powerful when you use a 2nd level slot to cast it.
Example 2: You can memorize all 2nd level spells if you want: Invisibility, Blur, Mirror Image, hold person, crown of madness and darkness. This is a very, very bad idea but you can do it as long as these spells are all in your book.
If you did this you could use your two 2nd level slots to cast any of the spells above. You could cast invisibility twice, or darkness twice, or invisibility once and blur once or any combination.
If you have no 1st level spell prepared you can never use your 1st level slots unless you have a spell from a feat or race or something else you can use them for.
Example 3: You can memorize a mix of 1st and 2nd level spells. Let's say shield, magic missile, invisibility, blur, darkness, hold person.
In this case you can use your two 2nd level slots to cast any combination of these six spells. The same spell twice, a 1st level spell and a 2nd level spell, two different 2nd level spells, two different 1st level spells.
You can use your four 1st level spell slots to cast either of the 1st level spells (shield or magic missile) in any combination (cast magic missile 4 times, cast shield 4 times, cast each one twice, cast one once and the other 3 times). You can not use these slots to cast any of the 2nd level spells you memorized.
Summarry:
You could memorize 4 1st level spells and 2 2nd levels spells and cast each of them once.
If you had an 8 intelligence you can only memorize 2 spells so lets say that is magic missile and invisibility, these are the only ones you prepare. But you still have 4 1st and 2 2nd level slots, so you can cast magic missile 4 times using the 1st level slots and you can cast either of theses spells twice using the second level slots
If you had a 20 intelligence you could prepare 8 spells, but you can only cast 6 (four 1st level spells using the 1st level slots and 2 1st or 2nd level spells using the 2nd level slots)
So there's 3 different "numbers" to think about when it comes to the spells:
1. How many spells you have written in your spell book (Spells Known). You begin at level 1 with 6 Spells Known, and can add 2 more for free each time you level up. If your DM is nice, you may find other random spell scrolls in the world to copy over into your spell book to increase your Spells Known outside of leveling up, which does cost extra time/gold.
2. How many spells you have memorized each day (Spells Prepared). Think of this like studying hard for a test - you're not going to reread your entire spell book and remember every single spell you've ever known, but will instead only be re-reading the specific chapters you're being tested on that day. So each day after a long rest, your wizard spends some time re-reading their spell book and selecting which spells they want to Prepare for that day. You can Prepare #Wizard Level + #Intelligence Modifier spells each day. You can only cast a certain spell if you've Prepared it. If you Know a spell but haven't Prepared it, it's kind of like when you haven't heard a song in a while - you might remember some lyrics but don't remember enough details to sing it perfectly without mistakes.
3. How many spells you can cast each day (Spell Slots). These are determined by the Wizard table. Temery referred to JoCat calling them "mage bullets" which is a good analogy. I also like to think of it like Stamina or Magic Points in a video game - your wizard can only cast a certain number of spells per day before they get tired and need to take a rest to recover those points. However in a lot of video games you have to decide if you want to spend your Magic Points on one big spell or multiple little spells. But in 5e, the table tells you "You have exactly enough energy for 4 Lvl1 spells and 2 Lvl2 spells." You can choose to spend a higher level Spell Slot to cast a lower level spell (this sometimes gives you bonuses like extra damage dice because you're spending more energy, but not always) but you CANNOT use a lower level Spell Slot to cast a higher level spell.
**There are certain spells that are exceptions. Cantrips can be cast any number of times a day without being Prepared and without using a Spell Slot, because they're simple spells that are so easy you can almost cast them without thinking about it. There's also Ritual Spells which you can cast even if you don't have them Prepared as long as you Know them and have your spell book handy. I think of this as taking no energy to cast because you're literally standing there and following the steps of the spell step-by-step straight out of your spell book instead of casting it from memory. Because you're doing this so methodically and reading every single step as you go, Ritual spells take longer to cast than normal, which is the trade off for not using your energy/Spell Slot. You can chose to cast them with a Spell Slot like normal if you have them Prepared.
Here's some examples:
Bob is a 1st Level Wizard with an Intelligence of 14. Spells Known:6 1st Level spells: Absorb Elements, Catapult, Detect Magic (Ritual), Disguise Self, Grease, and Sleep. 3 Cantrips: Mage Hand, Message, Ray of Frost Each day, Bob Prepares 3 Leveled spellsfrom his spell book (Wizard Level 1 + Intelligence Modifier 2). Bob has 2 1st Level Spell Slots, so he can only cast 2 1st Level spells before he needs to rest and recover his energy.
Day 1 he is going on a stealth mission, so in the morning he Prepares Disguise Self, Grease, and Sleep since he thinks those spells will be most useful. ----He needs a disguise, so he casts Disguise Self. This uses up 1 of his 1st Level Spell Slots. He has 1 1st Level Spell Slots left for the day. ----He has to knock out some guards, so he casts Sleep. This uses up 1 of his 1st Level Spell Slots. He has 0 1st Level Spell Slots left for the day. ----He needs to tell his teammate that he has successfully infiltrated, so he casts Message. This is a Cantrip, so it doesn't require any spell slots and he can cast it as many times as he likes. Day 2 he is still on the stealth mission, so after his long rest he keeps the same spells Prepared: Disguise Self, Grease, and Sleep. ----He needs a disguise, so he casts Disguise Self. This uses up 1 of his 1st Level Spell Slots. He has 1 1st Level Spell Slots left for the day. ----He found an item, and uses Mage hand to bring it to him. Mage Hand is a Cantrip, so it doesn't require any Spell Slots. ----He wants to know if this item is magical. He Ritually casts Detect Magic, which he can do as a ritual spell even though it's not Prepared. It takes him longer than usual, but he does not spend any Spell Slots. ----His earlier Disguise Self spell only lasts for an hour and has worn off, but now he needs a disguise again. He casts Disguise Self a second time for the day.This uses up 1 of his 1st Level Spell Slots. He has 0 1st Level Spell Slots left for the day. ----He casts Message again during the day to communicate with his teammate. This is still a Cantrip and still doesn't use any Spell Slots. Day 3 Uh, oh, seems like the guards are getting suspicious. Bob thinks he might see combat today, so he Prepares Disguise Self and Sleep like he has been, but also Prepares Catapult in case he needs to attack somebody. ----He needs a disguise, so he casts Disguise Self. This uses up 1 of his 1st Level Spell Slots. He has 1 1st Level Spell Slots left for the day. ----The guard sees through the disguise and attacks! Bob casts Catapult to attack the guard. This uses up 1 of his 1st Level Spell Slots. He has 0 1st Level Spell Slots left for the day. ----The fight is still going on, but Bob is out of Spell Slots. He casts Ray of Frost until the guard is finished. Ray of Frost is a Cantrip, so this doesn't require any Spell Slots.
After this fight, his DM says Bob has leveled up! Bob is a 2nd Level Wizard with an Intelligence of 14. He can learn 2 new spells for free. Spells Known:8 1st Level spells: Absorb Elements, Catapult, Charm Person, Detect Magic (Ritual), Disguise Self, Grease, Identify (Ritual), and Sleep. 3 Cantrips: Mage Hand, Message, Ray of Frost Each day, Bob Prepares 4 Leveled spellsfrom his spell book (Wizard Level 2 + Intelligence Modifier 2). Bob has 3 1st Level Spell Slots, so he can only cast 3 1st Level spells before he needs to rest and recover his energy.
...Flash forward to when Bob reaches Level 3. Bob is a 3rd Level Wizard with an Intelligence of 14. He can learn 2 new spells for free. Since he now has access to 2nd Level Spell Slots, he can choose to learn either a 1st or 2nd Level spell. In this case, he chooses 2 2nd Level spells. Spells Known:8 1st Level spells: Absorb Elements, Catapult, Charm Person,Detect Magic (Ritual), Disguise Self, Grease, Identify (Ritual), and Sleep. 2 2nd Level Spells:Misty Step, and Shatter3 Cantrips: Mage Hand, Message, Ray of Frost Each day, Bob Prepares 5 Leveled spellsfrom his spell book (Wizard Level 3 + Intelligence Modifier 2). Bob has 4 1st Level Spell Slots and 2 2nd Level Spell Slots, so he can only cast 4 1st Level spells and 2 2nd Level spells before he needs to rest and recover his energy.
Bob is exploring a cave rumored to have treasure, but it may be occupied. He Prepares Absorb Elements, Catapult, Detect Magic, Sleep, and Misty Step. ----He casts Detect Magic as a Ritual as he approaches the cave. This takes him extra time, but does not use a Spell Slot. He has 4 Level 1 Spell Slots and 2 Level Spell Slots left for the day. ----He comes across some large rats in the cave and enters combat. He casts Sleep two rounds in a row until they are all knocked out. He has 2 Level 1 Spell Slots and 2 Level 2 Spell Slots left for the day. ----He comes across some treasure and wants to know if there is anything magical. His previous Detect Magic spell has worn off so he wants to cast it again but he hears some noise and doesn't think he has time to cast a Ritual spell. Since he prepared Detect Magic today, he can cast it as a regular spell. This uses 1 1st Level Spell Slot, since he didn't cast it as a Ritual Spell. He has 1 Level 1 Spell Slots and 2 Level 2 Spell Slots left for the day. ----Oh no, the treasure belonged to a Young Red Dragon, which attacks him with its Fire Breath Weapon. Bob casts Absorb Elements as a reaction to reduce the damage he takes. This uses 1 1st Level Spell Slot. He has 0 Level 1 Spell Slots and 2 Level 2 Spell Slots left for the day. ----Bob knows he can't win this fight and decides to flee. He casts Misty Step to help him escape. This uses a 2nd Level Spell Slot. Bob has 0 Level 1 Spell Slots and 1 Level 2 Spell Slots left for the day. ----There's some fallen tree trunks blocking the cave entrance. Bob casts Catapult and throws a rock towards it to break open a path. Since Bob has no more 1st Level Spell Slots, he must cast this as a 2nd Level spell. Luckily for him, Catapult's damage increases by 1d8 because he used a higher spell slot than normal. Bob has 0 Level 1 Spell Slots and 0 Level 2 Spell Slots left for the day.
The treasure Bob found was a Spell Scroll with the 2nd Level spell Blur on it. Once safely back in town, Bob spends some time and gold to copy Blur into his spell book as a Spell Known. After a Long Rest, he can choose to Prepare as one of his Prepared Spells each day if he wants to.
Spells Known:8 1st Level spells: Absorb Elements, Catapult, Charm Person,Detect Magic (Ritual), Disguise Self, Grease, Identify (Ritual), and Sleep. 3 2nd Level Spells:Blur, Misty Step, and Shatter 3 Cantrips: Mage Hand, Message, Ray of Frost Each day, Bob Prepares 5 Leveled spellsfrom his spell book (Wizard Level 3 + Intelligence Modifier 2). Bob has 4 1st Level Spell Slots and 2 2nd Level Spell Slots, so he can only cast 4 1st Level spells and 2 2nd Level spells before he needs to rest and recover his energy.
...Flash forward to when Bob reaches Level 4. Bob is a 4th Level Wizard and uses this ASI increase to bump his Intelligence up to 16 which will allow him to prepare more spells each day (and also makes his spells more likely to impact opponents). He can learn 2 new spells for free. Since he now has access to 2nd Level Spell Slots, he can choose to learn either a 1st or 2nd Level spell. In this case, he chooses one of each. According to the Wizard table, he can also learn a 4th Cantrip. Spells Known:9 1st Level spells: Absorb Elements, Catapult, Charm Person,Detect Magic (Ritual), Disguise Self, Grease, Identify (Ritual), Mage Armor, and Sleep. 4 2nd Level Spells: Blur, Misty Step, Invisibility, and Shatter. 4 Cantrips: Mage Hand, Message, Minor Illusion, and Ray of Frost Each day, Bob Prepares 7 Leveled spellsfrom his spell book (Wizard Level 4 + Intelligence Modifier 3). Bob has 4 1st Level Spell Slots and 3 2nd Level Spell Slots, so he can only cast 4 1st Level spells and 3 2nd Level spells before he needs to rest and recover his energy.
EUREKA! Yall got it through my thick skull now. Which was which is what was confusing me. Level+intel mod = number of spells character can memorize (prepare). The table is set unchangeable, those show the number of level of spells that can be cast.
I could have swore at one time in the games history a person would memorize Magic Missile 2 or more times so they could cast it more. That's the old Vancian way of 0e and 1e isn't it?l Thus my confusion. edit/add: I'd have to pull my D&D Cyclopedia out of storage for sure but I think this is the origins/reason for my confusion.
Ok I am confused between number of spells a wizard may know per wizard level and how many spell slots per level they have. Here's the issue. From PHB:
For instance which is the wizard table? It matches both descriptions for how many spells per spell level you can have but also seems to match a number of spell slots you can cast from at any given time. It's contradictory. Level 3 on the table shows a total of 6 spells: 4 1st level 2 3rd level Down below it tells you that wizards start with six level 1 spells. BUT then it says :
"You prepare the list of wizard spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of wizard spells from your spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + your wizard level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
For example, if you’re a 3rd-level wizard, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination, chosen from your spellbook. If you prepare the 1st-level spell magic missile, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list of prepared spells."
That number is SIX the same number as on the chart therefore the modifier has nothing to do with it. /confused Also why restrict the number of spells you can learn? wizards are always on a quest for knowledge which leads them to the unkempt look and smell oft associated and even twisted by wild magic.
thanks.
Rob
Wizards can theoretically have as many spells in their spellbooks as there are pages in it. They only get 2 free spells per level, mechanically that's so wizards dont get all their spells for a new level when they level up. they have the largest list of possible spells, the classes that give access to all spells on their classes list have a small number or spells in their spell list. As for the initial question of how many spells prepared its easy, take the level your wizard is and add your INT mod to that number and that is the total number of spells you can have prepared at one time.
It works like this:
You start with 6 1st-level spells in your spellbook. You add 2 more spells per level. Every time you get a new wizard level, you add two new spells to your book that have to be of a level that you can cast at your wizard level. For example, if you go up to wizard level 3, those two spells could be either level 1 or level 2 (because the table tells you that a level 3 wizard has 4 level 1 spell slots, and 2 level 2 spell slots). ). If you were to go up to wizard level 5, those two spells could be level 1, level 2, or level 3 (since the table tells you that a level 5 wizard has 4 level 1 spell slots, 3 level 2 spell slots and 2 of level 3 spell slots). And so with each wizard level you get.
After each long rest you prepare your spells from among the spells you have in your spellbook. You can only cast spells that you have prepared unless they are rituals (but don't worry about that now. The idea is that to cast a spell you have to have it prepared). You can prepare a maximum of spells equal to your wizard level plus your Int modifier. For example, a level 2 wizard with a +3 Int, prepare 5 spells from among the spells in his spellbook.
When you cast a spell you consume a spell slot of the same level as the spell or higher. For example, to cast Shield, you have to spend a spell slot of level 1 or higher. You have a number of spell slots according to your level as shown in the table, and you get them back after a long rest. Think of spell slots as a currency that you pay in order to cast your spell. A level 3 spell, for example, "costs" a spell slot level 3 or higher.
Regarding spells with the ritual tag, you can cast them as a ritual without spending a spell slot, or as normal. To cast it normally you have to have it prepared like any other spell. To cast it as a ritual, it simply has to be in your spellbook (you don't have to have it prepared).
Edit: You have the list of wizard spells in the PHB. A wizard can only write spells from that list into his spellbook.
You can always learn two new spells at every level up. You can also learn new spells through study or scrolls during your campaign according to DM ruling.
Wizards start with 6 spells in their spellbook chosen from the wizard spell list and gain 2 more at each level up, for a total of 44 spells at level 20. They can also scribe additional spells from the wizard spell list into their spellbook by copying them from scrolls or other spellbooks that they come across. Theoretically, though extremely unlikely, a wizard can have the entire wizard spell list copied into their spellbook.
Out of all those spells written in their spellbook, wizards can prepare a number of them equal to their wizard level plus their intelligence modifier, for a maximum of 25 spells prepared at level 20. They can change which spells are prepared whenever they finish a long rest. They can only cast the spells that they have prepared, with the exception of rituals which I'll explain in a moment.
Wizards also have a certain number of spell slots of each level, listed on the wizard table, for a total of 22 spell slots at level 20. This number doesn't change, no matter how many spells are in the spellbook or how many spells they can prepare.
Those spell slots can be used to cast any of their prepared spells, assuming they're of the appropriate level. They don't correlate with a specific spell. So for example, the wizard can use all four 1st level slots to cast the same spell multiple times, or they can use them to cast a different spell each time. I personally really like JoCat's use of the term "mage bullets," rather than "spell slots," because it's more accurate and less confusing to view them as ammunition with which to cast spells than as slots to be filled with specific spells.
Additionally, as I hinted at previously, wizards can cast certain spells as rituals. Those spells are indicated by the ritual tag. To do this, the casting time is increased by ten minutes, but it doesn't cost a spell slot/mage bullet. If a wizard wants to cast a ritual spell with its normal casting time instead of adding ten minutes, using a spell slot/mage bullet, they will still need to prepare it, however.
The "Spell Slot" concept comes from other editions, where the wizard "stored" his spells in his "Spell Slots", and then cast them. In turn, in those first editions, the concept came from the novels of Jack Vance, very influential in the conception of D&D. In Vantian magic, mages memorize spells, which are erased from their minds once cast (hence the mechanics of other editions).
Nowadays the use of spell slots is more akin to "coins" or "bullets", where you "spend" the spell slots to cast as opposed to "saving" your spells there so you can cast them later.
thanks guys. The Vancian from the earliest editions is what I'm used to but then when I saw mage level + intel bonus it threw me for a loop because the numbers added the same but I guess that was coincidence. I've always stayed away from casters except in 4e - that had a much simpler system but that's then, this way is back now. Thanks again I think I have a handle on it.
Rob
this throws me though. say level 3 and 3 intel mod. equals 6 able to memorize. chart shows 4 first level and 2 second level. i see now that both 6 is just coincidence but it means the six able to memorize per day (or between long rests) has to be 4 first and 2 second or does it mean wizard could cast the a 2nd level spell 6 times? And what if the wizard only has +2 bonus. Now the wizard is short and can't cast 4 and 2 since her slots is only 5 now.
see my confusion?
The number you prepare ("memorize") i six. But they can be any combination of first and 2nd level spells as long as they are all within your book:
Example 1: If you want you can "memorize" all 1st level spells. Let's say shield, magic missile, sleep, protection from good and evil, absorb elements and feather fall.
That is 6 spells, so those can be the 6 you prepare (if they all are in your book). These are all 1st level spells, so in this case you have no 2nd level spells preapred. You can use any of your 1st or 2nd level slots to cast any of these spells. You can cast magic missile 6 times if you want using your slots or you can cast shield . If you cast magic missile using a 2nd level slot you get one extra missile.
Instead you can cast shield 6 times if you want. Since Shield is a 1st level spell you can use a 2nd level slot to cast it, but unlike magic missile there is nothing different about using a 2nd level slot.
You can cast any mix of those spells with any of your slots and some of them (like magic missile) are more powerful when you use a 2nd level slot to cast it.
Example 2: You can memorize all 2nd level spells if you want: Invisibility, Blur, Mirror Image, hold person, crown of madness and darkness. This is a very, very bad idea but you can do it as long as these spells are all in your book.
If you did this you could use your two 2nd level slots to cast any of the spells above. You could cast invisibility twice, or darkness twice, or invisibility once and blur once or any combination.
If you have no 1st level spell prepared you can never use your 1st level slots unless you have a spell from a feat or race or something else you can use them for.
Example 3: You can memorize a mix of 1st and 2nd level spells. Let's say shield, magic missile, invisibility, blur, darkness, hold person.
In this case you can use your two 2nd level slots to cast any combination of these six spells. The same spell twice, a 1st level spell and a 2nd level spell, two different 2nd level spells, two different 1st level spells.
You can use your four 1st level spell slots to cast either of the 1st level spells (shield or magic missile) in any combination (cast magic missile 4 times, cast shield 4 times, cast each one twice, cast one once and the other 3 times). You can not use these slots to cast any of the 2nd level spells you memorized.
Summarry:
You could memorize 4 1st level spells and 2 2nd levels spells and cast each of them once.
If you had an 8 intelligence you can only memorize 2 spells so lets say that is magic missile and invisibility, these are the only ones you prepare. But you still have 4 1st and 2 2nd level slots, so you can cast magic missile 4 times using the 1st level slots and you can cast either of theses spells twice using the second level slots
If you had a 20 intelligence you could prepare 8 spells, but you can only cast 6 (four 1st level spells using the 1st level slots and 2 1st or 2nd level spells using the 2nd level slots)
Get it?
So there's 3 different "numbers" to think about when it comes to the spells:
1. How many spells you have written in your spell book (Spells Known). You begin at level 1 with 6 Spells Known, and can add 2 more for free each time you level up. If your DM is nice, you may find other random spell scrolls in the world to copy over into your spell book to increase your Spells Known outside of leveling up, which does cost extra time/gold.
2. How many spells you have memorized each day (Spells Prepared). Think of this like studying hard for a test - you're not going to reread your entire spell book and remember every single spell you've ever known, but will instead only be re-reading the specific chapters you're being tested on that day. So each day after a long rest, your wizard spends some time re-reading their spell book and selecting which spells they want to Prepare for that day. You can Prepare #Wizard Level + #Intelligence Modifier spells each day. You can only cast a certain spell if you've Prepared it. If you Know a spell but haven't Prepared it, it's kind of like when you haven't heard a song in a while - you might remember some lyrics but don't remember enough details to sing it perfectly without mistakes.
3. How many spells you can cast each day (Spell Slots). These are determined by the Wizard table. Temery referred to JoCat calling them "mage bullets" which is a good analogy. I also like to think of it like Stamina or Magic Points in a video game - your wizard can only cast a certain number of spells per day before they get tired and need to take a rest to recover those points. However in a lot of video games you have to decide if you want to spend your Magic Points on one big spell or multiple little spells. But in 5e, the table tells you "You have exactly enough energy for 4 Lvl1 spells and 2 Lvl2 spells." You can choose to spend a higher level Spell Slot to cast a lower level spell (this sometimes gives you bonuses like extra damage dice because you're spending more energy, but not always) but you CANNOT use a lower level Spell Slot to cast a higher level spell.
**There are certain spells that are exceptions. Cantrips can be cast any number of times a day without being Prepared and without using a Spell Slot, because they're simple spells that are so easy you can almost cast them without thinking about it. There's also Ritual Spells which you can cast even if you don't have them Prepared as long as you Know them and have your spell book handy. I think of this as taking no energy to cast because you're literally standing there and following the steps of the spell step-by-step straight out of your spell book instead of casting it from memory. Because you're doing this so methodically and reading every single step as you go, Ritual spells take longer to cast than normal, which is the trade off for not using your energy/Spell Slot. You can chose to cast them with a Spell Slot like normal if you have them Prepared.
Here's some examples:
Bob is a 1st Level Wizard with an Intelligence of 14.
Spells Known: 6 1st Level spells: Absorb Elements, Catapult, Detect Magic (Ritual), Disguise Self, Grease, and Sleep. 3 Cantrips: Mage Hand, Message, Ray of Frost
Each day, Bob Prepares 3 Leveled spells from his spell book (Wizard Level 1 + Intelligence Modifier 2).
Bob has 2 1st Level Spell Slots, so he can only cast 2 1st Level spells before he needs to rest and recover his energy.
Day 1 he is going on a stealth mission, so in the morning he Prepares Disguise Self, Grease, and Sleep since he thinks those spells will be most useful.
----He needs a disguise, so he casts Disguise Self. This uses up 1 of his 1st Level Spell Slots. He has 1 1st Level Spell Slots left for the day.
----He has to knock out some guards, so he casts Sleep. This uses up 1 of his 1st Level Spell Slots. He has 0 1st Level Spell Slots left for the day.
----He needs to tell his teammate that he has successfully infiltrated, so he casts Message. This is a Cantrip, so it doesn't require any spell slots and he can cast it as many times as he likes.
Day 2 he is still on the stealth mission, so after his long rest he keeps the same spells Prepared: Disguise Self, Grease, and Sleep.
----He needs a disguise, so he casts Disguise Self. This uses up 1 of his 1st Level Spell Slots. He has 1 1st Level Spell Slots left for the day.
----He found an item, and uses Mage hand to bring it to him. Mage Hand is a Cantrip, so it doesn't require any Spell Slots.
----He wants to know if this item is magical. He Ritually casts Detect Magic, which he can do as a ritual spell even though it's not Prepared. It takes him longer than usual, but he does not spend any Spell Slots.
----His earlier Disguise Self spell only lasts for an hour and has worn off, but now he needs a disguise again. He casts Disguise Self a second time for the day.This uses up 1 of his 1st Level Spell Slots. He has 0 1st Level Spell Slots left for the day.
----He casts Message again during the day to communicate with his teammate. This is still a Cantrip and still doesn't use any Spell Slots.
Day 3 Uh, oh, seems like the guards are getting suspicious. Bob thinks he might see combat today, so he Prepares Disguise Self and Sleep like he has been, but also Prepares Catapult in case he needs to attack somebody.
----He needs a disguise, so he casts Disguise Self. This uses up 1 of his 1st Level Spell Slots. He has 1 1st Level Spell Slots left for the day.
----The guard sees through the disguise and attacks! Bob casts Catapult to attack the guard. This uses up 1 of his 1st Level Spell Slots. He has 0 1st Level Spell Slots left for the day.
----The fight is still going on, but Bob is out of Spell Slots. He casts Ray of Frost until the guard is finished. Ray of Frost is a Cantrip, so this doesn't require any Spell Slots.
After this fight, his DM says Bob has leveled up! Bob is a 2nd Level Wizard with an Intelligence of 14. He can learn 2 new spells for free.
Spells Known: 8 1st Level spells: Absorb Elements, Catapult, Charm Person, Detect Magic (Ritual), Disguise Self, Grease, Identify (Ritual), and Sleep. 3 Cantrips: Mage Hand, Message, Ray of Frost
Each day, Bob Prepares 4 Leveled spells from his spell book (Wizard Level 2 + Intelligence Modifier 2).
Bob has 3 1st Level Spell Slots, so he can only cast 3 1st Level spells before he needs to rest and recover his energy.
...Flash forward to when Bob reaches Level 3. Bob is a 3rd Level Wizard with an Intelligence of 14. He can learn 2 new spells for free. Since he now has access to 2nd Level Spell Slots, he can choose to learn either a 1st or 2nd Level spell. In this case, he chooses 2 2nd Level spells.
Spells Known: 8 1st Level spells: Absorb Elements, Catapult, Charm Person, Detect Magic (Ritual), Disguise Self, Grease, Identify (Ritual), and Sleep. 2 2nd Level Spells: Misty Step, and Shatter 3 Cantrips: Mage Hand, Message, Ray of Frost
Each day, Bob Prepares 5 Leveled spells from his spell book (Wizard Level 3 + Intelligence Modifier 2).
Bob has 4 1st Level Spell Slots and 2 2nd Level Spell Slots, so he can only cast 4 1st Level spells and 2 2nd Level spells before he needs to rest and recover his energy.
Bob is exploring a cave rumored to have treasure, but it may be occupied. He Prepares Absorb Elements, Catapult, Detect Magic, Sleep, and Misty Step.
----He casts Detect Magic as a Ritual as he approaches the cave. This takes him extra time, but does not use a Spell Slot. He has 4 Level 1 Spell Slots and 2 Level Spell Slots left for the day.
----He comes across some large rats in the cave and enters combat. He casts Sleep two rounds in a row until they are all knocked out. He has 2 Level 1 Spell Slots and 2 Level 2 Spell Slots left for the day.
----He comes across some treasure and wants to know if there is anything magical. His previous Detect Magic spell has worn off so he wants to cast it again but he hears some noise and doesn't think he has time to cast a Ritual spell. Since he prepared Detect Magic today, he can cast it as a regular spell. This uses 1 1st Level Spell Slot, since he didn't cast it as a Ritual Spell. He has 1 Level 1 Spell Slots and 2 Level 2 Spell Slots left for the day.
----Oh no, the treasure belonged to a Young Red Dragon, which attacks him with its Fire Breath Weapon. Bob casts Absorb Elements as a reaction to reduce the damage he takes. This uses 1 1st Level Spell Slot. He has 0 Level 1 Spell Slots and 2 Level 2 Spell Slots left for the day.
----Bob knows he can't win this fight and decides to flee. He casts Misty Step to help him escape. This uses a 2nd Level Spell Slot. Bob has 0 Level 1 Spell Slots and 1 Level 2 Spell Slots left for the day.
----There's some fallen tree trunks blocking the cave entrance. Bob casts Catapult and throws a rock towards it to break open a path. Since Bob has no more 1st Level Spell Slots, he must cast this as a 2nd Level spell. Luckily for him, Catapult's damage increases by 1d8 because he used a higher spell slot than normal. Bob has 0 Level 1 Spell Slots and 0 Level 2 Spell Slots left for the day.
The treasure Bob found was a Spell Scroll with the 2nd Level spell Blur on it. Once safely back in town, Bob spends some time and gold to copy Blur into his spell book as a Spell Known. After a Long Rest, he can choose to Prepare as one of his Prepared Spells each day if he wants to.
Spells Known: 8 1st Level spells: Absorb Elements, Catapult, Charm Person, Detect Magic (Ritual), Disguise Self, Grease, Identify (Ritual), and Sleep. 3 2nd Level Spells: Blur, Misty Step, and Shatter 3 Cantrips: Mage Hand, Message, Ray of Frost
Each day, Bob Prepares 5 Leveled spells from his spell book (Wizard Level 3 + Intelligence Modifier 2).
Bob has 4 1st Level Spell Slots and 2 2nd Level Spell Slots, so he can only cast 4 1st Level spells and 2 2nd Level spells before he needs to rest and recover his energy.
...Flash forward to when Bob reaches Level 4. Bob is a 4th Level Wizard and uses this ASI increase to bump his Intelligence up to 16 which will allow him to prepare more spells each day (and also makes his spells more likely to impact opponents). He can learn 2 new spells for free. Since he now has access to 2nd Level Spell Slots, he can choose to learn either a 1st or 2nd Level spell. In this case, he chooses one of each. According to the Wizard table, he can also learn a 4th Cantrip.
Spells Known: 9 1st Level spells: Absorb Elements, Catapult, Charm Person, Detect Magic (Ritual), Disguise Self, Grease, Identify (Ritual), Mage Armor, and Sleep. 4 2nd Level Spells: Blur, Misty Step, Invisibility, and Shatter. 4 Cantrips: Mage Hand, Message, Minor Illusion, and Ray of Frost
Each day, Bob Prepares 7 Leveled spells from his spell book (Wizard Level 4 + Intelligence Modifier 3).
Bob has 4 1st Level Spell Slots and 3 2nd Level Spell Slots, so he can only cast 4 1st Level spells and 3 2nd Level spells before he needs to rest and recover his energy.
EUREKA! Yall got it through my thick skull now. Which was which is what was confusing me. Level+intel mod = number of spells character can memorize (prepare). The table is set unchangeable, those show the number of level of spells that can be cast.
I could have swore at one time in the games history a person would memorize Magic Missile 2 or more times so they could cast it more. That's the old Vancian way of 0e and 1e isn't it?l Thus my confusion. edit/add: I'd have to pull my D&D Cyclopedia out of storage for sure but I think this is the origins/reason for my confusion.