Trancing and spell preperation

[Story]

Can Elves (or others using Group Trance) prepare spells after only 4 hours of trancing? On the one hand,



If the character does not need to sleep for some reason, she still must have 8 hours of restful calm before preparing any spells.

On the other hand,


an elf meditates in a deep trance for 4 hours a day. An elf
resting in this fashion gains the same benefit that a human does
from 8 hours of sleep.

[JBento]

Specific trumps general, and the first quote is pretty unambiguous. 8 hours it is for spell preparation.

[Carth]

For a meager 3k GP, Heward's fortifying bedroll (Complete Mage) allows you to refresh spells after an hour's rest.

[Rubik]

For a meager 3k GP, Heward's fortifying bedroll (Complete Mage) allows you to refresh spells after an hour's rest.You get a similar benefit from a ring of sustenance, though it's 2 hours instead.

Note that the ring specifically refreshes the mind, for anyone who wants to debate the fact.

[Story]

Well if it speeds up prep time, it seems like the ring can be worth it, even if you already don't need to eat, sleep, or breath. The only real drawback is that it takes up a valuable slot ring, but the MiC combining rules can fix that if they're allowed.

[ArcturusV]

Well, I mean you have the general rule saying you must rest for 8 hours. Whatever rest that form takes.

Then you have the Elf ruling that says they get the same benefit from 4 hours of being in a trance that others do from 8 hours of resting.

Seems fairly clear to me that an elf spellcaster could just trance for 4 hours and memorize new spells.

Although the "Slots used in the last 8 hours..." limitation would still apply.

[JBento]

More to the point, from the srd:


If the character does not need to sleep for some reason, she still must have 8 hours of restful calm before preparing any spells.

Note that there's no mention whatsoever in the preparing arcane spells section mentioning race - it merely says "wizard."

[ArcturusV]

Well, I suppose we could skip this by just reading a bit further. I feel silly not for doing this at first.

After the line you quoted it says specifically:

"For example, elf wizards need 8 hours of rest to clear their minds, even though they need only 4 hours of trance to refresh their bodies. Thus an elf wizard could trance for 4 hours and rest for 4 hours, then prepare spells."

[Story]

Well, I suppose we could skip this by just reading a bit further. I feel silly not for doing this at first.

After the line you quoted it says specifically:

"For example, elf wizards need 8 hours of rest to clear their minds, even though they need only 4 hours of trance to refresh their bodies. Thus an elf wizard could trance for 4 hours and rest for 4 hours, then prepare spells."

Is that line in the SRD? I must have missed it somehow.

At any rate, thanks for clearing it up.

[ArcturusV]

It's in the player's handbook, which is where I looked it up. It might have gotten cut out of the SRD as it's just an "example" instead of pure rules text? I dunno. But it's right there. Player's handbook, page 178, last part of the second paragraph.