Unprepared Spell Slots

[Angelalex242]

Which characters can do this meaningfully?

Wizards? Clerics? Druids? Archivists?

[Forrestfire]

Clerics can spontaneously convert their unprepared slots to Cure or Domain spells (with an ACF). Druids do the same with Summon Nature's Ally. Archivists also have access to some feats to get spontaneous Cure and SNAs, if they want.

Wizards can leave spell slots open to fill later. They can also pick up Signature Spell, which lets them spontaneously cast a spell they've mastered with it. The Uncanny Forethought feat lets them leave slots open to spontaneously cast from their book as a full-round action, Int mod times per day. With the Spontaneous Divination ACF, they qualify for Versatile Spellcaster, which lets them convert two lower-level spell slots to a spell of one level higher, spontaneously from their entire spellbook of spells known.

Wizards kinda win here.

[atemu1234]

Clerics can spontaneously convert their unprepared slots to Cure or Domain spells (with an ACF). Druids do the same with Summon Nature's Ally. Archivists also have access to some feats to get spontaneous Cure and SNAs, if they want.

Wizards can leave spell slots open to fill later. They can also pick up Signature Spell, which lets them spontaneously cast a spell they've mastered with it. The Uncanny Forethought feat lets them leave slots open to spontaneously cast from their book as a full-round action, Int mod times per day. With the Spontaneous Divination ACF, they qualify for Versatile Spellcaster, which lets them convert two lower-level spell slots to a spell of one level higher, spontaneously from their entire spellbook of spells known.

Wizards kinda win here.

And now I know my next build.

[Coidzor]

Archivists also have access to some feats to get spontaneous Cure and SNAs, if they want.

Wizards can leave spell slots open to fill later.

Oh, Archivists can't leave slots unprepared and then prepare them later like Wizards can? Huh. I'd always assumed they could. :smalleek:

[Hamste]

Clerics can spontaneously convert their unprepared slots to Cure or Domain spells (with an ACF). Druids do the same with Summon Nature's Ally.

This is actually backwards. They can only convert prepared spells. They can not do this to unprepared slots.

[Forrestfire]

Ah, my bad then. I don't think it's every actually come up for me XD


Oh, Archivists can't leave slots unprepared and then prepare them later like Wizards can? Huh. I'd always assumed they could. :smalleek:

The Player's Handbook only says that Wizards can, and Archivists have no such exception. It also says that divine spellcasters have to prepare their spells at the same time each day, like a Cleric, but their own Spells description specifies that they also need to get a good night's rest beforehand, unlike a Cleric. They managed to get the worst of both worlds, there...

[gorfnab]

And now I know my next build.
Check out the Easy Bake Wizard Handbook in my signature. It has details on even more ways to get unprepared slots as a wizard.

[Ogh_the_Second]

A divine spellcaster does not have to prepare all his spells at once. However, the character’s mind is considered fresh only during his or her first daily spell preparation, so a divine spellcaster cannot fill a slot that is empty because he or she has cast a spell or abandoned a previously prepared spell.

I always interpreted the above to mean that e.g. Clerics/Druids can also leave open spell slots, for preparation later in the day.

[Zaq]

Clerics/Druids/Archivists who have the Skypledged PrC (Races of the Wild) can usefully leave spell slots open. Skypledged is basically Mage of the Arcane Order for divine casters; they can semi-spontaneously pull spells from the Spellpool to fill their open slots with PHB Cleric or Druid spells (except for those that have the [Earth], [Fire], or [Water] descriptors), which is awesome.

While we're on the subject, anyone with Mage of the Arcane Order (Complete Arcane) can usefully leave spell slots open, too.

[Deophaun]

I always interpreted the above to mean that e.g. Clerics/Druids can also leave open spell slots, for preparation later in the day.
Nopre. The rules are very clear:

Clerics meditate or pray for their spells. Each cleric must choose a time at which he must spend 1 hour each day in quiet contemplation or supplication to regain his daily allotment of spells. Time spent resting has no effect on whether a cleric can prepare spells. A cleric may prepare and cast any spell on the cleric spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation.

A druid prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though she cannot lose a prepared spell to cast a cure spell in its place (but see Spontaneous Casting, below). A druid may prepare and cast any spell on the druid spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

[Fouredged Sword]

Divine casters all must do their spell preparation at one specific time of day. In return, they have no 8 hour sleep requirement. A cleric past level 5-6 rarely sleeps one they can burn a lesser restoration once per day.

[nyjastul69]

Nopre. The rules are very clear:

This is only part of the rule.


Originally posted by the SRD:
Spell Selection and Preparation
A divine spellcaster selects and prepares spells ahead of time through prayer and meditation at a particular time of day. The time required to prepare spells is the same as it is for a wizard (1 hour), as is the requirement for a relatively peaceful environment. A divine spellcaster does not have to prepare all his spells at once. However, the character’s mind is considered fresh only during his or her first daily spell preparation, so a divine spellcaster cannot fill a slot that is empty because he or she has cast a spell or abandoned a previously prepared spell.

Divine casters can leave slots open.

[Deophaun]

Divine casters can leave slots open.
Divine (general) casters can, unless they are clerics (specific) or druids (specific). Which, strangely, tracks with the correction for this statement:

I always interpreted the above to mean that e.g. Clerics/Druids can also leave open spell slots, for preparation later in the day.

[nyjastul69]

Divine (general) casters can, unless they are clerics (specific) or druids (specific). Which, strangely, tracks with the correction for this statement:

There is no contradiction specific to either class mentioned that overrides, or conflicts with, the general rule. The bit in the class descriptions is redundant, not specific.

[Deophaun]

There is no contradiction specific to either class mentioned that overrides, or conflicts with, the general rule. The bit in the class descriptions is redundant, not specific.
The part that says he MUST choose which spells to prepare certainly conflicts with any notion that he can prepare spells at a later time. Can he leave slots open? Certainly. But in doing so, he is choosing to not cast a spell in that slot for the day. Unless he has another, more specific ability that overrides the prohibition.

[Crake]

It's worth noting that it says they "need not prepare all their spells at once" That means that they could say, prepare 2 cure spells, use them to see if they cure enough, and if they don't, prepare some more cure spells. That must still all be done during the time of day when they prepare spells, such as dawn or whatnot

[Chronos]

It also says that they must choose which spells they're preparing at the appointed time, but it doesn't say they have to choose how many. So a cleric with three 1st-level slots could choose to prepare Cure Light Wounds and Blessing, and prepare one of each while leaving one slot open. That cleric could then, later in the day, decide which of those two he wants to use his third slot on.