Changing Learned to Prepared Casting?

[VividMatter]

Basically the title. I'm personally not a fan of Learned casting, but understand it exists for a reason, as a limiter.

My main question is: Would it entirely break the game to allow like a Bard or a Sorcerer to use Prepared Casting, if I could also back it up with a flavor reason why this could be the case? If this is the case, should they use something akin to Artificer (I.e. half your levels plus your spellcasting mod rounded up) to keep a similiar amount of spells available at any given point?

Again, I understand this has its reason for existing and has its balance/flavor, but I'm largely not a fan of the Learned system and wanted to know if I could implement this without breaking anything.

Give me your feedback / educate me!

[Sigreid]

It depends on the type of prepared. If they can prepare any spell like a cleric, I think that's really broken. If they have to have learned it, probably not that big of a deal with the exception of magical secrets.

Since particularly sorcerer magic is supposed to he inborn as the defining flavor I'm not sure how the flavor would work.

[stoutstien]

For rangers yes. Bard's and sorcerer no.
Bards are all ready in the running for best full caster in 5e and sorcerer main limiting factor is spells known. I could see the argument that sorcerer subclasses should have bonus spells but it's more for flavor than power.

[VividMatter]

It depends on the type of prepared. If they can prepare any spell like a cleric, I think that's really broken. If they have to have learned it, probably not that big of a deal with the exception of magical secrets.

Since particularly sorcerer magic is supposed to he inborn as the defining flavor I'm not sure how the flavor would work.

I was definitely thinking something akin to Wizards Learn then Prepare but toned down if it has to be. I'm not entirely sure how it would work yet, but I'm looking to refine it. I obviously don't want to step on the Wizard's toes. I figured that since if you used the Artificer prepared system you end up with the same amount of maximum prepared in a day (With the exception of Bard, obviously) that it wouldn't be too much of an issue, but you bring up a good point.

As for flavor, maybe a Bard has many songs he can play, but can choose which ones to prepare each day. Or a Sorcerer / Warlock has a pool of power from their ancestry / patron, but has to choose what he can and can't summon forth each day. (Maybe it's random, if you're into that for a Wild Magic Sorc. I dunno.)


For rangers yes. Bard's and sorcerer no.
Bards are all ready in the running for best full caster in 5e and sorcerer main limiting factor is spells known. I could see the argument that sorcerer subclasses should have bonus spells but it's more for flavor than power.

Makes sense. I'm mostly trying to reduce the frustrations I have with Learned casting vs Prepared casting, being mostly that given the choice I'd rather play a prepared caster than a learned caster simply due to how much better the quality of life is. I see that Bard's probably don't need that much of a buff, with Sorcerers on thin ice for this specific case, but for the sake of argument, do you think it would be bad if it was a half-caster prepare system, where the amount of spells you can have at any given point is similar to the Learned system? Or perhaps something similar to Wizard, but toned down?

Also, side note: Opinions on the Warlock being available for this change as well?

[DominoMasque]

I'd have severe doubts about it.
Versatility is quite a powerful tool, Rangers I think need the boost (and should have cleric-style casting anyway IMHO). If you give it to sorcerers you're essentially just making them into slightly different wizards. Warlocks have their own brand of casting which is severely restricted.
If you really wanted to to allow them free changing you could allow a ritual to swap out a spell, but give it restrictions (i.e. you have to trigger it and then live without the spell slot for a week).

[Bobthewizard]

I think it would be fine for sorcerers. Their biggest limit for them is the limited spells known at any one time. Most of the time you would be preparing for a generic adventuring day. If you know you are about to fight a certain dragon, let them have the right spells.

I'd let bards do it for their bard spells but certainly not for their magical secrets. You couldn't let wizards do it with the whole wizard list.

A simple restriction might be that they can only change one spell on a long rest.

A lot of things are broken about high level wizard spellcasting like glyph of warding/portable hole, force cage, simulacrum, and wish. Letting sorcerers change their spells doesn't even come close to that. Especially since they have only a few metamagic choices and each of those only works well with a few spells.

[Fable Wright]

A Divine Soul Sorcerer would prepare spells off the entire Cleric and Sorcerer list. Every day.

Consider that for a moment. Ask yourself if you'd be okay giving clerics the entire Sorcerer list, and what the difference may be that lets you do the opposite without breaking the game.

[king_steve]

I’d probably allowing more learned spells, maybe up to your casting modifier for learned spells for sorcerers, bards, hunters and warlocks.

[ff7hero]

A Divine Soul Sorcerer would prepare spells off the entire Cleric and Sorcerer list. Every day.

Consider that for a moment. Ask yourself if you'd be okay giving clerics the entire Sorcerer list, and what the difference may be that lets you do the opposite without breaking the game.

My Druid1/Light Cleric 13 has, I think, 34 spells prepared. My wife's Divine Soul Sorc 14 knows (again, from memory) 15 spells. That's a huge difference all by itself.

[Hail Tempus]

No, the limit makes sense from a balance perspective as well as an in-game fluff perspective.

Sorcerers and Warlocks have a limited number of spells known, but in exchange for that limitation they get other things, like meta-magic and invocations. If you want to play a versatile spell-caster, play a wizard.

The exception I could agree with is treating rangers like paladins and allowing them access to their entire spell list and allowing them to prepare ranger level+wisdom modifier every day.