Bards Taking Druid Feats?

[ObsidianRose]

As some of you probably know, a good nuber of druid feats require spontaneously casting Summon Nature's Ally X. And the savage bard, I believe, can gain these spells and cast spontaneously. Does this mean taht bards can take things like Greensinger?

[Rigeld2]

Sure. I dont see a reason why not.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

Edit: read the Savage part.

[Zincorium]

As some of you probably know, a good nuber of druid feats require spontaneously casting Summon Nature's Ally X. And the savage bard, I believe, can gain these spells and cast spontaneously. Does this mean taht bards can take things like Greensinger?

Casting summon nature's ally spells spontaneously is a druid only ability, one that works the same as a cleric spontaneously casting cure or cause wounds. A bard can cast any spell they know without preparation, this is not spontaneous casting by the book. I know, I know, it seems pretty spontaneous and that term gets used a lot, but it's not in the book.

[Khantalas]

Actually, Player's Guide to Eberron says Spirit Shamans can take feats and PrCs with such a prerequisite, so I don't see why a bard can't.

Favored Souls can also take feats and PrCs with a prerequisite of "able to cast cure spells simultaneously" following the same logic.

[Tellah]

A bard can cast any spell they know without preparation, this is not spontaneous casting by the book.

No, that's pretty much spontaneous casting in a nutshell.

[kamikasei]

No, that's pretty much spontaneous casting in a nutshell.

Actually... if you search d20srd, "spontaneous" doesn't seem to be used in reference to regular magic at all, outside the spontaneous casting of cure and summon nature's ally spells. Sorcerers and bards aren't described as "spontaneous" casters at all, at least in the text of the SRD.

[The White Knight]

Huh, I actually think kamikasei is right, despite having originally been in disagreement before I started my mad hunt. Every instance of "spontaneous" arcane casting a la Bard/Sorceror seems to be referred as "casting without preparation" (see prereqs for Dragon Disciple for an example), where "spontaneous casting" seems to only be used in reference to Cleric and Druid casting. This is, of course, going completely by core RAW (and furthermore, a matter of semantics), and is probably contradicted a thousand times in further supplements.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

I do not think it is contradicted by RAW in later supplements. Non-preparation casters are not called spontaneous casters in any of the books I skimmed.

However, the FAQ makes frequent use of the term spontaneous casting for non-preparation casters.

It is a very common misconception, which probably stem from the fact that it is more tedious to say non-preparation casters or casters without need for preparation.

The Spirit Shaman example mentioned earlier is not an exception.
The Player's Guide to Eberron simply says that the Spirit Shaman is effectively treated as being able to spontaneously cast Summon Nature's ally, not that it is a spontaneous caster.

[Zincorium]

No, I do not think it is contradicted by RAW.

However, the FAQ makes frequent use of the term spontaneous casting for non-preparation casters.

It is a very common misconception, which probably stem from the fact that it is more tedious to say non-preparation casters or casters without need for preparation.

The Spirit Shaman example mentioned earlier is not an exception.
The Player's Guide to Eberron simply says that the Spirit Shaman is effectively treated as being able to spontaneously cast Summon Nature's ally, not that it is a spontaneous caster.

I'm not saying it's directly contradicted, and I acknowledged that it is often referred to as such, but I think using for this purpose is both outside the spirit of the rules and the letter of them.

Technically speaking, druids have the ability to spontaneously cast, i.e. trade in a prepared spell, for a summon nature's ally spell. While the Spirit Shaman is treated as having it, the druid is the only one with that ability listed in their stat block. Spontaneously has a unique meaning here, and I think the FAQ was using regular English, not ability specific terms when they mention spontaneous spellcasting.

It's pretty much the same as a caster with reserve feats saying that they qualify for a prestige class that lists 'cast arcane spells without preparation'. You can see how the wording goes along with the idea, but it's simply not what the feat is referring to.

Edit: to be clear on my position, I still don't think DM's should let this work, regardless of whether the RAW may allow it.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

I'm not saying it's directly contradicted, and I acknowledged that it is often referred to as such, but I think using for this purpose is both outside the spirit of the rules and the letter of them.

The first line was in direct response to post above that also agrees with you, but goes on to say that newer supplements might call non-preparation casters for spontaneous casters.

Edit: to be clear on my position, I still don't think DM's should let this work, regardless of whether the RAW may allow it.

The RAW does NOT allow it.
Non-preparation casters are NOT spontaneous casters even if the terms are used by the Sage in the FAQ.

To be clear; I agree with you (Zincorium)