Magical Secrets

[FabulousFizban]

Magical Secrets count as Bard spells, and bards can change a bard spell known every time they level. Does this mean a bard can change a magical secret every time they level?

[UnintensifiedFa]

Yes, but they must change it out for a bard spell.

The rule that allows you to change your spells requires that the spell you’re changing it into is a bard spell itself, while the magical secrets become bard spells, they don’t make any of the other classes spells bard spells, so you would “lose” a magical secrets in the act of changing.

As a DM, I’m inclined to just allow the player to change the magical secret for another magical secret, regardless of class, it seems like a silk technicality and I’m all for allowing players to change their decisions if something isn’t working out.

[MrStabby]

Yes, but they must change it out for a bard spell.

The rule that allows you to change your spells requires that the spell you’re changing it into is a bard spell itself, while the magical secrets become bard spells, they don’t make any of the other classes spells bard spells, so you would “lose” a magical secrets in the act of changing.

As a DM, I’m inclined to just allow the player to change the magical secret for another magical secret, regardless of class, it seems like a silk technicality and I’m all for allowing players to change their decisions if something isn’t working out.

Although when you chose a spell with macical secrets it becomes a bard spell for you, and nothing says that it stops being a bard spell for you if at any point you cease knowing it... so I guess you can swap a magical secret back in again if you want.

[UnintensifiedFa]

Although when you chose a spell with macical secrets it becomes a bard spell for you, and nothing says that it stops being a bard spell for you if at any point you cease knowing it... so I guess you can swap a magical secret back in again if you want.

Hmm, yeah I guess you could, not sure it really helps but it’s good to know it’s not lost forever when you switch it out.

[ProsecutorGodot]

As a DM, I’m inclined to just allow the player to change the magical secret for another magical secret, regardless of class, it seems like a silk technicality and I’m all for allowing players to change their decisions if something isn’t working out.

I wouldn't, if only because Lore Bard's additional Magical Secrets doesn't need the additional benefit of potentially netting them a 4th or 5th level spell from any class prior to the base classes Magical Secrets. At higher levels this would also allow a Bard to pick up another classes 9th level spells a level earlier than normally allowed for their Magical Secrets, very notable for Wish. I think that's intentional design as well that Bards can take from any class list, but they'll always be a level behind when picking for their highest level slots.

Bards are plenty strong, and in this aspect of the class I think that the decision here is important. If I were to allow them to swap Magical Secrets out, I would add the restriction that they could only choose a spell of the same level or lower* than the one they're swapping.
*EDIT: I worded it this way assuming they would only do this once, which could start to become restrictive if they ever did choose a lower level spell. The intention was that they can only ever swap a magical secret for another they would have been able to choose when they gained the feature, like Hiro Quester says below.

[Hiro Quester]

Or at least only let them swap it out for a new spell that they could have learned initially.

I’m usually in favor of letting players rethink a character build decision that isn’t working out as they hoped.

[LudicSavant]

Magical Secrets count as Bard spells, and bards can change a bard spell known every time they level. Does this mean a bard can change a magical secret every time they level?

Yes, but when they do so they don’t select from an unlimited list (unlike the original secret pick)