D&D 5E Do Cleric/Druid players just ignore a large portion of their spells list?

[Eric V]

The cleric spell list in particular has a lot of spells that are so good you are kind of an idiot if you don't take them. Bless, some fo the healing spells, Spiritual Weapon/Guardians etc. This may vary by domain I would not take a few of them as a light cleric for example.

I have heard some players are struggling with Druids as well as as you either go wildshaped but the others are kind of half way between a cleric and wizard in terms of healing and blasting. Outside of the Moon Druid the Druid is never really going to be any good in a fight but every cleric can cast spiritual guardians although the Druid is better at range (except some domains).

I don't know about idiotic, but there are definitely some spells on the Cleric list that will be more universally useful than many others; you identified the classics.

Mind you, it's not unique to the cleric: wizards with Shield, Misty Step, Fireball, Banishment, etc. Just part of the game.

 

[Tallifer]

For the very reason that in traditional Dungeons & Dragons (and now in 5E) most players only used a few spells, I preferred the theoretical approach taken in 4E of trying to balance all the spells (nerfing sleep and fireball; improving other spells), so that the choices could be according to fluff, utility, situation, et cetera. However, 4E failed to accomplish that balance and simply created hundreds of neglected and pointless powers with again a few optimal choices.

Therefore, since such theory is so hard to put into practice, I will grin and bear 5E's spell selection.

(Of course, as far as wizards, I remember in 1st Edition AD&D that we used a rule whereby the wizard had to roll to see which spells he could learn and put into his spellbook. That created some variety, but mostly frustration.)

 

[Sword of Spirit]

When I play a prepared caster, I tend to have certain spells I more or less always have prepared, but I like to also have some preparations/slots that I vary. I might make a couple of different default "loadouts", just have one default one that I vary as needed. Or if it's easy form to just check which spells I have prepared, I might alter them more irregularly.

This issue is just as important when playing a wizard as when playing a cleric/druid, as wizards learning spells from scrolls and captured spellbooks is the norm rather than exception in our games. With so many good options, it seems to be a lazy way to miss out interesting play opportunities to not vary your prepared spells.

I suppose if most people don't vary them, that might be why WoTC doesn't seem to provide much in the way of a balancing factor for classes that only know a certain number of spells (like sorcerer or ranger) compared to similar classes that prepare spells (Like wizard or paladin).

 

[Emirikol_Prime]

Huh. I swap my spells on casters all the time. Makes for far more interesting Adventures.

 

[lonelynoose]

If you use MPMB there is an option to list out all available spells. It's great because after a long rest you select new spells for whatever situation you're in.

 

[Horwath]

I dont see any problem with it.

Some spells are general spell that are usefull in almost every situation.

And some that you will prepare only if you know what situation you will be. As they are powerfull in that situation and mostly useless outside of it.

Luckily for clerics, they can prepare lots of specialized spells as they only need few general spells and domains give lots of "free" preparation.

 

[Yaarel]

I like the idea by [MENTION=6779196]Charlaquin[/MENTION],

Dont ‘prepare’ spells, but have a limited number of different kinds of spells that are possible each day.

This allows both spontaneity and gaming balance.



That said, I prefer thematic spellcasters, for flavor. So even the pool of available spells to choose from during the day would depend on which themes the caster specializes in.

 

[BlackSeed_Vash]

When I run a cleric/druid my spell list is pretty static with a given level, unless a situation requires me to switch out a spell. Once in a while I'll try out a spell I'm not sure of.

 

[pickin_grinnin]

I make my own character sheets for games these days, optimized for the information I find myself referencing the most. I leave out the bits that I never use. I print everything out on a template I made, then put them in a small (5x8'') 3-ring binder. I also put in pages with duplicates of any charts or maps I might need to reference a lot, copies of the spells I tend to use the most (if playing a magic user), stats for vehicles and equipment, and a summary of any rules that I tend to forget (so I don't technically need the rule book with me). When I get extra items, I add sheets for those. I have blank sheets that I write campaign notes on. The whole thing comes out at the size of a digest-sized book, like the newer Savage Rules books or DCC adventures. All I need beyond that on game night is a dice and a pencil/pen which I carry in a small box.

I shelve the binders for ongoing characters next to the rule books for the games they are used in.