Can Clerics Forego Spell Preparation Like Wizards?

[JacktheRabbit]

If that is the ruling in the DnD FAQ then fine. They are though completley contradicting the PHB and in my opinion AGAIN granting too much power to a class that is already rather overboard in power to begin with.

Check the DnD FAQ. Page 38, at the top of the right column.

"A divine spellcaster does not have to prepare all of his spells at once. (See page 156 in the PHB). This means that you can leave slots open.... If you have left slots open, you can fill them in 15 minutes, even when your mind is not fresh. Arcane casters have the same rule."

 

[Caliban]

A cleric prays to once a day to refresh his spell slots and receive spells.

He doesn't have to prepare all his spells at once, he can choose to leave some of his slots open and pray later for a spell to put in it.

 

[IceBear]

I think what they were trying to say that the cleric doesn't get to refresh his spells for the day if he doesn't do it at a certain time of day.

For example, a cleric of Pelor has choosen the morning for when he can pray for new spells. He has cast several of his spells and now has some empty slots (used slots really). If for some reason he doesn't get to pray the next morning, he is stuck with what he has. If he did get to pray that morning, then he can "reset" this empty slots and either choose a spell to fill it, or leave them empty to fill later in the day. I think that they see choosing to leave a spell slot empty as preparation as well.

[Edit] Damn! Yet again Caliban beat me to it and said it more efficently than me

IceBear

 

[Larcen]

I'm starting to have fun with open slots.

I have a new 12th level cleric that always keeps a slot of 2nd to 6th level spells open. At first, I did this because I worship the goddess of planning so having the option to choose any needed spell with a 15 minutes delay seemed to fit the bill.

But when I don't need to use the slot, I take 15 minutes to prep, then I can cast things like Empower-Extended-Extended Bull's Strength or Endurance (that spell lasts for 48 hours !).

HeavyG, that rocks! THAT is exactly the kind of thing I am talking about doing. And, as good as the Extended spells are, can you see all the awesome stuff you can do with these empty slots at bedtime with the Persistent feat?

 

[Bobbystopholes]

Just make sure you cast them at least 8 hours before you pray the next day or you don't get them back. I hate 3rd watch ambushes. They ruin the whole next day! Guess with this "new" tactic, you can always just pray again 8 hours after you cast that spell to get it back. Not too shabby

 

[dcollins]

Check the DnD FAQ. Page 38, at the top of the right column.

Well you've got me there (although in the current FAQ it's on p. 31, middle of left column). I am, however, apalled by that ruling by the Sage/FAQ. There is no such rule in the PH for how clerics can fill unused spell slots midday -- the fact that the Sage can only point back to the Arcane section and say "arcane spellcasters have a similar rule" is evidence that he made up a new rule in this instance.

 

[Larcen]

I am, however, apalled ....

Well, since I play a cleric I am happy with the sages ruling.

But if I was to try and be impartial and honest about it, I would have to say that is does make sense that the source(s) of clerical spells are only available once a day, based on the given god. At least in the FR campaign, since the FR book points out the actual times clerics can pray for spells. Why go to the trouble of that, if they can get their spells at other times too?

They should not be able to do this. It's like the god, or his appointees, or whatever, don't want to have to visit the cleric to give him his spells all throughout the day, so they set aside one time of day to do that.

Wizards however carry their books with them and preparing spells throughout the day should be an advantage they have for doing that.

But again, I would have to stick to the "official" Sage response here.

 

[Psyduck]

This is definitely the rule. It also makes sense because it keeps arcane and divine casters balanced, since Wizards can cast a super-meta-charged bull's strength with an unused slot as well. Even if this wasn't the rule, I'd create a house rule to allow this, since most people I game with doesn't like to play a cleric (dif topic there )

 

[Larcen]

...since Wizards can cast a super-meta-charged bull's strength...

Yeah but let me ask you, going by your example, which class can benefit more from a "super-meta-charged bull's strength" spell, a wizard or a cleric?

Clerics rule.

(Of course there ARE other nifty spells the wizard can meta instead of the Bull's Stregth...)

 

[Rowenstin]

I really don´t like that ruling. (Sage, unlike wine, is becoming worse over time) Not only don´t makes sense, but makes the cleric muck better; remember that he has acces to all spells, not only a few like the wizard.