Circle Casting Details Revealed for Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun

Wizards of the Coast has explained the effects of Circle Casting in Dungeons & Dragons. Next month, Wizards of the Coast will release Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun, a player-facing campaign setting book. One of the major draws of Heroes of Faerun is the addition of Circle Casting, a new way to greatly enhance spells through a group casting. More details were provided about Circle Casting via a D&D Beyond article posted this week. While some spells (such as the newly revealed Doomtide and Spellfire Storm) have specific effects that activate during a Circle Casting, any D&D spell can be enhanced via Circle Casting. The following generic options are available when a spell is cast via Circle Casting.

• Augment: Stretch your spell's range by thousands of feet.
• Distribute: Let your allies share the burden of Concentration, keeping the spell's effects steady.
• Expand: Widen the spell's influence, increasing its area of effect.
• Prolong: Sustain the spell's effect for hours beyond its typical duration.
• Safeguard: Shape the Weave to spare your allies from the storm you unleash.
• Supplant: Replace costly Material components with the collective strength of your circle.

Not every spell can be cast via Circle Casting. Eligible spells must have a casting time of an action or 1 minute or longer and is cast using a spell slot. When a spell is cast via Circle Casting, a primary caster is chosen, and the primary caster chooses the targets, maintains Concentration if needed, provides components, expends the spell slot, and makes any other choices the spell requires. Some Circle Casting options require every member of a Circle to expend spell slots as well.

 

[Parmandur]

I just thought about this, but based on the preview article, the two spells that can be circle cast for greater effect both require the casters to spend spell slots.

Monsters in the new Monster Manual do not have spell slots, meaning this really isn't usable, RAW, by NPCs. Which means enemies would not be able to use this against PCs, but also PCs could not use hirelings to help cover the castings.

Now this is, of course, assuming the article is not omitting a rule that says an NPC's X/day features count as spell slots for this requirement.

NPCs don't have mechanical spell slots, that doesn't mean they don't have them spiritually.

But thebarticle does suggest a group of NPC cultists gathering to Circle cast against Waterdeep is a good hook, so it seems clear that Circle casting is something that NPCs can do by thr power of DM fiat.

 

[Reynard]

NPCs don't have mechanical spell slots, that doesn't mean they don't have them spiritually.

But thebarticle does suggest a group of NPC cultists gathering to Circle cast against Waterdeep is a good hook, so it seems clear that Circle casting is something that NPCs can do by thr power of DM fiat.

I am not sure where people are getting the idea that NPCs don't have spell slots. The ones in my 2024 MM do.

 

[SkidAce]

I know about the "needs a spell lot" rule (guideline?)

But I had an interesting idea.

Special druidic menhirs could take the place of spellcasters. (you could assign then x of x level slots per day).

Or ley lines!

 

[Parmandur]

I am not sure where people are getting the idea that NPCs don't have spell slots. The ones in my 2024 MM do.

You are right, it I think folks are splitting hairs about how they are presented as daily actions rather than PC slots.