Touch of Healing [Reserve] feat from Complete Champion Excerpt

[Crothian]

Clerics though do need to prepare spells. I get your point but I wouldn't call it clear for this issue.

 

[Pazu]

And that's why I was hoping they'd addressed it in the book!

Anyone could have seen this argument coming from a mile away.

 

[James McMurray]

It seems to me that a spell slot which currently holds a spell is not an unused spell slot.

 

[Particle_Man]

The reasoning behind the sorceror rule seems to be:

Before casting the heightened fireball in the 9th level slot, there is no 9th level fireball, so you can't get the 9th level "fire" bonus for your "fire" reserve feat.

After casting the heightened fireball in the 9th level slot, that fireball is gone, so you can't get the 9th level "fire" bonus for your "fire" reserve feat.

I would see a parallel with the cleric. If they don't have conjuration (healing) spells prepared, then:

Before dropping a different 4th level spell to cast a "cure critical wounds", they have no conjuration (healing) spell prepare, so cannot use the benefit of the "healing" reserve feat.

After dropping a different 4th level spell to cast a "cure critical wounds", that spell is gone, so they cannot use the benefit of the "healing" reserve feat.

The parallel seems pretty strong to me.

 

[Pazu]

Actually, now that I reread the rules for reserve feats in Complete Mage, I think the matter is resolved.

Relevant text from Complete Mage, p. 37:

...The definition of "available to cast" depends on whether a character prepares spells or casts spontaneously from a list of spells known.

A spellcaster who prepares spells each day (such as a wizard) must have an appropriate spell prepared and not yet cast that day...

A spellcaster who does not need to prepare spells (such as a sorcerer) must know an appropriate spell and must have at least one unused spell slot of that spell's level or higher...

1. In general, clerics fall into the first category, spellcasters who prepare spells each day. Thus, they need to have prepared a healing spell of at least 2nd level in order to use the feat.

2. If you argue that the spontaneous conversion ability allows clerics to function as spellcasters who do not need to prepare spells, they would then need to have an "unused spell slot" of the appropriate level--i.e. a slot that they haven't filled with a prepared spell, since there isn't another definition of an unused spell slot for characters who otherwise need to prepare spells.

Either way, at least one spell slot needs to be devoted to powering this feat.

 

[hong]

The feat is very useful, but not every cleric will necessarily take it. There's two types of cleric characters, basically: those who are there to buff/heal the group, and those who are there to tank. The first group will be all over this. The second won't.

 

[Stalker0]

I also think the prepared issue will weaken it further. If a cleric is in fact forced to have a healing slot ready, that's may make a difference, especially at low levels.

 

[airwalkrr]

I'm tired of this thread already. I wish it would die. I think I've seen the same comments on both sides like 50 times apiece now.

 

[hong]

The feat is very useful, but not every cleric will necessarily take it. There's two types of cleric characters, basically: those who are there to buff/heal the group, and those who are there to tank. The first group will be all over this. The second won't.

... what?

 

[Pielorinho]

I'm tired of this thread already. I wish it would die. I think I've seen the same comments on both sides like 50 times apiece now.

Moderator's Notes:

Well okay then, airwalkrr. I cannot prevent you from opening this thread again, but I will ask you not to post in it again. Your post was not helpful or necessary.

Daniel