Voluntarily lose your spells?

[Li Shenron]

Prepared Spell Retention: Once a wizard prepares a spell, it remains in her mind as a nearly cast spell until she uses the prescribed components to complete and trigger it or until she abandons it. Certain other events, such as the effects of magic items or special attacks from monsters, can wipe a prepared spell from a character’s mind.

Can you voluntarily abandon your spells during the day, outside the preparation time?

Can you, for example, abandon your spells because you are afraid of your opponent's mind controlling powers, and you don't want to be forced to use your spells against your allies?

It doesn't seem to me that the SRD above is referring to preparation time when it mentions that the wizard abandons the spells, just like it isn't prep time when she completes the casting.

IMO you can therefore abandon your spells anytime, although no action is specified (perhaps it is not an action at all).

This is done when a Wizard "releases" slots prepared the previous days to prepare different spells. In your example, I guess the Wiz could abandon only some of the prepared spells. There could be an advantage but only in very rare cases, since you ain't getting to use those abandoned slots until tomorrow.

Of course, you cannot abandon a prepared spell to prepare something less unless it's already "the next day", IYKWIMAITYD.

 

[Artoomis]

It doesn't seem to me that the SRD above is referring to preparation time when it mentions that the wizard abandons the spells, just like it isn't prep time when she completes the casting.

IMO you can therefore abandon your spells anytime, although no action is specified (perhaps it is not an action at all).

This is done when a Wizard "releases" slots prepared the previous days to prepare different spells. In your example, I guess the Wiz could abandon only some of the prepared spells. There could be an advantage but only in very rare cases, since you ain't getting to use those abandoned slots until tomorrow.

Of course, you cannot abandon a prepared spell to prepare something less unless it's already "the next day", IYKWIMAITYD.

Well stated and based upon RAW. Well done!

 

[mvincent]

If this were allowed, it seems like you could wipe out a spellcaster's arsenal by momentarily dominating him.

 

[ARandomGod]

If this were allowed, it seems like you could wipe out a spellcaster's arsenal by momentarily dominating him.

Oooh, a good reason to make it a standard action.

Now, of course, once you've dominated a spellcaster to the extent that you can manipulate the spells in his head, wouldn't it be more effective to have the caster use those spells on your behalf?

 

[mvincent]

once you've dominated a spellcaster to the extent that you can manipulate the spells in his head, wouldn't it be more effective to have the caster use those spells on your behalf?

Not if you know that his cleric ally is going to put "protection from evil" on him within the next round. Or more likely: an ally with magic circle protection from evil will be standing next to him next round. Experienced adventuring parties are very likely to do this sort of thing.

Instant spell abandonment might be an easy way for a DM to screw-over spellcasting PC's (especially with sneaky vampire-types that use hit-and-run tactics). I agree, it seems more reasonable to require a standard action per spell (which is negligible time in regard to spell-preparation, but a long time in combat)