Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Darkuwa 03-19-06, 06:02 PM	Normally I write out my spell list next to my spell book, but the group I'm playing with now doesn't seem to do that. The druid just flips through all the druids spells and casts whatever she likes, she still make sure she doesn't use up too many spells per day but she just casts whatever she wants. Same thing with the cleric. I'm not talking about spontanously casting natures ally or cure either. I'm playing a sorceror so it doesn't matter too me but if I'd known that's how the group worked I woulda just played a wizard.
20goingon1232 03-19-06, 06:12 PM	You might want to stop them doing that unless the DM agrees with them. Personally, I have a set of spells that I usually memorise and I just put a tick next to the ones I've used. In general, I have mostly direct damage spells, with a few utility ones thrown in. My characters tend not to use spells unless absolutely pushed, using them as a last resort.
xvthreetwoonevx 03-19-06, 06:12 PM	Call them on it. Free spontaneous casting is NOT cool, especially for already overpowered classes. Tell them you feel kinda overshadowed and that they're supposed to prep each day, and if they complain that it's "too complicated" just tell them to pick what they want to cast at the beginning of the day, and then just make little marks at the side of already casted spells. It's not that hard, and they shouldn't be doing that. Try not to be hostile about it, though, they'll be less responsive that way.
was_fired 03-19-06, 06:25 PM	I always do it as a player, and as a DM if I think a player isn't recording this stuff I call them on it, and I start watching them very closely until I am sure they are. It can get annoying, but once players start doing it on a regular basis and get into the habit of it there isn't any problem. Plus it can actually cause them to be a lot smarter with their spells than if they just fake cast.
Raven Dark 03-19-06, 06:44 PM	I usually write down a generic list of prepared spells on my character sheet. If I know ahead of time that we are going to face some specific challenge I may change them if given time, but I always have my generic everyday list and use that if there is no reason not to.
Kage_Ryu 03-19-06, 06:52 PM	I'm a DM and personally from experience I had a player do that. I wasn't really annoyed at first, but then when I started pulling out some monsters, and he started metagaming and pulling out spells because they'd be more effective I started getting annoyed. Also it allows them to always have the right spells prepared for the right moment. This makes challenging the players difficult sometimes. Also there's a reason for spontaneous casting and Sorcerors. Tell your DM about these things and he might start enforcing proper rules.
Tyrasius 03-19-06, 06:55 PM	I write down some spells that I usually use on my character sheet. Each day I right down how many of each of those I have prepared for that day using little marks nexrt to them. When I caast them I erase a mark. If I want to prepare something different that day then I just right it down and how many of it I have prepared. It really is kind of eassy, take s about 1 minute at the most. Any one who i too lazy to keep track of what they prepared IMO is cheating, and should get no spells for the day because they didnt actually prepare anything. I think you shuld talk to your DM about it and see if you can get him to force them to prepare their spells, possibly ussing my technique above
ehrin 03-19-06, 07:24 PM	Spell preparation is important. i never let my wizards, druids and clerics get away with "choosing at the moment". Half the battle is in picking the right spells BEFORE you know all the challenges.
StevenO 03-19-06, 07:31 PM	If playing a caster who "prepares" spells it is vital that the player has a list of spells memorized. Allowing those characters to choose on the fly steps on the primary ability of the Sorcerer and other spontaneous casters. It may work IF the prepared caster has a small list (this excludes divine casters) and may only use a given spell once per day. There are two relatively simple ways for the prepared caster to work if they are too lazy to make a new spell list each day: 1) Premade spell list: As other have stated you have a standard list of spells (with optional check boxes) and this is your default. You may have different standard lists for different occasions (home, travelling, known fight day,...) but select on for your memorization ritual. 2) Prepared slots left empty: You don't need to fill a prepared slot with spells immediately but doing so later takes 15 minutes which makes combat spells useless. It normally isn't a bad idea to leave a slot or two open for a utility spell but combat spells never should work here.
zlatko 03-19-06, 07:38 PM	I use printed sheets with all spells with checkboxes. Check away.
Frodo Lives 03-19-06, 11:23 PM	I think that it's cheating, plain and simple. Druids, Clerics, and Wizards are not spontaneous casters, and to treat them as if they were is just wrong. Call them on it, if they object have your DM allow your sorc have all the spells know that you want. After all, it's the same thing. As a DM I wouldn't let anyone get away with this, if someone "forgot" to write down what spells they memorized for the day, then that means that they didn't memorize any!
Steel91101 03-20-06, 12:17 AM	It's cheating. Read the Player's Handbook. Druids, Clerics and Wizards are NOT spontaneous casters.
Sianger 03-20-06, 12:25 AM	I think that it's cheating, plain and simple. Druids, Clerics, and Wizards are not spontaneous casters, and to treat them as if they were is just wrong. I definitely agree with this. The whole point of having the Wizard vs the Sorceror is breadth and "strategic" versatility (long-term) as opposed to volume and "tactical" versatility (round-by-round). Especially because he's using the whole list, it is extremely overpowered. The only classes which do things like that have specifically restricted lists, like the Warmage. Besides, learning to picking spells well is one of the most rewarding aspects of playing a preparing caster. I just played a wizard in one campaign and it is most satisfying to "guess" correctly what the right spell for the occasion is going to be - or even better, having the correct "backup" spell if your first guess was wrong. If he wants to play a spontaneous divine caster, look at Favoured Soul or Spirit Shaman from Complete Divine. If not, then call him on it (and get the DM to support you).
Dag 03-20-06, 01:58 AM	As stated earlier, it is cheating. As a DM I have witnessed it and started asking all casters to hand me a sheet with their memorized spells every day, but if you don't have a DM who notices this thing then you should point it out to him or her. Most DMs would put a stop to such problems if they are aware of them. I find that when a DM is repeatedly letting a player get away with cheating he usually doesn't know the player's cheating. If you point it out to your DM and it doesn't stop then ask to make a wizard. It sucks to see other characters cheating when you're trying to play your character fairly, and it never feels good tattling on them, but those are your options. I'd mention it to the DM away from the table if I were you, if it didn't end then I'd mention it out loud at the table and confront the bastards.
jokotoko 03-20-06, 03:56 AM	Oh man, I would kill to play a wizard in that campaign :) You get all the benefits of being a wizard, and the only benefit that a sorcerer gets. But seriously, say something about it, otherwise your sorcerer will never get the chance to shine.
Surprise 03-20-06, 05:17 AM	I agree with everyone here, but here's my two cents to the pot, The DM in your party should be checkin that the casters in your party that prepare spells are actually doing just that. I, as a DM, usually do what I call 'random inspections' of casters' prepared spell lists. I find the constant day-to-day inspections too tiring and time-consuming to game play, but prepared spells should always be checked from time to time at the very least to ensure cheating is not happening. -Surprise
Feor 03-20-06, 08:47 AM	DEpends on the situation. In combat: Yes, deffinetly cheating. If they want spontaneous casting htey can play Bard, Sorc, or Favored Soul, like the rest of us. Outside of combat, like in campaign I'm currently in where one turn equals a week unless we get into a fight, we just assume that they memorized it the morning they needed it.
Judging Eagle 03-20-06, 04:38 PM	Use a spell point system. You can look it up on the www.d20srd.com However the UA spell point system is broken. Sorcerers get only 5% more spell pts at lvl 20 than a wizard does. I made my own spell point tables for each class based on their already existing spells/day. Where the spell pts a spell per day gives is equal to the spells level, with 0 giving 1/2 a lvl, lvl 1 spells giving 1 lvl all the way to lvl 9 spells giving 9 pts each. You should add in a clerics domain spells as well to their spell pts a day. What happens is that while wizards get low spell pts, they gain a pile of versatility while sorcerers get 50% more casting than a wizard so taking Shadow spells is worth it since they're super flexible and only cost a bit more than the original spell. Sorcerers/Favoured Souls come in 1st overall for pts Warmages/Healers come in 2nd Clerics are third Druids are fourth and Wizards are 4th Bards, Paladins and Rangers are much lower on the scale (As expected since they're not main casters). To cast a spell you have to spend spell pts equal to double the spell's level minus one (with 0 lvl spells still costing at least 1 spell pt). So 1st lvl spells cost 1; 2nd cost 3; 3rd cost 5; 4th cost 7 etc. etc. (so... the spells cost the minimum caster level for the spell in spell pts). The downside is that the spells work at the minimum caster level for that spell unless the caster burns spell pts to increase the spell's cast level up to a maximum of the spell casters current caster level. Metamagic pretty much the same as it works normally, the spell's level is increased (and you have to pay more spell pts to cast a metamagiced spell) and if you can't cast the spells new level you can't metamagic that level of spell (so if you're 5th lvl you can metamagic a 2nd lvl spell that has a max spell level adjustment of +1 (which would cost as much as a 3rd lvl spell, that a 5th lvl pure spellcaster can cast). Anyway, just a thought. I've started using it in the games our group runs and it's a much better system. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/spellPoints.htm#castingSpells
Dungeon Master 03-20-06, 05:23 PM	Here's my version of a solution: Tell them that it's okay to not prepare spells, but in return, it takes them 1 round per spell level to cast the spell. Hardly worth it for most players.
ChimericalWolf 03-20-06, 07:00 PM	If that's the houserule, than there's probably not a whole lot you can do about it. It is horribly broken, but you should be able to do it to, ne? Pick up Spell Compendium and your Sorc will be blowing everything outta the plane.