Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 SSJ-Echoes Sep 19, 2015 0:34:54	I'm sorry guys...I'm new and I've read multiple places including the Player Handbook my friend owns. I don't completely understand it.   I'm roling a Paladin. In other words i'd like to know how slots each spell takes, per level ?(I think it scales per level). How I can modify my slots, and when I can actually cast new spells? How many spell slot I have access to?( I think is scales per level).   Is there a chart somewhere which describes this? If not It would be gretly apreciated if I someone could patienty explained the whole concept, with main emphasis on my three main worries.   Like I said, I'm really sorry.
#2 Yunru Sep 19, 2015 3:31:42	Yes, there is a chart. Right beneath the big title saying "Paladin". AFB so can't quote page number atm.
#3 Macv12 Sep 19, 2015 5:20:20	The chart is on p83 of the PHB. The rest of the rules for getting new spells and such are under the heading "Spellcasting" in subsequent pages.   For your first question, it sounds like you're asking how many slots it takes to cast a spell? A spell always takes exactly 1 slot. However, you can cast spells with a higher slot than necessary. For example, as a paladin, you'll have access to the Compelled Duel spell once you get access to spells, and can cast it with a 1st-level spell slot. Later on in your career when you have 2nd-level or 3rd-level spell slots or higher, you can use a higher slot level to cast Compelled Duel (if you're all out of 1st-level slots, for example). Nothing changes in this case.   Some spells do change, however. It tells you in the spell description if it does. Bless, for example, targets 3 creatures if you cast it with a 1st-level slot. If you cast it with a 2nd-level slot instead, you can target one extra creature per level above 1st, meaning you can target 4 creatures. But you only expended the 2nd-level slot, not a 1st-level slot. Cast with a 3rd-level slot, you can target 5 creatures; you didn't expend a 1st- or 2nd-level slot, just the 3rd-level. And so on.   I'm not sure what you mean by "modify my slots," but the class chart will tell you when you get new slots and how many, and the Spellcasting section will tell you how many and which spells you can prepare. The short version: figure out the biggest slot you have (based on your level), look at the Paladin spell list (p 208), pick spells of a level at or under that slot level, choosing (your Charisma modifier + half your level) number of spells total, and those are the spells you can spend slots to cast, until you take a long rest and choose new ones.
#4 Macv12 Sep 19, 2015 5:21:59	The chart is on p83 of the PHB. The rest of the rules for getting new spells and such are under the heading "Spellcasting" in subsequent pages.   For your first question, it sounds like you're asking how many slots it takes to cast a spell? A spell always takes exactly 1 slot. However, you can cast spells with a higher slot than necessary. For example, as a paladin, you'll have access to the Compelled Duel spell once you get access to spells, and can cast it with a 1st-level spell slot. Later on in your career when you have 2nd-level or 3rd-level spell slots or higher, you can use a higher slot level to cast Compelled Duel (if you're all out of 1st-level slots, for example). Nothing changes in this case.   Some spells do change, however. It tells you in the spell description if it does. Bless, for example, targets 3 creatures if you cast it with a 1st-level slot. If you cast it with a 2nd-level slot instead, you can target one extra creature per level above 1st, meaning you can target 4 creatures. But you only expended the 2nd-level slot, not a 1st-level slot. Cast with a 3rd-level slot, you can target 5 creatures; you didn't expend a 1st- or 2nd-level slot, just the 3rd-level. And so on.   I'm not sure what you mean by "modify my slots," but the class chart will tell you when you get new slots and how many, and the Spellcasting section will tell you how many and which spells you can prepare. The short version: figure out the biggest slot you have (based on your level), look at the Paladin spell list (p 208), pick spells of a level at or under that slot level, choosing (your Charisma modifier + half your level) number of spells total, and those are the spells you can spend slots to cast, until you take a long rest and choose new ones.
#5 SSJ-Echoes Sep 19, 2015 14:38:46	Alright, so I read a bit and I understand more. Now, now further questions that I still have.  If I am a Paladin, level 2, My Charisma Modifier is 2, I therefore have 2 spell slots right?     Do i need to prepare the spells I will use after a rest? If so I decide to take one spell slot for divine smite, and one for Bless.  How many times can I do these spells per day? Or per round?   After my rest I could prepare, Divine Smite again and Purify Food? Then I would need to rest again t change those right?   Thanks for the help
(Reply to #5) Tempest_Stormwind	SSJ-Echoes wrote:
(Reply to #6) SSJ-Echoes	OK so if I understand carefully, I can prepare 2 (charisma modifier) + 1 (paladin level 2 divided by 2, rounded down) spells after a short rest.   I can then use 2 of these spells, when I want (because I have 2 spell slots at level 2). After I have used them I need to have a long rest to be able to cast them again. If I want to change the list of three spells which I prepared earlier I would need to meditate for an hour to change them again right?   Plus bonus question while we are in spells, what is for example in the Bless spell- Duration: concentration one minute? And also when I craft holy water, I need a container in which I put the holy water in? And how many charges does it have?   Thanks alot for the info you guys are really helping out!
#8 Macv12 Sep 19, 2015 18:55:35	Spells are chosen again after a long rest. That lasts 8 hours. So basically, when you wake up in the morning. Your description of casting is otherwise correct.   Yeah, Bless is concentration, 1 minute. That means that when you cast it, it lasts a maximum of 1 minute (10 rounds, since each round is 6 seconds), but you have to maintain concentration. So you can't be maintaining concentration on anything else, and if you take damage or are otherwise stressed (the DM can decide if something is bad enough to threaten your concentration), you have to make a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration.   I assume you're asking about holy water since its a component of Bless? Since it doesn't say what the price of the holy water is, you're not meant to worry about it. You can use a spellcasting focus (a holy symbol, in your case, since you're a paladin) instead of the actual materials needed, if the materials don't have a price. If you are using actual holy water, I would assume you need a container, but it's up to your DM. It also doesn't have "charges," so again it's up to your DM how often you need to get more water.
#9 Mad_Jack Sep 20, 2015 13:49:55	Material spell components aren't used up unless the spell says so. A spell component pouch is assumed to hold all the things you would need for casting any of your spells, other than those components that have an expensive gold piece cost. There are no rules about needing to replenish spellcasting supplies when using a spell component pouch. The material component for Bless is "a sprinkling of holy water". That phrase is never defined anywhere in the game, so unless your DM is being anal retentive about making you keep track of every last speck of dust on your person, buying a spell component pouch (or using an arcane foucus) is the only thing you will ever need to do regarding that issue. (In real life the ceremony for creating holy water in the Catholic Church takes about five minutes (and the "material components" for that are a "holy symbol" and a pinch of salt, lol), so there's no reason to assume that even if your DM is making you keep track of insignificant things that you shouldn't be able to just refill your holy water material component whenever you need to during a long rest, or even a short one...)
#10 SSJ-Echoes Sep 20, 2015 16:11:13	All right, that clarifies a lot for me actually :D. Thanks. So basically if I understand, spell slot is a bit like mana. So level two, you are actually meant to cast two spells per long rest.... that's underwhelming haha, but I guess it scales.   Other than that,  I still need a bit of clarification on preparing the spells? Even if the spell is avaible at level two (example Bless), I would need to prepare it in the morning in order to actually be able to cast it during a fight.  And you can only prepare spells equal to your Charisma modifier PLUS your Paladin level divided by 2.. right?   Also whats a good method you guys have of tracking spells and/or spell slots, especially for a noobie like me?   Thanks!
#11 Macv12 Sep 20, 2015 17:10:45	You've got it!   I used a character sheet made in Excel, so it would automatically calculate my attack bonuses, jump distance, etc. I made some cells numbered 1-3 (or however many spells I could prepare) and wrote the spells in there. You could also make some index cards with the vital info, and keep the "prepared" ones on hand during play. (You can buy official spell cards, too, if you don't want to make them.)   I also used the sheet for slots, but I hear different colors of poker chips work really well.
#12 Tempest_Stormwind Sep 21, 2015 9:52:05	SSJ-Echoes wrote:
#13 Kahless Sep 26, 2015 5:34:24	One thing that hasn't been mentioned but I think you might have missed is the different way spells get cast in 5e with the slots.   Your Paladin at level 2 with Cha +2 has 2 slots and 3 spells prepared, as you've said. But if you cast Bless, that spell doesn't "go away", like in previous editions. It is still prepared. You can cast it again using another slot.   So if you have spells X, Y, and Z prepared, with two slots you can cast XY, XZ, XX, etc.   Hope that helps.