how many spells to cast? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

how many spells to cast?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
kardock
Jul 06, 2009 8:13:35 hi all,

i'm new to 4e and i have joined a group that plays for a while now, so i started at level 12.

i'm doing fine but there is one thing i'm not sure;

in the PH, i can see at level 12 i know these powers: 2/4/3/4 these are powers known.

later, in the powers description, it is said that i can cast a number of powers for my level.

are these the same values? does power known = power castable before a rest?

thank you for clarifying this.
#2
sarella_starshine
Jul 06, 2009 8:24:56 Yes and no.

The numbers in the chart is your total amount of powers (at-will/encounter/daily/utility) you normally know at that level.

There are classes, feats, and items that can expand on that number of your known spells.

The number you can use however is fixed, regardless of the amount you know. You can cast/use only 1 of each level you gain a new power.

For example: you decide to play a wizard and taken a feat to allow you to know one more daily spell each level you gain dailies, which brings your total amount of dailies per level known to 3. However, between each extended rest, you can only cast one of your 3 dailies per level.
#3
AbdulAlhazred
Jul 06, 2009 18:40:41
in the PH, i can see at level 12 i know these powers: 2/4/3/4 these are powers known.

Correct. Note that the wizard class has a feater "Spellbook" (explained in the PHB on page 158) which lets them have a way to switch some of these powers around every time they rest.

later, in the powers description, it is said that i can cast a number of powers for my level.

are these the same values? does power known = power castable before a rest?

More or less, but each type of power has its own frequency of reuse.

At-will: you have 2 of these, but you can use either of them as many times as you want, they are always available.

Encounter: You can use all of your encounter powers during each encounter (battle basically). So at 12th level you can use 4 encounter powers during each encounter.

Utility: Utility powers are each marked as either daily or encounter. If a utility is daily then you can use it once per day. Once you use it in one encounter you have to take an extended rest to get it back. Utility powers that are marked as encounter can be used once per encounter.

Daily: These can each be used once per day. After an extended rest you can use them again.

There are ways to have "extra" powers. For example characters which have the Channel Divinity class feature (Cleric and Paladin in the PHB) have some extra powers that are "Channel Divinity" powers. There are also feats to give these characters extra Channel Divinity powers, which don't count against the totals. Wizards also have special powers called Cantrips which are additional to the normal number of powers and can be used at-will.
#4
kouk
Jul 08, 2009 20:23:49 Actually I think most characters have "extra" powers.

The chart only shows a baseline minimum number for a theoretically average PC. It ignores things like exact class, exact race, feats, and whatever else.

For a straight wizard, any encounter power you have is usable every single encounter (when you rest between them). You have no Channel Divinity to worry about with special restrictions.

As a level 12 Wizard with no race or special feats to speak of, your power breakdown per day is this:

At-Wills, usable whenever you feel like:
TWO at-will attack powers from your class, usable whenever you want. Plus Cantrips.

Encounter powers, usable 1/encounter
ONE Level 1 Encounter Attack Power
ONE level 3 Encounter Attack Power
ONE level 7 Encounter Attack Power
ONE level 11 Encounter Attack Power Granted by your Paragon Path

Daily powers, usable 1/day*
ONE Level 1 Daily Attack Power (*You choose which single one each extended rest)
ONE Level 5 Daily Attack Power (*You choose which single one each extended rest)
ONE Level 9 Daily Attack Power (*You choose which single one each extended rest)

Utility Powers, either At-Will, Encounter or Daily
ONE Level 2 Utility Power (Frequency as per power description)
ONE Level 6 Utility Power (Frequency as per power description)
EDIT: ONE Level 10 Utility Power (Frequency as per power description)
ONE Level 12 Utility Power from your Paragon Path (Frequency as per power description)

If your race gives you another power of some kind, just tack it on as appropriate. If a feat gives you another power of some kind, just tack it on as appropriate.

This is all ignoring item powers, which sort of have their own little system to determine how many you can use. Remember you can use 2 Daily item uses each time you wake up from your extended rests (in Paragon Tier), and you gain another use after a milestone.

Item Encounter powers and At-Will powers are usable just as often as they say, and have no specific limits on use beyond that (aside from some requiring healing surges as fuel, or whatever other condition an item imposes individually on its use).
#5
jovani
Jul 10, 2009 12:03:12 Kouk, you missed the Level 10 Encounter power.
#6
kouk
Jul 10, 2009 12:06:56
Kouk, you missed the Level 10 Encounter power.

So I did :P

Thanks.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 kardock Jul 06, 2009 8:13:35	hi all, i'm new to 4e and i have joined a group that plays for a while now, so i started at level 12. i'm doing fine but there is one thing i'm not sure; in the PH, i can see at level 12 i know these powers: 2/4/3/4 these are powers known. later, in the powers description, it is said that i can cast a number of powers for my level. are these the same values? does power known = power castable before a rest? thank you for clarifying this.
#2 sarella_starshine Jul 06, 2009 8:24:56	Yes and no. The numbers in the chart is your total amount of powers (at-will/encounter/daily/utility) you normally know at that level. There are classes, feats, and items that can expand on that number of your known spells. The number you can use however is fixed, regardless of the amount you know. You can cast/use only 1 of each level you gain a new power. For example: you decide to play a wizard and taken a feat to allow you to know one more daily spell each level you gain dailies, which brings your total amount of dailies per level known to 3. However, between each extended rest, you can only cast one of your 3 dailies per level.
#3 AbdulAlhazred Jul 06, 2009 18:40:41	in the PH, i can see at level 12 i know these powers: 2/4/3/4 these are powers known. Correct. Note that the wizard class has a feater "Spellbook" (explained in the PHB on page 158) which lets them have a way to switch some of these powers around every time they rest. later, in the powers description, it is said that i can cast a number of powers for my level. are these the same values? does power known = power castable before a rest? More or less, but each type of power has its own frequency of reuse. At-will: you have 2 of these, but you can use either of them as many times as you want, they are always available. Encounter: You can use all of your encounter powers during each encounter (battle basically). So at 12th level you can use 4 encounter powers during each encounter. Utility: Utility powers are each marked as either daily or encounter. If a utility is daily then you can use it once per day. Once you use it in one encounter you have to take an extended rest to get it back. Utility powers that are marked as encounter can be used once per encounter. Daily: These can each be used once per day. After an extended rest you can use them again. There are ways to have "extra" powers. For example characters which have the Channel Divinity class feature (Cleric and Paladin in the PHB) have some extra powers that are "Channel Divinity" powers. There are also feats to give these characters extra Channel Divinity powers, which don't count against the totals. Wizards also have special powers called Cantrips which are additional to the normal number of powers and can be used at-will.
#4 kouk Jul 08, 2009 20:23:49	Actually I think most characters have "extra" powers. The chart only shows a baseline minimum number for a theoretically average PC. It ignores things like exact class, exact race, feats, and whatever else. For a straight wizard, any encounter power you have is usable every single encounter (when you rest between them). You have no Channel Divinity to worry about with special restrictions. As a level 12 Wizard with no race or special feats to speak of, your power breakdown per day is this: At-Wills, usable whenever you feel like: TWO at-will attack powers from your class, usable whenever you want. Plus Cantrips. Encounter powers, usable 1/encounter ONE Level 1 Encounter Attack Power ONE level 3 Encounter Attack Power ONE level 7 Encounter Attack Power ONE level 11 Encounter Attack Power Granted by your Paragon Path Daily powers, usable 1/day* ONE Level 1 Daily Attack Power (You choose which single one each extended rest) ONE Level 5 Daily Attack Power (You choose which single one each extended rest) ONE Level 9 Daily Attack Power (You choose which single one each extended rest) Utility Powers, either At-Will, Encounter or Daily* ONE Level 2 Utility Power (Frequency as per power description) ONE Level 6 Utility Power (Frequency as per power description) EDIT: ONE Level 10 Utility Power (Frequency as per power description) ONE Level 12 Utility Power from your Paragon Path (Frequency as per power description) If your race gives you another power of some kind, just tack it on as appropriate. If a feat gives you another power of some kind, just tack it on as appropriate. This is all ignoring item powers, which sort of have their own little system to determine how many you can use. Remember you can use 2 Daily item uses each time you wake up from your extended rests (in Paragon Tier), and you gain another use after a milestone. Item Encounter powers and At-Will powers are usable just as often as they say, and have no specific limits on use beyond that (aside from some requiring healing surges as fuel, or whatever other condition an item imposes individually on its use).
#5 jovani Jul 10, 2009 12:03:12	Kouk, you missed the Level 10 Encounter power.
#6 kouk Jul 10, 2009 12:06:56	Kouk, you missed the Level 10 Encounter power. So I did :P Thanks.