Spell Preparation

[bumbdies_prophet]

Hi. I apologize if this is a known topic, but I am wondering about the status and possible future integration of spell preparation. I see that there are circles to tick when viewing the Abilities tab in Preparation mode, however there doesn't seem to be any functional limitations to these currently - despite there being a 'Prepared' entry in the Spells group heading.

Admittedly, I'm viewing this all through a GM view not a player view, so perhaps I'm just missing it.. but what I see is that (using a 3rd level Cleric with 18 Wis) I can set the Prepared limit to 7. But I can then proceed to tick off (prepare) more than 7 spells. Also each spell level group appears to have its own Prepare entry - rather than it being an overall limitation of all non-cantrip spells (per 5e rules, I should be able to prepare only 7 spells, whatever mix of 1st and 2nd level spells I choose).

On top of this, there's domain spells and their 'always prepared' status, which should not count towards the 7. The cleric in question follows the Knowledge domain, so Command, Identify, Augury, and Suggestion should each always be prepared (locked on basically) and not count towards the 7 prep limit.

Would appreciate knowing if my observations are consistent with everyone else's, or if I'm missing something. Is there a 'trick' to getting preparation limitations to work?
Thank you!

[Zacchaeus]

No, there isn't a trick. Currently the 'prepared' box is simple there as a reminder - it doesn't actually do anything mechanically. Thus, as you say, you can prepare more than you are actually entitled to. It's just something that you and your players will have to check that you are following the rules. The 'tick' boxes which appear are not used in the way you suggest. Spell slots are used in Combat mode where players must tick off the spell slot that they have used (this isn't automated either since players could cast a spell at a higher slot than the spells level). In preparation mode the tick boxes are used to untick slots already used to accommodate such things as the Wizards Arcane Recovery feature.

Just as an aside, the character sheets in FG are not fully fledged character creation tools such as one might find in software such as HeroLab, nor are they ever meant to be. Quite a bit of automation via drag and drop is available (at least in 5e) but there is still a number of areas where the DM and/or player needs to enter data directly.

[Redemption77]

I think the one thing which needs to be remembered here by everyone is that Fantasy Grounds is not a do everything for you program, its a replacement for the tabletop where at the tabletop players can of course over prepare and if the DM isnt in their tookas and checking things can slip by. I think many of us, myself included get spoiled by how MUCH functionality and make this easier for the GM type of stuff there is in Fantasy Grounds and the 5e ruleset specifically.

[Morik]

It would be interested to have the option to 'only see prepared spells' when in Combat mode.

[Nylanfs]

Click the button at the bottom of the spell tab.

[Zacchaeus]

It would be interested to have the option to 'only see prepared spells' when in Combat mode.

You can. Click the Mode button at the bottom left of the action tab until it shows preparation. This lists the spells with a check box down the left hand side. Click to check all of the spells that you want to have prepared. When you change the mode back to combat you will see a star symbol to the left of the spells that have been prepared.

[Morik]

Yeah, I got that. I was just hoping for something that didn't show spells that weren't prepared. Eliminate a bit of scrolling... I'm lazy :)

[kane280484]

Well, that's how it actually works. Shows only prepared spells, the rest is hidden. If not, you're doing it wrong ;)

EDIT: Funny, I believed it is how it works, guess being DM most of the time makes you ignorat about some issues :/

[bumbdies_prophet]

Thanks for the replies. Yeah I totally understand and agree with the design decision to make FG not fully automated in every respect, and that the DM/players still need to be actively engaged in the game and its rules, just as if they were at the table (that's the point of all this, yeah?). That said, spell preparation limits (tracking selected spells and identifying the free domain spells) is something I might place into my FG 'wish list'. This probably has a lot to do with the fact that one of my spellcasting players needs... guidance... on this like all the time. :)

But I get it, and thanks for the confirmation. I do think it's cool and convenient that only the prepped spells show up in Combat mode.

[Morik]

Well, crud... I'm doing something else wrong then. It's showing all of my spells. It's simply marking the ones I have prepared. Any thoughts?

EDIT: Nvm. Got it.

[Nylanfs]

Okay, switch to "Preparation", click the circle next to the spell so that it's a dark circle, change to "Combat" you should ONLY see the spells that you have marked as "prepared".

Also I believe you ad the GM can mark spells on the player's list as used, so if you have people that are constantly forgeting you can do that for them, and then take a few more off to "encourage" them to remember.

[Zacchaeus]

Okay, switch to "Preparation", click the circle next to the spell so that it's a dark circle, change to "Combat" you should ONLY see the spells that you have marked as "prepared".

Also I believe you ad the GM can mark spells on the player's list as used, so if you have people that are constantly forgeting you can do that for them, and then take a few more off to "encourage" them to remember.

I'm not terribly sure what you mean by clicking until there is a dark circle. if you click in the circle a tick is placed in it. When you then go to combat it still shows all spells but those that have been prepared have a star sign to the left of the name. As you can see from the before and after screenshots attached. And, yes the GM can interfere with the players character sheets and whilst it is a bit more work having to constantly check it is the only way some players learn. :)

[kane280484]

I'm not terribly sure what you mean by clicking until there is a dark circle. if you click in the circle a tick is placed in it. When you then go to combat it still shows all spells but those that have been prepared have a star sign to the left of the name. As you can see from the before and after screenshots attached. And, yes the GM can interfere with the players character sheets and whilst it is a bit more work having to constantly check it is the only way some players learn. :)I think he meant PFRPG Ruleset. It has dark circle instead of tick and not prepared spells indeed disappear in combat mode. Which, by the way, is a good feature and I am surprised it's not included in 5E.

[Morik]

I clicked on the little magnifying glass on the 'Spells Level 1' bar. In the pop up window, I corrected the number of 'Prepared Spells' (it's blank as default). Now when I go to Combat Mode, it only shows spells that I have prepared. I did it on our wizard and our druid and it worked for both. If we switch to Standard, it shows all spells, but marks the prepared spells with the little star.

[kane280484]

I clicked on the little magnifying glass on the 'Spells Level 1' bar. In the pop up window, I corrected the number of 'Prepared Spells' (it's blank as default). Now when I go to Combat Mode, it only shows spells that I have prepared. I did it on our wizard and our druid and it worked for both. If we switch to Standard, it shows all spells, but marks the prepared spells with the little star.Neat! I was looking after this option, good job.

[Zacchaeus]

I think he meant PFRPG Ruleset. It has dark circle instead of tick and not prepared spells indeed disappear in combat mode. Which, by the way, is a good feature and I am surprised it's not included in 5E.

Ah, ok. I suspect that it isn't included in 5e because not every class needs to prepare spells.

[kane280484]

Ah, ok. I suspect that it isn't included in 5e because not every class needs to prepare spells.It is included, thankfully, Morik found it in a post above. It's not easy to find / not very intuitive though.

[Zacchaeus]

It is included, thankfully, Morik found it in a post above. It's not easy to find / not very intuitive though.

Ah, right. Since the 'prepared' thing apparently did nothing my players never bother to fill it in; so now they will :)

[Slayde]

It seems like my druid's prepared spell count is wrong. I am level 3, and the Actions tab on the character sheet only shows "Prepared: 0 / 2" for level 1 spells and "Prepared: 0 / 1" for level to spells. I feel like the count should be 3 for level 1 and 2 for level 2. I noticed my CL was still 0 and tried incrementing that manually, but it did not change the counts.

[Zacchaeus]

It seems like my druid's prepared spell count is wrong. I am level 3, and the Actions tab on the character sheet only shows "Prepared: 0 / 2" for level 1 spells and "Prepared: 0 / 1" for level to spells. I feel like the count should be 3 for level 1 and 2 for level 2. I noticed my CL was still 0 and tried incrementing that manually, but it did not change the counts.

This thread is concerned with spells in 5e (and it is also very old). It sounds like your issue is not with the 5e ruleset but another one. You should post in the appropriate channel for the ruleset; and just start a new thread rather than adding to another thread which has probalbly nothing to do with your issue.