Mistaken GM: Leaving Spells Unprepared


Rules Questions


So, my GM and I have been having this out for a while now, and if possible I'd like to get a conclusive answer.

My GM seems to think that any and all prepared divine casters can portion their spells throughout the day, paying lip service to their deity to prepare new spells in unprepared slots like a wizard. I've told him time and again that prepared divine casters pray ONCE A DAY, at their specific time, and must prepare all their spell slots or else have a bunch of empty slots. Them having to pray at a specific time of day and having to prepare all of their spells at once is the trade off for not needing rest.

Is there something I'm missing?


Your GM is correct. A divine prepared must prepare spells at their time of day, as you say, but during this time they may actively choose to leave slots open.
Later on in the day, these slots may be filled as a Wizard does.

Edit for source: http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/magic.html
Under "Spell Selection & Preparation" in the Divine Spells Category.


Yep, the DM is right. To quote:

Quote:
A divine spellcaster selects and prepares spells ahead of time through prayer and meditation at a particular time of day. The time required to prepare spells is the same as it is for a wizard (1 hour), as is the requirement for a relatively peaceful environment. When preparing spells for the day, a divine spellcaster can leave some of her spell slots open. Later during that day, she can repeat the preparation process as often as she likes. During these extra sessions of preparation, she can fill these unused spell slots. She cannot, however, abandon a previously prepared spell to replace it with another one or fill a slot that is empty because she has cast a spell in the meantime. Like the first session of the day, this preparation takes at least 15 minutes, and it takes longer if she prepares more than one-quarter of his spells.


Under Divine Spells in the Magic Section, found here, it says divine casters can leave slots open to fill later.


Yup, point of fact I believe all prepared casters* - divine or arcane - can leave slots open and then prepare spells into them with 15 minutes of prep time later on (assuming they aren't preparing more than a quarter of their spells).

*This rules section was copied over from (I believe) 3.5 and so in some of the section it refers only to the casters that existed then. However, the RAI seems clear that it would apply to other prepared casters as well (such as the Magus and the Warpriest).

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Follow up question:

Can a Cleric spontaneously cast a heal spell using an unprepared slot, or do they need to take 15, prep a spell, and convert it?


Zahir ibn Mahmoud ibn Jothan wrote:

Follow up question:

Can a Cleric spontaneously cast a heal spell using an unprepared slot, or do they need to take 15, prep a spell, and convert it?

You convert a prepared spell, so something needs to be in that slot, unfortunately. And you can't Convert to a Heal spell, since it doesn't have "Cure" in its name. Well, unless you spent on a feat on that.

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Ashram wrote:
Is there something I'm missing?

Your GM is correct.

Divine casters prepare spells (replace used slots) at a set time each day.

But they may fill slots left open at any time by spending the time specified to learn the mew spells.


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James Risner wrote:
But they may fill slots left open at any time by spending the time specified to learn the mew spells.

Unfortunately, that sometimes doesn't help if you need the spell right meow.

All kidding aside, this is one of the things that makes prepared casters playable at higher levels.


I have issues with the phrase lip service and prepared divine spellcasters but otherwise yes your DM is correct.

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