What Does Your Spell Preparation Look Like?


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion


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There are certain parts of the game that get glossed over and hand waved away more than others. Travel time, what you're carrying, and spell preparation are the three I see most commonly. The last one, though, always makes me sad, because there's so much flavor and RP you can get out of how a character prepares themselves for casting.

Even spontaneous casters have to take 15 minutes a day to focus... so what's their ritual?

I had a lot of suggestions on the topic, so I put together a post titled What Does Your Spell Preparation Look Like? If anyone has unique methods of spell prep, or fun stories about past characters, I think this would be a great place to pool them.


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I imagine that prep varies wildly for Psychics, depending on which Psychic Discipline they follow.

Abomination Psychics likely spend their prep time either trying to suppress their dark half ("Don't be a monster today, don't be a monster today, don't be a monster today...") or else trying to commune with it.

A Dream Psychic likely spends 15 minutes writing in a Dream Journal what they dreamed about last night. Or maybe what their party members dreamed about last night.

Faith Psychics probably pray in a way that is appropriate for their God.

Lore Psychics either read a book or spend 15 minutes exploring their Mind Palace.

Pain Psychics... well, it's probably self-explanatory how they psyche themselves up.

Psychedelic Psychics do the drugs. All the drugs. And maybe keep a few snacks on hand.

Rapport Psychics might spend 15 minutes extolling the virtues of friendship to their party members. Or maybe they spend that time doing nice things for their friends.

Self-Perfection Psychics I could imagine meditating, or doing yoga, or reading a book, or doing anything else to bring them closer to their perfect selves.

Tranquility Psychics just need 15 minutes of peace and quiet you guys, is that so hard!?


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Around the time I finished this article, I had a desire to play a draconic sorcerer who, for his 15 minutes of intense reflection, will just bask in his hoard. When he's level 1, he reclines on a sumptuous throw pillow, which is the softest, nicest thing he owns. Around level 8 or 9, though, he has a bag of holding just for his hoard. If someone gets too close while he's relaxing, it's likely a breath weapon will manifest.

Liberty's Edge

This is an interesting subject, and not one I've given a great deal of thought to.

There's about three characters I can think of that I've played who might stray from the norm.

I am certain my Oread Sacred Fist (Warpriest monk-like archetype) would probably meditate under sensory deprivation and other harsh conditions to toughen herself and bring herself closer to her Earthern Ancestry.

My Hexcrafter (Magus with, well, Hexes) has learned her magic from both Schooled and Fey origins. Her spellbook would be supplemented with pressed flowers and herbs that bring the colours and scents of the forest.

My favourite one to dwell on would by my Arcanist, though. With an inevitable familiar that serves as a sort of Parole Officer, they would likely have to discuss every spell prepared and intents with them if they are not part of the standard repertoire.


My tiefling bard is an arcane duelist. Her fifteen minutes of spell preparation is her sitting on the deck of the ship, her bunk, the ground, whatever, with her rapier across her lap. One hand is resting on the hilt, the other works its way gently up and down the blade. Her eyes are closed as she hums softly. The tune she hums grows more complex over time, incorporating a few recognizable bits from different sea chanties and other songs she's heard.

My previous farmboy-turned-sorceror would plop down on the ground, close his eyes, and focus on the feeling of magic moving through his blood. From time to time he might pick up a handful of dirt, squeeze it, roll it around in his hand, then drop it.

My cleric of death knelt down gently on the ground, arranging her skirts carefully for comfort and to keep them clean. She'd begin with a few low bows/genuflections, as much to stretch in the evening (she prayed at midnight) as for respect. She'd start with low murmurs, barely audible prayers. These would grow softer quickly until her lips no longer moved and her words would grow inaudible. By this point, her hands would be folded in her lap and she would sit demurely the rest of the time in silent contemplation.

My oracle of bones would start the same, but when she finished praying (she's a devout Pharasmin), the words would seem to continue. Haunted curse, it would seem that the prayers would come from the air around her.


Because she's hunting some Asmodeans who stole a family heirloom, the sorceress IMC spends every morning making oaths of vengeance to Calistria and generally working herself into a foul mood. I expect she'll get a different ritual when we catch them.


Had a 3.5 wizard with a dip in cleric of Boccob. Prayed while studying his spell book and occult journal every morning. Didn't really see a difference between his two sets of spells, they were all the blessing of Boccob.


Java Man wrote:
Had a 3.5 wizard with a dip in cleric of Boccob. Prayed while studying his spell book and occult journal every morning. Didn't really see a difference between his two sets of spells, they were all the blessing of Boccob.

I have a Mystic Theurge who has a similar attitude in game right now. It's odd, given that he's a Sarenrae worshiper instead of a Nethys cleric, but I chalk a lot of his eccentricities up to being raised by an efreet, and being a transmuter. All things are really energy and will, taken down to their most basics, or so he would have people believe.

Horizon Hunters

I've got a Transmuter who focused heavily on the physical as being augmented by his magic (Transmute-tank), and his ritual was a strong morning workout. He'd perform a series of physical exercises and between each rep or when pausing for breath he'd stop to study another segment of his spellbook.

My Elven Diviner meditated on possible outcomes for events that might happen during the day, going through them moment by moment in his head like little plays. He picked through which spells would come the most in handy in the situation, testing each scenario out in his mind before committing any spell to memory.

An eldritch knight (who was a stormborn sorcerer) of mine in Eberron took to the highest point he could to commune with the wind, bonus points if it was raining or storming. Once we got the airship that became a LOT easier!


My starsoul sorcerer would probably prepare by poring over her notebook(s), frantically scribbling down any important-seeming dreams or insights.

My tranquility psychic would prepare by just sitting quietly and letting the potential crystallize within him.


[southern drawl] "I reckon I'm just a simple country folk witch, but seems to me there's nothing quite as comfortable as sitting in my rocking chair with my pet crow having a casual conversation on my porch. As it runs across the country [/southern drawl]


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Paradozen wrote:
[southern drawl] "I reckon I'm just a simple country folk witch, but seems to me there's nothing quite as comfortable as sitting in my rocking chair with my pet crow having a casual conversation on my porch. As it runs across the country [/southern drawl]

I'm tired, so I misread part of that as "southern dwarf." Now I need to make a backwoods dwarf witch. Just has to be done.


The last wizard I played prepared his spells by drawing a magic circle on the ground as a kind of geometric formula (as described in his spellbook) to temporarily trap luminiferous aether inside the circle and cycle it in particular patterns, as determined by the spells he's preparing. The circle also puts the space inside into a state of quantum superposition with his own soul both in the sub-lunary and super-lunary worlds to store the phenomena created by the patterned aether inside of himself until released from the resulting closed space as spells. Or, in terms outside of what he would say, he does the whole arcane spellcasting magic circle and reagents ritual in the outside world, but then uses math to store the almost-complete ritual inside of himself because the universe is a gigantic fractal.

My current party's sorceress does her morning meditation by washing up and getting dressed in the morning. Picking the right clothes before you go out is just part of starting the day on the right note.

Shadow Lodge

Closest I've ever come to detailing out a spell prep ritual was with my druid. Instead of mistletoe, she used a medicine bag as a holy symbol. To prepare spells, she meditated on the items within and their meaning. A shard of her animal companion's horn, for example, represented her kinship with animals.


My cartonancer witch performs complex Harrow readings, arranging the cards into esoteric patterns, etching the arcane symbols into her mind.

Most of her spell special effects are likewise Harrow-related.

Grand Lodge

Devout Arshean here. Enchantment-focused sorcerer, too. You're welcome to join in on any of my daily worship and preparation sessions you wish. Company's always nice to have, even if it's just to watch!


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Played a fighter who acted like a Paladin of Cayden Cailen (our GM allowed Paladins of any good deity)...

He would start every day with a mug of ale and a hearty drinking song, encouraging others to join in.

After that, he would read selected passages from his holy book that would shed insight on the lessons learned in the day just passed...

Due to a cooperative GM (and a fairly lucky find of a stash of healing potions that he slipped into the ale keg), it took the party several levels to realize he wasn't even a Paladin...

Good times.

Wizard-"I'm hurt, can you heal me?"
Me-"Of course, drink this and let Cayden's warmth remove your aches and pains..."


My halfling necromancer looks like he's sitting at the table reading a book while eating asparagus.

Actually, his spirit is gathering the energies left behind by all the people who died near this place over the last year. Life passing into death, leaving behind ... whatever it is he uses. Gathering the last shreds of all their beings. Running it through the patterns in the goetic drawings of his books.

And now you know why Rufus Togatus doesn't like to be interrupted at his meals.

Shadow Lodge

alexd1976 wrote:
Due to a cooperative GM (and a fairly lucky find of a stash of healing potions that he slipped into the ale keg)...

*snort*


My Apocalypse Oracle with a Shattered Psychie enters a meditative trance, then has a bout of tongues in shifting languages. The voices also seem to be the source of his magic.


My bladebound magus always prepares immediately after waking, he opens his mind up to the telepathic communication of his blade, taking it in his right hand and feeling the pools of arcane power within them. then he places his spell book on a table or failing that the floor, first he studies his cantrips, then he stands and begins practicing his swordplay with one hand as he reads the spellbook, memorising his other spells and magically turning the pages with his empty hand.

Dark Archive

I've found the Deific Obedience to be a fantastic guideline for spell preparation, if your character has a related faith our outlook. If you play any character of faith, I cannot recommend Inner Sea Gods enough.

My Pharasma worshiping Witch, for example, will draw a spiral on the ground and dance around it, joined by her Nosoi Psychopomp familiar. They chant and sing and renew her family's eternal pledge to the goddess, and through her eyes, her spells are as divine-gifted as any Cleric's. It's really fun to describe at tables.

Pharasma's Obedience:
Collect small bones whenever it is convenient and respectful to do so. When it comes time to perform your obedience, lay out the bones in a spiral. At one end of the spiral lay a slip of parchment on which you have written the name of someone newly born. At the other end of the spiral, lay a slip of parchment on which you have written the name of someone newly deceased. Chant hymns from The Bones Land in a Spiral while proceeding solemnly around the spiral, trailing a black scarf on the ground behind you.

My APG Summoner medicates upon thoguhts of his Eidolon. Ways to improve her, ways to evolve her. He daydreams of that visceral realm of a living temple that he first visited in his dreams, back when was first gifted his powers from his otherworldly patron.

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