Huh this isn't something I've really thought about.
So in the games I'm running and getting ready to run, the players have the option to recruit some allies. A few of these are Divine spell caster. So like Cleric, Warpriest, Shaman maybe. Good stuff.
Only Hmmm, such classes usually have an entire spell book to run off of rather than just knowing spells. Even in NPCs stat blocks, the spells listed could be something completely different if the PCs ask.
So advice; how should I run these allies and do you handle it?
Also games in question are Mummy's Mask and Skull and Shackles.
At first it seems like having full access to their entire spell list is going to be a major problem, but it is not really that bad. Much of their spell list is highly situational spells or things that are often cast out of combat. They also still have to choose which spells to memorize on a daily basis. More often than not they will probably have a standard list of spells. Unless they know for sure what they are going up against they may not have the perfect spell memorized.
Also a lot of their spells are support spells so often they end up having fewer spells to use in combat. They also may end up converting their spells to healing spells further reducing how many spells they can actually use in combat.
Part of the problem I'm having is keeping track of spell lists. It's easy to have an NPC wizard with spells known or other classes with Known but not ready spells.
Divine know them all so making a list of spells only to possibly change that based on what players do or ask might get old fast.