How do I change out spells as a bard besides leveling up?

[Sky Sweeper]

Title. How do I do it? If there is no other way, how am I supposed to be able to change spells once I hit max level? Very frustrating system.

[HozzMidnight]

UI sucks in the game and the character sheets are especially bad. Hotkey for them does not even work...lol how is that even possible?

That said hit I, this brings up inventory for the selected character. At the top of the window there are tabs and the middle-ish one is Spellbook. There you can change prepared spells at will as long as you are not in combat.

[Recjawjind]

Respec if you really want to change a spell on a non-preparing caster and are max level / cant wait for the next level.

[Sky Sweeper]

Originally posted by Recjawjind:

Respec if you really want to change a spell on a non-preparing caster and are max level / cant wait for the next level.

so the only way is to cough up gold? Wtf? Why?

[Drake]

Be happy you have respec. It's a lot harder to change in pnp.
And it's the point of the system. Bard and sorcerer can t change their spells when they want, instead they have other advantages other casters don't have.

If you want a flexible support caster, pick a cleric, that's the whole point of that class, they have access to all their spells.

[Hari]

Besides the mechanics, or rather to explain the limitations they designed into the mechanics, the in-character rationale is that a bard needs to spend a significant period of time memorizing a complex incantation so they can sing it flawlessly in high stress situations. Kinda like a modern singer's studio time vs stage performances on the road. The life-changing advancement in a new album drop is the only time you get to work out a whole new set of material.

[Drake]

Originally posted by Hari:

Besides the mechanics, or rather to explain the limitations they designed into the mechanics, the in-character rationale is that a bard needs to spend a significant period of time memorizing a complex incantation so they can sing it flawlessly in high stress situations. Kinda like a modern singer's studio time vs stage performances on the road. The life-changing advancement in a new album drop is the only time you get to work out a whole new set of material.

Well the original definition of a spontaneous caster is that the character doesn't actually study or understand the magic. The spells are coded in their dna (because a powerful being is their ancestor), it's in their blood.
It's like sneezing for them, like flexing a muscle, they just do it when they need it. So they can't change their spells be cause they can t change their blood.

[ihatevnecks]

Originally posted by Sky Sweeper:

so the only way is to cough up gold? Wtf? Why?

Because mechanically they work differently.

Wizards are prepared casters. A wizard can potentially learn every single spell for their class, because they're able to copy spells from scrolls or other spell books into their own spell book. They can only memorize a limited amount of those spells at a time, but can change out memorized spells each day - versatility is their strength.

Sorcerers and bards are spontaneous casters and always have access to their full list of spells. That list is limited though, because they only get new spells when they level up. They lack the wizard's potential versatility, but make up for it in other ways, like a sorcerer's ability to modify spells via metamagic.

[Sky Sweeper]

Originally posted by ihatevnecks:

Originally posted by Sky Sweeper:

so the only way is to cough up gold? Wtf? Why?

Because mechanically they work differently.

Wizards are prepared casters. A wizard can potentially learn every single spell for their class, because they're able to copy spells from scrolls or other spell books into their own spell book. They can only memorize a limited amount of those spells at a time, but can change out memorized spells each day - versatility is their strength.

Sorcerers and bards are spontaneous casters and always have access to their full list of spells. That list is limited though, because they only get new spells when they level up. They lack the wizard's potential versatility, but make up for it in other ways, like a sorcerer's ability to modify spells via metamagic.

so how long til a mod's out that lets me bypass this ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ and play around at will?

[Sky Sweeper]

Originally posted by Drake:

Be happy you have respec. It's a lot harder to change in pnp.
And it's the point of the system. Bard and sorcerer can t change their spells when they want, instead they have other advantages other casters don't have.

If you want a flexible support caster, pick a cleric, that's the whole point of that class, they have access to all their spells.

I picked bard because "funny charisma man" - not any deeper thinking than that. All the advertisement was touting this as "play how you want with what you want" - I assumed that meant the freedom to respec at will and play around. So now I have to go look up builds and NOT play around with the class unless i wanna dump time and money standing next to withers trying out the various spells for hours.

I would rather just be able to pick spells and spend a rest slot or something for each item changed. I feel like this limitation is archaic and not an element they needed to transition to this game from Table Top.

[clara10159]

In table top you can change out your learned spells to prepared spells at the DM discretion. The only rule is that you can not change spells while in active combat. My guess is that the game devlopers just ran out of time to code everything so that all magic classes could swap out spells.