Do Paladins Need to Prepare Rituals? Unveiling the Truth
The short answer is a resounding no. Paladins in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition do not inherently possess the ability to cast ritual spells, and therefore, the question of preparing them is moot. They aren’t ritual casters by class feature. Let’s dive into the intricacies of ritual casting, paladins, and how the two rarely, if ever, intersect.
Understanding Ritual Casting in 5e
Ritual casting is a special mechanic in D&D 5e that allows spellcasters to cast certain spells without expending a spell slot. The trade-off is a significantly increased casting time – adding 10 minutes to the spell’s normal casting time. This makes rituals ideal for situations where time isn’t of the essence, such as divinations, long-term buffs, or non-combat utility.
The Core Requirement: The Ritual Caster Feature
The cornerstone of ritual casting is possessing the “Ritual Caster” class feature. This feature is explicitly granted by the spellcasting capabilities of certain classes, or through the Ritual Caster feat.
Classes with Innate Ritual Casting
The following classes inherently possess the Ritual Caster feature:
- Wizards: Wizards are the undisputed masters of ritual casting, being able to cast any spell in their spellbook as a ritual, provided it has the ritual tag, without needing to prepare the spell.
- Clerics: Clerics, like druids, can ritual cast spells, but they must have the spell prepared.
- Druids: Druids function similarly to Clerics; they can cast ritual spells if they have the spell prepared.
- Bards: Bards can cast ritual spells they know, and they don’t prepare spells.
- Artificers: Artificers gained ritual casting with Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything.
The Ritual Caster Feat
For classes lacking innate ritual casting, the Ritual Caster feat provides a way to gain this ability. This feat allows you to choose a spell list (cleric, druid, or wizard) and learn two ritual spells from that list. You can then add more ritual spells to your “ritual book” as you find them. However, the spells learned through this feat are distinct from the class’s normal spellcasting and follow specific rules.
Paladins and Ritual Casting: The Disconnect
Paladins are half-casters, their power derived from oaths and divine connections rather than extensive spell study or a deep connection to nature. Paladins do not have the Ritual Caster feature as part of their class. While a Paladin could conceivably take the Ritual Caster feat, several factors make this an inefficient choice:
- Restricted Spell Lists: The Ritual Caster feat limits your spell choices to the Cleric, Druid, or Wizard spell lists. While some spells from the Cleric list might be useful, the Paladin’s spell list is distinct, and many of their unique spells are not available as rituals.
- Limited Spell Slots: Paladins are already strapped for spell slots. The Ritual Caster feat doesn’t address this limitation, but allows a Paladin to supplement their spellcasting with utility rituals when time is not important.
- Feat Investment: A feat is a significant investment for a Paladin, often better spent on combat-oriented feats that enhance their role as a front-line fighter and protector.
- Alternative Options: If a Paladin desperately needs access to ritual spells, they’re often better off multiclassing into a class with innate ritual casting, such as Cleric.
Potential Misconceptions
Some might mistakenly believe that because certain Paladin spells are also on the Cleric list (like Detect Magic), they can be cast as rituals. This is incorrect. Unless the Paladin has the Ritual Caster feat and learned the spell through that feat, they cannot cast it as a ritual.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Considerations
While this article primarily addresses D&D 5e rules, it’s worth noting how Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) handles ritual casting. BG3 largely follows the 5e ruleset, though some adaptations exist. In BG3, if a Paladin takes the Ritual Caster Feat, the rules apply as normal.
Conclusion
Paladins are powerful champions of good, but ritual casting isn’t typically within their purview. While technically possible through the Ritual Caster feat, it’s generally not the most optimal choice for most Paladin builds. Focus on their strengths – martial prowess, divine smites, and impactful spells that bolster their role as protectors and bringers of justice.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can a Paladin learn ritual spells through multiclassing?
Yes. A Paladin could multiclass into a class with the Ritual Caster class feature (e.g., Cleric, Druid, Wizard, Bard, or Artificer). The rules for ritual casting would then apply according to the rules of the class with the feature.
2. If a Paladin takes the Ritual Caster feat, can they choose spells from the Paladin spell list?
No. The Ritual Caster feat explicitly limits your spell list choice to the Cleric, Druid, or Wizard spell lists. Paladin spells are not an option.
3. Do Domain Spells for a Cleric need to be prepared to be cast as rituals?
Yes, Domain Spells, like all other spells, must be prepared to be cast as rituals by Clerics. The unique benefit of Domain Spells is that they are always prepared and do not count against the number of spells a cleric can prepare each day.
4. What happens if a Paladin finds a scroll of a ritual spell?
The Paladin can potentially learn the spell if they have the Ritual Caster feat and the scroll is from the appropriate spell list (Cleric, Druid, or Wizard, based on their feat selection). They would need to spend time and resources to copy the spell into their ritual book.
5. Can an Eldritch Knight Fighter cast ritual spells?
Similar to Paladins, Eldritch Knights do not inherently have the Ritual Caster feature. They can cast the spells they learn as an Eldritch Knight using spell slots, but cannot cast them as rituals, even if the spells have the ritual tag.
6. How does ritual casting affect concentration spells?
Ritual casting still requires concentration if the spell normally requires it. If the ritual spell requires concentration, the caster must maintain concentration throughout the entire casting time, including the additional 10 minutes.
7. What is the benefit of ritual casting?
The primary benefit of ritual casting is that it allows you to cast spells without expending spell slots, conserving valuable resources for combat or other urgent situations.
8. Are there any spells that can only be cast as rituals?
Yes, some spells are specifically designated as rituals and cannot be cast using spell slots. Find Familiar is a prime example.
9. Does the Material Component need to be consumed for ritual spells?
If a spell requires a material component, the component must still be provided, and it is consumed if the spell normally consumes it, even when cast as a ritual.
10. Can a Paladin use Channel Divinity to cast a spell as a ritual?
No. Channel Divinity is a separate class feature and cannot be used to circumvent the requirements for ritual casting.
11. Can a Bard cast any spell they know as a ritual?
Bards can only cast spells with the ritual tag as rituals. They don’t need to prepare spells, but they must know the spell and it must be designated as a ritual.
12. Can you cast a ritual spell at a higher level?
No. When ritual casting, a spell cannot be cast at a higher level. Ritual spells are always cast at their base level.
13. What happens if a spellcaster is interrupted during a ritual casting?
If a spellcaster is interrupted during the 10-minute ritual casting time, the casting fails, and the spell is not cast. They must start the entire process again.
14. Is Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay different from Divinity: Original Sin 2?
Yes. While both are CRPGs, Baldur’s Gate 3 features a fully voiced cast of characters and NPCs, compared to the relatively sparse voice acting in Divinity: Original Sin 2. Gameplay in Baldur’s Gate 3 simplifies and streamlines some aspects compared to Divinity: Original Sin 2, while still offering tactical depth and a variety of options for players.
15. Which class has the most ritual spells available?
The Wizard class has the most ritual spells available on its spell list, making them the most versatile ritual caster.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of ritual casting rules for Paladins and other spellcasting classes in D&D 5th Edition. Happy adventuring!