What Classes Have Ritual Casting in D&D 5e? A Comprehensive Guide
Ritual casting is a powerful and versatile mechanic in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition (5e) that allows spellcasters to cast spells without expending valuable spell slots, albeit with an increased casting time. This article will explore which classes have inherent ritual casting capabilities, how to obtain it through feats, and answer frequently asked questions about this often-misunderstood aspect of D&D magic.
Core Classes with Ritual Casting
The core rulebooks of D&D 5e establish that five classes possess the innate ability to cast spells as rituals:
- Artificer: Artificers, the masters of magical innovation, can cast any spell they know as a ritual, right from the start of their adventuring career. This feature greatly complements their inventive nature.
- Bard: Bards, the charismatic storytellers and wielders of magic, can cast any Bard spell they know as a ritual if it bears the ritual tag. This makes them quite versatile in and out of combat.
- Cleric: Clerics, the devout conduits of divine power, can similarly cast any Cleric spell they know as a ritual, providing them with a powerful way to access their magic even after exhausting their spell slots.
- Druid: Druids, the guardians of nature, can also cast any Druid spell they have prepared as a ritual, making them effective spellcasters even when they run out of their standard spellcasting resources.
- Wizard: Wizards, the scholars of arcane arts, possess a unique advantage with rituals. They can cast any ritual spell they have in their spellbook, without needing to have it prepared. This makes them perhaps the most versatile of the ritual casters.
These five classes inherently have ritual casting as part of their class features. This ability means they can cast spells that have the ritual tag without using spell slots by adding 10 minutes to the spell’s casting time. This is a powerful advantage, particularly for utility spells that do not need to be cast instantly in combat.
Ritual Casting Through Feats
While the above classes have inherent ritual casting, the Ritual Caster feat provides a way for other classes to gain access to this powerful ability.
- Ritual Caster Feat: A character with an Intelligence or Wisdom score of 13 or greater can choose the Ritual Caster feat. This feat allows the character to choose a spell list from the following classes: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard. They then learn two first-level ritual spells of their choice from that class’s spell list. The caster can then cast these learned ritual spells by using the ritual-casting method (standard casting time + 10 minutes), and any others they learn later from the same list, subject to the restrictions of the feat.
This feat expands the utility of any character, making it a valuable addition for classes that wouldn’t otherwise have ritual casting. It’s important to note that the Ritual Caster feat allows casting only spells designated as rituals, and that it is wholly separate from the character’s base class or other class spellcasting limitations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can non-spellcasting classes ritual cast?
Yes, non-spellcasting classes can gain the ability to ritual cast by taking the Ritual Caster feat, provided they meet the ability score requirement (Intelligence or Wisdom of 13 or higher). They would still need to choose the spell list from the available classes (Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard) and be subject to the feat’s restrictions.
2. Can Paladins cast ritual spells?
Paladins do not inherently have ritual casting. They also cannot gain it by using the Ritual Caster feat because they are not on the list of classes from which you can pick spells. Paladins have a limited spell list, and while some of their spells may be ritual spells, they must be cast as standard spells.
3. Can Rangers cast ritual spells?
Similar to Paladins, Rangers do not have innate ritual casting and cannot choose their spell list from the Ritual Caster feat. They can learn spells from the Ranger spell list and cast them as regular spells with spell slots, but not rituals.
4. Can Eldritch Knights cast their learned spells as rituals?
No, even if a spell on the Eldritch Knight spell list has the ritual tag, they can’t cast it as a ritual. The spells learned as an Eldritch Knight must be cast using spell slots and cannot benefit from ritual casting.
5. Can Arcane Tricksters cast ritual spells?
Arcane Tricksters, like Eldritch Knights, do not have ritual casting innately. However, an Arcane Trickster could gain the Ritual Caster feat if they meet the ability score requirements (13 INT or WIS), and then can choose a spell list from that feature, and then they could cast rituals.
6. Can you cast a ritual spell from another class’s list with the Ritual Caster feat?
Yes. The Ritual Caster feat allows you to learn and cast ritual spells from one of the available spell lists, regardless of your class. This means a Fighter, Rogue, or even a Barbarian could learn and cast ritual spells from the Cleric or Wizard list.
7. Do you need to prepare ritual spells to cast them as rituals?
This depends on the class. Wizards do not need to prepare ritual spells from their spellbook to cast them as rituals, making them the most versatile ritual casters. All the other classes with innate ritual casting, such as Druids, Bards, and Clerics must have them prepared, as per their class features. Characters using the Ritual Caster feat have no preparation restrictions for their selected list, as long as they know the spells.
8. Does ritual casting cost spell slots?
No. The core benefit of ritual casting is that it does not consume spell slots. Instead, it increases the spell’s casting time by 10 minutes.
9. Can ritual spells be cast instantly?
Yes, technically a spell with the ritual tag can be cast instantly like a regular spell, using a spell slot. However, this defeats the purpose of ritual casting, which is designed to conserve spell slots and only cast the spell if you have the 10 minutes it requires.
10. Are there any limitations to the number of ritual spells one can cast per day?
There is no limit on how many rituals a character can cast per day, except for the limitations of time (the standard casting time plus 10 minutes) and any material components the spell requires.
11. Can a Druid cast Wizard spells if they take the Ritual Caster feat for the Wizard list?
No. While a Druid with the Ritual Caster feat using the Wizard list can cast ritual spells from the Wizard spell list, they cannot cast those spells as regular spells. The feat only grants ritual casting capabilities, not general spellcasting from a new class. They still prepare and cast Druid spells as a Druid.
12. Does Baldur’s Gate 3 utilize ritual casting?
Yes, Baldur’s Gate 3 does incorporate ritual casting mechanics. As in the tabletop game, ritual spells can be cast outside of combat without expending spell slots and are very useful for utility spells.
13. Can a Warlock cast all their spells as rituals?
No. Warlocks cannot cast all their spells as rituals. They can only cast spells they know as rituals if those spells specifically have the ritual tag. However, Warlocks who have the Book of Ancient Secrets invocation can learn ritual spells from any class and add them to their spellbook, but they must cast them as rituals when they do.
14. Can I add ritual spells to my Book of Shadows?
Yes. Warlocks with the Pact of the Tome can add other ritual spells to their Book of Shadows with the Book of Ancient Secrets invocation, regardless of which spell list they come from. These added spells can then be cast as rituals.
15. Can Find Familiar be cast as a ritual?
Yes, Find Familiar is a ritual spell. This allows a Wizard (or another class with access to ritual casting of that spell) to cast it without using a spell slot by spending an additional ten minutes casting.
Conclusion
Ritual casting is a powerful tool for any spellcaster in D&D 5e. The ability to cast spells without using spell slots can be a game-changer in many situations, allowing for resource management and versatility. Understanding which classes have access to ritual casting, and how to gain it through the Ritual Caster feat, will significantly improve a player’s grasp of magic in the game. Whether you’re a dedicated Wizard studying arcane arts or a cunning Rogue looking for additional utility, ritual casting offers an invaluable avenue for magical prowess.