Spell Circles (Spell Level)
Every Spell belongs to one of the tiers from the 0th to the 9th Circle, as noted in the Spell description.
The Circle of a Spell roughly indicates its power level.
0-Circle Spells, known as Cantrips, are simple Spells that can be cast almost without thought. Each Spellcasting class specifies when that class can use Spells of a particular Circle.
Level 1: 1st-Circle Spells.
Level 3: 2nd-Circle Spells.
Level 5: 3rd-Circle Spells, and so on.
Spellcasting Requirements: The primary attribute must meet 10 + the Spell Circle. For example, a Wizard casting a 3rd-Circle Spell requires 13+ Intelligence.
Spell Slots
Spellcasting imposes a burden; therefore, a Spellcaster can only cast a limited number of 1st-Circle or higher Spells before needing rest to recover their Spellcasting ability.
Spell Slots are the primary way to measure a Spellcaster's magical power. Each Spellcasting class will specify the number of Spell Slots of each Circle a character has at a specific level. For example, a 3rd-level Wizard has four 1st-Circle Spell Slots and two 2nd-Circle Spell Slots.
When you cast a Spell, you must expend a Spell Slot of that Spell's Circle or higher, effectively "filling" that slot with the Spell.
You can imagine Spell Slots as grooves of specific sizes; a 1st-Circle slot is a small groove, and the higher the Circle, the larger the corresponding groove. A 1st-Circle Spell can be placed into any size Spell Slot, but a 2nd-Circle Spell can only be placed into a slot that is at least 2nd-Circle in size.
Thus, when a 3rd-level Wizard casts the 1st-Circle Spell Magic Missile, they expend one of their four 1st-Circle Spell Slots, leaving three remaining.
You regain all expended Spell Slots upon completing a long rest.
Casting Without Slots
The following are some methods of Spellcasting that do not require expending Spell Slots:
Cantrips.
Casting a Cantrip does not require a Spell Slot.
Rituals.
Certain Spells have a Ritual tag in their casting time entry. In addition to being cast normally, these Spells can also be cast as a Ritual.
The Ritual version of a Spell takes 10 minutes longer to cast than its normal version but does not expend a Spell Slot. To cast a Spell as a Ritual, the Spellcaster must have the Spell prepared.
Special Abilities.
Some characters and monsters have abilities that allow them to cast Spells without Spell Slots (Spell-like abilities). This type of Spellcasting is usually limited in other ways, such as the Spell only being castable a limited number of times per day.
magic items.
Spell Scrolls and certain other magic items contain Spells that can be cast without Spell Slots.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot
When a Spellcaster casts a Spell using a Spell Slot of a higher Circle than the Spell itself, the cast Spell is treated as a higher-Circle Spell.
For example, if a Wizard casts the Spell Magic Missile using a 2nd-Circle Spell Slot, then that Magic Missile is a 2nd-Circle Spell. Visually, it is as if the Spell expands its effect to match the Spell Slot the Spellcaster has allocated for it.
Certain Spells (such as Magic Missile and Cure Wounds) have stronger effects when cast at a higher Circle, the details of which are explained in the corresponding Spell descriptions.
Schools of Magic
Every Spell belongs to a school of magic.
Schools of Magic and their typical effects:
Abjuration: Warding off or reversing harmful effects.Conjuration: Transporting creatures or objects.Divination: Revealing information.Enchantment: Affecting the mind.Evocation: Channeling energy to create effects (usually destructive). Illusion: Deceiving the senses and the mind.Necromancy: Manipulating life and death.Transmutation: Transforming creatures or objects. Components
spell componentss are the physical conditions that a Spellcaster must meet when casting a Spell.
The description of each Spell specifies whether it requires Verbal (V), Somatic (S), or Material (M) components. A Spellcaster can only cast the corresponding Spell after meeting all of its component requirements.
Verbal (V)
Verbal Components are esoteric incantations that sound meaningless. These incantations must be chanted at a normal volume. Although these incantations do not supply magic to the Spell, the specific combination of sounds with particular pitches and resonances can pull at the strings of magic. Therefore, a creature that is gagged or in an area of magical silence cannot cast Spells with Verbal Components.
Somatic (S)
Somatic Components may include a fixed hand sign or a set of intricate movements. The Spellcaster must use at least one hand to perform these gestures.
Material (M)
Material Components are specific materials used for casting a Spell, with specific details noted in parentheses in the components column.
These materials are not consumed during Spellcasting unless the Spell specifically states otherwise.
A Spellcaster can use a Component Pouch or a Spellcasting Focus to replace the materials specified by the Spell, unless the Material Component has a specified price or is consumed.