Casting Spells in D&D 5e
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This example will use my level 8 Cleric, Nahara, as an example. She has a Wisdom score of 18, so a Wisdom modifier of +4.
The number of spells she can prepare everyday (all Cleric know all Cleric spells, unlike say Wizards) is equal to her Wisdom modifier + Cleric level (minimum of one spell). (The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.) This means Nahara can prepare 4+8=12 spells every day, of any combination of levels. If I want I could pick 12 level 1 spells. I don't, I generally pick the same number as spell slots I have, if I can. It tends to give me the greatest versatility in choices. But your mileage may vary.
At level 8, she has access to this many spell slots of each level, as indicated on the Cleric Table.
Your race, subclass, or the feat Magic Initiate may give you additional low-level spells. These are IN ADDITION TO the numbers in the table above, and does NOT take a spell slot to cast (they are generally limited in other ways, for example, 1 per long rest).
[Normally Clerics also get their domain spells, but I am ignoring those for now because no other class has them and I want this to be a generic guide, not get too confusing.]
Here is an image of how I lay out my spells using spell cards. The die for cantrips is crossed out because you don't have spell slots for these, you can cast them an UNLIMITED amount! I have 5 instead of 4 because my race gives me a bonus cantrip. We will be looking at the level 1 spell, Healing Word.
If I want to cast it at it's regular base level, then I mark off one level 1 spell slot and follow what it says at the top part of the card - namely that it heals 1d4+whatever (I get a bonus because of my domain. Normally it's 1d4+WIS).
So now I only have THREE spell slots of 1st level left until I long rest (or have some other class feature to regain spell slots).
Even though I already cast that spell, there is no limit to how many times I can cast a spell once it is prepared - I can use ALL my spell slots on the same spell 12 times, if I want!
Unfortunately, the Healing Word spell doesn't heal very much though, so if someone is very hurt, then I might want to cast that same spell using a 3rd level spell slot instead, which will heal 3d4+whatever instead! (You can always cast a spell at a HIGHER level than it's base level, but never BELOW. Think of it like a floor - a minimum. Not all spells have additional benefits at higher levels though.)
Anyway, now that I have cast Healing Word as a 3rd level spell, now I have TWO spell slots of 3rd level left until I rest. It doesn't change the number of level 1 spell slots I have left.
So my new layout looks like this:
Generally, you have to long rest to regain spent spell slots, but that depends on your class. Wizards have a class feature called Arcane Recovery that lets you regain some spell slots during a short rest. Sorcerers have Sorcerer Points that let them regain spell slots whenever they spend them. For 2 examples.
Some classes also have access to RITUAL CASTING (Bards, Cleric, Druids, Wizards, and Artificers). This means any spell on your class spell list with a "Ritual" tag can be cast WITHOUT using a spell slot! You must still prepare it as normal, but instead of using a spell slot, it takes longer to set it up as a ritual, so the casting time is 10 minutes instead of whatever action the spell says it regularly is. You can cast prepared ritual spells unlimited times per day, as long as you have the time to do so.
This example will use my level 8 Cleric, Nahara, as an example. She has a Wisdom score of 18, so a Wisdom modifier of +4.
The number of spells she can prepare everyday (all Cleric know all Cleric spells, unlike say Wizards) is equal to her Wisdom modifier + Cleric level (minimum of one spell). (The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.) This means Nahara can prepare 4+8=12 spells every day, of any combination of levels. If I want I could pick 12 level 1 spells. I don't, I generally pick the same number as spell slots I have, if I can. It tends to give me the greatest versatility in choices. But your mileage may vary.
At level 8, she has access to this many spell slots of each level, as indicated on the Cleric Table.
[Normally Clerics also get their domain spells, but I am ignoring those for now because no other class has them and I want this to be a generic guide, not get too confusing.]
If I want to cast it at it's regular base level, then I mark off one level 1 spell slot and follow what it says at the top part of the card - namely that it heals 1d4+whatever (I get a bonus because of my domain. Normally it's 1d4+WIS).
Even though I already cast that spell, there is no limit to how many times I can cast a spell once it is prepared - I can use ALL my spell slots on the same spell 12 times, if I want!
Unfortunately, the Healing Word spell doesn't heal very much though, so if someone is very hurt, then I might want to cast that same spell using a 3rd level spell slot instead, which will heal 3d4+whatever instead! (You can always cast a spell at a HIGHER level than it's base level, but never BELOW. Think of it like a floor - a minimum. Not all spells have additional benefits at higher levels though.)
So my new layout looks like this:
Generally, you have to long rest to regain spent spell slots, but that depends on your class. Wizards have a class feature called Arcane Recovery that lets you regain some spell slots during a short rest. Sorcerers have Sorcerer Points that let them regain spell slots whenever they spend them. For 2 examples.
Some classes also have access to RITUAL CASTING (Bards, Cleric, Druids, Wizards, and Artificers). This means any spell on your class spell list with a "Ritual" tag can be cast WITHOUT using a spell slot! You must still prepare it as normal, but instead of using a spell slot, it takes longer to set it up as a ritual, so the casting time is 10 minutes instead of whatever action the spell says it regularly is. You can cast prepared ritual spells unlimited times per day, as long as you have the time to do so.
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