What Is Required In Order To Perform Spells?

Casting a spell involves several steps, including casting time, components, duration, targets, and areas of effect. Most spells require a single action to cast, but some require a bonus action, reaction, or more time. The target of a spell must be within the spell’s range.

Components include the physical requirements you must meet to cast it, such as verbal (V), somatic (V), duration, targets, and areas of effect. Certain spells, like those cast as rituals, require more time to cast, and spellcasters must spend their action each turn casting the spell and maintain their skills.

Known spells are spells your character has learned and has the required level to cast. Prepared spells are selected from your list of known spells at the beginning of each day and can be cast using spell. To cast a spell, you need a spell slot, which is not constant and differs depending on the class. For example, Bards and Wizards are “complete casters” with a large number of spell slots.

Spell slots can be as simple as a gun and its ammunition, with the spells acting as the gun and the slots as the bullets. Spellcasting ability is the stat that casters use to cast their spells, which fuels their magic. Paladins, warlocks, bards, and sorcerers use Charisma.

Spell casting requires all listed components casting, except for holy symbols or arcane focus, which can substitute for some material. Magic items that allow casting spells usually do not require any components, so there is no need to provide material.

To cast a spell, choose a class, such as Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, or Paladin. A spellcaster must have a hand free to access a spell’s material components or hold a spellcasting focus, but it can be the same hand that they use to cast the spell.