[RPG] Can a cleric prepare spells later in the day

clericdnd-5espells

Do clerics absolutely need to choose your spells right after the long rest, or can they choose some of them later in the day?

For example, I can take 8 spells. After my long rest I choose 6 of them — can I keep 2 slots empty for later in the day (so if I need a specific spell I can prepare it later that day)?

Best Answer

RAW answer: No.

Per the SRD, v5.1, p. 16:

You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of cleric spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

That's pretty explicitly saying that you change your list of prepared spells, and that you can do it when you finish a long rest. So filling part of your list and leaving other slots empty is outside what's allowed by the rules.

What exactly "when you finish a long rest" means, and whether there's any kind of interval you can let pass between completion of the rest and preparation of spells is not as clearly defined, so maybe a DM would interpret that to mean that you can prepare at some later point after completing the long rest, but even in that case, this rule as written would mean you have to change them all in the same prayer/meditation session.