The D&D 5e rules for casting multiple spells in one round are a frequent source of confusion across tables in my experience. While the rule is just a line of text
You can’t cast another spell during the same turn [that you cast a bonus action spell], except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action
and while I think it has a straightforward interpretation, its edge cases tend to be a source of confusion for novice players—e.g., questions often arise about what the rule means for casting action and reaction spells in a turn or what counts as casting another spell. An alternative is to use the somewhat more succinct rule:
You may spend no more than one spell-slot each turn.
This alternative rule results in an identical mechanic in many but not all scenarios. Some scenarios that are altered when one adopts the alternative wording include:
- a player who has an "at will" ability, such as the Warlock's Mask of Many Faces invocation, can cast those spells on the same turn that they cast a spell with a bonus action;
- a player who has a feats Shadow-touched, Fey-touched, and Telepathy, which grant a once-per-day spells without the use of a spell-slot, can cast the granted spell on the same turn as a bonus action spell once per day;
- a multi-class PC with levels in both a spell-caster class and a Monk subclass that can cast spells using Ki points (e.g., Shadow), could cast a bonus action spell then cast a spell using Ki points on the same turn;
- PCs with spell scrolls can cast a bonus action spell then use a scroll on the same turn.
How does this alternative version of the rule change gameplay for a low-level campaign (levels 1-4) of novice players?
