D&D 5.5 (2024) Prepared Spells

[Kolaivo]

I am having trouble understanding the Wizard spell table on page 166 of the D&D 5.5e (2024) (One D&D) Player's Handbook. The first row for level 1 has '3' under Cantrips, '4' under Prepared Spells and '2' under level 1 spell slots. Two level one spell slots seems to mean I can cast 2 level 1 spells per long rest but then what does the 4 mean under prepared spells? Does it perhaps mean I have 3 cantrips in my spell book but I can cast any of those three four times per long rest, plus I have two level 1 spells?

I'm also confused about the line in the Cantrips section on the previous page that says, "Whenever you finish a long rest, you can replace one of your cantrips from this feature with another Wizard cantrip of your choice". Does that mean I can always use one of the cantrips I have learned (I start with 3 and then another at level 4 and 10) plus one other one on the entire list and I can change that 'wild card' one each long rest?

So confused...

[Elanir]

Magic in DnD 5 (2014 and 2024) works rather differently than in earlier DnD editions or Pathfinder 1e.

First of all, cantrips are no longer found in a wizard’s spellbook. A 1st level wizard chooses three of them and they can cast them at will. According to the 2024 rules, a wizard may replace one of their known cantrips with another one from the list of cantrips known by wizards after a Long Rest.

Then, we have the 1+ level spells a wizard knows (has “mastered”). These are kept in the wizard’s spellbook and they are the spells that a wizard may prepare from (“memorize”). A 1st level wizard starts with six 1st level spells in their spellbook and gains two new ones (1st level or higher) each time they gain a level.

From these spells, a 1st level wizard may prepare (“memorize”) four 1st level spells. Higher level wizards may prepare a combination of all the spells they have in their spellbooks, not only 1st level spells. These are the spells a wizard may cast “each day”. After a Long Rest, a wizard may prepare new spells, but they must choose from the spells known to them/the spells inscribed in their spellbook.

In order to cast a 1st+ level spell a wizard must use a spell slot. The same spell can be recast as many times as a wizard has spell slots and they don’t “disappear from their memory” once cast. Higher level wizards may also use higher level spell slots than the level of the spell they intend to cast (e.g. using a third level spell slot to cast a 1st level spell). This usually leads to the spell’s effect being stronger in some way, dealing more damage, affecting more targets etc. A 1st level wizard has two 1st level spell slots, so they can cast two 1st level spells they have prepared before they use their ‘arcane recovery’ feature to replenish expended spell slots (one spell slot at this level) or take a Long Rest.

I know it’s confusing, but I hope this explains things a bit.

[Kolaivo]

Yes this helps a lot! Thanks.

And yes, you nailed it. I am used to v3.5 rules so I am trying to transition to the new system.

Thanks again for the help!