Mastering another Spellbook (FR)

[bret]

I've heard about it here before, but never really made a note of it.

In the Forgotten Realms setting, there is some sort of spellcraft check you can do to 'master another's spellbook'. This would allow you to prepare spells directly from the book without having ever copied them into one of your own, saving a lot of money.

Where was this rule? Which book and what page?

Thanks.

 

[Glyfair]

It's in Magic of Faerun. My book isn't handy, but it's towards the back of the Magic Item section in the Spellbook area (logically). I think it's pretty well balanced for those who think that 200gp/spell level is very limiting to wizards. It takes a significant amount of time to do, and won't happen very often in most games (unless you make a practice of giving NPC wizards several very small spellbooks).

Glyfair of Glamis

 

[Hatchling Dragon]

Found it

Magic of Faerun: p. 173 Mastering a Foreign Spellbook

And personally, I'd use it as on 'big' spellbooks instead of smaller ones, time permitting. This way I'd have, with minimal gold cost, a 'spare' set of spellbooks for traveling. Now I don't have to fret about either loosing my only set of spellbooks, or how to scrounge up the gold to write my own second set.

Now if only all our arcane-casting opponents weren't Sorcerers.

Hatchling Dragon