Homebrew spell: Baeril's Lizardskin Coat

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

The character researching it is an illusionist. Would a bard really be able to pick up a scroll of the spell and cast it themselves? I've always been unclear on that point.

If it were classed as a Bard spell, then yes, a bard would be able to pick up your scroll and cast it.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

If it were classed as a Bard spell, then yes, a bard would be able to pick up your scroll and cast it.

My point is that this isn't a spell in a sourcebook intended for everyone at the table -- this is a single character's spell. Does it automatically need to be bard-castsble? The character in question wouldn't make it available to anyone else.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

My point is that this isn't a spell in a sourcebook intended for everyone at the table -- this is a single character's spell. Does it automatically need to be bard-castsble? The character in question wouldn't make it available to anyone else.

While your spell isn't going to be promulgated very far at first, there's no reason that it couldn't be in the future, and there's little reason that, should you make a scroll of it, a bard or sorcerer couldn't pick it up and use it without making a UMD check, since they can both access the "common" spell upon which it is based.

To me, it falls under the rules (present in the Sorc class description, but oddly missing from the Bard's):

These new spells can be common spells chosen from the sorcerer/wizard spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the sorcerer has gained some understanding of by study. The sorcerer can’t use this method of spell acquisition to learn spells at a faster rate, however.

So, when designing the spell, you should assign it to the classes for which it makes sense, and to my mind, it makes sense for this spell to be a Sorcerer / Wizard and Bard spell.

Any Bard, Sorcerer, or Wizard who is not you would be able to cast it off a scroll if they find one, or use a wand containing the spell, etc., but they would not be able to choose it as a level-up choice without either replicating your research or by borrowing a copy of your spellbook (or a scroll with the spell on it, etc.).

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Fair enough.

I've pointed my DM to this thread, so he can see the discussion on durations.