Spell books

[Lichemaster]

I think part of the reason you have to write the spells into your own spellbook is because you write them in a unique way so that you can memorize it later fairly easily. While you've deciphered the spell from another book and were able to learn it, to memorize it from that book would mean going through the process of deciphering it again. That's my take on it anyways.

It doesn't mention anywhere about just claiming a book as your own while the Player's Handbook goes through great detail about how to copy a spell into your own book.

So do you have to write the new spell in your spellbook? or can you claim the new book you found and use that one all the time?

 

[Pinotage]

I think part of the reason you have to write the spells into your own spellbook is because you write them in a unique way so that you can memorize it later fairly easily. While you've deciphered the spell from another book and were able to learn it, to memorize it from that book would mean going through the process of deciphering it again. That's my take on it anyways.

It doesn't mention anywhere about just claiming a book as your own while the Player's Handbook goes through great detail about how to copy a spell into your own book.

So do you have to write the new spell in your spellbook? or can you claim the new book you found and use that one all the time?

You can't claim another spellbook as your own because the spells in there were written in a way the person who wrote them would understand. You can still use it, but the PHB describes that you require a Spellcraft check to use a borrowed spellbook. Otherwise if you want to use it without the Spellcraft check, you need to scribe it into your own spellbook in your own particular way.

Pinotage

 

[Lichemaster]

Thanks

 

[isoChron]

Wasn't there a procedure to 'master' a spell book of another wizard ?
I'm confused because we play it that way since 3.0. I was not aware that this must be a houserule. Or is there a 'master spell book' procedure in any splatbooks or at least in 3.0 ?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Well, here's what the 3.5 rules are on the matter:

Wizard Spells and Borrowed Spellbooks

A wizard can use a borrowed spellbook to prepare a spell she already knows and has recorded in her own spellbook, but preparation success is not assured. First, the wizard must decipher the writing in the book (see Arcane Magical Writings, above). Once a spell from another spellcaster’s book is deciphered, the reader must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level) to prepare the spell. If the check succeeds, the wizard can prepare the spell. She must repeat the check to prepare the spell again, no matter how many times she has prepared it before. If the check fails, she cannot try to prepare the spell from the same source again until the next day. (However, as explained above, she does not need to repeat a check to decipher the writing.)

...

Spells Copied from Another’s Spellbook or a Scroll: A wizard can also add a spell to her book whenever she encounters one on a magic scroll or in another wizard’s spellbook. No matter what the spell’s source, the wizard must first decipher the magical writing (see Arcane Magical Writings, above). Next, she must spend a day studying the spell. At the end of the day, she must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level). A wizard who has specialized in a school of spells gains a +2 bonus on the Spellcraft check if the new spell is from her specialty school. She cannot, however, learn any spells from her prohibited schools. If the check succeeds, the wizard understands the spell and can copy it into her spellbook (see Writing a New Spell into a Spellbook, below). The process leaves a spellbook that was copied from unharmed, but a spell successfully copied from a magic scroll disappears from the parchment.

If the check fails, the wizard cannot understand or copy the spell. She cannot attempt to learn or copy that spell again until she gains another rank in Spellcraft. A spell that was being copied from a scroll does not vanish from the scroll.

In most cases, wizards charge a fee for the privilege of copying spells from their spellbooks. This fee is usually equal to the spell’s level x50 gp.

EDIT:

Also note that there's nothing in the above text that precludes a Wizard from Taking 10 on the Spellcraft check to prepare the spell from a foreign spellbook. This means that, for almost all situations, a Wizard will automatically succeed at the check (i.e., DC for 1st-level spell = 16, Spellcraft bonus for 1st-level Wizard = 4 ranks + 2 Int = +6).

 

[farscapesg1]

Wasn't there a procedure to 'master' a spell book of another wizard ?
I'm confused because we play it that way since 3.0. I was not aware that this must be a houserule. Or is there a 'master spell book' procedure in any splatbooks or at least in 3.0 ?

I believe that the "mastering a spellbook" idea was first introduced in Magic of Faerun but has since then been reprinted in the Complete Arcane (page 140). Basically, a wizard can spend 1 week plus 1 day per spell contained in the book and then make a Spellcraft check. The DC is 25 + the level of the highest level spell in the book. If he succeeds, he treats the spellbook as his own for the purpose of being able to prepare spells from it.

 

[isoChron]

Ah ! Thanks, that was what I was looking for.

 

[the Jester]

I believe that the "mastering a spellbook" idea was first introduced in Magic of Faerun but has since then been reprinted in the Complete Arcane (page 140). Basically, a wizard can spend 1 week plus 1 day per spell contained in the book and then make a Spellcraft check. The DC is 25 + the level of the highest level spell in the book. If he succeeds, he treats the spellbook as his own for the purpose of being able to prepare spells from it.

Interesting, I had missed that.

Very cool.

 

[glass]

[nitpick]You prepare spells. You don't memorise them.[/nitpick]


glass.

 

[just__al]

Well, here's what the 3.5 rules are on the matter:



EDIT:

Also note that there's nothing in the above text that precludes a Wizard from Taking 10 on the Spellcraft check to prepare the spell from a foreign spellbook. This means that, for almost all situations, a Wizard will automatically succeed at the check (i.e., DC for 1st-level spell = 16, Spellcraft bonus for 1st-level Wizard = 4 ranks + 2 Int = +6).

Exactly! So there's no real reason not to use the captured spell book, providing you are maxing out spell craft you can "hand waive" the need make spell craft checks by taking 10.