Spellcraft
You are skilled at the art of casting spells, identifying magic items, crafting magic items, and identifying spells as they are being cast.
Task
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Spellcraft DC
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Identify a spell as it is being cast
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15 + spell level
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Learn a spell from a spellbook or scroll
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15 + spell level
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Prepare a spell from a borrowed spellbook
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15 + spell level
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Identify the properties of a magic item using detect magic
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15 + item’s caster level
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Decipher a scroll
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20 + spell level
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Craft a magic item
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Varies by item
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Spellcraft is used whenever your knowledge and skill of the technical art of casting a spell or crafting a magic item comes into question. This skill is also used to identify the properties of magic items in your possession through the use of spells such as detect magic and identify. The DC of this check varies depending upon the task at hand.
Determine Properties of Magic Item
Attempting to ascertain the properties of a magic item takes 3 rounds per item to be identified and you must be able to thoroughly examine the object.
Retry? When using detect magic or identify to learn the properties of magic items, you can only attempt to ascertain the properties of an individual item once per day. Additional attempts reveal the same results.
Take 10 or Take 20? No. Concentrating on a spell is considered a distracting situation and you are not allowed to Take-10 while concentrating on Detect Magic. If you fail on trying to detect the properties of a magic item you must wait until the next day. Because there is a penalty you are not allowed to Take-20.
Identify Spell Being Cast
Identifying a spell as it is being cast requires no action, but you must be able to clearly see the spell as it is being cast, and this incurs the same penalties as a Perception skill check due to distance, poor conditions, and other factors.
Retry? You cannot retry checks made to identify a spell.
Learn Spell from Spellbook
Learning a spell from a spellbook takes 1 hour per level of the spell (0-level spells take 30 minutes).
Retry? If you fail to learn a spell from a spellbook or scroll, you must wait at least 1 week before you can try again.
Prepare Spell from Borrowed Spellbook
Preparing a spell from a borrowed spellbook does not add any time to your spell preparation.
Retry? If you fail to prepare a spell from a borrowed spellbook, you cannot try again until the next day.
Modifiers
- Class If you are a specialist wizard, you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks made to identify, learn, and prepare spells from your chosen school. Similarly, you take a –5 penalty on similar checks made concerning spells from your opposition schools.
- Race An elf gets a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify the properties of magic items.
- Feats If you have the Magical Aptitude feat, you get a +2 bonus on all Spellcraft checks. If you have 10 or more ranks in Spellcraft, the bonus increases to +4.
Identifying potions
In addition to the standard methods of identification, PCs can sample from each container they find to attempt to determine the nature of the liquid inside with a Perception check. The DC of this check is equal to 15 + the spell level of the potion (although this DC might be higher for rare or unusual potions). |