Spellcraft

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Spellcraft (Special; Trained Only)

Only Bards, Sorcerers and Wizards may learn this skill. No other class may place ranks in it.

You have a practical knowledge of the arcane and its effects. In any circumstance where a Knowledge (Arcana) skill check is required, this skill may be used in its place.

At the time the player places her first rank in this skill, she must select either Dexterity, Intelligence or Charisma, and use that ability modifier as the key ability for this skill. Once selected, this ability modifier may not be changed.

Check

Spellcraft is used whenever your knowledge and skill of the arcane, spellcasting or ritual magic is called 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.

Table: Spellcraft DCs

Task	Spellcraft DC
Identify a spell as it is being cast	15 + spell level
Learn a spell from a spellbook or scroll	15 + spell level
Prepare a spell from a borrowed spellbook	15 + spell level
Identify the properties of a magic item	15 + item's caster level
Decipher a scroll	20 + spell level
Craft a magic item with the Creator feat	Varies by item

Action

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.

Learn Spell from Spellbook

Learning a spell from a spellbook takes 1 hour per level of the spell (0-level spells take 30 minutes).

Prepare Spell from Borrowed Spellbook

Preparing a spell from a borrowed spellbook does not add any time to your spell preparation.

Crafting Magic Items

Spellcraft is one of the skills which, when combined with the Creator feat, may be used to create new magic items.

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

Identify Spell Being Cast

You cannot retry checks made to identify a spell.

Learn Spell from Spellbook

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

If you fail to prepare a spell from a borrowed spellbook, you cannot try again until the next day.

Determine Properties of Magic Item

When attempting to learn the properties of magic items, you can only attempt to ascertain the properties of an individual item once per day. Additional attempts that day reveal the same results. Note that this skill may be used to assist another party member's attempt at determining the properties of a magic item, even if the other party member is using a different skill to make the check.

Special

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.