Transcribing Spells [Archive] - Wizards Community

Transcribing Spells [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Cobra1117
08-31-07, 04:40 PM All,

I was just re-reading the rules on copying spells from the PHB. I had been having my players spend 24 hours to copy a spell after they had borrowed/obtained a spellbook. However, page 179 seems to indicate that you have to spend a full day to study the spell, THEN 24 hours to write the spell. In other words, it seems to take 48 hours to copy a spell. Is this correct?

Thanks!
mvincent
08-31-07, 07:02 PM it seems to take 48 hours to copy a spell. Is this correct?Yup. That is how the rules read. Whether this is what the author intended or not could be debated, but it's the RAW.
Ebonarc
09-03-07, 12:25 PM Of course, simply casting read magic circumvents the need to study it for 24 hours. This is probably one of the reasons that wizards can prepare read magic without a spellbook.
foxtail
09-04-07, 08:46 AM Of course, simply casting read magic circumvents the need to study it for 24 hours. This is probably one of the reasons that wizards can prepare read magic without a spellbook.

Unfortunately, read magic isn't quite that effective. Note the SRD's rules on copying spells.

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... 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).

There are three distinct steps:

1) Decipher the writing, accomplished through a Spellcraft check, or automatically through read magic.)
2) Study the spell, which per the rules takes a full day, and
3) Copy the spell, another full day.

and read magic only helps with #1.

Taking into account how fast some campaigns move, and how much of a wizard's potential is tied up in learning a wide variety of spells, I'd knock the whole process down to 24, or even 8 hours total. But that's just me.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Cobra1117 08-31-07, 04:40 PM	All, I was just re-reading the rules on copying spells from the PHB. I had been having my players spend 24 hours to copy a spell after they had borrowed/obtained a spellbook. However, page 179 seems to indicate that you have to spend a full day to study the spell, THEN 24 hours to write the spell. In other words, it seems to take 48 hours to copy a spell. Is this correct? Thanks!
mvincent 08-31-07, 07:02 PM	it seems to take 48 hours to copy a spell. Is this correct?Yup. That is how the rules read. Whether this is what the author intended or not could be debated, but it's the RAW.
Ebonarc 09-03-07, 12:25 PM	Of course, simply casting read magic circumvents the need to study it for 24 hours. This is probably one of the reasons that wizards can prepare read magic without a spellbook.
foxtail 09-04-07, 08:46 AM	Of course, simply casting read magic circumvents the need to study it for 24 hours. This is probably one of the reasons that wizards can prepare read magic without a spellbook. Unfortunately, read magic isn't quite that effective. Note the SRD's rules on copying spells. 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... 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). There are three distinct steps: 1) Decipher the writing, accomplished through a Spellcraft check, or automatically through read magic.) 2) Study the spell, which per the rules takes a full day, and 3) Copy the spell, another full day. and read magic only helps with #1. Taking into account how fast some campaigns move, and how much of a wizard's potential is tied up in learning a wide variety of spells, I'd knock the whole process down to 24, or even 8 hours total. But that's just me.