Arcane Preparation feat and copying scrolls? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Arcane Preparation feat and copying scrolls? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
johniemi
07-30-04, 02:42 AM If I were a sorcerer and would take the Arcane Preparation feat from Tome & Blood and I think it's also in Magic of Faerun (quick recap of the feat: lets you prepare spells like a wizard does, thus you may f.ex. prepare a quickened spell that reserves a spell slot 4 levels higher and can be cast as a free action just like the wizard can do), could I then copy spell scrolls to a spellbook and prepare them for daily use?

Common sense says yes, but what do you say? This would be a cool idea for the sorcerer to learn more spells... he finds a scroll of disintegrate from a dungeon, instead of using it once thus loosing the scroll after casting, he takes his time (making the spellcraft(?) check to decipher the scroll) and copies the magical writing from the scroll onto his sorcerer's spellbook that he bought from town. Now he could prepare disintegrate like a wizard any time he wishes, as he has the arcane preparation feat.

Might break the game balance, as sorcerers are supposed to know a limited number of spells, but if I were a DM, I would allow this unless there is a factor I wasn't aware of.

-John
Sancus
07-30-04, 03:02 AM No, it doesn't work that way.

Sorcerers don't get to become Wizards with more spells per day for the cost of one feat :P
johniemi
07-30-04, 03:15 AM Originally posted by Sancus
No, it doesn't work that way.

Sorcerers don't get to become Wizards with more spells per day for the cost of one feat :P

That's what I thought, but why not? I mean the feat specifically states that you may prepare spells like a wizard. And preparing a spell means reading it from a spellbook thus memorizing it for the day.

I know my idea is very broken but I need to know why as I don't see a conflict in the rulebooks :)

-John
green_yawgmoth
07-30-04, 03:36 AM I don't see why not, and if it were my game, I'd let you. That way your sorcerer could finally give those lofty wizards the finger (of death, quickened). ;)

http://img30.photobucket.com/albums/v91/yawgmoth/kittyjig.gif
Bifford
07-30-04, 05:40 AM I think what it means is that you get a slot in which you can put one spell, and cannot change it thereafter until the next rest. It does not grant you the ability to understand and use wizardly notation and methodology.
Bifford
07-30-04, 06:25 AM Besides, if the feat could allow sorcerors to use spellbooks, it would unbalance them. Sorcerors would have the best of both worlds, knowing all the essential spells and having one slot for those specialised utility spells that make wizards so versatile.
Sildatorak
07-30-04, 07:26 AM If it worked like that, you could just spend the gold to get as many spells as you wanted and then just memorize them all wizard style. You'd have 2 more spells at each level than the wizard, too, and that just isn't right.
tarkin
07-30-04, 10:27 AM It does not work that way for several reasons.

Wizards understand spells, Sorcerors just have a knack for foing them. I.E. Wizards have studied cooking, while a Sorceror just knows how to make a few dishes that they like.

Scrolls are spells that have been mostly done already, but not finished. Sort of like Frozen Pizza.

Spell books are just non-magical notes that a wizard uses to remind them how to cast the spells. Sort of like a cook book containing a recipiee to make pizza.

A poor cook that happens to know a few special dishes can not suddenly create note on how to make a 10 course meal just by getting a premade version and analyzing it. Similarly, the Sorceror could NOT copy the scroll into a spell book.

And that same poor cook could not get hold of a master chef's cookbook notes and suddenly know how to make his masterpeice 10 course meal. Similarly, sorcerors looking at those notes do NOT suddenly realize how to do the spell, even if they could read a scroll to do the spell.
necrosnoop110
07-30-04, 10:41 AM Tarkin you are spot on, and nice analogies by the way. I am gonna go make lunch now –maybe some pizza- …:drool:
Stuntman
07-30-04, 05:37 PM The prepared spell feat is solely designed to allow spontaneous arcane casters the ability to use the quicken spell feat. There is also a side effect that allows sorcerers to take a prestige class designed for wizards. One of the prerequesites for that PrC is that you have to be able to prepare arcane spells.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
johniemi 07-30-04, 02:42 AM	If I were a sorcerer and would take the Arcane Preparation feat from Tome & Blood and I think it's also in Magic of Faerun (quick recap of the feat: lets you prepare spells like a wizard does, thus you may f.ex. prepare a quickened spell that reserves a spell slot 4 levels higher and can be cast as a free action just like the wizard can do), could I then copy spell scrolls to a spellbook and prepare them for daily use? Common sense says yes, but what do you say? This would be a cool idea for the sorcerer to learn more spells... he finds a scroll of disintegrate from a dungeon, instead of using it once thus loosing the scroll after casting, he takes his time (making the spellcraft(?) check to decipher the scroll) and copies the magical writing from the scroll onto his sorcerer's spellbook that he bought from town. Now he could prepare disintegrate like a wizard any time he wishes, as he has the arcane preparation feat. Might break the game balance, as sorcerers are supposed to know a limited number of spells, but if I were a DM, I would allow this unless there is a factor I wasn't aware of. -John
Sancus 07-30-04, 03:02 AM	No, it doesn't work that way. Sorcerers don't get to become Wizards with more spells per day for the cost of one feat :P
johniemi 07-30-04, 03:15 AM	Originally posted by Sancus No, it doesn't work that way. Sorcerers don't get to become Wizards with more spells per day for the cost of one feat :P That's what I thought, but why not? I mean the feat specifically states that you may prepare spells like a wizard. And preparing a spell means reading it from a spellbook thus memorizing it for the day. I know my idea is very broken but I need to know why as I don't see a conflict in the rulebooks :) -John
green_yawgmoth 07-30-04, 03:36 AM	I don't see why not, and if it were my game, I'd let you. That way your sorcerer could finally give those lofty wizards the finger (of death, quickened). ;) http://img30.photobucket.com/albums/v91/yawgmoth/kittyjig.gif
Bifford 07-30-04, 05:40 AM	I think what it means is that you get a slot in which you can put one spell, and cannot change it thereafter until the next rest. It does not grant you the ability to understand and use wizardly notation and methodology.
Bifford 07-30-04, 06:25 AM	Besides, if the feat could allow sorcerors to use spellbooks, it would unbalance them. Sorcerors would have the best of both worlds, knowing all the essential spells and having one slot for those specialised utility spells that make wizards so versatile.
Sildatorak 07-30-04, 07:26 AM	If it worked like that, you could just spend the gold to get as many spells as you wanted and then just memorize them all wizard style. You'd have 2 more spells at each level than the wizard, too, and that just isn't right.
tarkin 07-30-04, 10:27 AM	It does not work that way for several reasons. Wizards understand spells, Sorcerors just have a knack for foing them. I.E. Wizards have studied cooking, while a Sorceror just knows how to make a few dishes that they like. Scrolls are spells that have been mostly done already, but not finished. Sort of like Frozen Pizza. Spell books are just non-magical notes that a wizard uses to remind them how to cast the spells. Sort of like a cook book containing a recipiee to make pizza. A poor cook that happens to know a few special dishes can not suddenly create note on how to make a 10 course meal just by getting a premade version and analyzing it. Similarly, the Sorceror could NOT copy the scroll into a spell book. And that same poor cook could not get hold of a master chef's cookbook notes and suddenly know how to make his masterpeice 10 course meal. Similarly, sorcerors looking at those notes do NOT suddenly realize how to do the spell, even if they could read a scroll to do the spell.
necrosnoop110 07-30-04, 10:41 AM	Tarkin you are spot on, and nice analogies by the way. I am gonna go make lunch now –maybe some pizza- …:drool:
Stuntman 07-30-04, 05:37 PM	The prepared spell feat is solely designed to allow spontaneous arcane casters the ability to use the quicken spell feat. There is also a side effect that allows sorcerers to take a prestige class designed for wizards. One of the prerequesites for that PrC is that you have to be able to prepare arcane spells.