Feat to learn spells that are observed? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Feat to learn spells that are observed? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dragon_Friend
08-24-07, 02:25 PM Is there a feat that allows wizards to learn spells and write them in their spellbooks when they observe another spellcaster casting a spell or observe a spell that is in use?
tarkin
08-24-07, 03:20 PM That sounds like a PrC ability, not a feat.

Keep in mind that while you are learning a spell you also need to write it down into your spell book.

So the ability would have to have some time limit on when you have seen it used to when you can write it down.
abraham
08-24-07, 06:43 PM unless it was limited to sorcerers or favored souls(depending on wether the spells to be learned are arcane or divine in nature)
Kyuketsukiouji
08-24-07, 07:00 PM That would be hideously powerful.

There's a 9th level spell that does that. Alamanther's Return, or something like that.
MrCustomer
08-24-07, 07:26 PM No, absolutely not.

A spell is cast at the time that it is memorized, which requires reading the spellbook and learning the arcane energies in one;s mind. What you see later at the time of casting is just the trigger to release that energy. So you are not observering the entire spell so would be unable to learn it.

That said, you do learn something about the spell. Each level you gain two new spells as a wizard, it's persumed that you research these spells while you are leveling. (perhaps calculating some of it each day) in addition to this a Wizard can research and learn new spells if he has the time and resources available to research a new spell.

So when you see observe a spell being cast, then make a Spellcraft check to study the caster's actions, from this you can get the somatic, verbal and material components and arcane/divine focus, what school. enchantment (compulsion, charm, etc), evocation (Electricity, fire force etc), illusion (glamour, figment, etc) and all sorts of information, If you have Detect Magic cast at the same time you would learn even more information about the spell.

Although that would not be enough to Learn the spell, it would be a huge help to Researching the spell. Knowing that Fireball is an evocation (fire) spell that you need bat guano and sulfur and the verbal and somantics, that it is a level 3 wizard spell, with Detect magic you could actually see the magic auras of the spell. You could use this information to research the Fireball spell, you would still need to research the spell but this would be valuable information saving you time and gp in your research.

Thus researching Fireball would normally need (for example, you would need to look this information up yourself) 3 weeks research, access to a labratory, arcane library and materials, at a total cost of 3000gp. However your party fought a wizard who cast fireball on them, you had Detect Magic and onserved him carefully and made a Spellcraft roll (you have 10 ranks in Spellcraft, int bonus +4, and Knowledge (arcane) 5 so rolled d20+19 and got 34) this information will save you, if your DM allows, a week's research and 10% less costs (300gp. So you spend 2 weaks and 2700gp to research Fireball. Or alternatively you could get a +5 bonus to your spellcraft check to research the spell.

It's up to your DM to what access you have to researching spells independently and you would need to pay the costs to research the spell. The DM would also have to arbitrate what information you learn and what value it would be to that research, but I would find it reasonable that it would help with the research.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dragon_Friend 08-24-07, 02:25 PM	Is there a feat that allows wizards to learn spells and write them in their spellbooks when they observe another spellcaster casting a spell or observe a spell that is in use?
tarkin 08-24-07, 03:20 PM	That sounds like a PrC ability, not a feat. Keep in mind that while you are learning a spell you also need to write it down into your spell book. So the ability would have to have some time limit on when you have seen it used to when you can write it down.
abraham 08-24-07, 06:43 PM	unless it was limited to sorcerers or favored souls(depending on wether the spells to be learned are arcane or divine in nature)
Kyuketsukiouji 08-24-07, 07:00 PM	That would be hideously powerful. There's a 9th level spell that does that. Alamanther's Return, or something like that.
MrCustomer 08-24-07, 07:26 PM	No, absolutely not. A spell is cast at the time that it is memorized, which requires reading the spellbook and learning the arcane energies in one;s mind. What you see later at the time of casting is just the trigger to release that energy. So you are not observering the entire spell so would be unable to learn it. That said, you do learn something about the spell. Each level you gain two new spells as a wizard, it's persumed that you research these spells while you are leveling. (perhaps calculating some of it each day) in addition to this a Wizard can research and learn new spells if he has the time and resources available to research a new spell. So when you see observe a spell being cast, then make a Spellcraft check to study the caster's actions, from this you can get the somatic, verbal and material components and arcane/divine focus, what school. enchantment (compulsion, charm, etc), evocation (Electricity, fire force etc), illusion (glamour, figment, etc) and all sorts of information, If you have Detect Magic cast at the same time you would learn even more information about the spell. Although that would not be enough to Learn the spell, it would be a huge help to Researching the spell. Knowing that Fireball is an evocation (fire) spell that you need bat guano and sulfur and the verbal and somantics, that it is a level 3 wizard spell, with Detect magic you could actually see the magic auras of the spell. You could use this information to research the Fireball spell, you would still need to research the spell but this would be valuable information saving you time and gp in your research. Thus researching Fireball would normally need (for example, you would need to look this information up yourself) 3 weeks research, access to a labratory, arcane library and materials, at a total cost of 3000gp. However your party fought a wizard who cast fireball on them, you had Detect Magic and onserved him carefully and made a Spellcraft roll (you have 10 ranks in Spellcraft, int bonus +4, and Knowledge (arcane) 5 so rolled d20+19 and got 34) this information will save you, if your DM allows, a week's research and 10% less costs (300gp. So you spend 2 weaks and 2700gp to research Fireball. Or alternatively you could get a +5 bonus to your spellcraft check to research the spell. It's up to your DM to what access you have to researching spells independently and you would need to pay the costs to research the spell. The DM would also have to arbitrate what information you learn and what value it would be to that research, but I would find it reasonable that it would help with the research.