DnDWiki:Spellcraft

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Spellcraft (Intelligence; Trained Only)

Use this skill to identify spells as they are cast or spells already in place.

Spellcraft DC	Task
13	When using read magic, identify a glyph of warding. No action required.
15 + spell level	Identify a spell being cast. (you must see or hear the spell's verbal or somatic components.) No action required. No retry.
15 + spell level	Learn a spell from a spellbook or scroll (wizard only). No retry for that spell until you gain at least 1 rank in spellcraft (even if you find another source to try to learn the spell from). Requires 8 hours.
15 + spell level	Prepare a spell from a borrowed spellbook (wizard only). One try per day. No extra time required.
15 + spell level	When casting detect magic, determine the school of magic involved in the aura of a single item or creature you can see. (If the aura is not a spell effect, the DC is 15 * one-half caster level.) No action required.
19	When using read magic, identify a symbol. No action required.
20 + Spell Level	Identify a spell that's already in place and in effect. You must be able to see or detect the effects of the spell. No action required. No retry.
20 + Spell Level	Identify materials created or shaped by magic, such as noting that an iron wall is the result of a Wall of Iron spell. No action required. No retry.
20 + Spell Level	Decipher a written spell (such as a scroll) without using read magic. One try per day. Requires a full-round action.
25 + Spell Level	After rolling a saving throw against a spell targeted on you, determine what the spell was. No action required. No retry.
25	Identify a potion. requires 1 minute. No retry.
20	Draw a diagram to allow dimensional anchor to be cast on a magic circle spell. Requires 10 minutes. No retry. The DM makes this check.
30 or Higher	Understand a strange or unique magical effect such as the effects of a magic stream. Time required varies. No retry.

Check:

You can identify spells and magic effects. The DCs for spellcraft checks relating to various tasks are summarized on the table above.

Action:

Varies, as noted above.

Try again:

see above

Special:

• If you are a specialist wizard, you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks when dealing with a spell or effect from your specialty school. You take a -5 penalty when dealing with a spell or effect from a prohibited school. (and some tasks, such as learning a prohibited spell, are just impossible).

• If you have the Magical Aptitude Feat, you get a +2 on spellcraft checks.

Synergy:

• If you have 5 or more ranks in knowledge (arcana), you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks.

• if you have 5 or more ranks in Use Magic Device, you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks to decipher spells on scrolls.

• If you have 5 or more ranks in Spellcraft, you get a +2 bonus on Use Magic Device checks related to scrolls.

• Additionally, certain spells allow you to gain information about magic, provided that you make a successful Spellcraft check as detailed in the spell description. (For example, see the detect Magic spell.)