Spellcraft (Int; 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 that 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 wish 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 bonus 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.)
For Races of Stone
If you use read magic, you can use this skill to identify the effects of a rune circle.
Check: When using read magic, you can identify the effects of a rune circle. The base DC is 10 + the caster level of the rune circle. You must first know that a magic rune circle is present, usually through the use of the detect magic spell.
If the check is successful, you know the powers of the circle and how to activate it.
Action: Deciphering the runes on a rune circle takes 1 minute (ten consecutive full-round actions).
Special: If you have 5 or more ranks in Decipher Script, you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify the effects of a rune circle.