5
\$\begingroup\$

I'm playing a magus, and I'm considering taking the spell-scar arcana, but I'm not entirely sure how it functions.

Is it possible to prepare a spell through Knowledge pool and then create a spell-scar from that spell?

Knowledge pool descrition:

...the magus can treat any one spell from the magus spell list as if it were in his spellbook and can prepare that spell as normal that day...

Spell-scar Arcana description:

functions like scribe scroll feat.

Scribe scroll description:

You can create a scroll from any spell you know.

\$\endgroup\$
4
  • \$\begingroup\$ Cool, okay. Now digging into the question, it seems there's one subject (spell scars) but two questions about them (1. cost, 2. if knowledge pool spells can be made into scars). We need question posts to be about only one question at a time so that the answers can focus on one question at a time. Could you remove one question from this post, and post it as its own question? Thanks! \$\endgroup\$ Mar 17, 2017 at 15:14
  • \$\begingroup\$ Alright, done. :) \$\endgroup\$
    – Freddy
    Mar 17, 2017 at 15:15
  • \$\begingroup\$ Related \$\endgroup\$
    – Luris
    Mar 17, 2017 at 15:20
  • \$\begingroup\$ Also related \$\endgroup\$
    – KRyan
    Mar 17, 2017 at 16:03

2 Answers 2

3
\$\begingroup\$

The only spells a magus or wizard “knows” are those in his spellbook. The knowledge pool says that you count those spells as being in your spellbook—thus you “know” those spells as well as any magus or wizard ever knows any spell (well, barring an archetype to change either into spontaneously spellcasting; I know magus has at least one of those).

So yes, you can scribe scrolls, or make spell scars, of those spells from the knowledge pool. This is pretty useful, but you should be aware that scrolls are very expensive, and spell scars are further limited to at most 18 spell levels’ worth, so there is a distinct limit on how good this option actually is. Personally, I’d call it good enough to take if you want it, but not so good that I would recommend it even to someone who wasn’t specifically interested in it.

Jason Bulmahn, Paizo’s lead designer, does suggest that this seemed like an oversight to him. However, as no errata has been issued, I surmise that it was either not important enough to bother correcting, or others at Paizo convinced him that it was not an oversight and was intended. Certainly, this ability, while relatively minor, goes a long way towards making the spell-scar arcana actually worthwhile, particularly in games without a lot of downtime.

\$\endgroup\$
2
  • \$\begingroup\$ The knowledge pool does NOT say that you treat the spell as being in your spellbook. The knowledge pool only gives you the power to prepare it, as if it were in your spellbook. \$\endgroup\$ Mar 19, 2017 at 18:01
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MarcusYoder No, the ability gives two separate features: “the magus can treat any one spell from the magus spell list as if it were in his spellbook and can prepare that spell as normal that day. \$\endgroup\$
    – KRyan
    Mar 19, 2017 at 18:21
-2
\$\begingroup\$

This question is going into the minutiae of rules. A spell scar is prepared "using the rules for scribing scrolls." You may scribe "a scroll of any spell that you know." Therefore you must know a spell to make a spell scar of it. In a pathfinder context, what does the word know mean?

"A wizard may know any number of spells. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the wizard decides which spells to prepare."

This implies that wizards know the spells in their spellbook.

The knowledge pool ability does not say that you know the spells. It merely says that you can prepare them. RAW I do not think you can create a spell scar of those spells.

If you could tattoo yourself with any spell for the cost of 1 knowledge point and a little gold, your spell book would be nearly pointless. You would be able to build a secondary more powerful spell book on your skin, without being required to search out the spell first.

EDIT: Paizo lead designer Jason Buhlman said about the knowledge pool, "The issue I am seeing here is the ability to prepare a spell using this class feature and then copy it into a spellbook. The intent was to allow you to simply prepare and cast a spell by using up some of your arcane pool."

The other answer differs from mine because we are reading an ambiguous sentence in two different ways. I believe that the only way a spell counts as being in your spellbook, is for the purpose of preparing the spell for that day. This seems to be the developer intent.

\$\endgroup\$
4
  • \$\begingroup\$ I think this is mostly right, but I'd like to nitpick your last comment: "You would be able to build a secondary more powerful spell book on your skin..." You can only have 18 spell levels of spellscars at one time, which would not make a very comprehensive spellbook. \$\endgroup\$
    – Dan B
    Mar 17, 2017 at 18:04
  • \$\begingroup\$ @DanB At low levels, you are probably not going to have 18 spells in your spellbook. \$\endgroup\$ Mar 19, 2017 at 18:02
  • \$\begingroup\$ Why am I getting downvotes? \$\endgroup\$ Mar 19, 2017 at 18:02
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Well, you got mine because 1. your answer is wrong, and 2. you suggest that the spellbook is a meaningful balancing limitation on the magus (or wizard) class. \$\endgroup\$
    – KRyan
    Mar 19, 2017 at 18:22

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .