Cure X Wounds in a Wizard's book?

[qwertyu63]

Is there any way to get any Cure X Wounds spells into a Wizard's spellbook?

Note: I can't give up specializing for it.

[papr_weezl8472]

Ten levels in the Rainbow Servant prestige class lets you treat any cleric spell as on your list, though that's hardly an elegant approach to the problem, or your DM may allow Extra Spell to let you choose a spell from outside your class (iffy rules-wise). Your best bet, though, is probably to take Arcane Disciple for the Healing domain, though that requires that you have a decent Wisdom score.

[Trodon]

By RAW (if I'm remembering correctly) you could get a bard to make scrolls of Cure X Wounds, then, as they are arcane scrolls, you could scribe them into your spellbook.

[Spuddles]

Arcane Disciple: Healing would get you the whole Healing Domain in there. From Complete Divine.

[tyckspoon]

By RAW (if I'm remembering correctly) you could get a bard to make scrolls of Cure X Wounds, then, as they are arcane scrolls, you could scribe them into your spellbook.

Possibly, although you still can't cast it since it's not on the Wizard list. This *might* be worth trying to get a DM to agree to, but I wouldn't bet on it (note that the section on writing stuff into a spellbook doesn't specify arcane or divine spells- if you accept that you can get a Bard to make a scroll of Cure X and copy that down, you can just as well copy a standard Cleric scroll. Neither one will let you cast that spell, but it will be in your spell-book for whatever good that does you.)

[gr8artist]

Wands. They were invented for exactly this reason.
I'm not sure what the UMD rules for 3.5 are, but I know that in PF, anyone who has at least one rank in UMD can attempt to use any wand.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Not quite an elegant situation, but Wyrm Wizard (Dragon Magic) can add 3/4 spells to his list over the course of ten levels. Note that these spells can be ANY spell; it even calls out a healing spell in the class description.

[SaintRidley]

Changeling Wizard into Recaster. It's a 5 level class with 4/5 casting progression that gets you at levels 2 and 4 of the class Expanded Knowledge chosen from any spell in the game up to one level lower than your highest known level. Can nab you Heal off the Adept list if you delay entry by at least one level from minimum qualification.

The class itself is pretty decent - Once you've finished it you've basically gained Eschew Materials as a bonus feat, 5/day free Silent or Still Spell, 3/day Free Quicken Spell, 2 free spells added to your spell list from any spells, 5/day free shaping your spells (basically, something like having the options of Arcane Reach, Sculpt Spell, and a couple other minor things you can do with them), and 5/day of any two of Widen, Empower, Extend, Maximize, or Enlarge Spell.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Wands. They were invented for exactly this reason.
I'm not sure what the UMD rules for 3.5 are, but I know that in PF, anyone who has at least one rank in UMD can attempt to use any wand.

This is true in 3.5. At dc 20 anyone with a single rank has a 10% chance to activate any wand with no other bonus to the check. When your total modifier hits 19, you can't fail to activate a wand ever.

[Jeff the Green]

This is true in 3.5. At dc 20 anyone with a single rank has a 10% chance to activate any wand with no other bonus to the check. When your total modifier hits 19, you can't fail to activate a wand ever.

A natural 1 still fails; UMD is the only skill that RAW has critical failures.

[Lanaya]

A natural 1 still fails; UMD is the only skill that RAW has critical failures.

No, natural 1 on UMD doesn't automatically fail, it just has more severe penalties if you do fail.

Try Again
Yes, but if you ever roll a natural 1 while attempting to activate an item and you fail, then you can’t try to activate that item again for 24 hours. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/useMagicDevice.htm)

[Jeff the Green]

No, natural 1 on UMD doesn't automatically fail, it just has more severe penalties if you do fail.

Try Again
Yes, but if you ever roll a natural 1 while attempting to activate an item and you fail, then you can’t try to activate that item again for 24 hours. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/useMagicDevice.htm)

Huh. I've been playing it wrong then.

[Alienist]

In combat Faith Healing is better than Cure Light Wounds.
Out of combat Lesser Vigor is better than Cure Light Wounds.

Both of those would be 'potionable'. As level 1 spells they wouldn't even be particularly expensive.

As for whether the Wizard can copy spells not on their list from a Bard scroll, the RAW is silent. It doesn't say that you can, and it doesn't say that you can't.

By RAW though, and this is very explicit, if you find another Wizard's spellbook with Cure Light Wounds in it (e.g. Arcane Disciple), then you can copy it into your own spellbook, and then subsequently cast it.

Oddly enough, going by strict RAW, you wouldn't even need to obey the restrictions that the Arcane Disciple has to obey. For instance, you wouldn't need to use Wisdom, and you wouldn't be restricted to only casting them once per day.

As this is a pretty raw (sic) deal for the Arcane Disciple, I'd say this is pretty clearly not RAI.

Regardless of that, the rules do say that you can research spells. Researching a divine spell is actually fair game, especially if there are already arcane versions of it floating around. So talk nicely to your DM.

The RAW I could find for this in the SRD was:



Independent Research
A wizard also can research a spell independently, duplicating an existing spell or creating an entirely new one.


and also



Independent Research
A divine spellcaster also can research a spell independently, much as an arcane spellcaster can. Only the creator of such a spell can prepare and cast it, unless he decides to share it with others.


The DMG has a section about this - see p198. Note that because this is in DM fiat territory you are supposed to talk to the DM anyway, and he is supposed to give you 'guidance' as to whether what you are trying to do is acceptable.

If the DM gives you the green light, then cost is going to be at least 1000gp x spell level, requiring access to a well stocked library and one week of research per level.

[qwertyu63]

In combat Faith Healing is better than Cure Light Wounds.
Out of combat Lesser Vigor is better than Cure Light Wounds.

Both of those would be 'potionable'. As level 1 spells they wouldn't even be particularly expensive.

As for whether the Wizard can copy spells not on their list from a Bard scroll, the RAW is silent. It doesn't say that you can, and it doesn't say that you can't.

I don't know offhand the schools of those spells, but the part of the reason I want this is that is is Conjuration. Also, my DM aggreed to let me just copy down the bard scroll and use that. He was rather clear I was to stick with arcane scrolls though. Not a problem here, so...

Thanks for your help everyone.