Question about the spell theif

[Devronq]

So i have a few questions about the spell thief and his steal steal spell ability.

1. How does the declaring which spell i steal work? I assume after i hit with sneak attack but before i roll damage i name a spell and if he has it i can steal it? (assuming its the right level)

2. After i steal a spell can i cast it just once or as many times as i like within that hour?

3. It says "or use this energy to cast of his own spells". So i assume that if i stole i level 3 spell i could cast my own level 3 spell one extra time instead? what if the spell is higher than 4th level, if i steal a level 9 spell can i cast 3 more level 3 spells?

4. I don't see it specifying arcane so can i steal from any classes spell list? (non psionic) Like cleric druid etc

5. It says i must meet the minimum requirement of ability score to cast that spell. Does that mean my ability score that i use to cast spells or that the caster than i stole from uses? Like if i steal a level 4 spell from a sorcerer i need 14 cha to cast it but then if i steal a level 4 spell from a wizard do i need 14cha or 14int?

[Azoth]

1) when you decide to steal a spell instead of dealing sneak attack damage you call it before damage is rolled (So it is possible to lose 1d6 sneak attack damage for no gain). You then declare a spell you would like to steal from the target. If they have the spell prepared/(known in case of spontaneous casters) you steal it and they lose it/slot it was in.

1A) If they do not have that spell available, you then steal a spell at random from the individual.

2) You can only cast a stolen spell once. When you do so, you have used up the stored spell energy. In order to cast it again, you need to steal another copy or be capable of casting it on your own.

3) You can hold up to 2x spell thief level in stored spell energy. This means that you can either cast the stolen spell, and expend the spell levelas intact, or that you can lose the ability to cast any stolen spell to break it up into generic spell levels to fuel spells as desired until you use all sstored spell levels.

3a) For example, say you are currently storing 3 spell levels as a fireball that you stole. You can either cast the stolen fireball, or break it down into having three spell levels to use to fuel the casting of your own spells. This energy can not be used to pay partrial costs. So no using 1 stored level and a level one slot to cast a level 2 spell.

3B) Best to think of broken down spell levels as pearls of power. You use them to replenish your own slots.


4) You can steal a spell from any target capable of casting a spell. It does not matter if it is an arcane caster or a divine caster. They are treated as equals for the purpose of stealing them.

5) When casting a stolen spell it is cast as if the person you stole it from cast it for all purposes (Save DC/duration/CL).. All you need to do is point it in the direction of a valid target and let it rip.

[Devronq]

1) when you decide to steal a spell instead of dealing sneak attack damage you call it before damage is rolled (So it is possible to lose 1d6 sneak attack damage for no gain). You then declare a spell you would like to steal from the target. If they have the spell prepared/(known in case of spontaneous casters) you steal it and they lose it/slot it was in.

1A) If they do not have that spell available, you then steal a spell at random from the individual.

2) You can only cast a stolen spell once. When you do so, you have used up the stored spell energy. In order to cast it again, you need to steal another copy or be capable of casting it on your own.

3) You can hold up to 2x spell thief level in stored spell energy. This means that you can either cast the stolen spell, and expend the spell levelas intact, or that you can lose the ability to cast any stolen spell to break it up into generic spell levels to fuel spells as desired until you use all sstored spell levels.

3a) For example, say you are currently storing 3 spell levels as a fireball that you stole. You can either cast the stolen fireball, or break it down into having three spell levels to use to fuel the casting of your own spells. This energy can not be used to pay partrial costs. So no using 1 stored level and a level one slot to cast a level 2 spell.

3B) Best to think of broken down spell levels as pearls of power. You use them to replenish your own slots.


4) You can steal a spell from any target capable of casting a spell. It does not matter if it is an arcane caster or a divine caster. They are treated as equals for the purpose of stealing them.

5) When casting a stolen spell it is cast as if the person you stole it from cast it for all purposes (Save DC/duration/CL).. All you need to do is point it in the direction of a valid target and let it rip.


Ok still not clear on this
3A. So if i stole a level 9 spell then i could break it down to 3 level 3 spells or no?

[Azoth]

Yes, you can break it down into 3 Level 3 spells.

[Devronq]

Yes, you can break it down into 3 Level 3 spells.

Thank you very much is all clear now :)

[Diarmuid]

While I would probably rule that you could break it down, that is not how the RAW reads in the class description.



Alternatively, a spellthief of 4th level of higher can use the stolen spell power to cast any spellthief spell that he knows of the same or lower level (effectively this gives the spellthief one free casting of a spell known).


Another quick clarification:



3) You can hold up to 2x spell thief level in stored spell energy. This means that you can either cast the stolen spell, and expend the spell levelas intact, or that you can lose the ability to cast any stolen spell to break it up into generic spell levels to fuel spells as desired until you use all sstored spell levels.


Bolded/Italicized section is strictly wrong. You can hold up to your Spellthief level of stolen spell levels.

[Azoth]

Whoops, sorry for the wrong info was pulling from memory and sleep deprived.

Yeah it is only equal to spellthief level for stored spells.

Gues I never noticed that you couldn't break it down. Guess I have just house ruled it so long that I forgot it was one of my house rules. Though in its defense it isn't a broken one. Not too often a Spellthief's 4th level or less spell known is going to be more useful that a level 8 or 9 spell as the question asked.