Alternative Uses for Spellcraft + Clarification on DC 30+ Understand Strange/Unique..

[Bugworlds]

I'm playing an Artificer who is focused on studying magic, so a lot has been pooled towards Spellcraft and Knowledge (arcana). I've also put a bunch of points in UMD. As my Spellcraft checks increase, I'm curious if there are any alternative uses for the skill? In particular, uses which can't be found with UMD or Knowledge (arcana).

Also, what is meant by a Spellcraft check of DC 30+ is able to "Understand a strange or unique magical effect, such as the effects of a magic stream. Time required varies. No retry."

And while I'm at it, what are some things I should keep in mind which can be done with Knowledge (arcana)? It seems there are situations where it can be replaced with spellcraft. In what situations would it be beneficial to make a Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft check?

D20 Hypertext, Spellcraft (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/spellcraft.htm)
D20 Hypertext, Epic Spellcraft (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm#spellcraft)
Good example of Spellcraft uses in detail. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?339210-Spellcraft-Details&p=17250280)
Discussion on difference between Spellcraft and Knowledge (arcana) (http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?14768-Spellcraft-and-Knowledge%28Arcana%29-What-s-the-Diff)
D20 Hypertext Knowledge Skill. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/knowledge.htm)
More Knowledge check details and great explanation how to use Knowledges for benefit. (http://www.giantitp.com/articles/paBcfg1YaEccDMQACfu.html)
Short discussion on Knowledge (arcana)'s usefullness. (http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?11225-Knowledge%28Arcana%29-What-is-it-good-for)

Edit: Magic Item Compendium (MiC), page 217, has a reference to Knowledge (arcana) being used for identifying a magical item. If this is mostly for legendary items, would the DC for a less common item be higher (due to less common items being more rare) or lower (less powerful, lower DC). Making a check to find out information about a recently created magical item wouldn't have any results for it wouldn't of been studied, or does the creation of a magical item leave it identifiable as magic via Knowledge (arcana)?

There are also some details about searching for a hint about the magical properties, or using spellcraft to identify. The paragraph about bardic knowledge talks about using bardic knowledge on common/uncommon/legendary

Knowledge (arcana): A character can attempt a DC 30 Knowledge
(arcana) check to determine if she remembers reading of an item
at one point during her studies. A successful result might give
a hint to the item’s function or reveal every detail about it. This
method is most appropriate for legendary items or items that have
a traditional shape associated with their function.
Search: You might allow close study of an item to provide some
information. A command word could be etched in tiny letters on
the inside of a ring, or a feathered design might hint that an item
allows its wearer to fl y. In such a case, a successful DC 15 Search
check should reveal the clue.
Spellcraft: A character using the detect magic spell can attempt
a Spellcraft check to determine the school of magic associated
with the item’s powers. If the character exceeds the DC for this
check by 10 or more, the character magically divines the item’s
functions, its means of activation, and the number of charges
remaining.
...
Bardic Knowledge: While not quite as useful as the skills
discussed above, a successful bardic knowledge check
might reveal the backgrounds, functions, and means of
activating legendary or otherwise well-known items. If
the item is standard equipment for a well-known faction
or person, the DC is 20. If the item is uncommon or
ancient, but many items like it are in circulation, the DC
is 25. If the item is known only in legend, the DC is 30
or higher. A successful result should reveal something
of the item’s history and give at least a hint about the
item’s function.

[Afgncaap5]

The "strange or unique magical effect" thing sort of assumes that the DM is creating homebrew magic. Or at least that's my understanding.

As for the specific difference between Spellcraft and Knowledge (Arcana), there are a number of technical things but I think the key difference is that Knowledge (Arcana) relates to what a spell caster knows (and as such could overlap with things like Knowledge (History) or Knowledge (Nobility) for the purposes of identifying magical traditions and such), while Spellcraft relates to what a spell caster can figure out.

Case in point, most wizards learn or understand spells a bit different from each other, which is why it takes so long to read, understand, and copy spells from another wizard's spellbook. The DC to know about Magic Missile, what it does, and what its limitations are would be relatively low, while the Spellcraft DC to be able to figure out its fundamental nature and copy it into your own spellbook might be higher.

So, for the Strange Or Unusual Magical Effect thing: let's say you're exploring a cavern that simply no one has ever been in before, and the path ahead is blocked by a thick, purple fog. Knowledge (Arcana) might fail because it's simply too unknown. Spellcraft, however, would let a caster examine it, say "Well, I know X about purple magic, and can see the way it's churning in the air..." With a high enough DC, the caster extrapolates information about this purple fog, and can figure out how the magic at play is working (or the 'craft' of the 'spells' behind it, so to speak). The caster can then say "This fog will turn anyone who passes through it into a skeleton unless they carry enough Cold Iron with them while pledging allegiance to the person who put the mist here... don't worry, pledging allegiance doesn't seem to be magically enforced, so feel free to lie like crazy" (or something).

[Vedhin]

Magic of Faerun has an annoyingly incomplete method of using Spellcraft to boost caster level. If it was more than a table entry, it might have enough info to be used in the first place.

[Duke of Urrel]

Here's my reasoning. Let's consider the text of the rule in the SRD.


DC 30: Understand a strange or unique magical effect, such as the effects of a magic stream.

What kind of "strange of unique magical effect" is meant? It might well be a home-brewed spell; I agree completely with Afgncaap about this. But it might also be a kind of magic that is not a spell at all, but that you can still identify by observing its effect, just as you can use Spellcraft (at a lower DC) to identify a spell by observing its effect.

There are two main types of magic other than spells: supernatural magic and deific magic. My house rule is that a Spellcraft check at DC 30 helps you to identify (by name) the effect of magic that is more powerful than a spell. Examples would include the effect of the vampire's Dominate ability, which is supernatural, or the effect of a dead magic zone or wild magic zone, which I understand to be deific.

As a house rule, I also consider the effects of spell-like abilities to be as easily identifiable using Spellcraft as the effects of spells.

I expect that different DMs will have vastly differing opinions about this topic, and in particular about how to negotiate the divide between Knowledge (Arcana) and Spellcraft.


I usually consider Spellcraft to indicate only the name of an effect, though I always allow you to get enough information to counterspell a spell that you identify while it's being cast, if that's what you want to do.


In contrast, I consider Knowledge (Arcana) to provide you with additional details about magic items and magical effects besides their names. You generally get to know only one detail about an examined effect or item if your check scores at the minimum DC required, but you get more details – even beyond what you thought to ask about – if you score 5, 10, or 15 higher than this DC.

[Bugworlds]

An edit has been done to the OP after finding some related details in MiC.