Arcane Trickster, Eldritch Knight, and spellbooks

[Arkhios]

If an Arcane Trickster or an Eldritch Knight gets their hands on a wizard's spellbook, could they cast those spells from the book without being able to prepare or memorize the spells, since they cast wizard spells by default anyway?

As a follow-up: Would you allow it? For example requiring to use up their spell slots and only being able to cast spells of a level they could normally?

[Sicarius Victis]

Normally they can't do that, no. And I wouldn't allow them to, as that allows them a lot more versatility in their spell selection, which is a decent component of balancing them in the first place.

[djreynolds]

If an Arcane Trickster or an Eldritch Knight gets their hands on a wizard's spellbook, could they cast those spells from the book without being able to prepare or memorize the spells, since they cast wizard spells by default anyway?

As a follow-up: Would you allow it? For example requiring to use up their spell slots and only being able to cast spells of a level they could normally?

I could allow them the ability to perhaps cast something from their respective schools.

Its not game breaking, to allow them on a long rest to switch out spells they know with something from the spell-book.

I could see allowing them to switch out appropriate level spells for the day.

[JellyPooga]

I might allow it if they have the Ritual Caster feat. As standard, they don't get ritual casting, so the feat investment seems a reasonable compromise.

[Arkhios]

I might allow it if they have the Ritual Caster feat. As standard, they don't get ritual casting, so the feat investment seems a reasonable compromise.

Hmm. That's an idea I could stand behind as a DM. Generally I wouldn't want to break the balance too much with too lenient rulings, but a feat investment is, indeed, a reasonable compromise.

[Garret Dorigan]

I'd allow it either for Ritual Casting or following the rules as using a scroll.

[DivisibleByZero]

The RAW answer to all of your questions is No.
AT & EK don't use spellbooks, they have spells known.
They also don't have the Ritual Casting feature under Spellcasting.
And in 5e, there are no rules for using a spellbook as a scroll (like there was in previous editions).

Your DM may choose to allow it, but the rules do not.
By the RAW, a spellbook, found or otherwise, is utterly useless to an AT or an EK.

[Zorku]

The big question for me, is if they're going to outshine some full caster like this. If that's a concern I'd say they need some time to get used to the guy's shorthand and poor organization skills, mostly to make sure they stay behind the other character (though if they decide ((on their own)) to multiclass into wizard at next level for this then I'm giving them pretty much whatever they've got suitable spell slots for, even if it breaks that little multiclassing rule about max spell level in a class. The archetype is already set up like you're multiclassing a little bit as a wizard.)

Where I'm handing them the spell book I get to custom select the spells I'm giving the party access to anyway.

[LtPowers]

The RAW answer to all of your questions is No.
AT & EK don't use spellbooks, they have spells known.
They also don't have the Ritual Casting feature under Spellcasting.
And in 5e, there are no rules for using a spellbook as a scroll (like there was in previous editions).

Your DM may choose to allow it, but the rules do not.
By the RAW, a spellbook, found or otherwise, is utterly useless to an AT or an EK.

Right. They pick their spells from the Wizard list; that doesn't mean they can use any spell on the Wizard's list. They can only use the spells they picked.


Powers &8^]

[Arkhios]

.... or following the rules as using a scroll.

Just checking: You do realize that scrolls are destroyed after use? If the spellbook pages would be destroyed after casting a spell, wouldn't it defeat the purpose?

Anyway, the reason why I was wondering this is that my players have an Arcane Trickster and an Eldritch Knight both in their group. Soon they'll have an Inquisitor as well (see below in my signature). The only "full caster" in their group is a warlock (stop right there, whether you believe Warlock is a full caster or not is irrelevant for this thread), so I was wondering if I could with good conscience let the two characters with access to Wizard spells to cast spells from a looted spellbook (note, they are still referred to as wizard spells even if you are AT or EK. Not AT or EK spells!)

[djreynolds]

You know the idea has merits.

1. Where in the world do PCs that have known spells, other than sorcerer, learn of them in the first place.

2. If an EK or AT found a spellbook why can't he/she at least be able to switch out spells known.

3. This would at least explain how the AT learned a spell, especially one that isn't illusion or enchantment

4. I always plan or at least leave the possibility of multiclassing to wizard or cleric or bard as a possibility

[Tanarii]

so I was wondering if I could with good conscience let the two characters with access to Wizard spells to cast spells from a looted spellbook (note, they are still referred to as wizard spells even if you are AT or EK. Not AT or EK spells!)well, obviously the mechanism for EK/AT gaining 'Wizard' spells as spells known explicitly has nothing to do with spell books.

As to whether or not you can in good conscience allow it ... depends how broken you want them to be. If the answer is very, yeah, allow it. If the answer is very powerful but maybe not totally broken, allow them to treat the spellbook as a book of scrolls, burning out the spell after use. Of course, the Warlock should get to do that with any spells on their spell list as well, since there's nothing special about EK/AT that they should get to do this and any other caster that can use scrolls shouldn't.

[Paeleus]

Perhaps homebrew a feat for said EK/AT where they can choose an additional 2 Schools? Just off the top of my head, but a +1 to Int or a free Cantrip of either School sound outta line?