stealing a spellbook?

[Acero]

If one of my wizard PC steals a wizard NPC's spellbook, can he use it as his own?

[NEO|Phyte]

If one of my wizard PC steals a wizard NPC's spellbook, can he use it as his own?

He needs to use Spellcraft/Read Magic to decipher it, after which he can use it. Checking if the checks are for each time he uses it or just the first time, will edit in what I learn.

Wizard Spells and Borrowed Spellbooks

A wizard can use a borrowed spellbook to prepare a spell she already knows and has recorded in her own spellbook, but preparation success is not assured. First, the wizard must decipher the writing in the book (see Arcane Magical Writings, above). Once a spell from another spellcaster’s book is deciphered, the reader must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level) to prepare the spell. If the check succeeds, the wizard can prepare the spell. She must repeat the check to prepare the spell again, no matter how many times she has prepared it before. If the check fails, she cannot try to prepare the spell from the same source again until the next day. (However, as explained above, she does not need to repeat a check to decipher the writing.)

Sounds like you need to already have the spell in your own book to be able to use it from someone else's book. To that end,

Spells Copied from Another’s Spellbook or a Scroll

A wizard can also add a spell to her book whenever she encounters one on a magic scroll or in another wizard’s spellbook. No matter what the spell’s source, the wizard must first decipher the magical writing (see Arcane Magical Writings, above). Next, she must spend a day studying the spell. At the end of the day, she must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level). A wizard who has specialized in a school of spells gains a +2 bonus on the Spellcraft check if the new spell is from her specialty school. She cannot, however, learn any spells from her prohibited schools. If the check succeeds, the wizard understands the spell and can copy it into her spellbook (see Writing a New Spell into a Spellbook, below). The process leaves a spellbook that was copied from unharmed, but a spell successfully copied from a magic scroll disappears from the parchment.

If the check fails, the wizard cannot understand or copy the spell. She cannot attempt to learn or copy that spell again until she gains another rank in Spellcraft. A spell that was being copied from a scroll does not vanish from the scroll.

[Friend Computer]

He needs to use Spellcraft/Read Magic to decipher it, after which he can use it. Checking if the checks are for each time he uses it or just the first time, will edit in what I learn.

"DC15 + spell level: Prepare a spell from a borrowed spellbook (wizard only). One try per day. No extra time required."

Edit: Also:
"DC15 + spell level: Learn a spell from a spellbook or scroll (wizard only). No retry for that spell until you gain at least 1 rank in Spellcraft (even if you find another source to try to learn the spell from). Requires 8 hours."

[Touchy]

He needs to use Spellcraft/Read Magic to decipher it, after which he can use it. Checking if the checks are for each time he uses it or just the first time, will edit in what I learn.

it's the latter.

[Friend Computer]

it's the latter.

Incorrect:

A wizard can use a borrowed spellbook to prepare a spell she already knows and has recorded in her own spellbook, but preparation success is not assured. First, the wizard must decipher the writing in the book (see Arcane Magical Writings, above). Once a spell from another spellcaster’s book is deciphered, the reader must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level) to prepare the spell. If the check succeeds, the wizard can prepare the spell. She must repeat the check to prepare the spell again, no matter how many times she has prepared it before. If the check fails, she cannot try to prepare the spell from the same source again until the next day. (However, as explained above, she does not need to repeat a check to decipher the writing.)

[Kylarra]

CArc does have a check to master the foreign spellbook, requiring several days of study, but if you succeed you no longer need to make any checks.

[Superglucose]

CArc does have a check to master the foreign spellbook, requiring several days of study, but if you succeed you no longer need to make any checks.

Thank you.

EDIT: Phreeeeow that takes a long time.

[The Glyphstone]

Let's hope the DM doesn't decide to be a jerk and go 'strict RAW' by pointing out that the rules only apply to 'borrowed' spellbooks, not stolen ones.

[Kylarra]

Let's hope the DM doesn't decide to be a jerk and go 'strict RAW' by pointing out that the rules only apply to 'borrowed' spellbooks, not stolen ones.

CArc just says foreign, so it still works.

[The Glyphstone]

Ok, so the worst they could do is not let you use the non-borrowed spellbook until you've taken the time to master it. Better.

[Critical]

Let's hope the DM doesn't decide to be a jerk and go 'strict RAW' by pointing out that the rules only apply to 'borrowed' spellbooks, not stolen ones.

Sometimes borrowed means stolen.

[LibraryOgre]

Note: According to many, stealing a spellbook should never be done, because it's horribly unfair.

[deuxhero]

And it should be attempted because any book worth stealing will be defended hard.


Looting a book on the otherhand...

[shadow_archmagi]

Note: According to many, stealing a spellbook should never be done, because it's horribly unfair.

I believe its horribly unfair when you have a player character who loses their spellbook and then must go around being useless until they can buy a new book and gradually work on accumulating new ones.

This is because it relegates one player to the status of not doing anything useful at all, which means the game isn't much fun for them.


NPCs do not have the same right to happiness.

[Sinfire Titan]

Note: According to many, stealing a spellbook should never be done, because it's horribly unfair.

Well, this is a PC to NPC action, not PC to PC or DM to PC. As long as the NPC isn't a major ally, I'd say go for it. BTW, killing the Wizard makes it easier to find the book. Just use Speak with the Dead.

[Thurbane]

Sometimes borrowed means stolen.

Just ask a kender...

[Lysander]

This is why you have to be very careful when using wizards as enemies. Anything they can do the PC wizard will eventually get to do.

[JGoldenberg]

Just ask a kender...

+1

And I don't see why any but the most unimaginitive DM would pull a RAW. If I really didn't want the wizard getting their hands on the spell book, I'd ward it or prepare explosive runes. 3.5 low level Wizards won't be able to make the same mistake, Pathfinder Wizards might survive to realize it's not the best idea to steal other wizards spellbooks.

But other than potentially unbalancing and giving the Wizard and edge I don't see why one would stop it from happening. Even if it does throw the balance off a bit, SR monsters and/or small loot for the other players should balance it out and keep players from whining.