Wizard spells and languages

[nhbdy]

What if a wizard wrote his spellbook in an obscure language? would this make it hard for an enemy to use? or if he cast in an obscure language? or is this all rule-breaking?

[Guildorn Tanaleth]

And the SRD spake forth and said:

To record an arcane spell in written form, a character uses complex notation that describes the magical forces involved in the spell. The writer uses the same system no matter what her native language or culture. However, each character uses the system in her own way. Another person’s magical writing remains incomprehensible to even the most powerful wizard until she takes time to study and decipher it.

And it was good, yet the latter query wast a matter of interpretation-eth.

[Zeful]

Well it's assumed that the wizard is writing the arcane formulae in some kind of made up language or else there wouldn't be that spellcraft check to read the book. It's also assumed you are casting in the same made up language for the need of a spellcraft check to identify a spell being cast.

Now if your asking about encrypting the page to add another layer of difficulty, you could get a DM to swing a +2 DC increase or so. Then there's secret page that magically hides a page making it impossible to read without dispelling the page.

but no it's assumed your spellbook and casting is done in your own made up language, so making it a known language makes it easier to be stolen.

Err nevermind.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

It's done in a personalized variant of a magical language that all wizards know. It's probably not encryptable because it is scribed magically. (thats why a power word takes up 7 pages) But if you are paranoid, just put in a symbol of insanity or something on the first page, triggered to go off when someone reads it. That should help deal with any spellcasters who try to read your book.

[Kaelik]

Look up the Geometer PrC for Wizards in Complete Arcane, they get a cool level 2 ability that decreases spell cost and involves writing in a different arcane formula then most.