Wizard Clarification

[n30t3h1]

The Arcane Bond ability of the wizard. What exactly does it mean when it says:

Pathfinder RPG Alpha Test 1; pg 16 Arcane Bond wrote:

A bonded object can be used once per day to cast any one spell that the wizard knows, just as if the wizard had cast it.

I never understood what a Wizard's "known" spells were. Does this allow him to recall a spell he has already cast? Does it allow him to cast any spell in his spell book? What exactly is a spell "known" for a Wizard? If someone could clarify both this ability and in general what it means to be a spell "known" in terms of a Wizard, that would be greatly appreciated.

Also, does this mean that the Wizard who takes an item get a free casting of a spell or does this casting from the item use the Wizard's own spell slot?

[tallforadwarf]

I'm not a rules expert, so am willing to be proven wrong, but I think it goes something like this:

:::edit:::

snipped crazy stuff that was wrong

/edit

I believe the item provides the free 'spell slot' to cast the spell in the case of the bonded item; otherwise it would not actually do anything.

I'd appreciate a little clarification too - Wizard's don't have a 'spells known' list like the Sorcerer and I don't believe that the bonded item item power would only ever cover read magic plus any spells taken with the Spell Mastery feat.

Peace,

tfad

[versatal]

A wizard's spells known are those spells he has recorded in his spellbook.

from the SRD:

Unlike a bard or sorcerer, a wizard may know any number of spells. She must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time by getting a good night’s sleep and spending 1 hour studying her spellbook. While studying, the wizard decides which spells to prepare.

Spellbooks
A wizard must study her spellbook each day to prepare her spells. She cannot prepare any spell not recorded in her spellbook, except for read magic, which all wizards can prepare from memory.

A wizard begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard spells (except those from her prohibited school or schools, if any; see School Specialization, below) plus three 1st-level spells of your choice. For each point of Intelligence bonus the wizard has, the spellbook holds one additional 1st-level spell of your choice. At each new wizard level, she gains two new spells of any spell level or levels that she can cast (based on her new wizard level) for her spellbook. At any time, a wizard can also add spells found in other wizards’ spellbooks to her own.

[Shem]

Not quite...

Known spells are the spell in his spell book. The ones me can memorize in a given day. He knows more spells than he can cast in a day usually.

If he finds a spell and adds it to his spellbook it is then a known spell.

[tallforadwarf]

People wrote:

(STUFF)

So the main advantage of the bonded item is that it lets you cast a spell you may not have memorised that day, but wished you had. That makes a bit more sense now (far from books! not a rules expert! not a wizard player!), thanks!

Peace,

tfad

:::EDIT:::

SRD wrote:

Unlike a bard or sorcerer, a wizard may know any number of spells. She must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time by getting a good night’s sleep and spending 1 hour studying her spellbook. While studying, the wizard decides which spells to prepare.

Spellbooks
A wizard must study her spellbook each day to prepare her spells. She cannot prepare any spell not recorded in her spellbook, except for read magic, which all wizards can prepare from memory.

A wizard begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard spells (except those from her prohibited school or schools, if any; see School Specialization, below) plus three 1st-level spells of your choice. For each point of Intelligence bonus the wizard has, the spellbook holds one additional 1st-level spell of your choice. At each new wizard level, she gains two new spells of any spell level or levels that she can cast (based on her new wizard level) for her spellbook. At any time, a wizard can also add spells found in other wizards’ spellbooks to her own.

Ah - I've always found the d20 stuff written like a legal code. You'd've thought that they could've changed it for clarity to something like:

"A wizard may know any number of spells. She must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time by getting a good night’s sleep and spending 1 hour studying her spellbook. A wizard knows all of the spells recorded in her spell book."

It doesn't say that explicitly in there anywhere. *head spins* Boy am I glad that there are others in my group/awesome people on the internet to help.