Is it possible for a spellcaster to research a spell that is not on his class list of available spells but does exist on another character class’s spell list?
Listed below are a few examples that several characters in our current game are thinking about researching.
A Cleric who wants to research the spell “Gravity Bow”? This spell per the rules is only available to Rangers, Sorcerers, and Wizards as a first level spell.
A Magus who wants to research the spells “Gravity Bow” and “Lead Blades”? The “Lead Blades” spell per the rules is only available to Rangers as a first level spell.
Please note Magus does not want to use the Magus Arcana abilities Spell Blending or Broad Study to acquire the spells.
If the spell can be researched should the level of the spell be changed or remain the same.
Entirely GM's call. There are, however, some fairly strong conventions, such as wizards don't get healing magic. IF the GM was inclined to allow that, she may include a hefty spell level bump to discourage arcane healers. For the cleric wanting offensive weapon spells, the general convention is that clerics get primarily support spells, so if the GM allows it there may be a level bump.
That said, if a cleric is worshipping that elven deity whos favored weapon is a bow, the gravity bow spell is probably just fine.
Be wary when it comes to classes with very restricted spell lists, the restrictions are often for balance reasons.
Is it possible for a spellcaster to research a spell that is not on his class list of available spells but does exist on another character class’s spell list?
Listed below are a few examples that several characters in our current game are thinking about researching.
A Cleric who wants to research the spell “Gravity Bow”? This spell per the rules is only available to Rangers, Sorcerers, and Wizards as a first level spell.
A Magus who wants to research the spells “Gravity Bow” and “Lead Blades”? The “Lead Blades” spell per the rules is only available to Rangers as a first level spell.
Please note Magus does not want to use the Magus Arcana abilities Spell Blending or Broad Study to acquire the spells.
If the spell can be researched should the level of the spell be changed or remain the same.
Talk to your GM.
Not to sound like the normal brush-off answer, but that's what spell research is. It's you asking for something not covered by the normal rules. Which is firmly in "Ask your GM" territory. In theory you could research a 1st level spell that turns you into a god. Any sane GM would laugh at you for suggesting it though... I believe there are guidelines in Ultimate Magic for what is appropriate.
If you are a cleric for the Goddess of the Hunt, Gravity Bow fits in nicely. I might give it to you a level later then Sor/Wiz because it is outside the normal things clerics do. I'd only let clerics research spells appropriate to their gods. Keep it in theme, I'll reward you. Try to munchkin/powergame, you get the big NO!
I'm not that familiar with the Magus's list, so can't speak for specifics. I don't think there would be a problem, but can't speak to the details.
If an enchantress wants to learn something off the bard's list, I'd probably be fine with that. particularly if there wasn't a bard in the game. I worry less about protecting classes schticks when none of the PCs are playing them.
One thing to keep in mind is spell lists based off of full and partial casters. Not all spell levels are created equal. Look at the level classes can cast the spells in addition to just the raw spell level.
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Most gms, especially older gms like myself, tend to be very very wary of any spell research. So rather than say what we'd be inclined to disallow, it is probably easier for us to say what we're usually willing to allow:
1. Better or worse versions of existing spells that you already have on your spell list. An example of this would be a spell that is the equivalent of a metamagic'd spell.
2. Spells which apparently must exist because of their implicit nature within your particular campaign setting (i.e., wizards or priests do this sort of thing somehow, it isn't a balance or stepping on the toes of another class' role issue, so lets formalize it). For instance, you're allowed to upgrade the strength plus on composite bows in PFS games by expending money. Most think this to be basically impossible with such bows. Therefore there must be some magical or alchemical trick to stiffen the draw of such bows. So a spell or procedure with the cost built into it would be perfectly acceptable to most of us to research (in fact we'd probably say that, yes, this spell clearly already exists and could be purchased on a scroll or reverse-engineered).
3. Spells which are primarily flavor or extremely limited ritual magic that we can use to drive adventures.
Yeah, this.
Remember that newly researched spells are specifically discouraged from being better than the example spells for each level. Something that does better damage than a fireball at that same spell level isn't going to be allowable. The same can be said for off-list spells. If adding that spell to the list means that every wizard everywhere would take it, for example, then that's a no-go as well. Otherwise, why isn't it already on the list?
What about an alchemist acquiring Frostbite? They already get Elemental Touch at the same level as other casters, it would seem in line with their abilities to be able to get Frostbite (or Chill Touch) as a 1st level spell if they research it.
Actually, this has been brought up in many threads over the years (kind of ironic I was just looking this up not five minutes ago myself, and found some of the older threads... then saw this one) and this is the way it is.
Yes, by the rules as written a spellcaster who spends the money and time to do so using whatever rules the GM uses, be it Core, Gamemastery, or Ultimate Campaign may learn to cast any spell in the game.
So, for example, an oracle who spends the time and money researching it CAN take magic missile as one of her spells known if the GM allows it.
But I bolded the keywords above, the GM is free to set which part of the rules he/she is using and not using.
So, this really is a case of Ask your GM. If you are the GM, it's up to you. The rules say yes, a GM may say no.
EDIT: Oh dang, this was an old one too... it was resurrected! Hehe.
EDIT 2: An example is that Baba Yaga has researched every spell in the Core Rulebook, arcane and divine and added them to her familiar. She's had the time to do so... players may or may not have that kind of time.
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Fun necro.
WotC also had a convention of adding one level if the researched spell crossed the Arcane/Divine barrier. So that wizard could get CLW researched, but as a 2nd level spell. If the spell was on both sides, then they researched a variant of the one on their side. This means that when Witches were added, that CLW dropped back to first.
Spell research has two main parts: define, research. The GM must determine if the suggested spell is the correct level, suitable for the character, and not game breaking. This is the definition part. Once passed, the research occurs, and that is time and money and spellcraft checks.
/cevah