Clarification on Blood Transcription

[Feeroper]

Here is the spell:

Blood Transcription

School divination [evil]; Level alchemist 2, magus 2, wizard 2, witch 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V

Range touch

Target one dead spellcaster

Duration 24 hours

Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

By consuming 1 pint of blood from a spellcaster killed within the last 24 hours, you can attempt to learn a spell that spellcaster knew. Select one spell available to the dead spellcaster (this must be a spell on your spell list); you gain the knowledge of this spell for 24 hours. During this time, you may write it down (or teach it to your familiar, if you are a witch) using the normal rules for copying a spell from another source. Once you have learned it, you may prepare the spell normally.

Okay, so the part I want to clarify is this "this must be a spell on your spell list" - what does this mean? I need to already know this spell in order to gain it from drinking blood? The rest of the description sounds like you can learn new spells using it.

Also, Im considering taking this spell for my PFS Wizard - are there any restrictions due to it being considered Evil? and will using it shift my alignment towards evil? (currently CN).

Thanks for the help!

[Jak the Looney Alchemist]

As far as pfs I have no idea.

As far as its mechanics. Where it refers to spell list it refers to the character class spell list not spells known. As such a wizard could not learn cure light wounds from a dead cleric, but could learn shocking grasp.

[Feeroper]

Jak the Looney Alchemist wrote:

As far as pfs I have no idea.

As far as its mechanics. Where it refers to spell list it refers to the character class spell list not spells known. As such a wizard could not learn cure light wounds from a dead cleric, but could learn shocking grasp.

How foolish of me. I should have realized! thanks for the clarification.

[thejeff]

Other mechanics questionsfor this spell:

Target one dead spellcaster
Do you actually need the dead spellcaster present when you cast the spell? Or can you drain the blood and cast the spell later, within 24 hours of his death? Best used on a scroll, but if you don't have access to one, can you take the blood, rest and then cast it? Or do you have to drag the whole body with you?

How many spells can you learn from one caster? Roughly 10 pints of blood in a human body.

What does "a spell that spellcaster knew" mean? Obvious for a spontaneous caster, but for a wizard is it anything in his books? Anything he still had prepared? How about divine prepared casters, since there's some spell list overlap? It would have to be prepared or it would be the whole list, right?

I love this spell, but it's not completely nailed down.