GMing and rule conflicts regarding Spellcraft

[Matthew Pittard]

I am fairly new to gming and while this has not yet come up for me, I know it will at some point.

I have a Wizard character myself who has managed to find scrolls in some scenarios. Using the rules he has scribed them and on two occasions 'taken a 10', and on other occasions because a GM has not said this was 'legal' has not.

In my 'reasoning' I have no issue with the taking the 10 for the roll to scribe the spell into the spellbook and so will likely allow it.

What I am after is some ... clarification. I know such threads exist in the general discussion area, but now that Im behind the nice paizo screen of tables, Id like to get a clear definitive answer. Something I could print out if people don't believe me.

If Im totally wrong, then that's okay too.

Thanks
Matthew,
waiting for the definition

[Paz]

Yes, you can take 10. Unless you're trying to scribe spells in the middle of combat, or on the deck of a ship in a heavy storm, or something else ridiculous.

Have any GMs explained why they wouldn't allow it?

If you want something to show a GM, try this developer post.

[TetsujinOni]

You can take 10 for scribing, but you can't for identifying magic items (maintaining concentration on detect magic or the like is too distracting to take 10, this came up in the mythic playtest threads with JB).

[YogoZuno]

You can't take 10 in stressful situations - I can't see how you'd be scribing a spell in a stressful situation.

[Bbauzh ap Aghauzh]

Someone please put up some Nosig bane!

[Jiggy]

TetsujinOni wrote:

You can take 10 for scribing, but you can't for identifying magic items (maintaining concentration on detect magic or the like is too distracting to take 10, this came up in the mythic playtest threads with JB).

Oooooh, do you have a link? My library always has space for more Bulmahn!

[Jiggy]

Andrew Christian wrote:

Someone please put up some Nosig bane!

For the sake of his cardiovascular health! ;)

--------------

Anyway, to the OP, this should help: a post of mine which contains, among other things, multiple links to developer commentary on Take 10.

LINK

[Mergy]

TetsujinOni wrote:

You can take 10 for scribing, but you can't for identifying magic items (maintaining concentration on detect magic or the like is too distracting to take 10, this came up in the mythic playtest threads with JB).

Linky? Citation?

Just because they've introduced a method of solving a problem, doesn't mean the problem exists. See Prone Shooter pre-fix.

[TetsujinOni]

Jiggy wrote:

TetsujinOni wrote:

You can take 10 for scribing, but you can't for identifying magic items (maintaining concentration on detect magic or the like is too distracting to take 10, this came up in the mythic playtest threads with JB).

Oooooh, do you have a link? My library always has space for more Bulmahn!

Here's the discussion from the first round of Mythic commentary, when I went through the Archmage path. JB responded here.

[Jiggy]

TetsujinOni wrote:

Jiggy wrote:

TetsujinOni wrote:

You can take 10 for scribing, but you can't for identifying magic items (maintaining concentration on detect magic or the like is too distracting to take 10, this came up in the mythic playtest threads with JB).

Oooooh, do you have a link? My library always has space for more Bulmahn!

Here's the discussion from the first round of Mythic commentary, when I went through the Archmage path. JB responded here.

Thanks! It hadn't really occurred to me that such a situation would preclude T10, but I guess it makes sense.

[TetsujinOni]

Yeah, once he stated it, it was like "ok, so any situation that'd require concentration checks or the 'maintain concentration' "action"is one where you'd not be able to take 10".

I had a new player whose first event was Year of the Shadow Lodge who wanted Kyra to have detect magic up all the time. I had to step on him a bit because he wasn't getting the notion that concentrating on the spell puts a severe crimp in your ability to even walk around - until its permanent it's a major distraction!

[Jiggy]

TetsujinOni wrote:

concentrating on the spell puts a severe crimp in your ability to even walk around

Wait, what?

[Mergy]

Fair enough. I suppose that makes identify slightly better.

I'll keep that concentration ruling in mind.

[Pirate Rob]

Jiggy wrote:

TetsujinOni wrote:

concentrating on the spell puts a severe crimp in your ability to even walk around

Wait, what?

A creature concentrating on a spell is going to walk at about half the pace of one who is not. I would count a 50% reduction as a severe crimp.

[Mahtobedis]

Concentrating takes a standard action, so naturally you wouldn't be able to move as fast while concentrating.

[Jiggy]

Sorry, for a second I thought maybe he was going to force Acrobatics checks to walk around without falling or something.

[TetsujinOni]

Nothing so insane as that, just the fact that you can't hustle while concentrating.

[Furious Kender]

TetsujinOni wrote:

Nothing so insane as that, just the fact that you can't hustle while concentrating.

Parties generally move at around 20-30 ft per round when out of combat in a dungeon. They are looking around for stuff, etc.

A caster should be able to do a dwarven pace and concentrate at the same time. Standard action is concentrate and move action is walk.