During this weekend's session, one of my players pointed out that it is much too easy to identify spells as their being cast when a character is higher level, despite the fact that 9th level spells are EXTREMELY RARE compared to 1st level spells. So I've undertaken the task of coming up with some house rules for Identifying Spells via Spellcraft. I know this has been done quite a few times by quite a few different people already and I've done a bit or research on it, but I prefer to start with a clean slate.
So here are my proposed house-rules. Please let me know of any possible exploits or thing I have overlooked. Also, feel free to make recommendations based on other house rules on this subject.
•Identifying a spell as it's cast requires a Spellcraft check with a DC equal to 15 + double the spell level instead of 15 + spell level.
•Arcane spell casters attempting to identify an arcane spell as it is cast receive a +5 bonus to the check.
•Divine spell casters attempting to identify a divine spell as it is cast receive a +5 bonus to the check.
•Identifying spells as they are cast is easiest when both somatic and verbal components can be observed. Identifying a spell without either of these components (via the still or silent metamagic feats, for example) imparts a -5 penalty to the Spellcraft check made to identify the spell as it is being cast.
•Without perceiving either somatic or verbal components, it is not possible to identify a spell with Spellcraft as it is cast.
•It is possible to identify the general properties of spell-like abilities as they are activated and the Spellcraft DC to do so is equal to 15 + double the equivalent spell level. If the Spell-like ability does not have an equivalent spell level, instead use 15 + the creature's caster level. ("The general properties of a spell-like ability" is intentionally open to interpretation by the DM.)
48 hour bump - any thoughts or comments guys?
I've discussed this with 3 of my players and so far we're all in agreement that these should work better and not make it insanely easy to determine which spell is being cast at any moment beyond 10th level.