Can a Ring of Spell Knowledge be used to cast non-arcane spells?

[Java Man]

As it says in the title, can a non-arcane spell be loaded into the ring and cast by the wearer?

[GM Rednal]

Quote:

This ring comes in four types: ring of spell knowledge I, ring of spell knowledge II, ring of spell knowledge III, and ring of spell knowledge IV. All of them are useful only to spontaneous arcane spellcasters.

Through study, the wearer can gain the knowledge of a single spell in addition to those allotted by her class and level. A ring of spell knowledge I can hold 1st-level spells only, a ring of spell knowledge II 1st- or 2nd-level spells, a ring of spell knowledge III spells of 3rd level or lower, and a ring of spell knowledge IV up to 4th-level spells.

A ring of spell knowledge is only a storage space; the wearer must still encounter a written, active, or cast version of the spell and succeed at a DC 20 Spellcraft check to teach the spell to the ring. Thereafter, the arcane spellcaster may cast the spell as though she knew the spell and it appeared on her class’ spell list.

Arcane spells that do not appear on the wearer’s class list are treated as one level higher for all purposes (storage and casting).

Construction Requirements
Forge Ring, creator must be able to cast spells of the spell level to be granted; Cost 750 gp (Type I), 3,000 gp (Type II), 6,750 (Type III), 12,000 gp (Type IV).

I see nothing in the description that says you can only learn arcane spells, so... I would say yes, you can load a non-arcane spell.

[_Ozy_]

RAI is probably not, interpreted from this statement:

Quote:

Arcane spells that do not appear on the wearer’s class list are treated as one level higher for all purposes (storage and casting).

RAW would seem to indicate that arcane spells not on your list take up a higher slot, but divine spells do not?! The counter-intuitive nature of that result suggests that divine spells are not intended. Arcane CLW is higher level than divine CLW?!

However, yeah, RAW doesn't forbid it.

[Java Man]

This my conclusion by RAW as well, which leads to the counterintuitive result mentioned above. Not a burning issue, but seemed worth asking for the possible faq clicks.

[DM Livgin]

Given the number of times 'Arcane' shows up in the description I think RAI is arcane only. Errata candidate.

[GM Rednal]

"Arcane spells that do not appear on your class list are treated as a level higher" is not the same thing as "only arcane spells can be inserted into this ring". This is an important distinction.

[Agodeshalf]

I went round and round on this very subject with various people. It seems to me that it should be possible to teach the ring a divine spell. The mechanics to teach it something are that you a) encounter a spell, and b) perform a successful spellcraft check. It then becomes part of your spell list. It doesn't say arcane spell, just spell.

I also believe that it is clearly RAI that the spells it can learn are restricted to just arcane spells, based on the fact that its use is restricted to spontaneous arcane spellcasters. The fluff text implies that the wearer can "thru study...gain knowledge of" a spell which would be arcane. Further the stipulation of "Arcane spells not on your list" being penalized leads to weirdness that a divine spell, if it was possible if the first place, wouldn't suffer the penalty.

But it also clearly doesn't state the arcane restriction in the actually mechanics part of the text.

[_Ozy_]

GM Rednal wrote:

"Arcane spells that do not appear on your class list are treated as a level higher" is not the same thing as "only arcane spells can be inserted into this ring". This is an important distinction.

Important for RAW, not RAI.

[James Risner]

I guess if it's divine it means that the level of the spell is always 0 as it isn't defined?
So miracle is a 0 level spell now?

Or you could say it's arcane only spells.

[Entryhazard]

I can find an arcane version of every spell anyway

[GinoA]

Not binding beyond PFS, but I refer to the Organized Play faq for hints to RAI. http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1hh#v5748eaic9vhx

[Agodeshalf]

James Risner wrote:

I guess if it's divine it means that the level of the spell is always 0 as it isn't defined?

So miracle is a 0 level spell now?

Or you could say it's arcane only spells.

Not really sure how you get there. It would be the spell level of the spell, and it would become part of your spell list, and it wouldn't suffer the +1 level penalty because that penalty is stipulated as specifically applying to arcane spells only. But as I said, I think it clearly was intended to be arcane only, much to the annoyance of my psychic bloodline sorcerer who wanted to use the ring but couldn't.

[_Ozy_]

There are many divine spells that can be found in an arcane version through bards, witches, and other sources.

[Quandary]

Indeed, and because this can work off of any cast spell*,
it isn't limited to 'base' spell lists like 'draw from x class spell' mechanics are,
meaning if anybody can cast a spell any way, you can grab it: from archetypes, bloodlines, PrCs, racial abilities, etc.

* I honestly don't understand the distinction or utility of "active or cast" phrase.
For spells that are not ongoing (or possibly, interrupted), it isn't clear exactly what parameters must be met. Must you "teach the ring" immediately AFTER the spell is cast and goes off? Is it even possible to "teach the ring" spells that are not ongoing? If it is for some undetermined length of time, how does one deal with areas that have had multiple spells previously cast on them (possibly going back to the dawn of time)?

I agree on RAW/RAI distinction that seems consensus, and IMHO is ripe for Errata.
(to at least suffer the same 1 spell level adjustment that same-type different-list spells do)

Really, the item as written is not justified by it's pricing when you use it for on-list spells,
where it is +50% more expensive than Pages of Spellknowledge. I have seen some believe it allows for
perpetual re-learning (unlike Pages which are fixed to 1 spell) but I honestly see no basis for that in item.
It just lays out sequence of: encounter spell> teach ring> "thereafter" can cast spell.
Nothing suggests it can learn more than 1 spell, and nothing suggests an "un-learning" process.
So really, it's prime function is for off-list spells, including (currently by RAW) off-type spells,
and the pricing seems very reasonable for that all things considered... That it also works for on-list spells
really is sub-optimal usage of it, but at least you have that option if you encounter an immediately useful on-list spell.