Can a Wizard Prepare Spells While Blind?

[Bill Nye 924]

I notice as far as RAW goes, it's said that 'wizards must study their spellbook' each day to prepare spells. I'd think you need to be able to see your spellbook to study it

[Volkard Abendroth]

The precedent is, no.

This has been written into APs with NPCs before.

[Ataraxias]

Not sure if there's conflicting examples, but Aravashnial from Wrath of the Righteous wouldn't be able to read a spellbook according to JJ.

[blahpers]

Maybe if the spellbook is in Braille.

[Noir le Lotus]

You don't need your spellbook to prepare Read Magic.

The Spell Mastery feat allows you to prepare a small number of spells without your spellbook.

So yes it is possible.

[Scrapper]

Feat: Spell Mastery is one exception, and a feat that may be taken multiple times.
You have mastered a small handful of spells, and can prepare these spells without referencing your spell books at all. ... Prerequisite: 1st-level wizard Benefit: Each time you take this feat, choose a number of spells that you already know equal to your Intelligence modifier. From that point on, you can prepare these spells without referring to a spell book.

[Ryze Kuja]

Could someone else read it to you? "You need X reagent and mutter Y incantation to cast Z spell."

[deuxhero]

I'd go with no unless the spell-book was in a format that could be "read" while blind. Not sure on Ryze Kuja's suggestion, but if I did approve of it, I'd definitely require the reader at least understand the magical writing, if not have level in a class that prepares from a spellbook (Wizard, Magus, Eldritch Scoundrel Rogue ect.).

That does sound like a good backstory for a wizard though: Your master was blind and took an apprentice so you could help him prepare his spells.

[YogoZuno]

No, Ryze, that wouldn't work - when preparing a spell, you don't just read how it works, and that gives you knowledge of the spell. If that was how spell prep worked, you wouldn't need to prep multiple slots of individual spells.

Instead, spell preparation, while it requires reading, is actually putting your mind through a series of exercises that gather and store the magical energy needed to release a spell. So, being blind, you wouldn't be able to read and follow the exercises.

[Ryze Kuja]

What if you trained your high intel familiar to read it for you? :P. You share a magical bond with the familiar :D

[dunelord3001]

Reason 804 spellbooks are a horrible idea.