Mindblade Magus and learning spells from a wizard's spellbook

[RouneWolf]

I an currently playing a Mindblade Magus and there was a question that came up regarding the ability of a Magus to read and learn spells from a Wizard's spellbook, being a Mindblade Magus shouldn't change this class ability even though the Mindblade doesnt use a spellbook like a traditional Magus but more or less memorizes the spells correct?

[MrCharisma]

The Mindblade is a spontaneous caster, so can't use spellbooks.

[MrCharisma]

You can learn Wizard spells using the SPELL BLENDING arcana, but this would obviously cost you an arcana.

[RouneWolf]

Is says that a magus can learn any spells from a wizard's spellbook, even if the mindblade doesn't have a spellbook wouldn't that just mean that the wizard wouldn't be able to review the magus spellbook but the magus would still be able to review and learn the wizards spells as long as the spells are on the magus spell list?

[MrCharisma]

Oh ... no.

You can't learn new spells except by leveling up. You don't have a spellbook, you simply know spells. You have a limited number of spells known though, and that number can't be increased unless there's something very specific that says you can.

This is the difference between "prepared casters" and "spontaneous casters". It's the main difference between sorcerers and wizards. You are a spontaneous caster, so you can't know more spells that the ones you gain through leveling up.

[avr]

Yeah, a spontaneous spellcaster can use a spellbook to learn exotic spells that they might not be able to otherwise, but they still need to use one of their spells known to do so.

If you need a rule then either the mindblade archetype being more specific about learning spells than the magus class will do, or there's some detail in the magic chapter of the core rulebook.

[Meirril]

RouneWolf wrote:

Is says that a magus can learn any spells from a wizard's spellbook, even if the mindblade doesn't have a spellbook wouldn't that just mean that the wizard wouldn't be able to review the magus spellbook but the magus would still be able to review and learn the wizards spells as long as the spells are on the magus spell list?

When an archetype says it replaces a class ability, you do what the archetype says. Mindblade replaces the Spell Casting ability of Magus with the one in the Mindblade archetype. The Mindblade's Spell Casting only lets you add spells when you level up, using the Bard's Spell Known chart. It doesn't mention Wizard Spellbooks at all.

[MrCharisma]

I just re-read the Spell Blending arcana, and it looks like this can actually increase your spells known. However the Mindblade archetype says you take spells from the Psychic spell list instead of the Wizard spell list.

MINDBLADE wrote:

Psychic Access (Su): At 4th level, the mindblade gains access to an expanded spell list. She adds two spells from the psychic class spell list to her magus spell list as magus spells of the same spell level. These must be spells of levels the mindblade is able to cast. At 7th, 11th, 14th, and 19th levels, she adds two more psychic class spells to her spell list, following the same restrictions. When a mindblade takes the spell blending arcana, she gains spells from the psychic class spell list instead of the wizard spell list.

This ability replaces spell recall, knowledge pool, improved spell recall, greater spell combat, and greater spell access.

MAGUS ARCANA wrote:

Spell Blending (Ex) (Ultimate Magic pg. 12): When a magus selects this arcana, he must select one spell from the wizard Psychic spell list that is of a magus spell level he can cast. He adds this spell to his spellbook and list of magus spells known as a magus spell of its wizard Psychic spell level. He can instead select two spells to add in this way, but both must be at least one level lower than the highest-level magus spell he can cast. A magus can select this magus arcana more than once.

So while it may not get you the wizard spells you're after, it looks like you can increase your spells-known with this arcana.

[RouneWolf]

that is really interesting, I think that will really help. thank you for explaining all of this to me