Spell research


Rules Discussion


I've tried looking for spell research rules, but I'm not finding much. I've tried reading the material for spell casters and spell casting in general, I've tried searching pdfs for spell research or even just research in general, and even searched the web. I'm not getting a lot of info for spell research in Pathfinder 2e. Can anyone can point me in the right direction?

FYI, I'm still new. Any help will be appreciated.


There are none. This is pure GM homebrew territory.


Unless you are meaning Learn a Spell, but that is for your character learning a new spell that already exists in the game system. Not for composing your own designed spell from component rules.


Yeah, we probably should start by finding out what exactly TS means. What is 'spell research'?


Last post from OmniMage was in relation to what equivalences to PF1 rules exist in Pf2.

So in that case I believe the referenced rule is Research a Spell and what the equivalence would be in 2e.

And yes this would be the Learn a Spell activity. While I am not quite sure where, I do believe there either are or were snippets about researching to learn spells which you did not have the text or tutor for to Learn a Spell as a suggestion to GMs. Akin to using Gather Information to find tutors or books.

Otherwise the closest is an entirely optional subsystem with no relation to how to learn spells and serves more as a pseudo-encounter for a GM to set up.


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Superscriber

Magical Shorthand and Spellbook Prodigy depending on how they are read, might allow someone to learn a spell they don't have a scroll/formula/tutor for. (and the second feat provides the first, plus some) It ends up allowing you to do earn an income progress to discount the learning of the spell. So if the GM considered getting a copy of the magical writing part of the cost of learning the spell. This feat lets you discount that cost, down to eventually 0gp.

I imagine if one considered/ruled that too much to put on a single feat, you could homebrew a feat (Spell Researcher) that Acts like the Inventor feat, allowing you to do Earn Income roles to count towards the cost of a scroll of the spell, to be counted as the magical writings for learning the spell. (of course, this probably shouldn't count as an actual scroll, but can stand in for that character to learn the spell)

If you are talking about creating their own spell, or researching rarer spells, that would require talking to the GM. I'd think that it would be fine to use it with uncommon spells, with the GM likely requiring some sort of in character expedition to acquire some needed information to complete it. Things like Rare, I would assume would need something like that presuming the GM chose to permit it.

Obviously any brand new invented spell would be UNIQUE and so very rare and subject entirely to the GM's approval as to if it meets balance needs and such. That simply isn't something that is part of the game baseline.

It is notable that spell variations are acquired via the Spell Trickster feats, or class features such as the Psychic Amps. So those end up not just being necessarily a different specific spell. With such specificity if you made them as simple as, learn it this way from this better scroll you take away some of it's niche, so you should likely be careful.

Granted, with spell trickster, the caster knows/prepares one version, and can cast either with that one slot. So if you did allow the Variations, it is possible that a feat such as the trickster feat could be limited to the ability to combine them as one knowledge/preparation vs taking up two slots.

I certainly agree that granting an automatic critical success for the cost of copying a spell into a copy of your spell book seems like a simple minimum option. That could still be pretty expensive to build a backup book, and makes it harder to understand how you get to copy spells into your book for free (at level up).


For RAW I can with quite a bit of certainty say that Magical Shorthand doesn't let you learn spells without a written version or tutoring, it doesn't lift that restriction. One couldnt learn unknown spells in the wilderness or a small hamlet where such writing or tutor isnt present, for example. Nor is the act of getting the magical writing part of the cost as it isn't consumed.

But I agree that you can use earn income to pay a tutor and magical shorthand makes it a rather easy thing to combine paying for tutoring and learning.

But the feat isnt a neccesity in that case really, it wouldnt be any more different than earning income to earn the writing and materials and then learning it as a separate activity. The feat just guarantees the usage of your traditions skill as both the learn and earn. And turns your 'earn income' into a crit if you succeed. Which is neat and nothing to scoff at.


Well, thanks. Unfortunately research a spell doesn't appear to be a thing at this time, at least not with the base game.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Creating new spells trough research was always part of homebrew even in 1e.
While there are no direct guidelines to as what is suitable for a spell of any one rank there are still references to this.

Such as Damage Dealing Abilities

Other guidelines are found within the GMCore as to certain effects that should generally not be available before certain levels, For example Flight before rank 4(level 7). Typically following the guidelines for building once per day or limited use items will give you homebrewed spells that are satisfying to use

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder Second Edition / Rules Discussion / Spell research All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.