Read Magic
Skill, Arts and Sciences
Decipher magical writing; also needed by non-casters to use spell-bearing items.
From the book
Read Magic is the ability to make sense of magical inscriptions of every kind. Every spell caster acquires it during apprenticeship and succeeds 100% of the time. Anyone else who learns it starts at 55%, gaining 5% per level.
Once a non-caster's ability reaches 100%, he or she can cast spells from scrolls and magical tomes, but every such casting risks a misreading that makes the spell fail: 5% for each level of the spell.
Learning the skill also means grasping the basic principles of magic, so the character can use magic items that hold spell powers. The chance of working such an item correctly equals the Read Magic percentage; on a failure the item either does nothing or backfires, with equal odds of each.
At a glance
- Skill group
- Arts and Sciences
- Cost
- 2,000 XP (6 months' study if background/profession gives no access)
- How it works
- Spell casters 100%; others 55% +5% per level; at 100% non-casters can cast from scrolls with a 5% per spell level misread chance; using spell-bearing items succeeds at the Read Magic % (failure: item fails or backfires, 50/50)
- Learned by
- Alchemist (1), Astrologer (1), Charlatan (1), Druid (1), Enchanter (1), Mage (1), Magician (1), Monk (1), Mystic (1), Necromancer (1), Priest (1), Savant (1), Shaman (1), Sorcerer (1), Thaumaturge (1), Witchdoctor (1), Witch Hunter (1), Wizard (1)
Alchemist, Charlatan, Monk and Witch Hunter start at 55%; the other professions listed start at 100%.