Use this skill to identify spells as they are cast or spells already in place.
Check: You can identify spells and magic effects. The DCs for Spellcraft checks relating to various tasks are summarized on the table below.
| Spellcraft DC | Task |
|---|---|
| 13 | When using read magic, identify a glyph of warding. No action required. |
| 15 + spell level | Identify a spell being cast. (You must see or hear the spell’s verbal or somatic components.) No action required. No retry. |
| 15 + spell level | Learn a spell from a spellbook or scroll (Wizard only). No retry for that spell until you gain at least 1 rank in Spellcraft (even if you find another source to try to learn the spell from). Requires 8 hours. |
| 15 + spell level | Prepare a spell from a borrowed spellbook (Wizard only). One try per day. No extra time required. |
| 15 + spell level | When casting detect magic, determine the school of magic involved in the aura of a single item or creature you can see. (If the aura is not a spell effect, the DC is 15 + ½ caster level.) No action required. (See below.) |
| 15 + spell level | Identify spell held in an inscribed rune. |
| 19 | When using read magic, identify a symbol. No action required. |
| 20 | Identify a shaped soulmeld. (You must be able to see the character wearing the soulmeld to be identified.) No action required. No retry. |
| 20 | Draw a diagram to allow dimensional anchor to be cast on a magic circle spell. Requires 10 minutes. No retry. This check is made secretly so you do not know the result. |
| 20 | Reveal all powers of a self-identifying magic item. |
| 20 | Recognize if a material is of magical crafting quality. |
| 20 | Recognize a known magic item as a shadow weave item (with detect magic). |
| 20 + spell level | Identify a spell that’s already in place and in effect. You must be able to see or detect the effects of the spell. No action required. No retry. |
| 20 + spell level | Identify materials created or shaped by magic, such as noting that an iron wall is the result of a wall of iron spell. No action required. No retry. |
| 20 + spell level | Decipher a written spell (such as a scroll) without using read magic. One try per day. Requires a full-round action. |
| 20 + 5 × increase of an area spell | Draw a circle to increase caster level. |
| 25 + spell level | After rolling a saving throw against a spell targeted on you, determine what that spell was. No action required. No retry. |
| 25 | Identify a potion. Requires 1 minute. No retry. |
| 25 | Determine exact borders of a wild magic area (requires 3 rounds of study). |
| 25 | Identify if a raw material has been prepared for magical crafting. |
| 30 or higher | Understand a strange or unique magical effect, such as the effects of a magic stream. Time required varies. No retry. |
| 25 + highest spell level in the book | Master a foreign spellbook’s notations. |
| 50 + caster level | Identify basic property of magic item (see below). |
| 70 + caster level | Identify all properties of magic item (see below). |
| 50 | Quick identification of alchemical substances and potions (see below). |
Identify Magic Item with Detect Magic: A character using the detect magic spell can attempt a Spellcraft check to determine the school of magic associated with the item’s powers. If the character exceeds the DC for this check by 10 or more, the character magically divines the item’s functions, its means of activation and the number of charges remaining.
Identify Basic Property of Magic Item (Epic): This use of the skill requires one round of inspection, and functions exactly as if the character had cast an identify spell on the item. You can’t attempt this on the same item more than once.
Identify All Properties of Magic Item (Epic): This requires one minute of inspection, and reveals all properties of a single magic item (including command words and charges remaining). You can’t attempt this on the same item more than once. If an item has different caster levels for different properties, use the highest caster level.
Quick Identification: A character can identify a substance or potion in the field as a full-round action, without an alchemical lab or any cost. You can’t retry this check (or take 20); if you fail, you must identify the substance in an alchemical lab, as normal.
Casting a Fire Spell Underwater: Spells or spell-like effects with the fire descriptor are ineffective underwater unless the caster makes a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + spell level). If the check succeeds, the spell creates a bubble of steam instead of its usual fiery effect, but otherwise the spell works as described. A supernatural fire effect is ineffective underwater unless its description states otherwise.
Casting Impeded Magic: Particular spells and spell-like abilities are more difficult to cast on planes with the impeded magic trait, often because the nature of the plane interferes with the spell. Fireball spells may be cast on the Elemental Plane of Water, but the opposing natures of the spell and the plane makes it difficult. To cast an impeded spell, the caster must make a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + the level of the spell). If the check fails, the spell does not function but is still lost as a prepared spell or spell slot. If the check succeeds, the spell functions normally.
Decipher Rune Circle: When using read magic, you can identify the effects of a rune circle. The base DC is 10 + the caster level of the rune circle. You must first know that a magic rune circle is present, usually through the use of the detect magic spell. If the check is successful, you know the powers of the circle and how to activate it. Deciphering the runes on a rune circle takes 1 minute (ten consecutive full-round actions).
Action: Varies, as noted above.
Try Again: See above.
Special: If you are a specialist Wizard, you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks when dealing with a spell or effect from your specialty school. You take a -5 penalty when dealing with a spell or effect from a prohibited school (and some tasks, such as learning a prohibited spell, are just impossible).
If you have the Magical Aptitude feat, you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks.
Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (Arcana), you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Use Magic Device, you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks to decipher spells on scrolls.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Spellcraft, you get a +2 bonus on Use Magic Device checks related to scrolls.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Decipher Script, you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify the effects of a rune circle.
Additionally, certain spells allow you to gain information about magic, provided that you make a successful Spellcraft check as detailed in the spell description.
Source: Player’s Handbook (Page 82), Epic Level Handbook (Page 44), Magic of Faerûn (Page 21), Magic Item Compendium (Page 217), Races of Stone (Page 133)