Learning New Spells

Spellcasting Types

While each spellcasting class handles their spells differently, they broadly fall into 3 categories when it comes to learning new spells: Spellbooks, Spell Lists, and Spells Known. How each spellcasting class acquires new spells varies based on these categories. Also of import are the spells themselves. Spells on a class's extended spell list has additional restrictions to learn than those on the base class Spell Lists. In all cases, a spell must be on a class's core or extended spell list to be learned using any of the methods provided here.

Spellbook

While called Spellbooks, the actual mechanism for this group of casters can vary. The key defining factor is the fact that all of these classes have a repository of their spells from which they cast, which can have spells added to it through various means. This includes the Arcanist, Magus, and Wizard, who have actual Spellbooks, but also the Alchemist, Investigator, and Warlock, who have formulae lists and familiars that hold their compliment of known spells. throughout this article, spellbook is used as a catch-all for these different types of spell compendiums.

Spell List

Spell list spellcasters are ones that know all of the spells on their spell list by default, having access to their entire core Spell Lists at all times (though still limited in what they can make use of by their level). These classes include Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Shaman and Warpriest. While these classes need not take any steps to learn their core spells, homebrew spells or those on extended Spell Lists still require extra effort.

Spells Known

Spells known casters have a small subset of spells which they typically need not prepare, but are also strictly limited on the total number of spells they have available to choose from. Artificer, Bard, Bloodrager, Favored Soul, Hunter, Inquisitor, Omdura, Oracle, Skald, Sorcerer, and Summoner all fall under this category.

Methods of Learning Spells

There are three core methods by which a class can learn a spell: Automatic, Copied, and Researched. Different classes use these methods in different ways.

Automatic

Automatic spells are given for free when a character gains a level in their spellcasting class. All automatic spells must be chosen from a class's core spell list unless given DM approval on a case-by-case basis.
Spellbook casters typically recieve 2 spells of any level they have access to automatically each time they gain a level.
Spell List casters gain no automatic spells as they have access to their entire core list by default.
Spells Known casters gain new spells at each level according to their spells known table, and can also swap some spells known according to their class abilities.

Copied

Copied spells are acquired from other sources encountered in the course of adventuring. These sources could be magical scrolls, Spellbooks found, taken, or purchased, or friendly spellcasters willing to share their knowledge. If the source is a scroll, the scroll is consumed in the process of learning the spell.
In general, spellcasters will not allow characters to copy spells from their books for free. The general rate to copy a spell from another's book is half the cost to write said spell in the book (paid in addition to the cost of writing it), though circumstances may increase or decrease this cost.
Copying a spell from another source requires the caster to first decipher the magical writing (see Arcane Magical Writing), then requires an hour studying the spell followed by a Spellcraft check to understand the spell (DC 15+ the spell's level).
Spellbook casters can add a copied spell to their spellbook with a successful Spellcraft check. Adding spells to a spellbook includes time, gold, and space requirements, covered in the Spellbooks article.
Spell list casters can learn copied spells on their extended Spell Lists with a successful Spellcraft check.
Spells known casters can unlock copied spells on their extended Spell Lists with a successful Spellcraft check, but cannot learn the spell until they are given the opportunity to through levelling up.

Researched

Spell Research is a powerful but costly tool by which characters can not only learn spells from their extended Spell Lists, but also create new spells of their own. The process by which Spell Research is conducted is covered in the Spell Research article.
Spellbook casters can add any successfully researched spell to their spellbook automatically.
Spell list casters can add any succesfully researched spell to their spell list automatically.
Spells known casters can unlock any succesfully researched spell automatically, but cannot learn it until they are given the opportunity to through levelling up.