Arcanum, Research refers to the act of attempting research on a custom Magic-User or Illusionist spell designed by the player. For each day of research interrupted, one week is added to the total research time. If successfully researched, the spell is transcribed to your personal spellbook and forever memorizable by the character. Research has material as well as financial requirements. Material requirements include;

• Tomes of Arcanum;
• Scrolls of Arcanum;
• A lab/library of minimum 20″ x 20″ in size exclusively occupied and uninterrupted by the researcher.
• Spell Components(ingredients) are factored into the Initial Preparation time and overall costs.

Financial requirements refer to components and such that must be acquired from or manufactured by other experts such as alchemists or herbalists. They are equal to (200gp + 100-400gp + Surcharge) x spell level per week being researched. A player may voluntarily choose to increase the funds invested in research to increase the chances of success each week. Each time a (200gp x spell level) Surcharge is added, another 10% is added to the chance of success per week. A maximum of 40% bonus (800gp x spell level surcharge) may be chosen.

Researching a 5th level spell would require 1,500gp – 3,000gp per week, without any surcharge.

The time required for successful research is computed as an initial number of weeks equal to the spell level. These preparation weeks are spent acquiring materials harvesting in the wild or acquired from vendors far and wide. Each week thereafter, percentage dice are rolled and success is indicated by a number less than (10 + Intelligence + Character Level + Surcharge) – (spell level x 2).

A 9th level Mage with 17 Intelligence researching a 5th level spell would require an Initial Preparation of 5 weeks. Each week thereafter she would have a 26% chance of success.

The player must propose the spell to be researched in writing, including all of the parameters for spells noted in the PHB. The DM will then determine the spell level and may adjust any and all parameter values.

Great care must be taken by the player not to research a spell that would greatly unbalance play. Research will never be denied but if a spell is deemed ridiculously overpowered by the DM, the chance for success will be zero and the player will lose 2-21 weeks worth of research and financial investment regardless.

Scroll of Arcanum

Scroll of Arcanum refers to a magical scroll necessary for the research of custom spells. These must be collected and housed in a personal library of the player’s. The requisite number is twenty times the spell level being researched. Scrolls are not consumed in research so they may be reused indefinitely. If kept by a Mage or Illusionist, acquiring it bestows 300xp. They are not magical in nature and therefore do not react to Detect Magic or the like. They are merely common text about arcane subject matter. Thus, spells are not necessary to read or identify.

Tome of Arcanum

Tome of Arcanum refers to a magical book necessary for the research of custom spells. These must be collected and housed in a personal library of the player’s. The requisite number is five times the spell level being researched. Tomes are not consumed in research so they may be reused indefinitely. If kept by a Mage or Illusionist, acquiring it bestows 1,500xp. They are not magical in nature and therefore do not react to Detect Magic or the like. They are merely common text about arcane subject matter. Thus, spells are not necessary to read or identify.

eg. A 5th level spell requires 100 Scrolls of Arcanum and 25 Tomes of Arcanum to be possessed in a character’s personal libary. The same Scrolls and Tomes can be used repeatedly without being consumed for subsequent spells of 5th level or lower. If the character wishes to research a 6th level spell, 20 more scrolls and 5 more tomes must be acquired.