Metacraft

Metacraft (Int; Trained Only)

Use this skill to identify metaphysical abilities as they are activated or those already in place.

Check

You can identify spells, powers, and other metaphysical effects. The DCs for Metacraft checks relating to various tasks are summarized on the pages for the original Spellcraft and Psicraft skills.

Common Uses

Metacraft is used whenever your knowledge and skill of the technical art of casting a spell, manifesting a power, or crafting a metaphysical item comes into question. This skill is also used to identify the properties of metaphysical items in your possession through the use of spells such as detect metaphysics and identify.

Metacraft Unchained

Optionally, a character who reaches 5, 10, 15, or 20 ranks in a skill unlocks various bonuses and abilities unique to that skill. The unchained rogue uses these rules extensively, but others can gain access to them with a new feat.

In this system, characters unlock additional abilities when they attain 5, 10, 15, and 20 ranks in a skill. The skill unlocks system interfaces with the unchained rogue to make the rogue the true master of skills.

Skill unlocks give characters new abilities and ways to use their skills upon reaching 5, 10, 15, and 20 ranks in a skill. Any character with the Signature Skill feat can earn skill unlocks for a single skill, and they are a prime feature of the revised version of the rogue who uses her rogue's edge ability to gain skill unlocks for several of her most iconic skills.

Alternatively, you might make skill unlocks a universal part of the game, but you should be aware they add significant power and flexibility to skills, so giving them for free to all classes would grant power boosts to other highly skilled classes such as the investigator and bard, particularly in comparison to the rogue. Another alternative is to eliminate access to the Signature Skill feat, limiting skill unlocks to rogues and rogues alone.

With sufficient ranks in Metacraft, you earn the following.

• 5 Ranks: Identifying metaphysical items takes 1 full round, and the time required to learn a spell from a spellbook is halved.
• 10 Ranks: You can identify metaphysical items without using detect metaphysics, though the DC is increased by 10.
• 15 Ranks: Identifying metaphysical items is a standard action, and the time required to learn a new spell from a spellbook is reduced to 1 minute per spell level.
• 20 Ranks: Whenever you attempt a caster or manifester level check, attempt a Metacraft check at a –20 penalty at the same DC. If the Metacraft check succeeds, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on your level check.