[RPG] Can a warlock teach a spell to a wizard

dnd-5espellswarlockwizard

My wizard is in a pinch and needs to learn a spell the party warlock knows.

Can he teach me? Assume the spell belongs to both classes lists.

If it makes any difference, you can assume he has pact of the tome.

Best Answer

No

From a lore perspective, definitely not. To begin, Wizards and Warlocks use different methods of producing magical effects. Wizards study for years to understand how the Weave works. They experiment with and manipulate arcane powers to develop spells.

"They learn new spells as they experiment and grow in experience" PHB 112

Warlocks, on the other hand, channel the power of their otherworldly patrons and do not understand the inner workings of that magic themselves.

"The magic bestowed on a warlock ranges from minor but lasting alterations to the warlock's being... to access to powerful spells." PHB 105

"Various patrons give their warlocks access to different powers and invocations..." PHB 108

What this means is that your warlock doesn't know enough about the spell to actually teach your wizard how to cast it. This would be like asking for directions to bake a cake but only being told to heat eggs, flour, and milk in the oven.

From a technical perspective, also no. Wizards can learn new spells from various sources, including other people. However, the PHB is very specific about those people also being wizards:

"Copying that spell into your spellbook involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then deciphering the unique system of notation used by the wizard who wrote it. PHB 114 (emphasis added by me).

"They can also learn them from other wizards, from ancient tomes or inscriptions, and from ancient creatures... that are steeped in magic." PHB 112 (emphasis added by me).

Now, nowhere in the PHB is it explicitly stated that a wizard cannot learn spells from a warlock, but it is very heavily implied.

On a side note and as a friendly reminder, do keep in mind the purpose of RPGs. You're coming together as a group to create a story. The official rules are guidelines for that story, but the players and the DM are the ones writing it. If you think that learning a spell from the warlock would make the story better by providing deeper interaction and character development between your character and the warlock or enhancing the current plot, then consult your DM about that between sessions.

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