Rednog's Skill Stealer
(Alteration)

Range:  10 feet per level
Components:  V, S, M
Duration:  Special
Casting Time:  1 round
Area of Effect:  One creature
Saving Throw:  Negates

This spell takes away a single skill from one creature and instils it in another. These skills may be anything like proficiencies, a single spell up to 1/4 the caster's level (round down), a base THAC0 score, ability scores, a single psionic power (not including PSPs yet), up to 2 PSPs per caster level, etc. The affected source creature (the target from which the skill is appropriated) loses that specific skill at that level, but retains the average skill of a normal person - unless its normal skill level is lower than average (in that case halve the skill level of the source creature - if the stolen skill is a spell, the spell is gone completely; it cannot be rememorised, until the spell is cast by the thief). This skill is then immediately placed either into the caster or into another creature (the target creature) within range. Against both effects (stealing and placing the skill) exists a saving throw versus paralysation for the respective creature; if even one of them succeeds, the source creature retains its skill. As it is possible to automatically fail a saving throw, the second saving throw will not be necessary, if the caster is the target - and he desires the skill. The acquired skill then replaces an existing skill of a lower (or non-existent) level, but it does not augment a skill of superior level. This skill can then be used by the target creature at exactly the same level as in the original creature unless these skills are ability dependent (a wizard with a Dexterity score of 10 steals a very dextrous (16 Dexterity) weaponsmith's weaponsmithing proficiency which is at +6 due to the smith's incredible skill; then the wizard could use the weaponsmithing proficiency at his base Dexterity of 10, plus 6 due to the acquired skill, but he could not use it at the smith's Dexterity of 16, plus 6 as he did not steal the smith's Dexterity).
The duration of the spell is dependent on the situation in which the skill was stolen or taken:
•	if it was stolen during combat, the duration is a maximum of 1 round per caster level;
•	if it was stolen during a placid moment but still without the consent of the source creature it lasts for 1 turn per caster level;
•	if it was taken from a complying source creature, but instilled in an unwilling target creature, it lasts for 3 turns per level;
•	if it was taken from a complying source creature and instilled into a willing target creature it can last for an almost unlimited time (but see below).
The negative side effect is that skills, which are taken from their original owners tend to degenerate rather quickly even if they are used often. Thus, a skill which is separated from its original owner for more than 10 units of duration time (10 rounds, 10 turns, 30 turns, or 10 days in the case of a freely given and freely accepted skill) has to save once at the original owner's ability score (if a proficiency) or versus paralysation (if not a proficiency). If any of these checks or saving throws fail, the skill degenerates by one point. Once it reaches a minimum of half the original user's skill level, it is completely destroyed. If a reduced skill is returned to its original owner it slowly returns to its previous level (one point per month). A destroyed skill is lost to both the source and the target creature. Each skill point lost deals 10 hit points of damage to the target creature as the skill tries to break out of the target's body. If the skill is destroyed the creature takes 10 hit points of damage for every remaining point of skill left. If the spell runs out or is dispelled, the remaining skill returns to the source creature with no additional damage to the target creature.
While it is definitely possible that a skill degenerates, it is also possible that the skill increases. If the skill is a proficiency which is used seriously enough during its stay with target creature, there is a chance that it increases. This chance is a base 100%, minus 5% per point of the owner's original proficiency ability, minus 5% per day of duration, plus 1% per successful use of the proficiency, plus 5% per point of the respective ability of the target creature over the ability of the source creature.
If the skill is a spell stolen from another creature, the spell has a chance of failure when it is cast. This chance is a base 10%, plus:
•	20% per spell level,
•	70% if used by a non-spellcaster,
•	50% if used by spell caster of a different class,
•	30% if used by a spell caster of the same class but of insufficient level,
•	10% if used by a spell caster of the same class but who doesn't know the spell;
minus:•	10% if used by a spell caster of the same class who knows the spell,
•	30% if used by a spell caster of the same class who has also memorised the same spell,
•	1% per level or Hit Die of the creature.
Such failure can be something spectacular (like a wild surge) or it can just do nothing. A successfully cast spell is cast as if the original caster had cast it - not as if the target creature had cast it. Thus, the level of effect of the spell is dependent on the original caster.
It is possible to steal several skills from one or several sources with successive spells to be placed into the same target creature. A target creature can hold a maximum of one additional skill per level maximum. If this maximum is breached, the creature has to succeed at one saving throw versus spell per round per additional skill with a -1 per additional skill (a 3rd-level target already has three skills and suddenly gets two additional skills, it has to succeed at five saving throws versus spell per round with a -5 per saving throw). If any of these saving throws fail, the target is feebleminded and confused until a heal and restoration are cast on it.
The material components are two magnets (lodestones) which are stoneshaped into the appropriate forms of the source and the target creature (they don't have to pieces of art but they have to be recognisably the same). These lodestones are connected by a mithril rod worth no less than 500 gp. All components vanish during casting.

