diff --git a/defs.h b/defs.h
index b28a44a..0cbb43f 100644
--- a/defs.h
+++ b/defs.h
@@ -111,6 +111,9 @@
 #define B_MAYBE		(-2)
 #define B_ONEOF		(-3)
 
+#define B_RETAINATTR	(-1)
+#define B_MODATTR	(0)
+
 
 // askobject args
 #define B_DONTINCLUDENOTHING 	(0)
diff --git a/io.c b/io.c
index cb29100..04c7d3b 100644
--- a/io.c
+++ b/io.c
@@ -8534,7 +8534,7 @@ void makespellchoicelist(prompt_t *pr, lifeform_t *lf, char *ques, char *ques2,
 			continue;
 		}
 		for (lev = 0; lev <= MAXSPELLLEV; lev++) {
-			// get list of spells/abilities we can cast at will
+			// get list of spells/abilities we can cast at will from this level
 			for (ot = objecttype  ; ot ; ot = ot->next) {
 				if ((ot->obclass->id == OC_SPELL) || (ot->obclass->id == OC_ABILITY)) { 
 					// matches the current level?
@@ -8542,7 +8542,7 @@ void makespellchoicelist(prompt_t *pr, lifeform_t *lf, char *ques, char *ques2,
 						f = lfhasflagval(lf, F_CANWILL, ot->id, NA, NA, NULL); 
 						if (!wantunknown && f) {
 							if (hasflagval(ot->flags, F_SPELLSCHOOL, i, NA, NA, NULL)) {
-								// make sure we don't already have it.
+								// make sure we don't already have it in the list.
 								int found = B_FALSE;
 								for (n = 0; n < nposs; n++) {
 									if (poss[n] == ot->id) {
@@ -8581,22 +8581,32 @@ void makespellchoicelist(prompt_t *pr, lifeform_t *lf, char *ques, char *ques2,
 				} // end if spell/ability
 			} // end foreach objecttype
 
-			// if we can't cast spells from this school, then just go to next spell.
-			if (getschoolskill(i) != SK_NONE) {
-				if (!getskill(lf, getschoolskill(i))) {
-					continue;
-				}
-			}
-
+			// otherwise see if we can cast it using MP
 			if (!lfhasflag(lf, F_NOSPELLS)) {
 				// get list of spells we can cast using mp
 				for (ot = objecttype  ; ot ; ot = ot->next) {
 					if ((ot->obclass->id == OC_SPELL) && (getspelllevel(ot->id) == lev)) {  // is it a spell?
 						if (hasflagval(ot->flags, F_SPELLSCHOOL, i, NA, NA, NULL)) { // from the current school?
+							int includeit = B_FALSE;
 							// not using 'cancast' here because we want to list spells
 							// even if we don't have enough mp
 							f = lfhasflagval(lf, F_CANCAST, ot->id, NA, NA, NULL);
-							if ((f && !wantunknown) || (!f && wantunknown)) {
+							if (!f && wantunknown) {
+								includeit = B_TRUE;
+							} else if (f && !wantunknown) {
+								// ignore this if we are unskilled in this school, unless it's a
+								// racial ability.
+								if ((f->lifetime != FROMRACE) && 
+				 				    (getschoolskill(i) != SK_NONE) && 
+								    !getskill(lf, getschoolskill(i))) {
+									includeit = B_FALSE;
+								} else {
+									includeit = B_TRUE;
+								}
+							}
+
+
+							if (includeit) {
 								int cost;
 								int found = B_FALSE;
 								cost = getmpcost(lf, ot->id);
diff --git a/lf.c b/lf.c
index 9cf79a4..9148b33 100644
--- a/lf.c
+++ b/lf.c
@@ -805,7 +805,7 @@ int cancast(lifeform_t *lf, enum OBTYPE oid, int *mpcost) {
 	} else if ((f = lfhasflagval(lf, F_CANCAST, oid, NA, NA, NULL)) != NULL) {
 		int cost,power;
 
-		// can only cast innate racial spels?
+		// can only cast innate racial spelsl?
 		if ((ot->obclass->id == OC_SPELL) && lfhasflag(lf, F_NOSPELLS)) {
 			if (f->lifetime != FROMRACE) {
 				reason = E_NOSPELLS;