diff --git a/src/u_init.c b/src/u_init.c
index f0c1e3756..50e90d9d7 100644
--- a/src/u_init.c
+++ b/src/u_init.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* NetHack 3.6	u_init.c	$NHDT-Date: 1446861772 2015/11/07 02:02:52 $  $NHDT-Branch: master $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.35 $ */
+/* NetHack 3.6	u_init.c	$NHDT-Date: 1454660565 2016/02/05 08:22:45 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.6.0 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.37 $ */
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -270,7 +270,8 @@ static const struct def_skill Skill_B[] = {
     { P_SPEAR, P_SKILLED },
     { P_TRIDENT, P_SKILLED },
     { P_BOW, P_BASIC },
-    { P_ATTACK_SPELL, P_SKILLED },
+    { P_ATTACK_SPELL, P_BASIC },
+    { P_ESCAPE_SPELL, P_BASIC }, /* special spell is haste self */
     { P_RIDING, P_BASIC },
     { P_TWO_WEAPON_COMBAT, P_BASIC },
     { P_BARE_HANDED_COMBAT, P_MASTER },
@@ -458,7 +459,8 @@ static const struct def_skill Skill_S[] = {
     { P_LANCE, P_SKILLED },
     { P_BOW, P_EXPERT },
     { P_SHURIKEN, P_EXPERT },
-    { P_ATTACK_SPELL, P_SKILLED },
+    { P_ATTACK_SPELL, P_BASIC },
+    { P_DIVINATION_SPELL, P_BASIC }, /* special spell is clairvoyance */
     { P_CLERIC_SPELL, P_SKILLED },
     { P_RIDING, P_SKILLED },
     { P_TWO_WEAPON_COMBAT, P_EXPERT },
diff --git a/src/weapon.c b/src/weapon.c
index cdbd440db..4a6ebbea3 100644
--- a/src/weapon.c
+++ b/src/weapon.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* NetHack 3.6	weapon.c	$NHDT-Date: 1446078767 2015/10/29 00:32:47 $  $NHDT-Branch: master $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.55 $ */
+/* NetHack 3.6	weapon.c	$NHDT-Date: 1454660575 2016/02/05 08:22:55 $  $NHDT-Branch: NetHack-3.6.0 $:$NHDT-Revision: 1.57 $ */
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -1147,7 +1147,7 @@ enhance_weapon_skill()
 
 /*
  * Change from restricted to unrestricted, allowing P_BASIC as max.  This
- * function may be called with with P_NONE.  Used in pray.c.
+ * function may be called with with P_NONE.  Used in pray.c as well as below.
  */
 void
 unrestrict_weapon_skill(skill)
@@ -1501,6 +1501,10 @@ const struct def_skill *class_skill;
             P_ADVANCE(skill) = practice_needed_to_advance(P_SKILL(skill) - 1);
         }
     }
+
+    /* each role has a special spell; allow at least basic for its type
+       (despite the function name, this works for spell skills too) */
+    unrestrict_weapon_skill(spell_skilltype(urole.spelspec));
 }
 
 void