A wizard spell on a spell scroll can be copied, just like spells in spellbooks can be copied. When a spell is copied from a spell scroll, the copier must succeed on an Intelligence check with a DC equal to 10 + the spell’s level. This guide discusses how to use and obtain spell scrolls, why they should be sought out, and what kinds of spell scrolls you should be looking for.
Wizards can obtain spell scrolls from looting defeated enemies or in treasure hoards, or they can scribe scrolls themselves. If the scroll bears a wizard’s spell, it can be copied into a spellbook, which only wizards have. The character copying the spell must make an Intelligence (Arcana) check with a DC equal to 10.
Everyone has limited spell slots, and certain spells are restricted to specific classes. However, wizards can also learn new spells by transcribing any spell scrolls they have found. If the spell is on your class’s spell list, you can read the scroll and cast its spell without providing any material components. If you teach a Wizard the spell on that scroll, you solve the problem for life or until a tadpole takes over your brain and turns you into a Mind Flayer.
There are rules for crafting scrolls in Xanathar’s guide and possibly in the DMG. Any PC can make a scroll for a spell they can cast, but wizards cannot use scrolls not on their list. Cantrips can only be gained from class features, racial traits, or feats, never scribe them from any source.
In DnD 5e, spell scrolls are magical items that allow magic users to cast the spell on the scroll without needing to provide material components.
📹 You Should Use Spell Scrolls in Your D&D 5e Game 📜 Everything You Need to Know!
Spell Scrolls are the easiest magic items to implement in your game, and I’ll explain why. Learn everything you need to know to …
Can sorcerers learn from spell scrolls?
A sorcerer is unable to gain new spells from spellbooks without the acquisition of feats, whereas a wizard is capable of gaining new spells from both spell scrolls and spellbooks. The Ritual Caster (Wizard) feat represents a significant departure from the established norm. This may be attributed to the fact that JavaScript is either disabled or blocked by an extension, or that the browser in question does not support cookies.
Can wizards copy any spell scroll?
The SRD posits that wizard spells inscribed on spell scrolls can be duplicated, in a manner analogous to spells inscribed in spellbooks. Nevertheless, in order for a spell to be successfully copied, the individual attempting to do so must achieve a result of at least 10 on an Intelligence (Arcana) check, with a DC equal to the spell’s level.
Can a wizard use a druid scroll?
Wizards are only able to learn spells from their spell list and are limited to multiclassing into a wizard with the number of wizard levels. The DC/attack value for any spell learned will be determined by the spell’s intellect modifier. It should be noted that the game may contain content that is not appropriate for all age groups. This may include general mature content, as well as nudity or sexual content. To update content preferences on Steam, the following steps must be followed.
Can a Cleric use a wizard spell scroll?
A spell scroll contains a single spell that is only readable and usable if it is on the spell list used by your class. For example, a Cleric spell must be on the Cleric spell list, while an Arcane Trickster Rogue spell must be on the Wizard spell list. The scroll’s spell level determines its DC or bonus to attack. If a spell is of a higher level than you can normally cast, you must make an ability check using your Spellcasting ability modifier. The DC equals 10 + the spell’s level.
If you fail this check, the spell disappears from the scroll with no other effect. A variant rule adds to the consequences of failing this check, Scroll Mishaps. Once you fail, you must make a DC 10 Intelligence saving throw and roll on the Scroll Mishaps table. This variant rule is generally recommended against using spell scrolls of a higher level than you can cast except when absolutely necessary, and this rule is a negligible factor in that assessment.
Who can learn spell scrolls?
Certain classes can learn new spells as characters level up, but they have limited slots and certain spells are restricted to specific classes. Wizards can learn new spells by transcribing spell scrolls, which are single-use items that allow any character to cast its spell. Transcribing spell scrolls can turn a wizard into a well-rounded warrior. To manage your character’s spells, open the Spellbook on PC by pressing K or the radial menu on console by pressing the right trigger.
A Wizard character will learn many spells throughout the game, but there are limited slots to equip them. Choose wisely before heading into battle and prepare spells anytime you want, even if not in combat.
Can a fighter use a spell scroll?
In D and D, spell scrolls contain spells that cannot be cast using a spellcasting ability. To cast a spell, an ability check is required, regardless of the character’s level. The DC equals 10 + the spell’s level, and a failed check results in the spell disappearing from the scroll. If a character is of a class that doesn’t have the ability to cast spells, an Intelligence check is required. The DC equals 12 + the spell’s level, and a failed check results in the spell disappearing from the scroll.
Exceptions to these rules may depend on a character’s subclass, feats, and backgrounds. Players can choose to homebrew a rule where characters can cast spell scrolls like normal spells, or remove restrictions altogether. It is recommended to consult players to understand their thoughts on spell scrolls and if they want to improve them.
In the comments, share your thoughts on spell scrolls in D and D, or share your own homebrew rule for using them.
Can a cantrip be a spell scroll?
The text corroborates the assertion that a scroll containing a cantrip represents a potential form of treasure within the context of Magic Item Table A. Nevertheless, it remains uncertain whether one can inscribe a cantrip using the aforementioned scroll, as this method does not align with the established criteria for acquiring a new cantrip within the context of game balance.
How do scrolls work for wizards?
A spell scroll contains the words of a single spell written in a mystical cipher. If the spell is on your class’s spell list, you can read the scroll and cast its spell without providing material components. Casting the spell requires the spell’s normal casting time. If the spell is on your class’s spell list but of a higher level than you can normally cast, you must check your spellcasting ability to determine if it was successfully cast. The spell’s saving throw DC, attack bonus, and scroll rarity are determined by the spell’s level, as shown in the Spell Scroll table.
Can only wizards learn from scrolls?
The capacity for spell learning is constrained by the limitations of the educational process, and it is not feasible for a wizard to learn every spell. Nevertheless, certain spells that cannot be learned in this manner are not included on scrolls. Only those who have achieved the status of wizard or have undergone the process of multiclassing one level into the category of wizard are permitted to learn from a scroll. Spirit Guardians is a Cleric spell that Wizards can cast from a scroll if found, but it is not a spell that exists. It is not possible to obtain an item that contains the spell.
Can Wizards copy any spell scroll?
The SRD posits that wizard spells inscribed on spell scrolls can be duplicated, in a manner analogous to spells inscribed in spellbooks. Nevertheless, in order for a spell to be successfully copied, the individual attempting to do so must achieve a result of at least 10 on an Intelligence (Arcana) check, with a DC equal to the spell’s level.
Can non-wizards use spell scrolls?
The answer to whether non-casters can use spell scrolls is generally “no”, except for characters with a class spell list but no spell slots. This is only seen in half-casters like Paladins at first level, before they have access to spells and slots. Spell scrolls are consumable items in Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition that allow characters to cast spells contained within the scroll without expending a spell slot. However, the rules around using spell scrolls are limiting, so it’s important to explore common homebrew rules that have evolved around their use in D and D games.
📹 Scrolls are IMPORTANT to make in D&D 5E!
Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:39 Scrolls rules! 2:19 Scribing Scrolls! (Important!) 7:47 Small list of spells to get! Link to Tabletop …
At 3:30 I said hours instead of days. Its days. Counterspell doesn’t work on scrolls guys. Stop posting it does. i.imgur.com/8mGdutM.png i.imgur.com/xOLosjw.png P 141 DMG, activating an item, spells: “Some magic items allow the user to cast a spell from the item, often by expending charges from it. The spell is cast at the lowest possible spell and caster level, doesn’t expend any of the user’s spell slots, and requires no components unless the item’s description says otherwise.” Counterspell casting time: 1 reaction, which you take when you see a creature within 60 feet of you casting a spell So we establish that it’s not just when a spell is cast, but you need to see it being cast. This is why subtle spell metamagic counterspell is a known way to “end” a counterspell war. As for what says scroll casting is invisible? XGtE, P85, Spellcasting, Perceiving a Caster at Work: But what about the act of casting a spell? Is it possible for someone to perceive that a spell is being cast in their presence? To be perceptible, the casting of a spell must involve a verbal, somatic, or material component. In conclusion: You need to see a spell being cast to counterspell it. A spell must have a verbal, somatic, or material component to be perceptible. Spells cast from magic items have no verbal, somatic, or material components. Because casting a spell from a scroll is casting from a magic item, it has no components, is not perceptible, and cannot be counterspelled. Here is a quote from JC himself.
If you are lucky enough to have a level 13 thief rogue in the party, feed them scrolls. Feed them practically any concentration buff spell you want but can’t afford to concentrate on. As part of their Use Magic Device class feature, they can bypass class requirements and use those scrolls. Given that they are typically a non-caster class, them concentrating on a spell might even slip under the radar for some of your more savvy opponents.
I like that scrolls can be used to keep a casting of important utility spells available outside of spell preparations. A few scrolls of featherfall and waterbreathing can be life savers when situations change unexpectedly. Also I think the their rogue can use any scroll with their use magic item feature.
Of note, on spells like revivify, scrolls that require a consumed costly components also requires you expend those components in the creation of the scroll. This means scribing them yourself does not give you a discount on anything but the usual cost of the scroll itself, and similarly that scrolls on the market would include the costly component as part of their price, in the same way that casting services do. I believe this is spelled out in the rules, I know for sure it was in 3.5. Even if it’s not it’s be a rare or ignorant DM that doesn’t rule as such.
I got into a discussion with my GM about this exact issue about Counterspell and Scrolls. Thanks for providing some links and page numbers. However, my GM and I agreed that, the Tweet you are linking has a double meaning, depending on how you read his words. RAW you may be correct since there are no stated V/S/M component when casting from a scroll. But the act of reading the scroll is in it self, a Somatic Component as he says “Spell scrolls have a twist, though: you must read the scroll to cast its spell. This is effectively an ad hoc component.”. Since you cannot activate a scroll by just holding it in your hand.
Hey Kobold! I totally missed that there is a XGtE table SPECIFICALLY for scribing scrolls! I had made a help table based on rarity and what not, but this totally simplifies things and makes a lot of sense. I feel silly for missing that table in Xanathar’s! Even D&D Beyond doesn’t have it. The main difference is a few workdays shaved off and a differentiation between spell levels that would normally be the same rarity, such as 2nd and 3rd level spells. I’ll have to update my content!
As a Warlock main, I feel bad that I totally forgot you could make scrolls. As I’m sure some players know, there are some spells that can’t be upcast, even if they’re really good. Example is Hunger of Hadar, a fantastic spell if only just for flavor, but cannot be upcast, so its usefulness is limited at higher levels when you have better spells. I would also make Scrolls of Hex at lower levels when you really need that spell slot early. Misty Step, a fantastic spell in general, but after level seven you can take Ghostly Gaze and teleport through walls. Or cast some spells through walls. Ghostly gaze is good. I’m sure there are others, but I’m tired and can’t think of others.
Aren’t Spellwrought Tattoos are just better option for some scrolls? Like for absorb element or shield, as you don’t need to read the tattoo to cast the spell from it so you can use both hands. You can also probably combo tattos with Atrificer’s ability to replicate common magic items (that excludes scrolls and potions), but I don’t think it’ll be worth it – whole infusion for one 1st level spell, while you can have bag of holding or alchemy jug instead.
In my old campaign (just last year) I was an artificer and with other things I could make a spell scroll in an 8th of the time and way cheaper as well. We had a 2 week down time, I was rich, I got a friend to help to speed it up even more, and I we made a load of first level scrolls especially cure wounds
I’d also add any spell that allows the caster to escape from an encounter to the list of solid scroll options. Invisibility, dimension door, fly, such like that. All too often I find myself greedily clinging to my last spell slot (especially as a warlock) because I’ll need it to stay alive if an encounter goes bad, rather than using it in the encounter to make sure the encounter stays in our favor. Having your escape options as scrolls ensures you’ll always have it when you need it.
I love spell scrolls for the really cool utility spells that are hard to justify preparing against more frequently useful other spells. Gaseous Form can be a game changer in so many situations if you have it on a scroll, but it isn’t as good as say Hypnotic Pattern or Polymorph to have prepared all the time. Same thing with Transmute Rock, Control Water, Water Breathing, Illusury Terrain, Spider Climb at lower levels, Stoneshape, and heaps of others.
Artificer has a spell list that is sometime so specific and situational, scrolls are not only great to have those covered while saving known spells for smt more common, but it also reinforces the whole “make stuff” that is the artificer’s core personality. And if your DM is cool, they let others use scrolls too so you can give fun stuff to your teammates, avoiding your scrolls being forgotten at the bottom of your bag.
I don’t use scrolls because 5E typically gives an absolute dearth of treasure; as a Wizard, all my money goes to copying spells into my spellbook, and even then I usually end up with fewer spells known than the Druid. And gods help you if a scroll is one of the six magic items ever that you’re apparently supposed to get in 20 levels as a 5E character. If you have the money, scrolls are great. But typical 5E treasure doesn’t really allow for it.
Spell Scrolls are amazing if you’re a class that gets to prepare spells each day. If you have a few days of downtime, you can create spell scrolls for things you then don’t need to have prepared. Feather Fall is a perfect example of this – it’s something that every party needs but you might not want to devote one of your prepared spells to it every day on the off chance you’ll need it. Utility spells work great as well. My artificer keeps a few “grenades” on her at all times which are just reflavored spell scrolls: Revivify, Feather Fall, Faerie Fire, Sanctuary, Alarm, and a few others that rarely get used, but it’s nice to have the option.
Spell scrolls can be counter-spelled. In the first paragraph alone it mentions the act of “casting” 4 times… The first line of “Counterspell” states the obvious. The scroll itself is the material component, that is why it is consumed upon uninterrupted use. If any caster/DM/PC worth their salt can’t notice a spell scroll being used, then they shouldn’t prepare Counterspell. PS: Jeremy Crawford has spoken on this particular matter before.
I’m playing a cleric and used tashas rules to start with arcana. Next level (6th) in taking a 1 level dip into wizard just to be able to make a much wider array of scrolls. We’re playing in a home brew spelljammer campaign so we have LOTS of downtime. My scrolls are so incredibly powerful. I can’t believe there isn’t more discussion of this
You make a great point. I think most DMs though might have issue with someone casting a reaction spell like shield off of a scroll which presumably is carried somewhere on their person. In the time it takes for an arrow to strike, you are saying i can 1. Note the attavk, 2. Pull out and unfurl the sroll, and 3. Read and cast it? Seems dodgy at best. I get RAW likely allows this but i would not.
I love the game theory aspects of your website. If I ever have friends, I’ll be able to run a really weird game. I want to make Firbolg Merchant (Kicked from his forest due to believing capitalism is morally superior to sharing as Firbolgs believe in group achievement and that boasting is distasteful). I want to roll at each town for rare, common etc items I can source supply of. I want to vomit all the magic items onto other players, BUT only get new/better stock if I have sold fellow player over a total amount of money via items they have purchased from me, by prior agreement with the DM. It should be like a scratch card for each new town. Different odds to roll on each tiers table (weighted towards what the DM wants to give).
Never scribed a scroll but I have used them for my sorcerers. And I usually kept the high level spells for absolute emergencies and they were always a gamble. And I always make sure to embellish the details on how my sorcerers use the scrolls to cast spells in the name of The Rule of Cool. Because sure, I could say “my character pulls out the rolled parchment containing the spell fireball and reads the incantation” or Does this sound better? “Aceshua unfurls the parchments around herself reading the Inscribed incantations, the magical energies swirling from the ink levitating the scroll aloft the sorceress as the energies synergize with her own with the hopes this hefty gamble pays off” However, after perusal this article I realize I’ve been underutilizing these scrolls and haven’t even been using them to their full potential besides thinking of them as free coin or possible high risk/high reward use items. Thanks Kobold.
Counterspell works for anything that uses the phrasing “cast a spell” or “cast a (name of spell)”, scrolls can be counterspelled. Other than that though, yeah, scrolls rock, and are worthy investments. Great analysis. I would love to see some discussions on Spellwrought Tattoos, and how ANY class can use ANY spell.
Could it be possible to ask you to reconsider covering non-casting classes, or indeed any feature that is prevented from being optimal by one or two limitations? It’s one thing to optimise in a vacuum, it’s another (and far more rewarding, IMO) to optimise with the hand your life has dealt you. IRL we can’t pick our “attributes” or the things we’re talented at, but we try to make the most of it regardless, aka. optimise. It’s very rewarding roleplay-wise to take a sub-optimal character (stat-wise and with character flaws and (lack of) talents that limit or steer their choices (such as an inability to do magic)) and play them as optimally as they can be, given their limitations. And in general, this opens the door to a tenfold increase in content, since you can frame a topic with “In case of limitations x, y and z, what is optimal?”.
Build/NPC idea: A Warforged Arcane Trickster Rogue,Divine Soul Sorcerer Scroll maker. (Expertise in arcana, obviously, and proficiency in calligraphers tools.) (Arcane Trickster for wizard spell list, and expertise, plus Reliable Talent, Divine soul sorcerer for meta magic and Cleric spell list) (That said, you could also add a level of druid and warlock to the build to add even more spell lists, but since you have to actually be able to cast the spells you want to scribe, maybe just take a feat that grants expertise, and have them focus on only one or 2 spell lists, like the wizard and cleric, or A pure divine soul sorcerer.) (Edit:Take at least one level of Knowledge cleric, cause they get double proficency for 2 skills of their choice, including arcana.)
I will add that while spell scrolls are slept on by many and can be game-changing, they’re also HEAVILY DM-dependent. Most campaigns I’ve been a player in are much more stingy on the loot and time available. It’s not uncommon to reach level 6-8 before ever breaking that 250 gold mark where I’d even be able to create a single 2nd level scroll, and even then- 3 days is no joke when the quests are high stakes and you don’t have much free time to work on them. It’s a lot harder to justify bankrupting yourself for a scroll or two when you also need gold for supplies, gear upgrades, and emergency situations. It’s also the reason I almost NEVER buy potions, but hoard them anywhere I find them. They’re just far too expensive to waste, though can make an incredible impact on a difficult encounter.
Artificers get magic item adept at 10th level which allows them to craft common and uncommon magic items in a quarter of the time and at half material cost. That means scrolls containing up to level 3 spells are much less time intensive. Combine that with elf trance and you can make two level 1 spell scrolls in one long rest or take one day more and you have a 2nd level with time left over for a 1st level spell scroll.
Whenever YouTube directs me to this websites articles, they stress me out as a DM. Mainly because the game isn’t balanced for players who are arguing to use every long rest to get extra spells. A lot of the straightforward designs are assuming a party has it’s normal magic, plus a scroll or a couple potions/magic items scattered around. It is not balanced for a group carrying a dozen+ spell scrolls in addition to everything else. While these tips are good for creative players who are trying to balance a party flaw (the revivify scroll is great if you’ve only got one cleric), but a lot of this “wringing every advantage and angle out of every second” approach doesn’t necessarily mean your game is going to be better or more fun. The DM’s goal is to challenge you. If you have 50 scrolls they will still want to challenge you which means they will have to take a whole new approach to attacking your party. Essentially, you’re just giving your DM a lot more work and fine tuning on their part. Don’t make 32 bless scrolls. That’s annoying as hell. DM’s like players thinking creatively and planning for the future (like a couple good scrolls to get out of a bad situation). We don’t like designing for players who are trying to maneuver out of every challenge the game is designed to give them.
Spellscrolls CAN be counterspelled. As per the scrolls rules you show, you read them and cast the spell without providing material components, so strictly doesn’t mean you don’t have to provide verbal or somatic components, you may say it’s just “repeating an already known fact” I say it’s “the item’s description saying otherwise”. After all, taking out the scroll is akind to providing somatic components, and over that, reading the spellscroll is totally providing verbal components (just as stated by JC in his tweet you link in the pinned comment) but above all, a caster high level enough to cast counterspell obviously know what a spellscroll is and recognize one being used when he’d see it
A small little warning: no, Scrolls aren’t counter-spellable, but they can be dispelled, since they are a spell like any other. There is also another great usage for scrolls: situational spells or spells that you cast only once per day. Let’s look at it this way: yes, you may not need something like Water Breathing or Aid or Spider Climb, but on a game based around exploration, you can create the scrolls to save resources. The scroll you used for Water Breathing could be used with any other great 3rd level spell, and especially for Artificer, this can be huge.
Considering an artificer 1/wizard x build. Would this allow the character to use a revivify scroll? Revivify is contained in the artificer spell list, but does only one level into the class allow such a boost in character versatility? I already consider the wizard a fantastic class, but when their downsides in the early-game are taken away with a artificer dip, you look at a class that can heal, tank, control and all while dealing great damage. Is casting revivify from a spellscroll is allowed for this type of build? And if it is, does that break the game?
you could also flavor the spell scrolls as runestones requiring gemstones as a base, it works almost all the way to 5th level spells how you use them? speak the rune and then you crush it in your hands, simplicity i also like using Runestones as spellslots it also is a nice way to unite different classes, combine UA Rune Knight, an INT caster of your choice (i often pick a warlock with a homebrew that allows casters to change the main stat to a different mental one) and the Runescribe Prestiege Class showing a true master of runic magics inspired by Nordic or Irish mythology with Odin or Scathach respectivly
“Spells are better than features” – but not all spells are better than all features. Peace and Twilight clerics have features that are downright game breaking, and Paladins 6th level aura is better than most spells at what it does. Not arguing with the general point, just pointing out some outliers.
Another question, do Spell Stones still exist in 5E RAW? Spell Stones were consumables, a stone (usually semiprecious) imbued with a single use of a spell, just like a scroll. Couldn’t hold over 5th level spells and took as long to imbue as it took to prepare (or ritually cast, the times are about the same as the old preparation calculations) the spell. Could be reworked to take as long as scribing a scroll of the same spell. Basically you could turn a sling pouch worth of small semiprecious stones into more scrolls than you could reasonably carry, walk into any area where they’d confiscate weapons or scrolls wearing a dozen “scrolls” as jewelry, etc.
So initially I was on board that you absolutely can counterspell a spell scroll. As many people have pointed out JC specifically mentions the ability to do this. Additionally casting a spell doesn’t specifically mention that spell components are the only way to identify that a spell is being cast. Which leans towards RAW stating you can counterspell a scroll. HOWEVER, upon further investigation, it turns out JC has kind of contradicted himself on this reasoning. That can be found when looking into the Subtle Spell Metamagic. “When you Cast a Spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to cast it without any somatic or verbal Components.” JC has commented on counterspelling a Subtle spell. “Subtle Spell is meant to protect a spell w/o material components from counterspell, since you can’t see the casting” From what I can see this directly contradicts being able to counter a spell scroll. Seems like this was just an issue that wasn’t addressed well mechanically when creating those sections of the Core Books. Bottom line from what I can tell, ask your DM.
“You attempt to interrupt a creature in the process of casting a spell.” … “You can read the scroll and cast its spell” ……….. I’m failing to understand the confusion here, Mr. Tactics. I genuinely do enjoy your content, so please don’t take this as hatefulness or spite… but this wreaks of min-max rules lawyering, and the idea that spell scrolls cannot be counterspelled is the exact type of un-fun nonsensical conclusion that this mentality leads to. — The BBEG Wizard eyes you, befuddled as you pull a 9 inch wide roll of fine vellum and unfurl it with fire in your eyes (“where have I seen such a strange object before” he wonders). As you forcefully mutter the incantation he calms, concluding that you’re simply going over the shopping list you had no doubt scribed upon your mysterious skin-tube-square prior to meeting him in battle. There’s a flash! ….. 700 years later — From within his labyrinthine prison of a demiplane, BBEG Wizard still wonders… for what you were planning to shop on that fateful day. He shakes it from his mind and reverts back to his seething hatred for the cowardly magic user that managed to cast Imprisonment upon him without notice.
I’ve generally found that a good number of new players and DMs don’t actually READ the books, or at the very least they skim them. Instead they get their concept of what D&D is supposed to be from the podcasts and youtube shows. So unless someone on Critical Role creates a scroll scribing wizard, they won’t even think twice about it.
The one thing I hate about scrolls is that only casters can use them. Martial classes would benefit HEAVILY from being able to just use cantrips or 1st level spells. Whenever I DM my players will always be able to use scrolls regardless of class. This is a team-based game, so the fact that half the team just stands there doing nothing half the time doesn’t seem very conducive to team-based play.
The Number 3 Complication for me is a win on my Scribe Wizard, as he frequently makes Scrolls with the mindset of selling them at a profit should the opportunity arise. Wizard wants a scroll to copy the spell? Sell it to them at the price of breaking even at least for what it would cost a Non-Scribe Wizard to make, just to be safe, and make a 100% profit as a result.
Thank you for this, Kolbold, I realized after this my Druid had Arcana proficency and thus could make scrolls and have been making them in our down time. Being a Druid was also lucky, given that Druids’ known spell list is literally ‘all of their spells’, which let’s them make a ton of spells. It also fits my character’s personality, as she is a very kind character and Team Mom, so it fits her to make these scrolls to help the others.
Does spells granted by feats (magic initiate, fey touched…etc) allow you to scribe it? Can you use the spell granted by your feat if it is not within your class spell list? Ex. Warlock takes Magic Initiate (Cleric) and grabs bless. Can the warlock scribe the bless spell? Can it use the Bless spell scroll?
I off handedly watched these articles just to see his opinions and now I see that it’s not just talk, all these ideas I’ll use for my game now Btw making a Kobold Warlock, so pack tactics can work with many of the powerhouse spells (not hex) and bonus action abilities like tentacle of the deep with advantage
Ever since this vid I’ve been obsessed with scrolls, so ty Kobold! There might be some peculiarities about scrolls RAW, though. I may be misreading, but I’m pretty sure you can scribe a scroll for a spell that you’ve learned (via a feat, for example) that doesn’t appear on your spell list, at which point it becomes unintelligible to you and you can’t cast it. Am I crazy?
I had a similar train of thought for my Eldritch Knight, with limited spellslots and spells known, scrolls felt like a no-brainer. Though my idea was to do the opposite. Use scrolls for preparation spells and keep spell slots for reaction spells. I’d rule that putting them on the shield would work in a pinch, but I am not so sure I would allow people to cast spells from scrolls as a reaction, unless held in their hand.
I ended up houseruling that anyone can just use scrolls and then clamped down on the availability of them a bit. Giving people out-of-class spellcasting options made everyone appreciate spells a lot more, and letting non-caster classes use the occasional spell or spend their concentration on something seemed to add a lot for them. The classes that cast spells are already the best classes anyway so rather than breaking anything it just helped bring the others closer to par!
There’ve been a few Sage Advices affirming that you can counterspell magic items, as long as the item says it lets you “allows you to cast a spell” … which spell scrolls say explicitly. If counterspelling required something to say “V,” “S,” or “M” in its description, then no magic items could ever be countered because literally none of them say that — yet we have multiple affirmations that they can be countered, so clearly that’s not a requirement. Seems like another attempt at being a rules lawyer, like that “stabilizing a creature doesn’t specify a range, so anyone can stabilize anyone from anywhere!”
I’d personally be tempted to take the attitude of scrolls can be counterspelled, but make them less time consuming and expensive to make. Maybe there’s an up front time investment you need to figure out a personal spell cipher that will allow you to inscribe a particular spell onto the scroll (or whatever else you’re using) and you can just store the formula in a book or something. After that the actual scribing time drops significantly, and it’s more a matter of a bit of ink, whatever the material components are, and expending some spell slots to both prepare to scroll to store the spell, and then to infuse it into the scroll.
hay kobold, Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons just released 3 new feats. one of them basically gives you free absorb elements, and another one basically gives you a pseudo shield spell that gives you a reaction AC bonus equal to your prophecy bonus a number of times per day equal to your prophecy bonus and it give you cure wounds 1 time for free + you can use slots for more ((and it can use int, wiz, or cha for mod). are these feats as good as they look on paper? also it gives bards their own version of web called “nathair’s mischief”
I like the way the spell scroll is described in this article, but it differs from the description on page 139 of the DM Guide. There, it states that “Unless a scroll’s description states otherwise, any creature that can understand a written language can read the script on a scroll and attempt to activate it.” So, where is this passage about the prerequisite of the spell being on a character’s spell list come from? I don’t own all the source books.
I know this article is old, but I have a DM who lets us use ANY scroll of ANY class up to level 6, even if I don’t have the spell in my spell list. I used MASS CURE WOUNDS AS A LEVEL 10 Ranger. We’re about to hit a City and I asked if I could buy any scrolls, and she gave me full permit to buy anything from level 1 or level 2. What would you get? Any broken combo ideas? haha
Late to the article but I love it so I’ll comment anyway. Yeah, scrolls seem like a really good time and gold sink for every caster out there. As a Warlock you probably don’t want to cast Hex all that often when you level up but you still know it, so make a couple of Hex scrolls and keep them around for when you feel like concentrating on something useful but don’t want to blow a big spell. As a Cleric, keep a few Revivify scrolls on your person so you don’t have to prepare it. As a Wizard, there’s gonna be many spells in your spellbook that are good in certain situations but not good enough to prepare, and this includes rituals, for example you usually want to cast Detect Magic or Comprehend Languages as a ritual but having a scroll or two around and using them if you need to work fast could be really nice. Make Sending scrolls to send urgent messages quickly. You could even (depending on the DM) hire NPCs to make scrolls for you. Find any Wizard NPC and make a deal to have him make Mage Armour scrolls for you, come back a later and pick them up, enjoy no longer spending a slot on that spell every day. A skilled Hireling is around 2gp/day and the cost to craft a 1st level scroll is 25gp, so you could expect to pay around 30gp for each scroll, not cheap for a tier 1 party but later on 30gp for one 1st level slot (that you can use for shield and absorb elements) every day is a great deal. More importantly, this frees up a prepared spell.
I disagree on disregarding cantrips for spell scrolls. This is more of a situational thing based on party composition. It isn’t useless, but wouldn’t be worth it 98% of the time. Having the arcane triskster prep a few mage hand scrolls for a wizard or bard isn’t that bad of an idea. I have my own example to share on that. I the cleric of the group had the Light spell, along with a Wizard, Barbarian, and Bard in the group. After the first adventure and getting to lvl 2, I spent most of my reward to make two scrolls of light. I basically had to force the wizard and bard to take them as an emergency (flame free) light, but they just looked at me as I was stupid because lanterns and oils are so much more cheaper. 3 or 4 levels later, we were paid to be guards in a mine an purge goblins that made their way in. I was separated from the others being asked to do last rights for some slain miners; the others went in without me as it was “just goblins” in the mine. The DM told me later he wanted me to be separated as he knew who was thinking of everything, and how the others were crossing into murderhobo territory. They get to the end of the mine without me, and smugly find their way to the boss room. The hobgoblins they’re fighting choose to not lose the war before losing the battle. They somehow cause a cave in that opens into an underground river. The barbarian makes his check and gets washed closer to the exit. The other two are washed away to random areas in the mines. All the oil lamps and other lights that dimly lit the area are now out.
I don’t think I’ll ever fill understand the argument that a piece of paper magically makes your slot-less fireball uncounterable. “Does not require material components” from a purely mechanical POV sure I get it. But you are PULLING OUT AND UNFURLING A SCROLL. Not only that, the scroll is consumed and fizzles away once you’ve cast the spell. If that’s not a material component which is consumed on cast then I’m gonna start demanding my Greater Restoration diamonds back because apparently there being no materials leftover after the cast means that no materials were harmed in the production of this Fireball. I get it, PackTac reads RAW and as stated RAW should function like this. But it makes absolutely no sense from a roleplay POV unless scroll casting can be done from your back pocket with your hands full just by thinking about it.
Create scrolls of ritual spells on the spell list of the class a character choose for the Ritual Caster Feat. Picking Wizard for Find Familiar means you can now pick up Detect Magic from any caster except Warlock, Augury from the Cleric, Water Breathing from the Druid, and Skywrite and Leomund’s Tiny Hut from the Bard. You could obviously copy these straight from a Wizard’s spellbook without needing to create a scroll first, but all of these classes could just take these spells for a day/level and then forget them so you can simply cast them at-will in 10 minutes. Edit: Better yet, just feed Ritual Scrolls to the Ancient Secrets Warlock who can copy any ritual spell into their tome.
Not to burst your bubble & it’ll probably be hand waived with substitutes, but… if the Spell has Material Components, they are required. Like the actual one. More often than not, no one wants to hunt down material components but Spell Scrolls are worth it. Goodberry will require a sprig of mistletoe. Since it isn’t consumed, you can scribe as many as you need with a single one. Revivify, though, will require 300G of diamonds, each scribe, as it is consumed.
“For example, you are not allowed to have a total break time of 5 hours when trying to scribe a scroll that takes 3 days to finish.” What??? That doesn’t even follow from what you said the very sentence before. To scribe a spell that requires days of work (8hrs per day, total of 24 work hours), you are allowed to spread that work among a span of time no longer than 6 full days. So if you work for 8hrs on days 1, 4, and 6, you will complete the scribing activity. I have absolutely no idea where you got that 5hrs thing from.
I know you don’t like martial classes, and personally I find them underpowered as a whole as well. However, I think there is one worth looking at, simply for their ability to buff casters in a way generally not intended in 5e. That would be the fighter rune knight subclass. At 7th level, they gain the storm rune. The storm rune allows the rune knight to use a bonus action to enter a state for 1 minute where they can use a reaction to cause any creature within 60 feet to cause a roll to have disadvantage or advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, or saving throws. This normally wouldn’t be great, given fighters already have a lot of things to spend their reactions on. However, there is one thing to note here. It can give disadvantage on saving throws. This is RARE, and for a reason. Most ways to give enemies disadvantage on saving throws are intentionally made extremely risky or costly. Bestow curse is a touch spell, and even then requires a enemy to fail a save to give it disadvantage on future saves. Eldritch knight cannot cast high level spells. Portent from divination wizard can be effective for the same purpose, but may not help depending on the rolls. Portent is still great, but unreliable for this specific purpose. Rune Knight storm rune is excellent in the action economy, and here is why. Typically speaking, a 15th level wizard can cast say… Feeblemind once per day. Generally speaking, feeblemind has a decent chance to hit most creatures due to an average low intelligence, but if a creature has disadvantage you can get something close to a 5% chance or lower chance of success.
I haven’t read through the (currently) 792 comments to see if anyone else has mentioned this, but the DM Guide quite clearly states on pg 139 that “unleashing that magic requires using an action to read the scroll.” So, while one certainly could scribe Reaction and Bonus Action spells to a scroll, it’s still going to take an Action to utilize them, so long as one is using RAW. The stranger part of this, I find, is that “Any creature that can understand a written language can read the arcane script on a scroll and attempt to activate it.” This suggests one may not write a scroll in, say, Draconic or Elvish. Again, if one is using RAW. I think that’s unfortunate, personally, and if acting as DM I might allow them to be written in specific languages, and require a reader to read the language used. It also quite plainly indicates that users of scrolls don’t NEED to be Rogues with the Use Magic Device feature.
To cast a spell from a scroll you have to hold it and read from it. That can be seen and heard. So obviously counterspell will work on scrolls. Spell scrolls state that “you don’t have to provide any of THE SPELL’S components” not that there are no components at all. ERRATA: Now it says you don’t have to provide “any material components”.
I was doubtful about using a spell scroll as a reaction – you cannot draw a weapon as part of an opportunity attack, so you shouldn’t be allowed to unroll a scroll to read. But you attempted to answer this by having the scroll unrolled (and so ready to read) – attached to your shield or staff. I could imagine one scroll held on the inside of a shield, but not more than one, and I find it a stretch to imagine them unrolled on a staff. While you walk around the dungeon, you could carry an open feather fall scroll, or your familiar, homonculus, etc could at your side. If you can describe something that I can imagine in a fantasy world, you can do it. But just having a lot of reaction scrolls stashed is not enough – they need to be held open in a place that is readable the moment you need them. Practically, I find it hard to imagine that more than 1 or 2 scrolls would be in a position to read in an emergency.
A question that seems to simply come down to a GM decision is, “How many scrolls can I have available to me during combat?”. If the answer is “as many as you can afford” then that seems real silly strong, however if the answer is “mmm I dunno only one I guess” then they’re very disappointing. I wonder what a “fair” number would be
Has WotC ever given a specific statement on Counterspell working against scrolls? I don’t follow your argument. All Counterspell requires is that I see you casting a spell (you mentioned material components, but that’s not in the spell description). If I see you pulling out a scroll and reading it, I know you’re casting a spell, and therefore I can Counterspell it, right? The same way that I’d be able to if I saw you muttering an incantation and waving your hands–there don’t have to be material components involved. Now, you mentioned pasting the scroll inside your shield and reading it from there, and that is a clever way to not only keep the scroll handy but also might help avoid notice of anyone who could Counter it. Might. That would depend on their Passive Perception, I imagine.
I don’t make them but I use them a lot. For my level 12 artificer (kobold) I a a case of em. Currently I have bless×3, gentle repost×2, find familiar warlock version(backup)×2, protection for G&E×3, floating disc×1, good berry×1, and detect G&E×1. Also just now I remembered I should have picked up 2 comprehend languages
Alright got two question; Why did you say no to making cantrip spell scrolls?. Is there a raw issue.. or tactical one. I have a 17th level “magic-user” with lots of down time in a multilevel campaign who plays the patron.. and gives out cantrip sell scrolls on their spell list but they don’t have as well as first level. To motivate lower level PCs to help with his affiliation projects. Second; have you done a article on what actually is down time.. I hear many say but our DM doesn’t give us down time. I really think part of the problem is the players and dm listen to the dm say something and don’t realize that Is down time.. and the player could say during that time I do this. If you haven’t, could you do one on what is actually down time.
I think people just find the idea of scrolls weird, which- they kind of are weird, since they’re sort of a holdout from D&D’s past. I guess people are expecting it to be something like a wizard’s spell book? They’re much easier to conceptualize as ‘this is a single use magic item, it lets you cast blade barrier once’ or whatever. If you made them little stones with buttons on them or whatever, something more like ‘this is a magic item, btw it disappears when you use it’, I think people would ‘grok’ what makes them cool.
I want to preface this with the statement that this is not me saying “Pack Tactics is wrong”. There’s enough text in the books and in Jeremy Crawfords tweets to where this can go both ways and we have not had a black and white textbook ruling that states one way or the other. Pack Tactics’ ruling here is 100% valid and if your dm rules so at your table as a player you should respect their decision, and if you have an issue with their ruling then it should always be done calmly and respectfully in between sessions. With that said here is my reasoning for why I would rule differently on this subject and the sources I used for it. So if your dm rules in this regard you should also respect their ruling and bring it up in between sessions if you’re unhappy with how it plays out. “A spell scroll bears the words of a single spell, written in a mystical cipher. If the spell is on your class’s spell list, you can read the scroll and cast its spell without providing any material components. Otherwise, the scroll is unintelligible. Casting the spell by reading the scroll requires the spell’s normal casting time. Once the spell is cast, the words on the scroll fade, and it crumbles to dust. If the casting is interrupted, the scroll is not lost.”- from the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Rules and the rules in the SRD, released as part of the Open Gaming License. Using the tweet from Jeremy Crawford you provided he states VSM are not needed as it follows the rules from casting a spell from a magic item.
Scrolls are not as useful as you imagine. To begin with, while you do not need to use components to cast a spell from a scroll, you do need to use components when scribing the scroll (Xanathar’s). So except for scrolls found as treasure, or purchased, there is no saving on expensive components. More importantly, unless otherwise specified, your scrolls would be safely packed away in your backpack, or in a scroll case during combat. If you want to use it, you then need to use an object to get it, just as if you were unsheathing a new weapon. That precludes any use of scrolls for reaction spells. It also largely precludes any combat use by Paladins or Bards, or anybody else who typically has both hands full during combat. If your DM want any sort of ‘realism’ in their game, it gets even worse. Real scrolls are rolled inside each other within any given scroll case; unless you have a separate scroll case for each scroll. To get a specific scroll, you would need to take out your scroll case and take of the lid (first use object), remove the scrolls from the case (second use object), sort through them and remove the specific scroll you wanted from the case (third use object), place the other scrolls back in the case (fourth use object), put the case away (fifth use object), then read the scroll (sixth use object). Different DMs might count it out differently, but you are looking at two to three rounds of combat to use a scroll – unless you had it in hand at the start of combat. Ergo, except for certain prepared occasions, scrolls are only useful outside of combat.
Scrolls are great, but seeing as they take too long to craft and cost a small fortune to buy a single-use item, they will never be heavily used. I’d say scrolls are one of the great tragedies of D&D. They are so incredibly useful, but their cost far outweighs the benefit most of the time. Frankly, a scroll of revivify is practically the only instance of it ever being worthwhile to make or buy a scroll. Above level 3 the time demands are way too high to craft them, unless your team has a tendency to spend months at a time doing absolutely nothing. Take a level 5 scroll for instance. It takes 4 “work weeks” to craft. So in about a month, and 5000gp later, you’ve successfully given yourself one additional spell slot one time only. D&D is a game of resources, but there’s no version of reality where you’re crafting a stack of scrolls to use later, and if you only have one or two scrolls every few months of in-game time, are they really doing you any good? Other than the one revivify scroll we all agree was worth it, I mean.
WOW I so do not like 5E scroll making that way. I just use the Wizard book scribing rules to make another copy and same timing. to make It adventure friendly. I also do allow you to make scrolls at a higher lost if you made the scroll and prepped it for that level of slot. Also my Cantrip scrolls are 500 gold but they are not consumable.
I never understood the gold cost of scribing my own scrolls. I bought the parchment, the magical ink, the quills, and the components, and I have the spell known. I sit down and scribe the spell, why does a bunch of money in my coin purse suddenly disintegrate as I’m scribing the scroll? It doesn’t make sense! Game balance be damned, it ruins my immersion.
I’m confused as how the 2 hours from the long rest help at all? It seems like they are breaking up the time points into days, which require 8 hours of work in that particular day to count. So a spell that requires 3 days to complete, can be completed in 6 days, with three of those days being 8 hours of work each day.
Dude, i like the content a lot, i think it’s very well formulated, put together and edited. I just have one minor concern with all your articles. Do you perhaps manually slow down your audio to stretch the article? It sounds very inorganic, i can’t not notice it. I never speed up other articles but yours, putting it on 1.5x makes it sound a little more sped up than normal, but 1.25 is still too little.
Thinking about this and… There’s a fairly solid build you can do to make spell scrolls. Artificer 10 (any works, but considering what I’m going to say next, I recommend Armorer for AC purposes, but your spell list is a major factor to consider). Then go Scribe Wizard 10. Depending on if Magic Item Adept and Master Scrivier stack (personally I think they would but it’s more DM’s discretion), you can make scrolls up to 3rd level at an eighth the time and a fourth the cost (and even higher leveled ones at only half and half). And this doesn’t even need to be light activity (since Sage Advice’s most recent RAI on the matter says elves can take a long rest in 4 hours). Also grab yourself feats that give you spells you know — Aberrant Dragonmark, Artificer Initiate, Fey Touched, Magic Initiate, Shadow Touched, and/or Telekinetic, since these give you more spells to make scrolls of. If you’re already an elf, going for a dragonmark (if allowed) isn’t a poor idea. Taking into account an actual workweek, spells up to 4th level are still fairly viable since their time is still halved, meaning you only suffer the penalties for a single workweek (which is the same % to change into a random spell as a 3rd level would normally). Bonus points for, if UA’s allowed, going Thri-Kreen and (if scrolls count as light activity), making 2 2nd level scrolls or a 2nd level scroll and a 3rd level scroll. Also don’t forget that, as a wizard, you can copy from your own scrolls, which can allow you to prepare it either as a wizard (where it takes up less space), or use it with Master Scrivier to make a free action-based spell of 1st or 2nd level (aka: use your wizard spells added per level to grab spells that Artificers can’t gain access to).
I don’t know why you think you can’t counter a spell from a scroll, because, spoiler alert: you can. Whether or mot you’re casting a spell isn’t contingent on whether or not there are verbal or somatic components to the spell. Otherwise, 18th level druids in wild shape can’t be counterspelled. They can be. Also, counterspell says nothing about it needing to trigger off any particular component. As someone else pointed out, that wouldn’t matter anyway, since you can clearly see someone reading from the scroll: and if they’re faking it, you don’t even lose the counterspell, because there is no valid target.
What are you talking about “you can’t counterspell scrolls”? You can cast a spell from a scroll without using material components, sure, but even if you don’t need to use verbal or somatic components (which you do because the spell scroll description states that you don’t need material components, and why state that when casting from a magic item usually requires no components at all?), then you still need to use a Magic Item. If a wizard sees somebody else hold up a scroll covered in glowing runes, you can be damn sure they’ll recognise it as a magic scroll, and not assume they just have a very fancy shopping list.
How to flavor counterspell not working against scrolls: The BBEG Wizard sees the PC pulling out a spell scroll, and out of nowhere, the spell appears without any indication. faster than anyone can raise a hand, it just appears. I think is realistic that reading something in your head is faster than anyone raising a hand(especially a wizard raising his hand).
3:35 if scribing spell scrolls is NOT light activity, then I have no idea why that invocation is even tied to pact of the tome. It’s meant to be “booky”, after all. To be clear though, I definitely understand that you needed to specify that it’s up to the dm, since raw is very unclear, but I just feel that whoever made that invocation clearly was thinking of scribing rituals into the tome of shadows as well as making spell scrolls
There is something I don’t understand. Can any wizard just scribe any spell on a spell scroll if the spell is on his list? Or does he need to copy it from say another book or spell scroll? Or can ANY wizard regardless of level scribe ANY wizard spell without having it either prepared or known? and Is this the case for all classes?
I wrote up a homebrew rogue subclass called the Wandering Merchant. Their gimmick is that (a) they can use items as a bonus action (like a Thief), get proficiency with improvised weapons, and can Sneak Attack with an improvised weapon, and (b) they can just pull items that didn’t previously exist out of their pockets. The intention was that you’d be throwing vials of acid or using healing potions as a BA, but it would also work with scrolls. They also get Use Magic Device (also like a Thief), so they can even use their own scrolls. You need to expend a resource when making items, though, and you’d only have enough to make up to 2nd level scrolls. But they can also find magic item sellers (and buyers) a bit easier, too. Honestly, I think the subclass is on the weaker side, but it does look really fun to play. I want to try it out at some point.
Wait, I’m confused. The rule is “that period of time should be no more than twice that amount of time.” However, you said in example “You cannot have a break of 5 hours for a scroll that takes 3 days to finish.” This doesn’t add up to me. Would the maximum total break time for that not be 3 days, since 3 days of work + 3 days of break would be exactly twice that amount of time?
Wait but how does this apply to pact slots? I am quite curious because Pact Slots don’t have a unique spell level, only unique spells at certain levels that just merely level up appropriately. With my bloodhunter currently, my “spell slots” scale with int with my spells all being the same lvl but my spells level up? so theoretically I could cast a 20th level pact spell of lets say eldritch blast infinitely if I make enough scrolls. My bestow curse ability is also broken where I can give conditions of my choosing and so is that also stackable into scrolls now as its a spell? Feasibly I could make the condition that I regain 1 temporary pact slot for every condition being met meaning I can forever twin my pact slots back into life also with my bloodcurse of the soul eater, I could feasibly either gain short rest pact slots or just more conditions being activated. I also have my revealed arcana which is a select 1 time use class feature that cost pact slots because it’s a spell, so would it still be counted in the use of a spell scroll?
The fact that a scroll lacks components necessary to cast with it is a clever point, but ultimately I’d rule that invalid if it came up at the table. The scroll itself is the component, since you do need to manipulate it and even read it to cast the spell from it. It’s not like using subtle spell to just will a magic effect into existence. Since counterspell does NOT specify that it requires the countered spell to have components, the wording of “see”ing someone cast a spell is still easily fulfilled, as long as you can recognize what the person using it is doing. I’ll admit that won’t always be the case,particularly if you’re sneaky, but still.