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www.DimensionsGameSoftware.com (c)2003 Jeffrey A. Mills, DVM doctorjeff98@msn.com
This material is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.
A scroll is a spell (or collection of spells) that has been stored in written form. A spell on a scroll can be used only once. The writing vanishes from the scroll when the spell is activated. Using a scroll is basically like casting a spell.
Physical Description: A scroll is a heavy sheet of fine vellum or high-quality paper. An area about 8 1/2 inches wide and 11 inches long is sufficient to hold one spell. The sheet is reinforced at the top and bottom with strips of leather slightly longer than the sheet is wide. A scroll holding more than one spell has the same width (about 8 1/2 inches) but is an extra foot or so long for each extra spell. Scrolls that hold three or more spells are usually fitted with reinforcing rods at each end rather than simple strips of leather. A scroll has AC 9, 1 hit point, hardness 0, and a break DC of 8.
To protect it from wrinkling or tearing, a scroll is rolled up from both ends to form a double cylinder. (This also helps the user unroll the scroll quickly.) The scroll is placed in a tube of ivory, jade, leather, metal, or wood. Most scroll cases are inscribed with magic symbols which often identify the owner or the spells stored on the scrolls inside. The symbols often hide magic traps.
Activation: To activate a scroll, a spellcaster must read the spell written on it. Doing so involves several steps and conditions.
Decipher the Writing: The writing on a scroll must be deciphered before a character can use it or know exactly what spell it contains. This requires a read magic spell or a successful Spellcraft check (DC 20 + spell level).
Deciphering a scroll to determine its contents does not activate its magic unless it is a specially prepared cursed scroll. A character can decipher the writing on a scroll in advance so that he or she can proceed directly to the next step when the time comes to use the scroll.
Activate the Spell: Activating a scroll requires reading the spell from the scroll. The character must be able to see and read the writing on the scroll. Activating a scroll spell requires no material components or focus. (The creator of the scroll provided these when scribing the scroll.) Note that some spells are effective only when cast on an item or items. In such a case, the scroll user must provide the item when activating the spell. Activating a scroll spell is subject to disruption just as casting a normally prepared spell would be. Using a scroll is like casting a spell for purposes of arcane spell failure chance.
To have any chance of activating a scroll spell, the scroll user must meet the following requirements.
If the user meets all the requirements noted above, and her caster level is at least equal to the spells caster level, she can automatically activate the spell without a check. If she meets all three requirements but her own caster level is lower than the scroll spells caster level, then she has to make a caster level check (DC = scrolls caster level + 1) to cast the spell successfully. If she fails, she must make a DC 5 Wisdom check to avoid a mishap (see Scroll Mishaps, below). A natural roll of 1 always fails, whatever the modifiers.
Determine Effect: A spell successfully activated from a scroll works exactly like a spell prepared and cast the normal way. Assume the scroll spells caster level is always the minimum level required to cast the spell for the character who scribed the scroll (usually twice the spells level, minus 1), unless the caster specifically desires otherwise.
The writing for an activated spell disappears from the scroll.
Scroll Mishaps: When a mishap occurs, the spell on the scroll has a reversed or harmful effect. Possible mishaps are given below.
Several arcane spells are different in level for sorcerers and wizards than they are for bards. Such spells appear on the table at the level appropriate to a sorcerer or wizard (considered the default because bards typically dont involve themselves in scribing scrolls).
Likewise, some divine spells are different in level for clerics and druids than they are for paladins and rangers. Such spells appear at the level appropriate to a cleric or druid (considered the default because paladins and rangers typically dont involve themselves in scribing scrolls).
If a divine spell is cast at different levels by clerics and druids, it appears at the level appropriate to a cleric (considered the default choice between clerics and druids).
Many spells are either arcane or divine, depending on the class of the caster. Such spells appear on both lists at the level appropriate to the class of the arcane or divine caster.
(1) These numbers assume that the creator is a cleric, druid, or wizard.
(1) Includes experience point cost up to 2,000 XP.
(1) Assumes no material component in excess of 1,000 gp and no XP cost in excess of 300 XP. (2) Assumes no XP cost in excess of 1,000 gp.
(1) Assumes a creature of 10 HD or less.
(1) Assumes no material component cost in excess of 10,000 gp and no XP cost in excess of 5,000 XP.
(1) Allows for a spell of up to 4th level to be tied to the hallowed or unhallowed area.
(1) Assumes an area equivalent to one 60-foot cube.
(1) Assumes powerful request but no expensive material components in excess of 100 gp and no additional XP cost.