Casting from scrolls clarifications

[AussieGrimm]

Hi All,

I was hoping to get some advice around casting from a scroll. I have a magery 0 Half-elf knight, and I've been using scrolls to back up my sword arm.

Do spells cast from a scroll suffer from the -1 modifier per "on" spell, if I was already maintaining another spell? Does it matter if it was a spell from a scroll?

I haven't had more than one yet, but I likely will in the near future, so order of casting from scrolls would be important if it does.

Any tricks I should know about scrolls otherwise I might have missed?

Thank you!

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by AussieGrimm

Do spells cast from a scroll suffer from the -1 modifier per "on" spell, if I was already maintaining another spell?

Yes. However... as far as I can tell this only matters if it's a Resisted spell or cast at a distance (as per Regular spells). Otherwise you don't ever bother rolling for casting scrolls, they just happen.

Does it matter if it was a spell from a scroll?

No.

[AussieGrimm]

Ah, I read that part differently, the book said "Then roll as usual, using the scroll’s skill level", but I see that is if it's a resisted or distance spell. For example, to cast steelwraith on myself would not require a roll, but I would roll to cast on a friend three hexes away with the modifier applied.

Thank you!

[ArchonShiva]

At three yards specifically, if you have your scroll on a shield lectern, and have a wizard’s staff in your other hand, you can step and cast it without a roll by touching the target with the staff.

[corwyn]

Originally Posted by ArchonShiva

At three yards specifically, if you have your scroll on a shield lectern, and have a wizard’s staff in your other hand, you can step and cast it without a roll by touching the target with the staff.

I seriously want to play a half-ogre wizard with a great club as a magic staff. Nothing to do with this, really; I just forgot that magic staff even existed in DFRPG.

[LokRobster]

A half-ogre wizard “staff” as a club... that’s great imagery.

“Ever notice that we end up bruised or with knots on our heads when he casts the pre-encounter buffs on us?” “Now you know why I’m wearing this helmet before the fighting starts!”

Using scrolls and wacking your party members upside the head is a good way to avoid a skill roll...

Now I’m picturing a half-elf Scout, scroll-casting and using his bow as a “staff”... *WACK* ; too munchkiny?

[ArchonShiva]

Scroll-casting requires two hands or a shield lectern, so a bow isn’t a very good implement for this.

[LokRobster]

I was certain there was a catch.

I’m now realizing that the lectern is like sticking spell post-its on the back of a shield so you don’t have to hold the scroll separately.

Yeah, it’d be a lot more difficult (impossible) to string something up to a bow to read off of.

[corwyn]

I wonder if a half-ogre could put a lectern on a sufficiently large club? Maybe shaped like a paddle?

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by LokRobster

Yeah, it’d be a lot more difficult (impossible) to string something up to a bow to read off of.

You could probably fit a spell lecturn on this arrow flinger...

Joerg Sprave: The "Instant Ghengis Khan" Bow!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HH6t9sRFTw