scrolls and wands


Rules Questions


when casting a spell from a scroll, do you use your ability? or minimum ability?


I'm assuming you are trying to calculate the DC of the spell on the scroll. If that is the case, then you use the minimum ability to cast the spell from the scroll. This assumes you have no ability that lets you modify that. For example: You find a scroll of fireball. The DC of the fireball spell on the scroll would be 14. 10 + the level of the spell (3) + minimum ability score (13 or +1).


Obviously, the ability modifier is variable. Some GMs may always use the minimum ability scores to keep it simple, but I would think a Wizard/Sorcerer having a 13 ability score for his primary stat would be the exception, not the norm.


No variation, it's the rule.

PRD, Magic Item wrote:

Saving Throws Against Magic Item Powers

Magic items produce spells or spell-like effects. For a saving throw against a spell or spell-like effect from a magic item, the DC is 10 + the level of the spell or effect + the ability modifier of the minimum ability score needed to cast that level of spell.

Staves are an exception to the rule. Treat the saving throw as if the wielder cast the spell, including caster level and all modifiers to save DCs.


Well, that’s pretty silly.

Not sure why that would be a firm rule, you would think any magic items would work how they ruled staves in this regards.

A 3rd level scroll scribed by a caster with a 26 INT should have a higher DC than one crafted by a caster with a 13 INT. Especially if that higher level caster has feats to add to the DC (i.e. Spell Focus).


Hobbun wrote:

Well, that’s pretty silly.

Not sure why that would be a firm rule, you would think any magic items would work how they ruled staves in this regards.

A 3rd level scroll scribed by a caster with a 26 INT should have a higher DC than one crafted by a caster with a 13 INT. Especially if that higher level caster has feats to add to the DC (i.e. Spell Focus).

Scrolls wrote:
The price of a scroll is equal to the level of the spell × the creator's caster level × 25 gp. If the scroll has a material component cost, it is added to the base price and cost to create.

A scroll of Fireball bought from a shop costs exactly 375G. It deals exactly 5d6 fire damage, and the DC is exactly 14. This is because all the variables are always the same. Even though the ability score of the caster isn't part of the cost equation, it's still assumed that, like all other variables, this is as low as possible. However, a 10th level Wizard with 22 Int could scribe a scroll of Fireball, and this scroll would cost exactly 750G (if sold in a shop). It would deal exactly 10d6 fire damage, and the DC would be exactly 20. GM's would probably let a player special order such a scroll, but otherwise, scrolls are always made/sold as stated in previous posts.


A 26 INT caster would charge more for his scrolls too, so unless you are scaling the price for your scrolls then it's far easier to buy them at minimum price.


Hobbun wrote:

Well, that’s pretty silly.

Not sure why that would be a firm rule, you would think any magic items would work how they ruled staves in this regards.

A 3rd level scroll scribed by a caster with a 26 INT should have a higher DC than one crafted by a caster with a 13 INT. Especially if that higher level caster has feats to add to the DC (i.e. Spell Focus).

No, it shouldn't. That distinction is a big part of why staves cost more.

The Exchange Owner - D20 Hobbies

seebs wrote:
Hobbun wrote:
Well, that’s pretty silly.
No, it shouldn't. That distinction is a big part of why staves cost more.

Not silly and is by design. No one wants to figure out what DC this scroll was made (if you had to track the creators) and since there is no price difference I'll just buy all my scrolls made by a Wizard with 999999999999999999999 INT so the Fireball DC is 500000000000000000007 thank you.


... Which leads me to my ancient question:

If you are not a caster at all, and use UMD to activate a staff, what DC is it?


The DC is treated as if the Staff was a Wand or Scroll (lowest possible), or from user's ability score, whichever is higher.


James Risner wrote:
seebs wrote:
Hobbun wrote:
Well, that’s pretty silly.
No, it shouldn't. That distinction is a big part of why staves cost more.
Not silly and is by design. No one wants to figure out what DC this scroll was made (if you had to track the creators) and since there is no price difference I'll just buy all my scrolls made by a Wizard with 999999999999999999999 INT so the Fireball DC is 500000000000000000007 thank you.

I realize now by RAW what I am saying is not accurate, I just disagree that a more powerful caster would not be able to scribe a scroll or craft a wand with a higher DC. It is ‘his’ spell that is being put into the magic item.

And I do think it’s silly that I’m a 15th level caster, and where my Wand of Fireballs can do 10d6, the DC is a pitiful 14 (as that is the minimum requirement needed to cast Fireball).

Obviously, the item would cost more from a caster with a higher ability (DC). That would be up to the GM to adjust the cost.

But this is just my opinion now, so not really relevant to a rules discussion.

Liberty's Edge

Hobbun wrote:
James Risner wrote:
seebs wrote:
Hobbun wrote:
Well, that’s pretty silly.
No, it shouldn't. That distinction is a big part of why staves cost more.
Not silly and is by design. No one wants to figure out what DC this scroll was made (if you had to track the creators) and since there is no price difference I'll just buy all my scrolls made by a Wizard with 999999999999999999999 INT so the Fireball DC is 500000000000000000007 thank you.

I realize now by RAW what I am saying is not accurate, I just disagree that a more powerful caster would not be able to scribe a scroll or craft a wand with a higher DC. It is ‘his’ spell that is being put into the magic item.

And I do think it’s silly that I’m a 15th level caster, and where my Wand of Fireballs can do 10d6, the DC is a pitiful 14 (as that is the minimum requirement needed to cast Fireball).

Obviously, the item would cost more from a caster with a higher ability (DC). That would be up to the GM to adjust the cost.

But this is just my opinion now, so not really relevant to a rules discussion.

They have a very clear way to do that, and it is in the rules:

they use the Heighten feat and write a heigthened version of the spell.

That is how you make a scroll or wand with a higher DC.

A scroll or a wand is a battery, the same model output the same juice, regardless of the user or builder competence.

Liberty's Edge

PRD wrote:

Spell Focus

Choose a school of magic. Any spells you cast of that school are more difficult to resist.

Benefit: Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells from the school of magic you select.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new school of magic.

"Any spells you cast", not "write" or "put in a wand".


Eh, still not happy how it works, but it is RAW.

Anyone know what page that is on in the CRB? Going to point it out to my group when we get together again.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Hobbun wrote:

Well, that’s pretty silly.

Not sure why that would be a firm rule, you would think any magic items would work how they ruled staves in this regards.

A 3rd level scroll scribed by a caster with a 26 INT should have a higher DC than one crafted by a caster with a 13 INT. Especially if that higher level caster has feats to add to the DC (i.e. Spell Focus).

It's what gives Staves their special quality. That they do by default use the caster's stats and applicable feats such as spell focus.

And to poke a hole in your logic. a scroll is just words on a page tagged to an arcane matrix ready for release. A scroll of fireball by a 26 int Wizard is still going to have the same words as the one put on by a 13 Int Wizard.

It should be noted that the Scrollmaster archetype has the ability to put in his own casting stat (and I think level as well) modifier to the effects of the scroll.

Liberty's Edge

PRD wrote:

Saving Throws Against Magic Item Powers

Magic items produce spells or spell-like effects. For a saving throw against a spell or spell-like effect from a magic item, the DC is 10 + the level of the spell or effect + the ability modifier of the minimum ability score needed to cast that level of spell.

Staves are an exception to the rule. Treat the saving throw as if the wielder cast the spell, including caster level and all modifiers to save DCs.

Most item descriptions give saving throw DCs for various effects, particularly when the effect has no exact spell equivalent (making its level otherwise difficult to determine quickly).

Page 459.


Thank you.

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