Anathema Archive


Rules Questions


Hi,

I'm not sure how to interpret the artifact "Anathema Archive".
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/artifacts/major-artifacts/anathema-arch ive?tmpl=%2Fsystem%2Fapp%2Ftemplates%2Fprint%2F

It is written: "Whatever spell the anathema archive is opened to, the user may cast that spell from the scroll as if she were casting a spell from a normal scroll".

According to some GMs, the spell would be cast with a minimal CL (for example Shocking Grasp at CL 1, OMG !). But according to me, a scroll is used with its creation CL, so CL 20 in the case of Anathema Archive.

I can hardly believe that we use the minimal CL, it's an artifact...

What's the proper interpretation ?

Thanks in advance.


The "scroll" has a caster level associated with it.

Grand Lodge

Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Anathema Archive.

Except where otherwise noted, it works just like a typical scroll, so it casts spells at its own CL (20).

-Skeld


darkwarriorkarg wrote:
The "scroll" has a caster level associated with it.

And that CL, for a "normal scroll", happens to be the minimal CL to cast cast the spell.

Grand Lodge

Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
GâtFromKI wrote:
darkwarriorkarg wrote:
The "scroll" has a caster level associated with it.

And that CL, for a "normal scroll", happens to be the minimal CL to cast cast the spell.

Sort of. You can cast a spell from a scroll without meeting the CL requirement, but you have to make a Spellcraft check or else suffer a failure.

d20pfsrd wrote:

To have any chance of activating a scroll spell, the scroll user must meet the following requirements.

*The spell must be of the correct type (arcane or divine). Arcane spellcasters (wizards, sorcerers, and bards) can only use scrolls containing arcane spells, and divine spellcasters (clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers) can only use scrolls containing divine spells. (The type of scroll a character creates is also determined by his class.)
*The user must have the spell on her class list.
*The user must have the requisite ability score.

If the user meets all the requirements noted above, and her caster level is at least equal to the spell's 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 spell's caster level, then she has to make a caster level check (DC = scroll's caster level + 1) to cast the spell successfully. If she fails, she must make a DC 5 Wisdom check to avoid a scroll mishap. A natural roll of 1 always fails, whatever the modifiers. Activating a scroll is a standard action (or the spell's casting time, whichever is longer) and it provokes attacks of opportunity exactly as casting a spell does. If the caster level check fails but no mishap occurs, the scroll is not expended.

An arcane caster that gets to this point in the AP should have no problem consistently succeeding on a DC21-29 Spellcraft check.

-Skeld

Grand Lodge

Read the item, it has a CL 20. That means all its pages are CL 20. So the "scrolls" were made at CL 20 and that's the caster level.

Yes, "by default" scrolls are made at their lowest level. But this item was made at CL 20. So these are not "default" scrolls.

It really depends on how you interpret its line about "normal scroll". Is a normal scroll a CL 20 scroll that is not an anathema? Or is a normal scroll the lowest level scroll you can find of its kind? I would go with the former, but it's up to the GM.


It's up to how your determine what "normal scroll" means. I would interpret it as minimum caster level. Also, if it were not minimum caster level and DC, how would you go about determining the spell save DC if there was one? The items tells you normal rules. Normal rules are minimum cast stat and minimum DC. Since it gives no intruction to determine what the casting stat would be if not minimum, I think it makes more sense to interpret normal as what we are all familiar with for the "normal" "default" scrolls. Minimum.

It may be an artifact, but it's power lies not in the power of each spell it casts, but in the rest of it's abilities:

Quote:

This unusually heavy scroll consists of a rather long sheet of supple, impossible-to-tear parchment wound between two rods. When the anathema archive is opened, it presents a tangle of runes to the observer. Each time the scroll is unfurled, the runes are in a different order, the contents of the archive shifting according to the user's state of mind and desires each time it is used. The archive itself can be used for two purposes: to cast ancient spells and to divulge lore about hateful secrets and hidden horrors.

When using the anathema archive to cast spells, the user can either simply open it or the user can attempt to force the anathema archive to open to a specific spell from that list or to any arcane spell she knows how to cast. Doing so requires a Spellcraft check (DC = 20 + double spell level)—failure indicates the archive opens to a random spell from this chapter's seven earlier options. Whatever spell the anathema archive is opened to, the user may cast that spell from the scroll as if she were casting a spell from a normal scroll, save that the spell is not consumed from the anathema archive upon being cast.

When used for research, the anathema archive grants a +10 insight bonus into any one Knowledge check associated with sinister or frightening ancient topics (subject to the GM's discretion—sample subjects include evil outsiders, runelords, evil religions, or undead). This allows a character to make the Knowledge skill check untrained.

Each time a character uses the anathema archive, her mind becomes increasingly haunted and unhinged. Upon using the archive, the user must make a Will save (DC = 15 + twice the total number of times the user has used the anathema archive). Failure results in the user taking 1d4 points of Wisdom drain and becoming confused for a number of rounds equal to 1 + the total number of times she has used the artifact.

The anathema archive closes automatically each time it is used, and cannot be opened again for 24 hours by any force.

You can basically conjure up any spell at any time, for free, and cast it.


So, Shocking Grasp at CL 1 ?! (lol ?)
It's a major artifact ! :) it's sure :)


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I think normal scroll means the same rules as any normal scroll you find or make. So the only rules that are not the same as any other scroll are that it isn't used up, you can try to pick the spell, it has a downside to each use, and it's an major artifact. In all other ways think of it as any other scroll.


Dark-Jedi wrote:

So, Shocking Grasp at CL 1 ?! (lol ?)

It's a major artifact ! :) it's sure :)

Or I dunno, you could try and direct it to a spell that you know is useful regardless of being cast from a scroll. Everyone around these part should know that you don't put spells that depend on caster level or saves onto scrolls. This artifact can conjure up any scroll of any spell the user is capable of casting. So, rather than using Shocking Grasp as an example of where this item isn't useful, you should instead think about the fact that it can be used to cast Wish with no cost.


Claxon wrote:
Dark-Jedi wrote:

So, Shocking Grasp at CL 1 ?! (lol ?)

It's a major artifact ! :) it's sure :)
Or I dunno, you could try and direct it to a spell that you know is useful regardless of being cast from a scroll. Everyone around these part should know that you don't put spells that depend on caster level or saves onto scrolls. This artifact can conjure up any scroll of any spell the user is capable of casting. So, rather than using Shocking Grasp as an example of where this item isn't useful, you should instead think about the fact that it can be used to cast Wish with no cost.

yeah... you go ask a wish from a (propable evil) book that makes you increasingly insane the more you use it...

sounds like a plan!


shroudb wrote:

yeah... you go ask a wish from a (propable evil) book that makes you increasingly insane the more you use it...

sounds like a plan!

The book is an artifact, not an intelligent item. It has no personality of its own. It's description doesn't even sound evil.

So...there's absolutely no basis for your suggestion, except for the insane part. It does do that.

Also, the wish is cast by your use of the scroll, which is noted to be as a normal scroll. It should work as well as if you had cast Wish yourself. Which will mostly depend on what you wish for and what kind of GM you have.

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