Scribing Scrolls of SLAs


Rules Questions


I did a quick check and couldn't find any clarifying answer to this question, though I suspect it is a very simple answer.

If you possess a spell-like ability and the Scribe Scroll feat, can you create a scroll of that spell? For example, could a Tiefling Wizard scribe a scroll of darkness, since he possesses the darkness SLA?


Quote:

To create a scroll, a character needs a supply of choice writing materials, the cost of which is subsumed in the cost for scribing the scroll: 12.5 gp × the level of the spell × the level of the caster.

All writing implements and materials used to scribe a scroll must be fresh and unused. A character must pay the full cost for scribing each spell scroll no matter how many times she previously has scribed the same spell.

The creator must have prepared the spell to be scribed (or must know the spell, in the case of a sorcerer or bard) and must provide any material component or focus the spell requires. A material component is consumed when she begins writing, but a focus is not. (A focus used in scribing a scroll can be reused.) The act of writing triggers the prepared spell, making it unavailable for casting until the character has rested and regained spells. (That is, that spell slot is expended from the caster's currently prepared spells, just as if it had been cast.)

Scribing a scroll requires 1 day per 1,000 gp of the base price. Although an individual scroll might contain more than one spell, each spell must be scribed as a separate effort, meaning that no more than 1 spell can be scribed in a day.

Item Creation Feat Required: Scribe Scroll.

Skill Used in Creation: Spellcraft, Craft (calligraphy), or Profession (scribe).

To my knowledge nothing specfically overturns this requirement. Not that it's not possible, I just can't think of any FAQ or errata that does so. So no, he can't use his SLA. However, it is only a 2nd level spell which he is able to learn and cast at 3rd level.

Now, if he wanted to make a wondrous item which cast darkness once per day that he could do and use the SLA to supply the required spell component. But unfrotunately scrolls and wondrous items have different requirements. As a note, wands also require being able to actually cast the spell.

Dark Archive

Hmmm I think I agree with you Claxon, but I'm going to play Devil's Advocate here anyway.
"...must know the spell..." is some pretty open ended terminology. It could easily be argued that one does know his SLA's.


Ah, but in the sense he is a wizard. And the rule says he must have it prepared. Not know it.

Of course, now we are just getting pedantic with the rules.


Would this FAQ happen to be useful?


No I don't believe so, unfortunately.

It is only talking about the prerequisite needed to make items.

For example, the Bane weapon enhancement requires the spell Summon Monster 1. If you had Summon Montser 1 as a SLA you could use it to meet that requirement. However, you actually can use the rules that say for every requirement you are missing you can increase the spellcraft check to create the item by 5. It means for bane you could ignore the CL 8 and SM1 requirements by adding 10 to the spellcraft DC to make it.


I'm not aware of any rules that specifically bar it, but SLAs are distinct enough (no components, impossible to spellcraft/counterspell) that it just doesn't make sense to put them on scrolls.


Well, since scribe scroll is listed as an Item creation feat, and the FAQ refers to item creation, even though it lists the flaming sword as an example, then you should be able to use SLAs for scrolls as well.

Technically, you could find a wand of a spell you didn't have (as a wizard), burn a charge to scribe it to a scroll, and then copy it into your spellbook.

Kind of expensive, but in the middle of a dungeon it might be easier than trying to just find a scroll, or if the wand is lower CL than you need later.


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The FAQ is talking about bypassing requirements which come in for non spell completion items which is the activation method for scrolls. For spell completion items, you still must provide the spell and can't bypass that requirement. Since spell-like abilities aren't spells, no you can't use them to satisfy that requirement.


Uwotm8 wrote:
The FAQ is talking about bypassing requirements which come in for non spell completion items which is the activation method for scrolls. For spell completion items, you still must provide the spell and can't bypass that requirement. Since spell-like abilities aren't spells, no you can't use them to satisfy that requirement.

Exactly


Spell-like abilities are not actually spells. They just act "like" a spell for simplicity's sake rather than write up duplicate special ability entries.

Grand Lodge

First, I usually look to class abilities to see what the rules are, since most class abilities break the general rules.

In that, I found the Summoner's Summon Monster ability has this:

Quote:
These summon spells are considered to be part of his spell list for the purposes of spell trigger and spell completion items. In addition, he can expend uses of this ability to fufill the construction requirements of any magic item he creates, so long as he can use this ability to cast the required spell

So that tells me, normally no, however the Summoner can make bane weapons, wands/scrolls of SM, and the horn of valhalla as well as other items that require the SM spells.

Course, with that FAQ response, I now need to re examine that. Seems you could use it with out that line, as well as other SLA.


I'd let you do it, but you have to pay the normal costs for the still, silent, and eschew components metamagic feats that are built into the SLA.


The FAQ doesn't qualify itself to only work on certain Item Creation feats. It says it works on item creation feats. If you want to add words to restrict it to certain ones, then do so, but they aren't there in the actual text.


You're missing the forest for the trees. Spell completion items have always had a hard requirement for the spell component that other types of items have always let you bypass with +5 to the DC. To understand the FAQ you have to understand all the crafting rules. You can't just read it go "I can do whatever I want, yay!" It was simply specifying that you can also use SPAs as regular spells for satisfying the requirement so you don't take the +5 penalty to the DC. It does not remove the hard requirement for spell completion items.

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