So I just read recently that a Wizard can effectively increase his daily spells by scribing scrolls using the free Scribe Scroll feat.
I looked over the rules, and it appears to me that scribing a spell costs one-half of the base cost. So scribing a 1st-level spell would cost 12.5 GP.
Therefore, when a Wizard is first created, let's say he starts with the average of 70 GP. About 7 GP gets spent on basic adventuring gear, and 38 GP on a crossbow and a melee weapon. That leaves 25 GP to scribe 2 scrolls. So in the first adventure, if he has Arcane Bond and a high Intelligence, he can cast a total of 5 first-level spells on that first day.
I understand that the Wizard can only scribe one spell a day. But when the party earns 2000 GP after their first adventure, and if there is downtime afterward, they can allocate 200 GP to the Wizard to scribe spells.
A couple of weeks later, he now has 16 first-level scrolls, plus the 3 he can cast as a 1st-level wizard.
Is there something I'm missing? Because it seems like this runs against the idea of a low-level Wizard having limited spellcasting power.
So I just read recently that a Wizard can effectively increase his daily spells by scribing scrolls using the free Scribe Scroll feat.
He's burning time and money on those scrolls. It's no different from crafting potions, or wands, or any other consumable resource.
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Save the crossbow and use the cantrip attack spells. Lower damage but unlimited ammo. Also buy a cheap melee weapon. If you have to use a melee weapon then you already did something wrong.
Now your basic premise is correct in that the low level wizard can have extra spells. The problem is that the scrolls your scribe might not be useful to the encounters you have. Also if you are in a dungeon you might not get out enough to scribe all the scrolls you would need.
Your DM might not allow weeks for you to scribe all the scrolls you want.
Your DM might not allow weeks for you to scribe all the scrolls you want.
He can still scribe one per day, even while adventuring. A cheap scroll takes 2 hours, he can spend 4 hours per day while adventuring (during lunch, downtime, watch) to get 2 hours of work done, enough for a 0, 1st, or 2nd level scroll per day. (Assuming he has the cash)
The biggest issue is that scrolls don't use your feats for spell DCs and they don't use your caster level.
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.
So a scroll of burning hands by default is caster level 1 with a save DC 11. That scroll always has those properties -- it doesn't get better. You could make a more powerful scroll by upping the caster level or applying a metamagic feat, but it's going to be more expensive.
Magic Items and Metamagic Spells: With the right item creation feat, you can store a metamagic version of a spell in a scroll, potion, or wand. Level limits for potions and wands apply to the spell's higher spell level (after the application of the metamagic feat). A character doesn't need the metamagic feat to activate an item storing a metamagic version of a spell.
Thanks everybody, for the replies.
To be clear on what my question is, I actually am the GM. But I also have a powergamer/rules lawyer who's playing a Wizard and I'm usually on guard about what he does. My concern, I guess you can say, is whether this is "overpowered." Of course, this is a relative term -- a low-level Wizard is kind of supposed to be weak by design.
So I guess the rules envision having ready access to many 1st-level spells, but not so much higher level spells -- the base cost of spells goes up dramatically for spells higher than 1st level.
The biggest issue is that scrolls don't use your feats for spell DCs and they don't use your caster level.
Thanks for this. That eases my worry about him become a 5th-level Wizard with unlimited 5d6 Burning Hands spells.
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He can write the scrolls for his current caster level but he has to pay an increase cost. The formula for calculation the cost of a scroll is spell level x caster level x 12.5. So burning hands at 5th level costs 1x5x12.5=62.5 gp each.
Of course at 5th level if he is close enough to enemies to cast this then he will regret it on their turn.