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After reading what I took to be an excellent thread about what PFS characters should be able to do at various levels, I've been reviewing my own characters to see where they measure up.
One area in which my highest level character (an 8th-level halfling generalist wizard) is deficient- at least so far as the first post in that thread is concerned- is her scroll library.
Early on in her career, I bought a lot of scrolls, mostly magic missile, so she would have something to do most rounds of combat, but with time, I grew more judiciosu with my spell use on a round by round basis (plus she learned more spells), so the purchasing of scrolls slowed to a halt.
Now, reviewing her character sheet, my wizard has no scrolls! I'd like to remedy that. Which wizards spells do you all find it important/essential/expected to have in the form of scrolls?
For that matter which spells do you find it important/essential/expected to have in your spellbooks and/or memorized?
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While tending to your scroll library, don't neglect your potions/oils/wands either. I mention the potions/oils because of the random situations where scroll based completion isn't possible. Example: anointing yourself with an oil of daylight after a troublesome drow has cast darkness in your general area.
I'm also a believer that every spellcaster worth their mana should own 2 spring-loaded wrist sheaths, a handy haversack, and an adventurer's sash.
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Heres a few suggestions, in case you don't prepare any of these regularly:
3rd -
Lightning Bolt (simply for high level fire resistant swarms, ie hellwasp swarms. Keep two?)
Daylight
Tongues
Fly
Water Breathing
2nd -
See Invisible
Invisibility
Resist Energy
Remove Fear
Gust of Wind
Share Language (cheaper, limited version of Tongues, APG)
1st -
Detect Charm (from Andoran companion book)
Comprehend Languages
Touch of the Sea (swim speed, APG)
0th -
Detect Poison
... and of course don't skimp on your supply of divine scrolls to hand to the healer.
You might also want to invest in some sort of metal, waterproof scroll case, to keep your precious scrolls from becoming burnt/soaked.
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You might also want to invest in some sort of metal, waterproof scroll case, to keep your precious scrolls from becoming burnt/soaked.
Heward's Handy Haversack is probably best here. It gets him the scroll he needs without searching and it's rather hard to damage something in an extradimensional pocket.
Thanks all for the advice so far. I already have the haversack and will start adding scrolls with my next chronicle.
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My apologies; Remove Fear is actually a 1st level scroll, and bard/cleric/inquisitor, not wizard/sorcerer Still good to have one around to hand off.
However, I wanted to add Suppress Charms and Compulsions, which IS 2nd level.
The spell description is in the Andoran companion book and here.
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One of the best uses for scrolls, potions and the occassional wand is for spells taht you probably won't need often, but which can spell a major difference when used:
Tongues is a good example for a scroll, while you might want to consider a wand for Endure Elements, since you probably would need it for the whole party, not just yourself.
My character has three wands at present, Cure Light Wounds, Endure Elements, and Protection from Evil (when needed, it can help to hit the whole party with it).
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So I spent some time crawling through spell lists. I don't have every sourcebook, so there may be some obscure ones out there that I missed - I'd love to hear from folks about others on thier list.
Here is my general sorcerer/wizard scroll wishlist.
Yes, really. No matter how smart you are, most are limited to four slots. It has happened a couple of times that no-one in the party prepared Read magic that day, and members of the group have had their wayfinder pickpocketed in the dark. that, and for 12.5g, these are not bad to stick the bottom of a haversack.
Light
Read magic
Message
Air bubble
Alarm
Comprehend languages *
Detect charm
Detect secret doors
Disguise self
Disguise weapon
Endure elements
Enlarge person
Gravity bow
Grease
Infernal healing
Keep watch
Krieghton’s perusal
Liberating command
Magic weapon *
Monkey fish
Obscuring mist
Protection from evil
Sculpt corpse
See alignment
Sleep
True strike
Unseen servant
*These are generally the ones I get sooner.
Bull’s strength
Cat’s grace
Command undead
Continual flame
Darkness
Darkvision
Detect thoughts
Disguise other
Glitterdust *
Invisibility
Knock
Protection from evil/communal *
Resist energy
See invisibility
Share language
Share memory
Suppress charms and Compulsions *
I cannot overstate how much of an @$$-saver Suppress Charms has been. When that big beefy low-will save barbarian has gone over to the other side...
Darkvision, communal
Disable contruct *
Dispel magic *
Fly *
Haste
Hold person
Invisibility sphere
Keen edge
Mad monkeys - because everything is better with monkeys!
Resist energy/ communal
Tongues
Water breathing
Now we are starting to get into some real money, so the lists get shorter. Still, I think there are a few essentials.
Dimensional anchor
Globe of invulnerability, lesser
Scrying
Stone shape
Suppress primal magic
True form
Remove curse *
Break enchantment
Dismissal
Teleport
Wall of force
Transmute rock to mud
Antimagic shell
Stone to flesh
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Just to add some to the excellent list that mellowgoth made (As a note, all these additions are save for Fickle Winds):
Level 1:
Expeditious Retreat
Identify
Level 2:
Gust of Wind
Spider Climb
Level 3:
Halt Undead (No save for unintelligent undead, and a rare chance to say "I coup-de-grace the undead")
Magic Circle against X
Wind Wall
Level 4:
Resilient Sphere (Can be used to save someone's life!)
Level 5:
Fickle Winds
True Seeing (Priced as a cleric spell so it is technically level 5 and CL 9 for casting purposes)
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I tend to get a healing wand (Cure Light Wounds or Infernal Healing) on every PC, whether they can cast it or not. For spellcasters, I'll get wands of Protection from Evil, Comprehend Languages, and Endure Elements, if they can cast them, since those come up so often.
Beyond that, just look for utility spells. Most of what's been posted above is good. Glitterdust is good for highlighting invisible enemies for your allies, after using See Invisibility to spot them. Air Bubble is good in case you go swimming, Spider Climb and/or Levitate are good at low levels for reaching high places, but replace with Fly later. Obscuring Mist and Expeditious Retreat are both good for getting away if a fight goes bad.
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Unmentioned ones: (Namely: Cleric scrolls)
Anti-Incorporeal Shell: Self-explanatory. No save. 7 minutes of not getting hit by Shadows for 700g.
Nap Stack: A little pricey, but sometimes, a 2-hour rest is plausible inside a dungeon.
Status: Cast it on the scout, and when his condition changes from 'unharmed' to anything else, D-Door the party to his location.
Venture-Lieutenant, Netherlands—Leiden
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I like to carry a scroll of Command Undead. If I should run into any impressive mindless undead, they are mine.
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I'm also a believer that every spellcaster worth their mana should own 2 spring-loaded wrist sheaths, a handy haversack, and an adventurer's sash.
I am sorry I am not worth my mana. I do not even own two of those books.
Having an arcane bonded item effectively puts every spell in a wizard's book into a 'consumable'. In this case I prefer putting the scrolls into my book, especially the lower level spells (& also makes them great trade fodder :). I also leave a spell slot open of my lower level spells, to gain the (non-combat) spell of choice when the need arises.
I do recommend getting a scroll one spell level higher than you can cast. Doesn't matter which one (though I prefer the communal or mass spells myself), but the caster level/spell level is an impressive advantage over your current selection. 'Tis probably within your caster-level-check reach and if you don't use it, you can add it to your book later.
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Thanks for these ideas, they're great.
I usually use prestige points to buy 2nd- and 3rd-level spell scrolls. You can get 5 castings of a single 2nd-level spell or 2 castings of a single 3rd-level spell on a scroll for 2 PP.
This is especially useful for spells that you will likely need more than once in your Pathfinding career.
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Sleep: By this point, the HD limit is probably too small to affect anything you're fighting.
Hold Person: How many creatures are you going to run into likely to fail a DC 13 Will save at your level? Probably not enough to justify the action.
Suppress Primal Magic: How many PFS scenarios have wandered into the Mana Wastes?Suppress Charms and Compulsions: Seconding this so hard.
Heart of the Metal: Grab a scroll of this, set to Adamantine. 475 gp, but your party will love you if you run into golems.
Thanks for the feedback, shaventalz.
Let me respond to a couple:
Sleep and Hold Person - I've had a few scenarios recently where we needed an NPC alive. The fighter is looking at me with "Don't we have any options other than me bashing him on the head for nonlethal?"
Primal Magic - I'm going to skip spoilers for the moment, but its in more than the Mana Wastes. And wow, we really could have used this.
Not familiar with Heart of the Metal - Thank you, I'll look this one up.
As always, your mileage may vary. I don't have a wizard with everything on this list (yet), and there is always room to learn.
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Finally got to my scroll list from my Sorcerer. I'd add:
Monkey Fish is a great spell from mellowgoth's list, and its release did make it immediately one of the more versatile situational spells. Touch of the Sea is best in a potion sponge, for when you're unexpectedly underwater and can't read a scroll. It still has use off a scroll, though, since unlike Monkey Fish, you can cast it on someone else. The same for Spider Climb.
EDIT: The Monstrous Physique spells for similar reasons to Alter Self, only they allow access to even more special abilities and movement types.
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Why couldn't you read a scroll underwater? Sure it will get pretty soggy but you werent going to reuse the parchment anyway.
You would need a DC15+spell level concentration check.
You're correct. I was thinking the check was harder. Still might be useful to have the potion, at least at low levels when the concentration check might be in doubt. Also, depending on how murky the water is the, seeing the scroll might be an issue for some characters. I can think of at least one scenario which combines water and (edit) a total darkness (-like effect), even for those with Darkvision. Though it's relatively still water, so not a hard swim check.
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It depends on what you mean by negate. Sadly, for PFS, I think a Continual Flame scroll would be based on the Wizard spell list and only a 2nd level spell. So it wouldn't have any effect on Deeper Darkness. It wouldn't have any effect when overlapping with regular Darkness, for that matter. It would take a Cleric casting Continual Flame for it to overcome Darkness, and a Heightened Continual Flame to overcome Deeper Darkness. A Continual Flame scroll could counter Darkness, but you'd have to be able to touch whatever the Darkness is cast on. It cannot counter Deeper Darkness (unless it's cast by a Cleric in a prepared slot or heightened).
I still have to read back over the light/dark blog before running something that's likely to involve Darkness or Deeper Darkness and make sure I get it right.
From the Blog:
OK, we can do light, and we can do darkness. But what if the two of them meet? There's quite a few interactions, including a special exception for the spell daylight, so first let's focus on the basic interactions. From the descriptors and the spells themselves, we glean the following facts: Spells with the light descriptor only raise the light level within an area of a darkness descriptor spell if they are higher level than the darkness descriptor spell. Apparently also, darkness spells can counter or dispel light spells of equal or lower level (and light spells can do the same to darkness spells). So what does that mean?
4. I Counter Your Counter!
There are many ways to misinterpret the "counter or dispel" text for light and darkness spells. Here's how that particular rule actually works. To counter a spell of the opposing descriptor, you ready an action just like any other counterspell. Just as normal for counterspell, the target of the spell must be within range (which, without Reach Spell metamagic, is touch for most light and darkness spells). If the target is in range, you automatically counter the opposing spell and it has no effect, just like always for counterspell. To dispel, you simply cast your spell on the same target (just like with enlarge person and reduce person) and then they cancel each other out, leaving no spell. Again, the range is usually touch and the target is the object that radiates the darkness or light; you can't just touch an arbitrary spot within the darkness or light.
[EDIT: Added more to the quote, as it's relevant.]
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Right - Continual Flame would have to be either readied as a counterspell or used directly on the target to get rid of Deeper Darkness. If you run into something that spams Deeper Darkness, you almost need a full Daylight spell, with its special negating clause.
as both have a range of touch, it might be hard to use it as a counter - or at least it might be better to "counterspell" with an AOO.
For Darkness, I've found the better counter is unwelcome halo, maybe in a potion form (if you have a neutral alignment)... and as a 1st level spell it's cheap enough to buy early.
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Yes, having many scrolls are very useful. Too bad I didn't decide to go scrollmaster wizard for this character. But the Pathfinder Savant helps alot at its level 3 ability. Being able to cast any spell at your caster level is very useful. I tend to focus more on buffs and utility spells on scrolls, or spells that deal damage by caster level and with no DC, like Magic Missile!
Another thing that is useful for scrolls, is taking the cypher scroll feat, it lets you cast any scrolls at +1 its level. And being a half-elf has its perks too. >.>
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Looking at my ITS here are some slightly obscure arcane scrolls that might be of interest...
Riffle Scroll of Communal Resist (to get CL 7 for the 20 resist)
Sleet Storm (For when you absolutely have to make sure that nobody can move or target anything)
Command Undead (No Save for non-intelligent undead)
Invisibility Sphere (aka how to sneak the full plate around)
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So, I rarely play divine casters, but I rooted around in the Cleric/Oracle list for a while and came up with this list:
Create Water
Purify Food and Drink
Stabilize
Air Bubble
Bless
Comprehend Languages
Cure Light Wounds
Detect Evil
Detect Charm
Detect Undead
Diagnose Disease
Endure Elements
Hide from Undead
Liberating Command
Know the Enemy
Obscuring Mist
Protection from Evil
Remove Fear
Sanctify Corpse
Admonishing Ray
Ancestral Communication
Calm Emotions
Consecrate
Delay Disease
Delay Poison
Find Traps
Gentle Repose
Ghostbane Dirge
Hold Person
Make Whole
Protection from Outsiders
Remove Paralysis
Lesser Restoration
Share Language
Silence
Zone of Truth
(OIL of Daylight)
Dispel Magic
Invisibility Purge
Remove Blind/Deaf
Remove Curse
Remove Disease
Speak with Dead
Water Breathing
Death Ward
Freedom of Movement
Restoration
Speak with Haunt
Dismissal
Neutralize Poison
Break Enchantment
Breath of Life
True Seeing
LEt me know what I missed!
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My ratfolk counterfeit mage runs around with scrolls, mainly staples like fireball, lightning bolt, haste, disintegrate, teleport, and anything else that sounds fun. Right now I've got a +21 UMD for scrolls, and in another level or so I'll be able to auto-activate any arcane scroll 6th level or lower. So, this thread is definitely relevant to my interests.
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Liberating Command is an immediate action spell, so it doesn't work as a scroll.
- Good To know - Never really thought about that.
Some of your choices, like Zone of Truth and Dispel Magic, rely on caster level or casting stat too much, so they're not as good on scrolls as they would be if you cast it yourself.Other than that, pretty good list.
A scroll-level Dispel magic isn't ideal, agreed, but I've been glad I've had it handy on more than one occasion.
Thanks for the feedback, Fromper!
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Level 3:
Accept Affliction
Level 4:
Anti-Incorporeal Shell
Air Walk
Summon Accuser (If you're a neutral cleric of a non-good god)
EDIT: And maybe 5th Level: Cleanse, though this might look like a better spell than it actually is, since most of the worst conditions it can cure preclude either casting or reading a scroll.
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Liberating command still isn't bad as a standard action sometimes. It scales with level even without the spell scaling with level
Since it is based on the caster's level, and scrolls are minimum caster level, I would think a scroll of it would be practically worthless, since it would be CL1, so +2 to an Escape Artist check.
Maybe for a Rogue?