Can you use a scroll in elemental form?

[Mandar.]

Hi!

Can an elemental use a scroll?
Can a druid wildshaped into an elemental use a scroll (provided he picked it up after changing his shape)?
Is it the same answer for wands? or staves?
Why or why not?

Thanks!

[lemeres]

Well, a quick look at the elemental subtype shows that a humanoid-shaped elemental gain weapon profinciencies. While wildshape, as with all transmutation, does not grant the subtype, it is still a fairly good indication that they can in fact have hands that can be used normally.

Also, elementals all use at least one language, so that seems to indicate that they can all also speak somewhat normally as well.

So overall, as a general assumption, I would lean towards the idea that, yes, they can use items normally. That is, if it is not absorbed inside of you (you might have to drop it before wildshaping, but then pick it up and use it per normal).

Although...there are a few reasonable exceptions. I mean, I would not try this as a fire elemental. You know, with all that "having hands literally made of fire" and all, which I do believe tends to hamper the use of parchment.

[williamoak]

Hard to say... theoretica,,y, a fire elemental would burn up the scroll, a wind elelmental... has questionable "materialness", a water elelmental would soak it...
Now, there is no clear rules answer, so I would fit this under GM calls.

[Mandar.]

Thanks guys! I wondered whether being able to cast spells was enough to use such items. I ask this as a potential player but also for games I GM.

In most modules I've read, air elementals can be hit just fine with regular weapons, they're not incorporeal. So there would be nothing - theoretically - preventing them from reading a scroll. I would make such an exception for an earth elemental too. I get the complications for fire and water elementals though.

[Hlynrian]

Everything you are carrying morphs into your new form so the scroll would have to be dropped first, or sourced from another PC or NPC.

[Mandar.]

Yes. There's also this item: Polymorphic Pouch.

[lastblacknight]

I hadn't considered a Fire elementals touch (or burn), so unprotected items of paper might burn.

but for the others Elementals, yes. They all have a substantial form.

[Taenia]

"A fire elemental deals fire damage in addition to damage dealt on a successful hit in melee."

You could argue since they lack a damage shield or burn everything they touch ability that they handle objects just fine, just what they hit in melee starts to burn. RAW it should work, RAI hard to imagine a creature made of living fire handling anything made of paper successfully.

[maouse]

However, keep in mind that scrolls are magic items and immune to normal fire, right? So an elemental's fire wouldn't harm it... Wind form would be fine - and water could just hold the edges (and scrolls found in underwater chests don't get "wet" either). So I would say absolutely plausible to do this.