So, the scroll master. Linked right here HEY!!! RIGHT HERE!!! CLICK ME!!!!
The archetype looks awesome and flavorful. The visuals of using scrolls as weapons and shields is awesome and interesting. The problem is, the archetype was made for the wizard, who is the ONE GUY who most certainly does NOT want to go into melee range. So this raises the question, was this great idea and archetype wasted on the wrong class? I fee like, if any class should have gotten scrollmaster, it should have been the Magus. The magus is still a caster guy, but he also has the ability to get in close and attack with the best of them.
The other question I have is, if you agree the archetype should have gone to the magus, how would you go about translating it into a Archetype for the Magus?
I would say a typical wizard build is the guy who absolutely does not want to go into melee range. However, it's still possible to build a melee-range wizard and this archetype helps players who want that. Melee touch spells are generally more powerful than ranged ones, and some may want that.
A 1st level wizard with mage armor and a haramaki/armored kilt (which have no spell failure or check penalty) and a 1st level scroll shield has 16 AC, which is decent for 1st level, and their defenses only improve as they unlock additional spells.
It's not a power build by any means, but it can be done.
Improved Scroll Casting was the entire reason I took this prestige class... I actually felt scroll blade and scroll shield were just silly, it just wasn't a flavor I found that interesting. On the one hand, it was completely worth it for that one ability. Improved Scroll Casting is that good.
On the other hand, I was more impressed with Scroll Blade and Scroll Shield than I thought I would be. So... even better.
Since I was playing the classic controller style wizard I had no interest in heading into melee. I primarily used defending with Scroll Blade. Combined with the AC from Scroll Shield,a regular casting of Mage Armor and a pretty high dex, I inadvertently had the highest AC in the group (it wasn't the highest of bars to reach, but still).
Anyway... did I mention how worth it Improved Scroll Casting is?
Apropos of nothing, but a wizard who gets scribe scroll feat can make scrolls for the same amount that he sells them for... so there is no reason to not have all non-liquid funds turned into scrolls. Once you have this ability as well you have access to a very effective array of spells at any time... far more spells than any other class.
Add in hedge magician or spark of creation(both traits in the magic category) and you make the scrolls for 5% cheaper! but still sell at the normal price.
Then grab the nice wand and staff arcane discoveries, and you've got an interesting wizard with a bit more flexibility with his magic items.
Of course the best melee full arcane spellcaster is still the Scarred Witch Doctor IMO, but I like the challenge the scroll master presents (if not necessarily mandating)
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Personally I started working on an "alternate class" of the Magus that prepares scrolls instead of spells (kind of like an Alchemist with potions), and is able to expend his scroll during an attack. Additionally, he gains full scroll level as enchantment bonus and can expend his arcana pool to "recharge" his scrolls.
Personally I started working on an "alternate class" of the Magus that prepares scrolls instead of spells (kind of like an Alchemist with potions), and is able to expend his scroll during an attack. Additionally, he gains full scroll level as enchantment bonus and can expend his arcana pool to "recharge" his scrolls.
Personally don't like the idea of "recharging scrolls". Mechanically speaking it's the same as using the arcane pool to recharge spells but it flies in the face of what scrolls are supposed to be.
Also what would that look like? He uses a scroll, it burns up in the air, and then it just pops back into existence?
Personally I started working on an "alternate class" of the Magus that prepares scrolls instead of spells (kind of like an Alchemist with potions), and is able to expend his scroll during an attack. Additionally, he gains full scroll level as enchantment bonus and can expend his arcana pool to "recharge" his scrolls.Personally don't like the idea of "recharging scrolls". Mechanically speaking it's the same as using the arcane pool to recharge spells but it flies in the face of what scrolls are supposed to be.
Also what would that look like? He uses a scroll, it burns up in the air, and then it just pops back into existence?
Well the way I am flavoring it is that when he uses the scroll the words "burn" off the page, but he can use his spell points to restore the risdual magic on the scroll (which at this point would be a black page).
Well the way I am flavoring it is that when he uses the scroll the words "burn" off the page, but he can use his spell points to restore the risdual magic on the scroll (which at this point would be a black page).Personally I started working on an "alternate class" of the Magus that prepares scrolls instead of spells (kind of like an Alchemist with potions), and is able to expend his scroll during an attack. Additionally, he gains full scroll level as enchantment bonus and can expend his arcana pool to "recharge" his scrolls.Personally don't like the idea of "recharging scrolls". Mechanically speaking it's the same as using the arcane pool to recharge spells but it flies in the face of what scrolls are supposed to be.
Also what would that look like? He uses a scroll, it burns up in the air, and then it just pops back into existence?
I suppose that's fine, although if it were me, I'd opt for something more unique to replace spell recall than... well, spell recall.
One thing you may want to be aware of: if he can re-use scrolls, what's to stop him from buying scrolls for spells not on his spell list, using UMD to "cast" them (which won't be hard) and then eternally re-using them using his arcane pool? Suddenly he has the spell list of every class.
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I'd be very hesitant to make Improved Scroll Casting into an arcana. That ability is good enough that having to "pay" for it by taking the other less good abilities makes sense. It removes one of the few power caps on the wizard - sure you can have a scroll for every occasion, but at least the caster level and save DC stinks. With Improved Scroll Casting that is no longer the case.
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I'd be very hesitant to make Improved Scroll Casting into an arcana. That ability is good enough that having to "pay" for it by taking the other less good abilities makes sense. It removes one of the few power caps on the wizard - sure you can have a scroll for every occasion, but at least the caster level and save DC stinks. With Improved Scroll Casting that is no longer the case.
Make the other Arcana (the one with Scroll Blades and Shields) a prerequisite to it. Problem solved.
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One thing you may want to be aware of: if he can re-use scrolls, what's to stop him from buying scrolls for spells not on his spell list, using UMD to "cast" them (which won't be hard) and then eternally re-using them using his arcane pool? Suddenly he has the spell list of every class.
Well that's incredibly easy to solve. Just make his recharge ability only work on Magus spells.
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Well, magus already has Wand and Rod mastery.
True but that's just spell DC, not also free caster level.
If I were to make it into a magus archetype, here's what I'd do:
I'd make the scroll blade replace the ability to spend arcane points on upgrading weapons.
Scroll shield would replace medium/heavy armor. (This is actually a pretty standard replacement for magus archetypes that gives some defense buff)
Improved scroll casting would probably replace either fighter training or his 9th level arcana.
I'd add in an ability to use scrolls in spell combat, and count a hand holding a scroll as a "free hand."
Melee wizards are not only possible, but potentially extremely powerful.
I imagine the wizard linked above would do EXTREMELY well with said archetype.
. . . Mechanically speaking it's the same as using the arcane pool to recharge spells but it flies in the face of what scrolls are supposed to be.
Also what would that look like? He uses a scroll, it burns up in the air, and then it just pops back into existence?
When I read K177Y C47's discription, I just imagined words/runes levitating from the page and transforming in flight. They could tie up somebody if a hold person/monster spell, glowing then exploding in flame if a burning hands/fireball like spell... the FXs could be limited by your imagination. Then when recharging, the words just appear back on the page, first glowing, then quickly fading to normal script, similar to metal cooling from quenching.
Extra cool points if you keep your scrolls in a levitating metallic binder, hovering about arm level beside you most of the time.
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Potentially, with Step Up or similar, a scroll master could make for an anti-wizard wizard.
You can counterspell with a lot of flexibility or pop up right next to the other wizard and smack him across the face with a rolled-up scroll, telling him that he should've remembered that Dominate Person takes an entire round.
Just don't do the latter if it would get you surrounded.
One thing you may want to be aware of: if he can re-use scrolls, what's to stop him from buying scrolls for spells not on his spell list, using UMD to "cast" them (which won't be hard) and then eternally re-using them using his arcane pool? Suddenly he has the spell list of every class.Well that's incredibly easy to solve. Just make his recharge ability only work on Magus spells.
That fixes that. I'm still not a huge fan of how that's fluffed but to each his own. At least it's balanced.
