Scrollmaster and Hardness

[Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether]

The Scrollmaster Wizard archetype http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/wizard/archetypes/paizo---wiza rd-archetypes/scrollmaster) can use scrolls as melee weapons. The can gain an enhancement bonus based on the highest level Wizard spell on the scroll.

Each successful use of a scroll blade (and successful hit to the wizard while using a scroll shield) reduce its hit points by 1. However, an enhancement bonus adds +2 hardness.

Does the hit point loss ignore the hardness?

[Drahliana Moonrunner]

No. The rule specifically says that each strike damages the scrollblade. So that damage bypasses all hardness. People do need to remember the following.

1. The scrollblade does not make the wizard any better a front line fighter than he is normally.

2. And while it's is its most notable feature in the novelty sense, the scrollblade is a pale second to the scrollmaster's true signature ability, being able to use a scroll at his OWN caster level.

[Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether]

Drahliana Moonrunner wrote:

1. The scrollblade does not make the wizard any better a front line fighter than he is normally.

Well, yes and no, at early levels especially, you essentially have really cheap magic weapons available to you almost right away. The wizard's BAB progression is not amazing but the above compensates for it.

The real issue is, his hit points are still sorely lacking, but it's still a slight improvement (also, how is this not a magus archetype?)

I might point out though, that even if you don't plan on melee fighting, there's very little reason to not carry around a scroll shield, since it doesn't interfere with casting.

I'm actually thinking of going Eldrich Knight with this one. It's not at all optimal but the mental image of killing things with paper is too funny and cool to pass up.

[Gurior]

I'm playing a scroll-master in my current campaign.

True, carrying a few 2-nd level scrolls give you an ample supply of +1 short sword (although, you can only allow 1 hit if you want to keep the scroll. 2 hits destroys it.)

If you want, you can try to truly focus on scrollfigthing.
Eldritch knight sounds like a good plan.

To push it further, consider taking variant multiclassing : magus.

it eats up half you feat progression, but allows you to STACK enhancement bonus on your scrolls.

that 8th level scroll is now instantly a +4 reach vorpal short sword. no kidding, you can do that :)

Also, since the scrollmaster's class allows you to treat scrolls as weapon, my DM allowed me to apply Quickdraw to scrolls. Nice bonus.

[Chaucer Navermore]

Gurior wrote:

True, carrying a few 2-nd level scrolls give you an ample supply of +1 short sword (although, you can only allow 1 hit if you want to keep the scroll. 2 hits destroys it.)

If you want, you can try to truly focus on scrollfigthing.
Eldritch knight sounds like a good plan.

To push it further, consider taking variant multiclassing : magus.

it eats up half you feat progression, but allows you to STACK enhancement bonus on your scrolls.

that 8th level scroll is now instantly a +4 reach vorpal short sword. no kidding, you can do that :)

Also, since the scrollmaster's class allows you to treat scrolls as weapon, my DM allowed me to apply Quickdraw to scrolls. Nice bonus.

Well, except that enhancement bonus adds 10 hit points and 2 hardness onto the scroll for each +1. (see: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/damaging-objects#TOC-Magic-Armor- Shields-and-Weapons). My original question was concerning whether the hardness applies to that damage, but even if it doesn't, a 2nd level scroll blade should have 12 hit points.

I'm not familiar with variant multiclassing, how does that work exactly?

[Gurior]

Oh, sorry about that.

I agree 100% with Drahliana. Even after some research I did while preparing my character (like ways to improve scrolls hardness or hitpoints, using other spells or magic items) there is no way to do so.
The class is specifically designed to use fragile scrolls as weapon, and the scrollblade rules supersedes general magic weapon rules.
Short story : a 2nd level scrolls had 0 hardness and 2 hit points. no way to go around that.
Rules even specify that that damage cannot be repaired in any way (although the scroll is still perfectly readable as long as 1 hit point remains)

you can find info about variant multiclassing Here (scroll down a bit)