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Casting, Wand, Scroll all produce generally the same effect (wand uses its caster level not the users). Potions only affect the drinker.^this so in clasifications of usefulness its scrolls,wands and then potions
Wands would be more useful than scrolls. Both would have the same stats (caster level/duration/number of targets). A wand of a 3rd level spell does cost 11,250gp, but with 50 uses each use only effectively costs 225gp. A scroll of a 3rd level spell is 375gp. Wands are also easier to activate with Use Magic Device.
The only way a scroll is better than a wand is if you only want a few uses, and so don't need the 50-use wand.
A GM can also allow a wand with less than 50 charges.
And you can purchase a scroll with a higher CL to last a few more rounds, in that case it would be slightly better, even though I don't think most fights will last more than 5 rounds and you probably don't want to haste more than 5 people.
A GM can also allow a wand with less than 50 charges.
And you can purchase a scroll with a higher CL to last a few more rounds, in that case it would be slightly better, even though I don't think most fights will last more than 5 rounds.
You can also purchase a wand with a higher caster level, so that doesn't matter. If you have the same number of uses (via multiple scrolls or a wand with few charges), at the same caster level, the wand will still be cheaper.
the scrolls duration is longer
And just how exactly? If the caster level is the same, the duration is the same. And by default, the caster level of both is the minimum CL of 5th, so 5 rounds for both. You can scribe a scroll/enchant a wand with a higher than minmimum caster level (and so a higher than minimum duration), but it costs more.
If anything, the wands duration is higher (for roughly the same cost per use as a scroll). A CL 8 wand of haste would cost 18000gp, or 360gp per use. It would last 8 rounds. A scroll of a 3rd level at the minimum caster level of 5th is 375gp, and would last 5 rounds.
So again, the wand is better unless you only want a few uses.
Volatile Vaporizer of the right level lets you make a Potion or Alchemist Infusion (including but not limited to Haste) work on multiple targets, but it's really expensive for what it does. Alchemical Allocation does this much more cheaply, and also works on Elixirs, and doesn't have the strict 1-to-1 matching level restriction, but doesn't work on Extracts, and everybody except the last creature using the Potion (or Elixir) has to be an Alchemist or Investigator of at least 4th level. (And do you really want to be using a Potion that everybody else has been washing their mouth with? Make sure you have access to Remove Disease in case you come down with Mono or something.)
If we're listing all the differences, wands don't provoke AoOs or concentration checks. And you can use them when below the caster level without a failure chance as long as they're on your spell list.
On the other hand, saving up 11,250gp is hard. And most wizards can scribe scrolls at half price.
a dedicated buffer wizard can have like a caster level of 10 or 11 at level 7 for haste 188 gold for a scroll of haste that can have 11 rounds of potency is alot better than a really expensive wand that does the same and you can make 50 of those scrolls for 9400 gold as oposed to like 20somthing thousand
The caster level of the user means absolutely nothing for scrolls (or any other magic item except for staves). The only way a scrolls gets a longer duration is by being crafted with one, which raises the price accordingly.
You don't get to make a higher level scroll for the same price. The price increases along with the caster level increase. A scroll of haste with a caster level of 11 would cost 825gp (412 to make). 50 of those is 41,250 (20,625 to make), not 9400. You don't get to increase the caster level for free.
A CL 11 wand is 24,750 gp to buy and 12,375 gp. So you can outright buy a CL 11 wand of haste for only 4,125gp more than you can make 50 CL 11 scrolls of haste.
A scroll is a spell (or collection of spells) that has been stored in written form. A spell on a scroll can be used only once. The writing vanishes from the scroll when the spell is activated. Using a scroll is basically like casting a spell. The price of a scroll is equal to the level of the spell × the creator's caster level × 25 gp. If the scroll has a material component cost, it is added to the base price and cost to create. Table: Scrolls gives sample prices for scrolls created at the lowest possible caster level for each spellcasting class. Note that some spells appear at different levels for different casters. The level of such spells depends on the caster scribing the scroll.
You want something more than the lowest possible caster level, you must pay more.
Checking the rules, I had never realized that wands have a limit on the spell level they can hold, but they don't seem to have a CL limit.
In all my years as a GM and a player I never needed to check this, as the only higher CL items that I had to purchase were always highly specific scrolls, but never wands.
Scroll = 25 * CL * SL
Wand = 750 * CL * (SL <= 4)Scrolls provokes when used
Wands have 50 chargesOtherwise they are identical in the hands of generic wizard.
Well, with the exception that wands are very easy to use (you only need the spell on your spell list, even if you aren't capable of casting it yet). Scrolls have a list of requirements that must be met to use the scroll automatically. Though if making the scroll yourself, you would meet the requirements already - scrolls found maybe a different story.
So in addition to being cheaper per use, wands are also easier to use.
I personally have always gravitated to wands, for the reasons already cited. However, I have recently been told (here on these boards) about THE garment for the scroll-caster: Mnemonic Vestments. It changes the equation considerably.
To answer the second part of OP's question, I believe a Potion of Prayer would function as though you had cast the spell, because Haste makes you target additional creatures to be affected, which a Potion wouldn't allow. Prayer simply turns on in a radius around you, which would affect all creatures within (be they allies or enemies), regardless of your ability to target them.
To the ongoing debate, I'd say that in general, a Wand is more useful - it's more cost-efficient, a lower DC (with the exception of 1st level scrolls), doesn't provoke AoO's, isn't subject to arcane spell failure, and its spell effects are identical to a Scroll's spell effects (CL can be raised on either one). The only thing Scrolls have over Wands in general is that they can hold up to 9th level spells, and Wands stop at 6th level.
In more specific cases, it depends on the specific spell. I can't see anyone buying a Wand of Speak with Plants, but in preparation to delve into a deep wilderness area, buying a couple Scrolls of Speak with Plants would be much more economical. On the other hand, no one is going to lug around 50 scrolls of Cure Light Wounds when a Wand is available.
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It can duplicate the effect of a spell of up to 3rd level that has a casting time of less than 1 minute and targets one or more creatures or objects.
Prayer doesn't target one or more creatures, so it can't be made into a potion.
correct. Potions are very strong, but quite limited in which spells can be potions.
To the ongoing debate, I'd say that in general, a Wand is more useful - it's more cost-efficient, a lower DC (with the exception of 1st level scrolls), doesn't provoke AoO's, isn't subject to arcane spell failure, and its spell effects are identical to a Scroll's spell effects (CL can be raised on either one). The only thing Scrolls have over Wands in general is that they can hold up to 9th level spells, and Wands stop at 6th level.
Unless there's been a change (oh, please, please inform me if so), wands only go up to 4th level.
A wand is a thin baton that contains a single spell of 4th level or lower.
To the ongoing debate, I'd say that in general, a Wand is more useful - it's more cost-efficient, a lower DC (with the exception of 1st level scrolls), doesn't provoke AoO's, isn't subject to arcane spell failure, and its spell effects are identical to a Scroll's spell effects (CL can be raised on either one). The only thing Scrolls have over Wands in general is that they can hold up to 9th level spells, and Wands stop at 6th level.Unless there's been a change (oh, please, please inform me if so), wands only go up to 4th level.
A wand is a thin baton that contains a single spell of 4th level or lower.
Woops! Thanks for the correction.
GreySector: That clears that up, cool.
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I personally have always gravitated to wands, for the reasons already cited. However, I have recently been told (here on these boards) about THE garment for the scroll-caster: Mnemonic Vestments. It changes the equation considerably.
For Spontaneous casting scroll users, yes, the Mnemonic Vestments is a fantastic item. Even better if your GM allows you to scribe spells into a spell book as a Sorcerer. They did limit the item somewhat in the errata to Ultimate Equipment, adding the must be worn for 24 hours before it works restriction to stop people from carrying around multiple vestments to get access to multiple spells per day.
The Ring of Spell Storing is also fantastic. Indefinitely (until you learn a new one) learn any in-class spell of 1st level off of a scroll or from a spell book or just from seeing it cast for 1,500 gold. Get the level 2 version, and now you can learn out of class 1st level arcane spells as a 2nd level spell. Ill Omen is great on a Sorcerer. Especially when you're high enough level to Quicken it. Of course it also works great from a wand with UMD.
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You want something more than the lowest possible caster level, you must pay more.
Unless you are using a Wand and you have the Staff-Like Wand Arcane Discovery. This normally requires being an 11th-level Wizard, but VMC Wizard lets you put it on any other class that can get Craft Staff (have to wait until 15th level, though).
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You want something more than the lowest possible caster level, you must pay more.Unless you are using a Wand and you have the Staff-Like Wand Arcane Discovery. This normally requires being an 11th-level Wizard, but VMC Wizard lets you put it on any other class that can get Craft Staff (have to wait until 15th level, though).
Still not something for nothing. In this case, the payment is having to choose the specific discovery instead of something else. So you are still paying more - just not entirely in gold.
A staff is the only item that can get you a free boost. But we aren't talking about staves.
Another big difference: UMD
1st level scroll: DC 21 for minimum CL
2nd level scroll: DC 23 for minimum CL
3rd level scroll: DC 25 for minimum CL
4th level scroll: DC 27 for minimum CL
Any wand: DC 20 for any CL
/cevah
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You want something more than the lowest possible caster level, you must pay more.Unless you are using a Wand and you have the Staff-Like Wand Arcane Discovery. This normally requires being an 11th-level Wizard, but VMC Wizard lets you put it on any other class that can get Craft Staff (have to wait until 15th level, though).
Still not something for nothing. In this case, the payment is having to choose the specific discovery instead of something else. So you are still paying more - just not entirely in gold.
A staff is the only item that can get you a free boost. But we aren't talking about staves.
Not something for nothing, but once you've paid for it, it doesn't add any ongoing cost to the cost of acquiring the Wands you are going to use, unlike acquiring Wands of higher caster level. If you know you are going to need a golf bag of Wands and a few Staves, this could be a pretty good deal.