I had a few questions about scroll crafting.
First, there is the general rule that crafted items require you have the formula. Is this true for scrolls? The rules on crafting a scroll state:
"The process to Craft a scroll is much like that to Craft any other magic item. When you begin the crafting process, choose a spell to put into the scroll. You have to either Cast that Spell during the crafting process, or someone else must do so in your presence. Casting that Spell doesn’t produce its normal effects; instead, the magic is trapped inside the scroll. . . ."
Does casting the spell replace the formula requirement or is it in addition to the formula requirement?
Assuming the later, then what is the utility of the 10th level feat "Scroll Savant"? This feat says:
"During your daily preparations, you can create two temporary scrolls containing arcane spells from your spellbook. These scrolls follow the normal rules for scrolls (page 564), with some additional restrictions. Each scroll must be of a different spell level, and both spell levels must be 2 or more levels lower than your highest-level spell. Any scrolls you create this way become non-magical the next time you make your daily preparations. A temporary scroll has no value."
Does that mean that wizards who use scroll savant have to have the formula and cast the spell to make the scroll? If so, and given that the spell lasts until the next daily preparations, what is the benefit as either way you use the spell slot for the day?
Thanks in advance for your response.
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First, there is the general rule that crafted items require you have the formula. Is this true for scrolls? The rules on crafting a scroll state:
"The process to Craft a scroll is much like that to Craft any other magic item. When you begin the crafting process, choose a spell to put into the scroll. You have to either Cast that Spell during the crafting process, or someone else must do so in your presence. Casting that Spell doesn’t produce its normal effects; instead, the magic is trapped inside the scroll. . . ."
Does casting the spell replace the formula requirement or is it in addition to the formula requirement?
Formula is required for scrolls. The craft a scroll rules only modify requirements after beginning the crafting process, they do not say anything about replacing the requirements to craft in the first place (such as formula).
That said, there seems to be disagreement on the rules/intentions for what formula are exactly required - either a unique formula for every individual spell at every level it can be cast, or just a formula for scrolls of a specific level. My interpretation is that it is the latter due to how the formula section is worded and trying to compare the rules to other item entries.
The formula section says the following under Items of Multiple Types: "If an item has multiple types of different levels, each type has its own formula, and you need the formula for the specific type of item you want to Craft." Note that wording does not separate type and level as different factors that could each require new formula, and instead seems to refer to the bold Type entries listed underneath many items.
Comparing to other items, it is notable that Wands (a very similar spell-in-a-can item) have a generic statblock for "Magic Wand" on p597 of the CRB which lists out types by their spell level and leaves the exact spell contained as something in the description and craft requirements rather than the formula. Similarly, the Potion of Resistance has different Types of lesser, moderate, or greater at different levels, but specifies in the description that each potion is made to protect against one energy type. This happens again with how the Ring of Energy Resistance is formatted.
Assuming the later, then what is the utility of the 10th level feat "Scroll Savant"? This feat says:
"During your daily preparations, you can create two temporary scrolls containing arcane spells from your spellbook. These scrolls follow the normal rules for scrolls (page 564), with some additional restrictions. Each scroll must be of a different spell level, and both spell levels must be 2 or more levels lower than your highest-level spell. Any scrolls you create this way become non-magical the next time you make your daily preparations. A temporary scroll has no value."
Does that mean that wizards who use scroll savant have to have the formula and cast the spell to make the scroll? If so, and given that the spell lasts until the next daily preparations, what is the benefit as either way you use the spell slot for the day? .
I would say no. The specific rules of Scroll Savant don't actually interact with the crafting rules, they replace the creation process entirely with just having you make temporary scrolls directly from your spellbook. This would ignore the normal time, money, formula, and casting requirements associated with crafting - similar to how the Alchemist's Infused Reagents & Advanced Alchemy class features work. As such, the feat would basically just give you extra spells each day, with all the limitations of casting from a scroll added to those extra spells.
The specific rules of Scroll Savant don't actually interact with the crafting rules, they replace the creation process entirely with just having you make temporary scrolls directly from your spellbook.
What do you make of the fact that the feat says: "These scrolls follow the normal rules for scrolls (page 564) . . ." And those normal rules include the crafting rules?
I see it as a reference to how scrolls work to clarify that "temporary scrolls" act as "scrolls" for most purposes, notably how characters interact with and use them, without having to reprint half a page for all the relevant scrolls section rules.
Basically, I'm basing it off the general guideline of "Specific Overrides General," interpreting, "During your daily preparations, you can create two temporary scrolls containing arcane spells from your spellbook" from Scroll Savant as specific rules that come into conflict with the general rules of crafting scrolls, giving precedence to the specific rules in the feat text.
A core principle of Pathfinder is that specific rules override general ones. If two rules conflict, the more specific one takes precedence. If there’s still ambiguity, the GM determines which rule to use. For example, the rules state that when attacking a concealed creature, you must attempt a DC 5 flat check to determine if you hit. Flat checks don’t benefit from modifiers, bonuses, or penalties, but an ability that’s specifically designed to overcome concealment might override and alter this. If a rule doesn’t specify otherwise, default to the general rules presented in this chapter. While some special rules may also state the normal rules to provide context, you should always default to the normal rules even if effects don’t specifically say to.
Additionally, I'd argue that interpreting otherwise would leave the ability non-functional, which would seem like a poor interpretation. The crafting scrolls section references the general crafting rules - which includes things like needing 4 days minimum to craft an item (which would become inert before you finished crafting) and you already brought up the idea of casting a daily spell to get the same daily spell use in a more restricted form (which would actually be worse than the feat doing nothing).