Scrolls

Like potions, scrolls are fairly easy to manufacture and are also accessible to characters of moderate level. Scrolls come in two varieties: spell scrolls and protection scrolls. Spell scrolls are exactly what the name implies—scrolls that store spells that can be cast simply by being read. Protection scrolls are special single-use magical items that provide defense against a number of threats.

While any character may read a protection scroll without the benefit of a read magic spell, wizard spells cannot be cast from a scroll or transcribed into a spell book until a read magic spell or effect has been employed by the reader. This can be done at the time of the scroll’s use, or the reader can prepare ahead of time by using read magic in advance; once magically read, a scroll remains intelligible for the character who reads it. Note that only wizards, thieves, and bards may read wizard spells from spell scrolls; thieves and bards can bypass the normal requirement to read magic by using their special class abilities.

Priest spells do not require a read magic spell in order to be used from a scroll. Priests, thieves, and bards may read priest spells from spell scrolls.

Low-level wizards and priests may be able to read spells from scrolls that are normally beyond their abilities; even a 1st-level wizard has a chance to pronounce the incantation for a fireball or lightning bolt correctly. Refer to Scrolls, in Appendix 3 of the Dungeon Master ® Guide.

Level Requirements: Wizards may create scrolls when they reach 9th level. Priests may scribe scrolls when they reach 7th level. Any spell the character knows (or has access to, in the case of a priest) can be placed on a scroll, or the character may attempt to create a protection scroll.

Geometers (specialists in the wizard school of geometry) have a special ability to create spell scrolls beginning at 4th level and protection scrolls at 7th level. When a geometer reaches 9th level, he may instead use the normal scroll creation process if he so desires.

Facilities: Wizards require access to any kind of laboratory (alchemical, forge, or research) in order to blend the ink for the scroll, although this is a fairly simple task given the right ingredients. Priests can blend the ink in any reasonable work area, but then must have access to a consecrated altar in order to actually scribe the scroll.

Research: There is no research required for spell scrolls or for protection scrolls that mirror spells available to the character. For example, if a wizard knows how to cast antimagic shell, he can write a scroll of protection from magic without performing any kind of research. If the scroll has no spell equivalent known to the character, he must research the scroll using the normal spell research rules. To figure out a scrolls’s effective spell level, divide the experience point value by 500 and then add 2 (Level = XP/500+2). For example, scrolls worth 1,000 experience points are considered 4th-level spells;

Protection scrolls that have spell equivalents include the following scrolls:

Scroll	Equivalent
Protection from elementals	dismissal
Protection from magic	antimagic shell
Protection from petrification	stone to flesh
Protection from plants	antiplant shell
Protection from poison	neutralize poison
Protection from possession	dispel evil
Protection from undead	control undead
Protection from water	airy water

Processes and Materials: Scrolls require three components: some form of paper, a specially-blended ink, and a unique quill. Common paper, parchment, or papyrus may be used to create the scroll; paper provides a +5% bonus to the success roll, while papyrus inflicts a –5% penalty. All scrolls require a rare quill of some kind.

Ink for spells of 1st to 3rd level requires a rare ingredient; ink for spells of 4th to 6th level requires an exotic ingredient; and ink for spells of 7th to 9th level requires a rare and an exotic ingredient. (Use the spell level equivalents noted above for protection scrolls.)

Geometers have the special advantage of requiring nothing except common paper or parchment and a rare quill (which can only be used once); the ink is not important for the geometer’s scrolls.

Cost and Time: Inscribing a spell onto a scroll takes one day per spell level, while creating a protection scroll takes one full week of uninterrupted work. The only cost incurred is that of obtaining the required materials.

Geometers have the same time requirements, but must pay 100 gp per spell level for their materials for spell scrolls, or 300 to 1,800 gp (3d6x100) for protection scrolls.

Success or Failure: The base chance to successfully create a scroll is 80%, +1% per character level, –1% per spell level (or equivalent spell level, in the case of protection scrolls). If the character fails the success check, the spell he is currently inscribing fails, and he may not add any more spells to that scroll, but any spells previously placed on the scroll remain intact and may still be used.

The DM should make the check in secret, since a natural 96 or higher on the success check creates a cursed scroll. The creator of the scroll has no idea that his work is flawed until he tries to use that particular spell.

Geometers use a learn spells check instead of the normal success check if they produce the scroll without any magical ingredients or processes. If a geometer creates a scroll using the usual methods described above, he gains a +5% bonus to his success check due to his familiarity with scrolls.

Milana, an 8th-level priestess, decides to create a scroll of protection from poison, since she and her fellow adventurers intend to go wyvern-hunting. Because Milana is capable of casting the spell neutralize poison, she does not need to do any research. Because the spell equivalent is 4th level, the scroll requires an exotic material for the ink. The DM decides that the ink must include nightshade harvested during the dark of the moon, so Milana spends a week or more locating the deadly mushrooms and waiting for the proper time to collect them. The quill must be a feather steeped in the venom of an adder, and Milana attends to that as well. Fortunately, her temple is near a good-sized town, and she can easily procure paper.

After gathering the necessary materials, Milana blends the ink (no cost or time) and begins scribing scroll of protection from poison. This requires one full week, at no particular cost—although the patriarch of her temple suggests that an offering for the use of the altar would be appreciated. Milana’s chance of success is 80%, +8% for her level, –4% for the equivalent level of the scroll. The use of paper gives her a +5% bonus, for a total of 89%. Milana passes the check easily, and finishes her scroll.

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