Paladins and scroll use?

[DumbPaladin]

According to the rules on scrolls (quotes from SRD, although it appears this way in my DMG also), the caster of the scroll must be able to cast read magic or make a Spellcraft check, and meet the following three requirements as well:

-- the spell must "be of the correct type (arcane or divine)"
-- the character must "have the spell on his or her class list", and
-- "the user must have the requisite ability score".

Next: "if the user meets all the requirements noted above, and her caster level is at least equal to the spell’s caster level, she can automatically activate the spell without a check."

Here's my problem: the scrolls are keyed primarily to cleric caster levels, and paladin CLs are 1/2 your paladin level, rounded down. My character has 6 level of paladin and is a Practiced Spellcaster on the paladin side, so his current paladin caster level is 7th.

Does this mean he can cast scrolls that are scribed by a 7th level cleric, or only scrolls scribed by a 7th level paladin? Death ward is a 4th level cleric scroll, usually written by a 7th level cleric (at its minimum) -- and I have read magic due to a level of sorcerer. Can I cast death ward from this arcane scroll? (Death ward does appear on the paladin spell list, and I have the requisite 14 Wisdom.)

Thanks!

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

The spellcraft/read magic is to identify what spell is on the scroll and can be done any time you want before use, and AFAIK you could have someone else do that for you.

If you're a level 6 Paladin with Practiced Spellcaster, your CL is 6, not 7. You can't get more CL than your HD with that feat. Next level, it'd be 7.

If you lack the CL to cast the item, you need to make a check. I'd just go with the CL on the particular item, if you have it, no check, if you don't, roll a check. If you have the ability score for it -- Wisdom, since you're a Paladin -- you're all set on that. Since anything on the Paladin spell list is level 4 or lower, a Wisdom of 14 is enough for anything you can possibly use. You can use the Death Ward, even though it was scribed by a cleric, because it's divine magic and it's on your own spell list, even if the CL and/or spell level don't perfectly match up.

 

[Empirate]

You caster level is the important bit. As it is 7 (6/2+4), you can activate Divine Scrolls with CL 7 and below without incident. Note that Scrolls don't come as "Cleric Scrolls" or "Paladin Scrolls", but as "Divine Scrolls". You can use Divine Scrolls whose CL doesn't exceed 7 without problems or making a check, as long as the spell is on your spell list.
Note that this means anybody could find a Scroll of Lesser Restoration with caster level 2 in a shop, made by a 4th level Paladin. Again a 2nd level Cleric could use that scroll with no problems if his Wisdom was at least 12.

 

[DumbPaladin]

Thanks for that. Helpful info.