Are two free hands req'd for scroll use?

[Plane Sailing]

The very 1st spell I checked in the SRD

Hallow
Evocation [Good]
Level: Clr 5, Drd 5
Components: V, S, M, DF


Requires all the types of components. So how would that be handled, technically?

take a look at the casting time for Hallow.

Assume that casting the spell requires a fair amount of wandering around the area, chanting, making guestures with bare hands, gestures with material components which are sprinkled, swinging around the divine focus etc.

In a less specific example, it is fair to assume that where S and M components are both required, the S component includes the presentation of the M component (taking it out and flinging the little tarts at an opponent with the little finger cocked just -so- perhaps?)

Cheers

 

[Zimbel16]

The very 1st spell I checked in the SRD

Hallow
Evocation [Good]
Level: Clr 5, Drd 5
Components: V, S, M, DF


Requires all the types of components. So how would that be handled, technically?

There is no requriement that the Divine Focus needs a hand.
I also see no requirement for a scroll or a material component to consume a hand, although I concur that a somatic component does.

On the other hand, it requires a hand to get the scroll out, and at least one hand to open it, so I can see the argument for two free hands neeed (for scrolls with spells with Somatic components).

Frankly, I don't think that it matters much, as long as your DM is consistant.

 

[Malum]

We (our group) as a rule improvise often and one such improvisation is a Cleric with the interior of his shield made to accommodate 1 or 2 scrolls depending on size of scroll that pull down much like a window shade and hook at the bottom to stay open and to offer a flat reading surface. A wizard with arm bands containing a pull out etc. T

Malum

 

[irdeggman]

There is no requriement that the Divine Focus needs a hand.

Although use of a focus requires it to be manipulated does it not (see above quote)? Same as material components.

 

[irdeggman]

I also see no requirement for a scroll or a material component to consume a hand, although I concur that a somatic component does.

On the other hand, it requires a hand to get the scroll out, and at least one hand to open it, so I can see the argument for two free hands neeed (for scrolls with spells with Somatic components).

I think what people are saying is that it requires reading a scroll. So if it can be propped open or someone else can hod the caster is able to "read it" - if the caster is on his own then it has to be opened and read somehow. The most obvious method is to use 2 hands (as in pretty much any pictoral representation of a caster using a scroll). But this specific method is not required.

 

[lukelightning]

I made a gnome wizard who kept a scroll in a special case wrapped around his staff. When he needs to cast it he just pulls a tab and it unrolls.

 

[Hypersmurf]

There is no requriement that the Divine Focus needs a hand.
I also see no requirement for a scroll or a material component to consume a hand, although I concur that a somatic component does.

Aside from the manipulation problem, note that if you're casting while grappled, your M/F components explicitly must be in hand.

-Hyp.

 

[Presto2112]

Side question (ignore the scoll use part).

Technically how many hands free does a caster need in order to cast a spell with a somatic, material and a focus spell component?



It looks like that would be 3. I personally rule that a spellcaster needs a single free hand in order to perform all three - wiht any manipulation of material or focus components as being part of the somatic ones for that spell. Pretty much anything else just doesn't seem to make sense, especially since most characters only have 2 hands to work with.

In the case of a spell having S, M, and F components, a reasonable DM would rule that the somatic compnent involves somehow manipulating the material component and / or the focus. Crushing the material component, waving the focus about, etc.

 

[Bad Paper]

I am pretty sure that there's a rule that says (or said, in a previous edition) that the caster must be touching the scroll in order to activate it. Thus, no mage hand or anything like that. Am I correct in this?

 

[Zimbel16]

I am pretty sure that there's a rule that says (or said, in a previous edition) that the caster must be touching the scroll in order to activate it. Thus, no mage hand or anything like that. Am I correct in this?

Not in 3.5

Activate the Spell

Activating a scroll requires reading the spell from the scroll. The character must be able to see and read the writing on the scroll. Activating a scroll spell requires no material components or focus. (The creator of the scroll provided these when scribing the scroll.) Note that some spells are effective only when cast on an item or items. In such a case, the scroll user must provide the item when activating the spell. Activating a scroll spell is subject to disruption just as casting a normally prepared spell would be. Using a scroll is like casting a spell for purposes of arcane spell failure chance.

To have any chance of activating a scroll spell, the scroll user must meet the following requirements.

* The spell must be of the correct type (arcane or divine). Arcane spellcasters (wizards, sorcerers, and bards) can only use scrolls containing arcane spells, and divine spellcasters (clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers) can only use scrolls containing divine spells. (The type of scroll a character creates is also determined by his or her class.)
* The user must have the spell on his or her class list.
* The user must have the requisite ability score.

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. If she meets all three requirements but her own caster level is lower than the scroll spell’s caster level, then she has to make a caster level check (DC = scroll’s caster level + 1) to cast the spell successfully. If she fails, she must make a DC 5 Wisdom check to avoid a mishap (see Scroll Mishaps, below). A natural roll of 1 always fails, whatever the modifiers.