D&D 5E Can a Warlock use scrolls?

[Lichemaster]

So if William the Warlock finds a fireball scroll can they cast it?
Or a cleric or druid spell can they cast that spell?

 

[Lancelot]

Yes, as long as the spell is on the character's spell list for their class. Note that some clerics /druids / warlocks get additional spells from class features. So, for example, a light cleric has domain spells that (if I recall correctly) includes fireball. The wording of the Domain Spells ability states that, if these spells don't normally appear on the cleric spell list, they are nonetheless considered cleric spells for this character.

So, a light cleric can use a scroll of fireball. A trickery cleric, not so much.

...

I can't recall if warlocks normally get access to fireball. I suspect that infernal-pact warlocks get it, at least. So, an infernal-pact can certainly use a scroll of fireball.

 

[CapnZapp]

I really dislike this complexity.

Much easier back when you, and the scroll, were either "arcane" or "divine" and that was that.

You a warlock? You can use all arcane scrolls. Done.

 

[Mouseferatu]

How is it complex? It boils down to "If you can cast the spell, you can use the scroll." Seems about as simple as it gets to me...

 

[Li Shenron]

So if William the Warlock finds a fireball scroll can they cast it?
Or a cleric or druid spell can they cast that spell?

In my games, only whoever I want to be able to cast it will be able to cast it

I treat scrolls as any other magic items, which means that no standard is set in stone. There might be a scroll which is usable by everyone, one which is usable by all Wizards, one which is usable by all Good Adbjurer Wizards, and one which is usable only by Gandalf...

 

[CapnZapp]

How is it complex? It boils down to "If you can cast the spell, you can use the scroll." Seems about as simple as it gets to me...

It's actually not.

If I'm the DM, having to check the spell lists of my players' characters to see if they can even use the scroll I'm about to give them is a very unwelcome complication.

Whereas a simple "Does this party include a divine and an arcane caster? Yes, okay so all scrolls are fine!" was perfectly okay before.

 

[Rocksome]

Even in 3/3.5 it mattered if the spell was on your spell list.

 

[Mephista]

It's actually not.

If I'm the DM, having to check the spell lists of my players' characters to see if they can even use the scroll I'm about to give them is a very unwelcome complication.

Whereas a simple "Does this party include a divine and an arcane caster? Yes, okay so all scrolls are fine!" was perfectly okay before.

Then make a house rule. Or give a potion instead of scroll.

 

[Baumi]

Spells and therefore Scrolls are not arcane or divine anymore. This distinction comes only from the Spellcaster itself. A scroll of Cure Wounds is cast as a divine Miracly by a Priest but cast as a Arcane Spellcaster from a Bard.

 

[hafrogman]

Can someone point out to me where the rules say anything about spell lists?
When it came up in my games, the only scroll rules I could find were on DMG 139.
Which basically boils down to: If you can read, you can try to read a scroll. Which was kind of odd, because there's a chart for what happens if you try and fail, but nothing I could see told me how one might fail to cast from a scroll.