Casting From A Scroll In Combat - Walk Me Through It

[MarkB]

The Wand Bracelet from Magic Item Compendium would let you store a scroll and retrieve it as a swift action, but doing so still provokes an AoO.

 

[frankthedm]

Retrieve scroll- Move action that draws an AoO

Activate the scroll- Standard action that draws an AoO
1. Be able to read the scroll. Invisibility will screw you here
2. Have already deciphered the scroll. If you were only told what spell it is and failed to use Read magic or Spellcraft beforehand, you are SOL
3. Be the correct type of caster for the scroll, Arcane or Divine and have the spell on your spell list and have the need ability score.
4. Perform the finishing parts of the spellcasting (the final gestures, words, and so on) & figure out how you are performing the somatic components while the scroll is still in hand.
5. Check arcane failure rate if the spell has a somatic component and is arcane.
6. If you are weaker than the scriber, Roll your level check.
7. Wisdom check DC5 to avoid mishap if the level check fails.
8. Resolve the spell or mishap
9. Do as you wish with your blank page or remaining spells on the scroll.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Activate the scroll- Standard action that draws an AoO

Are you saying that you can't cast a scroll on the defensive to avoid the AoO?

Olaf the Stout

 

[frankthedm]

Are you saying that you can't cast a scroll on the defensive to avoid the AoO?

Olaf the Stout

Where did i say that? That subject has been brought up already.

Activating a spell completion item is a standard action and provokes attacks of opportunity exactly as casting a spell does.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Where did i say that? That subject has been brought up already.

Activating a spell completion item is a standard action and provokes attacks of opportunity exactly as casting a spell does.

Sorry Frank, I was asking you not telling. I only asked because you lay everything else out in great step-by-step detail but didn't mention about whether or not you could cast on the defensive to avoid the AoO.

Side Note: I know that some people can get a bit confrontational at times here on the rules forum but I'm (generally) not one of them. Most of the time I'm here to find an answer to a question I have, not prove an answer I have already decided is the correct one.

 

[frankthedm]

Sorry Frank, I was asking you not telling. I only asked because you lay everything else out in great step-by-step detail but didn't mention about whether or not you could cast on the defensive to avoid the AoO.

Forgot to include it.

Side Note: I know that some people can get a bit confrontational at times here on the rules forum but I'm (generally) not one of them. Most of the time I'm here to find an answer to a question I have, not prove an answer I have already decided is the correct one.

I go overboard sometimes. A Bad habit of mine.

 

[Twowolves]

Yay! Civility wins the day! In the rules forum, no less




Now I can go back to looking for the other six signs of the apocalypse....

 

[isoChron]

FRCS has the scroll organizer, 15 scrolls in a leather belt similar to a rollable toolcase. But in the description is nowhere mentioned that it is a free action to draw a scroll from that item. It is just said that you can read the scroll title even if it is slipped into a pocket.

The potionbelt was the thing that let you draw a potion as free action, but that doesn't help here.

 

[Bagpuss]

Here is how I think it works:

1. Retrieve scroll from scroll case/pocket/bag/whatever (counts as retrieving a stored item) - Move action that draws an AoO
2. Cast spell from scroll - Standard action that draws an AoO

Funny I thought it went.

1a. Retrieve scroll from scroll case/pocket/bag/whatever (counts as retrieving a stored item) - Move action that draws an AoO.
1b. Opponent uses AoO to sunder scroll.
2. There is no step 2.

 

[Roger]

The casting time issue is addressed in the official Main D&D rules FAQ, on pg 43:
(http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20070523a)

How long does it take to activate a scroll with an identify
spell on it? How about a scroll with any of the summon
monster spells or a wand of summon monster?

Activating any magic item is a standard action, unless the
item duplicates a spell effect that has a longer casting time or
unless the item description specifies a different casting time.
The sections on spell completion and spell trigger items should
include the caveat that activating the item takes as long as
casting the stored spell would take. Thus, it takes 1 hour to
activate a scroll with an identify spell on it. A scroll or a wand
with any of the summon monster spells in it takes a full round
to activate, just as casting a summon monster spell does.
A command word item takes a standard action to activate,
no matter what the casting time of the spell it duplicates. In
general, command word items don’t duplicate spells with long
casting times.



Cheers,
Roger