Casting from Scrolls

[Hypersmurf]

I'm not so sure about that. I thought that was the way it worked to, until I checked the skill again.

That's because it used to work that way, in 3E.

Emulate Spell Ability: DC 20. This use of the skill allows the character to use a magic item as if the character had a particular spell on the character's class spell list. To cast a spell from a scroll or use a wand, the character has to have a particular spell on the character's class spell list. By using the skill this way, the character can use such an item as if the character did have the spell on the character's class spell list. The character's effective caster level is the character's result minus 20. (It's okay to have a caster level of 0.) For wands, it doesn't matter what caster level the character is, but it does matter for scrolls. If the character's effective level is lower than the caster level, the character must roll to see if you use the scroll successfuly.

It doesn't work that way anymore. Instead of a fixed DC, with a variable emulated caster level, you now have a variable DC based on the scroll's caster level.

-Hyp.

 

[Caliban]

That's because it used to work that way, in 3E.

Emulate Spell Ability: DC 20. This use of the skill allows the character to use a magic item as if the character had a particular spell on the character's class spell list. To cast a spell from a scroll or use a wand, the character has to have a particular spell on the character's class spell list. By using the skill this way, the character can use such an item as if the character did have the spell on the character's class spell list. The character's effective caster level is the character's result minus 20. (It's okay to have a caster level of 0.) For wands, it doesn't matter what caster level the character is, but it does matter for scrolls. If the character's effective level is lower than the caster level, the character must roll to see if you use the scroll successfuly.

It doesn't work that way anymore. Instead of a fixed DC, with a variable emulated caster level, you now have a variable DC based on the scroll's caster level.

-Hyp.

Thanks Hyp, I hadn't realized it changed. I thought I had been playing it wrong. Not something I'm used to.

 

[Li Shenron]

It doesn't work that way anymore. Instead of a fixed DC, with a variable emulated caster level, you now have a variable DC based on the scroll's caster level.

Great point! They must have forgotten about mishaps when revising the rule...

Do you think this change now implies that in 3.5 with UMD you either (1) activate perfectly or (2) fail to activate, no mishap & spell is still there?

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I stand corrected. Thank you, Caliban, Hypersmurf.

Great point! They must have forgotten about mishaps when revising the rule...

Do you think this change now implies that in 3.5 with UMD you either (1) activate perfectly or (2) fail to activate, no mishap & spell is still there?

The 3.5 way of doing things has interesting pros and cons.

Pro: If you find, say, a scroll of Meteor Swarm, the Rogue can attempt to use it with no possible downside except the loss of his Action. A mid-level Wizard would not dare attempt to use the scroll at all...

Con: You are less likely to successfully get the scroll to function in combat. If I roll lousy at my caster level (3.0) I still had a pretty good shot of getting the scroll to work correctly -- just like a low level caster.

Overall I like the 3.0 way of doing things better. It gives the Rogue a much better chance of success on the more common scrolls, while exposing him to more risk than a wizard/cleric of similar level.