Reading higher level scrolls - how?

[Griffith Dragonlake]

In older editions of D&D, a spellcaster could attempt to read a scroll of a spell higher level than normally castable. The chance of success or failure was dependent on how many levels of difference there were between the minimum caster level for the scroll and the actual level of the caster.

How is this handled in 3.5 today?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Much the same. You'll find the relevant rules under, oddly enough, 'Scrolls'.

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.

-Hyp.

 

[FireLance]

An interesting implication of the rules is that characters that have the spell on their spell list and have a high enough caster level can cast a spell from a scroll with no chance of failure even if they are not high enough level to cast the spell themselves.

For example: a 3rd-level sorcerer can cast 2nd-level sorcerer/wizard spells (scribed at a caster level of 3rd) from scrolls with no chance of failure even though he cannot cast 2nd-level spells himself.

 

[Kwitchit]

An interesting implication of the rules is that characters that have the spell on their spell list and have a high enough caster level can cast a spell from a scroll with no chance of failure even if they are not high enough level to cast the spell themselves.

For example: a 3rd-level sorcerer can cast 2nd-level sorcerer/wizard spells (scribed at a caster level of 3rd) from scrolls with no chance of failure even though he cannot cast 2nd-level spells himself.

Another use for Practised Spellcaster- boosting caster level so you can cast the spells from scrolls that you would have been able to cast had you not lost spellcasting levels.

 

[Griffith Dragonlake]

Much the same. You'll find the relevant rules under, oddly enough, 'Scrolls'.

Thanks. It's there in the SRD as well. I guess I'm still in the AD&D frame of mind expecting to find the rules at the beginning of the magic item section rather than in the scroll.

 

[Ruslanchik]

An interesting implication of the rules is that characters that have the spell on their spell list and have a high enough caster level can cast a spell from a scroll with no chance of failure even if they are not high enough level to cast the spell themselves.

For example: a 3rd-level sorcerer can cast 2nd-level sorcerer/wizard spells (scribed at a caster level of 3rd) from scrolls with no chance of failure even though he cannot cast 2nd-level spells himself.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I read this differently: Scrolls aren't scribed at a certain level (as potions are created at a certain cater level). The level-dependent features of a spell cast from a scroll are determined based on the caster level of the person reading the scroll, not the person who scribed it. So, even though a 3rd level wizard can scribe a 2nd level spell, a 3rd level sorcerer cannot read the scroll without a check because he cannot cast 2nd level spells.

Similarly, though divine scrolls are priced based on the level of the spell in the cleric spell list, a druid could not cast Cure Moderate Wounds from a scroll without a check until s/he is 5th level, right?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I read this differently: Scrolls aren't scribed at a certain level (as potions are created at a certain cater level).

You're wrong; scrolls are scribed at a certain caster level. A 3rd level druid can use a divine scroll of Cure Moderate Wounds (scribed at caster level 3) with no chance of failure.

Note lines like "Prices assume that the scroll was made at the minimum caster level", "DC = scroll’s caster level + 1", and "The base price of a scroll is its spell level x its caster level x 25 gp".

All magic items have a caster level - in the Core rules, the only item that allows you to use your caster level in place of the item's caster level is a staff.

-Hyp.

 

[Slapzilla]

When a scroll is made (or a potion or a wand) all decisions about casting the spell are made at scribing. A 10th level Wiz can make a scroll of Magic Missile but set at first level as per the description for the spell. It then would be a 1st level scroll. He/she could also set it as caster level 10th, getting all missiles in play but the cost of the scroll and the caster level required to use it increases because the caster level was set at 10th.