Scroll v Silence

[kemmotar]

Would you be able to use a scroll if within the area of effect of a silence?


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.

In the case of wands the rules make specific mention of the requirement of a power word, no mention is made of a verbal or somatic components vis-a-vis scrolls. Now read can take two meaning:

1) read out loud
2) read the text (or symbols etc)

The way Id read it is that no somatic or verbal components are required and so even if silenced I should be able to use a scroll. Thoughts?

Edit: haven't visited the boards in a while and just noticed the RAW thread..i feel silly now but can't delete thread I guess:smallsigh:

[jiriku]

Casting a spell from a scroll is just like casting it normally (DMG 211), so if the spell has a verbal component, you need to speak aloud when casting it from a scroll.

[Renen]

Yeh. Scrolls are basically spell instructions with 1 dose of spells magic in them. So if instructions say you gotta have verbal, then you are screwed.

[kemmotar]

Huh, that sounds reasonable. I'd missed that rule, thx.

[KillianHawkeye]

In the interests of completeness, the relevant rule can be found on page 213 of the Dungeon Master's Guide in the general section about activating magic items.

Spell Completion: This is the activation method for scrolls. A scroll is a spell that is mostly finished. The preparation is done for the caster, so no preparation time is needed beforehand as with normal spellcasting. All that’s left to do is perform the short, simple, finishing parts of the spellcasting (the final gestures, words, and so on).

These final words and gestures are whatever spellcasting components are required for the particular spell you're trying to cast, with the exception of costly material components or XP expenditures (which are provided in advance by the creator of the scroll).

[ericgrau]

The simple solution is to buy scrolls made with the silent spell metamagic feat and save those for trouble. You only need a few for those rare circumstances and as 1 off items they are cheap.

[Rubik]

The simple solution is to buy scrolls made with the silent spell metamagic feat and save those for trouble. You only need a few for those rare circumstances and as 1 off items they are cheap.Don't forget metamagic cost reduction.

Sanctum Spell is good for this. It's really useful for making cheap scrolls, since the level of the spell is one lower than it otherwise would be, thus offsetting the +1 level cost of Silent Spell. Spells with saving throws aren't so great for this, but others, such as most rays, merely lower the cost for no penalty (other than having to take the feat, anyways).

[KillianHawkeye]

The simple solution is to buy scrolls made with the silent spell metamagic feat and save those for trouble. You only need a few for those rare circumstances and as 1 off items they are cheap.


Don't forget metamagic cost reduction.

Sanctum Spell is good for this. It's really useful for making cheap scrolls, since the level of the spell is one lower than it otherwise would be, thus offsetting the +1 level cost of Silent Spell. Spells with saving throws aren't so great for this, but others, such as most rays, merely lower the cost for no penalty (other than having to take the feat, anyways).

If you're making those scrolls yourself, that's all gravy, but I wouldn't count on being able to purchase whatever scroll you want with whatever metamagic feat built-in, much less one made by someone capable of reducing the metamagic cost of such a spell. Just a thought.

[ericgrau]

If you're making those scrolls yourself, that's all gravy, but I wouldn't count on being able to purchase whatever scroll you want with whatever metamagic feat built-in, much less one made by someone capable of reducing the metamagic cost of such a spell. Just a thought.

The right NPC and 1 day fixes that. If you need multiple copies you can have them all put on the same scroll within a day's time if the total is 1,000 gp or less. Especially for low level spells because if you search enough through big cities you might find several dozen if not hundreds of level 3-5 wizards.

You can use metamagic reducers yourself, but I wouldn't just for scribing scrolls. You need so few for the uncommon circumstances that it's better to eat the extra gold than a feat or ability. Now if you happen to have reducers for other reasons, then go for it. An NPC with both silent spell and reducers is a bit more rare than one with merely silent spell, ya.

[Rubik]

That's why I suggested Sanctum Spell. It's great for crafting purposes, but it's also good for other things.

For instance, Sanctum shades allows you to cast 9th level conjuration spells, allowing you to create, say, a genesis demiplane for no XP cost as a standard action.

[KillianHawkeye]

If you're making those scrolls yourself, that's all gravy, but I wouldn't count on being able to purchase whatever scroll you want with whatever metamagic feat built-in, much less one made by someone capable of reducing the metamagic cost of such a spell. Just a thought.


The right NPC and 1 day fixes that.

Yeah, I know. I don't disagree with that.

My point was only that providing that NPC is totally within the hands of the DM, so we shouldn't just assume that such a person will be available for our scroll-crafting needs. Maybe they exist, maybe they don't. Maybe your DM will force you to go great distances to find that "right NPC." We can't just expect any service we want to be available to us, especially one with such specific needs and qualifications.

[denthor]

Ask about a percentage chance for failure I think it is in the 20% range if you are in a silence spell for a caster you can still yell the words you just can not hear them being said.

[ericgrau]

I believe that's deafness. You can't hear yourself speak so you might misspeak the spell. When in an area of silence you have a 100% chance of not making sound and causing spell failure of spells with verbal components.