Using scrolls underwater

[GilesTheCleric]

Can it be done? Are there any rules to support it?

[Kelb_Panthera]

Can it be done? Are there any rules to support it?

I think stormwrack made some mention of alternative materials for scrolls for aquatic races. IIRC, they were functionally identical to normal scrolls at the same price.

[Telok]

Note also that "scroll" has two definitions here and which one you use is important.

The classic real life scroll is a type of document involving paper wrapped around a cylinder of some sort. The D&D scroll is a spell completion magic item without a strongly defined physical form. It is completely acceptable to scribe a scroll by etching the marks into a slab of stone or carving them into a sheet of metal.

[Alent]

Not sure if you're including options from Pathfinder or not, but it has Air Bubble (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/a/air-bubble).

[Necroticplague]

Can it be done? Are there any rules to support it?

Why not? The rules for scrolls don't say they function any differently underwater, so they don't, and continue to work perfectly fine underwater.

Heck, the default scroll rules say


A scroll is a spell (or collection of spells) that has been stored in written form.......
Physical Description
A scroll is a heavy sheet of fine vellum or high-quality paper.
So it never says it has to be written in inks than can wash off, and the most specified default material is a type of fine leather, and thus can survive water. As far as these part of the rules can say, you could have burnt the spells into calfskin, and it's A.O.K. as a scroll. Even the portion on scribing scrolls all but points out you don't need to use ink

Creating Scrolls

To create a scroll, a character needs a supply of choice writing materials, the cost of which is subsumed in the cost for scribing the scroll—12.5 gp × the level of the spell × the level of the caster.

All writing implements and materials used to scribe a scroll must be fresh and unused. A character must pay the full cost for scribing each spell scroll no matter how many times she previously has scribed the same spell. Not a single mention of ink or paper needed.

[Fizban]

Be sure to double check the rules for spellcasting underwater if you're an airbreather to make sure you don't have any trouble forming the verbal components.

[Vogie]

Be sure to double check the rules for spellcasting underwater if you're an airbreather to make sure you don't have any trouble forming the verbal components.

That was my first thought. Unless you have some sort of way to make all spells silent spells, this will be an issue.

[Menzath]

I think in the dmg. It mentioned needing a command word to "finish" the spell contained in a scroll(afb's so not sure).
As for damage from water, shouldn't happen, it's magically treated parchment and ink as part of the creation. As others have mentioned there are alternatives. I think it was in frostburn and races of stone(or maybe complete mage or arcane?) For creating runestones or small bones with glyphs that you can crush to activate.

[Murmaider]

A scroll could be hard to read underwater without some sort of goggles. But I don't think there are any rules for blurry eyesight.

Just don't remind your gm and he won't ask you for a spot check to read something two inches away from your face.