New 5e player would like some clarifications please

[zeruvar]

Hello everyone, I've mostly been playing pathfinder but my friend wants to DM and start a 5e campaign. I mostly play paladin in pfs so I was looking forward to playing the same class in D&D 5e.

Quick background of my PC so you folks have an idea of where I'm coming from. I invested in getting skill points to up my skill checks, with an emphasis on UMD (via background traits, which is also charisma based) so I can use cast scrolls/wands to buff the party. My multiclass dip lets me absorb some damage my party takes which I heal off with a lay on hands each round.

In short, I'm a heal battery that uses a lot of situational scrolls/wands to make up for any situation my party might run into.


I'm looking through the rulebook to see if I could adapt the same playstyle but it really seems like a lot has changed considerably. Use magic device seems to be only for rogues, I don't see any rules about wands/scrolls (which I think means you don't have access to them in 5e?).

TL;DR
1) can/how do you use wands and/or scrolls?
2) where can I find the rules for them if any?

That's basically it for now, because the rest of my questions concern using these things and if we cant use them then I'm just stumped.

[Drackolus]

For scrolls, they must be on your class' spell list. I believe wands work the same way. UMD is now a unique ability available only to a specific rogue subclass, the thief, and they get it at a high level.
Also, you typically cannot buy magic items other than the very weakest healing potions. Ever. Your dm may add a magic item shop of some sort, but the assumption ia that you cannot.
So... You're kind of out of luck.

[Flashy]

Magic items are optional in 5e. They only exist if the DM wants them to, and only to the extent that the DM wants them to. The official magic item descriptions are in the DMG. Wands of cure wounds no longer officially exist (and the charge system has changed, they now recharge daily rather than being limited use), though you could reasonably homebrew one. Magic items have relatively few restrictions, but in order to use most of the wands you need the Spellcasting feature (which the Paladin has). You can use a scroll as long as the spell is on your class's spell list.

[Puh Laden]

The 5e SRD also has a decent list of magic items if your DM wants to use some without having to buy the DMG.

However, healing is also somewhat more independent of magic (at least outside of combat), so you may not need to worry about being a heal-battery.

[zeruvar]

Thanks for the replies. So from what I understand magic items are no longer a thing. Only potions. But how would scrolls work this time around? From my previous experience its usually something like this:

1: be able to read the scroll (identified and there's light)
2: Correct magic type (e.g. divine spells for divine caster)
3: appropriate caster level (or lower but must succeed at a caster level check)

In 5e how does it work? Say I'm a level 2 paladin who has a scroll of Remove curse (a third level spell on my spell list). What do I need to fulfill before I can use the scroll?

[King539]

You need to make a check with your spell casting ability, with a DC equal to 10+ the spell level of the scroll. In this case, 13.

[Drackolus]

There is also no real distinction between arcane and divine. A scroll of remove curse can be made by a wizard and used by a paladin.

[Flashy]

Thanks for the replies. So from what I understand magic items are no longer a thing. Only potions. But how would scrolls work this time around? From my previous experience its usually something like this:

1: be able to read the scroll (identified and there's light)
2: Correct magic type (e.g. divine spells for divine caster)
3: appropriate caster level (or lower but must succeed at a caster level check)

In 5e how does it work? Say I'm a level 2 paladin who has a scroll of Remove curse (a third level spell on my spell list). What do I need to fulfill before I can use the scroll?

It's more that magic items aren't a GUARUNTEED thing. You might or might not be able to find the exact magic items you want, it would just depend on the nature of the specific campaign.

[Millstone85]

So from what I understand magic items are no longer a thing.There is still an appreciable list of them in the DMG, and spell scrolls are on page 200.

[Deleted]

For scrolls, they must be on your class' spell list. I believe wands work the same way. UMD is now a unique ability available only to a specific rogue subclass, the thief, and they get it at a high level.
Also, you typically cannot buy magic items other than the very weakest healing potions. Ever. Your dm may add a magic item shop of some sort, but the assumption ia that you cannot.
So... You're kind of out of luck.

"Any creature that can understand a written language can read the arcane script on a scroll and attempt to activate it"

DMG - 139

Scroll of Protection

"Using an action to read the scroll encloses you in a invisible barrier that extends... For 5 minutes, this barrier precents creatures of a specific type from entering or affecting anything within the barrier.
The cylinder moves with you...
A creature can attemp to overcome the barrier by using an action o make a DC 15 Charisma check..."

DMG - 199

edit===

The scroll of protection doesn't mention any class or spell casting ability needed. Also the rules for scrolls just say you need to know a language to cast the spell from a scroll.

Other specific scrolls may have different, more specific, rules.

[Millstone85]

*snip*For remove curse, you need a specific kind of scroll, a spell scroll.
A spell scroll bears the words of a single spell, written in a mystical cipher. If the spell is on your class's spell list, you can use an action to read the scroll and cast its spell without having to provide any of the spell's components. Otherwise, the scroll is unintelligible.
If the spell is on your class's spell list but of a higher level than you can normally cast, you must make an ability check using your spellcasting ability to determine whether you cast it successfully. The DC equals 10 + the spell's level. On a failed check, the spell disappears from the scroll with no other effect.There is more, regarding attack bonuses, spell save DCs and how to copy it in a wizard's spellbook.

[Deleted]

For remove curse, you need a specific kind of scroll, a spell scroll.There is more, regarding attack bonuses, spell save DCs and how to copy it in a wizard's spellbook.

We have conflicting rules on scrolls. Here is the low down.

Scrolls of X (which cast magic and can technically include spells or can contain weird magic effects not covered by spells)

Spell Scrolls (which are only spells from class lists)

A first level fighter could activate a Scroll of Jerry's Fireball (which is a cube and not a sphere) but not a Spell Scroll of Fireball.

Because WotC is weird like that.

[zeruvar]

Great, thanks a lot for the answers. Definitely I'll have to look into what our dm plans our campaign to be, but I have what I need for now. Appreciate it