Plane shift scrolls

[Calthropstu]

Some time ago, I got into an argument about how plane shift works. It was pointed out that a focus is needed at the time of casting attuned to the plane which you desire to go to unless you have planeshift as a spell like ability, in which case the focus is ignored.

Using that logic, would not a scroll of plane shift have to be made to go to a specific plane? And what about a staff? Would that have to go to a particular plane as well, or would that bypass the need for the focus as a spell like ability would?

[Segev]

Some time ago, I got into an argument about how plane shift works. It was pointed out that a focus is needed at the time of casting attuned to the plane which you desire to go to unless you have planeshift as a spell like ability, in which case the focus is ignored.

Using that logic, would not a scroll of plane shift have to be made to go to a specific plane? And what about a staff? Would that have to go to a particular plane as well, or would that bypass the need for the focus as a spell like ability would?

The RAW are fuzzy on this; you could argue it either way. I believe most assume it just works, ignoring the focus requirement. But yes, you could argue that you had to use the focus in making the item, and the focus's material would be the determining factor. Making for fixed-plane scrolls and staves.

Which could be desirable, if the DM wanted to use the focus as a means of making plane shift more limited, whether for controlling the pacing or because he likes the idea of finding the right rod-materials being minor quests.

[TheBrassDuke]

I've always run it this way: if you make a specific plane scroll--for, say, the Plane of Shadow--you add the Focus while making the scroll.

If you make it a Plane Shift scroll without a set destination, you leave that stuff blank and whatnot so you may choose on the fly.

[Zanos]

For what it's worth plane shift scrolls are a printed item and the Staff of the Magi has plane shift as a spell. Neither says you must specify the destination. The material component for plane shift doesn't have an actual cost and therefore every possible version is somehow in a spell component pouch. I don't think it's supposed to be a serious limitation on the spell.

[flappeercraft]

By RAW you would need to make a plane specific scroll but I would just let a player get a plane shift scroll and be able to use it for any destination he wants.

[Crake]

For what it's worth plane shift scrolls are a printed item and the Staff of the Magi has plane shift as a spell. Neither says you must specify the destination. The material component for plane shift doesn't have an actual cost and therefore every possible version is somehow in a spell component pouch. I don't think it's supposed to be a serious limitation on the spell.

If you look on the spell list, plane shift is marked with an F, which, as per the beginning of chapter 11 in the phb:


An M or F appearing at the end of a spell’s name in the spell lists denotes a spell with a material or focus component, respectively, that is not normally included in a spell component pouch.

So plane shift tuning forks, despite not having a specific GP value are not found in spell component pouches.

[Calthropstu]

If you look on the spell list, plane shift is marked with an F, which, as per the beginning of chapter 11 in the phb:



So plane shift tuning forks, despite not having a specific GP value are not found in spell component pouches.

Yeah, this was a huge sticking point for a lot of people arguing that people can't plane shift into a wizard's demiplane. The grumbling didn't even stop when I mentioned binding something with a plane shift spell-like which doesn't need a focus.

The focus is needed, that's an absolute. Since the focus must be used, I am going to rule ps scrolls are specific destination. A little iffy on a staff though. Since you generally have to cast a spell multiple times to create a staff, I may decide each casting can use a different fork, allowing for numerous destinations.