Question about Scrolls

[pwning doodes]

Asking as a DM: Is it standard to give scrolls for any spell to your players? (Based on level guidelines your judgment, of course.) What do you do if it's a concentration spell? Can you make scrolls for rather class-specialized spells like Hunter Mark or Eldritch Blast? I've never really used scrolls before.

Signed,
Old-Hat Player/New DM

[Quoz]

To cast a scroll you must have it on your spell list, so it can't be used by non casters or to let your wizard heal like a cleric. You also need to make a skill check to cast a higher level spell than you could normally.

There are 3 areas where scrolls are really useful:

1. Learning new spells. Mostly only for Wizards and ritual casters.

2. Extra spell slots / emergency contingencies. Some spells are just not worth preparing most of the time but can be lifesaving in the right circumstance. Sometimes you're just out of spells and need a fireball right now.

3. Limited spells known. This mostly hits sorcerers, eldritch knights, and arcane tricksters. A divine soul sorcerer may not have the slots to learn restoration or an arcane trickster won't spend their only unrestricted spell on find familiar, but it is on the spell list so you can cast the scroll. Magic Initiate also counts you as a member of a spellcasting class so let's you cast scrolls as well.

Most of the time scrolls haven't impacted our games too much. If you have access to a large enough city then selling or trading for more permanent magic items is always a possibility. Players tend to hang on to single use items until they forget they have them.

[Waifu]

According to RAW, the only people who can use scrolls are spell casters with the spell on the scroll on their spell list, so I think it'd be fine if there were class-specific spells. In fact, if that rule were to be hand waved, I'd still see no problem with using the scroll-it is one time use, after all. As for concentration and other things like that, I think the spell from the scroll would be treated as a normal spell; which means if it is a concentration spell, you'd need to concentrate on it.
Hope this helps!

[sithlordnergal]

Asking as a DM: Is it standard to give scrolls for any spell to your players? (Based on level guidelines your judgment, of course.) What do you do if it's a concentration spell? Can you make scrolls for rather class-specialized spells like Hunter Mark or Eldritch Blast? I've never really used scrolls before.

Signed,
Old-Hat Player/New DM

1) Is it standard to hand out scrolls for any spell to players? Depends on the DM, but I generally give out scrolls. Players tend to enjoy them, especially wizards. They're a great way to add spells to a spell book without handing out spellbooks. And as for any spell, yes you can hand out any spell based on level guidelines and common sense. I doubt you'll find many Scrolls with Wish in it, but you could find plenty of Shield scrolls.

2) Concentration works like normal, and I am pretty sure the scroll is cast at the minimum level.

3) You can make a scroll of any spell. In order to use the scroll the spell has to be on your spell list. So it is already class specialized

[Tanarii]

The guidelines (ie magic item tables) make scrolls beyond 1st or 2nd level somewhat rare. There's no guidance on how to decide what spells they are. I usually roll randomly among the spellcaster lists giving 1 in 8 of any given class, with paladin/ranger counting as a single value with 50/50 of either, then roll randomly on the spell list. This actually weights things a bit in favor of wizards being able to use the spell to scribe into their spellbooks, because they have (almost?) every spell on the Sorc list on their list too. As well as some decent crossover with the Warlock and Bard spell lists.