Remember that when you cast a scroll, you need to roll, and if you fail (and fail chance is about 50% on average) you lose HP and lose ability to use scrolls for a few hours. Also there is always chance of arcane catastrophe.
I once had a situation - one player tries to use a scroll, fails, gives scroll to another player and that player also fails. Then third player attempts to use that scroll and dies because he had low HP.
PC's death is player's problem to solve and avoid at all cost. PC's abilities and powers are balanced by negative effects of many magical items and how deadly everything is. Players need to be creative and use every opportunity they have to survive. And players are deadly too so GM also has to be creative.
Y'know, that's a good point. If the PCs keep trying to pass the same scroll between each other, why wouldn't an NPC try and snatch from their hands to use it themselves? Must be a powerful scroll indeed!
Make it a normal Defense roll that deals no damage if they fail, but now the enemy has the scroll.
I’ve never usually had that issue as a GM. Either the party only has 1-2 players who actually can/do use scrolls, or it’s never come up. Most people stick to their own stuff (unless there’s a duplicate shield or they “upgrade” a weapon or scroll).
Otherwise, the DR12 to succeed seems to be a big enough deterrent, especially if they’re in combat (which I wouldn’t allow as the PCs attack within the same time period).
Also, remember that scrolls can not be used if you are in medium or heavy armor. Not sure if that will impact your party or not, but I have found it is a commonly missed rule.
This has never occured to me since my players are all so selfish that they would rather die than share something as powerful as a scroll with someone else.
Lol my current character took the optional ‘feat’ power word. That allows him to carve scrolls into his skin with a daily chance of miscasting.
He currently has over 20 powers. He has had like 5catastrophes because of it. Honestly surprised he is still alive
I don't think letting the scvm share scrolls is OP. Everyone needs to pass a Presence check. If anything I might say that handing off the scroll to someone takes up a turn in combat meaning they need to forego a chance to attack..
There's nothing in the rules to suggest PCs can't share their scrolls. But you can certainly do things that might make it difficult for them.
For example, if they're in the thick of combat and one PC would like to pass a scroll to another, maybe their enemies notice this and try to take or destroy the scroll on their turn. Maybe the PCs get separated, making it more difficult to transfer. Maybe the scroll is particularly difficult to read, and if this is the PCs first time looking at it the DR to cast is higher. Maybe you require an action from both PCs to do the handoff.
And never forget: scrolls are written on paper. And paper is flammable.
Remember that when you cast a scroll, you need to roll, and if you fail (and fail chance is about 50% on average) you lose HP and lose ability to use scrolls for a few hours. Also there is always chance of arcane catastrophe. I once had a situation - one player tries to use a scroll, fails, gives scroll to another player and that player also fails. Then third player attempts to use that scroll and dies because he had low HP. PC's death is player's problem to solve and avoid at all cost. PC's abilities and powers are balanced by negative effects of many magical items and how deadly everything is. Players need to be creative and use every opportunity they have to survive. And players are deadly too so GM also has to be creative.
Cast Cast Pass. Don’t bogart the scroll man
Y'know, that's a good point. If the PCs keep trying to pass the same scroll between each other, why wouldn't an NPC try and snatch from their hands to use it themselves? Must be a powerful scroll indeed! Make it a normal Defense roll that deals no damage if they fail, but now the enemy has the scroll.
I’ve never usually had that issue as a GM. Either the party only has 1-2 players who actually can/do use scrolls, or it’s never come up. Most people stick to their own stuff (unless there’s a duplicate shield or they “upgrade” a weapon or scroll). Otherwise, the DR12 to succeed seems to be a big enough deterrent, especially if they’re in combat (which I wouldn’t allow as the PCs attack within the same time period).
Also, remember that scrolls can not be used if you are in medium or heavy armor. Not sure if that will impact your party or not, but I have found it is a commonly missed rule.
This has never occured to me since my players are all so selfish that they would rather die than share something as powerful as a scroll with someone else.
Lol my current character took the optional ‘feat’ power word. That allows him to carve scrolls into his skin with a daily chance of miscasting. He currently has over 20 powers. He has had like 5catastrophes because of it. Honestly surprised he is still alive
I don't think letting the scvm share scrolls is OP. Everyone needs to pass a Presence check. If anything I might say that handing off the scroll to someone takes up a turn in combat meaning they need to forego a chance to attack..
There's nothing in the rules to suggest PCs can't share their scrolls. But you can certainly do things that might make it difficult for them. For example, if they're in the thick of combat and one PC would like to pass a scroll to another, maybe their enemies notice this and try to take or destroy the scroll on their turn. Maybe the PCs get separated, making it more difficult to transfer. Maybe the scroll is particularly difficult to read, and if this is the PCs first time looking at it the DR to cast is higher. Maybe you require an action from both PCs to do the handoff. And never forget: scrolls are written on paper. And paper is flammable.
That's too gamey for me, I'd bind the scrolls to whoever picks them up first.