AD&D Magic Items: Scrolls

 Scrolls are typically the second most common magic items located by low-level parties, along with magic weapons or armor (of +1 enchantment). Scrolls are of great importance to magic-users as a source of new spells, but also to clerics for additional healing and support spells that they might not normally be able to prepare due to limitations. Druids and illusionists also have access to spells on scrolls, but these are much rarer to find unless specifically placed by a Dungeon Master in a treasure hoard. There is a full 15% chance of randomly finding a scroll as a magic item according to the random treasure charts in the DMG. Of those scrolls found, fully 60% will contain magical inscriptions of arcane or divine spells, while 37% will provide any reader with some form of potent protection against the monsters and magic encountered in dungeons and planar adventures. Only 3% of those scrolls found will be cursed (a good percentage considering how many of the miscellaneous magic items and weapons are cursed).

Of the spell scrolls found, 30% are clerical and 70% are magic-user spells. One-quarter of all clerical scrolls have druid spells instead, and only 10% of magic-user scrolls contain illusionist spells. So if you want to run an illusionist, be aware that you will likely not find many (if any) spell scrolls. Experience awards for spell scrolls are strange in that they only apply to those characters who can use the scroll. How would this apply to a party with multiple spellcasters? If you have 2 magic-users or a magic-user and a fighter/magic-user, do both get the XP for a single scroll? I have only ever given XP to the character who is awarded the scroll - thus only one of the characters in the example above would gain the XP for the scroll, not both. It seems to me that the XP is consolation for not getting the gold value of the treasure you would have normally gotten. Again, this depends on how DMs decide to award experience points. However, by the book, it seems that the character who is awarded the magic item is the only one who gets the XP award. Spell scrolls carry an XP value of 100 x.p. per spell level on the scroll. So if you have a scroll of 7 spells, of levels 2-9, you have a minimum of 1,400 XP and a maximum of 6,300 XP from a single scroll! Not really on par with some of the other magic item values, but definitely nothing to sneeze at! And a scroll of 7 ninth level spells is a treasure beyond counting for a magic-user! Protection scrolls, on the other hand, are of fixed experience point value and I would assume that this value would be a party value since anyone can use protection scrolls (except monks, and perhaps illusionists). Gold piece sale values are 3x experience value for spell scrolls, or 5x experience value for protection scrolls. Thus, a scroll of protection from demons (2,500 x.p.) could sell for at least 12,500 g.p. on the open market (likely more!).

Scrolls are not the rolled-up parchment pieces that are portrayed in video games or modern gaming - most scrolls in AD&D are based on ancient scrolls depicted throughout history. These are typically found in cylinders made of any number of rare (or common) materials, ranging from carved jade or platinum to leather or wood. These tubes are typically engraved or magical guarded in some way (a great way to protect one's treasured scrolls are glyphs of warding, fire traps or explosive runes). Curses and other effects can befall those opening a scroll tube, so it is best not to be too hasty when checking out magical treasures. Although there is only a 3% chance to find a cursed scroll, any scroll may be magically protected. The scroll itself is usually some rare parchment or vellum attached to wooden rods, decorated or plain, for rolling (or scrolling) through the content. Paper as we know it was rare in pseudo-Medieval AD&D campaigns - more likely than not, writing surfaces were made from animal skins, woven plant fibers, or perhaps human flesh flayed and dried (for those necromancers and demonologists out there).

Magical scrolls (spells) are written in special cyphers so to understand what is written requires a read magic spell (or a magic item that allows one to read magical writing). Once read to determine the contents, a read magic spell is no longer required to invoke the spell on the scroll. Note that even a map may appear magical until the proper spell is used. Reading a scroll to determine the contents does not activate the magic unless there's a specially triggered curse. Scrolls radiate no evil or special auras; they do radiate magic according to the strength of the spells placed upon them. Does this mean that read magic is required to read clerical or druidic scrolls? No. This is specified on page 118 of the DMG (2nd paragraph of the 1st column). However, consider that clerical texts perhaps require only comprehend languages if written in a tongue unfamiliar to the reader. I myself have decreed in my campaigns that clerical magic is written in the language of the god's people, so that if a scroll is found on a drow cleric, it is written in Undercommon or Drowic Elvish. Even a surface elf would be unable to read it properly unless they learn the drow language. Druid spell scrolls are probably written in their secret language. Illusionists already write in a secret script so that non-illusionists will be unable to identify such scrolls without magical aid. Only spellcasters of the appropriate types can use the spells written on the scroll, except for high-level thieves who have a chance of invoking the spells contained therein. Protection scrolls can be used by any class or race of character without using a magic spell (however, monks and illusionists appear to be unable to use such items, per the Players Handbook).

Spells found on spell scrolls are typically written at a caster level of 1 higher than the minimum needed to cast the spell. Thus, a fireball found on a spell scroll will be written at the 6th level of ability (5th level being the minimum level to cast 3rd level magic-user spells). The minimum caster level for any spell scroll is 6th level. Thus, a spell scroll of magic missile (1st level magic-user spell) will be cast at a caster level of 6th and produce 3 missiles. The DM is within his rights to adjust the caster level to make it higher than normal, but should keep the minimum scroll caster level at 6th level. This will rarely affect spells other than those with a level component to range, duration, or damage dice. However, some maladies require a caster level of a certain level to remove certain curses, diseases, defeat magic using a dispel magic, etc.

The clincher here is comparing casting level of the user with that of the writer. Sure, a 1st level magic-user could find a scroll of magic missile which would (at minimum) be written at 6th level casting. However, there is a chance when used that the scroll will be misinterpreted causing spell failure (and loss of the spell altogether) or a reversed/harmful effect. Imagine that 1st level magic-user with 1-4 hit points miscasting a magic missile spell of 6th level casting ability and being targeted with all three missiles (2-5 points per missile, with an average damage of 10 points)! Such a thing could happen! The chance of this occurring is 5% per level difference of the caster levels. Thus, in the example above, there is a full 25% chance of something bad happening. If this roll hits, then a second roll determines what occurs (in this case, there is an 85% chance of the spell simply failing, but a 15% chance of something bad happening). This is a big risk for a 1st level character, but when the chips are on the table and the party requires the magic-user to "pull a rabbit out of his hat," that risk could be rolled and, if successful, might spell the difference between survival and total defeat. So, although the chance of finding a cursed scroll is low, the use of such high level magic is risky at best for lower level casters.

The most important aspect of scrolls, however, is as a source of new magic spells for prospective magic-users. Clerics and druids already have access to their full level of spells - not so the lowly Prestidigitator, who only starts with 4 spells and must locate those he already knows to scribe into his book, and find yet others to learn as he advances in power and level. Those spells a magic-user cannot learn may still be used off a scroll. The problem with this, then, is that these are one use items that disappear once used. When any scroll is read for purposes of copying the spell's formula or to release its magic, the writing completely and permanently disappears. Imagine, if you will, the words burning away or evaporating as they are read from the scroll. Reading one spell off a scroll of multiple spells does not affect the other spells in any way. Gygax suggested that nothing prevent this from happening, except perhaps a special magic scroll that can be used once per time interval (but this is considered to be a very rare and coveted magic item indeed).

The reading of a spell scroll is similar to casting a spell of the same name. This means that casting time is the same as the spell. No other requirements are necessary (somatic or material components, for example), as these are all placed into the inks and fabric of the scroll by the creator. Thus, one can cast the spell even if they have never seen it before or cannot learn it. A silence spell will still keep the spell from being cast. Keep in mind that the caster of the spell on the scroll suffered all the ill effects of casting the spell into the scroll, and these will not fall on the caster of the scroll spell. For example, the casting of a wish spell causes the caster to age 3 years. Using the same spell off a scroll causes no aging to the reader. The same cannot be said of a haste spell which ages those under its effects by 1 year - such aging still occurs since it is a product of the spell once cast, not the casting of the spell itself. Note that only clerics, druids, magic-users, and illusionists can use the scrolls appropriate to their classes (with the aforementioned exception of high-level thieves). In fact, paladins and rangers, who can cast spells at higher levels, may not use spell scrolls. Only protection scrolls can be used by characters not of the four spellcasting types previously mentioned. This could have a major impact on a campaign if players chose non-standard classes to play. For example, if a party consists of a druid, gnome fighter/illusionist, and a ranger, then magic-user spell scrolls (which are the most common) are useless except to sell in the local marketplace! New players should be made aware of such things before selecting a class to play. The most common classes (cleric, fighter, magic-user, and thief) generally do best in a campaign as far as magic items are concerned.

Protection Scrolls

These scrolls are usable by any class or race, as previously mentioned (with the exception of the monk and possibly the illusionist). Thus they must be written in Common which is understood by all the character types in the Players Handbook. If one uses the later rules from Unearthed Arcana, then some characters who do not start out with the Common languages (or cannot read due to background), will be unable to use these scrolls. It all depends on how the DM wishes to work his campaign and how well-rounded player characters are supposed to be upon creation.

Protection scrolls in the DMG have reading times from 4 segments to 1 round. This means that they are begun at the beginning of the round and the protection effect does not take effect until the scroll is completely finished being read. However, some protection scrolls can be read faster to protect against weaker forms of the monsters they are written to protect against. For example, a scroll of protection from demons requires a full round to read to protect against all demon types including demon princes, 7 segments to protect against demons of type VI or lower, and only 3 segments to protect against type III or lower. The same applies to scrolls of protection from devils (vs. arch-devils, greater devils, or lesser devils respectively).

Some protection scrolls are more specific. For example, a scroll of protection from elementals may only protect against a certain type of elemental (air, earth, fire, water) or against all elementals. A scroll of protection from lycanthropes may protect against certain types of lycanthropes (werebears, werewolves or wererats, for example), protect against all lycanthropes, or protect against shape-changers in general, including lycanthropes, dopplegangers, certain dragons, druids, jackalweres, and those under the influence of polymorph spells! A scroll of protection from undead may function against those types listed under a potion of undead control (same table is used to determine this).

Generally speaking, when using a protection scroll against a certain class of monster, the protection is in a 5' to 10' radius around the reader and moves with the reader. Those affected by the scroll cannot penetrate the barrier physically or magically, but those within can launch attacks against them! The protection duration lasts for a random amount of time, based on the type of protection scroll used. If the barrier is forced upon the creature such as they cannot retreat from its advance, the protection is considered voluntarily broken and disappears. It specifically states that there is NO WAY in which this can be used as an offensive weapon. Protection scrolls are meant to be used defensively ONLY. Certain protection scrolls only work upon a certain number of hit dice of the creature type - those hit dice in excess are not stopped by the protection sphere.

A special note at the end of the scrolls section states that "all protection scrolls are cumulative in effect but not in duration." I suppose if one is lucky enough to have a scroll of protection from demons and a scroll of protection from magic, that they both will function at the same time, but will vary in their duration as is specific to each scroll.

One thing that needs to be noted here is that protection scrolls were never defined as a one use item. They should be, of course, but it was never specified anywhere in the rules regarding scrolls. The only scrolls that are specifically called out as one-use items are spell scrolls. A minor point, but most "rules lawyers" would argue against such a scroll disappearing, while a DM should enforce that any scroll read results in the disappearance of the magical glyphs written on its surface, regardless of it being a spell scroll or a protection scroll. Again, a DM is within his rights to place or create a protection scroll that can be used once per day, per week, per month, etc., but such an item should be rare and well-guarded, perhaps the object of a geas or quest.

Scroll of Protection from Magic

This scroll is something of an oddity in the lists. After 8 segments of reading, it invokes an anti-magic shell in a 5' radius from the reader and prevents any form of magic from passing into AND out of its confines, but non-magical things are not affected by it. The globe moves with the invoker as normal. However, any magic item which touches the globe must be saved for with a 50% likelihood of the object being drained of all magic powers (so a save of 11+ is required)! This is a most potent scroll indeed, to combine the power of an anti-magic shell with a rod of cancellation! This globe lasts for 5-30 rounds, so multiple items could be affected before the effect wears off. However, as is stated in the DMG, once an item fails its saving throw and is drained, the globe is cancelled. If a wizard sends his minions at a party of characters and one of them is wielding a short sword +1, that sword needs to make a saving throw once it encounters the anti-magic barrier. If it fails, that sword is rendered non-magical and the globe disappears! If not, the sword remains magical and the next magic item that crosses the sphere must be checked. Meanwhile, if the globe is maintained, the wizard cannot affect the reader or anyone else in the sphere, and those within the globe cannot cast any spells with external targets. At best this is a defensive/fleeing item, although I assume that the magic-draining powers would not affect artifacts or relics, the magical powers of the gods, or unique items (DM's choice, of course).

Since the power of the scroll mentions magic items and "any form of magic," I wonder how this affects the abilities of certain creatures? For example, the petrifying gaze of a medusa, the death gaze of a catoblepas, or the eye-rays of a beholder... Is the sphere itself magical? Will two protection from magic scroll barriers cancel each other out if they make contact? Will the sphere prevent teleportation magic from working? These are the things that need to be addressed before a DM can run this scroll properly. Given the above examples, one has to take into account that there are other protection scrolls with specific effects. For example, there is a scroll of protection from petrification. Thus, I believe that the gaze of creatures used to turn others to stone may be considered to be non-magical in the sense that it is not a magical item effect or spell per se. Otherwise, why have such a specific scroll? It even states in the description of this scroll, that "all within its confines are absolutely immune to any attack forms, magical or otherwise, which cause flesh to turn to stone." This sentence seems to imply that the spell flesh to stone is a magical effect, and creature abilities to petrify are not. One can argue that turning someone to stone with a glance is magical (and I would concur), but in the rules it seems less black and white and more gray. The death-gaze of the catoblepas could likewise be considered a non-magical attack (and that of a bodak as well), if the DM desires to make it so. The rays of a beholder may be considered magical effects - I know that I would assume that they are. However, it says nothing about the anti-magic eye affecting its own rays - the description of the creature only lists the number of eye stalks that can attack given a facing of the creatures attacking it. So this one is up to you to decide. In fact, would the anti-magic eye of the beholder cause the scroll of protection from magic to fail, since the globe is, in effect, magical in nature? For this we have to go to the 6th level magic-user spell anti-magic shell. This spell specifically states that it blocks "all magic and magic spell effects" such as breath weapons, gaze weapons, and voice weapons. It prevents the entrance of spells or of their effects and prevents the function of any magical items or spells within its confines. So right there the scroll functions a bit differently from the spell. The scroll does not state that it prohibits spells being cast WITHIN its radius on willing targets (such as healing, drinking a potion, or casting protective spells). The spell goes on  to prohibit the entrance of charmed, summoned, or conjured creatures. The spell does not drain magic items, only causes them to become nonmagical for as long as they remain inside the shell. So it appears that breath weapons, gaze attacks, and charming effects due to song (from a harpy, for example) might have no effect on those within a scroll of protection from magic. Interesting, but not at all definitive as the spell and scroll effects do still vary from each other. As a DM I would err on the side of the players and state that ALL magical effects, specifically stated or assumed to be magical, are stopped by the globe. Thus, if we take the anti-magic shell spell to be the basis of the protection, then medusa gaze attacks, catoblepas gazes, and beholder eye rays have no effect on those protected. Since the anti-magic ray is itself magical, I would assume that it would not penetrate the sphere either. I suppose that the protection scroll needed differentiation from a spell scroll with anti-magic shell, thus the ability of a rod of cancellation was attached to it (at the expense of losing the magic protection). This is a great magic item to have when facing off against a demon lord with a potent magic weapon (which apparently has the same 50% chance of being drained as a +1 dagger, go figure), but fails if the item is drained of its magic (there's that "tit for tat" mentality of Gygaxian magic at work). Magic always comes at a price, as they say...

Scroll of Protection from Petrification

So if a scroll of protection from magic stops gaze attacks, what good is a scroll of protection from petrification? This scroll only protects its reader and those in a 10' circle from being turned to stone. Other than a gorgon's stoning breath, all the other petrification monsters are either touch (cockatrice) or gaze attacks. Of course, there is the flesh to stone spell, I suppose, but aren't these all really magical attacks? I guess one can get very particular...

Scroll of Protection from Possession

The last of the non-monster protecting scrolls, this one has a somewhat limited use, depending on the types of creatures one is expecting to encounter. Possession is not one of those abilities commonly used in AD&D, at least not until one is of a level high enough to encounter demons, devils, and other nasty extraplanar creatures or psionic entities that enthrall the mind. The only spell I can think of that qualifies against this protection is magic jar - a spell which I myself have never really found useful or seen used in actual play. Again, the usefulness of this scroll depends on the types of creatures one would be encountering. As a random treasure it really has limited usefulness. Other than magic jar, it prevents magical or psionic control of one's character by an outside force, or possession by a demon, devil, night hag, or other extraplanar nasty. It can be used on dead bodies as well if they are within the circle. The protection is a mere 10 to 60 rounds for an ordinary scroll, but apparently 10% of these have a duration of 10 to 60 turns (but the protection is stationary in such a case). Such a scroll would be a boon for a magic-user about to summon a demon or devil to gain information. I wonder if the scroll would protect against going insane when casting a contact other plane spell? I always assumed that the insanity caused by that casting was from mentally engaging with extraplanar creatures who enjoy toying with the minds of mortals, and possibly enthrall them in a state of lunacy for daring to contact them. As DM, you may wish to allow this, but consider the ramifications of removing a possible side effect from an otherwise risky yet potent spell.

Unearthed Arcana Scrolls

Unearthed Arcana added several new protection scrolls to the mix (since spell scrolls can contain any spells including new spells). These new protection scrolls are more specific in what they protect against, and could be lumped together as over-explanation on Gygax's part. However, the list includes such goodies as scroll of protection from poison and scroll of protection from paralyzation which rarely had any counter in original AD&D. Some of the others, like scroll of protection from dragon breath or scroll of protection from illusions should really be lumped into the more generic protection from magic scroll, in my opinion.

Some of these protection scrolls are so laughably specific, such as the protection from non-magic blunt weapons scroll. I mean, come on, do we really need a scroll that protects against non-magical weapons of a specific type? What if a weapon has two different types, like a morningstar (blunt/piercing) or certain pole-arms (slashing/piercing)? No mention of what to do in that circumstance is listed.

The protection types added included acid, dragon breath, non-dragon breath, cold, electricity, fire, gas, illusions, paralyzation, plants, poison, traps (mechanical and/or magical), water, magical weapon types, or non-magical weapon types. These all had exceptions and additional powers that differentiated them from existing spells of the time. For instance, the protection from poison scroll also permanently neutralized any poison in the reader's system, but had no radius and affected the reader only. The reading time was fast (3 segments), but if the poison affecting your character was of the save or die variety, then when are you going to be able to read the scroll? I suppose it's useful when you have to enter a pit of asps to save a friend, but the duration only lasts 3-12 rounds, so you better have a quick exit strategy! Again, the elemental types of damage I assume would be countered by a protection from elementals scroll, as defined in a loose interpretation - if one is immune to fire elementals, after all, one cannot be burned! Again, your mileage may vary.

In summation, spell scrolls are great for spellcasters of all types, but mostly for magic-users and clerics. I can count on one hand the number of illusionist scrolls I've found in the last 40 years, and I can honestly say that, other than the one scroll of faerie fire I rolled for an NPC druid follower, I cannot recall ever seeing a druid spell scroll in all my years of gaming. Scrolls are not only a good source of new spells for magic-users, but allow greater spell selection to lower level or max-level demi-human casters. If one uses the spellcaster rules by-the-book, a magic-user has a very limited repertoire of spells below 5th level casting ability, and scrolls allow such a caster a better range of spell selection without having to agonize over which of his or her limited spells will be useful in the coming adventure. However, a DM must keep track of how many scrolls a magic-user has hoarded and how they are being kept/stored/carried. Scrolls with multiple spells are more efficient to carry than individual spells on several scrolls. I personally discount the weight of each scroll, since each scroll is supposed to fit inside a scroll case. A scroll case is thus the measure of encumbrance. A single scroll with multiple spells thus weighs as much as a single scroll with one spell. A scroll case made of bone or ivory has 50 gp encumbrance; one of leather has 25 gp encumbrance. A metal tube should be double the ivory case, at say 100 gp encumbrance, while a wooden tube would be the equivalent of a wooden wand case at 80 gp encumbrance. Again, one scroll per case is the norm here, with the scroll being a medium attached to two rods as depicted in the image above. I know that most modern visions of a scroll is simply a rolled up piece of yellowed parchment, but the actual scrolls of AD&D are a bit more involved than that (especially for the cost of creating one).

Manufacture of Scrolls

Scrolls are some of the most commonly crafted magic items by player characters. Along with potions, they are the most accessible to those players in the mid-level range of play. They sometimes have great cost associated with them, and this precludes those of lower level from even affording to buy one, no less make one. Gygax further stipulated that a spellcaster must be 7th level before being able to write spell scrolls, thus a spellcaster must have a certain command of magic and how it works before being able to commit spells to parchment. Again, clerics, druids, magic-users, and illusionists are the only classes able to inscribe scrolls. Protection scrolls may only be made by clerics or magic-users (thus leaving out the poor druids and illusionists). I assume that druids could create scrolls of protection from plants and illusionists could create scrolls of protection from illusions (both found in Unearthed Arcana).

Clerics may create protection scrolls against devils, possession, or undead. Magic-users may create protection scrolls against demons, elementals, lycanthropes, magic, or petrification. Cursed scrolls can be made by any sort of spell caster.

Obviously, if a spell caster is writing a spell scroll, the spell he or she inscribes must be one that he or she could cast. Although the write spell allows a magic-user to inscribe a higher-level spell than they could cast, it does not give knowledge of how to cast the spell or the ability to create a scroll with that spell. The write spell allows nothing more than to "photocopy" a spell from one medium to another - if you can't read Sanskrit, then photocopying a text in Sanskrit won't allow you to read it or decipher it until you are able to learn Sanskrit (i.e., gain a level in its mastery).

In order to inscribe a spell, you need a pure and unblemished roll of papyrus, parchment or vellum (this is the most desirable). Any mistake dooms the effort to failure. A fresh, virgin quill of some exotic, magical creature must be used for each spell transcribed - such a feather could come from a harpy, hippogriff, griffon, pegasus, roc, sphinx, cockatrice, erinyes, type I demon, lammasu, shedu, or other divine or magical creature the DM wishes to include. The type of magic involved should dictate the quill to be used in most cases. (Gygax was a sucker for sympathetic magic.) The DMG has prices for the various substrates on which scrolls are written (the quality of which also affects chance of failure). The quills must be located by the spell inscriber, not purchased. More than likely, an adventure would be mounted to gather the feathers required.

This leads us to the ink. No common ink will do for writing spell scrolls or protection scrolls. No, the formulae must be esoteric in order to get the lazy magic-users and clerics into dungeons and remote wilderness locations! Sorry, paraphrasing... The base medium for the ink would be quality sepia from a giant squid or ink from a giant octopus. To this are added various components specific to holding the magic of the spell. Again, sympathetic magic is the way to go here. Think various blood and powdered gem components as well as herb extracts and other liquids or spices. Both the recipe and concoction methods for each ink type are specific for each type of spell. Some of the components should be common but some should be hard to acquire and demand that the magic-user adventure in order to obtain these ingredients. How else would one justify allowing a magic-user to inscribe spells so freely. Magic must have a cost after all, and in this case it's the cost of adventuring! Once the formula is devised, the character must learn it somehow - either by spending money consulting sages and researching in moldy old tomes, or perhaps inside stolen spell books or found as treasure in ancient libraries. However the recipe is learned, once the ingredients are assembled, it's time to write the scroll!

Transcription of the spell onto the scroll can be from one's spell book or performed upon an altar of some sort. Special candles and incense must set the mood and be maintained during the writing process. Clerics must have prayed to their deity and made special sacrifice prior to beginning, while magic-users must have drawn magic diagrams and remained rested and uninterrupted. Preparation requires one full day for each level of the spell being scribed on the scroll. Thus, if a scroll of seven 3rd level spells is to be made, 21 days of preparation are required! Time so spent must be continuous with interruptions only for food, rest, sleep, and the like. If the inscriber leaves the scroll to do anything else, the magic is broken and the whole effort is wasted. This is why magic-users HATE being disturbed by 1st level nothings looking to have magic items identified or detect magic spells being cast....

There is a base 20% chance of failure for each spell being written on the scroll, +1%/level of the spell being written. Therefore, there will be a 21% to 29% base chance of failure. From this is subtracted the caster level of the person writing the scroll (experience here is key, after all). Thus, if a 7th level caster is inscribing a 2nd level spell, the chance of failure is 20% + 2% - 7% = 15%. Once the full time is spent writing the spell, the dice are thrown. If more than one spell is being written, a failure of one means no further spells may be attempted upon the scroll. No more than 7 spells may ever be inscribed on a single scroll. Curiously, the method of copying a spell from a scroll into one's spell book follows this exact procedure AND causes the spell to disappear from the scroll as well (this is not the case when transcribing a spell from a spell book to create a scroll).

At the end of this section in the DMG (page 118) it specifically states that "the scriber of the spell does not need a read magic spell to use his or her own scroll spells, just as clerics and druids never need the aid of magic to read appropriate scroll spells" (again, so long as they are written in Common or a language they can understand).

The greatest advantage of using scrolls is that they require no material components. Thus, a spell that would normally require an expensive object or a live creature to cast (i.e. identify or spider climb) can eliminate the components (since they are probably already a part of the ink components). Use of a scroll would still require both hands free to hold the scroll open, and the spell caster to be able to speak (which is why silence is a very powerful spell). I believe that, other than the components being removed, it is exactly like spell casting. Any disruption of the reading also spoils the spell. This is how I've run this for many years - casting a spell from oneself or from a scroll is still casting a spell. The benefit of scrolls comes from increased spell capacity and convenience; it should not drastically alter the fact that it is still a spell being released in one form or another. The DMG is very clear on spellcasting in melee; it's not a good idea! Any hit with a weapon, fist, kick, etc. will disrupt a spell, as will taking damage prior to completing a spell (be it from missile, magic item, creature ability, or spell). I see casting spells from a scroll as no different. Failure to complete a spell from a scroll only results in the destruction of that spell - any other spells on the scroll are unaffected, unless the scroll itself is attacked and fails a saving throw in some way (i.e. engulfed in dragon breath, area of effect spell, disintegration, etc.). A scroll is merely an external extension of spell storage. Nasty DMs could say that a lower level caster casting a higher level spell from a scroll when interrupted automatically causes a roll as if the spell failure chance was rolled, thus increasing the chance of a mishap occurring!

AD&D: Secret Doors

There is precious little information in the Players Handbook regarding secret doors. In fact, there is precious little information on secret doors in the entire Dungeon Masters Guide as well. What  information does exist is not entirely clear on how such things are handled. I will try to elucidate on this subject as best as I can.

The first mention of secret doors ANYWHERE in the rules is under the racial entry for Elves. These sneaky, pointy-eared devils are the best at locating secret doors, having a 2 in 6 chance of finding one when actively searching for one. Note the stress on that last part - one has to actively search to locate a secret door. The wording is poor, but the intent is clear so long as you are not glossing over the details on the page. This implies that other races have a lesser chance of finding secret doors - but this chance is never stated in the Players Handbook. Half-elves inherit this ability from their elven parent, and it applies in full, not as half a chance better. It is not until we get to the DMG that the chance is defined as 1 in 6 for non-elves (page 97).

However, the process of finding secret doors has never really been properly explained. According to the rules in the DMG, it seems that locating and using a secret door is a 2-part process. One has to first locate the door, then one must find the means of opening said door once it is found. No secret doors in the early modules gave any indication of how they were to be opened - only later modules gave any indications (pull a torch sconce, push on one edge, hidden finger-pulls on the edge, etc.). Did you know that some secret doors could be locked, might be switched to open in two different directions, or could be trapped to prevent unwelcome users? All these were options in the original games played by Gygax!

But what exactly is a secret door? Obviously, it's a door that no one knows exists (other than the builder and a few others lucky enough to have found one). The DMG defines secret doors as "portals which are made to appear to be a part of the surface they are in." They are differentiated from concealed doors in that a concealed door, once found, is obviously a door. A concealed door is simply hidden from view or easy detection. A door in a pitch black corridor without a light source could be considered a concealed door. A trap door beneath a carpet is also a concealed door. A metal hatch at the bottom of a murky pool could be a concealed door. However, a secret door is camouflaged and does not even resemble a door - it could be made to look like the floor, a wall section, or even a portion of the ceiling. Essentially, if a door looks like a door, but is hidden from view, it is a concealed door. If a door is in plain sight but disguised to look like something else, it is a secret door.

In order to find a secret door, one must be actively looking for one. They do not get a sense that there may be one in their vicinity simply by passing it by. This is different for concealed doors, which do allow elves and half-elves to detect by simply passing by (with a 1 in 6 chance). However, what about dwarves and their ability to detect sliding and shifting walls or rooms (4 in 6 chance)? Well, a door is not an entire wall or a room, and the dwarf must also be actively searching for such things. Perhaps a door is simply not on the scale a dwarf is used to looking for...? Besides, the elven ability works on all surfaces - the dwarves only get this with stone constructions. Most dungeons, however, are built of stone, so this may be permitted by some DMs. In the spirit of the rules, I prefer to only grant increased secret door detection ability to elves and half-elves. Also, detection may be made by manually tapping on walls to listen for hollow spots, but this could just indicate a passage or room/chamber on the other side of a normal wall.

Discovery of a secret door doesn't grant the means of how to open it. This requires a SECOND roll OR physical investigation of the area around the door. Devious DMs may place the means of opening the secret door away from the door itself (pulling up the arm of a nearby throne, twisting a wall sconce 20 feet away from the door, stepping on a certain flagstone in a corner of the room, etc.). Perhaps the door is timed and will only remain open for 2 turns once opened, then closes behind the party once entered, requiring searching for a means to open it from the other side (if one exists - there can be one-way secret doors, too)!

The DMG provides two possible methods for discovering the means of opening the secret door. Method 1 is to just let them roll a second time with the same chance as detection (1 in 6 for non-elves, or 2 in 6 for elves/half-elves). You can alter the die used if the secret door is easier (d4) or harder (d8, d10, etc) than normal to find the mechanism. Method 2 is more frustrating and rewarding for those players that enjoy "theater of the mind" gaming and puzzles. With a complete description of the area (and DMs being prepared to adlib if necessary), the characters are free to figure it out by describing how they intend on opening the door. A DM must provide any and all details on the spot regarding this door, and may cause a delay in play as the players try to work it out. However, truly clever players will enjoy this more than rolling a die (which they can easily fail).

The DMG also provides some guidance on how long such a process should take (page 97). To detect a secret door, checking by simple tapping of the floor or walls in a 10' x 10' area takes 1 round. However, thorough examination for means of opening the door per 10' x 10' section requires 1 turn. Remember that wandering monster rolls occur at a given interval in dungeons (as determined by the specific module or DM-written adventure). For example, in T1: The Village of Hommlet, the lower dungeons of the Moathouse have a Wandering Monster check of 1 in 6 every turn. Checking every 10' x 10' area in the dungeon for secret doors becomes tiresome for the players AND the DM, but secret doors are so easy to miss unless you have some magical means of locating them (such as a wand of secret door and trap detection). If you spend all your time looking for secret doors, you essentially could be caught by several random encounters and never progress into the dungeon. It's important to note that wandering monsters rarely (if ever) have any treasure on them and aren't worth as much experience as monsters encountered in their lairs. Also, the method of searching for secret doors (tapping) might draw undo attention from nearby encounter areas - or even alert something on the other side of a secret door! These things have to be taken into consideration.

So, if the rules support NOT looking all over for secret doors, and they can only be found by careful examination, what are the characters expected to do? Obviously, explore the areas they can easily find and enter before starting to look for secret doors! Good gaming practice for AD&D players is to make a plan before entering a dungeon, stick to the plan, and leave when the current goal is accomplished (or when the party strength has slipped below 50%). My players enter a dungeon like a SWAT team, taking precautions that most would deem unnecessary or extreme. However, my players are 40+ year veterans of AD&D and are of a mindset that survival is paramount in all situations. If the goal is to explore all that can be explored, but then they assume that there must be more, a secret door is probably involved! Secret doors in rooms and chambers are easiest to find; those in corridors, floors, or ceilings are the hardest to find. The example of a first dungeon given in the AD&D DMG shows how devious Gygax was. He has the party facing an empty room with high ceiling. There are several square holes in the back wall spaced evenly, a pair at 3' height, and another pair at 6' height. Now, I would never have jumped to the same conclusion as the players in the example - they found splinters in one and determined that a wooden construction once existed there, attached to the wall! One climbed up on the shoulders of his comrade and checked the upper portion of the wall for secret doors, and sure enough found one! All this after spending a turn or so checking out the entire south wall (at the height of a normal Man). One must think in three-dimensions when exploring a dungeon, and always ask questions and seek details. But looking EVERYWHERE for detailed information ALL the time is tiresome, and this is why Gygax warns of wasting time in the dungeon (and probably why random encounters even exist). He wanted his players to be both cautious and clever!

But how is a neophyte player to know to even look for secret doors if they aren't playing an elf or half-elf? I've taught AD&D and D&D several times to new players, and they were completely impressed upon seeing a veteran player in the group suss out the location of a secret door! Once they new such things existed, they began searching for them, too! I don't think that there are enough examples or explanations in the Players Handbook to lead to such intelligent play. A pity really, since this is the only book that players are supposed to reference throughout their gaming experience.

One thing to take away from this is that secret doors can and do exist in just about every dungeon ever written. Their very nature prevents them from being easily detected unless magic is used (and even then one must have some indication that a secret door exists in a certain location as spell ranges and item usage vary). The problem with most of the older modules is that they tended to place the bulk of the adventure behind a secret door, which the party has only a 1 or 2 in 6 chance of locating. If they never locate the secret door, they lose out on the rest of the adventure (and the experience therein)!

AD&D Magic Items: Potions

Nothing gets a new party more excited than their first magic items acquired in the game. More likely than not, that first magic item is a potion. These "liquid spells" really are a life saver and can be extremely useful, but most potions are not overly powerful items, and as such are usually found by lower level characters with more frequency than, say, name level characters. They are great for the DM in that most potions are single-use items, they have a limited duration, and the bonus gained is not absurdly powerful or overbalancing to the game.

This article will seek to clear up all the rules concerning potions and their use in an AD&D campaign. I'll also touch on the creation of potions and why these should probably be some of the few easily-accessible magic items permitted for characters to create on their own.

POTIONS
Potions are one of the most common magic items found. There is a full 20% chance of finding one or more potions using the random Magic Item generation tables in the DMG on page 121. Most potions can be used by any character, with the only notable exceptions being giant strength, heroism, invulnerability, and super-heroism which can only be used by fighters. The accessibility and usefulness of potions cannot be understated. There are few potions that have little or no use in most situations. Only those potions which are overly specific - mostly the control-type potions - have limited usefulness based on the surrounding monster ecosystem.

Potions are typically found in ceramic, crystal, glass or metal flasks in sufficient quantity to provide one person with one complete dose to achieve the magical effects listed (DMG, p.125). Therefore, potions can look like something unexpected, and the DM can describe their containers in any way he chooses - from a metal, engraved boot flask to a corked pottery jug marked with three "X's". Gygax suggests that no identifying marks be placed on the containers to prevent characters from instantly knowing the contents. He suggests making them sample from each container they find to determine the contents. Apparently, even a minor sip should be able to give a hint of some sort as to what the potion does - even if just an urge. Gygax goes even further, suggesting that a DM create a list of a few different sorts of potions (not on the list in the DMG) in order to cause difficulties in identification. Also, the same types of potions derived from different sources are likely to smell, taste, and look differently. In essence, Gygax wanted to make the identification of potions non-trivial, and also wanted to set the bait for the use of the "cursed" potions (delusion, poison). After all, how do you get someone to drink a poison potion if they can identify it easily by common means?

The use of potions is rather generally explained. Most potions/oils without a stated duration will last 4 + 1d4 turns (that's 5-8 turns, or 50-80 minutes). It may seem like a long time, but if the characters are not in combat (or the combat only lasts a few rounds), then that potion will be used up before you know it! Clairaudience potions only last 2 turns. Clairvoyance potions last only 1 turn. Diminution potions last 6 + 2-5 turns, ESP potions last 5-40 rounds, fire resistance 1 turn, giant control 5-30 rounds, human control 5-30 rounds, invulnerability 5-20 rounds, oil of slipperiness 8 hours, speed 5-20 rounds, super-heroism 5-30 rounds, treasure finding 5-20 rounds, undead control 5-20 rounds, and water breathing 6 turns + 1-10 rounds.

One can see from the above that those potions meant to be used in encounters are of shorter duration than those of general use. It should also be noted that some potions without a listed duration do NOT function for 4 + 1-4 turns but have a permanent effect on the drinker instead: healing, extra-healing, longevity, and the aging effect of a speed potion. One does not simply take back all their damage 8 turns after consuming a healing potion! Some potions can be taken in lesser doses to achieve lesser results. For example, consuming 1/3 of a potion of extra-healing only heals 1-8 points of damage per dose, but consuming the entire potion restores 6-27 (3d8+3) points of damage. Sipping 1/8 of a potion of invisibility grants invisibility for only 3-6 turns. Drinking half a potion of fire resistance confers only half the bonuses against non-normal fires for half the duration. In fact, most potions of non-specified duration can be half-drunk for half-duration effects.

Most of the control potions grant the targets of their effects a saving throw, so these are not guaranteed to work! Control potions are quite powerful in encounters with the given creature and could potentially unbalance an encounter in favor of the party if only one or two such creatures are encountered. Such potions are marked with an asterisk (*) on the random potions table (DMG, pg. 121). However, control potions can be very limited in what they can specifically control. For example, a potion of dragon control could be limited to green dragons only, copper dragons only, or evil dragons only. A potion of human control might be limited to only affecting elves/half-elves, or only humanoids, or maybe only humans. The specific creature type controlled must be rolled for on a random table (or decided by the DM). A potion of vampire control would be useless to most adventurers if they never encounter such an undead creature! Or it could be a godsend if they are adventuring in Ravenloft! Most control potions are non-generic, with the exception being plant control. Coincidentally, this is the only control potion with a listed range of effect (9"). The others state that they function as a charm monster spell (which has a static range of 6") or a charm person spell (which has a static range of 12"). Specifics as to how this works are for the DM to know and the players to find out (but all details are listed in the DMG under the specific listings)!

Potions in Combat
Of great importance to players, is how potions are used in combat situations. It is stated (DMG, p.125) that potions take effect 2-5 segments after they are imbibed. But just how long does it take to drink a potion? This question is answered in another section entirely! On page 71 of the DMG, there is a sections entitled Actions During Combat and Similar Time-Important Situations. Halfway through the section is a bold-faced reference to DRINKING POTIONS, which, curiously enough, is not listed in the index, but can be found on page 119 of the DMG as a sub-section under USE OF MAGIC ITEMS. Here the rules state:

"It takes but a segment (6 seconds) to open and consume the typical potion. Thereafter, however, a certain delay will occur while the contents are ingested and the magical properties of the potion take effect. The delay will be from 2-5 segments as a rule. When a potion is imbibed, simply roll d4, add +1 to the result, and in that number of segments the effects of the dose will take full effect. You may establish specific times for various potions if you so desire, but this is a complication which is not generally recommended."

Turning back to page 71 where this rule is referenced, is an example of declared actions for a character and their resolution by the DM.

"In a similar vein, some players will state that they are going to do several actions, which, if allowed, would be likely to occupy their time for many rounds. For example: "I'll hurl oil at the monster, ignite it, drink my potion of invisibility, sneak up behind it, and then stab it in the back!" How ambitious indeed. Where is the oil? In a pouch, of course, so that will take at least 1, possibly 2 segments to locate and hurl. If the potion is in the character's back pack, 3 or 4 segments will be taken up just finding it, and another 1 segment will be required to consume its contents. (See DRINKING POTIONS.) Now comes the tricky part, sneaking up. Assuming that the potion has taken effect, and that our dauntless character has managed to transfer his or her weapon back into his or her hand (for certainly all the other activity required the character to at least put the weapon in the off hand), he or she is now ready to creep around the fringe of the combat and steal up behind the foe to smite it in the back."

Some potions state that it takes much longer for them to be consumed. For example, the healing potion states that "An entire potion must be consumed in a single drinking (round) in order for this liquor to restore 4-10 (2d4 + 2) hit points of damage." This implies that the potion drinking takes an entire round to do. I simply assume that a character can do nothing else in a round that a healing potion is consumed. Some people interpret this line differently. Either way, it seems that the effects are immediately gained by the end of the round at the latest and the duration of the potion ends. This is important when considering potion miscibility; see below).

Using Oils
There are two oils listed in the DMG: etherealness and slipperiness. Unlike potions, they are applied externally to the character and his or her gear, but the effects are generally the same. The contents are poured out over hands and body and smeared appropriately. The normal time of 1 segment is used for opening and pouring, with the same time delay of 2-5 segments for the oil to take effect. Really, there is little difference.

Potion Miscibility
This rule appears to exist to discourage characters from drinking more than one potion at a time to gain multiple benefits. I can see the reasoning behind the rule, but it rarely comes up in a single combat, and most combat potions last only rounds, not turns. However, it is a real consideration when a character is under the effects of a potion and wants to drink a healing potion! In desperation, a character could also take two potion flasks and mix them before consumption in the hopes of getting a cool new result, creating a vile poison to use against a monster, or simply to cause an explosion (a rare result at best)!

In any case, mixing two or more potions together requires a roll on the Potion Miscibility table (DMG, p. 119). Results could be an explosion, creation of a poison, cancellation of both potions, limited miscibility, both function normally, or a new potion is created from the mixture of the two. As a DM, one has to be on the look-out for when a PC makes that fatal error of forgetting about the dangers of mixing potions. Obviously, this is only a problem if one potion is still in effect on a character and another is consumed, and most frequently happens when in danger of death and healing potions are the only saving grace.

Potion Brewing
Most fantasy settings I have ever dabbled in have some type of class or character type involved in the making of potions. These could be apothecaries that brew healing potions and herbal remedies or alchemists changing the elements and brewing magical draughts, to the witches stirring their cauldrons to brew poisons and love potions. In AD&D, Gygax permitted the creation of potions, probably because they were such limited items and required the character to adventure in order to procure the components necessary. For instance, when the stock of extra-healing potions in the city of Selenica were depleted, the clerics there offered to brew more potions for the characters if they could secure troll blood in specially prepared sacred vials. The characters agreed and, the next time they encountered trolls, collected what blood they could and returned to the clerics where they were rewarded with potions at a discounted price. Such interaction makes the party part of their world, where they realize that components of monsters may have value (beyond experience), and increases interaction with NPCs in gaining something either for their own use, or for the promise of assistance or additional work in the near future.

Since the DMG was the last published work by Gygax in the three core books, the rules here trump those of the previous Player's Handbook. According to the section, Manufacture of Potions (DMG, p. 116), potions may be made by any magic-user of 7th level or above, if he or she enlists the aid of an alchemist. An alchemist is an NPC hireling found only in cities unless one is specifically located elsewhere by the DM, requiring an offer of 10-100 gp bonus money, plus a well-stocked laboratory and the assurance of not less than a full year of employment to even attract one to service. The magic-user must then support the alchemist at a rate of 300 gp per month salary. That's a large outlay of money for a 7th level character, especially given the by-the-book training costs for player characters and the cost of spell books, inks, and other spell research components!

At 11th level, the magic-user no longer requires the assistance of an alchemist, although having one in your employ can reduce the money and time required to make a potion by 50%.

Potions can only be made one at a time, and the magic-user must have a proper laboratory with fireplace, workbench, brazier, and several alchemical implements of specialized nature before work can begin. These are only found in cities that support alchemists or can be specially made by craftsmen at a cost of 200-1,000 gp. Upkeep of the lab requires 10% of the base cost/month to replace used/broken equipment and restock supplies. The place is always considered to be in use when an alchemist is employed, as they continue to research when not busy in the manufacturing process.

The cost and time needed to brew a potion is derived from the XP Value of the potion on the charts. If no XP value is given, the potion has a 200 gp base for cost and time determination. The XP value is the amount of gold that must be spent to brew the potion. The number of days required to brew the potion is the same figure divided by 100. Each hundred or fraction thereof indicates a full day of time. Thus, in order to create a potion of invisibility with 250 XP value will cost 250 gp in components and take 3 full days to complete (250 / 100 = 2.5 rounded to 3). Each potion also requires one or more special ingredients to empower the magic. These special ingredients are listed for those potions in the DMG on pages 116-117. These are suggestions only, but show how rare the components should be for such magical items. For example, an invisibility potion would require invisible stalker ichor - not something that a 3rd or lower level character could come by easily. A DM could state that skulk blood or slithering tracker plasma could also be substituted if desired (or the DM could hint that other ingredients could substitute and the result being that the potion only confers blending or chameleon powers with the same duration as an invisibility potion). Obviously, the more powerful the ingredients, the more potent the brew should be. One might need only a drop of pixie dust to empower an invisibility potion, and such a component would be much easier to come by.

The brewing process has no failure percentage associated with it - the only cost is time and money. However, a DM could state that there is a 5-20% chance of failure to all potion manufacturing, and that any failure results in a delusion potion of the same type as that attempted. Assuming that this rule is used, a magic-user attempts to brew an invisibility potion and fails the roll. They now have a delusion potion that makes them think it is an invisibility potion! Their associates may look at them funny when they drink such a potion and boldly step into a chamber full of monsters thinking that nothing can see them...

Poison potions can be manufactured only by assassins of 9th level or higher, using the rules found in the DMG and PHB under POISON. Assassins need no labs or alchemists, but cost and time are found as if a normal potion was being prepared.

House Rules
My players are a very cautious lot. They would never sip from any unknown flask to determine the contents of a potion. So we developed rules for an alchemist to identify potions. The time required is 1-3 days and the base cost is 40 gp (modified by haggling with Charisma being a prime determinant). I roll a 5-15% chance for each alchemist to check how good they are at doing their job for each potion, or once to determine their base skill as an alchemist. If this percentage chance is rolled when an identification is taking place, a mishap occurs and the potion can be ruined, an explosion can occur, or some other mishap (refer to the Potion Miscibility table for possibilities). Alchemists must make a saving throw vs. spells as a 0-level human to correctly identify a potion of delusion. Failure makes them declare it as another type of potion.

This seemingly prevents the instant death or problems of the cursed potions. However, such potions can be misidentified if the skill level of the alchemist is too low (indicated by a high chance of failure). As stated, only cities support alchemists, so this option may not be available for lower level characters unless they base themselves in a major city, and even so, the cost of identification is high enough to cause lower-level characters pause.

This house rule has served us well for almost 20 years now and is integrated into the fabric of our campaign setting. We have seen many potions identified truly as they were, with some misidentified, and one spectacular explosion that decimated an alchemist shop (ending with the temporary incarceration of the party ranger who was accused as purposefully bringing in dangerous contraband to the town). Feel free to use this in your own campaigns if desired, adjusting the cost and time accordingly My price estimate came from 10% of the GP sale value of a potion of healing, with the 1-3 day variable based off the average brewing times of the most common potions. We have since integrated the lists from Unearthed Arcana without much problem and no adjustment to the time or costs listed here.

So What is a Philter?
Gygax loved using extravagant and Medieval-flavored words in the DMG. A philter is a potion specifically designed to arouse sexual feelings towards another - in essence, a love potion. Thus the philter of love and philter of persuasiveness are so named because they have a specific purpose: namely the influence and desire of someone of the opposite (or same) sex. He could have just called these Charisma potions and Love potions, but this gives it more flavor and makes it sound exotic. In OD&D, witches were known to cast spells on men to lure them into sexual relations. This is derived from Greek Mythology and sword & sorcery fantasy of the Conan caliber. These effects of charming and persuading men to do something they would not normally do made witches a powerful force for evil in the original D&D game. They actually created these love potions for use on their subjects (and you thought they were just cooking dinner in those cauldrons?).

Why differentiate between these and control-potions? Well, for one thing, the enamoring effect of a philter of love is permanent until dispelled! The philter of persuasiveness is essentially a Charisma booster that could be useful in any number of different interactions with NPCs or even monsters! Imagine a paladin with 18 Charisma and +35% reaction adjustment with a philter of persuasiveness (granting an additional +25% to reactions). That's a guaranteed +60% to reaction rolls on any creature encountered, practically guaranteeing a peaceful and possibly profitable arrangement for the PCs. This potion also allows the use of a suggestion once per turn on any creature within 3" for as long as the potion lasts. This is like the greatest Jedi mind trick ever! One should never underestimate the value of good NPC relations in AD&D.

Final Thoughts
Potions are great one-use magic items that a DM can insert into an adventure to aid the players, foil them, or provide a lead to new adventures. Stumbling across the notes of an alchemist in an old ruin might have profound effects on the campaign if a new potion type is developed therein. I've used alchemical substances like potions and oils to have effects not listed in the DMG. For example, one of the modules had a cure poison potion which doesn't exist (but should). I've inserted anti-toxins that can be brewed by apothecaries or alchemists, allowed clerics and druids to also create basically curative potions, and allowed the creation of a balm that, when rubbed on a stoned creature, will return them to flesh. Such a balm obviously does not exist in the original AD&D DMG and was never added in Unearthed Arcana. These are just some of the suggestions that could be added to a list of new potions and oils.

We've also dabbled with modifying potion effects based on the potency of components. If troll blood is good for extra-healing potions, what would ogre-magi blood do to affect it? What about using extra-planar components, like demon blood, devil horn, or angel feathers? Coming up with interesting components or brewing recipes can be used as possible treasure of the non-obvious sort. When players ask what's in the books at the local magic university or personal library in town, the DM can insert one of these tidbits into the information and let the players deal with the information as they see fit. Good players will realize it for what it really is - treasure of a sort. Others may shrug and toss it aside. The value of such information is for the DM and players to work out in character interactions.

Call Lightning: Not as Good as You Think

Druids. They're an odd choice for a player character. Made to stay Neutral while everyone else worries about the battles between Good and Evil, Law and Chaos. Druid are worshippers of Nature who revere trees above all else; people who would rather remain in their groves and mete out subtle justice in a karmic fashion to those who sin against Nature. It just seems an odd class to choose for a game that focuses on dungeon delving and looting treasure. These are not the goals of druids. They are wilderness clerics, who excel in the wilds, but have little or no influence over those things found in the typical dungeon adventure.

The spell selections of the druid are great....so long as you are in a forest or natural setting. Their armor and weapon selections really don't make them a martial choice. What they excel at is elemental manipulation and interactions between Nature and the party. That being said, they really lack many of the typical attack spells that a spell caster needs to feel "useful" to a typical party.

One of their "attack" spells is the 3rd level spell Call Lightning. While Magic-Users are slinging fireballs and lightning bolts, and Clerics are animating dead and praying for their party's success, the druid can only cast his one direct attack spell if there's a storm raging nearby...

Let's face it, the spell is practically useless UNLESS the DM arbitrarily decides that the conditions are "just right" every time the druid wants to cast this spell. Then there's the casting time...1 TURN. Most combats are over in one turn, unless there are a ton of combatants. The druid could be attacked before the spell is completed, thus disrupting the spell - by ANY attack that succeeds in the 10 rounds he or she spends casting. Then, he can release ONE bolt of lightning each TURN of continued combat with a saving throw allowed for each bolt! If he's lucky, he'll get off one bolt, maybe two, during a combat.

The worst part of the spell is that the druid has to be the epicenter of the effect (range: 0), so he can't just hang back in the woods and attack his opponents in a clearing or something. This MUST be a strange carryover from original D&D where the spellcasters were on the battlefield and exposed to attack. The area of effect is only a 360-foot radius (remember, areas of effect are always in feet; only ranges translate to yards outdoors) and this is not nearly distant enough to prevent opponents from attacking you before you are done casting. Let's face it, the instant a spellcaster begins casting ANY spell, they become a target to intelligent opponents. I've seen multiple PCs drop EVERYTHING they are currently doing to attack a spellcaster who declared a spell for that round. It's just the way players have been conditioned. So any spell that takes 10 ROUNDS to complete, is pretty much utterly useless unless the druid can first entangle his opponents or otherwise immobilize them.

Now, I'm a bit of a prick for making our party druid suffer through the Desert of Desolation trilogy, then head into the mountains to fight giants, but he's still been in the natural world, and I've taught him that nature means more than trees and forests. Still, it would be nice if just ONCE he could cast the Call Lightning spell; after all, he's been waiting to do so for nearly 20 years! Of course, now that he might be entering the Underworld to chase drow, he will likely never get a chance to cast this spell...ever!