Reevaluate scroll vendors post MotU

[AZgreentea]

I think its time that the rare scrolls were looked at again. Now that we have a level 25 game cap and Epic Destinies, there are some scrolls that are simply not as powerful as they used to be. The last time the scrolls were really looked at, iirc, was around the time that spells were adjusted. There have been some scrolls added since then, mostly for Artificers and Druids, but the lvl 8 and 9 scrolls remain unavailable except as drops.

Take for example the lvl 8 and lvl 9 summon monster. Are these creatures so powerful that they cant be sold in game? Now granted, some of these spells are still extremely powerful. Otto's irresistible dance, for example. However, I think that several of them could be safely added to vendors.

One idea to help control how powerful they are is to only add them to certain harder to access vendors. For example, a vendor in the Portable Hole and Eveningstar would be a good way to control them.

[CaptainSpacePony]

I've never had the sense that the rarity of scrolls was tied to power level. I always figured it was suppossed to be based on flavor.

New spells--rare. They are new after all.
Create undead, death aura etc--rare. These evilish scrolls may very well be illegal to distribute.
Lvl 8-9 spells--rare. Only the most adept masters of magic know these and would not be bothered to act as clerks scribing them for merchants.
etc etc etc.

I do like the idea that different scrolls could be found only in eveningstar though.

[cdr]

I've never had the sense that the rarity of scrolls was tied to power level. I always figured it was suppossed to be based on flavor.

The "rarity" of scrolls is entirely based on power. Originally, all scrolls were available at vendors. Then some were removed for power reasons, and then more. And almost none were returned as the game changed.

[Jay203]

Ranger spell scrolls and Deathward scrolls please~

[Artos_Fabril]

I do like the idea that different scrolls could be found only in eveningstar though.

Eveningstar vendors should carry scrolls for the named spells originating in FR.

(Named spells include the Bigby's hand series, Evard's Black Tentacles, Mordenkainen's Disjunction, etc.)


...Actually, I'm having trouble finding many named spells that originate in the generic realms. maybe nevermind.

[fmalfeas]

There's actually quite a few FR spells. Most of them, however, would probably be hard to implement in DDO, and people would throw fits about the names. Two examples.

Elminster's Eppulent Eppuration
Simbul's Systnodweomer

Imagine the rage from people at saying or spelling those.

Note, they're bloody good spells. The Elminster one surrounds you with little silver bubbles. I don't remember the forumla for how many (I think it's Caster Level, or Caster Level x2). Regardless, each bubble counts as a spell level. When spells try to affect you, bubbles pop, one per level of the spell. So long as there are enough bubbles, the spell just fails. Yes, it's a castable spell absorption buff of serious power. Level 9 I believe. Better than Disjunction in DDO.

The Simbul one...I don't know if they could implement it. You cast it, then you cast a few more spells. Nothing happens...but you now have the Systnodweomer 'hanging'. When you release the effect, every spell you put in it all goes off at once, on a single target (or point in space, if AOE). It can only hold a few spell levels, if memory serves. 9? Still, think of /9/ magic missile spells hammering a single target as a single casting action. Think of it more if it involves Shiradi Champion.

And there's more. Khelben Blackstaff Arunsun, Manshoon, Elminster, The Simbul, Halaster Blackcloak, Szass Tam, Aganazzar, Larloch, they all have spells they made. Some of them are brokenly powerful. Some are actually already in the game. (Scorch is an old spell from 2nd edition - Aganazzar's Scorcher, for example.)

There are more Faerun-only spells too. Elven High Magic (It's all got a price on it, and it's all really powerful...if you survive casting it...don't mess with powerful elven wizards), the spells of the Netherese Arcanist-Kings (this includes Larloch, and no, it doesn't include those chumps from High Road...they're an embarrasment to the name of Netheril.) The nation of Halruaa has a whole litany of 'everyday use' spells that would make anyone jealous, including airships that don't require enslaving elementals to make them work. The Cult of the Dragon has spells for making undead dragons of all types (think zombies are wusses? meet a zombie dragon). Velsharoon made a few spells before he became a god.

Oh, and in the Realms, many gods grant their clerics special and exclusive spells too. Ranging from the Mace of Odo (conjures a powerful Force-effect mace that does horrible things to undead...granted by Helm) to the priests of Bane's Mystic Lash (red whip of energy, does a little damage...nothing scary...except when it hits you, it wraps around you, leaving you helpless until you break the grapple, damaging you every round...and the tyrant-priest is probably caving in your skull with a morningstar while you can't resist, or nailing you with Dominate Person/Monster, because he wants a new pet.)

The realms has many, many spells unique to it. I would love it if they got implemented. Or at /least/ one of them.

Elminster's Worldwalk - Wiz/Sorc 9
Conjuration

Allows the caster to travel to another prime material plane that he has been to before. (Like...oh...between Eberron and Toril?)

[Inouk]

I agree this needs to be revisited, but I would guess that there are some spells they don't want scroll cast. Anything without a save (power words and otto's irresistible for instance) would be powerful spells to be able to scroll cast for someone that only has UMD. They may feel the same way about class specific iconic buffs (like death ward and FOM), though I would think allowing these would generally be good as it eases need for specific classes, especially classes that are already desired. Still, plenty of spells to look at adding that aren't really "all that" anymore.