Battle spells

[Ariadne]

I#ve got an important question. As a priest or wizard you can research new (and existing) battle spells. As I know, those who have material components, are very expensive. For "bark skinned unit" you must cut a half forrest for example.

Now my question:
Is it possible to write battle spells as scrolls? Normal spells consume material components in their creation, but the above half wood (Might be a little difficult)? Further you need additional priests for help, do you need them, when scribing the scroll?

[ConjurerDragon]

Ariadne wrote:

>This post was generated by the Birthright.net message forum.
> You can view the entire thread at: http://www.birthright.net/read.php?TID=1216
>
> Ariadne wrote:
> I#ve got an important question. As a priest or wizard you can research new (and existing) battle spells. As I know, those who have material components, are very expensive. For "bark skinned unit" you must cut a half forrest for example.
>
The spell on p. 102 of the Book of Priestcraft lists 100 lbs of tree bark.
If lbs=pound=16 ounces that are 0,453 kg * 100 = 45,3 Kilogramm or 7,14
Stones whomever uses that weight from my english-german dictionary.

45,3 Kilogramm of tree bark, so if you peel? the trees you don´t have to
cut them down - to avoid the wrath of elves, druids or wizards who fear
for their sources if nature is destroyed.

But half a forest cut down? No.

>Now my question:
>Is it possible to write battle spells as scrolls? Normal spells consume material components in their creation, but the above half wood (Might be a little difficult)? Further you need additional priests for help, do you need them, when scribing the scroll?
>
The 3E feat on p. 84/85 of the PHB says that "In addition to the costs
derived from the base price, you must expend the material component or
pay the XP when scribing the scroll".

So you don´t save the material component, you just sacrifice it when
creating the scroll instead of when casting the spell as far as I
understood.

About the priest: The battlespell "Barkskinned Unit" does list no
additional priests as requirement, so why do you assume that you need
additional priests? If those are needed they are specifically mentioned,
e.g. in "Erik´s Entanglement" where two assistants are needed - but only
to hurl grass, so not necessarily priests or druids.
bye
Michael Romes
(Bannier Andien in ITSOD)

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[Ariadne]

Originally posted by ConjurerDragon

45,3 Kilogramm of tree bark, so if you peel? the trees you don´t have to cut them down - to avoid the wrath of elves, druids or wizards who fear for their sources if nature is destroyed.

But half a forest cut down? No.

O.K., no cut of. But "Bark skinned unit" was only an example...

The 3E feat on p. 84/85 of the PHB says that "In addition to the costs derived from the base price, you must expend the material component or pay the XP when scribing the scroll".

So you don´t save the material component, you just sacrifice it when creating the scroll instead of when casting the spell as far as I understood.

I play still 2nd Edition, so XP aren't important...

About the priest: The battlespell "Barkskinned Unit" does list no additional priests as requirement, so why do you assume that you need additional priests? If those are needed they are specifically mentioned, e.g. in "Erik´s Entanglement" where two assistants are needed - but only to hurl grass, so not necessarily priests or druids.

I've read it somewhere, but I don't know, if additional priests are always needed (I thought it)...

[ConjurerDragon]

Ariadne wrote:

>This post was generated by the Birthright.net message forum.
> You can view the entire thread at: http://www.birthright.net/read.php?TID=1216
>Ariadne wrote:
>

Originally posted by ConjurerDragon
>
>45,3 Kilogramm of tree bark, so if you peel? the trees you don´t have to cut them down - to avoid the wrath of elves, druids or wizards who fear for their sources if nature is destroyed.
>But half a forest cut down? No.

>O.K., no cut of. But "Bark skinned unit" was only an example...
>
>

About the priest: The battlespell "Barkskinned Unit" does list no additional priests as requirement, so why do you assume that you need additional priests? If those are needed they are specifically mentioned, e.g. in "Erik´s Entanglement" where two assistants are needed - but only to hurl grass, so not necessarily priests or druids.
>

>I`ve read it somewhere, but I don`t know, if additional priests are always needed (I thought it)...
>
It is mentioned on p. 98 of the Book of Priestcraft, however only as an
example of an optional rule dependant on your DM and his campaign. Any
DM and/or player are there encouraged to determine if additional helpers
are needed - however it is not specifically listed in the description
of the spell "Barkskinned Unit", so the "official" Barkskinned Unit
battlespell does need no assistants while other spells explicitely do
need assistants.
bye
Michael Romes
(Bannier Andien in ITSOD)

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[Ariadne]

I see. So you can write battle spells as scrolls, and assistents aren't needed here (and if you play 3rd Ed., don't you spend XP every time, you scribe a scroll? I think so..).

[ryancaveney]

On Sun, 19 Jan 2003, Michael Romes wrote:

> The spell on p. 102 of the Book of Priestcraft lists 100 lbs of tree bark.

I`d forgotten that little gem. That is a *huge* amount of tree bark.

> 45,3 Kilogramm of tree bark, so if you peel? the trees you don´t have to
> cut them down - to avoid the wrath of elves, druids or wizards who fear
> for their sources if nature is destroyed.
>
> But half a forest cut down? No.

No, that is half a forest cut down. The elves, druids and wizards will
then flay 100 pounds of skin from you and your associates, and then say
you needn`t worry about your own futures since you weren`t actually being
killed, just slightly trimmed. Trees which have their bark removed die.
Even cutting off a small amount of the bark can be fatal -- this is the
"slash" part of "slash and burn" agriculture. Tree bark, like animal
skin, is an essential barrier to keep out disease and parasites. The
various protectors of nature you mention would actually be much happier if
it were 100 pounds of whole wood than just of bark, since many fewer trees
would have to die to provide it.


Ryan Caveney

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[Ariadne]

Originally posted by ryancaveney

No, that is half a forest cut down. The elves, druids and wizards will then flay 100 pounds of skin from you and your associates, and then say you needn`t worry about your own futures since you weren`t actually being killed, just slightly trimmed. Trees which have their bark removed die.

May be someone using this battle spell can search for dead (or nearly dead) trees for cutting their bark. This would cost an amount of time with searching, but in large woods it might be possible. With this strategy no elf or druid has the desire to "remove" your skin...

[irdeggman]

Also in 3rd ed there are specific limitations on who can cast a spell from a scroll. It must be on that class' spell list, it must be of lower level than the reader of the scroll (or spellcraft checks are necessary) and yes there is an exp cost based on the spell/caster level. There is no such thing as a "protection" scroll that that anyone can read anymore, unless that gets revised in version 3.5, but somehow I doubt it. A rogue/bard can attempt to "use magic device" by simulating the class ability necessary to use the scroll, but that is a very risky option, especially at low levels for a rogue/bard.

These restrictions are one of the reasons that it is much "cheaper" to scribe a scroll than to make a potion, that can be used by anyone capable of ingestion.