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Author Topic: Battle Caster feat and Scroll Arcane Spell Failure  (Read 207 times)

Arszenik

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Battle Caster feat and Scroll Arcane Spell Failure
« on: March 20, 2025, 07:03:14 PM »
So currently there exists a bug where arcane spellcasters who take the Battle Caster feat and wear medium armour to suffer from arcane spell failure when using scrolls.

The description of the feat in game is identical to its source material in PNP 3.5.

Quote
Building on your existing training allows you to avoid the chance of arcane spell failure when you wear armor heavier than normal.
Prerequisite

Ability to ignore arcane spell failure chance from armor,
Benefit

You are able to wear armor one category heavier than you can normally wear while still avoiding the chance of arcane spell failure. For example, if you have the ability to normally wear light armor without incurring a chance of spell failure, you can wear medium armor and continue to cast spells as normal. This ability does not extend to shields, nor does it apply to spells gained from spellcasting classes other than the class that provides the ability to cast arcane spells while in armor.

In PNP scrolls are never subject to arcane spell failure, as per the 3.5 D&D FAQ which states:

Quote
"Is an armor-clad character who can use arcane scrolls
subject to the spell failure chance from armor when using
an arcane scroll? What about other magic items?

Arcane spell failure doesn’t apply when you’re activating a
magic item—not even a scroll."


On POTM currently, a class such as a warmage, warlock or a bard who takes the feat to wear medium armour will find themselves unable to use scrolls without the risk of wasting the scrolls.

The current workaround is to simply remove the armour, use the scroll and put the armour back on.

However this is both very tedious and breaks immersion by being cheesy. It also prevents the use of scrolls mid combat, and what NWN considers to be in and out of combat is very inconsistent.

One quick solution I can think of, would be to have the Armoured Caster feat disable Scroll ASF completely.

EO

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Re: Battle Caster feat and Scroll Arcane Spell Failure
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2025, 07:31:09 PM »
Are you referring to scrolls of spells their class has access to, or any spell?

Arszenik

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Re: Battle Caster feat and Scroll Arcane Spell Failure
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2025, 09:15:51 PM »
So Ive done a little bit of testing, I am playing a bard with medium armour and the battle caster feat.


When I put on the medium armour and use a scroll of minor disguise, which is a bard cantrip I get no ASF

I also put on a set of light armour, (Which bard can cast in with no ASF) and used 11 scrolls of longstrider (which isnt a bard spell) I also dont suffer any scroll ASF.

So this does seem to confirm to me that its Battle Caster that isnt correctly granting me the ability to use scrolls while in medium armour, while a base leather wearing bard can use any scroll without ASF.

Spoiler: show
Quote
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:05:14] Acquired 3GP
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:05:42] Equipped item swapped out.
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:05:42] Armor/Shield Applies: Skill Armor Check Penalty: 0 Arcane Spell Failure: 0%
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:05:42] Armor/Shield Applies: Skill Armor Check Penalty: -1 Arcane Spell Failure: 20%
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:08] Siflaed Monolith uses Longstrider
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:08] Siflaed Monolith : Use Magic Device : *success* : (5 + 25 = 30 vs. DC: 21)
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:14] Siflaed Monolith uses Longstrider
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:14] Siflaed Monolith : Use Magic Device : *success* : (7 + 25 = 32 vs. DC: 21)
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:20] Siflaed Monolith uses Longstrider
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:20] Siflaed Monolith : Use Magic Device : *success* : (20 + 25 = 45 vs. DC: 21)
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:29] Siflaed Monolith uses Longstrider
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:29] Siflaed Monolith : Use Magic Device : *success* : (20 + 25 = 45 vs. DC: 21)
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:35] Siflaed Monolith uses Longstrider
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:35] Siflaed Monolith : Use Magic Device : *success* : (10 + 25 = 35 vs. DC: 21)
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:41] Siflaed Monolith uses Longstrider
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:41] Siflaed Monolith : Use Magic Device : *success* : (4 + 25 = 29 vs. DC: 21)
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:53] Siflaed Monolith uses Longstrider
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:53] Siflaed Monolith : Use Magic Device : *success* : (11 + 25 = 36 vs. DC: 21)
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:59] Siflaed Monolith uses Longstrider
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:06:59] Siflaed Monolith : Use Magic Device : *success* : (16 + 25 = 41 vs. DC: 21)
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:07:05] Siflaed Monolith uses Longstrider
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:07:05] Siflaed Monolith : Use Magic Device : *success* : (16 + 25 = 41 vs. DC: 21)
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:07:11] Siflaed Monolith uses Longstrider
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:07:11] Siflaed Monolith : Use Magic Device : *success* : (6 + 25 = 31 vs. DC: 21)
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Fri Mar 21 01:07:11] Lost Item: Longstrider

EO

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Re: Battle Caster feat and Scroll Arcane Spell Failure
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2025, 09:19:52 AM »
Battle Caster itself wouldn't be the cause; it's integrated in the same script as the rest of the Arcane Spell Failure check.

What armor is your PC wearing?

Arszenik

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Re: Battle Caster feat and Scroll Arcane Spell Failure
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2025, 03:23:00 PM »
My PC is a bard that wears medium armour (Chainmail) and has the Battle Caster feat.
Can cast my own spells fine, but scrolls with non bard spells will suffer from ASF

During testing, I put on a set of studded leather armour (light armour with 20% ASF), and tried to use 11 scrolls of longstrider (which isnt a bard spell), none of which suffered from ASF.

EO

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Re: Battle Caster feat and Scroll Arcane Spell Failure
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2025, 04:19:55 PM »
What’s the medium armor’s name? You can PM me if you prefer.

Arszenik

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Re: Battle Caster feat and Scroll Arcane Spell Failure
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2025, 11:15:59 PM »
The medium armour my character wears is a crafted and enchanted adamantine chainmail with dire rhino leather lining and platinum gilding.