Scrolls

Overview
A scroll contains a single use of one spell. Characters can wield and use a scroll to activate its spell without expending Spell Points or material components and even if they cannot cast that spell themselves.

Scrolls do not benefit from Metamagic feats or from the character's item properties, ability modifiers, and Enhancements that affect spells, although there are separate Enhancements that improve scroll effects. Scrolls with spells that appear on the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list and that need a somatic component are subject to Arcane Spell Failure even if the spell also appears on a divine spell list or the character using the scroll is a divine spellcaster or a Bard in light armor.

Each scroll has a predefined caster level that is used to determine its spell's strength regardless of the character using it.

Wizards and Artificers can inscribe scrolls to permanently learn their spells.

Using Scrolls
A character may use a scroll if one of the following conditions is met:

1. The character could use the spell himself at his class and level.

2. The spell appears on the character's spell list at a higher level than he can currently cast, and his overall character level meets the scroll's minimum level.


 * This requires a check and may not succeed. The game rolls 1d20 and adds 2x the character's caster level. If the total is at greater than or equal to 2x the level at which he could cast the spell himself, the attempt to use the scroll succeeds. This gives a 95% chance of success if the character is one level short, 85% for two levels, 75% for three, and so on. The scroll is destroyed whether the attempt is successful or not.

3. The character has a sufficiently high Use Magic Device skill.


 * This method also requires a skill check and may not succeed. The game rolls 1d20 and adds the character's UMD skill. If the total is greater than or equal to the scroll's UMD DC (18 plus 2x the caster level of the item), the attempt to use the scroll succeeds. The scroll is destroyed whether the attempt is successful or not.

If the character meets both the last two cases, the game makes only one check using the method most likely to succeed.

Scroll vendors
Scrolls can be bought from several places in DDO:

Arcane scroll vendors

 * Level 1 and 2 - The Marketplace Bazaar (North side), Lorna Wrymtouched
 * Level 3 - House Phiarlan, Object Desire (NW near entrance to Tangleroot), Corual Laoli
 * Level 4 and 5 - House Jorasco, House of Wizardry (South end of map), Auromir Palance
 * Level 6 and 7 - House Phiarlan, Object Desire (NW near entrance to Tangleroot Gorge), Frederik Star
 * Level 1 to 5 - House Kundarak, (Guild Arcane Scroll Vendor near mailbox), Franz Alastor
 * Level 1 to 7 - The Portable Hole (requires Teleport spell)
 * Level 8 and 9 - not available from vendors

Divine scroll vendors

 * Level 1 and 2 - The Marketplace Bazaar (NW corner) or The Rusty Nail tavern, Jylanni Baum
 * Level 1 to 7 - House Kundarak, (Guild Divine Scroll Vendor near mailbox), Ariel Bianchi
 * Level 3 to 7 - House Jorasco, House of Wizardry (South end of map), Aulandar Thistlecrown
 * Level 8 and 9 - not available from vendors

Artificer scroll vendors

 * Level 1 to 4 - House Cannith - Artificer Scroll Vendor (Lower area near the trainers), Taniera Grisvill
 * Level 5 and 6 - not available from vendors

Scrolls not available from vendors
Not all scrolls are available from vendors. Several Area of Effect scrolls like Wall of Fire and utility scrolls like Dimension Door were deemed too powerful and removed from vendors in Update 4.1. Additionally, there is often a considerable lag between when new spells are added to the game and scrolls of those spells being added to vendors.

It's a very good idea for wizards and artificers to learn these rare spells when leveling up since those scrolls are harder to acquire.