D&D 5E Which spell scrolls are best to buy for an Arcane Trickster?

[bbrown12]

Hi,

I am playing a level 11 AT. I can cast 2nd level spells so far.

1st - Familar, Silent Image, Disguise Self
2nd - Darkvision, Mirror Image, Invisibility, Suggestion, Phantasmal Force

Our DM allows to buy a limited amount of scrolls per level (around 3-5). So, which ones would be particularly useful?

I have the whole Wizard's spell list available!

Kind regards!

 

[bbrown12]

No one?

 

[Mephista]

Honestly, depends too much on your individual needs. Greater invisibility is always good for a rogue. Lots of people After that? What's your play style? Look at higher level illusions? Something like spider climb of more mobility? Teleports?

My experience with gish types is that you generally don't need anything past level 4, so focus on those levels.

 

[Eltab]

You really want one scroll of every spell you can potentially cast. Try out whatever seems to have potential in a given situation. Take notes on the experience, to decide if that spell should go on the "Forget it" list or the "Useful" list.

As noted above, since we don't know your playstyle it is hard to give helpful advice. If your group likes to kick down the front door and attack BBEG in his lair, you will want different tools than if you plan to draw BBEG & Minions into an ambush.

 

[Oofta]

Having an extra invisibility scroll is always handy. If you can choose from any school, not just illusion or enchantment, Alter Self is good. Suggestion, Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter, and so on.

In other words, any scroll that will let you get into or out of a particular situation. For example, even if you have disguise self, alter self is good because it gives you more capability and a better disguise that's harder to detect. Suggestion is good to convince the captain of the guard that there really is a threat on the other side of town and he needs to take all of his men with him to investigate and so on.

So I wouldn't focus on damage or flashy, but utility and versatility.

 

[jaelis]

Dude, if you can buy whatever scrolls you want, go for wish. The Use Magic Device ability means you don't have to worry about level requirements.

I assume that the DM will reign that in somewhat. So what levels spell are actually available/affordable?


Although apparently the Sage says that UMD doesn't actually work with scrolls at all:
https://www.sageadvice.eu/2015/10/14/thief-spell-scroll-and-use-magic-device/
Though he has a different idea here:
https://www.sageadvice.eu/tag/cast/page/4/
That all seems a bit bogus to me, but I guess it means we need to know how your DM plays it.

 

[clutchbone]

Dude, if you can buy whatever scrolls you want, go for wish. The Use Magic Device ability means you don't have to worry about level requirements.

I assume that the DM will reign that in somewhat. So what levels spell are actually available/affordable?


Although apparently the Sage says that UMD doesn't actually work with scrolls at all:
https://www.sageadvice.eu/2015/10/14/thief-spell-scroll-and-use-magic-device/
Though he has a different idea here:
https://www.sageadvice.eu/tag/cast/page/4/
That all seems a bit bogus to me, but I guess it means we need to know how your DM plays it.

UMD is a Thief feature. bbrown12 is playing an Arcane Trickster.

 

[jaelis]

UMD is a Thief feature. bbrown12 is playing an Arcane Trickster.

Aw, failed my perception check!

 

[bbrown12]

Thanks for your replies.

I wrote down a short list I wanted to share with you:

Comprehend Languages (1)
Shield (1)
Find Familiar (1)
Protection from Good and Evil (1)
Alter Self (2)
Darkvision (2)
Locate Object (2)
Rope Trick (2)
See Invisibility (2)

 

[Oofta]

Thanks for your replies.

I wrote down a short list I wanted to share with you:

Comprehend Languages (1)
Shield (1)
Find Familiar (1)
Protection from Good and Evil (1)
Alter Self (2)
Darkvision (2)
Locate Object (2)
Rope Trick (2)
See Invisibility (2)

Shield is a great one to take at a level you can take when you get to learn a spell from any school (8th, etc), but as a scroll it doesn't have much utility. Find familiar depends on how squishy familiars are in your campaign and whether the DM ignores them or kills them off on a regular basis (I've seen both).