Tabletop and video games based on fantastic worlds have grown from a niche interest to a mainstream category. If a role-playing game includes some magical lore and fantasy setting, like Pathfinder, players often have the ability to use scrolls to cast spells instead of relying on learned spells or special items like wands.
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous includes a number of useful scrolls that players can use to augment their power. Not all the classes in Pathfinder can use scrolls, so pay attention to party composition when deciding who uses what. Healing classes are often limited to spells that are related to their main ability, while Paladins and Bards vary in their ability to use scrolls depending on their subclass.
Martial classes like Fighters are often unable to equip or read scrolls at all, with some exceptions, while Witches and Wizards can read virtually every scroll in the game. As long as there's someone to use them, though, the following scrolls always come in handy.
Updated on March 12, 2022, by Kristy Ambrose: The world of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous continues to evolve in the months following its initial release. That doesn't just refer to the recently added DLC, but also the recent big updates and expansions to the PS4 and Xbox console versions. Meanwhile, PC gamers have already experienced the whole storyline — some with several characters — allowing us to make some important additions to our list of essential scrolls.
12 Scroll of Bane
Players will find this common scroll several times from the start of the game, and accessibility counts for a lot. It's also one of the most useful low-level spells there is. Most Paladins, Oracles, and Shamans have it in their spellbook.
Use a Scroll of Bane to cover an area of effect (AoE) of 30 feet centered on the caster. Each enemy creature in that range takes a -1 penalty on attack rolls and a further -1 penalty on saving throws against Fear. Bane also counters and dispels the Bless spell, in case the party needs to fight a Paladin, which is handy for those with Evil moral leanings.
11 Scroll of Lead Blades
Almost any class can use this scroll, even non-casters with no other spell powers, provided they can pass a skill check. What makes it so special is that this spell is only learnable by Rangers and Wizards, and, although they can use the scroll, they can't learn from it permanently like a Wizard can.
The scroll only affects melee weapons and makes them weigh and hit as if they're one size heavier. A small weapon like a dagger would feel more like a sword, and a sword would feel more like a warhammer. The spell only works on the character who casts it, however.
10 Scroll of Sleep
Always good for some crowd control, a Scroll of Sleep is one way for a character to take control of the battlefield. Every spellcasting class has the option of learning this spell at early levels, and they should, so the player can give the scrolls to the Fighters and Rogues.
Aside from being a useful spell that any character is able to cast, providing they have a scroll, is that this is an area-of-effect (AoE) spell. Any enemy within a 10-foot radius who fails a Will saving throw takes a nice nap that lasts one minute for each class level.
9 Scroll of Vanish
Invisibility has a plethora of uses, and a Scroll of Vanish is the next best thing. The caster can use this scroll on any character that they can reach, including themselves, and it grants an extra +20 bonus on Stealth checks.
The subject of the spell has to pass regular stealth checks to maintain the illusion and can perform a variety of actions without breaking the spell. If they directly attack anyone, however, they instantly fail a stealth check and become visible again.
8 Scroll of True Strike
Characters and classes that put extra skills in the archery department often have this effect as a Feat, which they can choose as part of their progression. This scroll allows other classes to take advantage of the same ability, for whatever their weapon of choice happens to be.
The scroll only lasts for one round, but for that small amount of time, the player can see into the future and predict exactly where they should aim their shot. It gives a +20 Insight bonus on the following attack, but enemies can ignore the miss chance that applies to concealed targets. Those who are trying to hide need to be careful while using this scroll.
7 Scroll of Arrow of Law
It's just as cool as it sounds. Using this spell fires a ranged touch attack, launching an arrow of Pure Order at any one target in range. It's a spell connected with Paladins, but other classes can use this spell just as effectively.
The damage is brutal, too, which makes it even more fun to use. A creature with a Chaotic alignment takes 1d8 points of damage for every two caster levels, to a maximum 5d8 damage.
6 Scroll of Challenge Evil
The main antagonists in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous are demons, and many of these creatures have an Evil moral alignment. That's why players want to hoard as many variations on the "Destroy Evil" abilities as possible, and a few Scrolls of Challenge Evil is handy for that purpose.
This spell prompts a creature of an Evil alignment to attack the caster or suffer the consequences. If the target doesn't attack, it suffers from Sickness. When it does engage, the caster has a sacred bonus of +2 on all melee attacks against it.
5 Scroll of Protection From Law
A Lawful enemy can either be good or evil, so no matter what alignment the protagonist happens to be, this ability can help the party fight them. This scroll can be used by the caster on themselves or on a friendly creature within reach,
When cast, the target gains a +2 Deflection bonus to their armor class (AC) and a +2 Resistance bonus on saves. This applies to all ranged or melee attacks made or effects created by Lawful creatures of either Evil or Good moral alignment.
4 Scroll of Restoration
Like the spell that Clerics and Oracles commonly have in their spellbooks, the Scroll of Restoration scales from lesser up to greater and is also available in potion form. That might seem excessive at first, but there are few things more annoying to an RPG player than a level drain spell.
Often associated with the undead, there are a few demons and other malevolent creatures that can drain a character's ability scores and class levels. If a Cleric or Paladin gets hit with this spell, they might not be able to cast a Restoration spell to heal themselves. That's why it's essential to keep a Scroll of Restoration in the inventory.
3 Scroll of Stunning Barrier
This is a spell that is usually associated with Mages, Witches, and other squishy classes that usually go without armor. Provided the character using the scroll passes a skill check, the barrier gives them a +1 resistance bonus and a +1 deflection bonus to their AC. Assuming, that is, that they fail a Will saving throw, along with a few other effects.
This magical barrier stuns any enemy that touches it, as long as they fail a Will saving throw, which is a nice side effect. The downside of that, however, is that the spell ends immediately after it stuns someone.
2 Scroll of Obscuring Mist
A few crowd control spells are always essential, so if the party's Wizards or Witches happen to be out of spell slots and the party is fighting an unruly crowd, a handful of Scrolls of Obscuring Mist can be useful.
The caster is the center of this spell, and its effects only work on enemies. When cast, a thick mist surrounds the user within a 20-foot radius. The mist obscures all sight, including Darkvision, and enemy attacks have a miss chance of 20%. Friendly targets are not affected by the spell, giving the party a nice advantage.
1 Scroll of Hurricane Bow
The Scroll of True Strike is for everyone, but this scroll is only useful for characters who use certain projectile weapons. The Scroll of Hurricane Bow casts a temporary spell on the bows or bolts in an archer's quiver, enchanting them, so they deal damage equal to one size bigger than the weapon.
This means a medium crossbow could do the same damage as a heavy crossbow. The spell lasts one minute for every level the caster has, so one cast can give a ranged fighter a useful buff in an upcoming fight.