Wish can't duplicate 9th-level spells, but it can create magic items. Is there anything stopping a wizard from just Wishing for a 9th-level arcane spell scroll?
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\$\begingroup\$ 47948201 I love your question! Nice job! it helps the community! \$\endgroup\$– MaxpireCommented Nov 2, 2019 at 8:59
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2 Answers
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Nothing stops you from doing that, but it has increased costs
A scroll is a magic item, and Wish can indeed create it, even if it is of a spell that Wish would not normally be able to replicate.
However, there are some drawbacks to creating a scroll rather than duplicating a spell.
XP Costs
When a Wish creates or improves a magic item, you must pay twice the normal XP cost for crafting or improving the item, plus an additional 5,000 XP.
9th level spell scrolls have a base cost of 4050, making the normal XP cost for crafting them 162, which Wish doubles to 324. While this isn't bad on its own, if the spell had an XP cost, the Wish caster pays double that XP cost, and if the spell had an expensive material component cost, the caster pays 2 XP per 25GP in value of the material component.
Casting Time
Wish has a casting time of 1 standard action, regardless of the spell being duplicated. If Wish creates a scroll, it takes a standard action to create the scroll, followed by the spell's normal casting time to read the scroll.
Scroll Restrictions
A wizard can use Wish to duplicate a spell of their prohibited school (as long as it's 7th level or lower), but would not be able to use a scroll of the same spell. Similarly, while a Wizard can Wish for a scroll of True Resurrection (spending 7,324 EXP), the wizard cannot use the created scroll without help from a cleric.
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1\$\begingroup\$ Scroll restrictions are largely immaterial with UMD \$\endgroup\$ Commented Nov 2, 2019 at 16:35
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\$\begingroup\$ "Spell component cost" is separate from the "base price" of a magic item, therefore an expensive material component doesn't affect the XP cost of crafting or wishing for a scroll. (Cite: DMG p.284) \$\endgroup\$– TopquarkCommented Nov 2, 2019 at 19:31
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The XP cost and the availability of better options
Wish can create magic items regardless of their price, but you pay 2/25ths that price in XP (twice the normal cost) which, for a 9th level scroll with no material component or XP cost, is an extra 306 XP on top of the 5,000 XP base cost. You could instead buy the same scroll for 3825 gp. No one who is considering casting wish as a cheap source of Meteor Swarm scrolls values 3825 gp more than 5306 XP.
If you are instead comparing wishing for scrolls with casting a 9th level spell directly, Wish takes an extra turn and you might not be able to use the scroll on your next turn (for example because it has been stolen or sundered). You also might need a UMD check, depending on the exact character and spell.
answered Nov 2, 2019 at 8:21
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1\$\begingroup\$ In some campaigns it could be the ONLY way to learn some spell with severe DMs \$\endgroup\$– MaxpireCommented Nov 2, 2019 at 9:00
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\$\begingroup\$ @MaximeCuillerier Sure, but a DM could also decide that there's no Wish spell or that spellcasting only works when she feels like it, or that chickens have 436 hit dice. That doesn't make any of that not a dumb option nor an option supported by the rules. If the DM only lets you get scrolls via wish, they are breaking the settlement rules on pg 137 of the DMG (if there are settlements in existance) or breaking the core assumption that players can buy items they want with gp at the very least. The system does not work well when you do that. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Nov 2, 2019 at 16:44
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\$\begingroup\$ Well of course a DM can make some strange rules, but a DM with no players is not really a DM if you ask me... \$\endgroup\$– MaxpireCommented Nov 3, 2019 at 5:39
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\$\begingroup\$ Plus No NPC wizard is supposed to be able to cast 9th level spells since the maximum level for a wizard is the community modifier (12 for metropolis +1d4 for wizard) so max level 16 right? it is lvl 18 to cast a level 9 spell. So only a Player, full wizard could cast wish if he has the spell via level up (only way to get it since he's kind of the only one in the whole world who can do this) so it's a unique power in a way if we follow p.139DMG rule. Of course it can break the economy Unless you consider it to be more common for wizard there (1d8+12) so a level 20 wizard is possible if lucky. \$\endgroup\$– MaxpireCommented Nov 3, 2019 at 5:46
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1\$\begingroup\$ @MaximeCuillerier A level 9 scroll costs 3825 gp, and thus is available in any small city or larger settlement. You don't need a 17th level wizard to exist in the town to buy such a scroll-- that would be a separate thing. A scroll of wish costs an extra 25,000 gp and thus requires a large city or larger. It is level 17 to cast a 9th level spell, not 18. He could learn the spell via level up or via a scroll or via a spell book, among other ways. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Nov 3, 2019 at 6:08