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The bonus-action spellcasting rule states (PHB p. 202):

A spell cast with a bonus action is especially swift. You must use a bonus action on your turn to cast the spell, provided that you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn. You can't cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.

The description of a spell scroll states (DMG p. 200):

If the spell is on your class's spell list but of a higher level than you can normally cast, you must make an ability check using your spellcasting ability to determine whether you cast it successfully. The DC equals 10 + spell's level. On a failed check, the spell disappears from the scroll with no other effect.

If you fail the check to cast the higher-level spell via the scroll, does the spell count as being cast despite there being no effect?

This question is very similar to this one - If a spell cast from a Spell Scroll is Counterspelled, is the scroll consumed? - but I am not sure if the answers in that question apply to this situation as well.

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You cannot cast another spell as a bonus action.

The description for spell scrolls says

Casting the spell by reading the scroll requires [...]

This means you're still casting the spell, so it counts for the casting limitations in the bonus action spells. Now for the case where the spell fails:

If the spell is on your class’s spell list but of a higher level than you can normally cast, you must make an ability check using your Spellcasting Ability to determine whether you cast it successfully. The DC equals 10 + the spell’s level. On a failed check, the spell disappears from the scroll with no other effect.

This text suggests that even if you fail the test you're still casting the spell, with the only effect being that it disappears from the scroll (which also suggests the spell was used).

If the spell was cast and you can only cast a spell of lvl 1+ once per turn, I conclude that you cannot cast another bonus action spell after it.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ i'll try and edit it as soon as possible, sorry about that \$\endgroup\$
    – Bruno Souza
    Dec 11, 2019 at 19:04
  • \$\begingroup\$ Thank you though! Glad it'll get sorted out (earlier comments removed), apologies if this all came across more harshly than I meant it to \$\endgroup\$
    – Exempt-Medic
    Dec 11, 2019 at 19:05
  • \$\begingroup\$ I am a bit unclear on something. I understand why the check determines "whether you cast it successfully." But I'm not sure I understand how we can be certain that this failing to happen means the spell is still cast. To my thinking, "you do not cast it successfully" could mean "you cast it, but it fails" or "you fail to cast it" (i.e. "you did not cast it"). It might help if you gave some support or argument why one interpretation is more correct than the other. \$\endgroup\$
    – Gandalfmeansme
    Nov 19, 2021 at 16:36
  • \$\begingroup\$ (You did mention that the spell disappearing from the scroll is evidence it "was used." But I'm unsure of that. It says [bold added] "Once the spell is cast, the words on the scroll fade, and it crumbles to dust." But when the check fails, "the spell disappears from the scroll with no other effect." This implies that the scroll does not crumble to dust [which has no particular benefit, but is still relevant to this conversation]. Couldn't that be taken as evidence that the spell was not cast?) \$\endgroup\$
    – Gandalfmeansme
    Nov 19, 2021 at 16:40

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