Blue Scribes' scrolls of sorcery

[Ugly Green Trog]

Blue scribes are a Tzeentch wizard that can cast 1 spell in the hero phase yet they also have the Scrolls of Sorcery special rule which states:

Once in each of your hero phases, the Blue Scribes can read from their scrolls of sorcery instead of making a casting attempt. If they do, roll a dice; on a 1, they can't decipher the scrawls and the casting attempt automatically fails, but on a 2 or more, that spell is cast successfully and can only be unbound on a roll of 9 or more.

My question is: Does this count as their casting attempt for the turn? If so why have a regular casting attempt in the first place? Can the Scribes potentially cast 2 spells a turn?

[BaldoBeardo]

"instead of making a casting attempt"... [emoji6]

[rokapoke]

It's instead of their standard 2D6 casting roll. They still just get the one spell. It's a (low) risk-high reward thing like a lot of the Skaven rules.

[Ugly Green Trog]

I got that but it just seems like a no brainer to use this instead of regular casting, I'm no good at mathammer but surely a 5 in 6 chance of casting is better than risking a 2d6 roll to cast a minimum of 4+. Only time I can see anyone using a regular roll is boon of Tzeentch with a buff from the LoC. 

I just thought if it was a complete no brainer why give you the option unless they mean you to have both.

[Tokyo Nift]

Boon of Tzeentch with the hosts duplicitous buff is unfailable on 2d6. (Count 1s as 2s)

Arcane Bolt/Mystic Shield with LoC command ability and Arcane scenery also unfailable on 2d6.

 

just a couple examples!

[Tuluth]

The Scrolls of Sorcery also can't be modified in any way (boons, terrain, battalions (I think), Balewind Vortex, etc), and has a 'high' unbind roll of 9. So while it's easier to get those big spells off, it may be easier to unbind for the enemy, especially if they have some buff to cast/unbind. You will also be restricted to the minimum number of summoned units with summoning spells.

I personally would be using Scrolls of Sorcery the entire time to cast big spells, instead of risking it on a 2d6 roll.

[Ugly Green Trog]

19 minutes ago, Tokyo Nift said:

Boon of Tzeentch with the hosts duplicitous buff is unfailable on 2d6. (Count 1s as 2s)

Arcane Bolt/Mystic Shield with LoC command ability and Arcane scenery also unfailable on 2d6.

 

just a couple examples!

Ok but without hosts duplicitous which isn't cheap (financially or points wise unless you go full brimstone) I make that 1420 with the Changeling at its cheapest, it's pretty much the better option without expending Destiny Dice?

[Tokyo Nift]

9 hours ago, Ugly Green Trog said:

Ok but without hosts duplicitous which isn't cheap (financially or points wise unless you go full brimstone) I make that 1420 with the Changeling at its cheapest, it's pretty much the better option without expending Destiny Dice?

Ya of course! Sorry I didn't mean to imply anything except that there ARE scenarios where it's better not to read from the scrolls, so it's not a pointless ability. 

17% chance to fail on a 1, so if you have the LoCs +1 or Arcane scenery, you have a better chance of casting arcane bolt on 2d6+1 > 5 than on 1d6 > 1, and for mystic shield it's the same probability. 

TL;DR:

> without buffs: anything on a 4 or less should be cast on 2d6
> with +1 to cast: anything on a 5 or less should be cast on 2d6
> with +2 to cast: anything on a 6 or less should be cast on 2d6

> with wellspring of arcane might (reroll 1s): anything on a 5 or less should be cast on 2d6
> wellspring and +1: 6 or less use 2d6
> wellspring and +2: 7 or less use 2d6


EDIT:

If you were playing at a million points, and had Archaon, hosts duplicitous, and 8 lords of change, you could never fail any spell on 2d6 so you should never use your scrolls