The crystalline fields in rare-earth doped scheelites are examined, and it is shown that the angular overlap model is inadequate to account for the results. The analysis of Yb3+ crystal field parameters under the assumption of the superposition model leads to surprisingly small exponents and large second- and fourth-order intrinsic parameters, which have been determined quite accurately. The difference of the findings from those in the other O2− ligated systems is attributed to the strong binding in XO42− complexes. The intrinsic parameters for an actinide (Np4+) are reported for the first time, and their large magnitude is ascribed to the large spatial expansion of the 5f orbitals. The transformation of the coordinate systems to eliminate one or both of the imaginary crystal field parameters is discussed in the framework of the superposition model. Also included is the analysis of the zero-field splitting of Gd3+ in these crystals.