Post/Author/DateTime	Post
mds 10-07-03, 06:43 AM	Hi :) Wand are spell trigger activated. So only a single word is required. But what about if you don't know which type of wand is? Could a wizard/cleric simply grab the unidentified wand and try to release every spell he knows? Thanks and happy gaming :)
Hypersmurf 10-07-03, 07:07 AM	The way I ruled this one is that yes, he can... but that attempting to activate the wand used a charge, whether it was the right spell or not. So it might cost you forty charges to figure out which spell works... Strictly by the rules, it depends how you interpret "must determine which spell is stored before he can activate it". -Hyp.
Seeker95 10-07-03, 08:25 AM	Use any of the following to figure out how to activate it: Knowledge: Arcane Use Magical Device Spellcraft Identify Legend Lore Bardic Knowledge
mds 10-07-03, 01:13 PM	Originally posted by Seeker95 Use any of the following to figure out how to activate it: Knowledge: Arcane Use Magical Device Spellcraft I don't see how. I didn't found anything about that in the PHB. Maybe is something from DMG? This is interesting, but my question was another. By the rules, can you try to activate a wand simply trying every spell you know? Originally posted by Hypersmurf The way I ruled this one is that yes, he can... but that attempting to activate the wand used a charge, whether it was the right spell or not. So it might cost you forty charges to figure out which spell works... This is nice :) Maybe not a charge every try, but I was thinking exactly the same thing :)
Seeker95 10-07-03, 02:43 PM	A rogue with Use Magic Device (the sterotypical example for UMD) can use a wand. How he knows what to do or what to say, or even what the wand can do in the first place doesn't matter (mechanically speaking). UMD makes "activate blindly" a DC 25. (See the UMD description under the appropriate PHB section.) So, recognizing that UMD allows activating a wand that you know nothing about at a DC 25, how does this sound: Figuring out how to activate a wand: DC 30: Do not know the spell, blind attempt DC 25: Do not know the spell, UMD attempt DC 20: Do not know the spell, appropriate caster type Circumstance "synergies" +1 per point in Spellcraft +1 per 2 points in Knowledge: Arcana (if arcane) +1 per 2 points in Knowledge: Religion (if divine) +1 per appropriate caster level (arcane/divine) Bardic Knowledge: Add Int bonus Learning how to use a magic wand should not be that difficult for a caster. Current "by the book" interpretations would imply that a UMD fighter can do it better than a relevant caster.
mds 10-07-03, 03:09 PM	Originally posted by Seeker95 A rogue with Use Magic Device (the sterotypical example for UMD) can use a wand. How he knows what to do or what to say, or even what the wand can do in the first place doesn't matter (mechanically speaking). UMD makes "activate blindly" a DC 25. (See the UMD description under the appropriate PHB section.) Ok now I understand what you are referring to :) But regarding this point, I think that a lot of people (looking at other discussions) don't think that "activate blindly" means this. They state that the description of "activate blindly" refer to using a magic item that have a "command word," not "spell trigger" like a wand. "Spell trigger" items don't have any "password" word that UMD with "activate blindly" can bypass. This is an interesting point, probably worth a thread. But even if this work, a rogue with UMD activate a wand and the party say "wow, a wand of cure moderate." (Spellcraft, 20+spell level) Now the cleric of the party should be able to take it and use it, right? "Spell trigger" means no special words or command, right? But if this is true, why from the first time the cleric couldn't try to activate it? "Maybe it's a... CURE LIGHT! No..." "Maybe it's a... DOOM! No..." "Maybe it's a... CURE MODERATE!" FZZZT!!! Yay!!!
Seeker95 10-07-03, 03:31 PM	Despite my offering above of some activation mechanics, I have never, and will never, prevent a caster from "knowing" the type of spell a wand has in it if the caster can use the wand.
primemover003 10-07-03, 04:55 PM	I usually let a caster know what type of magic it is when they make their spellcraft check during a Detect magic spell.
mds 10-08-03, 04:40 AM	Originally posted by Seeker95 I have never, and will never, prevent a caster from "knowing" the type of spell a wand has in it if the caster can use the wand. This is a good decision. Personaly, I like the cost of a charge for every try, that make more sense for wands (30%) with something that hints to the spell inside. When I didn't find a rule about this in the books, I thought that I wasn't looking in the right places. Now I see that others can't find that. Maybe there isn't. It is quite sad that even with the 3.5 there isn't a rule for something so simple... We don't know if a spellcaster can use a magic item when he find it. And it's D&D. Finding magic items (and gold to buy them) is the purpose of half the adventures... I keep hoping that it's hidden somewhere in the books :)
Loren Pechtel 10-08-03, 10:55 PM	Originally posted by Hypersmurf The way I ruled this one is that yes, he can... but that attempting to activate the wand used a charge, whether it was the right spell or not. So it might cost you forty charges to figure out which spell works... Strictly by the rules, it depends how you interpret "must determine which spell is stored before he can activate it". -Hyp. My take on this: If you have the command word the wand activates. You might not get what you want, though--I've had a PC heal the enemy.
Endarire 10-09-03, 02:26 AM	Seeker, where do yas get those UMD synergies? -EE
Seeker95 10-09-03, 08:21 AM	I made them up using the guideline on the top of the second column on p.66 of the 3.5 PHB. But they are not *UMD Synergies*. They are synergies for the purpose of identifying a spell on a wand. They won't help you use the wand any better!