Magic Item Hell!!! - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Magic Item Hell!!!

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
groundzero0523
Mar 15, 2008 22:49:06 Ok, my DM and I are -so F'n confused-. And, to be honest, I've always been confused about certain magic items. The way we've been forced to play it is:

If you can't cast it, you can't use it.

Therefore, an Arcane caster can't use a Divine Wand. This is only one example, but it's getting to the point where I think there's something wrong with that. And us.

I see Scrolls in various Fighter's ammo-box...which just makes my brain want to do this:

:headexplo

Please, help me with this. Who can use what items?
#2
chocolate_jesus
Mar 15, 2008 23:20:51 To use a wand or scroll, you must have the spell on your class spell list, and to use a scroll safely, you must be a high enough level to cast the spell (you can still use the scroll if your level isn't high enough, but there might be some unpleasant consequences).
So, for example, a level one wizard could use any wand holding a spell on the wizard spell list, but not a wand holding a cleric spell. He could automatically use a scroll of a wizard spell of level 0 or 1, and could make a caster level check with a DC of the scroll's caster level +1 to use a scroll of a level 2 or higher spell.
A fighter can't use either a scroll or a wand, unless he has Use Magic Device.
#3
zerospace9000
Mar 15, 2008 23:20:57 That's what Use Magic Device is for. Best skill ever.

Edit: Curses, Ninja'd again!
#4
groundzero0523
Mar 16, 2008 1:30:50 So, Fighter with UMD could pick up a Wand of Cure Serious and use it as it was intended? I was under the impression UMD was only used in the case of someone with an alignment not syncing up with the magic item in question, so that it wouldn't blow up in their face, i.e. when Lidda got toasercaked in that famous pic *lol*

So, Clerics can only use Divine items, Wiz/Sorc's only Arcane items, and everyone else with UMD can plug-and-play with anything magical?
#5
shaggy_shaggs
Mar 16, 2008 1:43:27 Basically, though bard spells are odd because they're arcane but some of them match up with divine spells, or don't but aren't available to wizards anyway. Also a wizard with UMD could use that for divine items, and a cleric could do the same thing with UMD for arcane items, and a cleric with the Magic domain could use arcane items as if he were a wizard of half his level... magic is messed up, yo.
#6
julescarv
Mar 16, 2008 1:45:59 Scrolls are either arcane or divine. Wands and staves have no such distinction. A wizard who crafts a wand of protection from evil and a cleric who crafts a wand of protection from evil make a mechanically indistinguishable item. The only issue for staves and wands is spell lists. Bards and clerics can use a wand of cure light wounds, but not wizards. Bards and wizards can use a wand of charm person, but not clerics. Clerics and wizards can use a wand of protection from evil, but not bards.

UPDATE: This is in contrast to scrolls. A wizard who scribes a scroll of protection from evil creates an arcane scroll of protection from evil, which can be used by sorcerers and wizards without UMD, but not bards (because it's not on their spell list) or clerics without the magic domain (because it's arcane not divine).
#7
groundzero0523
Mar 16, 2008 2:13:36 Thank ya'll so much!

Cleric = Divine naturally, UMD for Arcane.
Bard = Don't even ask, just use the fricken item...stupid Bard...
Druid = Divine naturally, UMD for Arcane.
Ranger = Divine naturally, UMD for Arcane.
Wizard/Sorcerer = Arcane naturally, UMD for Divine.
All others = UMD

That how it goes?
#8
julescarv
Mar 16, 2008 2:52:27 Bard = Arcane naturally, UMD for Divine.
#9
Merestil_Haye
Mar 16, 2008 6:22:07
Thank ya'll so much!

Cleric = Divine naturally, UMD for Arcane.
Bard = Don't even ask, just use the fricken item...stupid Bard...
Druid = Divine naturally, UMD for Arcane.
Ranger = Divine naturally, UMD for Arcane.
Wizard/Sorcerer = Arcane naturally, UMD for Divine.
All others = UMD

That how it goes?

If you are talking about scrolls, yes - except that Bards make Arcane scrolls. A Bard can scribe a scroll of Cure Light Wounds. Clerics could not cast the spell from that scroll because it's an arcane scroll. Wizards and Sorcerers can't cast the spell because it's not on their class spell lists.

If you are talking about wands, it does not matter whether the user is a divine or an arcane caster - only that the user has the spell the wand stores on their class list. If you find a wand of Protection from Elements, any character with that spell on their class spell list can use the wand. It does not matter whether a cleric crafted the wand and the user is a wizard, or vice versa. Wands are not arcane or divine by nature, as scrolls are.
#10
nordicbirch
Mar 16, 2008 7:17:22 The Divine classes still need to have the spell on their class list, which is very different from cleric to druid to ranger etc. So a scroll for a cleric needs to both be a spell on the cleric list - Prot. Evil - and be crafted as a divine scroll. (same goes for arcanes, I single out divine as there are more different lists among that category)

Check the SRD for other uses of UMD (feigning alignment etc).
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/useMagicDevice.htm

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 groundzero0523 Mar 15, 2008 22:49:06	Ok, my DM and I are -so F'n confused-. And, to be honest, I've always been confused about certain magic items. The way we've been forced to play it is: If you can't cast it, you can't use it. Therefore, an Arcane caster can't use a Divine Wand. This is only one example, but it's getting to the point where I think there's something wrong with that. And us. I see Scrolls in various Fighter's ammo-box...which just makes my brain want to do this: :headexplo Please, help me with this. Who can use what items?
#2 chocolate_jesus Mar 15, 2008 23:20:51	To use a wand or scroll, you must have the spell on your class spell list, and to use a scroll safely, you must be a high enough level to cast the spell (you can still use the scroll if your level isn't high enough, but there might be some unpleasant consequences). So, for example, a level one wizard could use any wand holding a spell on the wizard spell list, but not a wand holding a cleric spell. He could automatically use a scroll of a wizard spell of level 0 or 1, and could make a caster level check with a DC of the scroll's caster level +1 to use a scroll of a level 2 or higher spell. A fighter can't use either a scroll or a wand, unless he has Use Magic Device.
#3 zerospace9000 Mar 15, 2008 23:20:57	That's what Use Magic Device is for. Best skill ever. Edit: Curses, Ninja'd again!
#4 groundzero0523 Mar 16, 2008 1:30:50	So, Fighter with UMD could pick up a Wand of Cure Serious and use it as it was intended? I was under the impression UMD was only used in the case of someone with an alignment not syncing up with the magic item in question, so that it wouldn't blow up in their face, i.e. when Lidda got toasercaked in that famous pic lol So, Clerics can only use Divine items, Wiz/Sorc's only Arcane items, and everyone else with UMD can plug-and-play with anything magical?
#5 shaggy_shaggs Mar 16, 2008 1:43:27	Basically, though bard spells are odd because they're arcane but some of them match up with divine spells, or don't but aren't available to wizards anyway. Also a wizard with UMD could use that for divine items, and a cleric could do the same thing with UMD for arcane items, and a cleric with the Magic domain could use arcane items as if he were a wizard of half his level... magic is messed up, yo.
#6 julescarv Mar 16, 2008 1:45:59	Scrolls are either arcane or divine. Wands and staves have no such distinction. A wizard who crafts a wand of protection from evil and a cleric who crafts a wand of protection from evil make a mechanically indistinguishable item. The only issue for staves and wands is spell lists. Bards and clerics can use a wand of cure light wounds, but not wizards. Bards and wizards can use a wand of charm person, but not clerics. Clerics and wizards can use a wand of protection from evil, but not bards. UPDATE: This is in contrast to scrolls. A wizard who scribes a scroll of protection from evil creates an arcane scroll of protection from evil, which can be used by sorcerers and wizards without UMD, but not bards (because it's not on their spell list) or clerics without the magic domain (because it's arcane not divine).
#7 groundzero0523 Mar 16, 2008 2:13:36	Thank ya'll so much! Cleric = Divine naturally, UMD for Arcane. Bard = Don't even ask, just use the fricken item...stupid Bard... Druid = Divine naturally, UMD for Arcane. Ranger = Divine naturally, UMD for Arcane. Wizard/Sorcerer = Arcane naturally, UMD for Divine. All others = UMD That how it goes?
#8 julescarv Mar 16, 2008 2:52:27	Bard = Arcane naturally, UMD for Divine.
#9 Merestil_Haye Mar 16, 2008 6:22:07	Thank ya'll so much! Cleric = Divine naturally, UMD for Arcane. Bard = Don't even ask, just use the fricken item...stupid Bard... Druid = Divine naturally, UMD for Arcane. Ranger = Divine naturally, UMD for Arcane. Wizard/Sorcerer = Arcane naturally, UMD for Divine. All others = UMD That how it goes? If you are talking about scrolls, yes - except that Bards make Arcane scrolls. A Bard can scribe a scroll of Cure Light Wounds. Clerics could not cast the spell from that scroll because it's an arcane scroll. Wizards and Sorcerers can't cast the spell because it's not on their class spell lists. If you are talking about wands, it does not matter whether the user is a divine or an arcane caster - only that the user has the spell the wand stores on their class list. If you find a wand of Protection from Elements, any character with that spell on their class spell list can use the wand. It does not matter whether a cleric crafted the wand and the user is a wizard, or vice versa. Wands are not arcane or divine by nature, as scrolls are.
#10 nordicbirch Mar 16, 2008 7:17:22	The Divine classes still need to have the spell on their class list, which is very different from cleric to druid to ranger etc. So a scroll for a cleric needs to both be a spell on the cleric list - Prot. Evil - and be crafted as a divine scroll. (same goes for arcanes, I single out divine as there are more different lists among that category) Check the SRD for other uses of UMD (feigning alignment etc). http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/useMagicDevice.htm