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Ok, so there seems to have been some confusion at our gaming table about UMD.
I had my familiar cast a spell from a scroll with UMD. I was under the impression that rolling below the target DC would result in a failed check, and that rolling a 1 would force me to wait 24 hours before trying again.
The DM however referenced this line in the "activate blindly" section of UMD
This mishap is in addition to the chance
for a mishap that you normally risk when you cast a spell
from a scroll that you could not otherwise cast yourself
Meaning there is a mishap when you normally cast from a scroll if it's not on your list of spells, even with UMD.
So basically my question is, can my familiar still burn through scrolls and charges on wands if he fails his checks?
Familiars cannot use most scrolls because they cannot supply the verbal (except ravens) or somatic gestures required. If you had a scroll of a spell that didn't have either a V or S component, the familiar could use it. If the familiar botched the check badly enough, they would miscast the spell the same you would.
The miscast only happens when you are activating an item or scroll that you have NO idea what it is and hence the Activate Blindly separate section. If you already know what a scroll is, usually by using read magic, then their is no miscast of the spell even on a natural one. Rolling a one only prevents the use of that specific scroll from being tried again for 24 hours.
Activate Blindly: Some magic items are activated by special words, thoughts, or actions. You can activate such an item as if you were using the activation word, thought, or action, even when you're not and even if you don't know it.
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Familiars cannot use most scrolls because they cannot supply the verbal (except ravens) or somatic gestures required. If you had a scroll of a spell that didn't have either a V or S component, the familiar could use it. If the familiar botched the check badly enough, they would miscast the spell the same you would.
It's a mephit.
Where are the miscast rules? does it burn the scroll or can it be reused?
The miscast only happens when you are activating an item or scroll that you have NO idea what it is and hence the Activate Blindly separate section. If you already know what a scroll is, usually by using read magic, then their is no miscast of the spell even on a natural one. Rolling a one only prevents the use of that specific scroll from being tried again for 24 hours.
Activate Blindly: Some magic items are activated by special words, thoughts, or actions. You can activate such an item as if you were using the activation word, thought, or action, even when you're not and even if you don't know it.
Yea, thats what I also thought.
Familiars cannot use most scrolls because they cannot supply the verbal (except ravens) or somatic gestures required. If you had a scroll of a spell that didn't have either a V or S component, the familiar could use it. If the familiar botched the check badly enough, they would miscast the spell the same you would.It's a mephit.
That works, too. And can do both verbal and somatic, so you're fine in that regard.
Where are the miscast rules? does it burn the scroll or can it be reused?
In the Scrolls section of the Magic Items chapter. Text as follows:
To have any chance of activating a scroll spell, the scroll user must meet the following requirements.
* The spell must be of the correct type (arcane or divine). Arcane spellcasters (wizards, sorcerers, and bards) can only use scrolls containing arcane spells, and divine spellcasters (clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers) can only use scrolls containing divine spells. (The type of scroll a character creates is also determined by his class.)
* The user must have the spell on her class list.
* The user must have the requisite ability score.If the user meets all the requirements noted above, and her caster level is at least equal to the spell's caster level, she can automatically activate the spell without a check. If she meets all three requirements but her own caster level is lower than the scroll spell's caster level, then she has to make a caster level check (DC = scroll's caster level + 1) to cast the spell successfully. If she fails, she must make a DC 5 Wisdom check to avoid a mishap (see Scroll Mishaps). A natural roll of 1 always fails, whatever the modifiers. Activating a scroll is a standard action (or the spell's casting time, whichever is longer) and it provokes attacks of opportunity exactly as casting a spell does.
Determine Effect: A spell successfully activated from a scroll works exactly like a spell prepared and cast the normal way. Assume the scroll spell's caster level is always the minimum level required to cast the spell for the character who scribed the scroll, unless the scriber specifically desired otherwise.
The writing for an activated spell disappears from the scroll as the spell is cast.
Scroll Mishaps: When a mishap occurs, the spell on the scroll has a reversed or harmful effect. Possible mishaps are given below.
* A surge of uncontrolled magical energy deals 1d6 points of damage per spell level to the scroll user.
* Spell strikes the scroll user or an ally instead of the intended target, or a random target nearby if the scroll user was the intended recipient.
* Spell takes effect at some random location within spell range.
* Spell's effect on the target is contrary to the spell's normal effect.
* The scroll user suffers some minor but bizarre effect related to the spell in some way. Most such effects should last only as long as the original spell's duration, or 2d10 minutes for instantaneous spells.
* Some innocuous item or items appear in the spell's area.
* Spell has delayed effect. Sometime within the next 1d12 hours, the spell activates. If the scroll user was the intended recipient, the spell takes effect normally. If the user was not the intended recipient, the spell goes off in the general direction of the original recipient or target, up to the spell's maximum range, if the target has moved away.