Rules regarding wands?


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion

Liberty's Edge

Hello, I have a few questions regarding wands that I hope someone can resolve for me.

The below is assuming the caster is Arcane, with the spell used in their spell list, and level 1.

1) If the character is wearing armor (light, medium, heavy) and using a wand do they incur an arcane spell failure chance? Curious as the spell is originating from the wand and by a spell trigger word.

2) If the character is damaged and attempts to use a wand do they need to make a concentration check? I assume no since the wand is the container of the spell and only requires a spell trigger word. Also, I take it this does not provoke an AoO as it states that generally wands don't if the spell is a standard action.

3) Can a character (lvl 1 wizard) use a wand of Mirror Image (spell lvl 2) without any penalties or must they be able to cast lvl 2 spells already?

These questions have been a bit hard for me to find answers to and I appreciate any help, thanks. :)


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

1) No, there is no spell failure chance for activating any magic item, including spell completion and spell trigger items.

2) No, there is also no Concentration check needed to activate an item.

3) Yes, even if you cannot yet access the spell, it is still on your list so you may activate a wand or staff of the spell. The only issue is with scrolls of a higher level than you can cast and those rules are found under the scrolls in the magic item section.


What Hendelbolaf said, in addition paladin and rangers can use wands from level 1.


Hendelbolaf wrote:

1) No, there is no spell failure chance for activating any magic item, including spell completion and spell trigger items.

2) No, there is also no Concentration check needed to activate an item.

3) Yes, even if you cannot yet access the spell, it is still on your list so you may activate a wand or staff of the spell. The only issue is with scrolls of a higher level than you can cast and those rules are found under the scrolls in the magic item section.

Number one is not entirely true...

Core Rulebook: Scrolls, page 490 wrote:
Using a scroll is like casting a spell for purposes of arcane spell failure chance.


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

True, I should have singled out scrolls as they do have special rules for activation, attacks of opportunity, disruption, and arcane spell failure. I was really just focused on wands and should have been clearer in my response.


Curious side question, since scrolls were brought up. If you fail the UMD check for casting a spell from a wand or a scroll, is the charge/scroll still used up and wasted?


A charge is not used if you are unsuccessful using a spell-trigger device, but a scroll is always used up.


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Brf wrote:
A charge is not used if you are unsuccessful using a spell-trigger device, but a scroll is always used up.

I do not believe the last line about scrolls is true. It does not say anything under "Use a Scroll" in the Use Magic Device description that says that a scroll is used up on an unsuccessful attempt to activate it.

Under Scrolls in the magic item section it only says "The writing for an activated spell disappears from the scroll as the spell is cast." So if you fail to activate it using UMD skill then it is not used up and there is no mishap chance. The only negative effect would be if you roll a natural 1 and then you could not try and activate the scroll for 24 hours.


Sounds good to me.


That may be true if you are using UMD.
If you are not using UMD, and you fail your roll, the scroll spell goes off anyway, and might have a Mishap.


How do you use a scroll without using UMD? Barring the specifications of it being on your spell list, under your caster level, and having the proper casting stat to use it of course.


Yes. That.


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

If you attempt to use a scroll that is not on your spell list, then UMD is really the only way to activate it.

If you attempt to use a scroll that is on your spell list and is of a level of spell that you can cast, you can activate with no problem (other than, of course, possible attacks of opportunity and spell failure).

If you attempt to use a scroll that is on your spell list and is of a spell level higher than you can cast, then you must make a caster level check versus a DC of the the caster level of the scroll plus one. If you are successful, you activate the scroll. If you are not successful, you make a Wisdom check of DC 5 to avoid a mishap.

On all of the above if you are successful in activating the scroll, then the writing disappears. If you are not successful, then the writing stays and they scroll may be used again provided an incident with a mishap did not destroy it or render it useless.

No where does it ever say that a scroll that you fail to activate is made useless under normal circumstances.


SO you are saying if a mishap occurs, and the fireball goes off pointblank for instance, that the scroll is not used up?

Here it is in the FAQ:

FAQ wrote:

Scrolls: If I fail my caster level check to activate a scroll, but don't have a mishap, is the scroll used up?

No.

Update: Page 490—In the Activation section, in the first paragraph after the bullet points, add the following sentence: “If the caster level check fails but no mishap occurs, the scroll is not expended.”


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

No, I said in my previous post "provided an incident with a mishap did not destroy it or render it useless." I think activating at point blank range or any range as a mishap would constitute an incident with a mishap that renders it useless, ie. it has been activated.

I was only countering the notion that every failure automatically uses up the scroll.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / General Discussion / Rules regarding wands? All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.
Recent threads in General Discussion