read the sorcerer guide. was a little confused.
will someone elaborate on how you get a "second caster" with improved familiar? i'm assuming you just give it a wand?
BUT....
what all do you have to do to make this work?
is mephit the only monster that can do it?
what are the best wands/staves to give it?
i just want to know more about this concept
is mephit the only monster that can do it?
Arguably a straightforward Raven could do it too. But they're rather squishy.
familiars need thumbs and the ability to talk to use umd
they use the the casters ranks in umd and the familiars charisma modifier
they roll umd skill. it they roll greater than 20 they can use the wand
fin
so mephits just have the highest CHA out of the "thumbed" choices then?
familiars need thumbs and the ability to talk to use umd
Not to be a jerk but I don't see anything that requires the ability to talk -- at most only to make noise. Thumbs are likewise useful but not an absolute requirement.
familiars need thumbs and the ability to talk to use umdNot to be a jerk but I don't see anything that requires the ability to talk -- at most only to make noise. Thumbs are likewise useful but not an absolute requirement.
agreed, but their is some debate over the need to speak to use command words. i have yet to see dev clarification, so it works however the dm says it works.
i was being slightly sardonic by saying thumbs. more accurately the abilty to grasp.
Alright we are on the same page then.
familiars need thumbs and the ability to talk to use umdNot to be a jerk but I don't see anything that requires the ability to talk -- at most only to make noise. Thumbs are likewise useful but not an absolute requirement.agreed, but their is some debate over the need to speak to use command words. i have yet to see dev clarification, so it works however the dm says it works.
i was being slightly sardonic by saying thumbs. more accurately the abilty to grasp.
My raven can can grasp the wand with his beak!
And before you ask how does he Use Magic Device, the answer is "magic."
Im a bit confused about some of the answers people have posted. Its pretty clear fromt he rules that wands all have a magic word assosiated with tem ( or is this a legacy thing?) You need to speak it. Im not sure how a Raven could do this with the wand in his beak i guess is up to the Gm.
If the argument is that UMD lets you bypass this then i suppose thts fine. But then you could UMD a wand in a area of silence which i am pretty sure you cannot do.
Realy though i think pointing the wand and being able to at least have a Klaatu Verata Necktie moment is whats needed.
Use Magic Device doesn't give you the word for the wand. Otherwise you would only need to Use Magic Device once per wand and you would know how to use that wand.
Instead it 'tricks' the item into working because the item thinks you said the word (or have the ability).
As such simply making noise can fool the wand.
What's more a raven speaks via a supernatural ability -- which technically doesn't require the ability to speak to use (as odd as that sounds).
Finally birds that 'speak' generally don't actually use their beaks to do so, they can hold, bite or otherwise be using their beak and still make the noise.
What's more a raven speaks via a supernatural ability -- which technically doesn't require the ability to speak to use (as odd as that sounds).
Using a supernatural ability is a standard action unless defined otherwise by the ability's description. Technically.
Using a supernatural ability is a standard action unless defined otherwise by the ability's description. Technically.
What's more a raven speaks via a supernatural ability -- which technically doesn't require the ability to speak to use (as odd as that sounds).
But in this case, it's clearly meant to be Not An Action.
My favourite is the lyrakien.. very unarguably has hands and can speak, and very high charisma to boot (and a bunch of cool abilities)
Oh, and naked >D
But in this case, it's clearly meant to be Not An Action.Using a supernatural ability is a standard action unless defined otherwise by the ability's description. Technically.
What's more a raven speaks via a supernatural ability -- which technically doesn't require the ability to speak to use (as odd as that sounds).
I agree. However I also think it is clearly meant that the raven is speaking by, you know, speaking. So I was trying to point out that if you want to argue technicalities they cut both ways.
I agree. However I also think it is clearly meant that the raven is speaking by, you know, speaking. So I was trying to point out that if you want to argue technicalities they cut both ways.But in this case, it's clearly meant to be Not An Action.Using a supernatural ability is a standard action unless defined otherwise by the ability's description. Technically.
What's more a raven speaks via a supernatural ability -- which technically doesn't require the ability to speak to use (as odd as that sounds).
Once activated though we have the entire duration to use it... which is indefinite.
Of course however this isn't something I would generally bother with -- a bird can hold a twig in the air with its talon well enough to aim a wand.
familiars need thumbs and the ability to talk to use umdNot to be a jerk but I don't see anything that requires the ability to talk -- at most only to make noise. Thumbs are likewise useful but not an absolute requirement.agreed, but their is some debate over the need to speak to use command words. i have yet to see dev clarification, so it works however the dm says it works.
i was being slightly sardonic by saying thumbs. more accurately the abilty to grasp.
My raven can can grasp the wand with his beak!
And before you ask how does he Use Magic Device, the answer is "magic."
he could grip it by the husk
Raven's have two feet which are designed by evolution for gripping (arguably not pointing gripped items, but seriously we're talking about a bird using a wand so just roll with it).
One foot holds wand, the other on the ground using both wings to help it balance (Ive seen my bird do this IRL more than once), then it is free to speak the command word and point the wand with one of it's feet.
Hell, if it's a spell that doesn't have to be directed by pointing the wand (magic missile, summon monster, burning glare, buff spells, etc) the raven need only stand on the wand without bothering to point it and UMD.
Improved familiars have an even easier time with UMD because of their biomechanics (they often have grasping limbs, feet, and mouths).
Raven's have two feet which are designed by evolution for gripping (arguably not pointing gripped items, but seriously we're talking about a bird using a wand so just roll with it).
One foot holds wand, the other on the ground using both wings to help it balance (Ive seen my bird do this IRL more than once), then it is free to speak the command word and point the wand with one of it's feet.
Hell, if it's a spell that doesn't have to be directed by pointing the wand (magic missile, summon monster, burning glare, buff spells, etc) the raven need only stand on the wand without bothering to point it and UMD.
Improved familiars have an even easier time with UMD because of their biomechanics (they often have grasping limbs, feet, and mouths).
I think PBS's Nature or something just had a really good episode about crow toolmaking. They're one of 4 tool using species on the planet (humans, chimps, and elephants are the others). And they're one of two that make tools to make other tools (humans being the other). Their brain to body weight ratio is similar to great apes and humans. They have two dialects; one a public one, the second for their family unit. They are real problem solvers.
So I can see raven familiars being especially clever when it comes to using magical devices and other things.
The point of a familiar needing Use Magic Device to activate a wand is that wands are spell-trigger items (command word activated items are something completely different). A wand (or any other spell-trigger item) is used to "cast" a spell already "stored" in the wand (i.e., charges); that is why activating a wand normally requires levels in a class with spellcasting capability and that spell on its spell list, even if character does not need to be able (i.e., spell-level slots/spells known) to cast that spell when activating the wand ("No gestures or spell finishing is needed, just a special knowledge of spellcasting that an appropriate character would know, and a single word that must be spoken." Core Rulebook, pg. 458).
Use Magic Device "tricks" the wand into activating as if the character had levels in a spellcasting class with that spell on its spell list. The ability to speak is required, as well as the ability to grasp (and probably manipulate/point, although this is not specified) a wand that is "6 to 12 inches long, 1/4 inch thick, and weighs no more than 1 ounce." (Core Rulebook, pg. 496)
A small size familiar (like a mephit) will have an easier time than a tiny one. In many cases, the wand will be the equivalent of a greatclub or quarterstaff to a tiny familiar.