So what I wanted to do was touch the wand in his possession and target the enemy.
So what I wanted to do was touch the wand in his possession and target the enemy.
I'm confused.
You're asking if you can activate a wand that is within the enemy's possession on a successful touch attack?
No. You'd need to do an improvised Called Shot Touch Attack if you want to pull something like that off, and that's about as generous as it gets. As far as RAW is concerned, that's impossible.
The closest thing you can do with this is perform an Unarmed Disarm Maneuver, and if you succeed the wand is in your possession instead. You can't even fire it off within that round.
It's also a standard action to use a wand (assuming you're able to in the first place) and a standard action to activate any command word items that don't specifically say they're free actions. Why? No idea. I have a hard time with that. But it is the case. This, even if you knew how to activate it, it would be a second standard action on top of the one to grab the item, so you couldn't do it in a single round. Personally, I'd allow it in the case where you were grappling them, as a grapple action, since I can picture two people struggling over a wand, both trying to use it on their enemies... But that's not RAW.
I like the cinematics of what you are trying to do.
In this case, I'd say this falls under the Steal combat maneuver.
Lets say you are fighting a badguy who has a wand tucked into his belt. You are both adjacent to each other.
On your turn, you can attempt to snatch the wand from him as a standard action. Depending on whether or not you have the Imp. Steal feat, this provokes AoO. If you succeed, you now have the wand in hand. On your next turn, you can then, as a another standard action, attempt to use it on him.
P.S. - RAW, there is no such thing as a called shot in Pathfinder. In general, you either just try to hit someone (a standard attack) or use a combat maneuver (disarm, trip, dirty trick to blind or entangle etc.).
If the item is currently in his hand, Disarm. If not, Steal.
Either way, you won't be able to use a standard action to activate the item until next turn.
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It's also a standard action to use a wand (assuming you're able to in the first place) and a standard action to activate any command word items that don't specifically say they're free actions. Why? No idea.
Command word: Flame strike from wing of fire elemental command plus Shooting stars from a ring of shooting stars plus searing light from a Crown of blasting, plus teleport away with the boot of teleportation. If they were free action after doing all that I wouldn't have used any of my actions.
I see perfectly why activating most magic items is a standard action.
It's also a standard action to use a wand (assuming you're able to in the first place) and a standard action to activate any command word items that don't specifically say they're free actions. Why? No idea.Command word: Flame strike from wing of fire elemental command plus Shooting stars from a ring of shooting stars plus searing light from a Crown of blasting, plus teleport away with the boot of teleportation. If they were free action after doing all that I wouldn't have used any of my actions.
I see perfectly why activating most magic items is a standard action.
I totally understand it from a mechanical/game balance perspective, I just don't get it from an in-character perspective. If it's just a word, and speaking is a free action, why does it take the better part of six seconds to say? Especially since you can theoretically trigger it by accident if the command word is a common word?
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I totally understand it from a mechanical/game balance perspective, I just don't get it from an in-character perspective. If it's just a word, and speaking is a free action, why does it take the better part of six seconds to say? Especially since you can theoretically trigger it by accident if the command word is a common word?It's also a standard action to use a wand (assuming you're able to in the first place) and a standard action to activate any command word items that don't specifically say they're free actions. Why? No idea.Command word: Flame strike from wing of fire elemental command plus Shooting stars from a ring of shooting stars plus searing light from a Crown of blasting, plus teleport away with the boot of teleportation. If they were free action after doing all that I wouldn't have used any of my actions.
I see perfectly why activating most magic items is a standard action.
I have always believed that things such as wands required somatic components as well. So you have to wave the wand around and utter the command word, then point it at the target. But that could just be because that is how wands are all handled in most media.
I thought that perhaps a Monk of the four winds could do what you are saying. His Disarm says he ends up with the item in his possession and with his slow time ability I thought it might be possible to use that extra action to activate the wand but the feat description says no spell casting.
In other words I don't think there is anyway you can accomplish what you are trying to do on your turn. You could steal the wand and hand it to an adjacent ally, but there is no way for you to touch a wand and activate it.
I totally understand it from a mechanical/game balance perspective, I just don't get it from an in-character perspective. If it's just a word, and speaking is a free action, why does it take the better part of six seconds to say? Especially since you can theoretically trigger it by accident if the command word is a common word?
Many things in roleplaying games often make no logical sense whatsoever, yet are that way due to game balance issues. And there's just no way to understand it from your character's viewpoint. And all you can do is try to refit it into your worldview.
Within the world itself, it's like asking "How does an internal combustion engine work?" and being told, "Because FRAG YOU, that's how!" And that's the only answer you'll ever get. Makes no sense logically, but there you go -- it's the only answer you get.
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I totally understand it from a mechanical/game balance perspective, I just don't get it from an in-character perspective. If it's just a word, and speaking is a free action, why does it take the better part of six seconds to say? Especially since you can theoretically trigger it by accident if the command word is a common word?
I've always justified it as the concentration and precision required to say the word clearly and correctly. Think of it like speaking to a voice recognition customer service program -- you don't just let the words tumble out of your mouth like normal speech; you say them slowly and deliberately.
Triggering the item by accident is something that happens some of the time if you happen to say the word just right. The standard action for a command word item means you're giving the item your attention to make certain that the item activates.
I totally understand it from a mechanical/game balance perspective, I just don't get it from an in-character perspective. If it's just a word, and speaking is a free action, why does it take the better part of six seconds to say? Especially since you can theoretically trigger it by accident if the command word is a common word?I've always justified it as the concentration and precision required to say the word clearly and correctly. Think of it like speaking to a voice recognition customer service program -- you don't just let the words tumble out of your mouth like normal speech; you say them slowly and deliberately.
Triggering the item by accident is something that happens some of the time if you happen to say the word just right. The standard action for a command word item means you're giving the item your attention to make certain that the item activates.
Best explanation I've seen. I'm going to use this one next time my players ask me. Thanks!
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I would say that it is a safety measure too. Would you make a ring that fire shooting stars in a random direction when you say "Fire"?
Or would you make a ring that require you to visualize the target area (or decide the range and direction of the shooting stars), require you to point your hand with the gem outward toward the target and them utter a command like: "I command you my ring: burn my enemy!"?
Remember that with most magic items you must decide all the parameters of the spell/effect when you use them. Generally those where you have nothing to decide are those that don't require a standard action.
Wands are "spell triggers" items, so they are even more complicated to use. You aren't simply activating a item to get an effect. You need to know enough about the effect (have the spell in your spell list) to be capable to use a wand without the risk of a mishap.
I'd say, if he has tucked a flaming Weapon in his belt, you could try to touch it and activate the flaming,
but using a wand, no chance (as the people before me have already stated.
