Wands and Use Magic Device


Advice


Do you have any advice for players that don't have Use Magic Device as a class skill to boost their skill so they can actually use wands reliable?

Also please post any cool wand ideas. spells, feats, etc


Put points into UMD. Boost Cha. Skill focus UMD.


igorwolfgang wrote:

Do you have any advice for players that don't have Use Magic Device as a class skill to boost their skill so they can actually use wands reliable?

Also please post any cool wand ideas. spells, feats, etc

I wouldn't waste a feat on it. Magic items with bonuses to skills are fairly cheap. +3 only costs 900.

Are you wanting to use wands in combat? If just using them for buffing or downtime healing you really don't need to buff your check, you can just keep swinging it 'til it works...


igorwolfgang wrote:

Do you have any advice for players that don't have Use Magic Device as a class skill to boost their skill so they can actually use wands reliable?

Also please post any cool wand ideas. spells, feats, etc

For 1st level spells.. get an ioun stone that can store 1 level (it's like 2k gold).. take as long as you need to activate the wand to recharge the stone.. when you come to combat you don't need to roll UMD to use the spell storing item.

Beyond that, how much do you wish to invest into UMD and where are you starting?

-James


If they can work a trait (magic) into their build, Dangerously Curious gets them UMD as a class skill with a +1 trait bonus. A MW tool (50gp) can get them an additional +2 circumstance bonus, if the GM is okay with using one for UMD.


tools that help use UMD? sounds interesting. i think the trait and the MW tool will get me to where i want to be. thank you all. :D


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

A MW work tool for UMD? How about Hogwarts Wand Wielding for Beginners Journal? If you read in that, you gat a bonus on the next UMD check. Just like that books for 50gp.


Do you have to read the book in between all checks to get a +1?

and the action to use the tools it the same action to use the skill right, there is not extra action there just having the tools in hand?


Boost cha, pump all your skill points into UMD next time you level up (you don't have to put one skill point per level) and get someone to hit you with "Eagle's splendor" before using the wand the first time. Once you successfully use a wand, you'll have a +2 for additional uses.

Oh, and if you can use "guidance" as a zero level spell, that's a bit of a boost too.


As far as I know there is no "masterwork tool" that works with UMD.

Shadow Lodge

igorwolfgang wrote:

Do you have to read the book in between all checks to get a +1?

and the action to use the tools it the same action to use the skill right, there is not extra action there just having the tools in hand?

The post that was written by a staff member (can't remember who, sorry) said that masterwork tools should have some sort of limitation to them, similar to how the healer's kits have a limit of 10 uses. The book would probably need to be looked at before attempting to use the wand (but would have unlimited use).

The whole thing is open to interpretation though and they're just hoping it doesn't get overly abused.


Hayato Ken wrote:
A MW work tool for UMD? How about Hogwarts Wand Wielding for Beginners Journal? If you read in that, you gat a bonus on the next UMD check. Just like that books for 50gp.

Or you could just call it a "Wand Instruction Manual".

Seriously, no one reads the instruction manual anymore...


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

There are some examples for that, like the Pathfinder Chronicle, Footprints book, mundane items that give a +2 bonus on a skill check.

Pathfinder Chronicle wrote:

Source Inner Sea World Guide

Numerous volumes and editions of the Pathfinder Chronicles exist. When used as a reference (an action that typically takes 1d4 full rounds of searching the text), a Pathfinder Chronicle grants a +2 circumstance bonus on a specific Knowledge check. Each Pathfinder Chronicle grants this bonus to a different type of Knowledge, but regardless of which type that particular chronicle is focused on, the overall cost of the book remains the same.
Footprint Book wrote:

Source Advanced Player's Guide

This 50-page tome contains accurate drawings of various common animal, humanoid, and monster tracks, as well as notes on stride length, tread depth, and similarly useful information. The book gives you a +2 circumstance bonus to identify a creature by its tracks, though the use of shoes makes identifying many humanoids difficult or impossible. Though the book can’t help you identify unique individuals, it can help you tell an ogre footprint from a troll footprint, or an elf's track from an orc's. Books sold in different areas may have different footprints, depending on what creatures are common to that location.

Although it was meant as a joke, i don´t think it´s a game breaker or a big deal to have a book like that help UMD. After 1d4 rounds consulting it.


I'd be fine with a book or document you could read that would give you a temporary boost. That sort of thing is always fine. In fact I might give it as a circumstance bonus.

But it's still not a masterwork tool.


I tried to stress that the decision to allow a MW Tool for UMD would depend the GM. To the best of my knowledge, PFS currently allows use of MW tools for all skills (see here for a thread discussing it and urging moderation in using them for the player base). At a minimum, I don't think a generic MW tool (skill) should supplant those skills for which specific MW kits/tools already exist (e.g. Healer's Kit, Disguise Kit, MW Thieves' Tools).

Outside of PFS, whether to allow a MW tool for UMD and the limits of its use (item type(s) affected, time needed to activate bonus, equipment slot or free hand use) is certainly up to the GM. You can flavor it or limit its use, but I'm satisfied calling it a MW tool (UMD) for mechanical purposes (giving a +2 circumstance bonus). Use items like "99 Most Common Wand Activation Phrases" or "Activating Divine Wands Like a True Believer" as needed.


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I can't recall, but we just had a combat with a villain who had a crummy UMD score, he'd run down the hallway and shout "take that" and the wand wound fizzle, he'd curse, hide behind some drapery while his dog chewed on us, jump out, shout "take that" it would fizzle again and finally he threw it at us in frustration, the rogue picked it up, assuming "take that" was the command word and tried to use it back, making a blind UMD attempt and splattered him with his own acid splash rod it was fun!

I say, save all your money and feats, just get a stick, and pump all your skill points into intimidate, dress like a wizard, point the stick at everyone and shout "Take that!"

sounds amusing to me!


How long should it take to use a MW tolls UMD? like a standard action or move action to prepare to use it with the skill check or should the time to use it just be included in the regular skill check.

assuming a GM lets you have such a wondrous item.

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