Who can use magic items?

[speedster_sasha]

Hi gang,

So I am little confused about who can use what magic items, Scrolls, Wands etc. Can anybody use them or can only a magic user? Also if a scroll says something like scroll of burning hands CL 3 does that me they have to be level three to use it? Thanks.

Sasha

[Tiny Coffee Golem]

Core book. Chapter 8. First couple pages.

[Oladon]

Anyone can use a magic item, provided they either have access to the relevant spell, or succeed on a Use Magic Device check.

[Jiggy]

I do suggest reading the Magic Items chapter yourself, but here's a quick "cheat sheet":

Potions/Oils: Anyone can use them.

Scrolls: The point of a scroll is basically so that a spellcaster can cast a spell without having to use a spell slot; great for those spells that you don't need very often but are super handy when you do need them. If you're a spellcaster who, if you were of appropriate level, would be capable of casting the spell that's on the scroll, you can use the scroll.

Wands: If you have at least one level in a class whose spell list includes the wand's spell, you can activate it.

Rings/Wondrous Items/Weapons/Armor: Anyone can use them unless otherwise noted in the description (although proficiency rules apply as normal for weapons/armor).

[RainyDayNinja]

Keep in mind that for scrolls, even if a spell is on your spell list, if the caster level of the scroll is higher than your caster level, then you have to succeed at a caster level check. So that's 1d20 + your CL, vs. 1 + the scroll's CL.

[mdt]

Synopsis :

Wands : Anyone with the spell on their spell list (even if they can't cast the spell themselves). Anyone who can make the UMD (Use Magic Device) check.

Scrolls : Anyone with the spell on their spell list (although they may have to make checks if the spell is higher than their highest level they can cast) and the scroll is of the same type as their magic, arcane or divine. Anyone who can make a UMD check.

Rods : Depends on the Rod, but generally, it's a free action to activate a rod that affects another ability (metamagic rod for example) or a standard action to activate it if grants a power. Anyone who knows the activation word can activate a rod, but some might not do anything if you activate them (metamagic rod won't do you any good if you activate while not casting a spell). If you don't know the activation method, you can make a UMD check to do it, or appraise it and find the activation method.

Rings : Anyone who is wearing it can activate a ring, and use it. It may not do you any good (ring of spell storing if you can't cast spells for example), but anyone can use them if they know the activation method.

Staves : Follow the same rules as wands. Basically, a Staff is a big giant wand with spells higher than 4th.

Wondrous Item : Anyone can use a wondrous item, not everyone get's the same benefit from them.

With all of the above, you have to have at least a 3 Intelligence to activate a magic item. However, permanently active magical items will work for anything (IE: You can put a cape on your ape animal companion and it works without the animal having to activate it).

[speedster_sasha]

Jiggy wrote:

I do suggest reading the Magic Items chapter yourself, but here's a quick "cheat sheet":

Potions/Oils: Anyone can use them.

Scrolls: The point of a scroll is basically so that a spellcaster can cast a spell without having to use a spell slot; great for those spells that you don't need very often but are super handy when you do need them. If you're a spellcaster who, if you were of appropriate level, would be capable of casting the spell that's on the scroll, you can use the scroll.

Wands: If you have at least one level in a class whose spell list includes the wand's spell, you can activate it.

Rings/Wondrous Items/Weapons/Armor: Anyone can use them unless otherwise noted in the description (although proficiency rules apply as normal for weapons/armor).

Okay thanks! I actually did read the book but it left me a little confused, lots of info in there to absorb.