UMD & Rogue - What Determines Their Caster Level for Wands?

[kronovan]

When a Rogue uses UMD for a wand that's a spell with a variable effect based on Caster Level, which of these determines the level:

- They use UMD to emulate the Caster level: d20+UMD-20?
- The CL is based upon their Rouge class level?

Or is it yet something different from either of those?

[DesolateHarmony]

Different. The caster level is set by the creator of the wand when it is made. Unless you have the feat Staff-like Wand, which lets you use your own numbers.

[kronovan]

Aha! OK cool, that makes sense. So they're all DC 20 and the limiting factor is the cost, which I imagine is much more for a higher level wand for any given spell?

[Pupsocket]

750*spell level*caster level.

[Xaratherus]

Unless you specify otherwise, the base cost of the wand will always be for the spell as cast at its minimum caster level.

This means that a 750g Wand of Magic Missile will fire a single missile (despite the fact that the Craft Wand feat requires a minimum CL of 5).

If you want a more effective wand, then you would take the base cost (750g) times the spell level, then multiply by the effective caster level.

So a Wand of Magic Missile that could fire two missiles (an effect CL of 3) would cost 2250 (750g x 1st level spell x Caster Level 3).

[Theconiel]

Pupsocket wrote:

750*spell level*caster level.

For example, consider a wand of Glitterdust. Glitterdust is a second level spell for a bard, magus, sorcerer, wizard, summoner or witch.

A wizard can cast second level spells at third experience level, but the caster must be at least fifth level to craft a wand. So, if a fifth level wizard makes a wand of Glitterdust, he could craft the wand to cast the spell at any caster level from third (the minimum level to cast the spell) to fifth (his level).

Cost:
3rd level: 750*2*3=4500
4th level: 750*2*4=6000
5th level: 750*2*5=7500

Note that in PFS, only the third-level version would be available for purchase, unless a higher level version appeared on a chronicle sheet.