You are usin the staff to cast the spell. You are the one controlling the undead, so it counts toward your HD pool and staffs use your caster level.
Other wise if someone stole your fancy new undead raising staff, they could command the undead that you raised.
But I agree with Azten, you're using a spell trigger item. You are casting the spell not the staff. It counts towards your total HD of undead you can control.
Bonus question. If the staff has a higher caster level than you, are you able to command the additional HD given by the Staff's higher CL?
Edit : I was being unclear with bonus question.
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Yeah, I was thinking, if it's using your total, how do you calculate it as a non-caster using UMD?
that is a good question. UMD just says:
Use a Wand, Staff, or Other Spell Trigger Item: Normally, to use a wand, you must have the wand's spell on your class spell list. This use of the skill allows you to use a wand as if you had a particular spell on your class spell list. Failing the roll does not expend a charge.
Nothing about what the caster level is (since it does not matter for most spell trigger items).
My best guess comes from this line in using staves:
Using Staves: Staves use the wielder's ability score and relevant feats to set the DC for saves against their spells. Unlike with other sorts of magic items, the wielder can use his caster level when activating the power of a staff if it's higher than the caster level of the staff.
After reading that, I would guess that you would use the CL of the staff as the base. but I am not 100% sure on that.
An interesting question! I agree with Azten.
I'd say the staff lets you create undead according to its caster level (or yours if yours is higher) but that control is based on your caster level. Perfectly possible to create something you can't control.
Yeah, I was thinking, if it's using your total, how do you calculate it as a non-caster using UMD?
I'd say the staff lets you create undead according to its caster level (or yours if yours is higher) but that control is based on your caster level. Perfectly possible to create something you can't control.
Or you just make two UMD checks, one to "Use a wand, staff, or other Spell Trigger item" and then a second one to "Emulate a class feature" (specifically, the ability to cast spells). If you succeed at the first and fail at the second, you have created uncontrolled undead as Tonyz suggested, but if you succeed at both, then your caster level (as a spellcaster of whatever class feature you emulated) is your character level.