Self-explanatory thread title and question. Potential spoilers for an AP, but I'll try to leave it abstract.
Our last gaming session ended with us setting up an ambush, and the idea was to have an Unseen Servant (which is a constant/at-will ability for the Witch,) with a Necklace of Fireballs on his person run out into the oncoming group with several beads left on the Necklace of Fireballs. Our party Wizard would then launch his own fireball at the position of the Necklace of Fireballs. It would then make an extremely large combustion of one giant fireball (~10D6), coupled with several others (2D6's, 4D6's, 6D6's, etc.), to essentially wipe out the mooks of the group and leave the main guy barely able to move (since he would be staggered after losing half his current HP. And yes, that's a houserule, don't judge).
We would then take that guy hostage and use him as to how we see fit.
However, as we were discussing this plan, we know that the item in question makes a saving throw when exposed to magical fire to avoid exploding all of the beads (which we want to have happen), and we know that if the item is attended, it can use its own (+7), or the bearer's saving throw. But the GM was saying that since the item itself has to make the saving throw and not the creature, the creature in possession of the item (the Unseen Servant) cannot voluntarily fail the saving throw.
Obviously if it was an Intelligent item, it could choose to fail the save itself, and if it didn't want to (but the bearer did want it to), there would be some Ego checks involved as to whether or not the item wants to leave its fate in the hands of his wielder, whose intentions will end up destroying the item (i.e. killing the sentience within). But since this isn't an Intelligent item, does its choice to get a saving throw automatically go to the bearer? Is it forced to make a saving throw, even if the bearer doesn't want to anyway?
Have the unseen servant drop it and leave it unattended?
I don't think such a situation is covered by the rules.
As a GM I would say under all conditions no matter what the item will make a save with at least its modifier against the attack. If it is atteneded it will use its save or its wield save, whichever is better. The best you can hope for is to throw it or drop it in place and fire and hope it fails the check.
Additionally, I would say even if it was intelligent no amount of ego check could cause it to voluntarily fail its saving throw. It nows it will be destroyed if it does, and no amount of ego will stop it from trying to save itself.
Umm ... Unseen Servants get no saving throws against attacks. Rules Quote : "(It gets no saves against attacks.)"
Does this mean you're stuck with the object's own save ?
An item attended by a character (being grasped, touched, or worn) makes saving throws as the character (that is, using the character's saving throw bonus).
Magic items always get saving throws. A magic item's Fortitude, Reflex, and Will save bonuses are equal to 2 + half its caster level. An attended magic item either makes saving throws as its owner or uses its own saving throw bonus, whichever is better.
Magical items always get saving throws. The wielder can't choose to fail on behalf of the item, because the item always gets a saving throw. In this case the unseen servant has no saves, so you use the items saves.
If someone that did have saves that were higher than the magical item and was wielding it, and they chose to fail the save, the item would use it's own saves. They always get saves. Character agency doesn't change that.
If this was a non magical item then the wielder could choose to fail and the item would have no save.
Magical items always get saving throws. The wielder can't choose to fail on behalf of the item, because the item always gets a saving throw. In this case the unseen servant has no saves, so you use the items saves.
If someone that did have saves that were higher than the item and was wielding it, and they chose to fail the save, the item would use it's own saves. They always get saves. Character agency doesn't change that.
That my opinion as well. You're overcoming the inherent magics that bind the power to object. It happens no matter what.
Yup. An unseen servant not only has no saving throws, it is incapable of choosing to fail a save, as it is not intelligent.
Whether or not an item is considered attended when an inanimate force manipulates it it is an interesting question.
If is attended, then for the purpose of saving throws is it considered attended by whoever controls the force (makes little sense), or by the inanimate force itself (makes no sense)?
Mage Hand makes a point of targeting only unattended objects, but that doesn't really get us very far towards knowing if the object is still untended once you use the effect to pick it up.