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Do the effect of Wands, IE Divine Favor or Mirror Image; go by the spell level of the Wand, or the Caster level of the User?
As in; If I were a level 9 Caster, and used UMD to wand Mirror Image on myself, would I gain 1d4 + 3 images, or just 1d4 + 1?
Spell level of the wand. There is an arcane discovery available to wizards (Staff-like Wand) that enables characters to use their own caster level in place of the wand's.
This is the main reason why staves are better than wands, at least for mid- to high-level wizards. Wands stay at their built-in caster level (by default the minimum for the spell level) while wands use the wielder's caster level.
Staff-like wand sounds like a neat ability, but I'd really hate to blow a feat on it, given how feat-starved a typical wizard is.
This is the main reason why staves are better than wands, at least for mid- to high-level wizards. Wands stay at their built-in caster level (by default the minimum for the spell level) while wands use the wielder's caster level.
Staff-like wand sounds like a neat ability, but I'd really hate to blow a feat on it, given how feat-starved a typical wizard is.
Two feats, actually, given that you need Craft Staff as a prerequisite.
But yes. I think it's a neat but highly overpriced ability.
Actually it's CASTER level of the wand. A fine distinction. Yes, your wand only grants 1d4+1 images, but if it was crafted at caster level 6, it would grant 1d4+2 images instead. Of course, it would cost more to craft.
This is the most correct response.
Spell level of the wand doesn't have much to do with it, beyond that the spell level sets what the minimum caster the wand could be made and purchased at. Higher caster level ones can be bought or made, but they cost more to do so (and it usually isn't cost efficient to do so).
So a wand of Cure Light Wounds contains a first level spell has a minimum caster level of 1, and would heal heal 1d8+1, and cost 750 gold.
You could instead have a Wand of Cure Light Wounds which would still be a first level spell but has a caster level of 3, and would heal 1d8+3, and cost 2250 (to purchase).
Or you could have Cure Moderate Wounds which is a 2nd level spell with minimum caster level of 3, which would heal 2d8+3, and cost 4500 gold.
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This is the main reason why staves are better than wands, at least for mid- to high-level wizards. Wands stay at their built-in caster level (by default the minimum for the spell level) while wands use the wielder's caster level.
Staff-like wand sounds like a neat ability, but I'd really hate to blow a feat on it, given how feat-starved a typical wizard is.
Two feats, actually, given that you need Craft Staff as a prerequisite.
But yes. I think it's a neat but highly overpriced ability.
250 d4 + 250 damage for 750 gp a pop is why it's so expensive to get.
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It's also important to note that the DC's for wands (or scrolls) are the minimum possible DC for that spell as well, using the minimum ability score for that spell rather than your own ability score. For instance a Fireball cast from a wand would have a Reflex DC of 14. Because the minimum ability score to cast a fireball is 13 which is only a +1 modifier.