Do class features that affect spells apply to spells, apply to spells cast from Wands or Scrolls and such?
Do class features that affect spells apply to spells, apply to spells cast from Wands or Scrolls and such?
Covered in the FAQ:
Items as Spells: Does using a potion, scroll, staff, or wand count as "casting a spell" for purposes of feats and special abilities like Augment Summoning, Spell Focus, an evoker's ability to do extra damage with evocation spells, bloodline abilities, and so on?
No. Unless they specifically state otherwise, feats and abilities that modify spells you cast only affect actual spellcasting, not using magic items that emulate spellcasting or work like spellcasting.
I assumed that staves worked as if you were casting the spell because you use your own caster level. Is that not the case?
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.
So definitely yes for Spell Focus and such. Other feats that modify spells don't seem to get an exception. I don't think you could modify a staff cast spell with metamagic for instance.
I think you might be able to argue that feat & trait increases to caster level with specific spells in the staff (i.e. Spell Specialization & Gifted Adept) will file under 'can use his caster level', but we're definitely interpreting here.
Personally, I houserule that it counts as if you had actually cast it when you use a staff, but that's just so it's easier to remember and gives me less headaches.
It seems to me that if the object allows you to use your own caster level, you can increase the caster level via feats, etc., but only the caster level would increase. You can't enhance it in other ways (e.g. spell level, for spellcasting feats), but if the item (staves, we're looking at you) allows for that particular increase, I'd allow the channelling to work that way.
Otherwise, you're pretty much SOL on that - changing of which makes your mystics even more seriously dangerous, because I do NOT want to think of what's gonna happen with a wizard who has a Wand or Rod of Asskickery whose 6th level spells to which he can apply a few judicious metamagic feats.