UMD for Class Features Clarification

[CrimsonButterfly]

The DC for UMD on Class Features is listed at 20, but what precisely is excluded from the list of 'class features'? The question comes to mind because of the limitations on certain items, such as a string of Prayer Beads. One of the activation requirements is the ability to cast Divine spells. Would the ability to cast Divine spells be a class feature, since even being able to cast spells themselves is a class feature in general? Would a UMD check apply to activate the item provided you knew what it was?
Basically, can I get a +4 CL to my Witch once a day? :p

[Brf]

Weird item.
You need Righteous Might to construct that bead, but that spell is basically an bigger Enlarge Person spell with DR, having nothing at all to do with increasing CL.

Suppose you had a multi-classed character with one-level Divine caster. Could they use the item to boost their Arcane casting?

Actually, the item's description does not say you have to be a Divine caster to use it... It only specifies that you have to cast a divine spell. Suppose a cleric used Imbue with Spell Ability to let you cast a Divine spell while you were wearing the necklace. Then you should be able to use the necklace.

[CrimsonButterfly]

In theory an ioun stone that stored a single level spell of any divine origin would do the same thing, wouldn't it? I suddenly have a shopping list. Thank you!

[Chemlak]

Quote:

the beads of karma and summons can be activated by any character capable of casting divine spells.

I agree that blessing, smiting and wind walking could be used by any character who has, from whatever entertaining method devised, managed to cast a divine spell to trigger the beads and learn how to use them, but the karma and summons beads require being able to cast divine spells.

Now, interestingly, UMD "Emulate Class Feature", you emulate a class and are considered to be of the appropriate level (determined by your roll) in that class for the purposes of that class's class features, so if you choose "Spellcasting for a cleric", you're faking having spellcasting as a cleric, which includes it being divine spells. So I'd let someone UMD to be able to use the karma bead.

[Cevah]

Chemlak wrote:

Quote:

the beads of karma and summons can be activated by any character capable of casting divine spells.

I agree that blessing, smiting and wind walking could be used by any character who has, from whatever entertaining method devised, managed to cast a divine spell to trigger the beads and learn how to use them, but the karma and summons beads require being able to cast divine spells.

Now, interestingly, UMD "Emulate Class Feature", you emulate a class and are considered to be of the appropriate level (determined by your roll) in that class for the purposes of that class's class features, so if you choose "Spellcasting for a cleric", you're faking having spellcasting as a cleric, which includes it being divine spells. So I'd let someone UMD to be able to use the karma bead.

Strand of Prayer Beads

Casting a divine spell lets you know how to activate it.
UMD does not require this knowledge.
Therefore I don't need to have cast a divine spell to activate most of its functions.
Additionally, once you UMD and activate the Bless bead, you have cast a spell, since it is a spell completion item. The bless spell is a divine spell, since the only casters that get it are divine casters. Now you know the rest of the functions. :-)

UMD wrote:

Emulate a Class Feature: ....This skill does not let you actually use the class feature of another class. It just lets you activate items as if you had that class feature....

PRD

Spells wrote:

A cleric casts divine spells....

Prayer Beads wrote:

the beads of karma and summons can be activated by any character capable of casting divine spells.

I agree that UMD lets you activate the summons and karma beads.

Since the summons bead requires activation as an item and not as a spell triger (i.e. wand), the UMD action to activate is different. Yes, you can activate it, but you need to emulate the class ability and not activate a spell trigger to do so. This distinction allows you to randomly try to activate the bless bead, without the potential of activating the summons bead.

/cevah