Familiars: Share Spells, Wands and Scrolls...

[Skarm]

Hi all,
I was wondering:

For purpose of Share Spells, using a wand or a scroll on them would count as "casting" the spell on them for purpose of the "you" harmless spells and the "ignore the type" effects of this ability?

Thanks,
Skarm

[Eloc]

IMO, yes.

[Mark Hoover 330]

There is nothing in the writing of Scrolls or Wands which states that the spell contained in the device changes it's Target; a Scroll of Shield for example still has a Target: You upon finishing the activation of the device. In this instance the Scroll's user would designate their Familiar as the recipient of the spell's benefit, so long as they can touch the creature.

This would also work with targeting creatures not typically targeted. If you have a Wand of Enlarge Person you could choose to affect your Familiar instead of the party melee type(s). While this might not be the most efficient combat strategy it nonetheless complies with the Target of the Wand's effect.

Magic Item Description wrote:

Description: This section of a magic item describes the item’s powers and abilities. Potions, scrolls, staves, and wands refer to various spells as part of their descriptions (see Spell Lists for details on these spells).

That's the bit that I'm using for this ruling. Since the Potion/Scroll/Staff/Wand refers to the spell for their descriptions and effects, and nothing else in the Magic Item section says that these items change the Target of these spells' effects, I'm thinking they follow the guidelines of those spells for the purposes of Target.

[Diego Rossi]

Share spell is a class feature, it works with the class feature Spells of the specific class that grants it. Not with magic items, the spells from other classes and so on.

Core Rulebook wrote:

Share Spells: The wizard may cast a spell with a target of “You” on his familiar (as a touch spell) instead of on himself. A wizard may cast spells on his familiar even if the spells do not normally affect creatures of the familiar’s type (magical beast).

There are a few FAQs that have made clear that when a class ability affect how spells work unless it say explicitly something different, it affects only spell cast by the spell feature of that class.

[baggageboy]

That's not true, look at the FAQ's that say a sorcerer's bloodline arcana applys to ALL spells cast by a character for a counter example.

I'm not saying you can share spells cast via a spell trigger or completion item, that's a separate issue, but there is nothing in the text that says the spells a wizard can share must come from the wizard class.

[Lelomenia]

“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.

posted September 2010”

Is the generally referenced FAQ for this.

[baggageboy]

Lelomenia wrote:

“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.

posted September 2010”

Is the generally referenced FAQ for this.

There's the answer to the OP's question, clear and concise.