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Sploosh
2009-10-07, 12:58 PM
As the post says, I'm curious if there is a list of wands and scrolls that are worth using at higher levels (11 atm). I figured Protection from X, and Windwall would be nice.

I'm a going for utilty and neccessity that one would expect a reasonable cleric/wizard to cover. I'll be playing a Beguiler. Any suggestions are welcome, and any clarification can be given.

If there isn't one made already, someone should mamke one.

Choco
2009-10-07, 01:15 PM
As the post says, I'm curious if there is a list of wands and scrolls that are worth using at higher levels (11 atm). I figured Protection from X, and Windwall would be nice.

I'm a going for utilty and neccessity that one would expect a reasonable cleric/wizard to cover. I'll be playing a Beguiler. Any suggestions are welcome, and any clarification can be given.

If there isn't one made already, someone should mamke one.

Well, scrolls you should always have handy, even if you can cast the spell (to avoid using up a valuable slot on a very situational spell) are scrolls with the following effects:

remove curse
remove poison
detect poison
remove disease
some sort of shelter creation
maybe a few heals just in case
etc.

Basically stuff that would be a real lifesaver in the rare situation you would need to use it, but does not come up often enough to justify keeping the spell prepared. Being a beguiler I guess you dont need to worry about preparation, but your spell slots could be used for much more practical spells :smallbiggrin:

Glimbur
2009-10-07, 02:27 PM
The problem with UMD is you want spells that aren't dependent on caster level. Ray of Enfeeblement is ok as long as you're targeting people without SR, a real wizard can do 1d6+5 instead of 1d6+1 but it's better than nothing. Enervation is nice but expensive, and again SR is a problem.

I'd advise getting scrolls of Panacea from Spell Compendium, just to clear up status effects. A wand of Lesser Restoration is nice for dealing with ability damage.

The problem with the Protection from X spells is they're only 1 minute/level. A Magic Circle v X might be a better investment, as it's 10 min/level and you can cast it on yourself and go hug the Dominated person to help them.

Ernir
2009-10-07, 03:07 PM
Nerveskitter, hold this one at all times
Lesser Vigor, have your party chip in here
Omen of Peril

these are all in the SpC, provide effects that are sometimes needed multiple times per day and sometimes never and do not require a high CL. Benign Transposition might fit too.

Lesser Restoration, Endure Elements and Prestidigitation are nice. Amazing that Beguilers don't have the last one...


The ones that are even more situationally useful are probably better left on scrolls.

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-10-07, 04:40 PM
Well, there's always Polymorph...

Thurbane
2009-10-07, 06:00 PM
Well, a couple of basics...

4 levels of Warlock will allow you to take 10 on UMD checks (very handy when you know you can make the required DC).

Some feats that are useful for UMD are: Reckless Wand Wielder, to really squeeze the jiuce out of a wand (requires Craft Wand, however) and Magic Device Attunement (great for multi-use magic items with a high UMD DC).

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-10-07, 06:06 PM
4 levels of Warlock will allow you to take 10 on UMD checks (very handy when you know you can make the required DC).
However, it is the monk that gains the most from UMD.:smalltongue:

Guancyto
2009-10-07, 06:08 PM
However, it is the monk that gains the most from UMD.

I know there's plenty of divine magic around, but I think that particular horse has been beaten to death too long for anything shy of True Resurrection.

Sir Giacomo
2009-10-08, 04:36 PM
However, it is the monk that gains the most from UMD.:smalltongue:

What a strange opinion coming from you ...:smallbiggrin:
Anyhow:
UMD offers great uses for all classes - simply because some spells are better for some classes, and others for other classes.
Wands offer the best bargains (scrolls are way more expensive, only for use of 5th-9th legel spells). They provide access to all lvl 1-4 spells.
Among those the best bargain are 1st level spell wands (15gp per use).

Examples:

Good spells for everyone
- CLW
- haste
- see invisbility
- the morphing spells
- divine favour

Good spells for rogues
- blink
- invisibility/camouflage
- heroism
- reduce person
- grease

Good spells for fighters
- bull's strength/cat's grace
- enlarge person
- magic vestment
- flame arrow
- obscuring mist

Good spells for monks
- enlarge person
- magic fang/greater magic fang
- mage armour and shield
- divine power
- owl's wisdom/bull's strength/cat's grace

etc.

- Giacomo

Eldariel
2009-10-08, 05:16 PM
Few points regarding Giacomo's listing: Generally, spells wanting high caster level for good effect (e.g. Divine Favor, Greater Magic Weapon, Magic Vestment, Greater Magic Fang) are bad ones on Wand due to cost required to make optimal use of them. They are a somewhat passable replacement barring a party caster capable of casting said spells, but are vastly inferior to actually cast versions.

Other big category are spells with very short duration (round/level, 1 minute fixed and minute/level too) as you generally need to spend an action in-combat to activate said abilities, and they generally don't last long enough to be active in the next combat anymore, they are very expensive to use in Wand-form. Divine Favor is the posterchild of this, suffering of both problems, (but it's a level 1 spell which alleviates the issue; still, burning 6750gp and an action each combat is a relevant investment for all of your career (the money less so as you reach the high teens)), but other spells like Polymorph, Divine Power, Blink, Shield, etc. suffer of the same.