PDA

View Full Version : Items with Charges



Rasman
2010-01-12, 07:34 PM
Probably a stupid question, but my brain is acting slow today.

Do items with charges, such as the Vanisher Cloak, or uses per day, require UMD to use?

If not, is it just staffs and rods that use spell like abilities that require UMD to use without failure?

I guess this is more of an UMD question than anything else...:smallfrown:

I'm particularly interested in whether I can use the Bag of Flames from the MIC without having UMD as a class skill, otherwise I AM going to cross-class into the skill so I can use it.

ocdscale
2010-01-12, 07:58 PM
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/Usemagicdevice.htm

I don't see a DC for cloaks, so doesn't look like you need it.

deuxhero
2010-01-12, 08:02 PM
Given that that would make fighters even worse, I'd go with no.

Aren't staffs bigger less cost effective wands?

tyckspoon
2010-01-12, 08:05 PM
It depends on the item. "Spell trigger" and "Spell Completion" items (wand-type and scroll-type, respectively) require you to either be capable of casting the spell they contain or use UMD to fake it. Other kinds of items typically do not require UMD, such as use-activated (property happens whenever you drink the potion/hit something with the weapon/etc), continuous (most often Wondrous Items, which just work whenever you wear them), and command word (does something when you say the right word.) UMD may be used in place of special requirements on things like command word items, but if you know the command word there is no other special requirement to use the item.

So... check the listing for the item and see what it says about it. The MIC is particularly nice about this- there is a header for each item that lists the kind of item it is and what action, if any, is required to use it.

oxybe
2010-01-12, 08:07 PM
wands and similar charged items (staffs, scrolls, ect...) require a UMD check to use if you don't have the spell on your list. that's because it's one of the properties of those kinds of items.

wonderous items, however, don't have that limitation since they are made to be more general use items. the downside is that their creation tends to be costlier then wands/scrolls/ect...