Is using a wand casting a spell?

[Yorae]

See title: does activating a wand or stave count as casting a spell?

I see some evidence to support this:


Activation
Wands use the spell trigger activation method, so casting a spell from a wand is usually a standard action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. (If the spell being cast, however, has a longer casting time than 1 action, it takes that long to cast the spell from a wand.) To activate a wand, a character must hold it in hand (or whatever passes for a hand, for nonhumanoid creatures) and point it in the general direction of the target or area. A wand may be used while grappling or while swallowed whole.



Activation

Staffs use the spell trigger activation method, so casting a spell from a staff is usually a standard action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. (If the spell being cast, however, has a longer casting time than 1 standard action, it takes that long to cast the spell from a staff.) To activate a staff, a character must hold it forth in at least one hand (or whatever passes for a hand, for nonhumanoid creatures).

Since this seems to hold true, could a spellcaster that also has a spell trigger item use, say, Sudden Empower to empower one casting from that item?

[SamBurke]

No, Sudden Empower would not work, or, at least, most GMs wouldn't let it.

Metamagic on wands is the Artificer's gig.

[missmvicious]

As far as I know, activating a wand is more of a skill. The wand is the one casting the spell.

As an example, a Rogue can not cast spells. However, a rogue can roll a UMD check to make a wand she is holding cast a spell.

[ericgrau]

Activating a wand only requires the most basic spell-casting knowledge. You say a command word the right way and it shoots. Even a level 1 wizard can activate a staff with 9th level spells. So I don't think that counts as casting the spell yourself either, and you wouldn't know how to fiddle with the effect in any way.

You could make a stronger argument for spell completion items (scrolls), since there it's almost as if someone else prepared it for you but you're the one casting (completing) it. The power still comes from the scroll though, so it probably doesn't work either.

I think the old 2e fluff was that you'd go through all the long rigorous steps in casting a spell in the morning except for the final word and gesture. So when you cast you complete the spell. Not sure if that fluff is in 3e, but "completion" and so on hints at it.

[FearlessGnome]

In short, there will be no funny business casting spells that aren't yours.

[supermonkeyjoe]

Thankfully no, otherwise any PrC with an entry requirement of "Must be able to cast level X arcane/divine spells" would be ludicrously easy to enter.

[Yorae]

What about for the purposes of other mechanics, like counterspelling?

Can you counterspell a spell cast from a wand?

What about some other sort of ability that is triggered by the casting of a spell?

What about an Artificer who takes Prophecy's Shaper (Magic of Eberron)? Would they be able to empower spells from their wands?

[missmvicious]

What about for the purposes of other mechanics, like counterspelling?

Can you counterspell a spell cast from a wand?

Yes. It's still a spell after all.


What about some other sort of ability that is triggered by the casting of a spell?

What, specifically, do you mean?


What about an Artificer who takes Prophecy's Shaper (Magic of Eberron)? Would they be able to empower spells from their wands?

I... hmm. I don't know. I don't believe so, but then I'm no authority on Artificers. SamBurke seems to believe you can, and he probably knows more on the subject than I do.

[Big Fau]

Considering they printed a feat that specifically allows you to use metamagic on Spell Trigger items, I'd say no to the Sudden Metamagic thing.

[Yorae]

Considering they printed a feat that specifically allows you to use metamagic on Spell Trigger items, I'd say no to the Sudden Metamagic thing.
Makes sense I suppose, though it's worth pointing out that the two feats work very differently - Metamagic Spell Trigger is any number of times / day and limits the adjusted spell level, whereas Sudden X is 1/day and does not. One doesn't really duplicate the other (though MM Spell Trigger is the better feat, imo).





What about some other sort of ability that is triggered by the casting of a spell?

What, specifically, do you mean?


Any theoretical effect that says something to the effect of "when a spell is cast, X happens." Can't think of any specifics.

Also straying a bit further from topic, Pathfinder Spellslingers (I know I bring these up a lot recently) have the Arcane Gun ability, which says "A spellslinger can cast any ranged touch attack, cone, line, or ray spells through his arcane gun." Would said spellslinger be able to cast spells that they cast via items through the gun?

[FearlessGnome]

No. Not your spells. Not eligible.

[Yorae]

No. Not your spells. Not eligible.

Can you (or whoever, really) provide some rules justification as to why, based on the wording of the abilities? I'm going for RAW here.