Wand Activation RAW

[noparlpf]

Hopefully this hasn't been posted before, but I didn't see a thread on this forum. Anyway.

My brother is arguing that wands work on any target within line of sight because the rules say, "To activate a wand, a character must...point it in the general direction of the target." Does that count as a specific rule stating that wands don't follow normal range rules?

But the rules for wand activation also say, "...casting a spell from a wand...", which would seem to mean that the character activating the wand is the effective caster, even though the spell manifests at the wand's caster level. So would the range be determined based on the location of the character activating the wand, per the specifics for a given spell? In which case, does activating a wand of Cure Light Wounds require the cleric to both point the wand in the direction of the target with one hand and touch the target with the other hand?


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 standard 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.


Spell Trigger
Spell trigger activation is similar to spell completion, but it’s even simpler. No gestures or spell finishing is needed, just a special knowledge of spellcasting that an appropriate character would know, and a single word that must be spoken. Anyone with a spell on his or her spell list knows how to use a spell trigger item that stores that spell. (This is the case even for a character who can’t actually cast spells, such as a 3rd-level paladin.) The user must still determine what spell is stored in the item before she can activate it. Activating a spell trigger item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

[Red Fel]

Hopefully this hasn't been posted before, but I didn't see a thread on this forum. Anyway.

My brother is arguing that wands work on any target within line of sight because the rules say, "To activate a wand, a character must...point it in the general direction of the target." Does that count as a specific rule stating that wands don't follow normal range rules?

But the rules for wand activation also say, "...casting a spell from a wand...", which would seem to mean that the character activating the wand is the effective caster, even though the spell manifests at the wand's caster level. So would the range be determined based on the location of the character activating the wand, per the specifics for a given spell? In which case, does activating a wand of Cure Light Wounds require the cleric to both point the wand in the direction of the target with one hand and touch the target with the other hand?

Okay. Your questions are all more or less answerable in the same manner. Basically, a spell trigger item, such as a wand, allows you to cast the spell without using up a slot or prepared spell, provided that you have it on your list (or have a skill that allows you to use spell trigger items). The spell is cast by the item, not by you; it uses the item's caster level and such. It still has the spell's traditional range; thus, a spell with range of touch, when used by a wand, still has a range of touch, and requires you to touch the target to use the spell. Wands follow normal range rules and use their own caster level.

Now, the ambiguous part is whether you have to touch the target with the wand or with your hand; frankly, I'm not convinced that there's much mechanical difference. You'll note that in the explanation of touch spells, it does not say you have to explicitly touch the recipient with your hand (although you generally can't channel a touch spell through an object, such as a weapon); I would rule that it is sufficient to touch the recipient with the wand. And it's worth noting that, generally, if you're touching someone with a wand, you're probably pointing it at them as you do so (unless you're smacking them in the head with it, in which case that's rather rude of you).

[Vhaidara]

(unless you're smacking them in the head with it, in which case that's rather rude of you).

Hey, my aunt once wielded our Wand of Cure Light Wounds as an improvised club against some skeletons. Don't knock it 'til you try it.

[Chronos]

My brother is arguing that wands work on any target within line of sight because the rules say, "To activate a wand, a character must...point it in the general direction of the target." Does that count as a specific rule stating that wands don't follow normal range rules?
I don't get the logic, here. To shoot a gun, you need to point it at the target, too. Does that imply that guns have unlimited range? What does range have to do with the direction you're pointing?

[noparlpf]

I don't get the logic, here. To shoot a gun, you need to point it at the target, too. Does that imply that guns have unlimited range? What does range have to do with the direction you're pointing?

Something like, using the wording "point it in the general direction of the target" is pretty weird in the context of touching a person with the wand to cast a touch spell.