Use wands without UMD

[NickTheGreek3]

Use a Wand
Normally, to use a wand, you must have the wand’s spell on your class spell list. This use of the skill allows you to use a wand as if you had a particular spell on your class spell list.
Since the DC of using a wand without having the wand's spell on your class spell list is 20, you'd need to boost your Use Magic Device skill to 18 to activate a wand successfully 95% of the time, points that non-rogue-like classes can't afford (even if it was a class skill). So, I'm looking for a way to allow a character to use (arcane) wands outside his spell list effectively.

One of the easiest ways is probably grabbing a Cleric level and getting the Magic domain, since its granted power lets you "use scrolls, wands, and other devices with spell completion or spell trigger activation as a wizard of one-half your cleric level (at least 1st level)", but Cleric 1 isn't that useful for the build I'm going for (plus it makes the character MADer). Maybe if I could grab the domain granted power without being a cleric somehow (would that even work?).

Of course there could be other ways that I don't know of. Any suggestions?
EDIT: I'm talking about a Duskblade, if that helps.

[MisterKaws]

Wait, how the hell doesn't a Cloistered Cleric dip help a Duskblade? Travel(devotion)/Magic/Knowledge(devotion) help it immensely, and you really don't have to put any more than 11 Wis to get all of the Cleric's stuff. Using Nightsticks, you could have free movement for every single fight, and Duskblades suffer heavily from lack of movement on later levels.

[NickTheGreek3]

Wait, how the hell doesn't a Cloistered Cleric dip help a Duskblade? Travel(devotion)/Magic/Knowledge(devotion) help it immensely, and you really don't have to put any more than 11 Wis to get all of the Cleric's stuff. Using Nightsticks, you could have free movement for every single fight, and Duskblades suffer heavily from lack of movement on later levels.
Well, I can get Knowledge devotion as a feat (as a level 12 Human I already have more feats that I know what to do with them), plus a level 1 Cleric dib provides 1 1st level cleric spell + 1 domain spell, which isn't worth it IMO (Duskblade already has plenty of good 1st level spells, the problem is from 2nd level and beyond). Sure, it's the easiest way to solve the wand problem, but Idk if it's worth the trouble, so I posted this to find alternatives.

[Deophaun]

Since the DC of using a wand without having the wand's spell on your class spell list is 20, you'd need to boost your Use Magic Device skill to 18 to activate a wand successfully 95% of the time, points that non-rogue-like classes can't afford (even if it was a class skill). So, I'm looking for a way to allow a character to use (arcane) wands outside his spell list effectively.
You don't need anything more than a single skill point in UMD, the rest is simply boosting your UMD score.

Otyugh Hole for Iron Will (Prerequisite)
Feat: Hardened Criminal (Use Magic Device) now you can Take 10 in UMD! That's +10 for our purposes.
Cloak of Charisma (+3)
Circlet of Persuasion (+3)
Feat: Shape Soulmeld (Mage's Spectacles) (+4)

You can now auto-succeed on your UMD check to activate any wand. And the more skill points you invest, the fewer of the above are needed.

[Big Fau]

One of the more dirty ways to do this is to dip Ur-Priest instead. Duskblade 13/Ur-Priest 2/Mystic Theurge 5 gets you full attack channeling and 7th level Cleric spells (Harm, for example), along with Rebuke Undead (for those Devotion feats) and +16 BAB (since an Ur-Priest's Divine Power has a lower CL than your BAB).

[NickTheGreek3]

You don't need anything more than a single skill point in UMD, the rest is simply boosting your UMD score.

Otyugh Hole for Iron Will (Prerequisite)
Feat: Hardened Criminal (Use Magic Device) now you can Take 10 in UMD! That's +10 for our purposes.
Cloak of Charisma (+3)
Circlet of Persuasion (+3)
Feat: Shape Soulmeld (Mage's Spectacles) (+4)

You can now auto-succeed on your UMD check to activate any wand. And the more skill points you invest, the fewer of the above are needed.
Eh, I don't think spending gold to buy 2 items that boost a dump stat would be a good idea... If there was an item that boosted UMD specifically, I'd consider it. Hardened Criminal looks interesting, where is it from?


One of the more dirty ways to do this is to dip Ur-Priest instead. Duskblade 13/Ur-Priest 2/Mystic Theurge 5 gets you full attack channeling and 7th level Cleric spells (Harm, for example), along with Rebuke Undead (for those Devotion feats) and +16 BAB (since an Ur-Priest's Divine Power has a lower CL than your BAB).
Ur-priest is a no-go, since the party is good-oriented, plus there's a good Cleric and a Paladin in it. I thought about going the Mystic Theurge route, but the Duskblade is a melee class and with d4 HD my hp would suffer a lot.

[Deophaun]

Hardened Criminal looks interesting, where is it from?
City of Stormreach. Also has the situational gem cloak of Khyber spell, which allows illusions to defeat true seeing (restrictions apply: not valid in Tennessee). And that's about it.

Circlet of persuasion is not bad in terms of gold. But, consider that you can invest 10 skill points into UMD, achievable at level 7, and then with two feats you just need to spend 4k on a +2 cloak of charisma and you got it.

As for a custom item that boosts UMD: ask your DM. Skill-boosting items are probably the most readily approved custom magic items across games. You can also ask for a masterwork tool (wand grip) for a +2 circumstance bonus on UMD checks to activate wands.

[Darrin]

Maybe if I could grab the domain granted power without being a cleric somehow (would that even work?).


Yes. Take the Planar Touchstone feat (Planar Handbook, requires 8 ranks of Knowledge: the Planes and a 250 GP touchstone item) or the Touchstone feat (Sandstorm, requires 8 ranks of Knowledge: Local *or* a 250 GP touchstone item). Link to the Catalogues of Enlightenment (Planar Handbook p. 166). You do not have to visit the actual site to gain the base ability. Choose a cleric domain to gain the domain power. The Magic domain lets you activate spell-trigger items as if you were a 1st level wizard.

Magical Training, a regional feat from FRCS/PGtF, will also let you do use spell-trigger items as a 1st level wizard/sorcerer, but it has to be taken at 1st level.

[Big Fau]

Eh, I don't think spending gold to buy 2 items that boost a dump stat would be a good idea... If there was an item that boosted UMD specifically, I'd consider it. Hardened Criminal looks interesting, where is it from?


Ur-priest is a no-go, since the party is good-oriented, plus there's a good Cleric and a Paladin in it. I thought about going the Mystic Theurge route, but the Duskblade is a melee class and with d4 HD my hp would suffer a lot.

You could also do Divine Crusader if being non-Evil is that important, but you get limited in domains there.

Mystic Theurge's HD is 2 steps below a Duskblade's which is an average of 4HP/level (20 HP in the build above, easily negated by a channeled Vampiric Touch). A good Con modifier is going to make up for that, as will any buffs you choose. Also HP is a last line of defense; if you are afraid of the d4 being a liability start stacking miss chances and AC bonuses to compensate.

[NickTheGreek3]

As for a custom item that boosts UMD: ask your DM. Skill-boosting items are probably the most readily approved custom magic items across games. You can also ask for a masterwork tool (wand grip) for a +2 circumstance bonus on UMD checks to activate wands.
Nice. I didn't know you could get masterwork tools for EVERY skill. Good to know. :smallsmile:


Magical Training, a regional feat from FRCS/PGtF, will also let you do use spell-trigger items as a 1st level wizard/sorcerer, but it has to be taken at 1st level.
I don't see how this feat lets me use trigger items. You only get a bunch of free cantrips. :smallconfused:

[Troacctid]

I don't see how this feat lets me use trigger items. You only get a bunch of free cantrips. :smallconfused:
It doesn't. The feat gives you access to a handful of cantrips, but it doesn't add anything to your class spell list, nor does it give you a class spell list if you don't already have one.


City of Stormreach. Also has the situational gem cloak of Khyber spell, which allows illusions to defeat true seeing (restrictions apply: not valid in Tennessee). And that's about it.
Did you just dis Wand Bonding? I think you just dissed Wand Bonding.

[Deophaun]

Nice. I didn't know you could get masterwork tools for EVERY skill. Good to know. :smallsmile:
Eh, it's not quite like that, though some people treat it that way.

There is a masterwork version of every tool. What skill/applications that tool applies a bonus to, if any, is up to the DM. So, item comes first, then the bonus.

Did you just dis Wand Bonding? I think you just dissed Wand Bonding.
Tch. You have to be a walking trashcan to take it. Who wants that?

[Thurbane]

Eternal Wands (MIC p. 159) can be used by any character able to cast arcane spells, without needing the spell on their class list or a UMD roll. The limitations over normal wands are that they are only usable 2/day (but will never run out of juice), and they only go up to 3rd level spells.

[prufock]

A 1-level dip into Exemplar will also let you take 10 on UMD. It requires skill focus, 6 ranks in diplomacy, and 13 ranks in any other skill.

[Thurbane]

A 1-level dip into Exemplar will also let you take 10 on UMD. It requires skill focus, 6 ranks in diplomacy, and 13 ranks in any other skill.

It's usually argued that only Warlock (and Artificer) can take 10 on UMD - Rogue skill mastery and Exemplar don't due to wording.

[prufock]

It's usually argued that only Warlock (and Artificer) can take 10 on UMD - Rogue skill mastery and Exemplar don't due to wording.
Might be RAI, but RAW there's no such limitation. "Even if" isn't exclusive. If it was, warlock wouldn't work either (rendering the Deceive Item ability worthless). Artificer still would, since it has an explicit statement to say it overrules the UMD rule.

[Fizban]

The feat Darrin was looking for was Arcane Schooling, still in PgtF. The names mean the same thing so they're easy to mix up. Touchstone for Magic Domain is straight better in every way as long as touchstones don't offend your DM.