Who is the caster?

[weckar]

There are quite a few spells and effects that refer to the caster of the spell for interaction purposes. If a spell is imbued and its effect expelled by a magic item, who is the caster?


The creator
The user
The item


I'd like a RAW ruling if possible because this may involve future table issues.

[Venger]

There are quite a few spells and effects that refer to the caster of the spell for interaction purposes. If a spell is imbued and its effect expelled by a magic item, who is the caster?


The creator
The user
The item


I'd like a RAW ruling if possible because this may involve future table issues.

could you give us the specifics?

are you talking about just using a magic item such as a wand? in that instance, you use the item's caster level for level-dependent factors such as duration, but the user is considered the caster if it's something like command undead. the creator never has any role in what's going on.

I expect it's something to do with control pools.

[Dagroth]

For a Wand (or Potion), level-dependent effects are based on the level of the item's creator. Other effects (like the actual words for "suggest") are based on the item's user.

For a Staff or Scroll, level-dependent effects are based on the level of the user. So a Staff of Fire in the hands of a 1st level character fires Fireballs that do... 1d6 damage.

[weckar]

Well. for an explicit example where BEING the caster comes into play: Basically all of the abilities of the Swiftblade require a haste spell that you cast yourself. Do wants count? Do potions? Do at-will command word items?

[Venger]

Well. for an explicit example where BEING the caster comes into play: Basically all of the abilities of the Swiftblade require a haste spell that you cast yourself. Do wants count? Do potions? Do at-will command word items?

Yes. All those things are fine.

[Telonius]

For a Staff or Scroll, level-dependent effects are based on the level of the user. So a Staff of Fire in the hands of a 1st level character fires Fireballs that do... 1d6 damage.

Partially correct on staff, not correct on scroll.


Staffs use the wielder’s ability score and relevant feats to set the DC for saves against their spells. Unlike with other sorts of magic items, the wielder can use his caster level when activating the power of a staff if it’s higher than the caster level of the staff.

This means that staffs are far more potent in the hands of a powerful spellcaster. Because they use the wielder’s ability score to set the save DC for the spell, spells from a staff are often harder to resist than ones from other magic items, which use the minimum ability score required to cast the spell. Not only are aspects of the spell dependant on caster level (range, duration, and so on) potentially higher, but spells from a staff are harder to dispel and have a better chance of overcoming a target’s spell resistance.

The staff-user doesn't have to use his own caster level if it's not beneficial for him to do so. If it's more beneficial, you'd use the minimum caster level for the staff. (This is important in some unusual cases, such as when a person is trying to Use Magic Device on a staff).

For scrolls, the level-dependent effects have nothing to do with the person using the scroll:


A spell successfully activated from a scroll works exactly like a spell prepared and cast the normal way. Assume the scroll spell’s caster level is always the minimum level required to cast the spell for the character who scribed the scroll (usually twice the spell’s level, minus 1), unless the caster specifically desires otherwise.

All of the level-dependent effects are set at the time of the scroll's creation. It doesn't matter whether the person who ends up casting it is level 1 or level 100, it will have the same effect when it's activated. You can scribe a scroll at a higher level than the minimum, but it costs more to do so.

[sleepyphoenixx]

This is all available on the SRD under Magic Items.


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.
You're casting the spell, so you're the caster.


The drinker of a potion is both the effective target and the caster of the effect (though the potion indicates the caster level, the drinker still controls the effect).

The person applying an oil is the effective caster, but the object is the target


Determine Effect

A spell successfully activated from a scroll works exactly like a spell prepared and cast the normal way.


For a Staff or Scroll, level-dependent effects are based on the level of the user. So a Staff of Fire in the hands of a 1st level character fires Fireballs that do... 1d6 damage.
This is not actually true.

A scroll has a fixed CL "built in" when it's created. Your own CL only matters if it's lower than that, because then you have to make a CL check to avoid the chance of a mishap.

A staff user can use the staffs CL or his own, if it is higher. And a staff can't have a CL below 8, so a Fireball from a Staff of Fire is always at least CL 8.

Edit: Swordsage'd

[Jormengand]

You are the caster of...

The drinker of a potion is both the effective target and the caster of the effect (though the potion indicates the caster level, the drinker still controls the effect).
The person applying an oil is the effective caster, but the object is the target.
In addition to the powers described above, each specific ring gives its wearer the following abilities according to its kind.
This ring allows the wearer to use the spell telekinesis on command.
The following spell-like functions of the rod can each be used once per day.
The dispel check uses the rod’s caster level (15th).
wielder can cause the rod to give out a deafening noise, just as a shout spell (Fortitude DC 16 partial, 2d6 points of sonic damage, target deafened for 2d6 rounds).
Once per day as a standard action, the wielder can cause the rod to shoot out a 5-foot-wide lightning bolt (9d6 points of electricity damage, Reflex DC 16 half) to a range of 200 feet.
A rod of wonder is a strange and unpredictable device that randomly generates any number of weird effects each time it is used. [It also gives DCs which wouldn't be fixed if you were the caster]
A spell successfully activated from a scroll works exactly like a spell prepared and cast the normal way.
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.
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.
On command, these leather boots allow the wearer to levitate as if she had cast levitate on herself.
Any character wearing this footwear may teleport three times per day, exactly as if he had cast the spell of the same name.
In addition, burning a candle also allows the owner to cast a gate spell, the respondent being of the same alignment as the candle, but the taper is immediately consumed in the process.
This white tallow candle, when burned, calls into place a zone of truth
On command, this bright red and gold cape allows the wearer to use the magic of the dimension door spell once per day. When he disappears, he leaves behind a cloud of smoke, appearing in a similar fashion at his destination.
The gem grants its possessor the following powers:
On command, this [...] golden headband projects a blast of searing light
By holding the edges of the garment, the wearer is able to fly as per the spell. If he desires, the wearer can actually polymorph himself into an ordinary bat and fly accordingly.
On command, the cloak makes its wearer ethereal (as the ethereal jaunt spell).
A character can use the device to see over virtually any distance or into other planes of existence, as with the spell scrying
It enables its possessor to put up a special wall of force 10 feet on a side around her person. This cubic screen moves with the character and is impervious to the attack forms mentioned on the table below. The cube has 36 charges, which are renewed each day. The possessor presses one face of the cube to activate a particular type of screen or to deactivate the device.
The wearer is able to use charm person
These crystal lenses fit over the user’s eyes, enabling him to cast doom upon those around him
Even without a ring, the hand itself allows its wearer to use daylight and see invisibility each once per day.
It allows the wearer to utilize the spell mage hand at will.
When played, it enables the performer to work one suggestion (as the spell, Will DC 14 negates) into the music for each 10 minutes of playing if he can succeed on a DC 14 Perform (string instruments) check.
This apparently normal hat allows its wearer to alter her appearance as with a disguise self spell.
The wearer can use detect thoughts at will.
A character wearing this device may teleport three times per day, exactly as if he had cast the spell of the same name.

The item is the caster of...

During the night under the open sky or in areas of shadow or darkness, the ring of shooting stars can perform the following functions on command.
Indoors at night, or underground, the ring of shooting stars has the following properties.
Up to three times per day on command, this simple platinum band automatically reflects the next nine levels of spells cast at the wearer, exactly as if spell turning had been cast upon the wearer.
Each ruby stores a wish spell, activated by the ring.
It functions like a resilient sphere spell (Reflex DC 16 negates) with a radius of 10 feet and a duration of 10 minutes.
Once per day, it can affect an object as with the rusting grasp spell.
each gem can perform its spell-like power

Someone, somewhere is presumably the caster of...

This device appears to be a normal container for holding burning coals. When a fire is lit in the brazier and the proper summoning words are spoken, a Large fire elemental appears. The summoning words require 1 full round to speak. In all ways the brazier functions as the summon monster VI spell. If brimstone is added, the elemental is Huge instead of Large, and the brazier works as a summon monster VII spell. Only one elemental can be summoned at a time. A new elemental requires a new fire, which cannot be lit until after the first elemental disappears (is dispelled, dismissed, or slain).



I won't go through the rest of the wondrous items picking them out individually, but you probably get the idea. I don't know how the X of summoning Y elementals items work, because they say that they themselves function as a spell, which is just trippy. But the others you can work out by reading the descriptions.

[weckar]

So the answer is not universal, but leans to 'you'. thanks.