Masterwork Tool for UMD?

[Volthawk]

I have a question.

What would a Masterwork Tool be for UMD?

[LibraryOgre]

Dice, because you need to be lucky?
Ouija board for guessing command words?

[Ganurath]

A manual on the basic functions of the more common varieties of magic item. How to properly aim a wand, the state of mind needed to cast from a divine scroll as opposed to arcane, et cetera. You'd probably need to study it in your downtime if you want to benefit from it on the field, when you don't have time to flip through and read instructions.

[Sinfire Titan]

A magic 8-ball with random yet common command words in various languages.

[Asbestos]

A book entitled "How to Win Friends and Influence Magic Items".

I was never able to wrap my brain around the concept that a particularly charismatic rogue could figure out how to use a magical item or scroll that a dedicated Wizard (when casting divine stuff) or Cleric (when casting arcane stuff) was incapable of using or how said rogue could trick a magic item, that will not work for certain races/genders/classes/alignments, into working for them.

[Volthawk]

A book entitled "How to Win Friends and Influence Magic Items".

I was never able to wrap my brain around the concept that a particularly charismatic rogue could figure out how to use a magical item or scroll that a dedicated Wizard (when casting divine stuff) or Cleric (when casting arcane stuff) was incapable of using or how said rogue could trick a magic item, that will not work for certain races/genders/classes/alignments, into working for them.

Well, it's an Artificer, so...

[Person_Man]

List of common passwords - like this.

[Yukitsu]

No, there shouldn't be.

[Sinfire Titan]

No, there shouldn't be.

Except there is. There's a tool for every skill, you just need to justify it.

[Volthawk]

Except there is. There's a tool for every skill, you just need to justify it.

DM said it's OK, I just need to tell him what it'll be.

[Yukitsu]

Except there is. There's a tool for every skill, you just need to justify it.

Actually that's backwards...

[Ravens_cry]

I heartily reccomend Ulysses Malfoy Dionysus seminal work,

A Novices Treatise on the Activation and Use of Magic Items Both Arcane and Divine For the Mad and Deficient in the Mental Sphere
~
Instruction and Useful Knowledge for They Not Trained in The Arts Mystic and Other Common Folk

[Sinfire Titan]

Actually that's backwards...

Explain. I'm not following.

[Yukitsu]

Explain. I'm not following.

There's a skill for every tool, you just need to justify it. I haven't seen any text anywhere stating that the inverse is meant to be true.

[Sinfire Titan]

There's a skill for every tool, you just need to justify it. I haven't seen any text anywhere stating that the inverse is meant to be true.

Tool, Masterwork
This well-made item is the perfect tool for the job. It grants a +2 circumstance bonus on a related skill check (if any). Bonuses provided by multiple masterwork items used toward the same skill check do not stack.

Unspecified, completely mutable by RAW, and just needs the DM to approve it.


How much of a difference does a +2 bonus make by the mid-levels, when UMD becomes a veritable weapon? Not much. Where is the point in denying them this at those levels? There isn't one.

[Sliver]

Did you try saying please? I'd give a +2 to UMD for that

[TheMadLinguist]

Aromatherapy wand grip

Magnetic shoe insoles

Feng Shui-compliant variational flux hairbands

Command word flash cards

Glasses with specially-tinted lenses that make it easier to see faint glimmers of magical energy

A very small thneed.

[Yukitsu]

Unspecified, completely mutable by RAW, and just needs the DM to approve it.


How much of a difference does a +2 bonus make by the mid-levels, when UMD becomes a veritable weapon? Not much. Where is the point in denying them this at those levels? There isn't one.

Yes, as stated, that means there is a skill for the tool, not the inverse.

A +2 doesn't mean much mid levels, but for 150, it's incredibly good at the early levels.

[sofawall]

Leather Jacket - Fonz has one, doesn't he? And we all know his skills of turning things on...

Codpiece - Just because it's awesome.

[Lord Vukodlak]

I don't think the skill uses tools, it should probably require the use of tools before masterwork tools give any benefit.

[Gametime]

Room full of monkeys. If enough of them can eventually reproduce Hamlet, it should be child's play for them to guess the correct activation word or action!

[Optimator]

A soothing wrist charm. It's faint jingling loosens the mind.

[Riffington]

A mad gnome's laboratory

[Volthawk]

A mad gnome's laboratory

Which weighs 1lb?

[Deth Muncher]

This. But, y'know, more magic.

[Cieyrin]

You obviously need your very own Hitchhiker's Guide to the Planes. Should probably provide you with the bonus to UMD, as well as probably other Knowledges, like Arcana and the Planes.

[subject42]

Which weighs 1lb?

A permanently reduced gnome's mithril laboratory.

[Kurald Galain]

I don't think the skill uses tools, it should probably require the use of tools before masterwork tools give any benefit.

This.

But, unofficially? I endorse the roomful of monkeys.

[nekomata2]

I agree with the book idea. Even something as simple as common words and/or alphabets in obscure languages stands a chance of being useful.

[Darkmatter]

I don't think the skill uses tools, it should probably require the use of tools before masterwork tools give any benefit.

Not at all. The whole point of having tools in the real world is to be better at skills. You don't need tools to see a small object, but magnifying glasses help. You don't need tools to swim fast, but flippers help. This is what the "masterwork tool" is supposed to replicate in the game world. Just because some skills (like "use rope" for example) cannot be used without a tool doesn't mean they are the only ones that can be better performed with one.

More on topic, I like the idea of a magically active compass-like device that gives you "warmer" or "colder" readings when you're trying to activate a magic item.