Wand Wielder

[rye0006]

My character is a hexblade rogue and i'm looking to start making use of various wands - like nerveskitter and blinding spittle.

I was wondering if people could suggest useful wands, related equipment (especially to make wands easier to access and quicker to use), and possibly any feats.

[gbprime]

Well you've got down the idea that you don't put spells that allow a saving throw into a wand. But you need to remember that a wand takes a standard action to use. Nerveskitter may be an immediate action spell, but a wand of it is a standard action to activate... which makes Nerveskitter pointless.

There's a bracelet in Magic of Eberron that lets you store 4 wands (or other small items) as a free action. But the king of wands is the Rod of Many Wands from Complete Mage. Load it up and fire off multiple wands at a time. It may burn through charges like crazy, but putting up buffs in 1 round instead of 3 is a great thing.

The best "attack wand" for the value is Scorching Ray at caster level 11, followed by Splinterbolt (also at caster level 11). Utility wands never to be without include Haste (or Snake's Swiftness Mass, the druid version), Lesser Vigor, See Invisibility, Knock, Heart of Earth, and of course... Invisibility.

[grimbold]

i am not sure where but i know there is a feat that gives you +2 to Use Magic Device checks, if worst comes to wrost you can always homebrew it

[Escheton]

rules comp states that it takes as long as the spell in it, so a wand bracer with some immediate action(wings of cover) or swift action spells (wraithstrike) would be quite nice if you have a good umd.

[Greenish]

Dungeonscape has rules for Wand Chambers, allowing you to place wands into weapons (and then use them as if you held the wand). Double weapons can be fitted with two. Double weapons can be held in one hand.

200 gp gets you a quarterstaff with two wand chambers. Buy two of them and wield four wands at once.

[dextercorvia]

i am not sure where but i know there is a feat that gives you +2 to Use Magic Device checks, if worst comes to wrost you can always homebrew it

Skill Focus: UMD is +3, Magical Aptitude +2 to UMD and Spellcraft.

I don't think they are worth it though, unless you are playing E6 or a oneshot.

Dungeonscape has rules for Wand Chambers, allowing you to place wands into weapons (and then use them as if you held the wand). Double weapons can be fitted with two. Double weapons can be held in one hand.

200 gp gets you a quarterstaff with two wand chambers. Buy two of them and wield four wands at once.

I love this image.

[Person_Man]

Dungeonscape has rules for Wand Chambers, allowing you to place wands into weapons (and then use them as if you held the wand). Double weapons can be fitted with two. Double weapons can be held in one hand.

200 gp gets you a quarterstaff with two wand chambers. Buy two of them and wield four wands at once.

Note that a Wand Chamber can be used with any weapon or shield. So you can put one in your spiked gauntlets, one in your armor spikes, one in your primary weapon, and additional ones in sheathed weapons which can be drawn as a free action with Quickdraw.

On the subject of which spells to take, I agree with gbprime that you should avoid spells with Saving Throws, and focus on buffs and mobility. Flame Blade is an excellent weapon for delivering a Staggering Strike (Comp Adventurer feat) or similar effect. Lion's Charge gives you pounce, and Knight's Move moves you into Flanking position (both in Spell Compendium). Alter Self is a great way to gain natural attacks, natural armor, and/or wings/climb/etc. And so on.

[Greenish]

Skill Focus: UMD is +3, Magical Aptitude +2 to UMD and Spellcraft.

I don't think they are worth it though, unless you are playing E6 or a oneshot.

Shape Soulmeld: Mage's Spectacles gives +4 (+2*e) to UMD, Decipher Script and Spellcraft.

Note that a Wand Chamber can be used with any weapon or shield. So you can put one in your spiked gauntlets, one in your armor spikes, one in your primary weapon, and additional ones in sheathed weapons which can be drawn as a free action with Quickdraw.

Dungeonscape actually puts some requirements on which weapons can be fitted with wand chambers. They have to have certain dimensions, so armour spikes probably wouldn't qualify, and spiked gauntlets are questionable.

[rye0006]

Thanks for all this great advice people.

A few follow up questions though: how much do the following things cost and what are the rules? (i don't have many dnd books as reference and cant find the info on the net after a quick search.)

• Wand Bracelet
• Rod of Many Wands
• Wand Chambers

[Greenish]

If posting this is against the forum rules, then smite me oh Mighty Smiter!

• Wand Bracelet
• Rod of Many Wands
• Wand Chambers

300gp. Draw wand as swift action, replace as a full round one. Holds 5.^{(Dungeonscape)}
27 000gp. Load with up to 3 wands, shoot all at once.^{(Complete Mage)}
100gp (as mentioned). Use the wand inside the weapon as if you held the wand in your hand.^{(Complete Adventurer)}

[gorfnab]

As for feats these handbooks may be of use.
Rogue Handbook
Hexblade Handbook


If you're planning to focus on wands look into the feats Double Wand Wielder (CA), Reckless Wand Wielder (CA), and Magic Device Attunement (CM).

[kryan]

Spell Completion Metamagic may be worthwhile, too. Rod of Many Wands or whatever, too.

It might be worthwhile to get 4 levels of Warlock for taking-10 on UMD, or 1 level of Artificer for crafting any wand.

[Keld Denar]

Metamagic Wand Grips are pretty nice. Get one for Split Ray. Load in a Wand of Seeking Ray. Seeking Ray gets you 4d6 electricity damage for CL3 (4500g), and for 3 rounds you get a decent plus to hit with other rays. Splitting it would get you 8d6 base damage for 3 shots per day per wand grip.

I'd stay away from a Wand of Grease, due to the low duration (1 round), but if you could get a Wand of Sculpted Grease, that would be worth it. Lasting for 3 rounds, it gives you 4x as many Grease squares, a decent buy. Also, a Wand of Entangle is decent. Even if the DC is low, the area is HUGE, and moving through the Entangle is tough even if you make the save.