D&D 5E Magical Item Usage

[DMCF]

The thief subclass has a talent that allows them to use magic items regardless of restriction. Does this mean attunement?

If a barbarian were to try and use a wand of magic missiles how would that work? Set a DC for the item and make an int/arcana check?

What is a good scale for DC? Rarity?

5 uncommon
10 rare
15 v. Rare
20 legendary

?

 

[MonkeezOnFire]

The thief feature specifically says it allows the thief to ignore race, class and level restrictions on magical items. It does not say anything about removing attunement limit so they must still adhere to it. It gets around restrictions on items that say "requires attunement by x." An example is the staff of the magi which says it must be attuned by a sorcerer, warlock or wizard.

 

[DMCF]

Right thanks. I have yet to see magic items with many of those restrictions hmm...

 

[MonkeezOnFire]

Class restrictions are common on items that let you cast spells from them such as staves and wands.

Interestingly the wand of magic missiles lacks this restriction. I also could not find any other rules that would restrict the use of magic items. So it appears to me that the barbarian could use that wand of magic missiles without penalty and without making a check of any kind. Unless in my quick scanning I missed something.

 

[ExploderWizard]

Class restrictions are common on items that let you cast spells from them such as staves and wands.

Interestingly the wand of magic missiles lacks this restriction. I also could not find any other rules that would restrict the use of magic items. So it appears to me that the barbarian could use that wand of magic missiles without penalty and without making a check of any kind. Unless in my quick scanning I missed something.

Even in AD&D any class could use the wand of magic missiles. Of course any class but a magic user had to roll to hit with it.

 

[Li Shenron]

The thief subclass has a talent that allows them to use magic items regardless of restriction. Does this mean attunement?

Considering how magic items as a whole are treated in 5e, I would be liberal in the interpretation and let the DM choose.

If wanting to follow the rules more closely, I'd say that "attunement" is kind of part of using the item, a bit like what actions are required to activate it, so the Rogue doesn't have a special ability to change or bypass that.

The RAI is for the Rogue to be able to use magic items that are intended for someone else i.e. not generally for everyone but for a more restricted group. That's why it mentions class, race and level restrictions. You could freely add more categories such as gender, age or whatever. Some magic items might even work only for one specific individual, in which case it's up to you to decide if a Rogue has a chance of bypassing such restriction or not.

In any case, a DM can always make up an item that works differently, "specific trumps general".

 

[Prism]

If a barbarian were to try and use a wand of magic missiles how would that work? Set a DC for the item and make an int/arcana check?

No they could just use it since there are no restrictions. Wands of magic missiles are supposed to be used by anyone. Think of them as the wizards 'hand me down' when they find a better wand or staff