can you meta magic wands?

[Thanee]

Not quite.

You are casting the spell, using the wand. That's why you can only cast spells that you have on your class spell list.

Bye
Thanee

 

[AuraSeer]

Yeah - if you're a character actually 'casting' the prepared spell A wand is casting it based on speaking a word... Speaking a word is a free action (I'm assuming command word activation here) and the wand certainly doesn't take a full round to recover...

Speaking a word is a free action, but the word alone is not sufficient to trigger the magic; this is quite clear from multiple places in the rules. The most important is that you can't trigger a wand unless the spell is on your class list. Also remember that talking spells, like magic mouth, cannot trigger magic items.

If you let a wand be triggered just by the sound of the word, you set yourself up for all kinds of other problems. Some munchkin will try to buy fifty wands of magic missile, strap them all together in a bundle, and claim they all go off at once when he speaks the word. It gets totally ridiculous very quickly.

[...]a command word activated wand as opposed to a spell trigger activation

You seem to be a little confused here.

Wands and staffs are spell trigger items, by definition. Even if you allow them to contain Quickened spells, they are still spell trigger items. You still cannot activate their powers unless you have the spell on your class list.

 

[Hypersmurf]

"The casting time of a spell is the time required to activate the same power in an item, regardless of the type of magic item, unless the item description specifically states otherwise."

The item description of wands does specifically state otherwise - a standard action, or longer if the casting time is longer. So no Quickened Wands.

The item description of scrolls does not specifically state otherwise - so a scroll of a Quickened spell can be activated as a free action.

-Hyp.

 

[Darklone]

The item description of scrolls does not specifically state otherwise - so a scroll of a Quickened spell can be activated as a free action.

-Hyp.

But 2 scrolls of a Quickened spell would not be possible.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Some munchkin will try to buy fifty wands of magic missile, strap them all together in a bundle, and claim they all go off at once when he speaks the word.

Yeah, or some other munchkin will craft a Flaming, Frost, Shocking sword, and claim that all the powers have the same command word, so he can activate all three at once as a single standard action.

-Hyp.

 

[Hypersmurf]

But 2 scrolls of a Quickened spell would not be possible.

I'd actually allow it, personally, if they took the normal casting time to activate one of them.

-Hyp.

 

[Darklone]

?? You would allow it as a free and a standard action? I agree that sounds ok. But not two free actions for two Quickened Spells.

 

[Tilla the Hun (work)]

Speaking a word is a free action, but the word alone is not sufficient to trigger the magic; this is quite clear from multiple places in the rules. The most important is that you can't trigger a wand unless the spell is on your class list.

Love to see some of these 'multiple' places you cite ?

Also remember that talking spells, like magic mouth, cannot trigger magic items.

Au contrare - they cannot trigger normal magic items... But what about specifically crafted magic items, which is what I was referring to...

If you let a wand be triggered just by the sound of the word, you set yourself up for all kinds of other problems. Some munchkin will try to buy fifty wands of magic missile, strap them all together in a bundle, and claim they all go off at once when he speaks the word. It gets totally ridiculous very quickly.

If they were all 'command word' activated wands, then yes, it's possible (though we're back to the 'sane' GM question )

You seem to be a little confused here.

Wands and staffs are spell trigger items, by definition. Even if you allow them to contain Quickened spells, they are still spell trigger items. You still cannot activate their powers unless you have the spell on your class list.

Actually I'd argue that you are a little confused by my arguement. No worries, I do that to peeps all the time .

To clarify:

Command Word: If no activation method is suggested either in the magic item description or by the nature of the item, assume that a command word is needed to activate it. Command word activation means that a character speaks the word and the item activates. No other special knowledge is needed.

Now, they only extendable arguement with a command word activated wand is whether or not wands MUST be activated by a spell trigger - this incurring all of the restrictions such as 'must be on your list' etc.

After some research, I have to admit you're right - the command word activated 'wand' is a no no - but let's take a closer look at alternative way to do the exact same thing...

Why can't you enchant a thin baton of wood as a wondrous item with a command word activation, that will cast magic missile?

Is there any reason why the character can't call this a wand??

 

[Darklone]

No sane person would ever build 50 wands of magic missile useable with one word... since every villain worth his pennies would find a way to know this word and use it against you

 

[Hypersmurf]

Why can't you enchant a thin baton of wood as a wondrous item with a command word activation, that will cast magic missile?

You could. But simply speaking the word as a free action isn't enough to activate a command-word item. You must activate the item as a standard action by speaking the word.

If the command word is "Abracadabra", and I move 30 feet (move action) draw the item (move action) and say "Abracadabra" (free action)... nothing happens.

But if I draw the item (move action) and activate the item with the command word "Abracadabra" (standard action), I get a Magic Missile.

If I'm holding one in each hand, I can't activate both with the same useage of the command word. I need to use a standard action to say "Abracadabra" to activate one, then use another standard action (next round, presumably) to activate the other.

-Hyp.