Spell Oddities

[mvincent]

From the 3.5 FAQ (if desired):
"Activating any magic item is a standard action, unless the
item duplicates a spell effect that has a longer casting time or
unless the item description specifies a different casting time.
The sections on spell completion and spell trigger items should
include the caveat that activating the item takes as long as
casting the stored spell would take. Thus, it takes 1 hour to
activate a scroll with an identify spell on it. A scroll or a wand
with any of the summon monster spells in it takes a full round
to activate, just as casting a summon monster spell does"

From the Rules of the Game (if desired):
"If the spell contained in a spell completion item has a casting time other than 1 standard action, that is its activation time. For example, a scroll containing a summon monster I spell has an activation time of 1 round because that's the casting time for the spell."

 

[James McMurray]

The fact that Minotaurs are not affected by Maze is a little allusion that adds flavor, but has anyone actually been hidered by it?

Not minotaurs, but brass golems. They're minotaur shaped and have the same immunity. They also have the ability to cast Maze on someone and follow them into it.

 

[Plane Sailing]

They also have the ability to cast Maze on someone and follow them into it.

Now that is a neat idea!

 

[James McMurray]

Yeah, it's great fun.

MM2, pg. 116

 

[Hypersmurf]

The SRD (and the DMG) state, in the paragraph before the specific types of activation:

Activating a magic item is a standard action unless the item description indicates otherwise. However, 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.

I would consider this to be more a more specific rule than the general one found under the (spell completion, spell trigger, etc.) types.

It's even more clear in the DMG, rather than the SRD; the phrase 'regardless of the type of magic item' reads, instead, "such as a scroll, wand, or pair of boots".

It doesn't get much clearer than "the casting time of a spell is the time required to activate the same power in an item such as a scroll".

-Hyp.