Wippit Guud
First Post
You mean... you wait for the players to use something before the bad guys do? Where's the evilness in that?Shallown said:
The new Use Magic Device: Good or bad?
- Thread starter Deset Gled
- Start date
Use Magic Device is one of those skills you just really have to sit back and ask.. "Why?"
Why does this skill exist? It was originally designed to allow the 2 jack-of-all-trades classes to be trully of "all" classes. It was flavor texted the way it is so that it is based on bluffing the magic item (using CHA) so that it fit with those 2 jack classes. Now?
Not so sure I like the idea of everyone and their brother being able to use items restricted to other classes. Is it overpowered or broken balance wise? Not really that I have seen in play testing. Its more of a flavor or "feel" issue.
Personally, if I had it to do, I would have made use magic device based on Intelligence and flavor texted it so that it was about the ability to temporarily manipulate the magical enchantment and then given it to the Wizard as a class skill. What other class specializes in the metaphysical study of magic, and is the only class to specifically get item creation as a part of the class? Just would seem to make sense that the Wizard would be the most apt to use the skill.
Anyway, its just an odd skill to begin with.
Why does this skill exist? It was originally designed to allow the 2 jack-of-all-trades classes to be trully of "all" classes. It was flavor texted the way it is so that it is based on bluffing the magic item (using CHA) so that it fit with those 2 jack classes. Now?
Not so sure I like the idea of everyone and their brother being able to use items restricted to other classes. Is it overpowered or broken balance wise? Not really that I have seen in play testing. Its more of a flavor or "feel" issue.
Personally, if I had it to do, I would have made use magic device based on Intelligence and flavor texted it so that it was about the ability to temporarily manipulate the magical enchantment and then given it to the Wizard as a class skill. What other class specializes in the metaphysical study of magic, and is the only class to specifically get item creation as a part of the class? Just would seem to make sense that the Wizard would be the most apt to use the skill.
Anyway, its just an odd skill to begin with.
BSF
Explorer
It's a grandfather-type skill brought in from previous editions ability for Thieves to use scrolls.
I like the skill, but then again I don't really have many PC's buying wands of Fireball off the street. I'm not much on the magic shop type environment. I do like watching PC's make their equipment. I like them using the stuff taken from the opposition. I like watching them barter with stuff they have found. But, it isn't like they can walk in to a store, pick upi the latest designer Cloak of Charisma +6 and get a wand of Cure Serious Wounds with a wand of Magic Missle (CL 5) on the side.
However, this latest campaign is a bit more magic pervasive and some items probably are available for purchase once the PC's get some money. It is a bit of a departure from my previous games that I am trying out. Maybe the appeal to build a UMD based character will crop up once they get enough money? We'll see.
I like the skill, but then again I don't really have many PC's buying wands of Fireball off the street. I'm not much on the magic shop type environment. I do like watching PC's make their equipment. I like them using the stuff taken from the opposition. I like watching them barter with stuff they have found. But, it isn't like they can walk in to a store, pick upi the latest designer Cloak of Charisma +6 and get a wand of Cure Serious Wounds with a wand of Magic Missle (CL 5) on the side.
However, this latest campaign is a bit more magic pervasive and some items probably are available for purchase once the PC's get some money. It is a bit of a departure from my previous games that I am trying out. Maybe the appeal to build a UMD based character will crop up once they get enough money? We'll see.
Wippit Guud
First Post
Can we somehow have the forum auto-correct my name? I've seen maybe 3 people get it right since I've been hereShallown said:
House Rule suggestion: Replace UMD with a class feature (like they did in the 3.5 change with the Animal Empathy skill). Drop UMD from the skill list; any Rogue or Bard can attempt to use a device using the DC's and rules from the skill description, with a bonus equal to their class level(s) plus their Charisma bonus.
Comments?
Comments?
UltimaGabe
First Post
I don't think there's anything wrong with Use Magic Device as it is. Its relative unavailability (purely because it's a cross-class skill for almost everyone), coupled with the high DCs make it pretty much unusable until you're really high levels, at which point it won't be making a huge dent. Especially considering that at most levels, useful wands (such as Cure Critical and Fireball) cost so much that a character whose main focus isn't spellcasting (such as a Wizard or Sorcerer, who don't need the skill to use it) won't be using most of their money on something that their class doesn't even support. True, you could get a +10 modifier at low levels and have a pretty good chance of using a Wand of Fireball, but there's still a large chance you could have it blow up in your face. Plus, that's a ton of skill points you could have put into something more useful to your class. If you want a Fighter throwing around Fireballs at higher levels, go ahead, but he's gonna suck at pretty much all of his other skills.
The only real place I can see this skill being overused is on Staves- assuming a different type of spellcaster tries to use a Staff of a different caster and you allow him to use his own ability scores. (That's something I've been wondering about lately.) Otherwise, scrolls (which already have an amazingly high DC for anything useful) and Wands (which cap out at 4th level) already have set DCs, which won't be too useful at higher levels. I have a Cleric that has it as a class skill, and the only real times I've used it were to try and identify items by blindly activating them (DC 25). Even then it's only worked once or twice.
True, it COULD be abused with LOTS of careful planning and giving up of resources, but if someone does all that work to be able to use a wand of fireball, who cares?
The only real place I can see this skill being overused is on Staves- assuming a different type of spellcaster tries to use a Staff of a different caster and you allow him to use his own ability scores. (That's something I've been wondering about lately.) Otherwise, scrolls (which already have an amazingly high DC for anything useful) and Wands (which cap out at 4th level) already have set DCs, which won't be too useful at higher levels. I have a Cleric that has it as a class skill, and the only real times I've used it were to try and identify items by blindly activating them (DC 25). Even then it's only worked once or twice.
True, it COULD be abused with LOTS of careful planning and giving up of resources, but if someone does all that work to be able to use a wand of fireball, who cares?
Rashak Mani
First Post
Use fumbles or mishaps and you won't see UMD abused... my Rogue has suffered mishaps frequently using UMD. So I tend to use my wands only out of combat.
As a crossclass skill it sucks... you need high ranks to make it worth while.
Your the DM... dont like UMD using fighter ? Don't allow it. I don't feel its very abusable.
As a crossclass skill it sucks... you need high ranks to make it worth while.
Your the DM... dont like UMD using fighter ? Don't allow it. I don't feel its very abusable.
