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<blockquote data-quote="Trickstergod" data-source="post: 967476" data-attributes="member: 10825">To a degree, a magic item has a few generic triggers, ways of activation, and, to a slight degree, methods of detection activated upon its users that let it know to benefit or penalize users of certain classes or alignments. These are semi-generic because the items are constructed using a similar methodology; while there may be a difference between Joe Wizards Bracers of Armor +4, and Jane Wizards Bracers of Armor +4, they're still essentially the same.As such, a Rogue with Use Magic Device has something to work with, a certain degree of uniformity that allows them to make educated guesses while trying to get something to work for them. That, however, is not the case with artifacts. They may not always be quite unique, but they're rare, and near impossible to replicate. There's really nothing generic about them, nothing that lets one &quot;fake it&quot; when trying to use them. They're not magic items in certain senses of the word, but are in a class of their own.I might be willing to let a Rogue Use Magic Device to avoid any adverse effects from short-term contact with an artifact (and only short term), but any attempts other than that &quot;Oh crap I'd best put this down while I still can!&quot; would require the ability to fool a god. In other words, outside of Epic-level ranks in Use Magic Device, I wouldn't allow a Rogue to attempt using an artifact (if then).Furthermore, I'd say anyone who successfully Uses Magic Device against an artifact should have a Mordenkainen's Disjunction-like effect happen, where an powerful entity tied to the artifact is going to show up, likely rather pissed, for the artifact having been fooled around with.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Trickstergod, post: 967476, member: 10825"] To a degree, a magic item has a few generic triggers, ways of activation, and, to a slight degree, methods of detection activated upon its users that let it know to benefit or penalize users of certain classes or alignments. These are semi-generic because the items are constructed using a similar methodology; while there may be a difference between Joe Wizards Bracers of Armor +4, and Jane Wizards Bracers of Armor +4, they're still essentially the same. As such, a Rogue with Use Magic Device has something to work with, a certain degree of uniformity that allows them to make educated guesses while trying to get something to work for them. That, however, is not the case with artifacts. They may not always be quite unique, but they're rare, and near impossible to replicate. There's really nothing generic about them, nothing that lets one "fake it" when trying to use them. They're not magic items in certain senses of the word, but are in a class of their own. I might be willing to let a Rogue Use Magic Device to avoid any adverse effects from short-term contact with an artifact (and only short term), but any attempts other than that "Oh crap I'd best put this down while I still can!" would require the ability to fool a god. In other words, outside of Epic-level ranks in Use Magic Device, I wouldn't allow a Rogue to attempt using an artifact (if then). Furthermore, I'd say anyone who successfully Uses Magic Device against an artifact should have a Mordenkainen's Disjunction-like effect happen, where an powerful entity tied to the artifact is going to show up, likely rather pissed, for the artifact having been fooled around with. [/QUOTE]

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