Use Magic Device -- THE most potent skill?

[Arnix]

Its also a class skill for Psychic Warriors.

And Use Psionic Device was made a class skill for rogues.

 

[MerakSpielman]

The rogue would use it as a +2 sword. He is not a paladin even when he is emulating a paladin class ability. No matter how he argues it, the question still returns to Are you a paladin?

Right.

As a rogue with UMD, you can emulate class abilities. For those of you confused about class abilities, look under "classes" in the PHB. You will find all the class abilities there. Nowhere under Paladin does it say, "ability to use Holy Avenger weapons." That is a function/limitation of the item, not the class.

 

[drnuncheon]

You can emulate the wild shape, but not the being a druid.... but being a druid is the only way to get wild shape

Some PrCs also give wild shape. By the rules as strictly written, they would not get the benefit of the vestments either. On the other hand, when the magic item was designed, druids were the only wild shapers around...

Looks like a question for the FAQ to me, but I'd say 'no', because it gives a bonus to an existing ability, and one that the rogue does not have. (See my answer for the amulet of undead turning below) If it gave a completely new ability, the rogue might be able to use it by emulating the requirement.

UMD is, IMO, a rogue or bard trying to circumvent the normal casting process by overloading the magic item. Your rogue isn't going to look very mage-like when he has to jump up and down in place while wiggling his ears to get a wand to work. To use scrolls maybe they have to slam the scroll and tube on the recipients head shouting 'GO!'. Anyone who thinks this is typical arcane magic would have to be a total idiot.

That's a good description of the 'activate blindly' use of the skill - but if the rogue knows the command words for the wand, they can attempt to use it 'normally', by emulating spell ability.

I refer you to the fact that rogues need to decipher scrolls before they can attempt to use them - surely that wouldn't be needed if they were merely smacking people with them and saying 'Go!'.

Say the rogue has to emulate two different things, such as both class and alignment. Does she roll for both, or just the higher DC, or what?

Roll for both - you might be able to emulate one but not the other, after all.

Would multiple rolls require multiple actions? Does even rolling the skill in the first place require it's own action, or is it consider part of activating the item?

I believe it is subsumed in the attempt to activate the item - I can't find any indication that it takes any longer to use UMD than it does to use the item normally.

Hrrmm... could a Bard or Rogue, using UMD, activate an Amulet of Undead Turning by emulating the Turn Undead class feature of a cleric (DC 20 + "cleric's" level), and so actually turn some undead nasties?

I'd have to say 'no'. While they could emulate Turn Undead, they don't actually get the ability to turn undead - so the amulet's bonus is meaningless to them.

What kind of considerations are taken into account with magic scrolls? The rogue would definately have to emulate spell ability. Then she'd have to emulate an ability score, right? Is it possible for her to emulate it well enough to avoid mishap chances, or is there always going to be a chance of miscasting?

First, the rogue would have to decipher the scroll, to know what's on it. That's a DC of 25+spell level. They get a +2 synergy bonus if they have 5+ ranks of Decipher Script, and a +2 synergy bonus if they have 5+ ranks of Spellcraft.

Once they've done that, then at any time later they can try to use the scroll. They'd roll to emulate the ability score (if they didn't have it) - if that's not high enough they can't use the scroll at all, and it takes a lot to get it up there, because your ability score is the result-15. To cast even a first level spell from a scroll you need to roll a 26...

Anyway, assuming they either have the ability score or can emulate it, they then roll to emulate caster ability. Their caster level is their result-20. Obviously, if they fail (roll below 20) they can't use the scroll. If they succeed, but the caster level is not high enough to cast the spell, then they make a caster level check (DC = scroll's caster level +1) - just like a normal caster, but based on their emulated level of course. If they fail that then it's a Wis check (DC 5) to avoid a mishap.

Hope that clears it up for you.

J

 

[Byrons_Ghost]

Much clearer now. Thanks Doc!

As for skills and actions, I noticed today that d20 Modern has a skill chart that also lists the sort of action it requires to use the skill. Quite handy.