Use Magic Device

[Hypersmurf]

A Sor1/Rog5 has a +10 Use Magic Device modifier.

If he has a scroll of fireball (caster level 5) he's already deciphered, he needs to make a caster level check (DC 16) if his caster level is less than 5.

With Use Magic Device, he can Emulate Spell Ability to give himself an apparent caster level of UMD Result - 20.

Thus, if he rolls a UMD 26, he can activate the scroll.

If he rolls a UMD 22, he needs to make a caster level check (d20+2) vs DC 16 to activate the scroll.

If he rolls a UMD 15, his apparent caster level from UMD is 0.

In this case, has he wasted his action, or can he still attempt to activate the scroll in the same action with his "real" Sorcerer level of 1?

In other words:

Is Use Magic Device an action in and of itself?
Or is it something that takes place during an attempt to activate an item - like Tumble is not an action, but something that occurs during a Move action?

-Hyp.

 

[Mahali]

If the attempt fails he's wasted a standard action.

 

[Hypersmurf]

There are two relevant lines : "When you're attempting to activate a magic item using this skill, you do so as a standard action", but also "They take no time by themselves and are included in the activate magic item standard action".

With Tumble, for example, if you succeed in your check, an opponent can't make an AoO. If you fail, but the opponent is somehow precluded from making an AoO (for example, flat-footed), that failure doesn't affect the fact that you get from point A to point B.

With UMD, if the Sor/Rog succeeds well in his check, he reads the scroll. If he fails his check, he's forced to make a caster level check to successfully activate the scroll... and despite failing his UMD, he does have a caster level of 1 with which to attempt that roll.

-Hyp.

 

[mzsylver]

Thus, if he rolls a UMD 26, he can activate the scroll.

If he rolls a UMD 22, he needs to make a caster level check (d20+2) vs DC 16 to activate the scroll.

why doesnt he just go for UMD 25? you could emulate a wizard... well if you have a 13 int.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Re: Use Magic Device

why doesnt he just go for UMD 25? you could emulate a wizard...

This is true - you'll note I talked about needing CL5 in the original post. 26 was simply an example roll that would allow it to work... 25 is the minimum roll that would allow it to work.

Apologies for any ambiguity.

-Hyp.

 

[Antikinesis]

A Sor1/Rog5 has a +10 Use Magic Device modifier.

If he has a scroll of fireball (caster level 5) he's already deciphered, he needs to make a caster level check (DC 16) if his caster level is less than 5.

If he tries to activate it as a sorcerer, the caster level check DC is the scroll's caster level plus one. In this case, that makes the level check DC a 6. On a roll of 5 or better, he makes it.

With Use Magic Device, he can Emulate Spell Ability to give himself an apparent caster level of UMD Result - 20.

Thus, if he rolls a UMD 26, he can activate the scroll.

If he rolls a UMD 22, he needs to make a caster level check (d20+2) vs DC 16 to activate the scroll.

Caster level check is (d20+2) vs DC 6.

If he rolls a UMD 15, his apparent caster level from UMD is 0.

Not exactly... If he rolls a UMD 15, he has failed his UMD check (the DC was 20), and does not have a caster level.

In this case, has he wasted his action, or can he still attempt to activate the scroll in the same action with his "real" Sorcerer level of 1?

In other words:

Is Use Magic Device an action in and of itself?
Or is it something that takes place during an attempt to activate an item - like Tumble is not an action, but something that occurs during a Move action?

-Hyp.

I think this part has already been answered. UMD is a standard action, so if he has failed the UMD check, his action for the round has been wasted.

-AK

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Re: Use Magic Device

Caster level check is (d20+2) vs DC 6.

True. Not sure where I conjured an extra +10 from.

I think this part has already been answered. UMD is a standard action, so if he has failed the UMD check, his action for the round has been wasted.

But it's not a standard action. Activating a magic item is a standard action... the UMD skill check is subsumed as part of that action.

"I try to read the scroll."
"What's your caster level?"
"Let me find out... [roll] ... well, the UMD check failed, so I guess it's just 1."

-Hyp.

 

[Mahali]

But if the UMD check fails so does the magic activation. Which just used a Standard Action.