use magic device

[Scion]

or a high level, incredibly evil rogue with an appropriately evil template saying, 'no mr holy avenger sword of evil destruction, I'm actually good so you cant hurt me'

 

[BSF]

Ah! The joys of UMD. Unfortunately, I have not yet had a chance to try anything really wonky with the skill. Though, it has been funny to be running around with a Wand of Magic Missiles that we do not have the command word to for 14 levels. With a wizard in the party it is always funny when I decide to pull out the wand, try to use it, and then comment that it would probably be more effective in his hands if we had the command word. Subtle hints I guess.

 

[James McMurray]

Uhhh... Wands don't have command words, they have spell completion triggers.

 

[shilsen]

Uhhh... Wands don't have command words, they have spell completion triggers.

Spell trigger activation, which does require a "single word that must be spoken" (3.5e DMG, pg.213). Spell completion activation is for scrolls.

 

[James McMurray]

That's what I get for listening to me. I should know better next time.

 

[Scion]

Get some ranks in umd, pick up that artifact, activate it to tell you what to do james, it'll work! All of them have that special power

 

[Hypersmurf]

scrolls dont incur armor failure chances

That is, scrolls don't incur arcane failure unless you play by the rules in the DMG.

"Activate the Spell: Activating a scroll requires reading the spell from the scroll. The character must be able to see and read the writing on the scroll.

Activating a scroll spell requires no material components or focus. (The creator of the scroll provided these when scribing the scroll.) Note that some spells are effective only when cast on an item or items. In such a case, the scroll user must provide the item when activating the spell. Activating a scroll spell is subject to disruption just as casting a normally prepared spell would be. Using a scroll is like casting a spell for purposes of arcane spell failure chance."

-Hyp.

 

[LGodamus]

Sorry I had not read it for 3.5,.....they seem to have added that little bold faced part in on me

 

[Caliban]

Sorry I had not read it for 3.5,.....they seem to have added that little bold faced part in on me

Yup, that's a 3.5 specific change. (Although many feel that was the intent of the rules in 3.0 as well.)

 

[LGodamus]

in 3.0 it only said disruption..which is a different term than spell failure , right?