Wands and Mage Hand - Your opinion...

[Lord Zardoz]

The pedantic way around this is to not assume that you must touch someone with the wand. It could be that you use the wand, and then you are able to heal the next person you touch with your hand.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[ElectricDragon]

The Mage Hand spell is also Concentration duration, meaning: spend a standard action to continue operating the hand each round and then a move action to move it up to 15 feet. Unless he has two standard actions a round, concentrating on Mage Hand and operating a Wand is a no-no.

Ciao
Dave

 

[Jhulae]

That is a possible interpretation, but not a truism. Since the rules say you must "point it in the general direction of the target", the implication is that the spell is coming from out of the tip of the wand. Descriptively, that makes the most sense.

This is the same general idea as having to point your hand in the general direction of your target when casting something like a lightning bolt, magic missile, Enervation, or any other ranged attack spell.

Just pointing the wand in your targets general direction is going to do nothing for touch spells, so obviously this very generic discription of how wands work need some interpertation. And while your interpretation makes sense, it also is not a truism.

Regardless, as far as the OP's question goes: Spectral Hand (or similar) would really be the only way to deliver such a spell at range, even from a wand.

 

[irdeggman]

or a familiar (especially one that can fly)

 

[mvincent]

Spectral Hand (or similar) would really be the only way to deliver such a spell at range, even from a wand.

From the 3.5 FAQ:
"Can a spectral hand spell deliver a touch spell from a
staff or wand? What about from a scroll?
No. The spell delivered by spectral hand must be one that
you cast. Activating a magic item is not the same as casting a
spell, even if the effect is virtually identical."

 

[Plane Sailing]

No, a sorcerer would usually not be able to activate a wand of Cure Light Wounds.

Presumably via UMD, as he probably has the charisma to make a go of it.

 

[Plane Sailing]

FWIW I've always considered wand spells to emanate from the wand itself as an element of my 'campaign flavour'. Shocking grasp wands are used to prod targets and they go off, etc.

I've never liked the flavour of 'you use the wand and it gives you personally one use of the spell' which is what a strict reading of the rules would imply.

In the case of the original question though, I wouldn't allow it; I'd consider letting go of the wand to be 'releasing the charge'.

However, assuming it is UMD which is being used, presumably the sorcerer could get his familiar to move over to someone and use its UMD skill (same ranks as him) to activate the CLW wand and heal people... much simpler (and rules 'legal') while not tying up the sorcerers actions.

Cheers

 

[irdeggman]

However, assuming it is UMD which is being used, presumably the sorcerer could get his familiar to move over to someone and use its UMD skill (same ranks as him) to activate the CLW wand and heal people... much simpler (and rules 'legal') while not tying up the sorcerers actions.

Cheers

Assuming that the familiar can use an item. Most (and pretty much all unimproved ones) can't use items like wands (no hands or equivalent).

 

[Plane Sailing]

Assuming that the familiar can use an item. Most (and pretty much all unimproved ones) can't use items like wands (no hands or equivalent).

I'd allow them to hold in mouth.

Much humour ensures when lippy familiar starts talking

 

[irdeggman]

I'd allow them to hold in mouth.

But you can't speak clearly with something in your mouth (the other requisite to using a wand).