Use Magic Device

Description

Ability Score Used:	Charisma
Usable Untrained?	No
Armor Check Penalty Applies?	No

You are skilled at activating magic items, even if you are not otherwise trained in their use.

Common Uses

Read Spell/Activate Magic Item

You can use this skill to read a spell or to activate a magic item. Use Magic Device lets you use a magic item as if you had the spell ability or class features of another class, as if you were a different race, or as if you were of a different alignment.

You make a Use Magic Device check each time you activate a device such as a wand. If you are using the check to emulate an alignment or some other quality in an ongoing manner, you need to make the relevant Use Magic Device check once per hour.

You must consciously choose which requirement to emulate. That is, you must know what you are trying to emulate when you make a Use Magic Device check for that purpose. The DCs for various tasks involving Use Magic Device checks are summarized on the table below.

Table: Use Magic Device Skill DCs

Task	Use Magic Device DC
Activate blindly	15 + 2x caster level
Decipher a written spell	10 + 4x spell level
Use a scroll	10 + 2x caster level
Use a wand	5 + 2x caster level
Use a restricted item(paladin sword, etc)	10 + 2x caster level

• Activate Blindly: Some magic items are activated by special words, thoughts, or actions. You can activate such an item as if you were using the activation word, thought, or action, even when you're not and even if you don't know it. You do have to perform some equivalent activity in order to make the check. That is, you must speak, wave the item around, or otherwise attempt to get it to activate. You get a +2 bonus on your Use Magic Device check if you've activated the item in question at least once before. If you fail by 9 or less, you can't activate the device. If you fail by 10 or more, you suffer a mishap. A mishap means that magical energy gets released but doesn't do what you wanted it to do. The default mishaps are that the item affects the wrong target or that uncontrolled magical energy is released, dealing 2d6 points of damage to you. This mishap is in addition to the chance for a mishap that you normally risk when you cast a spell from a scroll that you could not otherwise cast yourself.

• Decipher a Written Spell: This usage works just like deciphering a written spell with the Read Magic cantrip, except that you must make a skill check for each page you wish to read, taking one minute for each. If you fail a check, you may attempt it again, spending another minute per failure.

• Use a Scroll: Normally, to cast a spell from a scroll, you must have the scroll's spell on your class spell list. Use Magic Device allows you to use a scroll as if you had a particular spell on your class spell list. The DC is equal to 20 + the caster level of the spell you are trying to cast from the scroll. In addition, casting a spell from a scroll requires a minimum score (10 + spell level) in the appropriate ability. If you don't have a sufficient score in that ability, you must emulate the ability score with a separate Use Magic Device check. This use of the skill also applies to other spell completion magic items.

• Use a Wand, Staff, or Other Spell Trigger Item: Normally, to use a wand, you must have the wand's spell on your class spell list. This use of the skill allows you to use a wand as if you had a particular spell on your class spell list. Failing the roll does not expend a charge.

Restrictions

You cannot take 10 with this skill.

You can't aid another on Use Magic Device checks (until epic levels). Only the user of the item may attempt such a check.

Action

None. The Use Magic Device check is made as part of the action (if any) required to activate the magic item.

• Retry? Yes, but if you ever roll a natural 1 while attempting to activate an item and you fail, then you can't try to activate that item again for 24 hours.

Modifiers

• Feat: If you have the Magical Aptitude feat, you gain a +2 bonus on Use Magic Device checks. This bonus improves as you put more ranks into the skill.

Epic Skill Uses

Note: All uses below require a minimum of 21 Ranks in the skill to use.

Aid Another with Use Magic Device

(DC 25)

Raise Caster Level of Item

(DC 10 + five times the CL you are trying to emulate; must set target before roll) - raises effective CL for duration of the spell effect being cast.

Emulate specific entity/creature/being

(adds +40 to DC) - allows bypassing of particular requirements/locks/traps, etc. if keyed to a specific person.