Use Magic Device (Cha; trained only)

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

Check: You can use this skill to read a spell or to activate a magic or psionic item.  Use Magic Device lets you use a magic or psionic item as if you had the spell ability, psionic power 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 above.

     Note: In cases described below in which effective level is important, it is okay to have an effective level of 0.

     Emulate Alignment: Some items have positive or negative effects based on the user’s alignment.  Use Magic Device lets you use these items as if you were of an alignment of your choice.  You can emulate only one alignment at a time.

     Activate Blindly: Some magic and psionic 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 or psionic 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 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.

     Contact Power Stone: This works just like learning a power
from a power stone with the Psicraft skill, except that the DC is higher.

     Emulate Psionic Class Feature: Sometimes you need to use a psionic class feature to activate a psionic item.  Your effective level in the emulated class is your result minus 20.

     This skill does not let you use another class's class feature.  It just lets you activate psionic items as if you had it.

     If the class whose feature you are emulating has an alignment requirement, you must meet it, either honesty or
by emulating an appropriate alignment as a separate check.
     Emulate Race: Some items work only for members of certain races, or work better for members of those races.  You can use such an item as if you were a member of a race of your choice.  You can emulate only one race at a time.

     Decipher a Written Spell: This usage works just like deciphering a written spell with the Spellcraft skill, except that the DC is 5 points higher.  Deciphering a written spell requires 1 minute of concentration.

     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.

     Emulate Class Feature: Sometimes you need to use a class feature to activate a magic item.  In this case, your effective level in the emulated class equals your Use Magic Device check result minus 20.  This skill does not let you actually use the class feature of another class.  It just lets you activate items as if you had that class feature.  If the class whose feature you are emulating has an alignment requirement, you must meet it, either honestly or by emulating an appropriate alignment with a separate Use Magic Device check (see above).

     Emulate Psionic Power: This use of the skill allows you to use a psionic item as if you had a particular power on your class power list.  To activate a power stone (an object that stores a specific power) or use a dorje, you must have a particular power on your class power list.  By using the skill this way, you can use such an item as if you did have the power on your list.  Your effective manifester level is your result minus 20.  For dorjes, it doesn't matter what manifester level you are, but it does matter for power stones (see page 129 of the Psionic Handbook).  If your effective level is lower than the manifester level, you might fail to manifest the power.

     The emulation ability does not let you manifest the power.  It only lets you use it from a power stone or dorje as if the power were on your class list.  Note: If you are manifesting it from a power stone, you have to contact it first.

     Emulate Psionic Feat: Sometimes you need to have a specific psionic feat to activate a psionic item.  This skill does not let you use that feat.  It just lets you activate psionic items as if you had it.

     Emulate Ability Score: To cast a spell from a scroll, or To manifest a power of a particular discipline from a power stone, you need a high score in the appropriate ability.  Your effective ability score is your Use Magic Device check result minus 15.  If you already have a high enough score in the appropriate ability, you don’t need to make this check.

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.

Special: You can not take a 10 or 20 on Use Magic Device checks.  You can’t aid another on Use Magic Device checks.  Only the user of the item may attempt such a check.

Time: None.  The Use Magic Device check is made as part of the action (if any) required to activate the magic item.  There are some other time considerations for this skill, see individual descriptions above.

CAUSE MISHAP

     You can cause an item to have an intentional mishap, as if you had attempted to activate it blindly and failed by 10 or more.  The DC to produce an intentional mishap is 30.  If you succeed, you have some control over the mishap.  The item deals 2d6 points of damage to any one creature or object that the item could have targeted if activated normally.  You can attempt to aim it, but if you select an invalid target, you take the damage instead.  If you fail the check by 9 or less, you create a normal mishap you do not control.  If you fail by 10 or more, nothing happens.

Retry: Yes, but if you ever roll a natural 1 while attempting a mishap and you fail, then you can’t try again with that item again for 24 hours.

Special: You can not take a 10 or 20 on Use Magic Device checks. You can’t aid another on Use Magic Device checks. Only the user of the item may attempt such a check.

Time: Attempting to create a mishap is like activating an item blindly, and requires a standard action during which you try out magic words or other appropriate actions.

SCRY

     You can't use this application of the skill without some magical means to scry, such as the scrying spell, the greater scrying spell, the vision spell, or a crystal ball.  Use of this skill is described in association with those spells and items.  These items allow you to spy on others, and this skill just lets you do it better. This skill also improves your chance to notice when you're being scried, as detailed in the descriptions of the arcane eye and detect scrying spells.

Retry: Yes, but often invloves casting another spell.

Special: You can not take a 10 or 20 when using this skill to scry.  Those who have no ranks in this skill can make flat Intelligence checks when attempting to detect when they are being scried.

Time: Varies.  See individual spell and item descriptions for how long it takes to scry a target.

USE MAGIC DEVICE UNCHAINED

     By taking the Signature Skill feat, you can unchain the following special bonuses:

• 5 Ranks: You can use the aid another action to assist another creature’s Use Magic Device check by attempting a check against the item’s Use Magic Device DC.
  
• 10 Ranks: If you roll a natural 1 when activating an item, you take a –10 penalty on Use Magic Device checks with that item for 24 hours instead of being unable to activate it. This penalty stacks with itself.
  
• 15 Ranks: You can use this skill to emulate two races or two alignments simultaneously.
  
• 20 Ranks: If you roll a natural 1 when activating an item, you can reroll the check at a –10 penalty to activate the item. You must take the result of the second check, even if it is worse, and you can’t reroll it again.