Hey,

Someone knows exactly why Use Magic Device (UMD) uses charisma?

Logically, I thought it should use intelligence. So, Either I don't understand the skill, or I'm right and it needs changing, but firstly I wanna know.

UMD is an ability, not of book learning and 'How to make things work', but of the knack of fooling a magic item into thinking 'Hey, cool'. A vague understanding of command words and the like, but force of personality counts for far more when it comes to obfuscating the facts.

Somewhere, I believe UMD is explained as "faking it." I dunno, I guess charisma is probably the best for that. I also don't see a reason to give rogues more to that skill by making it int based, either.

Strife is right, UMD is indeed all about faking it, and thus has nothing to do with Intelligence. It's really no different from a talking parrot--the fact that it talks doesn't make it clever.

Yeah, sounds reasonable, both the explanation of the skill and the reason not to do it int based.

So its like you try to behave like a [class/alligment/whatever]?

And if so, does it effect on his behavior?

To your first question, yes, basically. I'm not really sure what you mean by the second question.

It is rather, HOW does a rogue tricks the magical item.

I would believe that a magical item "sees" your alignment like a paladin who sees your alignment. Thus if you trick the magical item, shouldn't trick the paladin as well? (as well as spells which protect your enemy from spells, or spells that summon by your alignment)

alogen It is rather, HOW does a rogue tricks the magical item.

I would believe that a magical item "sees" your alignment like a paladin who sees your alignment. Thus if you trick the magical item, shouldn't trick the paladin as well? (as well as spells which protect your enemy from spells, or spells that summon by your alignment)

You're charming the panties off Mystra so she lets you use it.

Best answer yet. <3 Oro

Honestly, the way I think of UMD is the way a sorcerer handles magic. Basically a Sorcerer knows spells through such a force of personality that the mage can command the weave through intuition and whim rather than conscious meditation and mental focus (like a wizard).

The UMD skill would basically allow a rogue and a bard to act on magical items much the way a sorcerer acts on the weave itself - through intuition and luck, not focussed outright effort.

The fact that EfU requires a d20 roll to even get an item to work, additionally reinforces this 'intuition and luck' idea as sometimes the device will work while other times it wont (depending on the d20 roll).

Though I would love for UMD to be based on Intelligence, it's logical that it's based on Charisma. Addtionally, it gives the player a reason to put points in Charisma since typically this stat is the 'throw-away' stat and rarely ever gets points put into it for any purpose other than a requirement (sorc, pally, cleric, bard) or for RP reasons (social skills)

djspectre Though I would love for UMD to be based on Intelligence, it's logical that it's based on Charisma. Addtionally, it gives the player a reason to put points in Charisma since typically this stat is the 'throw-away' stat and rarely ever gets points put into it for any purpose other than a requirement (sorc, pally, cleric, bard) or for RP reasons (social skills)

Especially that the RP factor on EfU is not coming on the picture, due to the 'player doesn't have to roll for social interaction if she doesn't want to' server rule.

Respond to social skill checks aren't a requirement, but it is certainly required that players fairly reflect the stats of their characters in their RP. If your persuade sucks, don't role-play a persuasive character.

Use Magic Device is using force of will, i.e., charisma, to "force" a magical item to your will, thereby enabling you to use it despite its restrictions against your use. In 3.5 rules, there are a number of limits upon this, and knowledge of magic and magical processes becomes useful in applying UMD, but in NWN, it's simply represented by one check based upon the skill. Essentially, an individual attempts to mimic the processes by which the item would function, and uses his or her force of personality to make the item function for him or her when it normally would not.

There are also plenty of items where UMD skill would have no effect.

Interesting question... would a rogue have to 'trick' an item that he is a LG person (in character), if he is using an item that requires that alignment?

If so, then what would happen if he has different items that require different alignments? Identity crisis?